Look Through the Cross

Title:  Temptation – Look through the Cross By Pastor Lohn Johnson

Text:  Luke 13:   5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

INTRODUCTION: My dear friends in Christ, Most people have seen the movie Forrest Gump.  That opening scene where he is sitting on the bus bench and the feather floats down is classic.  It seems to promise some deep philosophical statement.  Then from that bus bench Forrest spouts his philosophy of life to all who come by as he waits for his bus.  I’d like to begin with a reference from that great philosopher named Forrest Gump.  He said: My momma says: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” Now that’s a pretty good philosophy on life, but even though there is some truth to it, It’s still very weak.

I. Now we’re normally not as great philosophers as Forrest and normally we don’t even have as clear a philosophy has he does.  But our  philosophy does tends to look at life through circumstances like his. But our philosophy is often tainted because we always want to know why we get the chocolates we get.

A. When we get the good chocolates life is OK in our eyes.

1. We expect the good chocolates to continue and even get better.

a. Somewhere along the line we’ve reached the point in our thinking that we deserve to have good days, and when we have a bad day we get all upset and wonder what we did to deserve it.    b. We think we deserve to have good health, and we complain when we have aches and pains and when we have to constantly take medicine.    c. We think we deserve to have cars that run well, appliances that work well, and we complain when our power goes out because of a lightning storm.

2. But even when we receive all the good chocolates we aren’t truly satisfied, either.

B. And inevitably when we get the bad chocolates we complain and feel put upon.  Our text has two instances of people receiving bad chocolates.

1. Both reports are about atrocities visited upon innocents. These two headlines pretty much cover the waterfront of any modern headline that deals with suffering. It’s either a bad person caused it or someone was in the wrong place at the wrong time -- malice or chance, take your pick.

a. Our underlying assumption seems to be: these people must have done something really, horribly bad to cause God to abandon them in this way.    The assumption is that these were bad people in some way we don’t see.     b. And we may go so far as to say we’re not like that.  We say, "Look, I never slit anybody's throat. I never designed a shoddily constructed building that collapsed on anybody." And you would be right. But Jesus is saying today, at least in part, that the headlines that grab our attention and raise our moral revulsion are a smokescreen for a subtle sin that is in each of us. It is far easier, you see, to locate evil in somebody or something else rather than in ourselves. Far easier to rant and rave at the evening news rather than see the subtle sin in us.

2. Today Jesus turns his audience’s philosophical gymnastics squarely back on them.  He turns them back to see their own sin. He turns us back to see our own sin, too.

a. One of our subtle sins is to try and blame God – as if we were His judge.  We try to place ourselves above God.  As if God were answerable to us. This in effect puts sin in and on God and we accuse Him of being unjust.  This is sin of the most grievous kind.   b. And also in this we try to put the sin on others and not on ourselves.  But Jesus brings us to ask, “Is there such a thing as an innocent man or woman??”   If we are really honest and look at it from a Scriptural perspective we have to say, “No, there is no innocent man or woman.”    c. And it goes even further.  If we are really honest we must realize that we deserve only death and hell.  One of my favorite scenes in a movie has an evil man falling from a tree and dying.  He immediately he continues to fall.  He hits bottom in someplace strange and hot.  He says, “Where am I.” A demon like thing says “you’re in hell.”  Then he is hit repeatedly  and says, “I deserve this, I deserve this.”  Yes, that’s all we each deserve.

3. The fact that we have gotten one moment past birth is a testimony to God’s grace.   That we receive anything, anything at all, is more than we deserve.  When we see suffering my reaction shouldn’t be: “Oh, Yes, they must have sinned” -- implying I’m better – I’m innocent.  But my reaction should be: “I repent for I deserve that suffering and more.”

II. Jesus wants to bring a change in our philosophy of life.  He’s bringing us to look at life through the cross no matter what chocolates we get.

A. All in all, Jesus' abrupt statements here deal a blow to our sinful pride. He tells the people that the normal safety of their lives is far more than they deserve; it's a gift of a merciful God, not something they've earned.

