In Isaiah 6:9-10, God said to Isaiah: “Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed”

          This type of judgment is articulated by Paul in Romans 1:28 when he wrote, “Since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.”

The worst punishment that can befall us is to be given over or abandoned to our sin by God. This anticipates God’s verdict at the final judgment found in Revelation 22:11, “Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile.”

Every time God’s Word is proclaimed it changes all of those within its hearing. No one ever remains unaffected by God’s Word. To those who hear it positively, there is growth in grace. To those who reject it or are indifferent to it, calluses are added to their souls and calcium to their hearts. The eye becomes dimmer and dimmer, the ear heavier and heavier, and the mystery of the kingdom more and more obscure. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

When we hear God’s word we need to remember whose word it is. If an angel stood in the pulpit to preach the Word of God, you would be riveted by his every word. He would preach the Word better than I do, of course, but he would not preach a better Word that any preacher who preachers the Word of God! Not even an angel can improve on the Word of God, and this is what you hear every week, the Word of God. Most preachers’ sermons are full of mistakes and omissions, but insofar as they are faithful to God’s Word, they are God’s Word. You need to remember Whose Word you’re listening to-or not.

When we hear God’s word we need to remember what the Word is. The Bible can be divided in various ways, and one good way of doing it is Law and Gospel. The Gospel is ‘Good News’-it’s a report of what God has done to save you from your sin and misery. Some news is not worth hearing, other news is worth hearing, once. But the news from heaven is unbelievable, and so, we need to hear it over and over again-until we believe it.

The Law is also important because it tells you how to thank God for doing what He did for you. Now suppose I pulled you out of a pit full of snakes or spiders or rats or scorpions or maggots (or whatever creeps you out). And suppose you were so happy you put your arms around me and said, ‘How can I thank you?’ And suppose as I said, ‘Well, you can.’, you walked off or put your fingers in your ears? This is what we do when we skip sermons or sleep through them or sit politely without a thought in our heads.

If the Law does not save us, it teaches us how to please the One who did. Thus, both Law and Gospel should be listened to with great care to obey the former and believe the latter.

When we hear God’s word we need to remember what the Word can do for you. The Word of God saves sinners when nothing else can. It is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. If it saves sinners from death, it also equips the saints for life. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, furnished for every good work.

As we move forward, ask God to open your ears to hear His voice, to clear your spiritual eyes, and to let you understand with your heart.

Please turn with me in your Bibles to Mark 4. We will read the first 34 verses. Verse 9 of this chapter reads, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” So those of you who have ears, please listen and note some of what Jesus says about (1) hearing and (2) the word.

1 And He began to teach again by the sea. And such a very great multitude gathered to Him that He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 2 And He was teaching them many things in parables, and was saying to them in His teaching, 3 “Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and it came about that as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 “And other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. 6 “And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 “And other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 “And other seeds fell into the good soil and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” 9 And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

          10 And as soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. 11 And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God; but those who are outside get everything in parables, 12 in order that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE; AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND LEST THEY RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.” 13 And He *said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? And how will you understand all the parables? 14 “The sower sows the word. 15 “And these are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. 16 “And in a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17 and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 “And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19 and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 “And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it, and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

          21 And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a peck-measure, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? 22 “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it should come to light. 23 “If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And He was saying to them, “Consider carefully what you hear. By your standard of measure, it shall be measured to you; and more shall be given you besides. 25 “For whoever has, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” 26 And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; 27 and goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts up and grows–how, he himself does not know. 28 “The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. 29 “But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” 30 And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? 31 “It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, 32 yet when it is sown, grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR can NEST UNDER ITS SHADE.” 33 And with many such parables He was speaking the word to them as they were able to hear it; 34 and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.

A married couple sits at the breakfast table. The man, reading the paper, says: “Honey, listen to this news item: A study was done that shows conclusively that women speak twice as many words as men!” Wife: “Well, we women always have to repeat ourselves because you men never hear us the first time we say something.” Husband: “What did you say?”

Listening is never easy, is it. All of us are so easily distracted — even in church! When someone gets up during a sermon, perhaps to go to the bathroom, at least 1/3 of the eyes in the sanctuary follow the person out the door — ensuring, I suppose, that the person doesn’t fall down. Many of us will listen for a while, and then realize that for the last five minutes we’ve been thinking about our plans for the afternoon, and haven’t heard a word that has been said. On other occasions, when we are in discussion, we’ll hear a point we want to respond to and begin to formulate our own response — not hearing anything else the other person says.

The development of good listening skills is important in many parts of our lives: academics, workplace, families — but our skills in listening to the word of God are of greatest importance. In the passage we consider today, Jesus has much to say about our doing more than letting the word of God go in one ear and out the other.

