Category: Sermons

Put First Things First

Haggai 1:1-12

Pastor Barry Kerner

E.M. Gray spent his life searching for the one trait all successful people share. His essay entitled “The Common Denominator of Success” revealed successful people’s common characteristic was not simply hard work, good luck, or astute human relations. Although those traits were important, the one factor that seemed to transcend all the rest was the habit of putting first things first. Gray wrote, “The successful person has the habit of doing the things failures don’t like to do. They don’t necessarily like doing them either, but their dislike is overcome by their purpose to succeed.”

The Book of Haggai, the second shortest in the Old Testament, communicates this same message: Put first things first. It was written to people like us, who would say that God must be first. But they had drifted away from this truth. They lived with misplaced priorities. Haggai was sent to help God’s people get their priorities in line with what they knew they should be. My question for you today is, “In your life and in your relationship with God,  are you putting the first things first?”

Haggai’s prophetic message was to the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem after living in captivity in Babylon. If you recall, Babylon had destroyed Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple some 70 years earlier. When the Jews returned from exile they faced the daunting task of rebuilding. The ones who had first returned made preliminary attempts to clear the debris and lay the foundation for a second temple. Their Samaritan neighbors offered to join in the work, but the Jews refused them. The Samaritans, in turn, threatened and harassed the workers and sent men to Persia to lobby against the Jews, bringing the work to a halt.

As years passed, slowly but surely, Jerusalem came to life again. Homes were built, stores opened, and commerce was reestablished. Fields were planted, crops were harvested, and life began to resemble normalcy. Israel, however, had gotten used to life without the Temple. The foundations were overgrown with weeds. The remnants of the walls and foundation lay in jumbled piles. They stood as a silent reminder of the Jews’ failure to take care of God’s house. Fourteen to 16 years had passed, and then Haggai appeared on the scene with one prevailing message: It’s time to finish rebuilding the Temple.

It was a message of priority: Put first things first. The Temple was the center for worshiping God. It represented the heart and soul of the Old Testament religion. Although God is everywhere, the Temple was the place on earth where God dwelled in a special sense. For the Temple to lie in ruins was to neglect the worship of God. It was a testimony of misplaced priorities. It was an embarrassment to God and a blemish on his reputation.

Haggai’s message was blunt. He pulled no punches and wasted no words. Haggai spoke like a foreman on a construction project. With a hardhat and tool belt, walking around the construction site, he bellowed out orders. From the Book of Haggai we can gleam a few practical steps about putting first things first.

First, we need to stop making excuses. The first thing Haggai did was to confront the excuses the Jews had for the Temple to remain lying in ruins. Haggai prophesied, “The LORD of Hosts says this: These people say: The time has not come for the house of the LORD to be rebuilt” (Haggai 1:2). The Jews who had returned intended to rebuild God’s house, but just hadn’t got around to it yet. If you were to ask them about it, they would probably say, “I’m all for building the Temple. It is a great cause. But God wants us to take care of our own families first. Times are hard. Jobs are scarce. We need to pray about it some more. We will eventually build it, but not now.” They made a myriad of excuses.

Billy Sunday defined an excuse as “the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.” Benjamin Franklin wrote, “I never knew a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else.”

It is always easy to make excuses when you don’t want to obey God. We can always find rational justification for not doing what God wants us to do. We say, “The time is not right. I’ve got family responsibilities. My kids need me now. When things settle down at work, then I can do something.” The first step to putting first things first is to admit our responsibility.

Second, we need to cease being selfish. Closely aligned with excuse making is a selfish mindset that permeates everything. Haggai challenged the people’s selfish behavior. He told them, “The word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet: Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” (Haggai 1:34). Paneled houses can mean “covered” or “roofed,” but the point was that it represented the finishing touches. Their homes were not “in process.” No weeds were growing around their unfinished foundations. Their homes were complete while the Temple remained nonexistent.

I have to say here that nothing is wrong with having a nice home. This statement is not an attack on riches or big houses. What’s wrong is to own a nice home while God’s house lies in ruins. What’s wrong is spend all your money on selfish needs while ignoring the things of God. What’s wrong is to spend one’s time, one’s best hours, and one’s talents on selfish pursuits while the things of God are left undone. That selfishness is an indictment of misplaced priorities.

It is easy to drift away from God’s agenda to our own. It is easy to pursue selfish desires while ignoring God’s. In fact, it is the default mode of our lives. If we give no thought to how we are living, we will naturally live for ourselves. When a heart isn’t fully for God it always tends toward selfishness. This is what happened to the Jews Haggai addressed.

William Cowper, the hymn writer and pastor, penned these words: “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.” That is what happens when we don’t persistently and consistently seek God first, we turn from the God we love and tend to ourselves.

Third, we need to make sure that we don’t miss God’s blessings. As a consequence of their excuse-making and selfish living, the people in Haggai’s day experienced hardship. Haggai continues in his message: “Now, the LORD of Hosts says this: Think carefully about your ways: You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough to be satisfied. You drink but never have enough to become drunk. You put on clothes but never have enough to get warm. The wage earner puts his wages into a bag with a hole in it” (Haggai 1:5-6). They sowed plenty of seed, but there was a drought and the crops didn’t yield as much as they had hoped. They had active lifestyles but were not experiencing fulfillment or satisfaction. They were laboring but showing no profit. No matter how hard they tried, they seemed to be spinning their wheels. No matter how much money they made, they could not keep it. They couldn’t get ahead. Does anyone here know how that feels?