1. Not only is God merciful, but He is also gracious. Thus He has sent His Son into the world--not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Jesus is going willingly to that cross so that they might repent and live.

a. God does not want you to perish, and so He wants you to look at Jesus.  Here is Someone, the only One who had the right to say, “Why Me?  What did I do to deserve this?  What did I do to deserve the mocking, and the beatings, and the whippings, and the thorns, and the nails?  What did I do to deserve the suffering and pain of hell?”  But He didn’t!  He said not a word.   b.  Jesus did not point His finger at you as He hung on the cross and say, “You deserve this, not Me!”  Instead, He said:  Father, forgive them.  Do not hold their sins against them.  Give Me whatever they deserve, and give them your grace and blessing.

2. And that is the reason why you and I have good chocolates is because God is merciful to you for Jesus’ sake.  The fact that God cares for you and sees you through your bad chocolates is because His heart is merciful toward you.  Why do good things happen to sinners like us?  Because of what Jesus did for you; because you have a merciful God.

B. Jesus wants you to see life through the cross rather than through the chocolates you get.  So to prepare you for the chocolates that you will receive, both bad and good, I would bid you to keep the following points in mind.

1.  Because of our sin, we don’t deserve any good from God at all. So when we get uptight and ask the unanswerable “why do bad things happen” to us, it may well be a signal that we need to be blasted by the more appropriate question: “Why does any good happen to us at all?”

This question is better for two reasons. a. First, it recognizes the depth of our sinfulness. b. Second, the Lord makes that answer very clear: good things happen because God pours out all sorts of good on you for the sake of Jesus Christ. c.  I would encourage you daily to renew in your mind the truth that every good thing is an undeserved gift of God. The more we think we deserve things from God, the more we deny our sinfulness; and the more we will grow angry with God when we do not receive what we think we deserve.

2. And we need to keep in mind that in all this God treats us like children and because of that He keeps some things to Himself.

a. Sooner or later, parents find themselves saying to their kids for the best of reasons, “I can’t explain why right now. Just do what I say. You have to trust me.” God says the same to us. He treats us like children—and with good reason: we are His children! He has made us His children for the sake of Jesus, and He assures us that He is “our Father, who art in heaven.”   b. It could have been different: He could have made it a king/subject relationship. In that case, the answer to the problem of bad chocolates might well be, “Bad may happen and because I’m the King, and I’m going to do what I’m going to do. Who are you to question me?” But God doesn’t deal with you in terms of tyrannical power, but in terms of fatherly mercy. And as a merciful Father, He says, “I’ve made you My own child, and I take care of My kids. You don’t have all the answers, but you can be sure that I’m working all things for your good. I’m telling you: trust Me.”   c. And something else to consider is that because of God’s mercy to you, those bad chocolates that happen really aren’t bad chocolates at all.  We see troubles as obstacles and hindrances that prevent us from enjoying life.  But God sees them as things which build character; which teach us to persevere, to trust in Him, and to hold, not so tightly to this world because our true home is in heaven.  Even death is really not a bad chocolate for us, for Jesus has made it the gate of heaven for those who love and trust in Him.

3. And we need to keep in mind that while you don’t know why bad chocolates come our way, you do know that God is merciful and you do know there are places where you know exactly what God is up to, because He tells you.

a. One is your baptism, where He made you His child. That’s why you remember your baptism daily in the face of temptation and affliction, because it is your assurance that you are God’s beloved child, that you have a merciful Father in heaven who will deliver you.   b. Another place and time is Absolution: for no matter what else is happening around you, the Lord declares, “I forgive you. You are Mine.”   c. Third, of course, is His Holy Supper: there you know that the Lord is present with His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. In the midst of all the bad and uncertainty of the world, you are not forsaken: the Lord comes to you to give you life.

CONCLUSION: Yes, Forrest Gump has a more profound life philosophy than you might think.  But any that philosophy that’s based on chocolates just has to be anemic.  In this text Jesus is moving us to a life philosophy that is not centered in the chocolates we receive.  He moves us to a life philosophy that looks at life through the cross. In the cross we see God’s mercy is ours no matter what chocolates we receive.  Through the cross we know where God has acted in love for us.  Through the cross we know we are His children for Jesus’ sake—and sometimes children don’t know what the parents are up to, but they always should know that they have their best interests at heart.  And through the cross we know that the best chocolates are yet to come.  Amen.

The Peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Temptation - All About You

Title:  Temptation – All About You By Pastor Lohn Johnson

Text: Luke 4:13  13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

INTRODUCTION: My dear friends in Christ, There’s a new TV show called “Lucifer.”  I always want to see what TV producers do with a character like this.  Usually they fail the truth miserably.  I was not disappointed.  This show is not recommended. You can see how they present a limited “devil.” Yes, the “devil” is limited but not as they propose.  They make him influenced by humanity – by one human in particular.  They play down sin.  They make him a handsome playboy with a British accent.  Now I know, he can appear as the angel of light, but really a playboy with a British accent.  And they do all this to make a new twist for a cop show and that’s really tacky.

I. But the one thing that’s really twisted is that they have the devil going on vacation.  No way!!!!

A. The devil never goes on vacation when it comes to tempting us.

1. For him temptation is a very personal thing.  He wants to wreck what God has made—and that’s you and me. The devil makes sure that he tempts us in those areas where you and I are personally weak.

a. He did not tempt Jesus with a warm fur coat in the desert; he tempted Him with food because He was hungry.  With us also he makes each temptation a custom fit.   b. If your eyes have the tendency to wander, the devil will tempt you with sex.   c. If your eyes are faithfully in the Word of God, the devil will tempt you to become proud and think you are stronger, better than others.    d. If you enjoy the outdoors, the devil will tempt you to make the outdoors your church on Sunday mornings.   e. If you are dedicated to your job, he will tempt you to place your job as a priority over God's Word and Sacraments.

2. Satan is an expert tailor.  He designs each temptation perfectly.  He sizes us up with exact measurements.  He knows us much better even than we know ourselves.  And He’s never on vacation.

B. Yet even as he crafts our temptations, there is a thread which he uses that is the same for every temptation.  This thread can be summed up with this phrase:  "It's all about you."

1. We see this thread being weaved as he tempted Jesus.

a. "You're hungry, Jesus.  Turn this stone into bread.  After all, it's all about you."    b. On a high mountain the devil showed Him all the glory of the world in a moment of time.  "This can all be yours, Jesus," he tempted Him, "And you deserve it because, after all, it's all about you."    c. On the pinnacle of the temple the devil tempted Jesus to throw Himself down.  "God will keep you safe," he told Him, "And people will flock to you and be amazed by you.  After all, it's all about you."

2. This same thread Satan uses today to weave together his temptations.

a. To the young woman who discovers she is pregnant at the wrong time in her life, the devil says, "Have an abortion.  It's your body, it's your life.  It's not about that fetus in your womb; it's all about you and what you want."    b. He says the same thing to the man who is unhappy in his marriage, "Divorce her, find someone else.  After all, it's all about you."

3. Whatever temptation you are faced with, you can be certain that the devil appeals to the ego inside all of us.

a. "He said something bad to you.  Don't forgive him; hold a grudge.  After all, it's not about him, it's about you and your hurt feelings." b. You're tired this morning. Sleep in.  You can go to church next week.  It's about you and getting your rest.  c. "There's no need to study the Bible.”  You learned it when you were young.  You have more important things to do than sit in a Bible Class.  It's about you and what you want."

II. Our failure when tempted is like something a witty author wrote about a time when he and his wife went fly-fishing. This was their first time at this particular sport. Their guides told them that in order to “to catch a fish you have to think like a fish. “To a fish, life is “see a fly, want a fly, eat a fly.” As the author humorously puts it, “A rainbow trout never really reflects on where his life is headed. The fish are just a collection of appetites. A fish is a stomach, a mouth, and a pair of eyes.” He says, “While we were on the water, I was struck by how dumb fish are.” [He imagined a fisherman saying to the fish], “Hey, swallow this. It’s not the real thing; it’s just a lure. You’ll think it will feed you, but it won’t. It’ll trap you. If you were to look closely, fish, you would see the hook. You’d know once you were hooked that it’s just a matter of time before the enemy reels you in.”  You’d think fish would wise up and notice the hook or see the line.  The author continues, “We say fish swim together in a school, but they never learn. Aren’t you glad we’re smarter?” Well . . . I guess when you see how we fall continuously to temptation it shows we aren’t really smarter than a fish. But we’re just like fish.  This "it's all about you" lure works with us; it did not work with Jesus.  Because for Jesus it was never about Him, about His wants and needs.  It was always about the sinners for whom He came to die.

A. If it had been about Jesus, then He would not have gone to the Jordan to identify Himself with you in His baptism.

1. If it had been about Jesus, then He would not have taken the painful road to the cross. If it had been about Jesus, then He would have turned those stones in the desert not only into bread, but into steak and potatoes.   2. But for Jesus, it was never about Him.  The devil tempted Him to think of Himself, but His thoughts were only about YOU.  The devil tempted Him to put Himself first, but you were always first in His mind and heart.