To bring this out, we won’t go straight through the passage, but instead look at three themes:

1. The Importance of Hearing the Word
2. Barriers to Hearing the Word
3. Steps to Effective Hearing

Let’s first remind ourselves briefly of the context of this chapter. As we saw, Jesus has been having increasing difficulty dealing with crowds. Those who want physical healing are crowding around him, to the point that he has trouble fulfilling his primary task: to preach the word. He tells his disciples in 3:9 to have a boat ready for him, so that he can escape from those trying to touch him, yet still teach. So, we find in 4:1 that he has to use that boat.

Jesus in chapter 3 begins to distinguish between those who belong to Him — His intimate family, His true mother, brother, and sisters — from those who are there only for physical healing, or to see the latest exciting prophet. He chooses the twelve disciples for greatest intimacy during His earthly ministry, and, on the other hand, warns the Pharisees that they reject the work of the Holy Spirit at their peril. They cannot rely on their heritage from Abraham or their external obedience to the Law; instead, it is obedience to the will of God, it is the reflection of God’s character, that identifies God’s chosen people, those who will His own treasured possession.

This is Jesus’ invitation at the end of chapter 3: Whoever does the will of God is in my intimate family. So, chapter 4 follows up this invitation with Jesus saying: Listen to the word of God, and obey it!

Jesus here finds himself in a similar situation to Ezekiel, as described in 33:30-32:

          “As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.’ 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. (NIV)

Ezekiel had become somewhat of an overnight sensation, an attraction, an amusement. And note that the people responded to his preaching! They expressed devotion, but their actions belied their words. So, Ezekiel was to them a performer, a maestro, fun to listen to but having no impact on their lives. This is what was happening with Jesus — and you know what? It is happening today in a lot of churches this morning. Friends, I don’t want to be like someone singing with a beautiful voice, where people go away saying, “Wasn’t that interesting? And wasn’t that illustration helpful?” — but then don’t change anything in their lives. Listen! Hear the word of God! And put it into practice!

First, The Importance of Hearing

Jesus emphasizes the importance of truly hearing the word again and again in this chapter:

Verse 3: His first word to the crowds is, “Listen!”

Verse 9: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Verse 23: “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Verse 24: “Consider carefully what you hear!”

Verse 33: “Jesus spoke the word to them, [literally] as much as they could hear.”

Jesus issues a stern warning here, following up on the one he gave to the Pharisees in chapter 3: Many people hear God’s word and never take it to heart. Continued failure to hear constitutes rejection of the Holy Spirit, resulting in death.

This is the warning He gives in verses 10-12:

And as soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. 11 And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God; but those who are outside get everything in parables, 12 in order that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE; AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND LEST THEY RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.”

Jesus tells his disciples that they have been given the “mystery of the kingdom of God.” What does he mean by that?

In the Bible, a mystery is not secret, hidden knowledge, but instead a truth that one can only come to know by God’s revelation. We cannot discover a truth like this on our own. Jesus is telling his disciples, “I am revealing to you these mysteries, these vital truths.” He reemphasizes this in verse 22: “Whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed.” God didn’t hide these truths from us forever, but always had the intention to reveal them in the fullness of time. In Colossians 1:26, Paul refers to “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.” That is the idea. Jesus says, “Yes, these are mysteries — but they are meant to come out! The time is fulfilled! I’m making these mysteries available and understandable: So, hear them!”

That is the positive side to Jesus’ comment: He is disclosing mysteries that have been hidden for ages. But there is a negative side to these verses also. Jesus contrasts the revelation to the disciples with the inability of “those outside” to hear these truths expressed in parables. It almost sounds as if Jesus is speaking in parables in order that they won’t be able to understand, and thus will have no chance of forgiveness.

Clearly such an interpretation would be inconsistent with the theme of this section (as well as many other Scriptures). Matthew’s parallel account (Mat 13:14) helps us to understand what Mark is saying; that verse includes these words: “in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah.” In essence, Jesus is saying: “These mysteries need to be taken to heart. I speak in parables so that you might see the truths in the story, reflect on them, and thus take them to heart. But take care! As Isaiah prophesied, there are people who will hear these parables and never perceive or understand the truths contained therein. Don’t be among those who hear but do not comprehend!”

Mark 4:13 is both a reprimand and a challenge to his disciples. They ask him to explain the parable of the sower, and he responds, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you come to know any parable?” Jesus is saying here that understanding this parable of the sower is fundamental to coming to an understanding of all other parables. He encourages his disciples to apply themselves to gaining this understanding.

Second, Barriers to Hearing

This brings us to the well-known parable of the sower, the first parable of Jesus related in the book of Mark. How shall we interpret the parables?

Jesus explains the parable as an analogy, a story in which each object represents something else: the seed is the word, the birds are Satan, the thorns are the cares of this world, etc. Verse 13 implies that this will be true of other parables: they all are analogies in one way or another.

