War of The World

As we offer memorial, today, for those who have served sacrificially for our country ....I've had thoughts and recollections about war, why we prepare for it, why it exists, what starts them? I was reminded of a couple of events; one historic, one personal ....which connect to "war" or the fear of.

(1) In 1938 radio host and narrator, Orson Welles, found worldwide fame by reportedly causing a scare of a Martian invasion. Though the panic was largely overstated it brought Welles instant noteriety.

(2) I recall a similar scare which effected me personally as a youngster. It was late night comedy television and unfortunate timing that did it for me. I flipped the set on just in time to catch what was to later be determined as a convincing commentator indicate that the then USSR had hit the proverbial button and had launched nuclear weapons aimed for the United States. It was a late night comedy talk show! I began to breathe again.

The causes and effects of war, whether declared or threatened, are numerous. James chapter 4 draws a picture of the very root cause of conflict, the battles ensued, and the ultimate result.

I. War Declared

"1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?"

There is only one single origin which preceeds any cause of "war"; whether on a staged battlefront, gerilla warfare, or warring between individuals..... it is the conflict which stems from man's own desire. We covet what another has or what we feel threatened to lose. And then man's desire becomes his passion. Our flesh cries out for that which even the soul knows will not sustain it. And so the battle begins.

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jer. 17:9) Whatever justification wells up amongst men splls over into conflict. Yet the true conflict is within.

II. The Battlefield

"2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel."

On any battlefield there is bloodshed. Wounds, if not fatal, leave lasting scars; events which, sooner or later, cause each of us to question "why", to question whether or not a hill is worth dying on.

"You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."

Our motivations are ill-aimed at best. Our motives are never truly pure. Our best laid plans should be sized up next to our God and Creator.

"The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." (Proverbs 16:9)

III. The Result of War

"4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

We need to be very careful with our allegiances. "For love of God and Country", while a bold and proud statement, must always be predicated firstly by our love for God; with obedience to civil authorities resulting from a humble heart which is submissive to the authority God has granted man over each of us. Any motivation to follow the world's wisdom is in direct opposition to God's wisdom and His provision thereof.

"We have met the enemy and he is us." -Pogo

A motivation to seek God's kingdom and His righteousness will most certainly provide all things unto us (Matthew 6:33). We cannot lean on our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge Him, and trust that He will make our paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

So when you desire, when you crave, and you will do both ......measure the worth using God's yard-stick and ask yourself.... Is this battle a hill worth dying on? If not, dust the dirt from your sandles as you walk away from it. If yes, prepare for the death, as dying to self is a requirement either way.

"10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."

Homegoings

May 20, 2012 "Homecoming" sermon, at Mt Pisgah Baptist Church.

Welcome to Mt Pisgah's Homecoming bash!

This may be Homecoming, but maybe we should make this a celebration of our 1st Annual Home-going. Some of us may be closer to "going home" than others, eh? By the way... lunch will follow this sermon ....but I promise ...the drinks aren't spiked; i.e. Jim Jones. 

As important as it is to know, and to reminisce about, where we've been ....it is all to the purpose of knowing where we are going. I'd like to read something which  I recently read myself....

"Week by week we drowsily summon the God who shouted Job down out of the tempest, and blithely invoke Him who toppled Pharaoh's empire with wave after wave of catastrophe. We glibly propose to encounter the King of kings who could wither a tree with a glance and who cracked death itself in two ....[all] as though we were taking a trip to the post office."

A right quote and a revealing one. We often treat God either as a genie whom we can summon, or a disconnected baron of whom we can only but speak. He is neither. Rather, we must hold, in faith, that He is the God of the scriptures, and to believe or SAY that we believe requires that we know Him through His inspired word; lest He be dwarfed to our own imaginations, ponderings, and needful desires. He is, truly, King of kings and Lord of lords. And before we get too cliche.... Let me be clear. It is not that He is Lord of all or not Lord at all. No, He is Lord of all whether or not we like it at all.

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world-the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions-is not from the Father but is from the world.

17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.                                                           1 John 2:15-17 ESV

It is rightly said that.... "This world is not our home." Yet I see two extremes in existance today.

(a) we hold on to life & prosperity as if we'll have either long enough to satisfy us

(b) or we neglect life and living as if we were honorary members of God's   

      Kingdom.

I think another cliche is true....... "Though we are in the world, we are not "of" the world."

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.                                                                                    John 17:14-16

1. So how do we keep from "the desires of the flesh / eyes?

    After all, isn't it all we know?

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,

idolatry, sorcery, enmity [hostility], strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

                                                                                      Galatians 5:19-21

How do we NOT love the world? 

The short answer is.... we love God more.

And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.       

                                                                                        Matt 22:37-39

How do we know that we love God more?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.                                                          Galatians 5:22-24

2. Why should we not take pride in possessions?

And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.                                                                1 John 2:17 ESV

   

Homecomings are a wonderful tradition .....but they're only as good as compared to last year's, or as anticipated against next year's. We aren't here to celebrate ourselves; our accomplishments, or accolades. We aren't here as Christ' church to celebrate homecomings, or even home-goings .....as is humblingly evident upon each marked grave in that cemetary right behind you. No, we are indeed here to worship, and commit to full-service followship of, King Jesus Himself.

The Sovereign Authority of A Loving God

 ⁵ I am the Lord, and there is no other,

    besides me there is no God;
     I equip you, though you do not know me,
⁶ that people may know, from the rising of the sun
    and from the west, that there is none besides me;
    I am the Lord, and there is no other.
⁷ I form light and create darkness,
    I make well-being and create calamity,
    I am the Lord, who does all these things.

-Isaiah 45:5-7

 

God is "sovereign"

He is THE authority. He asks no permission nor consults any higher. He is NOT swayed by anything outside of His own perfect will. He reserves the right to use us any way He sees fit; to suit "His will" without necessarily asking our opinion or giving notification. We bend to His needs, not He our own. If He meets our need it is simply, and firstly, His will to begin with. It is His love nature that causes Him to give thought to us.

He is NOT selfish. He reserves the right to form and create anything He desires, or destroy anything He desires. If He chooses to be selfish ...He cannot be wronged for it. However, His word indicates that He chose selflessness.

He is "just"

He is NOT a heartless dictator …or He wouldn't even bother "justifying" Himself as "just". He owes no explanation, nor justification, otherwise. His live nature causes Him to demonstrate Himself to us. "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

He is "Lord"

He is NOT our servant or personal genie. He reserves no "right" of anything. He doesn't need to. To even think in terms of God having "rights" would show our arrogance, or at least our short-sightedness of "Who" He is!! He doesn't have to inherit "rights". He is RIGHTEOUS exemplified. He is RIGHTEOUSNESS exemplified. He does NOT have to answer to us, nor excuse Himself before us.

 

God hears us and uses the unlikely to fulfill His perfect and sovereign will. He loves us and by His own grace-filled nature, chose to redeem us, regardless that while we were sinners Christ died for us.