The Peacemaker

Telemachus was a monk who lived in the 4th century. He went to Rome and found chaos in the streets. The commotion was over the gladiators. He was amazed that four centuries after Christ had come people were still killing each other for sport. When he arrived at the coliseum the gladiators were shouting, "Hail Caesar, we will die for Caesar." He jumped over the railing and went out into the middle of the field, got between two gladiators, held up his hands and said "In the name of Christ, forbear." The crowd protested and began to shout, "Run him through, Run him through." A gladiator came over and hit him in the stomach with the back of his sword. It sent him sprawling in the sand. He got up and ran back and again said, "In the name of Christ, forbear." The crowd continued to chant, "Run him through." One gladiator came over and plunged his sword through the little monk's stomach and he fell into the sand, which began to turn crimson with his blood. One last time he gasped out, "In the name of Christ forbear." A hush came over the 80,000 people in the coliseum. Soon a man stood and left, then another and more, and within minutes all 80,000 had emptied out of the arena. It was the last known gladiatorial contest in the history of Rome.

What does it take for there to be peace? It takes sacrifice. It takes humility. It takes someone who will do what is right regardless of the cost.

Consider all the sources of conflict in life: There are wars over land and property. There are divorces over "irreconcilable differences." Sometimes relationships become strained by pride. And most of all, there is the conflict between God and ourselves because of our own foolishness and sin.

What motivates us to peace? A man standing in the middle of the conflict. A man who loves us so much that he will not allow us to continue in our sin and death. A man who himself is willing to give his life to save our own. A man who will help us to see what we are doing to ourselves and to others. A man who took a sword and cried, "Father, forgive!"

God has called us to peace. He has called us to peace through the death of His own Son. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Praise God for His love and compassion in the midst of our foolishness!

"Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God." ~ Matthew 5:9

Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah!

When I was just a boy, singing was a very important part of the worship. If there was a song being led, we sang. My whole family sang. It didn't matter what our voices sounded like. It did not matter that we had no musical training. We sang because it was our way of praising and thanking our worthy God. It amazes me when I am in the worship and I see Christian people who will not sing.

One of the songs I quickly learned was "Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah." I liked the song, especially the words, "Praise His name young men and maidens, aged men, and children small." I thought the author was including me and it made me feel like my singing mattered. In the old Songs for the Church songbook it was number 148. Later on I figured out that the song was from Psalm 148, and that the words came straight from the Bible. So the author new exactly what he was talking about.

"Hallelujah" is a very special word. It is a transliterated word from an original Hebrew two-word phrase. The first part, hallelu, is the second person imperative masculine plural form of the Hebrew verb hallal, which means, "Joyous praise." The second part comes from "YHWH", a Hebrew name for God, rendered in English as "Yahweh." I have also heard some include that the "el" in the middle of the word is short for "Elohim." Elohim is the third word in the Hebrew Bible (Genesis 1:1), and another name for God. This word was so sacred to the Jews that they would not say it aloud. It expressed to them all the concepts of the divine, triune God. So some might say that "Hallelujah" is "Praise to God, the Lord." Hallelujah must not be understated. This is a joyful word of praise to God!

Just before Henry "Red" Mitchell left us this week, he tried to lead "Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah" from his bed. He wasn't finished praising Jehovah. His hallelujahs were still going strong. I believe that this song is not just another song in our song books. It was given to us by the Holy Spirit. It is an eternal and divine hymn of praise to God. "Red" has crossed over now to the land where the hallelujahs roll. He can sing this song and never get tired. He can sing this song with greater joy and meaning than he ever did in his earthly lifetime.

As a people of God, we have much for which to be thankful. We need to be a people of praise. Henry Mitchell taught us the importance of praise for the Lord. It is a lesson we must never forget. If we will sing to God, if we will praise his name with all of our hearts, it will change our lives. I promise.

"He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the Lord!" ~ Psalm 148:14

Shechem

In the Old Testament there was a fortified city in the middle of Palestine located on the outskirts of a fertile plain. Trade routes and roads converged there. With regard to worship, this location was replete with altars, built by men in the name of Jehovah.

Abraham came first in about 2000 B.C. As he was about to receive the land of promise he stopped at this place. God appeared before Abraham and made a covenant with him regarding his descendants (Gen. 12:6,7). Abraham built an altar.

