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Episodes
Monday Feb 08, 2021
Monday Feb 08, 2021
Stop Walking Like Those Who Do Not Know Jesus or His Word!
Ephesians 4:17-19 January 31, 2021
I. Introduction:
A. This last year and the beginning of this year was mind-blowing for many of us as
we watched people respond in ways that shocked us all! This was true of the
Covid pandemic, as well as the racial and political issues.
1. We saw in the streets, in the media and among politicians - selfishness, anger,
hypocrisy, divisiveness, the violence, lawlessness and in my opinion, at times
some very, very foolish ideas about what we should do on the part of leaders!
2. The first response of my heart was these people are bad, out of control. They
should be locked up forever. I looked down upon and really want nothing to
do with these kinds of people!
B. Then I heard the question that Roy Patterson asked – do you see the looters as
uncaged animals that need to be locked in a cage or as sheep without a shepherd?
1. That was as if God hit me with a sledgehammer as I realized I was not
thinking at all biblically or like Jesus would about these people!
2. They are lost and they are acting just like angry lost people who have been
locked up in their houses for months, who do not know Jesus or His Word
would act! What should I expect!
3. We know that anger normally puts our worst behaviors on steroids!
C. So this morning I want to take you to a passage of Scripture that can help us better
understand those who do not know Jesus, why they think the way they do and
why they act the way they do!
1. Evidently in the Ephesian church, there were believers who were acting like
those who do not know Jesus
2. He is not just teaching them a principle to live by but actually telling them to
stop doing it, no longer walk like this!
D. I believe the main thrust of this passage is calling believers to - stop walking like
those who do not know Jesus or His Word! Stop acting like them! Walk this way
no longer.
1. In telling them to stop walking this way, he spends most of his time telling
them “why the lost act the way they do?”
2. Watch for all of this as I read 4:17-21
• Let’s start by looking at
II. Why the lost act the way they do?
A. The answer is straight forward here “the way they act is driven by the way they
think!”
1. Reread v17
2. The last phrase in this verse explains how the Gentiles walk – in the futility
of their minds.
3. The mind is the place where all our knowledge and information goes, and it is
the place where we process all that knowledge and information.
4. He says here they walk in the futility of their minds. That means their minds
are empty and useless on the basis that they are lacking the content they
need!
a) Now that does not mean that the lost are not intelligent or have no
content in their minds!
b) Listen to what 2 Timothy 3:7 says
5. It is not that they have no knowledge at all or that they are not intelligent
reasoning people but it is the knowledge of the ultimate truth that they do not
have!
B. What they are lacking is the spiritual knowledge that comes from God and His
Word, which is not just another truth but is the truth!
1. 4:18 further develops the futility of their minds Read
2. Their ability to think through, to grasp, to reason, to understand has been
darkened
3. They are unable to reason well because they are excluded from the life of
God and are ignorant (that means they are unaware and do not have the
information) of the things of God and Word of God because their hearts are
hardened against Him
C. On top of that, they have become callous – that means they have lost the capacity
to feel shame or embarrassment about what they are doing.
1. Then look at what they practice. Read the rest of v19
2. Obviously, this passage goes way beyond politics and race but touches upon
the growing direction of the morality of our whole culture now!
D. So when you put all this together their actions are driven by a way of thinking that
has excluded God and His Word!
• Bottom line I have two takeaways from this, the first directly from this passage the
other from the implications of this passage in light of the rest of Scripture!
III. Applications
A. If you are a believer and you are buying into the ways of the world or doing
things just as everyone else in the world does them, you need to know their ways
are driven by a knowledge that excludes God and His Word.
1. The way of thinking by man today in North America can be described as selfautonomous!
2. That means that each person governs himself and sets his own morals of what
is right and wrong! He is his own boss and determines for himself what is
right or wrong
3. We just learned a few weeks ago that as a church we have one lord, one boss
and that is Jesus and one faith and that is the Word of God which tells us
what is right or wrong!
4. Believer – stop taking your lead on behavior, thinking, sexuality, marriage,
morality, raising children, finances, character building, leadership, solutions
to the core problems in our country from those who exclude God and His
Word from their thinking which drives them to act the way they do!
B. Secondly, do we recognize the lost are sheep that need a shepherd? These are the
people Jesus came to save and sent us to bring the gospel to! You and I are the
greatest hope in their lives right now, not a Republican agenda or Democratic
agenda since we bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to them.
C. But listen further to the state of the lost:
1. Read 1 Corinthians 2:14
a) The lost man: does not accept … cannot understand because they are
spiritually discerned and understood
b) A person who is spiritually dead does not have the spiritual equipment to
understand the things of God. It is like the things of God are on a “FM”
frequency and the lost’s receivers are only built to receive “AM” waves.
c) Some say simplify the language in translations or sermons or gospel
presentations or give better and clearer illustrations then lost people
would get it.
d) According to this verse, I could simplify the language and even give
better illustrations, but it would be like me speaking in Chinese using a
third grader’s words and illustrations but they only understand English.
e) By the way, I do believe we should do everything to be clear and simple
but we need to know that is not going to cause a lost person to come to
Christ!
f) Our confidence needs to be somewhere else!
2. Read 2 Corinthians 4:3-4. We see two big problems for the lost
a) They are blind in their minds
(1) It does not say they are blindfolded and if we just give them the
right answers, thus pulling away the blindfold, then they would
see. But they are actually blind so if you pull away the blindfold
they still would not see because they are incapable of sight
b) Satan is the source of this blindness
(1) That means human reasoning and human resources cannot
overcome this problem.
(2) Human weapons and reasoning can never overcome Satan!
3. We need to realize that it will take a miracle the size of the resurrection of
Jesus Christ for a lost person to be saved, not our best presentations,
illustrations or arguments and reasoning about the gospel.
D. We need to use the weapons that God has given us that are divinely powerful for
the destruction of fortresses in the mind rather than human weapons and means. I
will give you three:
1. Romans 1 says the gospel is the power of God for salvation
a) Read Romans 1:16
b) There is a power right inside the gospel message that can break the
power of Satan and give light to blind minds!