Because of their selfishness the people missed God’s blessings. Haggai points out a sobering reminder: What happens in your heart affects every other part of your life. Because the people had pushed God out of the center, they suffered in every area.

What they did not see was that God caused their predicament. They hadn’t stopped to consider that God was trying to tell them something. Haggai screamed: “Hey! It’s God who controls the rain and the harvest. He is withholding his blessing because your priorities are not right. Put his house first and he will bless you.” Jesus said the same thing when He told His followers, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you” (Matthew 6:33).

Blessings come through obedience. If we want to experience God’s blessings we will put him first in our lives.

Fourth, we need to take time to perform an evaluation. With Haggai’s strong indictment and devastating predicament, the people realized that they had caused their own calamities. The people were ready to evaluate their situation. Twice Haggai instructed the people, “Consider your ways” (1:5, 7.). The word consider means to give careful thought to. It was time for the people to do some serious self-examination before the Lord. Haggai wanted the people to stop long enough in their busy schedules to evaluate their life in light of God’s Word. He wanted them to measure the consequences of their actions.

Evaluation is a good thing. That is why teachers give tests and employers hold job reviews. In 2 Corinthians 13:5 the Apostle John warns us, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” Socrates wrote: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Each day we need to evaluate how we spend our time and our money, and how we use our talents. We should examine who we choose as friends, what we set as goals, and where we are going. If God is not first, guess who removed him from his rightful place?

The failure to make constant corrections each day is like a pilot who does not make slight course adjustments in flight. The plane will eventually end up hundreds of miles off course. The failure to take the proper precautions today will result in severe consequences tomorrow.

When we stop making excuses, cease being selfish, seek God’s blessings, and take time to evaluate, we can see God work in powerful ways. This is what happens when first things are first, when God is first in our hearts. How will we know that we have put first things first? How will we know that God is first place? Here are three indications.

First, we find ourselves active in the right things. Haggai told the people, “Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house. Then I will be pleased with it and be glorified, says the LORD” (Haggai 1:8). In all of life there is a time to talk and a time to act, a time to consider and a time to do. Those who put first things first are up and doing the right things: spending time with God daily, serving people, honoring him with their time, talents, and financial resources. For the Jews living in Jerusalem, it meant cutting down trees to build God’s house.

Second, our lives strive to see that God is glorified. Some of the people may have asked, “Why should the Temple be built?” The answer: that God may be glorified. When God is not first we are indifferent to his glory. We care little that his fame and his reputation are being spread. But when God is first revealing his glory is first on our minds. In fact, everything we think, say, and do should be to honor God and bring credit to him. Whatever your pastime or occupation, the chief business of every Christian is to bring glory to God.

Third, we find that God blesses us. When the people obeyed, God sent word: “I am with you” (1:13). When God is first, he blesses us. And the sure sign of his blessing was and is his manifested presence in our lives. If God seems distant in your life, perhaps your priorities have gotten mixed up. When you put God first, you experience a new awareness of his presence. That is true blessing.

I’ll close with this short story: An instructor at a time-management seminar told the participants to prepare for a quiz. He reached under the table and took out a wide-mouthed gallon jar and set it on the table. Next to the jar were a number of fist-sized rocks. He asked the group, “How many of these rocks do you think we can get inside this jar?” The participants made their guesses. The instructor said, “Let’s find out.” One by one he began to put as many fist-sized rocks as he could into the jar until the rocks inside were level with the top of the jar.

The instructor then asked, “Is the jar full?” All the participants looked at the jar filled with rocks and said it was. But then he reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar. The gravel filled the spaces between the big rocks. He grinned and asked again, “Is the jar full?”

The participants were not about to be fooled a second time. They said that the jar was probably not full. The instructor nodded and said, “Good. You are catching on.” He next took out a bucket of sand and poured it into the jar. Slowly the sand filled the gaps between the rocks and gravel. After the sand settled, the instructor once again asked, “Now, is the jar full?” The audience responded, “No!”

He said, “Good.” He was pleased that they understood an important principle. The instructor poured a pitcher of water into the jar until it was full to the brim. At this point he stopped and asked the group, “What’s the point of this?”

Somebody said, “Well, there are always gaps, and if you work at it, you can always fit more into your life.” But the instructor said, “No, the point is this: If I hadn’t put in those big rocks first, I would never have gotten them in at all.”

What should be your big rocks? God and his house. Put them into your life first.

Faith In Every Season Of Life

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. Habakkuk

Pastor Barry Kerner

This morning we are going to consider what it means to have faith in every season of life. The natural seasons are winter, spring, summer and autumn; there are also spiritual seasons in our lives.

The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that every season of life has a purpose. Ecclesiastes 3:8 reads, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.”

We will face times of great difficulty and times of great joy. We will experience seasons of hard work and seasons of plenty. God can use each of these seasons of life to teach us something about who He is and how much He loves us. We may never fully understand what God has planned for us, but our attitude toward life changes when we learn to see good times and bad times as opportunities to grow closer to our Heavenly Father.

As we journey through the seasons of life, we will experience many ups and downs. Perhaps in your own life you have experienced the highs and the lows, maybe right now you are going through something that feels like a ride on a roller coaster.

