Philippians - Now, About that Attitude of Yours

Click Here to Listen to the Sermon for Sunday, May 15, 2011 by Pastor Chip Moody

Click Here to Download a Copy of the Philippians Outline Chart



Scripture Reference:  Philippians 2:1-16

“Be like Jesus.”

Yes, you read that correctly. Be like Jesus. It astonishes me that we can say this so blithely.

Be like Jesus. You’re kidding, right?

Is there anything else you would like me to do? Leap a tall building in a single bound? Stop a speeding locomotive? Catch a bullet between my teeth? It shouldn’t be a problem for someone who can “be like Jesus.”

But there it is in Philippians 2. Be like Jesus.

The precise words are “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus . . .” What attitude? Oh, only absolute unfettered selflessness, that’s all.

Really? Selflessness?  I suppose there are times when I am somewhat selfless . . . maybe.

Sorta.

But Philippians 2.5-8 describes this selflessness in a not so “sorta” kind of way.

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who,

although He existed in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,

but emptied Himself,

taking the form of a bond-servant,

and being made in the likeness of men.

Being found in appearance as a man,

He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross. [NASB]

Nothing sorta about this. The attitude we are to have is that of Jesus as he emptied himself of his glory to become incarnate in human flesh and offered himself to crucifixion for the sins of the world. You know. Selfless.

Oh, that attitude.   

Paul the Apostle wrote to this church of Philippi, a solid, healthy, and joy-filled church, to concentrate on selflessness, for in it they would find what all humans seek, as well as what God desires us to have--harmony with one another. Peace in the flock. Healthy relationships with brothers and sisters in the Lord. Peacemaking.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing;

 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent,

children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,

 among whom you appear as lights in the world,

 holding fast the word of life,

so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory

because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. [NASB]

I find it fascinating that Paul seems to be saying that at then end of the age Paul will be most proud to be able to say, “In a selfish world I planted churches in which everyone got along nice.”

That would take a miracle, you say.  Well . . . yes, I think it is a miracle. Selflessness is a miracle that only comes about because of the transforming work of God in my life. Because of the presence of God in me, thanks to Jesus, I can choose to put myself last, consider others better than myself (v. 3), and we can achieve a level of love for one another the world without God can’t experience.

Call it abundant life. After all, most of our most troublesome problems are about relationships, especially relationships with those we are supposed to love and who are supposed to love us. Most other problems don’t keep us from abundant life. Bad relationships always do.

So be selfless, Paul writes. Doesn’t he know how difficult this is? Doesn’t he see the inherent complexity and confoundedness of getting along with others?  Yes he does. And he knows the only successful solution for our inability to get along is—you guessed it, selflessness.

So be like Jesus.

NOTE:  OUR APOLOGIES THAT IT TOOK SO LONG TO POST THIS SERMON AND DEVOTIONAL.  WE HAVE BEEN UPGRADING OUR COMPUTERS AND THIS INTERRUPTED OUR USUAL POSTING

Philippians - Joy in All Circumstances

Click Here to Listen to the May 8, 2011 Sermon by Pastor Rodger S. Loar


Click Here to Download a Copy of the Philippians Outline Chart


Scripture Reference:  Philippians 1:1-30

How do you have joy in all circumstances? 

Life is deucedly tough sometimes.  Can I get an ‘Amen’?  As a pastor, you  get a glimpse into the pain in a lot of people’s lives.  It seems that every day, someone close to me is going through their own private hell.

Here’s just a few from the last few weeks: 

• An old friend sent me the news that a mutual friend from Junior High and High School had murdered his wife and then shot himself.
• A friend of mine got THE diagnosis of the ‘C’ word.
• Another friend is in the suffering in the hospital and the doctors cannot seem to find out what’s wrong.
• Several friends are going through varying degrees of serious marital problems.
• Several friends have lost their jobs.
• Others are dealing with serious workplace conflict.

There’s divorce, medical problems, family fights, betrayal, death, and a thousand other real life problems.

The question then is:  How do you be joyful in your circumstances?

Our current series at Mountain View is on Paul’s letter to the Philippian church.   Paul is writing them a letter of thanks and encouragement.  He is thankful for their support and encouragement and he is encouraging them as they work through problems of persecution and internal conflict within the church.