2. John 16 says the Holy Spirit is the one who convinces the lost world
concerning their sin, what righteousness really is and the fact that some day
they will stand before God and be held accountable in judgment
a) Read John 16:7-11
b) My hope is not in how well I share it, even though I do everything I can
to be true to the gospel clear and simple. My dependence is not in how
well I present it but for the Holy Spirit to work inside of them to
convince them of the truthfulness of the gospel and their need for it!
3. Through prayer God opens up to us opportunities to share, opens our mouths
with words He puts in them and opens up peoples heart to see and respond to
the good news of Jesus Christ!
E. So believers fill your heart with grace and mercy for the lost, arm yourself with
the gospel both in word and deed, and prayerfully depend upon the Holy Spirit to
open doors of opportunity, to open your mouth with the exact words and
illustrations they need to hear and open their hearts to respond as He convinces
them of the truthfulness of their need for the gospel!
Wednesday Jan 20, 2021
Wednesday Jan 20, 2021
Fight for Unity, not our Ideas!
Ephesians 4:1-6 January 17, 2021
I. Introduction:
A. The pain of division is deep and the blessing of unity is sweet to the soul!
1. In 2020 and the start of 2021 our nation has felt the pain of division and it has
reached into the church, our friendships and families.
2. As I have sought to process this, I certainly do not have all the answers and to
be honest with you, I do not even know where much of the truth is with so
many lies, distortions, exaggerations, half-truths, withheld or censored
information, truth and views being promoted from personal agendas by
extremist politicians on both sides of the aisle, and by the media of every
type!
3. This I do know for sure – division should not have reached into the church as
the church is supposed to be the one place of unity in the world. The ultimate
answer to divisions comes from Jesus and His Word, which has no lies,
distortions, exaggerations, half-truths.
B. After Paul spent the first three chapters in the book of Ephesians teaching us
amazing truths about who we are as believers and as a church, now there is a
major transition where Paul distills all this truth into real life wisdom regarding
how these truths are supposed to work out in our lives.
C. Turn to Ephesians 4:1 where we see this major transition. Read v1a
1. Therefore, the first word in this verse is simply saying this – here is the
conclusion from everything that you heard in the first three chapters. So
chapters 4-6 become the “so what” of everything we learned in chapters 1-3.
2. He gives us the first “so what” in v1-6. As I read, it watch for what I believe
to be the heart of the passage: “a fitting lifestyle for believers is to fight for
unity by tolerating others!”
3. As I read this section, remember that the Jews and gentiles made up this
church with very different backgrounds and had a long history of hostility
towards each other!
4. Read v1-6
• Let’s look at this big idea a piece at a time! Let’s start with …
II. A fitting lifestyle for believers
A. Now he is talking about the way we walk as believers, our lifestyle.
1. Read v1a-b
2. He starts off with a serious plea to live our lives in a way that is worthy, that
is fitting, that is suitable,
B. He is talking about a life that is appropriate of the calling to which we have been
called.
1. Read v1c
2. That is what we learned in chapters 1-3, who we are as believers and as a
church!
• So he is calling us into a fitting lifestyle for believers and that consists in
III. Fighting for unity!
A. In verse 3, we are told specifically to work hard, to give intense effort to guard the
unity of the spirit.
1. Read v3
2. A great application of this verse is what my good brother Ron Benton has
said to me often– we need to fight for unity not for our ideas!
B. In addition, it will take a fight to be unified.
1. We in the church are different in so many ways: not only ethnic differences
but political, background differences, different degrees and kinds of
brokenness, age differences, gender differences, socio economic differences,
spiritual maturity differences, spiritual gift differences, etc., etc.
2. Add on top of this that in 2020 things like masks, racial tensions and politics
provided plenty of bait for us to create divisions.
3. Here is the worse part – sometimes we fight over interpretations of the Bible
like Democrats and Republicans fight in Congress!
4. All of these have the potential to rub against us in a way that can create
division within a church.
C. Then in v4-6 Paul shares seven unities that all believers share, this becomes the
basis of our unity, the foundation upon which our unity stands. For the sake of
time, I will read them but only illustrate two of these as to how they practically
become the basis of our unity! Read v4-6
1. Illustrate -
a) Lord – Jesus Christ is the Lord – if we want unity, we must seek the
lordship and will of Jesus rather than our own wants and ideas or we will
constantly be divided.
(1) This is about not my will but thine be done. It is about seeking and
fighting for God’s will over my best ideas or deepest desires!
b) Faith – there is one body of truth that God has given us that we put our
faith in and that is the Bible. It is our constitution, blueprint and owner’s
manual!
(1) If we want unity our decisions, beliefs, practices and ways must
come from the same starting point and authority – the Bible!
(2) We will never be unified if we look instead to how the business
world does things, how my political party does it, how psychology
does it, how other organizations do it, best practices of others, my
own best ideas, how my family did it, etc.
(a) There may be help with some of these things but they
cannot be our starting point or the foundation for our
discussions!
(2) 1 Corinthians 3 says that there are believers who are carnal. They
walk like mere men, nothing in their life or thinking is different
from those of the world!
(a) Your chances of unity in discussion with a believer like that
are about as good as a discussion with a person who does
not know the Lord or accept the Bible
II. Now we know that a fitting lifestyle for believers is to fight for unity, but how do we
get there? It is all in our attitudes, it comes …
III. By tolerating others!
A. To be honest with ourselves it is easy to be with people who are just like us but
people who are very different from us take a lot of work!
B. Tolerance simply means bearing with someone who is very different from me,
one who thinks very differently from me even someone that has opinions that
mine very different from me!
1. Most of the world today defines tolerance as choosing to love, accept and
treat with respect and kindness anyone and everyone, except for those who
disagree with us! Especially biblically minded Christians
2. Biblical tolerance is choosing to love, accept and treat with respect and
kindness anyone and everyone, even those who disagree with us!
C. In verse 2, he shows us the three attitudes that will be necessary to tolerate other
believers who are very different from you to fight for unity.
1. Watch for these as I reread v2 – 3a
D. Unity comes when we diligently watch over our own hearts and attitudes. So let
me ask you a few questions to consider before the Lord this week.
1. What do you learn about your own heart by the way you responded to people
and ideas that are very different to yours in 2020?