B. Satan could not stop Jesus from putting you first in His life, so now instead he stops us from putting Jesus first in our life.  And he is very good at it.

1. And if there is any one of us here today who thinks we are immune to Satan's temptations; who has little concern, therefore, with all the temptations facing us day by day-- then Satan has already won and we are defeated.

a. The devil wants you to think that you shouldn’t take him seriously.  He wants you to trust more in your own strength and less in Christ.    b. Satan is not trying to turn you or me into a nonbeliever tomorrow.  He's thinking long-term.  A little each day he pulls at us.  He knows that the battle for your soul is not won in a day.  He's thinking weeks, months, years from now.  And so a little each day he tempts you to put yourself first and Jesus second.  c. A pastor once told about a church in Chicago where he saw a most amazing picture. Without being labeled as such, it's a picture of Jesus. At least it looks like Jesus. He is seated on a rock….alone….staring straight ahead….overlooking a valley. But the disconcerting thing about the picture is that while his face looks normal, his skull doesn't. It's as if a portion of his skull has been peeled back, allowing you to see underlying brain tissue…. whole strands of it….interlocking, overlapping and almost moving. But as you watch it….and as your eyes become accustomed to the light surrounding it….you realize that what you are looking at is not brain tissue at all, but fingers. Dozens of fingers. All of them grabbing and pulling at the mind of Jesus. And what is the picture called? "The Temptations."  Which didn't mean much until a friend talking about temptations said: "Sometimes it feels as if someone is messing with my head."

2. This leads us to think “Is there any hope for us? We are no match for Satan.  How can we ever overcome and gain the victory?” The answer lies with Christ.

a. Satan may be an expert tailor when weaving our temptations, but Jesus has woven you a piece of clothing for you to wear against the devil.  In your baptism Christ put His holy innocence upon you.  His forgiveness covers you within and without.  This means that you and Jesus are joined together.    b. You are clothed with Christ and whatever temptation Satan uses to assault you, it has to go through Jesus.  Don't take off your robe.  Don't leave it at the baptismal font.  Wear it night and day.  Do not neglect Christ's Word and Sacraments.  And as you wear Christ, you are kept safe in Him against the devil.

III. And remember that this story in Luke is not really about showing us how to defeat Satan; it is proclaiming that in Christ, Satan has been defeated for you.

A. Picture with me a boat, a large boat out in the ocean, perhaps in the Indian Ocean where pirates still patrol today.  And that boat, filled with passengers, is attacked by a pirate ship. Everyone in that boat is in danger. All life aboard could perish.

1. But one man, just one, is stationed at a gun, a cannon. He fires at that pirate ship and sinks it.  That one man saves the life of everyone on board.    2. That Man is Jesus Christ.  He came to be with us in our boat, the church.  Satan would have destroyed us.  He would have taken Jesus' church and dashed it to pieces upon the rocks of hell.  But Jesus stopped him.  He defeated him in the desert, and at the cross, and at the empty tomb.  He defeats him for you in your baptism, at the Holy Supper, in the preaching and teaching of His Word.  Jesus fired the cannon at Satan.  From His mouth came forth words which sunk that pirate..."It is written...It is finished...Take eat and drink...I forgive you."  Jesus did not fire the cannon at the devil to show us how.  He did it because we fail, because we are weak, because we give in to temptation.

B. Jesus won in the desert, and that means you have won in Christ.  In the boat of the church you are safe with Him.  Jesus won on the cross by dying for you, and this means you are forgiven.  You are forgiven even when you and I give in and fall.  You are forgiven even though we are pitiful, and weak, and sinful.  You see, it's not all about you.  It's about Jesus who is for you.  Your baptism into Christ reminds you that you are in the boat with Him, and His victory is yours.  Your place at His Supper reminds you that it's not about how sinful you are, but that Jesus was poured out for you; that you are forgiven no matter how often you fall into temptation.

CONCLUSION: Is the pirate dead? No, but he is defeated.  And so when he attacks you, one little word can fell him.  Not your word or my word.  Not our strength.  But it’s all about Jesus...He is our Savior.  Amen.

