Key Verses of the Bible
Psalm 1

    Notice verse 1 – It does not say “whatsoever he does may prosper…it doesn’t say could prosper… it doesn’t say should prosper … it says whatever he does… prospers! He is not just speaking of material or monetary things. For instance, one can have a successful and prosperous family relationship…

    There are simply five pre-requisites listed for prosperity and success, five things that if carefully followed, will bring prosperity and success.
First – “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked” The key word in this sentence is “counsel.” Another word for “counsel” would be advice. The “wicked” represents anyone without the knowledge of God’s Word. Because without it they are only giving their “best guess” or their opinion. Some may give advice from “experience” which may or may not be bad advice.
    In the U.S.A. our President has what is called his “Cabinet” who are they? Basically, they are his advisers.   Do you think it would be wise for the President who desires to be prosperous and successful to make sure he has the right cabinet? What about a Christian? Who would you put on a list of a Christian’s cabinet? (Godly parents; pastor; good Christian friend; Christian lawyer; and more.) 
    Second – it says “Nor should he stand in the way of sinners”.  This is a reference to standing with the right crowd;  Having the right friends; Being “equally yoked.” This is a vital ingredient; especially as it concerns partnerships; marriage; the right influence, etc.
    Third – “Nor sit in the seat of mockers”… another translation uses the word “scornful”… When you think of those who are mockers or who are scornful, you must think of those who are critical, condemning, judgmental, and slanderous gossipers.  This kind of attitude or nature will rob a person of prosperity and success.
    Fourth – “His delight is in the law of the Lord”.  The word “law” here is a synonym for the entire Bible… The whole Word of God.  A key word here in this part is the word “delight”. It is more than just reading the Bible; it’s more than even believing the Bible; or even memorizing the Bible; he must “delight” in, be refreshed by, rejoice in and love to read and understand the Bible! … The man who desires to be prosperous and successful spends time in God’s Word because he wants to…because it is God’s love letter…a guide to life…that is to be enjoyed. (See 2^nd. Peter 1:3)

Finish these verses; “Thy Word is a  _____ unto my feet”… “Your words are to be desired more than ______... They are sweeter than _______”

    Fifth – “On this law he meditates day and night”…Look at Joshua 1:8 – “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Isaiah 26:3 – “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.  
Psalm 119: 1-16 - Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.  Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—they do no wrong but follow his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.  Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!  Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.  How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.  I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. “

    We can meditate on many facets of God’s Word; we can meditate on God himself; on what God has done in the past; on what God will do in the future; on the promises of God, or we may meditate on certain words; or scriptures; or topics like “relationships or the “one anothers” found in the Word. We have plenty of things to meditate on…

    The person who includes these five ingredients in their life has several promises in this Psalm;
1. He will be “like a tree planted by the streams of water”… ( healthy, stable, always flowing with life giving water…)
2. He will be fruitful”…What does it mean to be fruitful?  Fruitful in what?... ( everything! ) 
3. He will be “perennial”…“whose leaf does not wither”…prosperous and successful in any season.   
4. “Whatever he does prospers.”
    I would say that is good advise!
2 Peter 1:3 – “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

 

Cross references:

1. 2 Peter 1:3 : 1Pe 1:5
2. 2 Peter 1:3 : S ver 2
3. 2 Peter 1:3 : S Ro 8:28

Key Verses of the Bible
Exodus 20:1-17

This is of course, the Ten Commandments. However, Scripture actually reveals three forms of God’s Law:

A. The law of conscience;  ( Romans 1:20 ) – “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
 ( Romans 2:12-16 ) –  “All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.”)
Conscience - A moral sense of right and wrong that affects one’s behavior. Conscience tells us that we ought to do right, and it tells us what we ought not to do.
    God gave every person an innate sense of good and evil, but what is wrong about just living according to the conscience? …
( Sin clouds the pure conscience of all mankind. Eph. 4:18 says that the non-Christian’s conscience has been darkened and dulled and blinded by the deceitfulness of sin.) Someone once said; “Once we defend our conscience by calling something a "necessary evil," it begins to look more and more necessary and less and less evil.”  The scripture also says that the conscience can become “seared”… Titus 1:15 says that those who are not completely living under the control of the Holy Spirit can have consciences that are “defiled, polluted, and corrupt.”
B. The Law ( Ten Commandments) given at Sinai.
     Given in written form – written by God himself – in the form of a covenant or agreement that God made with Israel. They were placed in the Ark of the covenant – under the mercy seat. The first four deal with the relationship between God and man; the last six deal with our rela-tionship to one another. The purpose for the giving of the Ten Commandments is found in Romans 3:20 which says “it is through the law that we become conscious of sin”.
    As we have seen, the conscience is fallible and easily dulled and seared.  But, when we compare our lives to the rigid demands of law, we can see that our lives are exceedingly sinful. ( see Romans 7:13 )
    What is the problem with the Law or the Commandments? ( They only tell us what is wrong, they make our conscience aware of sin, but are unable to empower us to do what is right. They are unattainable perfection. Why? ( Because of the sinful nature.)
C. The Law of Christ.  ( Romans 8:1-4 ) – “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ²because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. ³For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, ⁴in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”
    Christ elevated the moral principles of the law to a higher plane. ( See Matthew 5:17-48 ) What was Jesus saying or demanding of the people when he says things like verse 20? He was saying that a man’s heart attitude, not just his actions must be righteous.
    The Law of Christ says to us that the requirements of God demand more than just outward appearance or actions, for God sees the heart …And, because God is love, as John tells us, He wants everything we say and do to be motivated by love! Whether it concerns our relationship to Him or our relationship with one another. This is why Jesus said “This is my command; that you love one another.” This is why he summed up the Ten Commandments into just two – both beginning with “love”… “Love the Lord your God, with all your heart mind and soul and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” This is why the Apostle Paul told us that without love we are nothing but “clanging cymbals.”
    So, which of the three forms of God’s laws should we follow today?
(All of them.) The purpose of the Ten Commandments has not changed…we still need to know what sin is…and the Ten Commandments still make us conscious of sin.
    Although we may not be able to depend on our conscience, we must believe that God’s Holy Spirit will use our conscience to convict us of wrong and unrighteousness. There are too many things in life today that are what we call “grey areas” that the Bible is not specific about… And, in those cases, we must obey our conscience. 
    This is why Paul explained in Romans 14 - “If one man thinks something is unclean, then for him it is!” …But, he also says it is not for us to judge, ultimately it is up to God to convict if it is wrong.
In the end, it is obedience that comes from a heart motivated by love that we – as Christians – will be judged…and rewarded. The law of Christ, which calls us to a higher, deeper standard.