2. How closely did your heart match up to the three key attitudes in verse 2 that
are necessary to show tolerance to others in love?
a) Humility – means lowliness of mind, is just the opposite of pride where
deep down I think I am better than, and of greater value that other person
who is different from me.
b) Gentleness – this simply means you are not harsh, forceful, stern or
rough. Instead you are delicate, mild and tender with people and ideas
that are different than yours
c) Patience – this is the one of the three that challenges me the most when I
understand what it means. I love the way one Greek dictionary says it is–
a state of emotional calm without complaint or irritation when faced with
something or someone that provokes you or a misfortune.
(1) It goes on to say another way to say it is like this – “to remain
seated in one’s heart” or “to keep ones heart from jumping”
(2) That means that someone who is very different from me or an idea
that is very different from mine or one of the issues of 2020 comes
in front of me like bait. Either I can sit there in my heart quietly
and without complaint and respond with humility and gentleness or
I can take the bait and my heart jumps with irritation and harshly
respond to them.
E. Interesting to note that two of these three qualities (gentleness and patience) are
fruits of the Holy Spirit. That means I need to depend upon the Holy Spirit to
produce this in my life and when these attitudes are not present that is evidence
that the Holy Spirit is not in control of my life
II. Conclusion
A. I remember as if it was yesterday when God was first challenging me about my
impatience with those who had different ideas than mine. My heart was in the
habit of jumping up out of its seat and being irritated and sucked into a divisive
argument.
1. I remember going to a meeting knowing that ideas will be expressed that I
did not agree with and knowing the tendency of my heart to jump and be
sucked into a divisive argument.
2. I prayed for hours before that meeting that the Holy Spirit would control me
and I would not be sucked in and jump out of the seat of my heart.
3. God supernaturally did it and I remember coming home so excited because
the strong difference of opinion came but I did not jump out of the seat of my
heart. Instead, I responded with gentleness! The next morning I woke up still
amazed and rejoicing in what God did and I remember that God tapped me
on the shoulder and said, I do not expect that from you for just one meeting
but rather as part of your lifestyle every day when encountering people and
ideas that are different than yours!
B. That drives me to depend desperately upon the Holy Spirit moment by moment to
have “a fitting lifestyle that fights for unity by tolerating others!
Monday Jan 18, 2021
Monday Jan 18, 2021
From Duty to Delight
1 Chronicles 29 January10, 2021
I. Introduction:
A. Did you know there are many Christians who when they put in their offering
either at church or online it is more like a duty they are supposed to do rather than
a delight. But 2 Corinthians 9 makes it very clear that God loves joyful, willing,
generous givers!
B. So the question I have been asking myself is how does someone move from the
duty of stewardship to the delight of generosity where giving is done willful,
joyfully and freely?
1. As I was praying 1 Chronicles 29 came to mind and it deeply connected with
where I am in life and the conversation that was going on in my heart about
generosity.
2. Please turn to 1 Chronicles 29
C. Context
1. David knew that he was in the fourth quarter of his service as king and could
see an end to it. He had a heart to prepare things for his son Solomon as the
next king so things could flow freely for him.
a) I connect with this story because I know I am in the fourth quarter and
have desire to make things as good as possible for God’s next senior
pastor, the next generation for MVC and the Lord’s church here.
2. So he called together all his leaders, many of his workers and his mighty men
of valor.
a) Sounds like the people I speak to on Sunday morning, the people who
regularly either attend here or follow us on line. You make up the key
people of MVC
3. Now listen to 1Chronicles 29:1
D. The big picture overview of what follows is this:
1. King David, then some of the key leaders, then everyone else there gave
joyfully and generously to the Lord’s work.
2. Then David prays acknowledging that the ability to give so generously is
because everything they have comes from God.
E. What we learn here is the answer to my question, “How does someone move from
the duty of stewardship to the delight of generosity?” It was because they gave to
a great work!
• Let’s start by looking at the fact that they
II. Gave to a great work!
A. Look back at verse 1. Read 1a-c (“work is great”)
1. Now let’s see the reason why this work is great “for,” Read v1d
It is great because it is not a work for man but a work for God
B. We all love to give to great works and know our giving is making a difference
rather than just give because I am supposed to give. They knew this great work
was for God so they saw their giving as giving to God and not just the project!
1. There are a lot of great causes out there but there is none greater than giving
to the Lord’s work because it is a great work
2. Note as we go through this passage the emphasis on giving to the Lord and
not just to the work. Read v2a, 3a, 9a-b,14
C. You know MVC’s work is a great work because for the Lord’s sake we are
seeking to carry out the mission He gave to His church to make disciples.
1. Our mission at MVC is simply: following Jesus, impacting others
2. Following – helping people become whole hearted followers of Jesus who
love Him with all their heart, soul and mind
3. Impacting others by bringing the gospel of Jesus to the lost and helping
believers grow on their journey with Jesus!
D. What most people see at MVC is the tip of the iceberg, the 10% of God’s great
work at MVC. That is Sunday morning as we seek to feed people with God’s
Word and lead them in worshipping Him.
1. But all during the week we are caring for people’s unique needs and
discipling people all in the name of Jesus Christ. That is the great work we
do here for the Lord
2. Bottom line we are not running events , programs and meetings but we are
seeking to see people transformed by the word and Spirit of God through
these events, programs and meetings
E. I could tell you about many ways people are cared for and the many up close and
personal discipleship relationships and groups that are going on here but today I
just to tell you about one story of transformation that has happened at MVC.
1. A few years back a couple, whose marriage was in great difficulty, came in to
visit with one of our pastors.
2. As the pastor visited with them it became clear that there was not only
addiction issues on the husband’s part that was troubling the marriage but the
husband who thought he was saved, was only a church goer at best and not a
believer in Jesus!
3. That compounded the wife’s troubled heart, but in that meeting the husband
understood the gospel for the first time and trusted Jesus.
4. Ministries and people in this church began to invest in this couple and by
God’s grace the addictions gradually came under control and the marriage
improved.
5. They started telling others, both believers and lost people, about the miracle
Jesus had worked in their lives and marriage!