The irony is this… Paul was in prison, facing possible execution.  You’d think that he would be the one that needed the encouragement, but here he was encouraging them.

Encouragement.  Joy.  Unity.  These are all powerful themes in this letter.  They are also things that should naturally flow out of being a believer.  We have received the greatest gift in the entire universe, the hope of salvation in a loving God.  It would seem that nothing else should phase us.  Why fear death if we know where we are going?  Why fear persecution when we have a Lord that gives us strength?  Why worry about squabbles and fighting when we are part of the greatest world-wide body of people?

Those are three great questions, but the simple truth is that we are all human.  We do get discouraged.  It is possible to get so overwhelmed that we forget our joy.  Disunity does happen due to our selfishness.

Well then, what’s a Christian to do?

God has given us a gift that makes a difference:  Each other.

We can encourage each other.  We can share joy with each other.  We can be unified with each other.

Encouraging another person can be simple.  Write a short letter to them.   Take someone to coffee or lunch and let them vent.  Pray with them.  Drop a short line on Facebook or by email.  Call them up during the week or give a hug on Sunday.  This brings them joy and it builds unity.

The funny thing about encouraging someone else is that it builds our own joy too. 

We live in a world of discouragers.  There’s always someone ready to tear you down at work, at school, and often in our own families.  That’s why we need our fellow Christians to be encouragers and that’s why each of us must make the decision to be an encourager.

Our practical application during this series is to send an encouragement letter to someone.  Sit down with paper and pen and write a good old fashioned letter or card to someone that you know needs encouragement.

Do this and you’ll make a difference in someone’s life.

It might just be your own.

NOTE:  OUR APOLOGIES THAT IT TOOK SO LONG TO POST THIS SERMON AND DEVOTIONAL.  WE HAVE BEEN UPGRADING OUR COMPUTERS AND THIS INTERRUPTED OUR USUAL POSTING.

Deacon Means Servant - Deacon Ordination Service 05/01/2011

Click Here to Listen to the Sermon for Sunday, May 01, 2011 by Pastor Chip Moody

Click Here to Listen to the Deacon Ordination Service for Sunday, May 01, 2011

Scripture References:  Acts 6:1-8 and 1Timothy 3:8-13

“Deacon” equals “Servant”

There are two offices in the church that have the distinction of a job description. One is that of Pastor/Elder and the other is the office of Deacon. Sunday we ordained, or “set aside” for God’s service, two of our number as biblical Deacons.

What are deacons? For background lets look at Acts 6. It records a problem in the fledgling church of Jerusalem:

“In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.  ² So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.  ³ Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them  ⁴ and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."  ⁵ This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.  ⁶ They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them”[NIV]

These men, chosen to solve the sin of discrimination in the church, were specially chosen for their spiritual integrity and servant hearts. The duties of the biblical Deacon have not changed over these 2,000 years. There is still a need for godly men and women who will look after the day-to-day service of the flock so that the pastors might give themselves fully to prayer and to the study of the Word of God.

And then there is that job description I told you about:

“Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”

1 Timothy 3:8-13 [NASB]

So what does the biblical deacon look like?

A deacon has a right relationship with the Savior - The church was commanded to choose from among the members of Christ’s body. Make sure they are part of the flock of God, one submitted to God in faith in Jesus Christ. Many churches have paid a terrible price for elevating unsaved men and women to positions of leadership in the church.

A deacon has a right relationship with the flock - Notice that the saints were to "choose from among yourselves." They were to recognize from among their own fellowship persons they had observed. Men and women they trusted. This corresponds to a portion of the requirements of a Deacon listed in 1 Tim. 3:10: “They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.”

A deacon should have the recommendation of the Spirit of God.  They were to be "filled with the Holy Spirit.” This term carries the idea of having behavior under the control of the Holy Spirit.

A biblical Deacon must be a servant.  The very word “deacon” in your NT, in the Greek of the New Testament, can be translated as “servant.” In the early church, Deacons were chosen as servants overseeing the fair and equitable distribution of food to the needy.

Similar to an elder, deacons are to live an uncommon life.  When we look at the list of qualifications in 1 Timothy 3, it’s easy to see that Deacons are expected to live godly, separated lives.