Parable - “The Pharisee & The Tax Collector”
Luke 18:9-14 

    Luke explains that Jesus is telling this parable to “some who were confident of their own righteousness.” In my mind there are three groups of people who fit this category; the Jews; the Pharisees; and many people in our churches today!  The difference is that the Jews and the Pharisees thought that their religious deeds made them righteous before God…many today are less concerned about God’s approval, or about pleasing God… and more concerned about pleasing self.

    Let’s first look at the Pharisee:  The term “Pharisee” has become a derogatory term. Today it is synonymous with “religious hypocrite.” Here is a man – basically – praying about himself to himself! This prayer is not God centered, it is “I” centered. ( It’s all about me!” ) His words lack any expression of praise or thanksgiving or worship. This man is impressed, not by what he is like compared with God…but what he is like compared with others. Galations 6:3 says – “If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else…”
    Pharisees in Jesus' day were laymen who advocated and practiced rigorous observance of the law. They were observant. They even sought to go beyond normal expectations which is reflected in the Pharisee's prayer. To fast twice a week was not normal; once a week was as much as was expected in the first century. Furthermore, a tithe on everything that the Pharisee made was also more than was expected. In the first century the norm for tithing was that some things would be excluded from the tithe. But this Pharisee tithed everything that he made. He was really good.
    The Tax Collector - Tax collectors were hated in first-century Judea. They were regarded as corrupt and sinful men, because they were. They were hired by the Romans to collect taxes and the normal practice was that tax collectors would add to the required tax their own cut. By doing this they became very wealthy. Because they profited from this status, and because the tax system exploited the people, they were hated and were regarded as criminal and corrupt.  However, his position and his posture reveal a man who desires to come into God’s presence but feels profoundly unworthy. He stands at a distance; his eyes are downcast; his body language shows “guilt”; he beats his breast – a well known gesture of grief and sorrow; everything about him speaks of humility, brokenness, and repentance. Here is a man who has no illusions about who he is or what he is like. (Maybe it’s an attitude that more people should have.) He is also aware that only the grace of God can meet his needs.
    This parable was addressed to folks who were religious and confident of their goodness in the eyes of God. The expectation in both contexts was that it would be the Pharisee—who would be justified by God. The expectation is that the listeners will initially identify with the Pharisee and be alienated from the tax collector.
    The overall impact of this parable is then a kind of shock. That the tax collector would go to his home justified is a complete reversal of expectations. So the question is, "Why?" Why would he be seen as righteous in the eyes of God rather than the one who is clearly righteous by all that he does? Jesus' comment is an explanation of this: "Those who humble themselves will be found righteous and will be exalted - those who exalt themselves will be found as sinners."
    Jesus does not let this parable hang in the air…he wants there to be no doubt about the message here: “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God”… He didn’t go home “feeling justified”… he was justified... he was declared righteous! This means that God had not only forgiven the Tax Collector, but placed him in a right relationship with himself. Justification is impossible for those who are “confident in their own righteousness.” God desires humility and a contrite heart… And, until we come with a “Theo-centric” desire to please God… we come in vain.
    What is dangerous about pride is noted right at the start. First, we come to trust in our own abilities rather than trusting God. Second, we come to regard other people with contempt and disrespect rather than seeing them as created equal in the image of God. This is a danger inherent in all of us. Here we are reminded, however, that God honors those who realize that their deeds – no matter how good or plentiful, does not commend them before God or make them superior; but rather, we are all objects of his grace and mercy.

The Principles.

The first principle I want you to see is an easy one to miss.
a. God, Himself Calls the Workers.
The owner went out into the marketplace himself, repeatedly, and personally called workers to the harvest. So what. What’s the big deal about that? Jesus has taken an opportunity to give us a glimpse of the loving God that we serve. Though He owns all and is above all, still He seeks us out. He meets us where we are and calls us into a relationship with Him and then equips us and sends us into the fields to serve. (John 6:44) "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
The second principle that we can pull from this parable is that:
b. The Call is the Same, the Timing is Different
    The call that the landowner gave to each worker was the same, go into the fields and work towards the harvest. That call remains constant for each and every believer. What is different is the timing and when people respond. There are some who will never respond and therefore will miss out when the wages are given to the workers. There are others who hear Gods call early in our lives and accept it and enter the fields. Others may hear the call for years and decide that they don’t want to work, only to change their hearts later and follow God. Then there are those who cry out to God in the final hour, in the 11th hour. They have lived life for themselves and put off God’s call to work until the very last minute and have a deathbed conversion.      
    This parable tells us that their call is no different then any of ours, the only difference is the timing of the response. The reward (of heaven) is the same. Although the reward (in heaven) may be different. For instance; “Well done good and faithful servant; you have been faithful in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things.” (Matthew25:21-23)
    Each worker received a full day’s wage. God welcomes each and every sinner who calls on His name into the same heaven to spend the same eternity with Him. The Bible says that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Whether they are 10, 40, or 100 years old at death. Whether they serve in some area of ministry, or are followers. The wage is the same, and it’s more than any of us deserve! All who believe will inherit the kingdom of heaven, that gift has nothing to do with our worth or merit or what we have accomplished for God, it is only by God’s grace. Now, our work for the Lord is certainly not in vain. We will be rewarded for the works we do on Earth.
1 Corinthians 3:12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
    If we build on God’s foundation and work towards the growth of the kingdom, scripture teaches in several places that we will receive our reward in heaven and Jesus said the same thing to Peter at the end of chapter 19. But heaven is our common wage and when we get there, all other rewards will not be important to us, there will be no contests to see who got more, because all will be laid at the feet of our Savior.
So here’s the point.
    The temptation with parables is to try to overanalyze every detail and find hidden meaning where none was intended and in doing so to miss the point that Christ was trying to make. We work not for the reward but out of gratitude to God and to hear those words “well done” come from the father’s mouth. And whether someone has served God with their whole life or calls out to Him on their deathbed, we need to rejoice in the reward, equal to all, and thank God for His wonderful grace.