We frequently understand the parable of the sower as referring to evangelism: the evangelist spreads the word; some people never respond; some people appear to respond, yet fall away eventually; others respond and bear fruit. That interpretation certainly makes sense, and states an important truth. But in context in Mark, I believe it preferable to think of the different grounds as yourself at different times. Ask yourself: How am I responding to the word I hear right now? What barriers prevent you from hearing the word and putting it into practice?

Let’s take Jesus’ examples one by one:

The Road

Some of the seed falls beside the road, and the birds eat it. Jesus explains this as Satan taking away the word before it has a chance to germinate.

For us, this corresponds to having the word go in one ear and out the other. It never even registers in our brain. We are distracted while we are listening, or have preconceived ideas that do not allow us to hear the truths being stated.

This happens to all of us to some extent. We might be in church, supposedly listening to a sermon, perhaps even looking at the preacher — but suddenly notice that for the last five minutes we haven’t heard a word he has said. Or we’re reading the Bible, with eyes moving over the page, but then realize that we can’t remember any of the last three pages.

Preconceived ideas that block our hearing the word are of even greater importance. Most of the Pharisees, for example, did not allow the possibility of Jesus being the Messiah into their minds. They did not listen; they did not hear Him. Instead, they engaged in verbal jousting with Him to try to besmirch his reputation.

Some of us have had similar preconceived ideas that block our hearing; perhaps some here this morning have such road blocks. In the early 1990’s, Satan was taking away many seeds sown in me. At that time, I did not believe in the authority and inerrancy of Scripture, so I could toss out any parts of the Bible that bothered me. I didn’t have to listen, and would close my ears to the word. The Holy Spirit led me to enroll in a Bible college and Seminary where the authority and inerrancy of scripture was taught. My eyes were open and the roadblocks removed. What are your barriers? Are you rejecting the word outright? Or are you feeding on it, allowing it to permeate you and change you?

The Rocky Ground

The sower also sows his seed on the rocky ground, where the plant germinates and springs up, but dries up when the hot sun scorches the ground.

Note that this person hears the word and initially responds in exactly the same way as the seed that falls on the good soil: germination takes place. But as soon as there is any challenge to the word, as soon as obeying that word leads to any difficulty, this person forgets the word and reverts to what he was before.

That is the traditional interpretation, considering this soil as a response to the evangelist. How do we understand this when thinking of the soils as different responses of the same person at different times?

Many of us have heard sermons or read the Bible and responded in our hearts: “Yes, yes, that is true. I agree with that. I will change my life to reflect that.” Unlike the soil beside the road, in this case we do hear the word, and we mentally assent to its truth. But then we fail to act on it consistently and persistently, so that there is no fruit.

How many of you have had this experience in relation to prayer? You hear a sermon on prayer and decide, “Yes, that is important. I will pray for thirty minutes every day.” And you follow through for a week. But then you stay up too late, or sleep too late, or have a busy day at the office or school, and you miss a day. Within a month, you are praying no more than before you heard the sermon.

Most often this results from having only a surface understanding of the truths being taught. These truths have not become a part of you, so you do not act on them consistently. This happens particularly with children who grow up in Christian homes, but fail to make their faith their own; when persecutions or hardships come because of Jesus, they reject the faith; it is not convenient to believe, and the faith is not really theirs anyway. Similarly, those who rely exclusively on one teacher who always gives all the answers can face this problem. Again, their faith is the faith of the teacher instead of their own. The teacher has developed a relationship with them, instead of developing their relationship to Christ through the word.

The solution to this problem is to become like the Bereans that Luke describes in Acts 17:11. They hear Paul preaching, and are eager to hear the word. But they don’t stop there. Paul said about the Bereans, “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.”

You see what they did? They heard the word, they listened attentively to Paul — and then they searched the Scriptures themselves to check Paul out! Their understanding of these truths deepened, indeed the truths became part of them because of their effort to understand.

As you hear God’s word, work hard to internalize those truths! Make them a part of you, so that they can take root and bear fruit in your life.

The Thorns

Jesus explains the thorny ground with these words, “these are the ones who have heard the word, 19 and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word.”

One of the saddest verses in the New Testament concerns a companion of Paul’s named Demas. Demas worked with Paul for some time; Paul forwards his greetings in the letters to Colossae and Philemon. But in 2 Timothy 4:10 Paul writes, “Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.”

Desires for other things can present a barrier to our hearing the word — even for someone who worked closely beside the Apostle Paul! If these desires tempted someone working with Paul, they may certainly tempt us.

Unlike those represented by the ground beside the road, these do hear initially, and agree. Unlike those represented by the rocky ground, their understanding of the truth deepens. But they reject the truth, they do not act on the truth because their stronger desires are for success in this world.