Jacob came to the same spot some years later. After being estranged from his brother Esau over blessing and birthright, Jacob arrived in this place just having made up with his brother. He erected an altar to God and called it El Elohe Israel, which translates, "God, the God of Israel" (Gen. 33:18-20). Jacob also built a deep well while there. The Son of God later talked to a Samaritan woman at this well (John 4:12).

Next came Joshua with the Israelites during the Caanan conquest. Having been given the victory by God, Joshua made his last statements before his death to the Jews in this plain. There was a renewal of the covenant, complete with sacrifices and the reading of the Law (Josh. 8:30-35). The ceremony had a very symbolic meaning. The Israelites had just been on Mt. Gerazim where they were told of the blessings of keeping the covenant. They had also been on Mt. Ebal where they were warned of the curses of not keeping the Law.

They now stood with Joshua in Shechem. The place of Abraham's promise and Jacob's well. The land between the two mountains. The plain between a blessing and a curse. Joshua took this opportunity to speak to their hearts. He told them they had to make a choice (Josh. 24:15).

Today, we are not so far from Shechem. We are in the land of eternal promises. We are near the well of living water. We are in the plain between eternal blessing and eternal punshment. We also have a choice to make. The correct choice is obvious. The time is at hand. So get your stones together and start building your altar. For our God is a consuming fire.

"Choose you this day whom you will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15)

Making a Decision

An accident. A job loss. A death in the family. A divorce. A broken relationship. A wrong suffered. These are not events to which we look forward. But these are events that do take place in our lives.

An achievement. A job promotion. A birth. A marriage. A rekindled relationship. An encouragement. We seem to appreciate these things more. We hope for these things. We thank God for them.

I have been thinking this week about the importance of making spiritual decisions. Note that I am writing this on a Monday, the day after nine members of our spiritual family came forward to repent. Something happened to them Sunday that caused them to make a decision. It was a decision they have all been needing to make for some time.

So what do two lists; one of negative life changing experiences and one of positive life changing experiences have to do with it? These events touch our lives and keep us from being stagnant. They force us to think about what matters. They help us to keep from being distracted by everyday living. Often these events force us to make the spiritual decisions that have been long overdo.

I am confident that our gospel meeting will have an effect on some people for a good while. It is an event that has caused many of us to make a decision. This is why we have gospel meetings. It is about what the Bible can do to change our lives. It is about submitting to the perfect will of God. It is about spiritual blessings. It is about faith.

Think about these two lists again. While at first we may thank God for one and hope to avoid the other...we ought to thank God for both. I used to think that my life was best when things were status quo, nothing much going on, just living. But I have learned to embrace challenging times as opportunities from God. These are our chances to change. These are our chances to make important, spiritual decisions.

I am praying for you, friend. But I am not praying that your life will be without life changing events. Instead, I am praying that your life will be blessed with events that will lead you to spiritual opportunities. I am praying that when these moments come you will make a decision. I am praying that your decision will save your soul.

"...choose you this day whom ye will serve..." ~ Joshua 24:15
"The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord." ~ Job 1:21

Involvement

Most congregations realize that in order for churches to grow spiritually and in number there must be a high percentage of involvement among the membership. In some larger churches, there are "Involvement Ministers." These ministers are actually on salary and spend the majority of their time organizing and helping different age groups. We have the young people, the young adults, the middle aged, and the golden age, and they all have different needs. It is good for the church to do what it can to try to help the membership maintain good relationships with God and with the brethren.

This being said, I sometimes wonder what we are accomplishing. We need to be very careful about turning the church into the country club, the YMCA, or the community center. While we should do everything that we can to encourage fellowship and help one another, we need to realize that the church is something to which we should be wholly submitted, rather than an institution that is geared to placate and babysit the membership .

The church is the kingdom of God on earth. Jesus is the only King and Ruler of the church (1 Tim. 6:15). This makes each member of the body of Christ a servant in the kingdom of God. Involvement is not about "What can the church do for me?" It should be about the individual realization that I need to be a servant to Christ. This being the case, each one of us needs to involve ourselves in the work of the church. We plan retreats, we have fellowship meals, we have fun trips to ball games, devotionals, singings, and more - these facilitate the building of relationships, but this is not what defines the church of God.

Involvement should be inherently connected to obedience to the gospel. Many people are ready to be baptized, but they are not ready to serve. There is nothing more disturbing to a preacher than dealing with seemingly mature members who have to have their arm twisted when you ask them to do anything. Our attitude should be one of optimism and hope. We should be excited and honored that we have been asked to do something to glorify the name of Christ and build up the church.