Parables “Workers in the Field”
Matthew 20:1-16

     It’s important, before we begin, to take a quick look back at what’s just happened. The chapter starts with the word “for.” This means that the story hinges upon what just happened or what was just discussed. At the end of chapter 19, we have the story of the rich young man. He has just walked away from Jesus after Christ commanded him to sell all that he had and give it to the poor. The point being, not that money is bad or that wealth is evil, but that nothing should stand in the way of or take higher priority in life than God or the call of Christ. Jesus cut right to the heart and asked the man to give up that which was most important to him, his wealth. He was promised treasure in heaven but the rich young man could only walk away sadly, unwilling to follow Christ at so great a cost.
   This exchange sparks a conversation with the disciples and reveals how far Peter still needs to go in his understanding of the Kingdom that he has pledged his life to. The disciples ask about salvation and rewards and Peter says this: ( Matthew 19:27 ) Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
    He sounds like a little kid! Peter wants to know that he is going to be well compensated, taken care of, for the sacrifices that he and the other disciples have made. After seeing the rich man leave, he says, what about us? We’ve made the ultimate sacrifices. We’ve given up everything, we’ve left jobs and family, what will there be for us? It looks like Peter is in it for the rewards and at that point that may be what he is thinking. But, instead of reprimanding him and lecturing him on the finer points of sacrifice, service, and selflessness, Jesus tells him that he will indeed be rewarded. I’m sure the disciples liked that they would indeed be rewarded but it had to chafe a little that everyone else, people who had not given nearly as much as them, would be rewarded in like manner. To drive home his point, Jesus tells this Parable.
I. The Players.
This would have been a typical work situation in Israel. The marketplace was like a primitive employment agency. Unskilled laborers would hang around the marketplace and wait for someone with a job to show up and hire them. These workers were not very high up on the social totem pole and often the jobs they did only lasted a short time so there was never any guarantee of money coming in on a regular basis. We have places like this in our cities today. If you needed someone to work, you could stop and say I need 6 guys, point six of them out, and drive away with them in the back of the truck. This is what we see happening here.
    The first group of workers that the owner calls to work agree to work for a denarius. Now, you need to keep this in mind as we continue on. A denarius was the daily wage of a Roman soldier…So, they are not working for (X) amount an hour, but for a days wage. The owner repeats this process several times. The Jewish workday began at 6AM, this would be the first hour. So the third hour and the sixth hour and the ninth hour would be 9 AM, 12 noon and 3 PM. The last group that he hires (because obviously the work had not yet been completed) is hired at the 11th hour, or 5 PM, an hour before quitting time. This group of workers probably had given up any hope of being called to work, but the owner sends them into the fields as well. The owner does not agree to a price with these last 4 groups of men, agreeing only to pay them what is right and they trust him and willingly join the first group in the fields. What each one represents:
The landowner is God; The workers are those He calls-or Christians; The field is the earth that God created and the work is the work of the Kingdom which is those good works that God prepared in advance for us to do as Ephesians 2:10 teaches us. The wage in the parable, represented by a denarius, is our “reward.” So, there you have the basics of the parable up to this point. Now, it takes a twist.

II. The Problem.
    This is where the passage gets rough for many people. This deals with the wonderful, and impossible to comprehend subject of grace, freely given forgiveness, and love given to all who ask no matter what they’ve done or what they may deserve.
    We are born with a sense of what is and isn’t fair. We all want life to be fair. Most of us, by now, understand that life is not fair but that does not change the fact that we think it should be. For many people, this carries over into their relationship with God.
    Now, this part of the parable translates into any culture. We can certainly understand why the workers who had been hired first would be upset. The temperature during the grape harvest would have been well over 100 degrees and they had slaved in the hot sun for 12 hours, a good honest day’s work. Here were these men that had worked a fraction of the time, and they were being paid the same! And (note) the owner made sure that those hired first were paid last so that they could see exactly what the others had received.
    In Jewish culture, workers were paid on a daily basis so that they could buy food and provide for their families. It was a first come, first served system. If you were hired first, you were paid first, that’s the way it always worked. But not here, here the first were to be the last. The original workers must have gotten very excited to see that even those hired at the 11th hour received a denarius, surely they would be paid accordingly. It didn’t matter at that point what they had agreed on, they were thinking only in terms of fairness. But remember, a denarius was far above what they deserved or would have normally earned for their work, just like heaven is far above what we deserve. But they were paid the same and that wage, which once looked so good, now seems like an insult and they complain to the owner. The owner replies simply that they received what they had agreed to and it was his prerogative to be generous and to dispense his wealth in any way that he saw fit. What they saw as unfairness, the owner describes as generosity, as grace.
    So, the problem in this parable is that our sense of fairness, that all of us have, tells us that those who work harder and longer deserve more. So, what can we take from this passage? There are certain principles that we need to draw from this story that I will post tomorrow…

Parable of the Tenants 2
    The Bible says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1). The hymn says, “This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet. This is my Father’s world:

    I began to wonder, as I studied this parable of Jesus, what would have happened if the tenants would have been allowed to get by with their rebellion. I think we know, because we live in the world that the parable is about. The farmers would have first rebelled against the landowner and then begin to fight among themselves. A fractured relationship with God always leads to fractured relationships with others. There would have been war among the tenants over who owned the land. As a result the vineyard would have been destroyed. There would have been great loss of life and suffering, but whomever the victor happened to be would think it was worth it all — even if all that was left was ashes.

    Even in the arena of religion God is not really welcome by some. He is too radical. He is too awesome. His person and power are overwhelming. We prefer a god we can understand, control and even manipulate. We like the Old, white haired Grandfather type of God…
    This is the story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden… where they are the tenants of the world God has made. They live in a wonderful garden paradise. But he goes away for awhile and they are easily convinced that it is not enough to be a tenant. It is not good enough to be the friend of God, they want to be God. Like them, we begin to question the goodness of God, and we want to taste our independence. In our ear we hear the words: “God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). How tempting! What an exhilarating thought! We begin to look around us and we decide we want to be in control. We throw off the control of God along with restraint. We stop worshiping the Creator and begin worshiping creation. We take the Giver and his gifts for granted. The vineyard will become our own.
    The book of Acts describes many times when the messengers of God were beaten and mistreated by a God-hating world. They were often in danger of death, and it was often through those immersed in religion who were the greatest threat. At one point, Peter and the other apostles were about to be killed by the religious leaders of the land. They had the religious power and they were not about to let go of their control.         
    However Gamaliel, one of the honorable men among them said, “I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God” (Acts 5:38-39). “Fighting against God.” That is what it is all about. We are still resisting and fighting God himself. We don’t want the Ten Commandments or any commandments, especially since they begin with the words: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). We will worship anything: the sun, moon and stars; trees, rocks and water; money, sex and power — anything but the Landowner.
    One of the interesting things about the parable is that the landowner does not demand everything, he only asks his share. He would have treated the tenants fairly, more than fairly, but they did not want equity, they wanted it all.
    God has been rejected and his Son has been killed. But Jesus quoted the scripture that said: “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:22-23; Matthew 21:42). So Jesus gives us the real end of the story. It doesn’t end in defeat, but victory. The very stone, this One who has been rejected and killed outside the city, will return and become the foundation of a new kingdom. The end of the story is found in the book of Revelation: “The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever’” (Revelation 11:15).
    In verse 40 – Jesus asks the ultimate question – “What do you think the landowner will do with those tenants?”… I Don’t think God likes what we are doing to this earth… I don’t think he likes what we are doing to each other in this world…I don’t think He likes being taken out of government and schools and wherever else the tenants think they have control. And, I know He doesn’t like an unfruitful and selfish “it’s all about me” church. I wonder if this is what the world was like just before the flood?