Have you ever gone for a ride on a real roller coaster? Did you enjoy it? Roller coasters go up, down, twist, turn, loop and plummet. A ride on a roller coaster is probably over in a couple of minutes; and maybe, for those two minutes, you hold on so tight your knuckles turn white. You laugh, you scream, you cry, maybe you struggle to get your breath. Then it’s over. You are safe. You disembark from the roller coaster and stand on solid ground again. Then one of two things usually happen, either you head back to the end of the queue so that you can do it again. Or you retch, vow never to be so stupid again and move on.

We all experience ups and downs in our lives. But, as Christians, as disciples of Jesus we do not face them on our own – God is with us. His promise to us is that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

What spiritual season are you experiencing now? Do you feel like you are on roller coaster right now? Are you trusting God to help you in the season you are in? If we put our trust in God, then whatever we are going through, whatever circumstance or situation we are in, whether we feel like we are deep in a valley of despair or on top of a mountain, in good times or bad times, we know that God is with us.

This morning I want us to consider two passages from the book of Habakkuk. Let me give you a little background to put what we are about to read in context. Habakkuk was the last of the minor prophets to preach in the land of Judah. He prophesied during the fall of the Assyrian Empire in 610 BC and the final Babylonian invasion of Judah in 588 BC.

Judah was the southern kingdom of Israel, during the reign of king Josiah it had experienced a time of peace, prosperity, reform and restoration. During the 31 years that Josiah was King, there was prosperity, stability and spiritual revival. Then Josiah died and his sons took over the throne, and everything changed in Judah. Judah was a nation in chaos, instead of peace there was violence, people turned against each other and perversion and wickedness spread throughout Judah.

Listen to the words of Habakkuk chapter 1:1-4, “This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision. How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted.”

These words were written over 2,500 years but they sound like they could have been written today. Remember the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes chapter 1, “Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.”

Since Habakkuk wrote these words, days, weeks, months, years, centuries and millennia have gone by. Seasons have come and gone and come again, yet his words seem to accurately describe our world as it is today. The book of Habakkuk is a record of a one to one conversation between the prophet and God. How often do you take the time for a real conversation with God? Not just a quick prayer asking God to do something for you, or praying for someone else, a real conversation between you and your Heavenly Father.

1 Peter 5:7 tells us “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” It reminds us that we can bring all of our cares, all of our worries, all of our hopes and fears and dreams to God because He cares about us. Each and every one of us. Whatever season it feels like you are in, whatever circumstance or situation you are in right now, have you made the time to really pray about it? And, if you have prayed about it, were you just on transmit, or did you take the time to pause, to listen to God, to receive His guidance.

That is the type of conversation that Habakkuk is having here, he prays, then he waits and listens for God’s answer to his prayer. In this conversation, in this prayer, Habakkuk is questioning God. The words he uses here seem a little angry, maybe a little frustrated. Habakkuk is, in effect, complaining to God, because of all the violence and wickedness he sees in the land.

Maybe at some time or another we have all asked God a similar question in our prayers.

Lord, why do is there so much injustice in this world? Why is there so much pain? Why do the evil and the wicked seem to prosper so much? Why are victims often treated worse than the criminals? Why do the innocent suffer?

Have you ever asked a question like that? Maybe you read a newspaper or watch the news and questions like those run through your mind. Habakkuk is in a season where everything seemed to be going wrong and nothing was going right. Habakkuk looked at the situation around him and it upset him, it frustrated him and he questions God.

Then God answers Habakkuk. God tells Habakkuk what He is going to do. In Habakkuk 1:5, The Lord replied, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.

Now, that sounds like a great answer to Habakkuk’s question. God says He is going to do something so amazing that it would be beyond belief. Can you imagine the smile on Habakkuk’s face as those words sink in? But, God has not finished His response to Habakkuk, God continues in verses 6 and 7, The Lord replied, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it. I am raising up the Babylonians, a cruel and violent people. They will march across the world and conquer other lands. They are notorious for their cruelty and do whatever they like.”

Habakkuk asked for help and God says He is going to solve the problem in Judah by sending the Babylonians to wipe out everyone and everything. That is not the answer Habakkuk was expecting, Habakkuk does not understand God’s answer and he questions God again: Why are you going send a group of people who are more wicked, more violent, more perverted than we are to destroy us? Why are you sending the wicked to destroy the righteous?

Habakkuk does not understand God’s answer. Maybe there have been times in your own life when you have prayed and you have found it difficult to understand God’s answer to your own prayer. There are times when we pray, when we have an idea fixed in our mind about how God will answer our prayer. We think it through, we reason it out, we convince ourselves of the answer we think God will give us. We expect a specific answer, we expect a specific outcome, yet God’s answer is far from what we expected to happen.

Have you been where Habakkuk has been? I know I have! There were many times when I prayed to God and expected the answer that I wanted and I expected the answer to come quickly. Often God had other plans. He made me wait or gave me an answer that was completely opposite to what I wanted

Back to Habakkuk… He prays the second time and again waits for the Lord to answer. In Habakkuk 2:2-4, Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.

Listen to verse 4 again. “But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.” Three times in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul quotes Habakkuk 2 verse 4, in Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38.