• Deacons are to be worthy of respect. They live lives worth imitating.
• Not double-tongued.  They say what they mean; they mean what they say.
• Not greedy for money. They have a spiritual attitude toward money and who will not use their office to gain something from others.
• Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. They do not confess adherence to doctrine that they do not wholeheartedly believe. Plus, deacons are more concerned with what the Bible says than they are with what the church constitution and by-laws say.
• Let them be proved. Examined to see if they live a consistent life of faith. 
• In control of their home.  They have earned the love and respect of the family. They are family people. They are dedicated to a spiritually healthy home.

But most important of all is a Deacon’s function: Deacons are to serve the church--the family of God

Deacons don’t cut grass or paint the Sunday school classroom. They don’t constitute a board that competes with elders in overseeing the church. Deacons don’t count offerings or teach classes. A deacon serves people.

They visit the sick, care for the grieving; oversee benevolence gifts, food for the poor and other resources. They counsel the lonely and the worried. They encourage the hurting. They give godly wisdom to those they serve. And they help mobilize you to accomplish all these tasks with them.

SO WHAT SHOULD WE ALL DO WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE?

Support these Deacons that you have set apart to serve you.

Pray for them as you do your pastor and the other biblical elders of the congregation.

Recognize their wisdom and respect their dedication

What we have done in setting apart deacons for His service brings even more glory to God.

And that is what our lives, our obedience, our church is about.

Bringing all glory to God.

A Promise Made - A Promise Kept Easter Sunday 2011

Click Here to Listen to the Sermon for Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011 by Pastor Chip Moody




Scripture Reference:  Mark 16:1-8

When Mary Magdalene and the other women went to prepare Jesus’ body for permanent burial on Sunday, they were met with an empty tomb and an angel’s promise: 

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome

bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body.  Very early on the first day of

the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each

other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" But when they looked

up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.  As they entered

 the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were

 alarmed. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was

crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.  But go, tell his

 disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him,

 just as he told you.'"  Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from

 the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.   [Mk. 16.1-8 NIV]

The promise is more like a prediction. Did you see it in v. 7? But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'"

What do you mean “just as he told you?” You mean Jesus supposedly told them all this cross-death-rising stuff was going to happen?  He sure did. More than once, I might add.

At first he tried to ease them into the horrific reality of what was to come by giving them only as much information as they could handle. "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:40).

But he eventually began to be pretty explicit about his coming demise. “They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise."  But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.”  Mark 9:30-32 NIV   

And then even more explicit still. Just after Peter made his great confession of the deity of Christ, the Bible says in Mark 8:31-32:  “He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.”

Seems he was getting explicit enough that they were beginning to put their fingers in their ears and go “la la la la la la!”

But he finally in Mt. 20 he makes things CRYSTAL clear:

"And Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside along the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify Him. And the third day He shall rise again."

There it was. Crucifixion. The most notoriously cruel and humiliating form of capital punishment ever invented. Used to both execute wrongdoers by Rome, it was also a very useful tool to keep occupied people intimidated and docile. People didn’t even like to say the word “cross” (staurion). It was spoken of in hushed tones as though speaking it would bring its terror into one’s life.

And probably this is what the disciples heard most loudly. The part about rising on the third day seemed to get lost in the shock of hearing that the heroic figure they had dedicated their lives to was going to be killed. And they knew they could be next.

But looked at another way, Jesus was not making predictions. He was making a promise.  He was assuring his disciples that he was going to get killed, but they should hang on to their hope because he would be back just a mere three days later—in full bloom.

Prophecies about is crucifixion and resurrection are promises from Jesus.

    --Promises to fulfill his mission to die for the sins of the world

    --Promises to rise from death in order to verify his claim to be Messiah.

   -- Promises to those who believe in him, that following him on the

Jesus Road would mean they too, would experience resurrection unto eternal life with Jesus one day.

Jesus kept his promises, didn’t he? 

In fact the resurrection of Jesus is our best evidence that all God's promises are trustworthy.

Promises in scripture that we are loved and worth saving..

Promises in scripture that we will live forever.

Promises in scripture that peace and reconciliation with God are ours

So what do we do with this knowledge?  Believe! Follow! Worship!

What Jesus promises, he delivers. He is risen!

God gets all the glory!

Jesus  made appearances after his resurrection to a lot of people over a period of over a month. At one event, over 500 people saw him. One resurrection appearance early on has always been dramatic to me.

The disciple Thomas refused to believe the other disciples when they told him, "We have seen the Lord!" Thomas said, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it!"