Parable of the Tenants - Matthew 21:33-21:46

    Jesus tells this very interesting and provocative story about a land-owner and some farmers to whom he rented his land. In Jesus’ story, the landowner does all the work in the beginning. The land is his, and he plants a vineyard. He digs a winepress where the grapes can be trampled & the juice extracted. He builds a watchtower so the crop can be guarded from thieves. Everything is in order for a great crop of grapes. The twist in the story is that he then rents the vineyard out to a group of tenant farmers and goes away. The farmers are to tend to the crop and the land, and when it is time, give him his share of the harvest. It is a simple plan and everyone wins. The landowner gets what belongs to him, and the tenants are provided for and get everything they need.
    But a problem arises when there is a rebellion among the farmers against the landowner. There is no mention that he has treated them unfairly or has wronged them in any way. That is not the issue. The problem is that they get greedy. They no longer want to be the tenants of the vineyard, they want to be the owners. They want it all — all the crop and all the land as well. So when the farmer sends his servants to collect his rightful share of the fruit, the farmers mistreat and beat the servants, even killing some of them. This happens several times until the landowner finally sends his son, expecting that they will respect him and give the land-owner what he is owed. But the farmers conspire even against the son. They say to each other, “This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance. The land and the crops and everything else will be ours.” Then they took him outside the vineyard and killed him.
    Let’s look at the parable piece by piece. What Jesus is doing is telling the world’s story and predicting his own death due to the rebellion of God’s people. God is the landowner. He has made the world and every-thing in it. He planted all the plants that give us food…all the trees that protect us from the sun and restore oxygen in the atmosphere. He gives the world to us, his tenants. We are renters, not owners. However, we are provided for very well. But the landowner seems to be far away. That is to say, God is out of sight. He is still the owner, even though it seems like he is not visibly present. We have been given a good world. The land is fruitful and we are blessed to have been given the privilege of being tenants here. God has been good to us. But a problem has arisen. A rebellion is fermenting among the tenants. We, first of all, want to claim the Master’s land and everything on it as our own, and we want him to stay out of it. We refuse to recognize God’s ownership of the world. And, secondly, we do not want to give to God what rightfully belongs to him. So when God sent the prophets ( servants ) to call the people of the world to recognize God’s ownership and to give him what he is due, they not only became hostile to God, they killed his messen-gers. As they say, “If you don’t like the message, kill the messenger.” This has happened throughout the history of the world, and is still happening now. In many places of the world today, to preach the good news of Jesus openly is an automatic death sentence.
    But God was serious about having his ownership recognized. In the end, he sent his Son (Note how patient God the householder was. Also, that they knew who the son was.) Why? did God send His Son? To call attention to God; to help them understand the truth of His Word; to acknowledge and show them the kingdom of God and recognize that God is the Ruler of that kingdom. But, they treated the son worse than the prophets who went before him. They took him outside of the gates of Jerusalem and killed him. Do you think this would happen today? There is something about that name and the message He brings. I am not to sure that if he came today the world would kill him all over again. Man does not want to be accountable to anyone but ourselves. We don’t want someone telling us what to do and what kind of people we ought to be, even if that someone is God. As far as we are concerned the world belongs to us. Our lives belong to us. When the world says it wants to be free, they really mean to be free from God and free from rules, free to do whatever I want, whenever I want, wherever I want.
    So we claim the right over life and death. War kills thousands with bombs;  We fight and argue over the freedom of choice;  we are harvest-ing unborn children; because we say we need the stem cells;  We want the freedom to clone human embryos and become like God. What we would do with that technology staggers the mind…We want to rape the earth, regardless of what it does to future generations, as long as I get what I need. We want sex as recreation, and homosexuality as a “lifestyle” removed from the law of creation and marriage. We want to use our money and our blessings as we please without regard for those in need. We don’t want to have to answer to God for any of these things. “It is our world. It is my life. And nobody will tell me what to do.”
More on this Monday.

Parable of the “leaven”
Luke 13:20 -  “Another parable spoke he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.'”

The popular interpretation of this parable is that the Kingdom of God or the church, will permeate and change the world as yeast does in bread. This interpretation may be valid. It is certainly God’s intention for the church to do this. And, the parable starts out with “The Kingdom of God ( or the church ) is like yeast”… But, I believe, along with some biblical scholars, this parable means just the opposite; the church will be permeated by sin and influenced by evil until the Lord returns. There are a few principles of biblical inter-pretation we need to know that help explain why I believe this.
A. Scripture must not be made to contradict itself. Every place yeast is mentioned in Scripture it indicates an evil influence.
B. Scripture must be understood in its context: The mustard seed story previous to this shows perverse and unnatural growth. Mustard is an herb, not a tree. The Church has often been huge and powerful in the eyes of men, but not what God intended it to be. Like the mustard seed that grows to be a tree…when it is not meant to be a tree.
C. Scripture must be interpreted consistent with historical events:
            1. The Gospel has not completely changed the world as yeast changes dough.
            2. Even in the Church, the mixture of good and evil is evident.
            3. The Church has never completely permeated the world, but the world has always
                 permeated the Church.
            4. The witness of the Church is corrupted and crippled by the presence of "yeast."