6. Now wife serves in a very significant ministry here and the husband is
growing in his relationship with Jesus, as he is being discipled by one of our
pastors!
7. The transformation has been so big and deep that this couple who first came
here as a marriage ready to fall apart, now this Christmas they came to me
and gave me a large gift and asked me if I would find some families in need
at MVC this Christmas and get it to them.
F. That is just a taste of the kind of great work that God does at MVC!
• And that is the reason why I and so many others …
III. Give with joyful generosity to the work of MVC.
A. Note in 1 Chronicles 29 that they gave joyfully and willingly!
1. Read v3a v6, 9, 14, 17
B. Their gifts were generous gifts.
1. Read v2a (all my ability – resources he had available) v3b (out of his wealth
– savings and treasury – personal accumulations of wealth), v14
2. This reminds me a bit of Proverbs 3:9
a) Wealth are your personal accumulations like savings, investment and
retirement
b) First of your produce comes out of your ability/weekly income
C. My journey of generosity was one that went like this
1. When I first became a believer I was told I was supposed to give 10% of my
income to the Lord – that was my duty and it was called stewardship/tithing!
2. So I gave 10% of my net income (after taxes are taken out) to the Lord
because I was supposed to, it was my duty as a Christian
3. Then over time God challenged me to move from 10% of my net income to
10% of my gross income (before taxes are taken out). So again I did it
because I was supposed to as my duty as a believer and I did it for years like
that.
4. Then about 13 years ago when MVC did their stewardship campaign for the
building we are now in, God led Kim and I to give 10% of everything we
have – our accumulated wealth – all savings, all retirement and the value of
our home.
a) The surprising outcome of that gift was that it produced in me a new joy
and freedom in my giving that was not tied to our budget
b) You could imagine with someone with an accounting degree like me,
that blew all my financial plans out of the water and forced me to
transfer my trust for financial things in my life to the Lord in a deep
way!
c) I moved from duty to delight in our giving
5. Before I use to measure out what we gave to the Lord with a 10% measure,
down to the dollar now we give freely to the Lord and Kim and I give over
10% of our gross income to MVC and on top of that we support missionaries
and give to individuals and organizations we know who are in need.
6. If it was left up to just Kim we would be giving away even more!
IV. Conclusion
A. Listen to what David did after giving according to all of his ability and then going
beyond that by giving out of his wealth, his treasures and savings. Read v5c.
1. So to be fair to the text and to the great work god is doing at MVC I must
ask?” Who is willing to joyfully give generously to God’s work at MVC?”
B. In light of the world wide crisis of 2020 MVC last year experienced giving that
was 15% below our budgeted dreams for MVC. So
1. This year the church actually cut the budget by 7 ó % and is hoping that the
church’s giving would increase by 7 ó % this year.
2. This would put us right where we need to be this year with hopes that in the
future as more and more people grow in their generosity MVC will be able to
grow in its ability to be a greater blessing for the glory of God!
C. So Kim and I are going to do two things this year:
1. We are going to increase our giving to the weekly budget which we call our
general budget – maybe we should change the name of it to our
transformational budget!
2. We are going to give an equal amount of an increase, above and beyond that
to our transformational budget to the heart for the house fund as we watch
that mortgage decrease month by month.
a) The final number for the Christmas offering towards this was ________-
_______
b) We are going to keep this fund open with hopes that more and more
people will give to it above and beyond their giving to our
transformational fund –first priority!
D. As one elder said to me in a meeting when we were talking about that fund –
“Pastor, you never asked us to give to this fund, if you would have asked, I would
have given to it.”
1. So today I am asking like King David “who is willing to consecrate himself
this day to the Lord and begin or increase your giving to our transformational
fund. And begin or increase your giving to our heart for the house fund, a
fund we ask people to give to as a gift above and beyond your giving to the
transformational fund.
E. Finally, we know that many people took a serious hit to their financial life last
year so we want to serve you regarding your personal finances!
1. Next Sunday at 1pm will be the first of a series of seminars that will be
offered to help our people here at MVC and those online with their personal
finances.
2. This first one will totally be online because so many people are struggling
with sickness right now or feeling free to go out. We do not want that to hold
you back.
3. A number of people at MVC that work in or traffic in the area of finances
have gotten together to produce the material and teach it!
4. This first one will be a spending plan workshop to get us started in the right
direction.
5. I am planning to attend along with Kim as I have been in the process of
training Kim to take over our finances as I have handled it for years. Couples
this will be a very valuable resource for training you and getting you on the
same page about finances!
6. To sign up just
a) Click the link to the workshop in this week’s MVC bulletin which was
emailed to you
b) Or you can register on the MVC webpage
c) Text spw to 708-350-6610 (returns a message with link to the workshop
registration process)
Monday Jan 18, 2021
Monday Jan 18, 2021
Plan with humility, live with gusto
James 4 and Ecclesiastes 9 January 3, 2021
I. Introduction:
A. 2020 is done and 2021 is here! With New Year’s always come new dreams and
plans!
1. I know last year moving into our 75th year as a church we had real big dreams
and plans for the next 5 years here at MVC that we were going to unveil
around Easter but Covid 19 was like dropping an atomic bomb on those
plans.
2. I know for many personally, not only Covid 19 but just everyday life apart
from Covid, impacted their personal dreams and plans for last year and they
have felt that atomic bomb dropped on those plans!
B. Today I want to share the major work that God did in my heart last year that came
out of that bomb dropped on my life!
C. God had been preparing me all year for this lesson through personal and ministry
plans blown out of the water by Covid creating a constant flux with plans and
long term rhythms of life and ministry. Add to that the loss of two very close
friends who died earlier in the year then it started to come to a head for me on
Tuesday afternoon November 10th
1. It was just four hours before the biggest board meeting of the year because
we were going to unveil the new dreams and plans for the MVC and the
leadership over the next number of years because the other plans were blown
out of the water by Covid
2. I just got off the phone and I had a mini-stroke
a) I could not even make that meeting
b) Within eighteen hours I was laying in the hospital scheduled for all kinds
of test as they were concerned I may be on the way to a major stroke.