Once again, I propose that all of us act this way at times. We may have a good, solid grasp of some biblical truth — but then say:

“Let’s be practical. Surely God doesn’t mean for me to do that! I might lose my job!”

“Yes, I can obey God in that area — after I make enough money and attain financial security.”

“Wow, that’s such a noble sentiment — but it’s simply not practical. Maybe people 2000 years ago could act that way, but it doesn’t work here in the 21st century.”

Have you responded to God’s truth in this way at times? I certainly have. We can all come up with a zillion reasons why living according to God’s word is not practical. But as Habakkuk 2:4 tells us, “the righteous one shall live by faith.”  Living by faith means we obey God whether that obedience makes sense from a human point of view or not. Living by faith means we find our security, our satisfaction, our accomplishment, and our self-worth in God alone.

Don’t be a deserter, like Demas. Listen to God’s word; take it to heart; and apply it to your life, regardless of the fears and worries that concern you. God is faithful. The righteous shall live by faith.

Third, Steps to Effective Hearing

We’ve seen the importance of hearing and the barriers to effective hearing. How can we open our minds to the word, and more often become like the ground that accepts the word and yields 30, 60, or 100-fold?

First, we must depend on the Holy Spirit. Pray whenever you read the Bible. Pray whenever you are hearing the word taught. Ask that God might open your ears, that He would break down your barriers, that He would allow you to take these truths to heart.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:14, “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”

By ourselves we cannot understand God’s truth — we need the assistance of the Spirit. But God willing gives His Spirit to those who ask. As Paul tells Timothy,

In 2 Timothy 2:7 Paul tells Timothy, “Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.” We should remember that if we ask the Lord for insight and discernment His Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, will lead us into understanding and the truth.

It is the Lord who gives us insight. If you’re struggling to grasp the meaning of a particular scripture or verse ask in faith and the Holy Spirit will begin to reveal it to you.

Second, we must spend time and energy trying to understand. Paul doesn’t tell Timothy only to pray; he tells him to reflect, to think hard about these issues — and to know that God will allow that reflection to pay off. Similarly, Jesus tells the disciples in verses 24 and 25 of today’s passage, “Consider carefully what you hear. By your standard of measure, it shall be measured to you; and more shall be given you besides. 25 For whoever has, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”

This first phrase, “consider carefully what you hear,” is quite interesting. The NASB translation “Be careful what you listen to,” while good advice and one possible translation of the words in question, misses the point in context. Literally, Jesus is saying, “See what you hear.” You have ears; you have used them to hear; now see what you hear! Perceive it, dwell on it, contemplate it, mull it over, understand it thoroughly.

Jesus emphasizes this in the rest of these two verses. In saying “by your standard of measure it shall be measured to you,” Jesus presents an image of a bag of grain. We have a choice of scoops for drawing out the seed. Similarly, in verse 25, the first “has” can mean “take hold.” Luke’s account (8:18) clarifies the rest of the expression by rendering the last phrase “even what he thinks he has shall be taken.”

Thus, we might paraphrase 24 and 25, “How deeply are you digging into the bag of the word of God? Pick a big scoop! Gather as much seed as you possibly can, and then even more will be given to you! He who takes hold, who really grabs onto what is there, even more will be given. If you don’t take hold, you’ll find you don’t have even what you think you have.”

Let’s summarize the main points in one more paraphrase of the entire section from 21 to 32:

I am bringing you the light, I am bringing you the lamp; I’m not hiding it from you. Here it is! Here is the word of life, the mystery hidden for ages, revealed to you! Now, mull this over, let the word of God dwell in you richly (Colossians 3:14); take hold of it in great big scoops! For if you don’t, you’ll lose even what you think you have. If you do, it will grow and multiply, and you won’t know where it comes from or how it does it. The seed, the word, is going out. Where will it land?”

I want to close with a thought from Proverbs 20:12

The psalmist declared, “Ears that hear and eyes that see– the LORD has made them both.” It is incumbent upon us to use them.

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Order of Service for July 5^th, 2020

Welcome and Announcements

Opening Prayer

Worship Song

Community Prayer

Today’s Message

Responsive Reading

Service of Communion

Prayer and Benediction

Responsive Reading

Leader: As we come to the Lord’s table, let us come with a spirit of humility and penitence.
Members: Compassionate God, have mercy on us we pray.

Leader: Let us examine ourselves: out thoughts, our actions, our motives, and our attitudes toward others.
Members: O Holy God, have mercy and forgive us our shortcomings.

Leader: Help us to remember our responsibility to our families and our neighbors, our stewardship to you and the work you have given to our hands.
Members: O Living God, we stand in need of your grace, strength, and mercy.

Leader: As we eat the bread, which represents your body, which is the True and Living Bread, open our eyes to recognize the intimacy that you yearn to share with us.
Members: O Loving God, teach us to love you above all else.