One of the key “hints” as to interpretation is the meal. If you were a Jew in those days you would have caught the phrase “3 measures of meal.” This is what they would take to the Temple as an act of worship. There were two things you could not put into the meal – honey or leaven. When they heard that a woman brought 3 measures of meal and “hid” leaven in it, they knew it was an act of sabotage.

    The first time we find 3 measures of meal mentioned in scripture is Genesis 18 where the Lord and two angels appear to Abraham, who quickly tells Sarah to get 3 measures of meal, bake cakes and bring them to the divine guests. It was about worship and communion.
    The fact that the woman deliberately “hid” the leaven and put it in the meal…is a tactic of Satan, who deliberately tries to destroy the church by all kinds of ways.
    There are different kinds of things represented by the word “Yeast” in this parable;
* Matthew 16:5-12 – Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees – the Pharisees (legalism) – You are a Christian because of what you do or “don’t” do… “I don’t drink or smoke and I don’t chew, and I don’t hang around with those that do!”  The leaven of the Pharisees is still around today – and it is crippling our churches in my opinion. The Sadducees – Liberalism – They didn’t believe in the resurrection or angels or in evil spirits.  They still exist today as well. They are the ones who deny the absolute truth of the Bible; or that it is the inerrant and inspired Word of God; or the virgin birth; or that miracles happen today, among other things.
* Mark 8:15 – the leaven of Herod – materialism. Today we have many “prosperity” gospel teaching churches and those that preach a social gospel…“Don’t worry, be happy”…Be positive…Be a good person. God wants us to be happy and positive and a good person, but according to His Word, commands, and purposes, not ours.
* What about the leaven of “negativism” or “doubt” or “malice” or a critical spirit? These things are in our churches today, and they are “leaven.” Left unchecked, they will permeate the whole dough!

Parable of the Talents – Matthew 25:14-20

Children in a Boston school system were asked to write down some of the things they had learned in their short lives; and I think it will make you chuckle:
(1) “Never trust your dog to watch your food.” Patrick, age 10
(2) “When your dad is mad and asks you, ‘Do I look stupid?’ Don’t answer.” Hannah, age 9
(3) “Never tell your Mom her diet’s not working.” Michael, age 12
(4) “When your Mom is mad at your dad, don’t let her brush your hair.” Taylia, age 11
(5) “Never let your three-year-old brother in the same room as your school assignment.” Traci, age 14
(6) “You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.” Amir, age 9
(7) “If you want a kitten, start out by asking for a horse.” Naomi, age 15
(8) “Permanent felt-tip markers are not good to use as lipstick.” Lauren, age 9
(9) “When you get a bad grade in school, show it to your Mom when she’s on the phone.” Alyesha, age 13
(10) “Never try to baptize a cat.” Eileen, age 8

The First Principle in this Parable is to realize that, what we have is not our own. (v. 14) "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered (his) goods to them.” What these servants were given was not their own it still belonged to the master it is called “his goods” and considered “his property.” Has it ever bothered you that the master in this parable did not give his servants the same amount?

The Second Principle of being a steward is to realize that, we are given all that we can handle. We are to use it and improve it. (v. 15) “And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability;” If we don’t make the best use of what we have, why should we be given more?

    I’m sure many of us have heard people excuse themselves from doing anything in the church by appealing to what they do not have…I will give you the excuse, and tell you what they are saying they don’t have…
… “I’m too old.”… ( I don’t have the energy )
… “I’m too young.”… ( I don’t have the experience )
… “I’m not educated.”… ( I don’t have the right training )
… “I’m too busy.” … ( I don’t have enough time )
… “I’m not good enough.”… ( There are others more qualified )
… “I could never do that.” ( I don’t have the desire to even try )
    When God asked Moses to tell Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go, Moses used a number of phrases to complain about what he did not have: “Who am I that I should go…? “Suppose they do not believe me?”… “I have never been eloquent…” After listening to Moses’ complaints, God said to him: “What is that in your hand?”  In essence, God was saying: “Moses, I am not interested in what you do not have;  Take what you have and I will use it to accomplish that which I have intended for your life.”
    The word “talent” has come into our language from this parable. Rather than money, however, it has come to mean abilities and special gifts. We must be careful not to interpret the parable of the talents simply on the meaning of the word “talent” or money. I would submit that everything we have and everything we are comprise the talents entrusted to us by God. This includes our abilities; each precious moment of every day, every week, every month, and every year given to us…or our time; our material and financial resources; even our relationships with loved ones and friends…the gift of God’s salvation and our testimony - in short—our very lives! All of this is entrusted to us by God, and we are called to be God’s stewards!

The Third Principle of being a steward is to realize that, we will be accountable for what we have done with what we have been given. (v. 19) “After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.” Notice carefully that each servant is only accountable for what his master has given him. The two-talent servant does not have to give account for the five talents entrusted to the other servant. Each man will give an account of himself unto God. Instead of comparing ourselves one with another, we are better off making sure we give a good account of what we have…and what we have done with it. God calls all of us to realize the potential of our lives…and to maximize the years of our lives!

The Fourth Principle of being a steward is to realize that, what we do with what we have been given reveals our view of God (vv. 20-25)  The true character of the third servant was revealed as soon as he opened his mouth. I want you to notice that the third servant talked more than the other two combined. The first two servants use a mere sixteen words each to report their gains, but the lazy servant used 51 words in an attempt to justify why he had basically done nothing! If we truly love the Lord like we say we do, then we will do whatever we can to please Him. If we don’t know how, then we will find out how.

The Fifth Principle of being a steward is to realize that, what we do with what we have been given has benefits beyond this life. (vv. 28-30) We are to be pitied if we only look for rewards in this life.

    There are seven things from the Scriptures, which the Word of God does. They are gleaned from many places, so I won’t attempt to quote all the Scriptures. But we will find that these seven things can never be obtained from any other source. Nothing else will accomplish the seven things which the Word of God alone can do in our lives.

#1. The Word of God reveals Jesus Christ and thus strengthens and refreshes the human spirit. That is its primary purpose.

#2. The Word makes possible increasing self-understanding.

#3. The Word will lead to the exercise of true power and impact. It turns life into something worth the living, something worthwhile. If you learn the truth about yourself, and you learn the truth about Jesus, and discover that God has put the two together -- he in you -- you have discovered the secret of power! It’s what Paul calls “the mystery of Christ in you” in Colossians.

#4. The Bible explains the cause and cure of family, social, and world problems. (If everyone in the world followed what God gave to the Israelites in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, we could solve a lot of problems.)