When Jesus showed up when Thomas was present (and I’m pretty sure Jesus made the appearance especially for Thomas), Jesus said, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas simply said the only appropriate words for such an occasion, “My Lord and my God.”

They are the only appropriate words for us, too.

The Red Carpet Treatment

Click Here to Listen to the Palm Sunday Sermon for Sunday, April 17, 2011 by Pastor Rodger S. Loar


Scripture Reference: 
Luke 19:28-40 and
Luke 19:11-27

What is it about celebrities that intrigues us so much about them?  Why did thousands of teen girls turn into screaming fanatics at the sight of the Beetles.  Why do they still do it today with Justin Beiber?  What is so amazing about a sports start that makes us want their autograph?  Why does their chewing gum, locks of hair, or other personal paraphernalia command a price on ebay?  Why do millions tune in to watch the Oscars to see what their favorite star is wearing?

And, what about the dark side to celebrity? Why are there so many magazines and television shows to let us know about the latest gossip on Brad cheating on Angelina?  Why do we revel in the latest life crash by Lindsay or Charlie?  Why did O.J.’s trial halt an entire nation or Michael’s death leave so many grieving who didn’t even know him personally?

There is always a crowd to cheer the latest and greatest personality.  They pour their hopes and dreams into this cult of celebrity.  And, there are always those who cheer the downfall of a celebrity.  There is something dark about humanity that likes to see others rise to the top and then fall to their depths, whether it be actors, politicians, or even pastors.

Jesus had a crowd like this at the Triumphal Entry.  This historical event, recorded in all four of the gospels (Luke 19:28-40, Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, and John 12:12-19), tells of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem in the last week of his life on earth.  As he came into Jerusalem, many people cheered him and lined his path.  They gave him the red carpet treatment, lining the road with palm branches and even their cloaks.  But, a few short days later, these same crowds jeered him as he went to his death.

They had their expectations and he let them down.  They expected a military leader, a victorious politician, a charismatic rabbi, or an earthly king; someone who would kick out the Romans who were occupying the nation, and lead Israel back to a golden age.  Jesus, on the other hand, had so much more planned.  He was about to conquer death, forgive sins, and bring a hope for the entire world, but they were so caught up in the cult of celebrity, they missed it.

Jesus knew that they were going to be thinking this way, and so he told a story, found in Luke 19:11-27.  He told of a master that was going away for awhile, but would be back.  The master left his servants with money to invest while he was gone.  When the master got back, some of the servants had invested the money, but one had not.  He failed to follow instructions. 

Jesus was letting his followers know that he was going to be gone for a period (at this point, over 2000 years), but he would one day be back.  In the interim, each of his people would be given talents, abilities, money, possessions, and time to be obedient to God and do his work in this world.  That’s you and me and everyone else.  We are supposed to be doing the master’s work while he is gone.  He also let the crowd of people know that there would be punishment for those who were disobedient.

The crowd missed all this and many still miss it today.  They were caught up in the celebrity of Jesus.  They were caught up in their hopes for a general or politician who would be king and save them from the Romans.  And so, they were disappointed when he was crucified.

They missed the lesson that he would be gone and he would be back.  While some saw his resurrection and got the lesson, many others still miss it. 

Hopefully, you don’t miss it. 

We have been left here to be obedient to God and do his work while we are on this earth.  We are to worship him.  We are to conform our lives to his word.  We are to take care of each other, protect the innocent, feed the hungry, care for the widow and orphan, and otherwise invest the talents he gave us to do good work.

Let’s not get caught up in the cult of celebrity, building up movie stars, devoting ourselves to famous athletes, putting all our hope in politicians, or putting pastors on pedestals.  Why waste our time on these people when we know the ultimate celebrity of all.

Instead, let's give him the ultimate red carpet treatment and honor him with our very lives.

Awww, Grow Up! - Pilgrim's Regress

Click Here to Listen to the Sunday, April 10, 2011 Sermon by Pastor Chip Moody


Scripture Reference:  Hebrews 5:11-14 and Hebrews 6:1-3

“Grow Up. Baby!”                

If you never thought the Bible talked about baby food, think again:

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.  But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.      Hebrews 5:11 - 6:3 [NIV]

I learn some striking lessons from this passage.

It is possible to regress in our Christian walk with God.