Material and Spiritual

Title:  Material and Spiritual By Pastor Lohn Johnson

Luke 9:32-33   32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.  33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah"- not knowing what he said.

INTRODUCTION: My dear friends in Christ, Some of you will remember the song, “Material Girl” by Madonna.   Now I’m not a fan of Madonna and I hesitate to even use this example.  The only thing I’ve ever liked that she’s done was “Evita.”  But with this song she does make a point – now I don’t want to go all the way to where she goes – to a crass materialism where the only thing that matters is money, diamonds, etc.  Let’s face it Madonna is cheap, and that’s being kind.  Even her stage name is offensive.  But about being a material girl, she does make a certain point.  We are all material girls and guys.  That’s probably why that song was so popular way back then.

I. We are material—we have material bodies.  Just touch your arm to make sure.

A. God made us material and placed us in a material world.  He said it was all good. But then the Fall came.  Now we get things all confused.

1. Even after the Fall bodies are important.  God made us that way.  We have to eat material food.  We live in a world where we need to earn and use money.

a. Now It’s hard for us to remember all those things need to be kept in proper perspective.  We aren’t supposed to worship bodies, money or food.    b. That’s the direction Madonna would take us.  But being like her is not at all where God wants us to be.  She went where sin would have us go.

2. But we are material girls and guys and because of that we need a material Savior.  I think that one of the things we often attempt to do is to make our Savior someone who operates in the spiritual realm only.

a. It’s like we say “Jesus you’re OK for spiritual things, but I’m a material guy or girl.  So that’s not really your area.  For spiritual things Jesus I need you, but for the material I’m going to go it on my own.  I’ll work; I’ll strive; but in the material world, Lord, I’ll take the reins.”   b. Then we say, “But, Lord, for the spiritual, I’ll depend on you.  If ever that sort of situation arises.” Yes, we tend to separate Jesus out that way and it seems natural to our sin warped minds.

B. But then we could be like Peter seems to be in our text.  He sees Jesus glow like the sun.  He hears the voice of God.  He’s having a spiritual experience and he wants to remain right there and never move on.  He says, “Let’s build a tent and stay right there in the spiritual glow.”

1. People today often say that they are spiritual people.  Maybe they are being a little like Peter.

a. They want a spiritual experience and to stay right there in it.  Or they want continuous spiritual experiences to keep them going.    b. But really what’s happening is that they are separating the spiritual out and looking only to the spiritual.  Since we have very little experience with the spiritual we are often mislead or confused.

2.  Peter is forgetting that he is a material man.  That material man needs a material Savior.

a. And if they had stayed on that mountain then there would be no salvation for any one—no salvation either material or spiritual.   b. And of course Jesus is also our spiritual savior, too.  Really you can’t separate material from spiritual.  God made them together – and what God puts together let not man separate.  I’m stressing the material here because our society seems to slight it so often.

II. Jesus came into this world to be our material savior.  He came from “spiritual” heaven to become a material baby.  He was born of a material mother.  He was placed in a material manger. He was like us in every way, except He had no sin.

A. And that material Savior was aiming to get down off that mountain.

1. He was going to get back to the material world. He would go into the material valley where we all live.

a. He would get back to the material people.  He would touch those material people and be touched by them.  He would take material mud and spit on it and rub it on a blind man’s eyes and bring him to see.  He would walk the material paths of this world.  He would take material bread and fish and feed thousands of material people.    b. He would pray in a garden and sweat material sweat – even to the point where it became blood, real blood.  He was struck with a material fists. He would be beaten with material whips.

2. He would be nailed to a material cross with material nails.  He shed material blood.

a. Now on that cross there is definitely a spiritual aspect.  God punished Jesus for all of our sin.  Jesus suffered hell in our place.  A spiritual battle did take place on that cross that we don’t see with our physical eyes.  But it took place nonetheless.   b. But he earned salvation for us with His material blood.  He cried out with words that were heard with material ears.  People saw him suffer and say, “It is finished.”  What He meant was that all was done to accomplish what God had sent him to complete.  And He died a material death – He was placed in a material tomb, made of rock and dirt.