Leader: As we drink the cup, which represents Christ’s blood shed for us, we thank you for the new covenant. “Love ye one another,” which is written on our hearts. Let us rejoice because our names are written in heaven.
Members: May your redeeming love renew us for loving service for others.

Leader: May this Lord’s Supper energize every area of our lives and enable us to transcend our circumstances, our inadequacies, and our enemies.
Members: Father, touch and empower us so that our lives will be renewed.

Leader: We praise you, O God, who make us Your own people through the death and resurrection of your Son, our Lord.
Members: Abide in us, and fill us with the life-giving power of your Spirit, now and forever.

Service Text

Do This In Remembrance Of Me

1 Corinthians 11:23-34

Ever since the early Christians met secretly in homes to remember the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the church has been celebrating the Service of Holy Communion. Of all the things we do in the church, this one event should hold the most meaning for us, and it should cause us to be humbled by the message behind the service.

I think that, far too often, the Communion celebration is looked upon as being common place. It is just something “we do every month”. In reality, it is far more than this! In many churches throughout the world the elements of bread and wine or juice are placed on a stand with the words, “Table Of Remembrance” engraved across the front.  This time we call Communion is an opportunity for the church to worship the Lord Jesus by using these simple elements to remember what Christ did for us at Calvary and at the garden tomb. It is a time when we can rehearse the message of the Gospel in the ears of those who may not know it. It is also a time to reflect upon our walk with Jesus as individuals.

Today, we are going to partake of the Communion once again. But, before we do, I want to draw your attention to what these verses teach us about this special time. Allow me to point out several marks of this time known as Communion. As I do, please look into your own heart and examine your life on the basis of what the Bible says about this event known as The Lord’s Supper.

Let us read from today’s passage 1 Corinthians chapter 11, verses 23-34.

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34 Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.

And when I come I will give further directions.

In verses 23-25 we are reminded that this is a time of COMMEMORATION.

These verses remind us that the Lord’s Supper Service is a time for “calling to mind” the great sacrifice and victorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we gather at the Lord’s Table for Communion, we are not offering a new sacrifice. We are remembering His “once for all” sacrifice, Hebrews 10:10 explains to us that, we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”  The idea of remembering is more than just recalling that an event took place. It has the idea of stirring up the mind to relive with Jesus Christ as much of His life, death and resurrection as is humanly possible.

It is a time to remember that:

1. He left heaven to be born in a human body – Philippians 2:5-6
2. He became poor that we might be rich – 2 Corinthians 8:9
3. He bore our sins in His Own body on the tree – 1 Peter 2:24
4. He willingly took our place on Calvary – Isaiah 53:4-6
5. He shed His blood for our redemption – Revelation 1:5, 5:9, 1 Peter 1:18-19.
6. He conquered death for us forever – Matthew 28:1-6; Revelations 1:18
7. He ascended back to Heaven to finish His redemptive work and to serve as out High Priest forever – Hebrews 7:25

These three verses also remind us that it is a time of COMTEMPLATION.

Not only are we to remember what Jesus has done for humanity, but we are to contemplate what His sacrifice means to us as individuals. 1 Timothy 1:15 tells us that came into this world and died on the cross to save sinners. But, what does that mean to you? Have you been saved? If you are saved, does His sacrifice move your heart toward Him in worship? Does the fact that He is alive forevermore thrill your soul and cause you to bow before Him in humility and worship?

We should use this time to reflect on what the finished work of Christ means to us as individuals. Our minds should reflect on what His death and resurrection has accomplished in our lives. It is a great time to consider your personal walk with the Lord! Is it all it should be? Are you living in a manner that pleases Him? Is your heart right with the Lord? Consider your relationship to the Lord during this special time.

Verses 23 through 25 also remind us that it is a time of IDENTIFICATION.

When we take the Lord’s Supper, we are publicly identifying ourselves with Jesus Christ. Now, it is possible for a lost person to partake of the Lord’s Supper and never be saved. This event holds no saving power! However, for those who are saved, it is a time for us to declare publicly that we believe His death and resurrection were for us!

Let us who have been saved by grace boldly identify ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ! The Bible reminds us in Romans 10:9-11 that those who know Him are not to be ashamed of Him. The world may call us fools. They may say we use the Lord as a crutch. Regardless of what they say, let us take our stand with the redeemed and loudly proclaim our faith in Him and our dependence upon His sacrifice. Yes, The Lord’s Supper Service is a prime time to identify yourself with the Lord Jesus!

Verse 26 reminds us that the Service of Holy Communion is a time of DECLARATION.

This verse reminds us that when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we are declaring His death and resurrection to new generations of people. This is to be a time of education as well as a time of worship. We must always take the time to explain what we are doing when we take the bread and juice. This service is a prime time for declaring the Gospel message to those who do not know it.