3. As you might imagine my plans for that day were totally different than what
was in my schedule book and heart!
a) On top of that, not knowing what was going to happen to me, many of
my future dreams, hopes and plans with my wife, children and church all
now became very uncertain to me.
4. By God’s grace I was released on Thursday with an all clear but keep an eye
on your physical health and stress levels!
5. But that Saturday morning I found out that both Jeff Schmidt and Jim
Higgins, both friends of mine, had died the night before.
a) Something broke within me – the jabs throughout the year, the punch
that staggered me with a ministroke just 4 days before and the knockout
punch came when I read that email.
• Something happened in my heart at that moment and God led me instantly to the
passage I want to share with you this morning as we move into 2021 with our new
dreams and plans. turn to …
II. James 4
A. Listen to what God spoke to me through His Word that morning. Read 4:13-16
B. V13 are the big plans we have – the church had them, you had them and I had
them and we have new ones as we move into 2021. Plans both for today and for
the future – read v13
C. But what I did not know that Tuesday morning when I woke up all excited have
MVC plans shared that night with the leadership, and what you do not know is
what v14 says. Read
D. Then in v15 is the wisdom and the attitude that we all need to carry both in our
dreams hopes and plans both for today and the future. Read v15
1. First, if God wills – you will be alive this afternoon or tomorrow
a) That Tuesday afternoon with a major stroke possibly looming as I laid in
bed in the hospital I did not even know if I would be alive tomorrow!
2. Secondly, if God wills – you will do what you are planning.
a) So many things can enter into our lives that are beyond our control that
makes our plans uncertain both later today, tomorrow and in the future.
b) Listen to Proverbs 16:9 NASB & NLT.
E. The lesson of this passage for us is this – the great trump card on our life and
plans is God’s will!
1. So I need to plan with humility recognizing that ultimately my plans are not
determined by my will but God’s will
• But to balance out Scripture with Scripture and complete the heart shaping God was
doing in me we need not only plan with humility but we must …
III. Live life with gusto
A. Turn to Ecclesiastes 9 is a wisdom book where the second half of the book is
dominated by the reality that we are going to die! But he does not present that as
a morbid thing but as a reality to know so we can live wisely in light of it.
B. At the start of the chapter he says two very important things that sounds a lot like
James 4
1. V1 the future is unknown and uncertain whether our life will have adversity
or prosperity
2. Then in v2-6 he talks about the certainty of death for everyone with the loss
of participation in this life.
3. And by the way this is not just a message for old people – listen to v12
C. Now listen to the advice he gives us in light of these facts! Advice that I would
never expect from the wisest man who ever lived outside of Jesus.
1. Read v7 – bottom line he is saying here enjoy the simple everyday things
God has given us!
2. Read v8 – clean clothes and oils were used in that culture on festive
occasions. Thus he is saying celebrate every day you have to live. Brothers
and sisters every day we are alive including today is a special gift from God!
3. Read v9 – enjoy life with your mate – this is one of the great gifts that God
has given to us in life. Do not waste it because you do not know how long
you will have this gift!
4. Read v10 – whatever you do, that goes all the way from work to play and
everything in between them, do it with all your heart and strength! Because
once you die, at least here on earth that opportunity will be gone!
D. So guess what is happening to Pat Peglow in these days. I am planning more
humbly and seeking to live with more gusto as I am examining my life, my plans,
my schedule, my habits, the care of my physical body and management of stress
with a special emphasis on the things Solomon says here as I am seeking to enjoy
life more, live it more passionately with a special emphasis of doing those with
the greatest gift has given me outside of Jesus – Kimberly Jean – some of you
know as “baby girl”
• So plan humbly, live with gusto! What do we …
IV. Do with all this (communion)
A. As you start 2021 with Jesus in communion I want to encourage you to consider
three things
1. In light of James 4 - ? what does the way you talk about your plans and the
way you respond to events and people that interrupt your plans reveal about
your heart and your attitude about your plans verses God’s will for your life?
2. In light of Ecclesiastes 9 –
a) How are your joy levels? As believers we should be the most joy filled
people in the world! If we are not something is out of alignment with
our relationship with the Lord as He is the one who fills our heart with
his joy!
b) Finally, how well do your plans line up with the wisdom we learn in
Ecclesiastes about how to live life in light of the uncertainties of life and
the certainty of death?
B. If you do not know Jesus the most important take away from this message is that
you have no guarantee that you will be alive tomorrow or even this afternoon.
1. Scripture says today is the day of salvation, do not put it off!
2. If you do not know Jesus turn to Him this morning and acknowledge that you
are separated from him because of your sin and that you are transferring your
trust right now to what Jesus did on the cross to you to pay for your sins and
the new life He offers you through His resurrection!
3. If you are here today or following on line I would be honored if you would
contact me personally through the church and I will be glad to speak to you
about how to come to know Jesus personally!
C. Pass and pray
Monday Jan 18, 2021
Monday Dec 21, 2020
Tuesday Dec 15, 2020
Tuesday Dec 15, 2020
Jesus the Christ
Matthew 1:16 & various passages December 13, 2020
I. Introduction:
A. There is no other name connected with Jesus more than “the Christ.” It is used
528 times in the New Testament. There is no other name connected with Jesus
that is so loaded with meaning and implications than “the Christ.” There is no
other name connected with Jesus that is so crucial to understanding who He is and
why He came and even to understanding the message of the whole Bible when
you take it as one story as “the Christ.” There is no other name connected with
Jesus that is more misunderstood by lost people and new believers than that of
“the Christ!”
1. Before I came to know Jesus and even as a new believer I always thought that
Christ was Joseph and Mary’s last name – Joe and Mary Christ and their little
son Jesus Christ
2. Well I came to find out just how wrong I was about that and to be honest with
you I am still unpacking for my own life just all the meanings and
implications of the name Christ
B. We are doing a series on the names of Jesus connected with His birth because
they reveal more for us of who Jesus is.
1. Last week we learned that the name Jesus was a very common name at that
time in Israel and it connected Him to His humanity and His mission as
savior!
2. But the name Christ was not common at all, but it was a title that was well
known in Israel because that was the person sent by God whom they were
waiting for and the one in whom was all their hope!