#5. The Bible gives specific answers to many questions on life and death. Are there other beings in the universe? What happens after death? Who hasn't asked that question? The Bible can answer it. What is wrong with premarital sex? The Bible answers that. What happens to a society that lets down the barriers and goes all the way in sexual matters? The Bible can tell you, and it is unquestionably true, because you can see it demonstrated all around. How did evil originate? Where did it come from? Oh, the many questions that are answered in the Word.

#6. The Word reveals the future and the past. It goes back to the origin of the universe and of man himself, and then looks on to the end of history and tells us what the final pattern or events will be. No other book can do that.

#7. Finally, it protects from unknown dangers. We have no idea what a knowledge of the Bible is doing for us in protecting us from demonic assault, from the occult, the weird, from hidden temptations and the dangers of the unknown.

    Whenever the church takes the Word of God seriously you will always find it to be alive, extremely vital, changing society around. In all honesty, we must admit that this is rare. The church in many places has grown incredibly weak. Many are made up of people who are constantly at one another's throats, quarreling, self-indulgent, immoral. Why? Because the opposite of truth is also true. Look at these seven things again and ask yourself – What is the opposite thing that would happen if not for the Word of God?

The Parables – Intro.

    I thought I would do a series on the parables of Jesus. The parables are very exciting and challenging portions of Scripture. They are like mystery novels; there is always something secret about them, something hidden; thus they are enticing, challenging. There are clues given in each of the parables to lead us to the meaning of it. This is God's way of stimulating us to investigate and discover a hidden truth which will be a real treasure. I will begin with a series of three parables from Matthew 24 and 25;

These three parables concern the subject of the last days and the times of the return of Jesus Christ to earth, but from three different approaches. They are: The parable of the household; the parable of the ten maidens (or ten virgins); and The parable of the talents.
    All three parables are an amplification of one word which Jesus gave to his disciples. He said to them, "Watch!" That word is stressed throughout this whole passage. It is the one command Jesus gives to those that are waiting for his coming. Through all the centuries, no matter how long he may delay, the word is, "Watch!" These three parables tell us what it means to watch; therefore, they are extremely important to us.
    In Chapter 24, Verse 42, Jesus says, "Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming." (Matthew 24:42)
    Also in verse 44, "Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." (Matthew 24:44)
    And again in Chapter 25, after he has completed the story of the ten maidens, he says in Verse 13, "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." It is clear then that he is amplifying the word, watch!
    There have been, two extremes of interpretation of what Jesus meant when he said, Watch: There have been those who took it very seriously. They studied the signs of the coming of the Lord which are brought out in predictive passages in both the New Testament and the Old. They became so involved that they actually set dates for the return of Jesus Christ. Again and again men have said Jesus was coming on a certain day, on the basis of what they found in Scripture and the signs of the times. Sometimes they have even sold their homes and property, put on white robes and have gone out on hilltops to wait for the Lord to return. (I don't know why they always put on white robes; perhaps we associate white robes with the coming of the Lord.) He did not come, of course, and they were disappointed and had to explain it away. But that is an extreme and wrong example of what "watch" means. Jesus did not mean that we are to be standing for-ever gazing up into the heavens, but that we are to involve ourselves in the activities brought out in these three parables. That is why he gave them to us.
    Another extreme interpretation of "watch" is to come to the conclusion that we cannot know the time of the Lord's coming and therefore there is no use to worry about it. Forget it! Just go on living life as you like, until he comes. If he comes, then he comes. It is time enough to worry about it then. In the meantime, go on living as you please regardless of whether he is coming or not. That really is to live as though he were not coming at all.
Let us start the first parable found in Chapter 24, Verses 45-51:
    Here is a household whose master is away and the household is waiting for him to return. The master has appointed certain servants and given them responsibility during the time of his absence. The only activity mentioned is that of feeding the household. These servants have the primary and important task of feeding the household at the proper time. That is the first essential, then, in watching. Watching means to feed and be fed by the Word of God, as we shall see in a moment. The household must eat or they can do nothing else. That is basic, fundamental. If they do not eat, they will not survive, they will perish. They can do nothing else until they have established their health and strength by eating.
    Now the household is also obviously the church, the house of God. It is so described in Scripture. The servants are those appointed to teach within the church. It does not only mean pastors, evangelists, or theologians. It includes also editors of magazines, Sunday school teachers, youth leaders, children's Bible class teachers, even parents within the home who teach their children. It is any one who is in the position of teaching another within the body of Christ.
    Notice how Jesus puts it? "Who then is the faithful and wise servant?" He invites us to put our own name there. Are you that kind of a servant? Are you a teacher? Well, then, are you this kind of a teacher? That is what Jesus is asking.
    The food is obviously the Word of God. What else could it be? The Word of God is intended to feed the people of God. Jesus said so himself, remember? When the devil came and tempted him to turn the stones into bread, he said, "Man shall not live by bread alone hut by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God," (Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4). The Word of God is truth. It is the unveiling of reality. It is the revelation of the way things really are. So if you are going to live you have got to know what life is all about, to know the way things really are. That is why the word of truth is also food. It is referred to as such in many places in Scripture:
    I think many Christians are confused about the need to study the word. They think of it as kind of an option. In this parable you will notice that Jesus takes note of two kinds of servants: There are the faithful, and the faithless. The faithful are those who feed, continually and plentifully, the ones entrusted to their care. When the master returns, Jesus says, "Blessed (or happy) is that servant when his master comes and finds him doing what he was told to do."
What does the Word of God accomplish that makes it so absolutely, fundamentally, necessary? We will look at that tomorrow.

“Iraqi Freedom”
 John 17:1-16 and  Eph. 6:10-12

    I want to begin by giving you some verses of scripture that I find very interesting as they concern what is going on in our world today; the first is from the Book of Gen. 2:10-14 “A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold.  (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.)  The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.  The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.”  This is describing the area of Garden of Eden…which is the area of Iraq.  It was a beautiful place; a paradise….