That is why we preach the Gospel message! We proclaim it so that men and women, boy and girls will have the opportunity to believe on Jesus Christ as all the redeemed have done. Therefore, let us determine that we will ever remind this lost and dying world that there is only one source of salvation and that His name is Jesus Christ.

In a day when many churches are becoming “seeker friendly” and others are abandoning the doctrines of salvation by grace through faith alone, let us determine that as long as there is breath in our bodies, we will strive to protect the message in this church! We could compromise and draw a crowd, but I had rather preach the truth to a few than to drag a crowd behind me into a Christ-less eternity!

Verse 26 also reminds us that the Lord’s Supper is a time of EXPECTATION.

We are also reminded that this time serves to stir up our thoughts concerning the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The truth is, He died for us, He rose again for us and He ascended into Heaven for us. There, He makes intercession for us at the throne of God. John 14:1-3 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 also help us to not forget that He has also promised to return someday for us.

The Lord’s Supper service should serve to remind us of the fact that He is coming! It should stir up our hearts by reminding us that one day soon, our Savior will return from glory to take His children home to Heaven. Therefore, when the bred and juice are passed in a few minutes, remember, Jesus is coming and He is coming for a redeemed people.

Are you ready for His coming? We are to live expectantly as Matthew 24:24 tells us, “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Verses 27-31 remind us that it is a time of EXAMINATION.

While all the other truths we have considered today are important, this final one is very serious in its warning to you and me. The Lord’s Supper service is a time of reflection and worship, but it is also a time of self-examination. We are warned against partaking of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner.

First, It Is A Warning To The Lost – No one who has not been saved should take of the Lord’s Supper service. It is a dangerous thing to do so!

Second, It Is A Warning To The Backslider – When we come to the Lord’s table with sin in our lives, we open our lives up to God’s judgment. He will chasten His children when they profess to be right with God, and yet they are harboring sin in their hearts.

Third, It Is A Warning Against Taking It Lightly – Too often, people will come to the Lord’s table and will not take the time to search their hearts for sin, nor will they consider the great sacrifice Jesus gave for their redemption. They go through the motions, but ignore the emotions. Others participate in it ritualistically and not with their minds and hearts. Others trust the ceremony to save them and fail to trust the One to Whom the ceremony points. Others come with bitterness and hatred in their hearts toward other believers. All of these are dangerous and bring the chastisement of God into our lives.

When we partake of the Lord’s Supper in a manner which degrades the truth behind the celebration, we are guilty of trampling under foot the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. When someone walks on the flag of the United States in protest, they are doing more than damaging a piece of cloth. They are actually dishonoring this nation and all it stands for! The same is true at the Lord’s Table! Let us be careful to examine our hearts, our lives and our motives before we receive the elements of the Lord’s Supper.

Paul’s warning is serious! He reminds the Corinthians that some of there number is dead because they came to the Lord’s Table in an unworthy manner! The remedy for this is for us to examine ourselves, confess our sins and to right every wrong possible, before we come to the Lord’s Table! If we will take the time to judge our own lives, the Lord will not have to judge them for us. But, even when His chastisement comes upon us, it is for our own good, and is a product of His love for us.

Verses 33 and 34 remind us that the Communion Service is a time of COMMUNITY.

As the church is the Body of Christ we are extorted to eat and drink as a body. When we come together and celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we are declaring to ourselves and those around us our resolve to reflect Christ’s love and forgiveness and so to be unified. There is power is the blood of Jesus and there is power when God’s people, led by his Holy Spirit work together as one. In Genesis 11:6 the Lord declared that if the people speak one language and are of one mind then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.

As a child, many of us can remember our mothers telling us to “wash up for supper.” Well, that is what the Lord is telling you and me this morning! Are you in a right condition to receive the Lord’s Supper today?

Before we celebrate the service of Holy Communion, take a moment to examine yourself and to answer these questions:

1. Are you saved?
2. Is your life pleasing to the Lord?
3. Are there hidden things in your life that need to be dealt with this morning?
4. Is there ANY problem between you and another believer?
5. Can you honestly say that your heart and life and pure?
6. Are you ready to receive the bread and juice with a heart of true worship for God our Father?

Let us pray.

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Deliverance Delayed

Exodus 5:22-24

Pastor Barry Kerner

More than 20 years ago I began a prayer list to help me remember for whom and for what I sought God’s intervention. Over the years as God, through his mercy and grace, answered prayers they were removed from the list. As more needs arose, they were added to the list. Every year though the list seems to grow. One reason the list became longer is that God has proven himself time and again and I’ve found myself trusting in him more and more. Another reason is that over the years God has opened my eyes and heart to see more of the needs of the world around me.