Romans 1:17, This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

Galatians 3:11, So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

Hebrews 10:38, “And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”

Faithfulness to God, what does that mean, it means trusting God in whatever season we are in. Trusting who God is, trusting in His perfect plan, trusting in His provision, trusting in His presence, trusting in His pre-eminence, and trusting in His power.

In the springtime of life, trust God.

In the summer of life, trust God.

In the autumn of life, trust God.

In the winter of life, trust God.

In the good times, trust God.

In the bad times, trust God.

In the calm before the storm, trust God.

When the storm comes, trust God.

In the midst of the storm, trust God.

After the storm, trust God.

Be faithful to God.

Be steadfast in your faith.

What ever season you are in have faith.

Time does not allow us to read further in chapter 2, but, God continues His second response to Habakkuk by admonishing the people of Judah for their pride, greed, dishonesty, violence, sexual immorality and idolatry. God speaks and Habakkuk begins to understand. Habakkuk realizes He can not argue with God’s plan and purpose.

The questions stop as Habakkuk realizes he can not control God’s plan, or change God’s purpose. Habakkuk is still perplexed, he still does not fully understand, he is still a little frustrated but in faith he chooses to trust God.

There are seasons when we will question what God is doing. There are seasons when we will not understand what God is doing. But in every season, we must have faith in God, we must trust Him, in every circumstance, in every situation, in every difficulty and in every blessing – trust God.

Faith, such a small word for something so important, so essential. My faith in God is not dependent on your faith in God. Your faith in God is not dependent on my faith in God. Each of us needs to have our own personal faith in God for every season of life. A living active faith, a strong faith in God despite the circumstances, despite what the world is experiencing, despite what our country is experiencing, despite what you and I are experiencing right now, we choose to trust and believe in God. Romans 8:28 says, “we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.”

The book of Habakkuk is only three chapters long, and in the final chapter Habakkuk concludes his conversation with God with another prayer. Listen to  Habakkuk 3:1,2 & 17-19, This prayer was sung by the prophet Habakkuk: “I have heard all about you, Lord. I am filled with awe by your amazing works. In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by. And in your anger, remember your mercy… Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as sure footed as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.”

In this final chapter there is a shift of emotion in Habakkuk. The questions are gone, Habakkuk rejoices in God’s goodness. He has moved from a place of anger and confusion to a place of faith and trust. Perplexity has been replaced with praise. Confusion has been replaced with confidence in God. Worry has been replaced with worship. Fear has been replaced with faith. Habakkuk’s strength is renewed, there is a joy in his heart and his faith is increased.

I’ll close with this final thought. In Habakkuk we have a great example of how we can trust God in every season of life. Despite how you feel, despite your circumstances, your faith in God will sustain you. God is sovereign, God is in control and He is a God who listens and responds to His people.

May God help us to have faith in every season of life.

You Can’t Walk On Water! You’ve Got To Stay In The Boat!

Matthew 14:22-33

Pastor Barry Kerner

If you have your Bibles open we’ll be looking at Matthew 14:22-33 this morning.

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

We live in a world where so much of American Christianity is screaming at us weekly to step out in faith. “You’ve got to get out of the boat like Peter did!!!” they say, If we’re not doing that, then we’re “failing” at being a “true believer” in this life. They say, “If you don’t get out of the boat then you don’t trust Jesus, you don’t have faith.” But I will come right out and tell you point blank, “You can’t walk on water! You’ve got to stay in the boat!”

Our story starts out with Jesus sending his disciples on ahead of him. It is the kind of comment you hear in any shopping mall: ‘You go on ahead: I’ll catch up with you later.’ But in this case it was different. These were the words of Jesus and he was sending his disciples off across the Sea of Galilee in a boat. ‘You go on ahead: I’ll catch up with you later.’ They did what he said, but there must have been questions running through their minds: Exactly how and when was Jesus going to catch up with them later? After all it was getting late, and a storm seemed to be brewing over the horizon. It was a strange experience for those disciples that night: crowded together in a flimsy boat, in the dark with an adverse wind that defied all their straining efforts. It was a kind of time of pointless human effort, of chaos, when that combination of water and wind was raging at its most.

In contrast to their exertions, Jesus, like Moses on Mount Sinai, had gone up the mountain by himself to pray. He was on his own, praying to God, his Heavenly Father, all through the night into the early hours of the morning. The evangelist Matthew only mentions Jesus praying at really critical moments: here on this stormy night and in the Garden of Gethsemane just before his death. It is at moments such as these that Jesus draws strength from God, sheltering in the divine intimacy of the Father’s love.

With the storm raging the disciples were afraid. Fear is an unpleasant emotion.  It is caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous.  Fear is caused from the anticipation that something will cause pain to an individual and potentially put an end to the individual resulting in death. 

More specifically, there are indeed a lot of things that can cause fear to you and me.  Terrorist attacks, spiders, death, being a failure, or being alone, Fear of the future, of flying, of heights, of clowns, snakes, public speaking, hospitals, and funerals are several examples that most certainly create fear in some lives. 

When fear happens though, we may get an Adrenaline rush. Our breathing rate accelerates, our heart rate increases, our muscles constrict, goose bumps may form; there is also an increase in our alertness and our tolerance to pain is increased.  And don’t forget that fear can bring about screaming, that is, loud shrieking cries. 

This fear may then visibly manifest itself by you and me adapting to fearful things or running away from fearful things.  We may also have anxiety attacks or we can pretend that the danger does not exist.  Some use drug treatments to eliminate fear or go to psychologists for cognitive behavioral therapy in order to process their fears. 