    Gen. 10:6-10 “The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan…( Ham was the youngest son of Noah, who sinned against his father, and the result was a curse against Canaan. ) “Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth….The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in Shinar…From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh”…Again, the area of Iraq…ancient Babylon. 
    Rev. 9:13-16 “13  The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar that is before God. It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."  And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.”
    I have two questions; Do you know that we are not only fighting a physical war but also a spiritual war…and we are the army?”  And, “Do you  know that God, the creator of heaven and earth, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, has a plan and a timetable and is in control of both?”
    It is nearly impossible not to know what is going on with the war in Iraq. Never before in history have we had such access to what is happening as we have today. We can almost look down the barrel of the gun and see the war live! My prayers go out to the soldiers who are in the Middle-East and their families back home; especially to those who have sacrificed their lives on our behalf.
    There are some similarities that we can draw from the spiritual warfare that Paul mentions;
    First of all, our soldiers are foreigners in enemy territory. We also as Christians are foreigners in enemy territory. In verse 14, Jesus says “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.”  While the world may seem like a friendly place, he is talking about spiritual hostility. The fact is that the world is hostile toward Christianity.
    If you are of the world, then you are driven by four things; money, power, pleasure, and fame. If you think about the so called “reality” shows on T.V…the reality of it is that people will do anything for money! 
    If you are a Christian, you ought to have only one thing that drives you in everything in life; and that is the Word of God. Look at verse 14 again; “I have given them your Word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world…” Did you get that?  The world hates those who live according to God’s Word…Why?  Because even though we are in the world, we are not of the world. We live by a different set of rules. We live with a different kind of morals. We live according to a different philosophy. We value life and freedom and justice and righteousness. And the enemy hates us for that. It doesn’t make sense to us, but we must remember that it goes much deeper than the flesh The war is not just on land and sea; but of heart, mind, and soul. It is a war in the spiritual realm of  “rulers, authorities, powers, and spiritual forces of evil” as Eph. 6:12 tells us.
    The second parallel we can draw is that our troops are in a hostile land and their mission is to topple an evil regime. As foreigners in the world, what is our mission? 
    Well, it’s actually different than we may think. You see, Jesus has already toppled Satan’s regime - the battle has already been fought - and Jesus won! Our mission is to get the word out that we have been set free!  Talk about humanitarian aid…We have the greatest humanitarian aid project in the history of mankind!
    Thirdly, the war coverage makes it very clear that even though the way has been cleared, Iraq is still a very dangerous place to be. There are still small pockets of hostility. There are still terrorist attacks and car bombs and soldiers dressed like civilians sneaking around. 1 Peter 5:8 says; “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
    Jesus describes our world as a dangerous place to be. Even though he has won the war, Satan is still here, trying to steal away as many of God’s people as he can. Satan has intelligence that is always trying to determine our weaknesses and then he will use our weakness against us. I am here to testify that if our weakness is money, or power, or pleasure or fame, Satan has us in his crosshairs!  How many do you know that have been shot down over the years and even generations because of these four?
    How can we succeed in this constant battle?  How do we persevere to the end?
    Jesus prays in verse 11 - “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one.” And, in verse 15 - “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”… We are proud of those who fight on our behalf in Iraq…and we pray the same for them as Jesus prayed for us!  In this war, as in any war, there will be casualties….and the same is true in our battle with the spiritual enemy… but, we still have the protection of Almighty God with us and upon us. “I will never leave you nor forsake you” … We may not see Him, but he is there.
    The early American Indians had a unique practice of training young braves. On the night of a boy’s 13^th birthday, after learning hunting and fishing and scouting skills, he was put to one final test. The boy was blindfolded and led to a dark dense forest to spend the entire night alone. Until this time he had never been away from the security of his family and tribe. But, on this night he would find himself in the middle of the thick dark woods, and he was terrified. Every time a twig snapped; every time there was a noise or sound of any kind, he would envision a wild animal ready to attack. After what seemed to be an eternity, dawn would break and the first rays of the sun would enter the interior of the forest. Looking around, the boy saw flowers and trees and even a path that led back to the village. And, to his astonishment he sees the outline of a man…standing just a few feet away…armed with bow and arrow. It was his father. He had been there all night long. Yes, we are foreigners in enemy territory…and the enemy will do everything in his power to bring us down…but, we have the power and the protection of God with us at all times. And, “greater is he that is in me than he who is in the world!”

 “Break My Heart” – Or – “Make My Day”
 Luke 15:11-24

    Many homes in American are suffering from the phantom father. Hundreds of men have fathered children, & simply walked away from the family— Let me tell you where I stand;  Fathering a child does not make you a father. To carry the title of “father”, carries with it great responsibilities.
    A recent report tells us that because of a lack of father figures in the Home-- in the past 30 years there has been:
550% increase in violent crime
400% increase in illegitimate births
200% increase in teen pregnancies.
300% increase in teen suicide.
And, more that 70% of all juveniles in state reform institutions come from fatherless homes. The home doesn’t need a man in the house…it needs a father!

    Someone has noticed that the word “father” appears in the dictionary just before the word “fatigued” & just after the word “fathead.” I don’t know if that is significant or not, but, Happy Father’s Day!

    In this story of the “Prodigal Son” I notice some ways in which the son broke the father’s heart… and, I find some ways in which he also made his father’s day. I won’t get very far into the story before you will be able to do the spiritual application yourself.

    The first way he broke his father’s heart was that he “withdrew” from his father’s love.  He said; “Give me my share of the estate” and then he took off! He was thought-less…He was tired of waiting for his father to die in order to receive his inheritance…He didn’t care how it made his father feel…He didn’t need his father’s care or guidance or advise…He just wanted out, and he withdrew from his father’s love…and it broke the father’s heart.
    Secondly, He “wasted” what his father gave him. Now it’s easy to see that he spent all of his money…but, what about his talents and skills and giftedness that he had learned and been given and inherited? Father’s love to give their children things – and see their faces light up when they receive what they are given with joy – But, you can make a father miserable when you have a wrong attitude and become greedy and materialistic; especially when there is no appreciation for all that the father has worked so hard and given up  to give his children…only to have them waste it and squander it away.
    Third, he “violated” his father’s morals and values. Every father wants his children to grow up with proper standards of morals and values and to stay away from things that would destroy their lives or their marriages or their relationships. Every father wants his children to marry well and be happy and produce grandchildren – “Blessed is the man whose quiver is full”! But, it breaks the father’s heart to hear the words of his son “I have sinned”! I have been flagrantly disobedient!
    To break the heavenly Father’s heart is to withdraw from His love; To break the heavenly Father’s heart is to waste all that He has given you; To break the heavenly Father’s heart is to disobey and live contrary to His morals and values. Children have the potential of breaking a father’s heart… and we as God’s children have that same potential.
    However, let’s talk about how he made his father’s day. First, he desired to restore their relationship. He returns to his father, admits he was wrong, and asks for forgiveness. How does the father receive him?...No lecture; no anger; no “I told you so”… He calls for the fattened calf, and there is a celebration! The Word says that “there is rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repents”…
    Second, he came back with a new “respect” for his father. Have you ever noticed the difference between the way the prodigal son left and the way he returned; ( He left well dressed and rich, he came back in rags…He left clean, he came back filthy…He left in a Porche, and came back wandering down the road…He left arrogantly saying “Give me”, he came back humbly saying “forgive me.” He made his father’s day by giving him the respect that he deserved.
    Third, and this involves the other son…We make the father’s day when we love our brothers and sisters. Look at the attitude of the older brother – he was jealous – he became angry it says… and refused to go in and celebrate. He complains to his father “I have never been disobedient; I have always been a good boy; I have done everything right; yet you have never given me a celebration; You don’t bless me like this!” Then we are given the last two verses… and, if we don’t understand this, we will never truly understand the message of the prodigal son - “My son, said the father, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But, we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again! .He was lost, and now is found!”
    Some sibling rivalry is normal. I heard of triplets…three young boys who got along well. They were very loyal to one another. If one of them got into trouble they would never tattle on each other. A neighbor once asked the father, “How in the world do you know which one to punish if there is trouble?” The father said, “It’s easy, I send all three to bed without Dinner or T.V. or video games and ground them for a week. The next morning I spank the one with the black eye!”
Let’s do our best to make the Father’s day!