As the Coronavirus pandemic spread this year I found the list growing weekly. Added to the list were prayers for others for continued health, prayers for the well being of individuals isolated by social distancing, prayers for those who have lost jobs and face difficult financial times, prayers for those most vulnerable front line workers, as well as prayers for our local churches and possible re-openings. Some of those prayers have been answered but many still await God’s intervention

It’s those prayers that remain on prayer list week after week, month after month or maybe even year after year that I want to look at. What about when the answer to prayer doesn’t come right away? What happens when we get a different answer than the one we expected to get? What happens when we pray and things seem get worse instead of better? What happens when deliverance is delayed?

How many or you know that we serve a mighty God? Hopefully everyone listening agrees with the statement, “We serve a mighty God!” We all love to talk about the wonderful miracle working power of almighty God. Truly He is a mighty God. He has all power in His hand. There is nothing that is too hard for God to do. Any problem that you might have right now or will have in the future is not too hard for God to solve. Any trouble that you find yourself in right now or in the future is not too hard for God to fix. Any situation that is relative to your particular set of unique circumstances from your life is not too big for God to deal with and take care of.

It doesn’t matter what the problem is.

It doesn’t matter what the need is.

It doesn’t matter what the situation is.

It doesn’t matter what the adversity is.

Because God is a mighty God!

It doesn’t matter how strong the storm is.

It doesn’t matter how fierce the winds are.

It doesn’t matter how high the floodwaters are.

It doesn’t matter how bad it looks to everybody around you.

It doesn’t matter how serious it looks right now.

Because God is well able to meet your need in just one instant of time. He is a mighty, mighty God.

If you have a:

Financial need – no problem

Healing need – no problem

Marital need – no problem

Family need – no problem

Salvation need – no problem

Any need at all – it’s no problem with God

Our God is a mighty God and he is able!

The Word of God says:

But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory

Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think

He is able to always cause us to triumph

He is able to always bring the victory

He is a mighty, mighty, powerful, awesome, wonderful God!

So today we have established that our God is able to meet your needs whatever the need is. But what about when the answer doesn’t come right away? What happens when we get a different answer than the one we expected to get? What happens when we pray and things get worse instead of better? What happens when deliverance is delayed?

Why do we face difficulties even when we are doing what God told us to do? When these questions come does that affect our view of the mighty God that we serve? When the answer doesn’t come do we think differently about God?

In our scripture text, Exodus 5:20-24, we find Moses lashing out at God, 22 Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”

Moses has done what God has told him to do but things have gotten worse instead of better. I’ve done what you told me to do but you haven’t done anything, Lord. I’ve kept my part of the bargain but you haven’t kept your part God. You still haven’t delivered us yet. You still haven’t showed up yet. We are still waiting for you to do what you said you would do.

I can hear the bitter cries of Mary and Martha as they weep. “Jesus, where are you?” “Jesus, how come you haven’t come by here just yet?” They had called for the master to come but he never did and now it’s too late because their brother Lazarus is dead. Mary weeps off in a corner somewhere, “Lord, I just don’t understand. I’m confused.” Martha moans as she falls to her knees, “Jesus, I thought you would have come. I thought you were our friend.” But still Jesus has not come-… yet.

There are times in all of our lives that things appear to be just like that.

• Things appear to be dead.
• It appears to be over.
• It appears that God has turned a deaf ear to you and your cry.
• Your dreams are dead.
• It looks like God has forgotten about you.
• You are desperate for an answer but no answer has come.
• You feel like it is too late for God to do anything concerning your situation.
• You feel just like Martha did when her brother died – your too late God!
• You cry out, “God where are you?” But the wind picks up your cry and slaps it back in your face again.
• You stagger along like a drunken man in your spirit as the enemy delivers more and more adversity to you.

But wait! Before you give up for good let’s take another look. Off in the distance I see God walking toward you on the stormy waters of your adversity. I’m looking down the rough and dusty road of adversity in your life and I think I see something coming toward you down the road.

The Bible says:

“I will look to the hills from whence cometh my help, my help cometh from the Lord. My help is coming right now!” “Look up for your redemption draweth nigh.” It may not be here yet but it’s on the way. It’s almost here.”

Let me tell you today that, God does all things well even when it seems like it’s disaster. God has his own plan and his own time clock for your life and for your deliverance

God is never too late even when we think he is. God is still in charge and God is still on your side. You can and you will eventually triumph over the distasteful business of hell if you are willing to patiently wait on the Lord even when the answer hasn’t come yet.

When deliverance is delayed recall Isaiah 40:27-29,31, “27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? 28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.  31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

If you can just wait on the Lord a little while longer he will renew your strength. The answer hasn’t arrived yet but he will renew your strength. Why does he work the way that he does? I don’t know but I do know this: We will understand it better bye and bye if we wait on the Lord. Isaiah 55:8-11 reminds us, “8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

God’s ways are much higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. He doesn’t do things just like we would do them. He doesn’t think like us. But there is one thing that we do know about God and that is His word will not return to him void. It will accomplish its intended purpose. If God has told you that he will do something in your life you can count on it that he will do it!