C. Turn to Matthew 1:16 Read
1. NASB says Messiah and the ESV say Christ! Why is that?
2. “Messiah.” is the Hebrew word used in the Old Testament, which meant
“anointed.” It was specifically used to refer to “the one who was sent by
God and equipped by His Spirit to be their king.”
a) Psalm 2 is known as a messianic psalm, which means it is all about the
Messiah. Listen to this. Read Psalm 2:2,6
3. The New Testament translates that Hebrew word into Greek with the word
“Christ” Read John 1:40-41
4. So simply the Messiah or Christ is synonymous for the king of Israel.
a) Read Matthew 2:1-4
b) Show them that “king of the Jews” in v2 is equivalent to “Christ” in v4.
D. They were waiting and hoping for this Messiah/Christ because they were under
the rule of Rome and they longed for the day when the Christ would come to set
them free from Rome and set up God’s kingdom here on earth, centered out of
Jerusalem.
• The concept of “the Christ” was huge for the Jews and actually, it is huge for each
one of us even though we may not know it at this time. Today I want to help us better
understand what “the Christ” means. Let’s start with what the …
II. Old Testament expectation
A. When I study the teachings in the Old Testament about this person, the Christ, the
one sent by and equipped by God to be the king of Israel. I summarize it like
this:
1. One from the line of Judah (Genesis 49:10) and the line of David (2 Samuel
7:12-19; Psalm 132:11), would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and
preceded by a messenger who would prepare the way before Him (Isaiah
40:3-5; Malachi 3:1).
2. He would be God Himself (Isaiah 5:7; 9:6-7; 24:23; Micah 4:7; Zechariah
14:9, 16-17). He would be king forever ( 2 Samuel 7:16; Daniel 7:14; Isaiah
9:6-7), over God’s kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:16; Daniel 2: 44; 7:14 ),
ruling all the world (Psalm 2:4-12; Psalm 110:1-3; Isaiah 2:2-4; Daniel 7:14;
Zechariah 9:9-10; 14:9-10) from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:1-3; 24:23).
3. He would enter into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9) to be their king,
He would be anointed by the Spirit of God to be the king (Isaiah 11:1-5), a
priest (1 Samuel 2:35; Psalm 110:4) and a prophet (Isaiah 61:1-2), like Moses
in whose mouth God Himself would put His words (Deuteronomy 18:15:18).
He would be the good and faithful shepherd who will care for them (Isaiah
40:11; Ezekiel 34:11-16) and supernaturally heal their infirmities (Isaiah
35:4-6).
4. He would dwell in their midst as a victorious warrior (Zephaniah 3:15-17;
Zechariah 2:7-10) judging the nations (Psalm 110:5-6; Isaiah 42:1; 63:1-6;
Zechariah 14:1-3, 12-15 ;), and saving Israel so that they dwell in safety
forever (Jeremiah 23:5-6; Zechariah 14:11).
5. Finally, He is the one who would ratify and initiate the new covenant by
which not only Israel but also all from all nations who would trust the Christ
would receive a brand new heart. He would put His Spirit within them,
bringing to an end a relationship with God that was dominated by law but
now through the person of the Christ!
B. I am sure you are familiar with some of these verses. Let me read just a few of
them to give you a sampling: listen as I read Zechariah 9:9-10; 14:9; Isaiah 9:6-
7; Zephaniah 3:15-17 Jeremiah 31:31-34
• So this is what they knew or should have known at the coming of Christ based on
what they knew from the Old Testament. But I also think there were some things that
the Old Testament told them about the Christ that were …
III. Hidden from them
A. He would be rejected (Isaiah 53:3-4), suffer (Isaiah 53:5, 7) and die (Isaiah 5:8-9;
Daniel 9:26), then be raised from the dead (Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 53:10-11). Turn
and read Isaiah 53:1-6.
1. Now there is something very interesting at the start of this chapter. Read v1.
Sounds like he is saying? “Who is going to believe these things? Who is
God going to show them to?”
2. God told Isaiah that this would be a people who would not perceive or
understand what He was saying to them. Read Isaiah 6:9-10c
3. When Jesus told His own twelve disciples that He was going to be rejected,
suffer and die then be raised from the dead, listen to what Luke wrote right
after it, as an editorial comment. Read Luke 18:34.
B. Often we hear that their expectations were wrong as they looked for a warrior
king to deliver them from Rome’s dominance and to set them free as a nation.
1. I do not think that Israel had the wrong expectation.
2. I think their understanding of the Christ was incomplete. When the Christ
comes back, then He will fulfill all the hopes they had but He does so much
more spiritually and He works much larger than Israel but also throughout the
whole world!
IV. Conclusion
A. So what has been your understanding of Jesus as the Christ?
B. I feel like we just had a dump truck dropped on us. I think now you understand
why I said there was no name for Jesus that has more implications to it and why I
said I am still trying to understand and still learning all the implications of this
name - the Christ!
C. I think that must have been how Mary felt after the angel told her in Luke 1:31-32
that the child she would give birth to that God will give Him the throne of His
father David and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom
will have no end!
Wednesday Dec 09, 2020
Wednesday Dec 09, 2020
Names of Jesus at Christmas
Matthew 1 December 6, 2020
I. Introduction:
A. When you see this name think how many people, do you know with this name?
Pat
1. You probably know a number of people with that name!
2. How about this name “Pat Peglow”
3. All of a sudden out of all the Pats you know in the world this identifies one
specific Pat in the world of Pats
B. Names are what people are called by; they distinguish us and identify us from all
the other people in the world.
1. The name represents me!
2. In other words if you were talking about me with a group of people and you
use my name you are not talking about the name in particular but the person
that name identifies and represents – Pat Peglow!
C. At the time when Jesus was born, when people heard the name Jesus how many
people did they know with that name.
1. Actually Jesus was a common name back then so when they heard that name
there were a lot of people they could have thought of
2. But when they heard Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus the Christ, they thought of
the same one we think about today when we read the Bible!
D. Also, we pick names for all kinds of reasons – the way it sounds, what it means,
people or relatives we knew and respected that had that name, maybe even
matching first letters for the first name.
1. However, when it comes to the names of God they have one primary purpose
– revelation.
2. That simply means they reveal something to us or tell us something about
God.