Regardless of the tactics one uses to respond to fearful things and the emotion of fear itself, the fact remains that there are things in life that are dangerous and bring about calamity in our lives.  No matter how much therapy, no matter how much avoidance, and no matter how much adaptation we implement, there are things in our lives that indeed threaten us and will most certainly destroy us and may even kill us. It frightens us because last time I checked, no one had found a medical cure for death; death that is a result of this world tainted and perverted by sin; death that is birthed from your sin and my sin.  Yes, when it all comes down to it, beneath the fear of terrorist attacks, spiders, flying, snakes, and possibly clowns is the sting of death and the finality of life as we know it.  Yes, death, which is birthed from sin, drives us to fear because it is a grave threat that is out of our control. 

But back to that stormy night on the Sea of Galilee. The disciples in our narrative were in a boat while a storm raged on in the Sea of Galilee. There is no doubt that they were battling the wind, the waves, and the rain; however, it was not primarily these things that incited the greatest fear among the disciples. 

Exactly what happens next is lost in the mists of time, but we know that something remarkable happened. As the disciples’ boat is buffeted by the wind, in the early hours of the morning, that is between 3am and 6am, the disciples see Jesus walking on the water towards them. ‘He came towards them walking on the sea.’ Human beings can perform many extraordinary feats in, on, and under water. You may be an excellent swimmer; in these summer months you may revel in the pleasures of water-skiing; you might even find yourself on a beach and have the nerve and skill to catch a huge wave and surf it. You may dive from a great height and plunge into the water far below; you can snorkel or go scuba-diving under water. But you can’t walk on water. Your body weight and the law of gravity make walking on water a physical impossibility. Human beings know this.

We talk about ‘walking on air’ as a metaphor of triumph and success; and when we see a ballerina like the Russian Natalia Osipova, move through the air with such graceful, extraordinary beauty, we glimpse possibilities of human movement that we never thought possible. But as for walking on water, we know that that is beyond us–beyond our human capabilities. The disciples, most of whom were experienced fishermen, knew this too.  Little wonder that they were terrified at what they saw and cried out in fear. The sea, after all, in their culture could be a place of demons and diabolical monsters–like a screaming nightmare that wakes you up, trembling and fearful.

As Jesus came closer to them though, the disciples were deeply troubled.  As scripture tells us, they spoke a weird mystical response. “It is a ghost!”  they whispered. They also cried out in fear.  They assumed that whatever being was hovering over the water and coming closer to them could not be bringing good news for them.  They realized that they were in the presence of something beyond their understanding, and they were afraid of such power and mystery.  They did not know who or what it was.

Although today’s Gospel reading is certainly not a parable, but a real historical event, we can still identify with the disciple’s fear.  In other words, it is worth noting in today’s Gospel reading that it was Jesus walking on water who was responsible for inciting fear in the disciples.  Sure they were battling the wind, waves, and rain, but it was Jesus that drove them to utter fear as He walked towards them on the water.  Therefore, what do we do when it is the Lord that brings about fear in us?  Sure death, the devil, the world, and sin all have a way of inciting fear in us, but what happens when the Lord himself insights fear in us? 

Because we are simultaneously sinners and saints, our sinful nature is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; truly, it cannot.  In fact, when we encounter God’s perfect Holiness, we confess like Isaiah, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Because we are sinners, the presence of God is a terrifying thing. In other words, according to our sinful nature, when we encounter the Lord in His Word, we come to realize that we are not the Lord who walks on the water, we come to realize that we are not the Lord who is in control, and we come to realize that we are not the Lord who is authoritative.  We operate in a completely different paradigm than the Lord?  Surely, as we encounter the Lord of the Holy Scriptures we quickly come to learn that He does not operate according to our rules of nature and according to the way we believe things need to be.  Yes, when things do not happen according to our strategies and when things happen out of our control, it can most certainly incite fear in us, especially when we have set certain expectations on the Lord.  In a word, when our expectations of the Lord are not met and when it appears that the Lord does not function according to our agendas, according to our rules, and according to our ideas, it can actually inflame terror in us. 

Christ Jesus in our Gospel reading certainly shatters the expectations and worldview of the disciples by walking on water. But, He quickly grants them comfort.  Jesus Christ is indeed ‘Lord’ and not some sissy savior.  He does bring about a Holy awe, as He should.  Yet, in our Gospel reading, He didn’t leave the disciples in their fear, but immediately spoke to them the sure and comforting words, “It is I; do not be afraid.”  Because they were troubled, Jesus calmed them with the words, “Take heart.”  Because they did not know who He was, Jesus responded with the words, “It is I.”  Because they were fearful, Jesus responded with the words, “Do not be afraid.”  In these reassuring words, He reveals Himself to them giving them all that they need for blessed assurance. 

Is it any different for you and me today?  In the midst of our fears of: terrorist attacks, spiders, death, being a failure, the future, the devil, or whatever it may be including the Holy-Righteous Lord Himself—the words of Christ are spoken into our ears, “Take heart; it is I.  Do not be afraid.”  Yes, these words are true and should bring us comfort, for Jesus Christ certainly came to mankind by being born into the crashing waves of this world.  He walked through the midst of the blowing winds of sin, temptation, and the devil towards the cross where all the calamity of life was conquered. The Christ conquered death, sin, the devil and satisfied the wrath of God—for you.  Through His death on a wooden cross you were saved. 