I think it is probably also the case that if we are not progress and maturing in our obedience to Christ, we are, in fact, regressing.

By knowing and experiencing only the beginning stages of the Christian life, we cannot know how to live rightly in a wrong-filled world. 

The solid food that brings about maturity is for the purpose of helping us not only know right from wrong, but also how to apply the wisdom from God about right and wrong to our life, especially those areas of life that look gray rather than black and white. The spiritually grown up person is equipped to apply the God’s desires/his word, to extremely complicated situations in life that we face at home at work, at church, or with friends and family.

We are told to “leave elementary teachings.”

Well, like what? What teachings are elementary? Well, they are some surprisingly important doctrines and practices:

• Repentance of sins and dysfunctions long ago forgiven by God
• The beginnings of initial faith in God
• Instructions about baptisms and the laying on of hands
• The resurrection of the dead at the last day
• Eternal judgment; heaven and hell

     

These are by no means unimportant doctrines. Yet the writer of Hebrews is saying that these are elementary (my dear Watson), and that we are somehow supposed to move on from these to another level of maturity. There appears to be spiritual food that is “age appropriate” for one’s progress in Christ.

It further seems that this “solid food” has something to do with applying the revealed wisdom of God to actual day-to-day living situations.

But why? 

Why indeed. Does it matter that we become people of holiness and faithfulness. We have our salvation. We have the reward of eternity in the presence of God. Why bother with holiness?  Is it worth the effort?  I’m saved; that’s enough for me. Why do I need growth?

I’m glad you asked that.

The answer has little to do with how good we can be or how much progress we make. The answer to why we should grow is about God himself; about his nature and his character. This can’t be yet one more sermon, in a seemingly endless line of them in our Christian culture these days, that is merely a moralistic admonition or ethical pep talk. The answer to “why grow” is a deeply theological one.

Here goes. God is alone worthy of our praise and worship. As the sovereign Lord of glory, he is Lord of our life, our world, our universe. Our transformation into the likeness of Jesus glorifies God.  That’s why we are to grow. It pleases our creator. My growth glorifies Him.

You see, it does not matter enough to ME to grow in Christ. I am lazy, willful, and prone to letting important spiritual matters slide by me in the rush of the urgent. But my growth DOES matters to God. And because I love him, honor him, obey him, I live to please him and enjoy him.  That is the only motivation strong enough to make me seek maturity.

God is glorified when we, his people, grow to resemble his Son.

So what does this mean for us?  

What is it that God is looking for in your life and my life?  I am reminded of what Paul writes in his letter to Ephesus:

“[God desires] that the body of Christ may be built up until we all ... become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching ... Instead, ... we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” (Eph 4:12-15)

What is the growth that God is looking for?  

“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son . . .” (Rom 8:29)   

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory ...”  (2 Cor 3:18)

God's goal is that we become transformed into Jesus’ likeness, attaining His fullness.  Why?   Because God is glorified when we grow to resemble his Son.

So no more swearing at other drivers in rage.  NO WAIT! Let’s not trivialize this by being so shallow minded. Let’s think of what is most important to God as he has taught us in the scriptures and grow to make these the priorites of our spiritual life:

Help alleviate suffering in others.

Do something to help serve and lift up the poor and marginalized of our world.

Seek justice! No more tolerating public officials who are corrupt, or who oppress the powerless.

Seek reconciliation. No more broken relationships due to your own pride or stubbornness

Seek responsible stewardship. No more worshipping our toys, our money, our looks, our power. No more aggrandizing ourselves at the expense of others in the world who make our living-large possible.

Choosing freedom! No more choosing prisons of addiction or compulsions, or sexual irresponsibility, or out of control anger or lying, or stealing, or gossip.   

Wow. From this angle (God’s perspective), growth looks pretty good! Solid food is sounding really nutritious.

So seek the solid food!  And by your growth you, instead of being a baby on formula forever, will by growth and maturity become an example and coach to others on the Jesus road.

Years ago, Ruth Bell Graham, wife of evangelist Billy Graham, saw a sign by the road and said she wouldn’t mind its words being on her headstone: "End of Construction - Thank you for your patience."

There’s some wisdom there, I think.