The storms of life come to everybody, even the child of God. Sometimes God calms the storm and other times he gets on board with us and calms his child and you ride out the storm with him. Deliverance might be delayed right now but keep on waiting on the Lord.

We look at the life of the apostle Paul and say what a great man. I wish I could be more like Paul – oh really? Let’s look a bit more closely at his life. In 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 we read, “ 8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;”

Notice what it says here about Paul:

• Paul had trouble
• Paul despaired of life
• Paul had the sentence of death in him
• He stated that he would not trust in himself but in God
• God delivered him from death
• He trusted that God would deliver him again

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 encourages us, “8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”

In 2 Corinthians 11:24-28 Paul talks of trials and tribulations, “24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.”

Paul was a man that was used greatly by God but he was also a man that suffered much for God. Paul suffered much pain but what brought him through was his attitude toward the pain. He cared much more about the glory of God resting on him than he did the pain.

In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul saw his pain turned into pleasure. He said,  “7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

It’s not normal to take pleasure in infirmities and adversity, but the thing that Paul learned was that you must trust in God in spite of what you are going through. He learned that it’s the pain and suffering that is, at times, the steadying influence in our lives. The heavy burden can actually act as a ballast for us anchoring our lives in the midst of the raging storm.

Dr. Thomas A. Lambie, medical missionary, to Africa, told about how he forded many swift and bridgeless streams. The danger in crossing such streams lies in being swept off your feet and carried down stream to greater depths and hurled to death on hidden rocks. Dr. Lambie learned from the natives the best way to make such a hazardous crossing. You find a large stone, the heavier the better, and lift it to your shoulder, and carry it across the stream. The extra weight of the stone keeps your feet solid on the bed of the stream while crossing. Dr. Lambie drew this application: While crossing the dangerous streams of life, enemies constantly seek to overthrow us and rush us down to ruin. We need the ballast of burden bearing, a load of affliction, to keep us from being swept off our feet.

Martin Luther once said, “Ah! Affliction is the best book in my library.” In life it will be the grievous things that help lift us up to Heaven. Why is it that God allows the trials to come to us? Why does God allow the pain to come that is so intense that it seems difficult to even breathe? Why does God allow us to weep and cry over and over again about the same crisis? Your pillow is wet with tears at night. You cry out to God but it seems like he is not listening. You put a smile on your face when you deal with the world but deep down inside you are broken and there is pain.

At times like this we can look to the scriptures and be encouraged by the lives and victories of others.

• Job went through that kind of adversity.
• Hagar went through that kind of a situation.
• Naomi went through that kind of a difficulty.
• Hannah went through that kind of a trying dark time in her life.
• Jacob feared for his life when Esau was coming to kill him.
• David was surrounded by his own men that wanted to stone him
• Paul was stoned and left for dead.

What do you do in that situation that you find yourself in? What do you do? You trust in God! You continue to wait on the Lord. You continue to hold his hand even when you don’t agree with the way he is leading you. Trust in God when deliverance is delayed.

1 Peter 4:12-13 tells us, “12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”

Pain and affliction are allowed so that people will keep close to the Lord in prayer. We don’t want those things in our life. We don’t want those times in our life. But it is the trial and the adversity that will purify us and bring us closer to God. It’s the bearing of the burden that will strengthen us to endure all the way to the end in our walk with God.

It’s easy for people without much invested in this Christian walk to backslide and fall away from God. But those with something invested in their walk with God and those who have completely sold out to God will want to hold on all the way to the end. They have been through: The fire. The floods. The storms. The difficulties. The adversity

And the trying of their faith has produced a quality in them that is as pure as gold

1 Peter 5:10 puts it this way, “10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.”

What do we do during the delay? We have looked at the fact that there will be delays. But, how do we make it through? Isaiah 35:4 tells us how, “4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you.”

Isaiah 41:10 tells us how, “10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Isaiah 43:1-5 tells us how, “1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;”

And, Deuteronomy 20:3-4 tells us how, “3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; 4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”

When deliverance is delayed keep trusting in God. Trust God, even though it may seem like prayer doesn’t work. Even though it may seem like at the moment He is not near and has abandoned you. Isaiah 41:9,10 says, “You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you, You are my servant, I have chosen you, and have not cast you away. Fear not for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

If we have faith and sincerely trust God, we will not be concerned as to whether the answer is “wait” or the answer is “no” or “yes.” We must just trust, and wait and see if God in His timing will see fit to answer as we have requested, or perhaps He has something better in mind for us. Remember your prayer should end with “Not my will, Lord, but Your will.” (Luke 22:42). And remember the promise of Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”

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