Furthermore, the Holy Spirit called you by the Gospel, sanctified you, and has placed you in a holy boat, the ark of the church.  You have been baptized into the name of Jesus and placed in the church where you are daily and richly forgiven of all your sins and kept in the true faith.  The church, Christ’s church, is a safe haven and a place of salvation and certainty in the midst of a world of chaos and uncertainty.  Here in the Lord’s holy church you are in the living presence of Christ where you are clothed, fed, sustained, and given peace with the words, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

It is not helpful at this point to try to figure out how Jesus walked on water. Nor is it useful to dismiss this incident as a fabrication or illusion on the part of the disciples. What the evangelist Matthew is inviting us to do is to ask the question: Who is it that can walk on water particularly during a raging storm? This invites us to turn to scripture and there some answers begin to emerge. In scripture, it is God who commands the sea and stills the storm. It is God alone who can walk on water. Psalm 77 is a psalm pleading for help from God which calls to mind the awesome power of God in the crossing of the Israelites through the Sea of Reeds.

‘When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; the very deep trembled…Your way was through the sea, your path, through the mighty waters; yet your footprints were unseen.’

So on this storm tossed night on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus reveals himself uniquely as the one endowed with the power of the creator God, the one to whom he has prayed all night, and in whose strength he now walks on water. This is none other than the divine power of God who overcomes the chaos of the deep, turbulent waters and is totally unafraid of the raging of the sea. The disciples find themselves in the divine presence, encountering the divine power in all its strength and protection.

On one level, the words of Jesus, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid’ are the words of a leader taking command. But on another level, the words invoke the divine name of God, the great ‘I am’ creator of the heavens and earth. It is little wonder that the disciples, like the wise men at his birth, respond to Jesus, the one who walks on water, by worshiping him. Exhausted by the storm and overwhelmed by what they have witnessed, they make the first profession of faith in Matthew’s gospel: ‘You are the Son of God.’

These powerful words of Jesus were enough for most of the disciples; however, as is typical, they were not enough for the Apostle Peter.  The Apostle Peter, not being sure that it was Jesus walking on water said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  Yes, Peter doubted if it really was Jesus on the water and then he made this silly request of wanting to walk on the water towards Jesus.  It was not enough for Peter to stay in the boat and worship Jesus with the other disciples. Peter required additional proof beyond Jesus’ comforting words. 

This is where we see Jesus do something that is quite consistent with the actions of God throughout the Bible.  Sometimes, when God’s people ask for something stupid, God gives it to them in order to give them a learning experience.  Jesus said, “Come.” So Peter, being the impulsive guy he was, got out of the boat and began to walk to Jesus on the water.”

Now, instead of just standing there with Jesus, Peter began to look at his surroundings.  The raging wind and waves were very threatening to him.  He took his eyes off of Jesus and Peter sank into the water.  The terror returned.  Peter cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Thankfully though, Jesus ‘reached out’ His hand and took hold of Peter and brought him back to the boat. 

I want you to understand, “Peter’s faith is not being held up as an example to emulate.  His weakness is being showcased, in order that, in direct contrast, Jesus’ identity and power and grace might be seen more fully.  There is nothing admirable in Peter’s example, nothing bold about his impetuous desire to get out of the boat.” It’s sad but many Christians, like Peter, are prone to leave the boat, the church, and venture off.  The Lord indeed speaks words of comfort to us in the boat, that is, the church; however, like Peter we are often times not content with the simple word of God within the church and want some sort of personal sign and validation. 

Tragically, we find ourselves wanting more than the clear and comforting Word of God within His church. We want bigger experiences, we want something spectacular, and we want to walk on water ourselves.  And, like Peter, we are easily distracted by the waves, the winds, and the storms of life, thus becoming easily terrified resulting in us sinking below the water.  Frankly, we don’t belong outside of the boat, for we cannot endure the waves and winds, and we most certainly can’t walk on water. 

Thankfully though, the Lord is patient with us.  When we do find ourselves sinking in these situations that we have created ourselves by leaving the boat, crying out in fear, “Lord save me!” the Lord indeed does save us by reaching out to us and dragging us back to the boat, the place where He graciously restores us and comforts us with His love. 

If we flounder, help is at hand. As Jesus stretches out his hand to rescue Peter, we are reminded of God’s action as recorded in Psalm 18:16-19: ‘God reached down from on high and took me; he drew me out of mighty waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity; but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.’

There are times in your life when you may feel overwhelmed, when you have stepped out of where God wants you and you find yourself out of your depth. When you have strayed from God’s Word and now you feel you are drowning under a multitude of problems. Don’t lose heart. For it is at times like these that Christ will draw you out of your turbulence and calm the storms of your life. As we near the end of our lives, you and I will have to step out from family and friends and walk through the waters of death. It is then that we are invited to fix our eyes on Jesus, to trust in Him, and to know that he will draw us safely back home to our Heavenly Father.