3. They tell us about His character, His being, His work, His authority, His
majesty, His rank, His power, His position, etc.
E. Finally, God’s names are holy!
1. One of the 10 commandments tells us not to take the Lord’s name in vain.
2. Jesus prayed that God’s name would be made hallowed/holy here in this
world. Holy means one of a kind and separate from everything else. God’s
name is like no other name and is to be treated with great respect and handled
carefully!
3. Philippians 2:9-11 tells us this: Read
• So, this Christmas we can learn more about who Jesus is. We are going to be looking
at the names that are connected with him at His birth. The name we are going to
begin with this morning is
II. The name Jesus
A. Turn to Matthew 1 where Jesus is given this name, where we find a young couple
named Joseph and Mary who are engaged to be married.
1. Joseph finds out that Mary is pregnant, and this deeply bothers him because
he knows that they have not engaged in sex together so he plans to break the
relationship.
2. Then an angel appears to him in a dream and tells him this: Read 1:20-21,
24-25
B. In v21, he tells them why they are to name him Jesus. Reread 21b
1. The name Jesus comes from the Hebrew name Joshua. Which simply means
– Yahweh saves or the Lord saves
2. This name points us to Jesus’ work, His mission to save us from our sins,
thus He is called the Savior, the Redeemer. Hebrews 2 calls Him the author
of our salvation.
a) Jesus was born to save us from our sins!
C. Let me remind you of a chart we used earlier this year when we were introducing
ourselves to our spiritual blessings in Christ.
1. We learned at that time that salvation has three aspects to it, past, present and
future. It is also important that we are people who are made up a three key
parts!
2. Put up chart on person
3. Put up chart on salvation
4. Explain as God gives utterance
• We will be looking at other names of Jesus at His birth in this series to see what we
can learn and experience of Him but in
III. Closing
A. Let me ask you this – which part of saving us from our sins do you need?
Which part of Jesus’ work do you need in your life today?
1. You need to be saved from the penalty of your sins so you can come into a
relationship with God. This is called justification – declared righteous by
God
a) Read 2 Corinthians 5:21
b) How do we respond to this to experience this righteousness? Read
Romans 4:5
c) Invite you now if you have never transferred your trust and reliance from
your good works and religious deeds to Jesus what He did for you, do it
today and you will begin the journey of being saved from your sins!
2. Do you need to be saved from the power of sin in your life? Are you already
saved, forgiven and justified but the impact of sin upon your life and
relationships is hampering from having that abundant life that Jesus
promised? Your need is sanctification
a) Turn and read Romans 8:10-11
b) Now the Spirit of Jesus Christ lives inside of these bodies that are prone
to sin. What He does is fill our lives with the resurrected life of Jesus
thus dismantling the impact of sin in our lives.
c) Our need is the same as it was when we first came to Christ – faith in
Jesus Christ to save me! Now my trust is moment-by-moment relying
upon the resurrected Christ who lives in me to win my battle with sin!
Again, it is a transferring of my trust from myself to the indwelling Spirit
of Jesus to win my daily battle with sin.
3. Finally, maybe your great need today is just the hope in that future time when
Jesus will return to save us from our sin infested bodies and world. Read
Romans 8:23-25
B. As communion is passed consider before the Lord and talk to Him about your
need, and thank Jesus for dying for you to make all of this possible
1. Josh pick it up with communion from here
Wednesday Dec 02, 2020
Wednesday Dec 02, 2020
A Perplexed Prophet Full of Joy
Habakkuk November 29, 2020
I. Introduction:
A. Turn to Habakkuk (look in your index or phone). I want to show you an amazing
joy right in the midst of the most difficult circumstances that are only going to get
worse!
1. This joy comes from a prophet who was totally perplexed, because God was
not answering his prayer about the wickedness in his own nation and when
God did answer him, it perplexed him all the more with an answer he never
expected to get from a holy God!
II. The story of Habakkuk
A. He starts by saying – God I have been praying to you for a long time about the
wickedness and injustices in the nation of Israel and you are not answering!
B. Listen to God’s response
1. Read v5-6, 8e-9a
2. But v11 is very important to this story
3. These evil Babylonians will be held accountable for what they do to Israel
even though God will be using them to discipline them!
C. Now Habakkuk is really confused! You are a holy God who does not even look
on evil and you are going to use these evil people to judge us?
D. Then Habakkuk tells God he is going to stand there and watch to see what you say
about that
E. Listen to what God says
1. Read v2-3
2. It is going to happen, even if it delays, it will happen!
F. Then the rest of chapter 2 God talks about the judgment that is going to come
upon the Chaldeans as He says basically what you have done to others is going to
happen to you. This chapter is summarized in v16
G. Finally, in chapter 3 Habakkuk prays one more time and tells God I have heard
reports of your working in the past and ask you to do it again now and in the
midst of your judgment of us remember to be merciful to us!
H. Then Habakkuk draws a powerful picture of God marching through the earth to
judge the nations and save Israel.
• Now we come to the place of joy in the midst of his unanswered prayer and waiting
for God’s discipline upon his own people. Let’s look at this …
III. Amazing joy
A. First, he starts with talking about how he responds to all of this as he waits for
God’s discipline on his own people! read v16
B. Now in v 17-19 we see this amazing joy
1. He starts by telling God that even if their entire economy and that which
bring them sustenance in their daily lives is destroyed and taken away.
Listen to v17
2. Nevertheless, this is how he is going to respond. read v18
a) We read this and we think he is going to lift up his arms and declare just
how great God is in the middle of the trials. That is exactly what exalt
means, but the word here is not exalt but exult.
b) Note it is with a u not a.
c) To exult means intense joy, to leap for joy!
d) Let me show you picture of this! Cubs World Series celebration
3. How can he have this kind of amazing joy? It is because of the amazing
grace in the next verse.
a) Read v19
b) It is because God is the source of his strength and He makes my feet
stable and not slip even in some of the most difficult terrain, trials in my
life!
c) Let me show you what hinds’ feet looks like
C. Bottom line, in the midst of the most difficult times in life with more hardship to
come, his heart can be full of joy and not stumble and fall because of God
1. Note in v19
2. God is his strength, the source of everything he needs in life!
3. It can happen to us because Jesus is the source and strength of our lives!
Galatians 2:20
4. Listen to what Jude says: Read Jude 24-25
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Tuesday Nov 24, 2020
Angry At God
Job November 22, 2020
I. Introduction:
A. Have you ever been angry with God, felt like He ripped you off? I have!
B. When I was 27 years old, God clearly led me to go to seminary to prepare for the
ministry. Kim and I had $14,000 saved in the bank at that time.