3. But that’s not the end of the story.  Like this: A story is heard about a pastor not dressed in clergy attire who was in an art museum one day.  He was standing in front of a picture of the crucifixion.  As this pastor was reflecting on the picture, a little boy, who appeared to have wandered away from his parents, walked up and was staring for a long time at the picture as well.  The pastor leaned over to ask the boy, “Do you know who that is?”  Because of the pastor’s casual dress, the boy did not know it was a pastor who asked him that question.  Without hesitation, the boy said, “Sure, that’s Jesus, and they’re putting him to death.  And those guys standing around the bottom are the soldiers. And that lady in the middle who’s crying is his mother.”  Without a “good-bye” or “See you later, mister,” the boy walked away to find his parents.  The pastor stood there a little while longer smiling over the fact that the boy knew Jesus.  However, a few minutes later, the boy returned to the picture of the crucifixion and said to the pastor still standing there, “Hey, mister, I forgot to tell you the most important part.”  Pointing to the picture, he said, “You see, this isn’t the way it ends.  Jesus didn’t stay dead.  He came back to life again, and he’s alive still today.”

a. And that resurrection was material, too.   b. After the resurrection Jesus walked the paths of the material world.  He ate material food.  He was touched by material people.

B. And His resurrection points us to our material resurrection.

1. We will not be spirits floating on clouds in heaven.  We will have a material resurrection too.    2. We will have material bodies – but without the effect of sin.  [no more pain, no more illnesses, no more tears, etc.]   We will live for eternity with material bodies in a material heaven and earth.

III. Now in the meantime we live in a material world.  Yes, we are material girls and guys.  And God continues to take that into consideration as He comes to us today.

A. He continues to come to us materially to give us His gifts.

1. He gives us his gifts through His Word, a material book, words on a page or the spoken word that comes to our material ears.  These words create faith in God’s material girls and guys.    2. He brings us into His family through the washing with water and the word of Baptism.  He uses material water to convey His gifts.   3. And now He feeds His family with the bread and wine and the Word of the Lord’s Supper.  Jesus Himself comes to us – His body and His blood – He comes materially in this Supper.  His church grows only through these material means.

B. And once we are made part of his family we are incorporated into God’s way of working.  He makes us part of His plan to grow His family.   He blesses others through us, through what we do as his family.

1. Think of it like this: The farmer plants and harvests, the miller mills, the baker bakes, the trucker delivers bread and the store sells it to the consumer.  Through all these vocations God works to give the blessing of bread to the world.  Likewise God works in all of our vocations in the material world to give out His gifts both material and spiritual.  And as we work in all those vocations we meet trials and challenges as we do what we need to do to bring God’s gifts to others.   2.  So we are called to serve even in our everyday work. And maybe we can look at our call like this: In the late 1500’s the great explorer, Sir Francis Drake, was attempting to recruit a number of young men for an upcoming exploration. He gathered them around and told the group that if they came with him they would see some of the most marvelous things their eyes could ever behold. Sandy white beaches, juicy fruits, foreign peoples, priceless treasures, and gorgeous landscapes. And he told them that this wild adventure could be theirs if they came with him. Not one of them enlisted for the journey. The next day a different group came out. Drake told them that if they came with him they would encounter storms that would terrify them into tears. Tiger winds would hammer them and blow them off course for months. Water would frequently be scarce. At times they will be so thirsty that their very souls would cry out for simply one drop of water. In short, danger would always be their constant companion. Drake concluded by declaring that if they could handle these things, the joys of exploration would exceed their wildest dreams. Every single one of them in the group joined Sir Francis Drake that day, some did not even go home to say goodbye to their families, they just boarded the boat eager for the journey. What made the difference in these two groups? Why did the first group turn down the mission and the second jump at the chance? It is not the men who had changed; it was the message. The first spoke of rewards; the second spoke of challenges. The first offered comfort; the second promised suffering. I like to think that Sir Francis Drake discovered what Jesus knew.  The paths that are offered to us must promise to shape us, build our character, if they are to have appeal to us. If we are presented with a challenge, we will be eager for the journey.  Christian life is to be lived and presented like that second presentation, but with the picture of heaven there too. That will draw people to God’s gifts.

CONCLUSION: Yes, you and I live in a material world – we are material girls and guys.  The Fall created all sorts of problems in that material world – caused by sin.  God gave us a material Savior and sent Him into this material world.  He paid a material price for our sin and won salvation for all men.  Now God gives out the salvation He won through material means.  Now we are called into service and we face material problems as we serve.  But at the end of it all we will receive eternal life to be experienced with perfect material bodies in a new material heaven and earth.  Amen.