The virtuoso pianist and composer, Franz Lizst, for the most part was not religious. But towards the end of his life, that changed. Lizst was particularly drawn to the story of St Francis of Paolo–a story which in turn was inspired by Jesus walking on the water. St Francis had hoped to get a boat across the Straits of Messina from the coast of Italy to Sicily. But he had no money, and the boatman refused to grant him any favors. Indeed he taunted him and told him to make his own way across the strait. And so as the story goes, Francis put his cloak on the water and stepping onto it, began to walk. In 1863, Lizst composed his piano piece, St Francis Walking on the Water–a piece of music that remains a great challenge to any emerging classical pianist. It is a profoundly spiritual work: a strong melodic hymn begins the piece; but then the whole piano is gradually and frighteningly caught up in a ferocious storm, through rushing scales and tremolos. Gradually, tentatively, the hymn of faith fights back, resolutely walking on the waters of this terrible storm and finally emerges in a glorious fortissimo of victory. Faith, justice and love have triumphed over the infernal elements unleashed against them.

Walking on water? A human impossibility. When the storms of life rage around us we must learn to stay in the boat, worship Jesus and trust the Word of God.

Let us pray. Help us, O Lord, when the storms of life assail us, to entrust ourselves to your mercy and your power. For the times when we strike out on our own and begin to flounder draw us out of the waters that engulf us, and place us in the safe harbor of your love, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Even If He Doesn’t

Daniel 3:14-18

Pastor Barry Kerner

The Israelites had been taken captive in Babylon, forced to serve under King Nebuchadnezzar. Only a small handful of Israelites had remained loyal to God.

King Nebuchadnezzar built a towering gold statue and ordered everyone to bow down and worship. Anyone who refused would be thrown into the fiery furnace, cast away to their death.

But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused. They had a firm foundation in their faith, in their commitment to God. And, they were caught and turned over to Nebuchadnezzar.

If your Bibles are open let’s read Daniel 3:14-18.

Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up?I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

We all know the outcome: King Nebuchadnezzar threw three men into the furnace, but when he looked up, there were four men walking around inside the furnace. He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire unharmed; and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”  Nebuchadnezzar called the men out of the furnace, unscathed. He proclaimed God’s greatness, and promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

It’s a great story, one of God’s undeniable power. It’s a great testimony of three men who faced death and remained committed to their faith, to their God. It’s a great message of God’s ability to rescue His people from certain death.

But I think what I love most about this story is the declaration that God is able to save Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, but even if he doesn’t the men chose never to serve any other god or image except the one true God.

Do you have an “Even if He doesn’t…”

Even if He doesn’t save my marriage.

Even if He doesn’t heal my child.

Even if He doesn’t provide me with a new job.

Even if He doesn’t save me from bankruptcy court.

Even if He doesn’t give me a relationship with my estranged father.

Even if He doesn’t rescue my spouse from addiction.

Whatever your even if He doesn’t might be. Can you say, I will never serve any other god or worship the gold statue you have set up?

These three men were thrown into the fiery furnace; and God miraculously delivered them. They were prepared to die but their trust in God was an unconditional—“even if He doesn’t” They knew it was possible that they would be killed for not obeying the king’s order, and yet they remained loyal to God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were ready to serve God, regardless of the circumstances.

Life is not a bouquet of roses. Psalm 34:19 tells us, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” We all go through difficulties. No one is exempted! Problems are impartial. In Matthew 5:45 Jesus said, “It rains on the just and the unjust too.” Being a person of faith doesn’t exempt us from the troubles of life. Every problem has a dual nature! They can either draw us closer to God or they can separate us from Him. When some believers are facing trials they give up their faith in God: They stop praying, attending church, giving to the things of God, and reading the Bible. But it ought not to be so! The purpose of life itself is in solving problems. Some are even going through theirs now. It may be in your marriage, business, health, ministry, relationship, job, school, or finances.

Every problem has an expiry date. Problem are transient. In 2 Corinthians 4:17 the Bible calls our trials and troubles our “light affliction.” This light affliction is but for a moment, for a short time, and then it will be gone. It’s also written in Psalm 30:5, “weeping may endure for a night but joy come in the morning.” No storm lasts forever, the wind will stop blowing, the battle will end, the rain will stop and your sun will shine again! Don’t give up in your trials. The night will soon be over. In Psalm 50:15 God lovingly tells us, “call on me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

To be able to say, “Even if He doesn’t” takes unconditional faith. But, sometimes when circumstances are difficult, it can be tough to keep the faith. But God desires that we trust in Him—even if our prayers are not answered. We must never let our trust in God become conditional because we don’t see His goodness. Faith is trusting God even when it doesn’t make sense. Abraham had to wait for twenty five years before he saw Isaac. Soon afterwards God tested his faith and asked him to sacrifice his son. Abraham obeyed. He showed that he had unconditional trust. When God saw it, He was excited to reward his obedience. When you have unconditional faith in God you can never be frustrated. Faith believes in God regardless of the circumstances.

But what is Unconditional Faith?

It is a faith in God that is not subject to any condition.

It is to trust God without limitation or reservation.

It is absolute trust no matter the circumstances.

Unconditional faith is standing firm on God’s promises and believing what God says even when we don’t understand or see what He’s doing.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trusted God unconditionally. They were committed no matter the outcome. Even if God choose not to deliver them the way they desired, they were determined to stand firm and be faithful. That is the proper attitude we should all have. It is not a matter of whether things turn out as we hope, the issue is whether we will be true to God.