- - -

Here is the Drama skit about maturing in prayer, performed in the Sunday, April 10 Service by our Drama Troupe:

School is In Session

Click Here to Listen to the Sunday, April 3, 2011 Sermon by Pastor Rodger S. Loar


Scripture Reference 2Peter 1:3-9

School is in Session

“School’s out for summer, School’s out forever, Schools been blown to pieces, No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks.”  So goes the lyrics to Alice Cooper’s School’s Out song.   I, for one, definitely daydreamed about the school being blown to pieces as a kid, especially before math tests.

It’s easy for us, as adults, to think that we are done with school; so, there isn’t any more learning to be done.  As Christians, that just isn’t true!  Growth is still expected of us, and that takes learning.  It doesn’t matter whether you are 19, 49, or 99 years old.  God still has some growing for you to do.

Peter lays out a growth path for us in 2Peter 3:5-7.  He tells us to add to our faith, goodness; to our goodness, knowledge; to our knowledge, self control; to our self control, perseverance; to our perseverance, godliness; to our godliness, mutual affection; and to our mutual affection, love.

Faith is where it all starts.  When we believe in Christ, that isn’t the end of the journey, but the beginning.  This is the point where we start, ‘having escaped the corruption in the world’ (2:Peter 1:4).  Yet, this is also the point where many believers stop.  Like Lot’s wife, when the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, they can’t help looking back at the world they know and so they stay there, stuck between two worlds and not growing. 

We then add goodness or virtue to our faith.  This is the same word used to describe Christ in verse 3.  No one is good all the time, but you start to practice being like Christ. 

Then comes knowledge.  If we don’t know God, then how can we be what he wants us to be?  This knowledge comes primarily from studying the Bible.  It also comes from sermons and lessons, but only when you apply a discerning ear to compare what is taught with God’s word.

After we gain knowledge, we must learn self-control.  That’s a hard one in this society where we can have almost anything we want without waiting for it.  Hungry?  Microwave a pizza in a minute.  Thirsty? just turn on the tap.  Bored?  Flip on the TV and grab any movie you want from online.  Lonely?  Heck, you don’t need to work at a relationship with someone, just go online and you can find all sorts of ‘entertainment’.  Want to buy something, go to an ATM and get your money now.  No money in your account?  Swipe a credit card and pay it off someday. 

Self control must be cultivated.  You have to learn to save for things, to wait for things, to earn what is right and good or we are no better than toddlers who cry when they don’t get their every desire met instantly. 

Self control naturally leads to perseverance.  Learning to endure through the difficult can lead us to all sorts of good things, from losing weight to making it through pain and disease to surviving the death of those close to us.  Our lives don’t have to completely fall apart when things get hard, it just takes perseverance. 

Godliness is next, learning to be more and more like the holy people He calls us to be.  This comes from putting godly values into practice.  You don’t earn this one on the couch, you have to get out and do.  This is not the false holiness that so many people project, but the real holiness of making the right choices in our life priorities, in our time, and in our money.  Other people see this and can quickly tell if you really are living a holy life or if you are just living a holier-than-thou life.

Mutual affection.  Brotherly love.  Caring for one another.  Walking together.  That’s what the church is all about.  Many people try to do the hard stuff on their own.  Always smile at people and never let them know you are breaking inside.  That path is destructive.  We need each other and we must be intentional about it.  Get to know your neighbors, learn to love your fellow Christians.  Spend time, share, eat together, pray together, have fun.  It’s almost impossible to grow past a certain point if you don’t have people close to you helping you to grow.

Finally, we get to love.  This isn’t puppy love, brotherly love, erotic love, or the love you feel when you bite into a good cheeseburger.  No, this is the practical love, love in action.  This is serving others.  This is intentionally loving those people who are hard to love.  This is putting yourself on the line to touch someone else’s life.  This is serving the homeless, even if they aren’t thankful for it.  This is praying with the dying.  This is visiting the little old lady next door and listening to her tell you all of her medical problems.  This kind of love ain’t easy, but it is an incredibly important part of our growth. 

God calls us to keep growing, to keep learning as believers.  He doesn’t call us to be ‘Pew Potatoes,’ you know the type, the vegetable who sits rooted in the pew.  Far too many of us feel that our faith is about ourselves and our own comfort.  The problem is, you don’t learn and you don’t grow if you are comfortable.

It’s time to get back to school. It’s time to stretch ourselves and grow.

Summer break is over.

School is in session.

                                                                 Pastor Rodger