“Door To Door”
Rev. 3:20 and Acts 14:26-28 and Matthew 7:7-8

    Years ago, I used to sell custom made windows. They were replacement windows. They were a well known brand of window, and business was usually good. But, in the winter time when things slowed down, I would actually walk the streets; looking for windows that needed to be replaced; and then knock on doors to try and sell replacements.

    Once in a while, I would go to the door and knock…and no one would answer. O, I knew they were in there!….The T.V. was on… the lights were on…. But, no one came to the door!  I think it was the briefcase!  They knew I was going to try and sell them something.
    Our scripture tells us that Jesus “stands at the door and knocks” and, I want to look at some of the reasons people don’t answer. You see, Jesus knocks…He knows we are home…He knows what we are doing…He knocks, and He knocks, but some people just won’t answer.
    Maybe they think he wants to sell them something they don’t need. Maybe they think He might want them to do something they just don’t want to do. Maybe they think if they answer the door, it will cost them something; so they just refuse to answer the knock.
    I want you to know this morning, that God will never push the door open. He will never force His way in.  He won’t knock the door down…. He just stands at the door, and knocks. So, let’s look at some of the reasons people don’t open the door.
#1. They don’t hear the knock.  They may be so busy, entangled with the affairs of life, that they just don’t even hear the knock. They are so pre-occupied with work or play, and the things going on outside the church, that they never hear what’s going on inside.  There’s just so much “noise” in their life, they can’t hear the knock.  The things of the world and the noise of the world drown it out.
    There’s a story about an American Indian and another man walking down the busy, noisy, streets of New York…When, suddenly, the Indian stopped and said; “Did you here that?” “Here what?” “I heard a cricket!”  “How could you possibly hear a cricket with all this noise and traffic?” Sure enough, the Indian reached down and picked up a cricket in one of the potted plants on the sidewalk. Then he said; “It’s all in what you are listening for.”  Perhaps they don’t hear because they are not listening.
#2. Some people are just too far away. Something happened in their life, and they find themselves too far away from God. Satan will do his best to bring things into our lives that shouldn’t be there - like drugs and alcohol - things he tells us are “fun” and will bring us great “pleasure.” It does not matter the sin, once they realize the consequence, they think they are to far away from God. One thing I want you to know this morning is that no matter how faint the knock, if we answer the door, He will come in!
#3. Some people are actually spiritually deaf. The Bible calls it “having their conscience seared as with a hot iron.” They have been in sin for so long, and away from God for so long, their conscience does not even bother them when they do wrong. Have you ever heard of a criminal who “showed no remorse”?  Sin against God is a crime punishable by death…and some people show no remorse. They close their ears, they close their hearts, they shut down their conscience. Are they lost forever? No, all they have to do is open the door!
#4. People don’t open the door because they know that He knows what they have been doing…and they are embarrassed.  Embarrassed by sin, they hide…just like Adam hid…maybe thinking He will go away. They know that if they open the door God’s going to change their way of thinking and feeling, and cause them to stop what they are doing! But, they don’t realize that those things are blessings!  Those changes will bring more joy than they could ever believe! And, their lives will be changed for the better. “I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly!” said Jesus. Listen, this is not a cliché’…”When you know the truth, the truth will set you free!”
#5. They don’t answer the knock because they think it’s too good to be true!  Along with that, there are times when even Christians can get so excited - they forget to open the door.  In the Book of Acts, chapter 12 there is a story about Peter being in prison. An angel comes and sets him free; they pass right through the guards and out of the prison. It says that Peter went to the house of Mary, the mother of John also called Mark, where “many people were gathered and were praying.” Peter knocks on the door and a servant girl named “Rhoda” it says, answered the door. And, listen to this, “when she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed, she ran back - without opening the door - and exclaimed “Peter is at the door!”
    My point is this; It’s not just the unsaved that don’t answer the door. Some people get caught up in the emotionalism of the church, or they get so wrapped up in “doing things for God”, that they look back after a few months and wonder why they haven’t moved very far in their Christian life and growth. Somewhere, back there, they saw God…and they got so excited they forgot to open the door, and let Him in! 
#6. Some people have been beat back, beat down, and beat up… and they are just to weak to answer the door.  That’s why the Bible says we ought to “carry one another’s burdens”.  Galations 6:1 says; “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently”…Some people need to be helped to the door.
    “Two monks were going to a monastery and a bad snowstorm came up. As they walked in the wind and the snow, they came upon a traveler who had fallen and was helpless. One monk said; “Leave him alone, he shall reap what he has sown”… But, the other monk loaded the man on his shoulders and carried him. The weight slowed him down considerably, and the other monk kept pushing on ahead. Almost to the monastery, the monk carrying the fellow tripped on something and nearly fell. It was the other monk. He had frozen to death before reaching the monastery. But, the monk who carried the traveler had kept warm by the man’s extra body heat.”
    Have you heard a knock on the spiritual door of your life? Why not just open the door of your heart and see what God has to say. It will change your life!