Unconditional faith is to love God wholeheartedly. We trust Him because He love us unconditionally. Your trust requires you to believe in Him and follow Him wholeheartedly. There is no limit to what God can and will do if you fully believe in Him. Give Him your unconditional trust and faith today.

Even though we may not understand it, God has a plan, and He’s busy working behind the scenes! Romans 8:28-29 reminds us, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”  Faith believes that God always knows best. Faith believes that He is in control, and therefore we can rest easily.

But how do you develop unconditional faith?

First, Know God.

What gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego the confidence to speak so boldly? They knew their God and they knew what He could do. Clearly the Bible affirms God’s power. Job 9:4 says, “His power is vast.” Psalm 24:8 refers to the Lord as “strong and mighty.” Isaiah 40:26 says that out of His “great power and mighty strength” God brought forth the universe.”  Like the three Hebrew boys, do you know the power of God in your life?

Second, Know yourself.

Do you know who you are? You are made in His image; You are a child of God; You are redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb; You are a new creation; You are God’s temple and God’s Spirit dwells within you; You are the light of the world. We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. We are the redeemed!

Third, Love God unconditionally.

The word that Jesus used to identify the greatest commandment in the Law was “agape.” In Matthew 22:37-38 Christ said, “You shall love (agape) the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment”  The word that Jesus used to ask Peter whether he loved him or not was the same word “agape.” In the same way, God asks us today, “Do you agape me?”

Fourth, Feed your faith daily.

Proverbs 4:20-22 tells us,  “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. (21) Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. (22) For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”

Matthew4:4 says, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”

Romans 1:16 declares,  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

The Word of God is alive. What we listen to affects what we believe. Go deeper in the Word. There is an old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” I don’t know how true this statement is but I do know that feeding on the word daily is medicine to all your flesh.

Fifth, Exercise your faith.

Faith is like a muscle and needs to be exercised. Ephesians 2:8 tells us that faith is the gift of God. It is not of ourselves; we receive it from him. It is the special work of the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to who Jesus is and to show us our need of him and to create within us the capacity to trust him. He gives you a new heart, the gift of faith.

But Jesus’ question in Luke 8:25 makes it clear that you can have this gift of faith and never use it. “Where is your faith?” he asks the disciples, after a storm blew up as they were rowing across the lake. Jesus had been asleep in the back of the boat, and the disciples panicked! But Jesus awakens, calms the storm, and then asks, “Where is your faith?” In other words, “Why aren’t you exercising the faith I have gifted to you?”

We may not understand ergonomic engineering, but we sit on chairs without checking to see if they are structurally sound because we trust the proficiency of the furniture designers. That is exercising our faith.

We may not understand the interplay between aerodynamic force and body force, but we trust that Airbus engineers know how to balance lift, drag, and weight, so we fly in their airplanes. That is exercising our faith.

We may not understand why God lets us suffer, but we know that he exists, he is present with us, he recognizes our plight, he cares for us, he has the resources to help us, and he has promised to come to our aid.

Therefore, we trust that he will help us endure our afflictions, produce goodness from them, and resolve them in accordance with his highest purpose for us and those in our orbit. That is exercising our faith.

Finally, Unconditional love gives thanks!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Psalm 103:1-4 says, “Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”

1 Chronicles 16:34 wants us to, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!”

And, Psalm 118:24 reminds us that, “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Give thanks for the results before you see them. Don’t complain – that shows you doubt God’s love and God’s answer to your situation. Give thanks in all situations

In Job 13:15, Job declares, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.” This faith-filled statement has challenged countless believers through the centuries to strive for a similar trust in the Lord in the face of trials.

Job made this statement when he was in a terrible time of pain and suffering. He had lost all of his children, his wealth, and his health. His friends were of no help. His wife offered no support and was in fact telling him to give up. Job felt as though his life was over. The only thing left was to die. But, as Job says, even if God did “slay” him, Job would still trust in Him.

Of note here is the fact that Job realizes that, ultimately, the suffering he endures is allowed by God. It is God who has the right and the power to “slay” Job. Even in the midst of  pain, we must remember as 1 Samuel 2:6 tells us, “the LORD brings death and makes alive;  he brings down to the grave and raises up.” and as Revelation 1:18 reminds us,  The Lord alone holds the “keys of death.”

The faith of Job is seen in the fact that even if God’s plan results in Job’s death, Job will continue to trust in God. Nothing can shake the faith of someone so grounded in the goodness and glory of God. Job may not understand what is happening to him and why, but he knows that God is good, loving, and trustworthy.

The apostle Paul echoes Job’s statement of faith in Philippians 1:20 when he says, “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”

In Conclusion:

Even if God left Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the furnace, He would still be God. Our God is able to heal and to deliver, but even if He doesn’t, will you still serve Him? If you are in the middle of difficulty today, look to God. The Bible says that He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. What you are facing is only temporary. Victory is on the way, and it’s closer than you think! Keep standing, keep praying, keep believing, keep praising, keep hoping, keep serving, and keep confessing the Word. Cease from worry and fear.  Refuse to doubt. Have total faith in God. Trust Him unconditionally.

God honored the faith of the three Hebrews men. He delivered them from death; and His name was glorified. Your case is not hopeless. God cannot abandon His own.

Only He has the final say. In Isaiah 43:2 God strengthens us when he says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.”

Like Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego and like Job when we suffer and do not understand why, we can trust that God has a greater plan in place that we cannot see.

Let us Pray!