I fear that we have been spoiled for so long with our freedom and blessings that many of us are unwilling to make life-changing sacrifices. Brethren, we need to examine ourselves as to whether we are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5).

I may not be popular for saying these things, but I have to answer to the Lord first. God wants us to give our lives to Him in full sacrifice. Part of this sacrifice includes service in the kingdom of God. Faith is more than what we say we believe, it is what we practice.

"But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?" ~ James 2:20
"Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" ~ Luke 18:8

Waiting

We get everything we want the way that we want it so quickly anymore. This leads even Christian people to be impatient. We speed. We tap our desk while the next internet page is loading. We get aggravated in line. We hang up if we have to wait for the computerized options for a business we are trying to contact.

Perhaps our impatience in everyday matters leads to our impatience in spiritual ones. But there is a big difference in being too long in a drive-thru and asking God to take away our pain. One is trivial, and the other dwells at the very center of our lives. We may feel like the psalmist, who lamented, "I am weary with my crying; My throat is dry; My eyes fail while I wait for my God" (Psalm 69:3)

Many of us are in a position of waiting. We are waiting to hear from the doctor about recent tests. We are waiting for our teenagers to obey the gospel. We are waiting for someone we have hurt to forgive us. We are waiting for God to help us overcome heartache and loss. We are waiting for direction. We are waiting for death to usher our feeble bodies home. We are waiting for the return of our Savior.

We are waiting...

So let us consider what God has said about waiting:

Psalm 25:5 - "Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day."

Psalm 27:14 - "Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Psalm 52:9 - "I will praise You forever, because You have done it; And in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good."

Psalm 130:5 - "I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope."

Isaiah 40:31 - "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."

Micah 7:7 - "Therefore I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation;My God will hear me."

Romans 8:25 - "But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."

Galatians 5:5 - "For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith."

The golden thread that passes through every circumstance of our waiting is hope. Our consolation is in a God who will do things in the perfect way and in the perfect time, according to His own will. Waiting develops faith and character. It allows us to hope against hope. It draws us nearer to God, until in time we will perfectly trust Him to bring it to pass. Waiting is a blessing. God knows that in our waiting we shall be proven, and that in being proven we shall be free.

" The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD." ~ Lamentations 3:25-26

While We Can

James wrote "For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4:14). As we age we realize the truth of this statement. It reminds us there are certain things we must do while we can...

1. We must love our parents while we can. The lyrics to a song with this sentiment say it best:

They tied our shoes, took us to school, patched our worn-out jeans

They soothed our tears and calmed our fears, and listened to our dreams

Somewhere along their golden years, their hair has lost its sheen

The notes to hymn one hundred ten crackle when they sing

And now they are alone, no children's voices fill their empty homes

We must love them while we can, we must love them while we can

For time just seems to hurry by, and the days slip into years

And the moments that we have will disappear

So love them while we can

Those who care for aging parents deal with frustration, challenges and loss that no one but them can understand. It often leaves them feeling that they just can't take anymore. But the time will soon come when their parents will be gone and they will miss them. They deserve love today. We will regret not showing them the love they have shown for us. We must love them while we can.

2. We must teach our children about God while we can. Other lyrics to the song go as follows:

The folks that taught us our first words, still have much to say
The silver secrets of the world, lie beneath those crowns of gray
As they approach the end, we change our role from children to best friend

As parents we realize that the relationship we have with our children constantly changes. One minute they take first steps and the next minute those steps are leading them right out the door. Ball games and school projects, sleepovers and birthday parties, family vacations and back-to-school nights...they all fill this precious time we have with our children. But the most important thing we have to do for our kids is to help them to know the Lord and His word.

Proverbs 22:6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." It is not in the leaving so much as in the lack of training wherein we lose our children to the world. We must teach our children about God while we can.

3. We must obey the gospel while we can. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 describes the coming of Christ and His judgment on the lost - "...when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." What does it mean to obey the gospel? The gospel is the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-3). Paul wrote, "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?" (Rom. 6:3). The Bible teaches that we contact the blood of Christ through immersion in water, because of our repentant faith and confession that Jesus is the Son of God.

We can shuffle our feet all we want to. We can debate about the lack of our perfection, doubt our commitment, or argue about the plan. But if we do not obey the gospel, we will lose our eternal souls. Death will come in a moment, and it is unlikely that we will know the hour of its arrival. We must obey the gospel while we can.

"For man also does not know his time..." ~ Ecclesiastes 9:12