1. Over the next five years every moment of time, every bit of energy, every
penny we saved and earned was used to get ourselves prepared to serve God
in the ministry.
2. By the time we graduated I had destroyed my back working on the docks
trying to help get through school, had two young children, literally only $100
in cash with nothing in the bank, and a small truck load of other people’s
throw away clothes and furniture.
C. The first three years of ministry were extremely difficult.
1. I spent long hours pouring my life into the ministry here at MVC and the
lives of the people here.
2. Add to that the stress of a young family, back problems, financial pressures,
and two undependable cars, fixing up a fixer upper house, and a strong attack
by the devil against our family.
D. One Saturday night Kim went out to a roller-skating party with one of our girls.
She fell and landed squarely on her tailbone.
1. Early Sunday morning Kim woke up unable to move and in great pain. I
knew that I had to take her into the hospital.
2. I called one of Kim’s sisters to get the girls, and one of the pastors to fill in
for my responsibilities at church.
3. Now it was time to move the most undependable car out of the driveway so I
could take Kim to the hospital in the other car.
a) I got in the car and it would not start.
b) I thought I could push the car into the street so I could get to the other
one. I got out and pushed but the car was caught on a high curb at the
end of our driveway so I could not get the car over it.
4. I remember getting back in the car, rolling up the windows, raising my fist
and shaking it at God as I yelled out to Him “God, you have ripped me off! I
have spent every penny I have, every bit of time, every bit of energy in
serving you and all you have given me in return is junk!
E. Maybe you have cried out for help from Him but He has not answered. Maybe
you have been claiming a promise that He has made but God is nowhere to be
found. Maybe you have walked with God for years but it does not seem like God
is coming through for you.
1. I know everyone says you are not supposed to be angry with God but if you
were radically honest with yourself and others, you would have to say I am
ticked at God!
• I want to share with us the story of Job this morning because that is where God led me,
met me in the depths of my heart, and set me free from my anger.
II. The book of Job.
A. Chapter 1-3 introduces us to Job and his trouble and pain.
1. We learn here that Job was a very wealthy man who feared God and was
greatly blessed by God!
2. Satan told God the only reason Job loves you is because you blessed him so
much – “paid lover” but take away all his blessing and he will curse you to
your face. Read v9-11
3. Because of this test Job lost all his livestock, all his servants, all ten of his
children and his body was attacked with severe boils from head to toe.
4. Then Job’s wife spoke up. Listen to 2:9-11
B. In chapter 4-31 we see four angry old men arguing about who is the fault of all
this trouble. This was not a pretty exchange and it got very heated! Ever been in
one of those meetings?
1. Job did not hold back at all about what he honestly thought of the situation,
about his friends’ counsel, and God!
2. His three friends called for him to confess his sin because only bad people get
the kind of trouble he is getting!
C. Then in chapter 32-37 we see the wise counsel of a young man
1. Elihu was there the whole time and heard everything that was said.
2. 32:2-3 sums up the arguments of these four in Ch. 4-31.
a) Read v2-3
b) His friends basically did not know what they were talking about but they
still condemned Job
c) Job justified himself before God!
(1) He later repeats some things that Job had said. Read 33:8-10,
34:5-6
d) Job was angry with God because he felt that God was not being fair with
him. He has taken away my rights!
(1) Bottom line Job felt that the good get good and the bad get bad!
(2) Listen to 31:2-4
(3) Job said disaster is for those who sin. Doesn’t God see my ways
that I am a righteous man?
3. Elihu closes this section by talking about man’s inability to understand the
great wonders of life! Read v4, 14-15, and 19 (we cannot defend ourselves
because we do not understand). Finally, in v23 he tells us that God is not
unjust but is full of righteousness! Read v23
D. In chapter 38-41 God calls Job into his office of nature for a talking to!
1. God starts by confronting Job’s ability to understand the great mysteries of
life and nature. Read 38:1-4
2. When God gets done taking Job on this tour of nature that is bigger than Job
is smart He says this:
a) Read 40:1-2, 6-8
b) God says that Job has been condemning God in order to justify himself.
c) Job has been saying “God has been wrong and unfair in giving me bad
things because I am a righteous man”
3. Then God adds to His argument that Job does not have the power to control
them either.
a) Sounds like God has been taking Job to school to teach him that life is
smarter than he is smart and stronger than he is strong!
4. God talks to him about the hippopotamus in Ch. 40 and finishes with this.
Read v24
5. Then in chapter 41 God talks to him about the crocodile and says this: read 8-
11
6. Bottom line God says to Job “I owe no one anything! I own everything.”
E. The message that God was impressing upon Job’s heart was that He has purposes
that are higher than his legalistic system of good for good and bad for bad and that
he could not understand these purposes nor change them even if he tried.
1. God taught Job that He gives blessings and trials equally out of His grace
and purposes. These do not come because we earned them because of some
good or bad in our lives, but they come because of God’s grace and purposes.
2. Job learned these lessons. Ch. 42
a) God was moved out of the small box that Job had Him in.
(1) In v 2, he acknowledged the power of God that cannot be
overcome. Read v2
(2) In v3, he acknowledged the understanding of God that was too
wonderful for him. Read v3.
(3) He experienced Him in a brand new and powerful way. V5
b) He repented of his belief that God was unfair to him and owed him
something. Read v6
III. Conclusion
A. God taught me the same lesson.
1. God does not owe me a thing “no matter how much I have done for Him”
2. God is good even when He does not give me good things.
3. His ways are higher than my mind can comprehend
B. In closing, consider if this way of thinking that was in me may be in you:
Emotion
Anger
Thinking
God has been unfair to me
Belief
God owes me something but did not come through
C. Time to reflect before God