CALLED BY GOD

Responders of Biblical Proportion

by

David Weyrick

*****

Copyright ©2012

*****

This ebook is for your personal use and may not be re-sold or given away to other people.

Thank you for your respect.

Dedication

To the Elders at Stow Presbyterian Church

(both Ruling and Resting).

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, by Biblica, Inc.™

Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com.

Other Scriptures taken from the author's translations marked as DRW.

Table of Contents

Contents

Chapter 1 - Abram/Abraham

Chapter 2 - Moses

Chapter 3 -Parents

Chapter 4 - Joshua

Chapter 5 - David

Chapter 6 - Solomon

Chapter 7 - Daniel

Chapter 8 - Ezra

Chapter 9 - The First Disciples

Chapter 10 - Peter

Chapter 11 - Paul

About the Author

David Weyrick has been a leader and writer for more than thirty years as a teaching and pastor.  He is a native of Akron, Ohio where he graduated from the University of Akron and Ashland Theological Seminary.  He was a high school music and drama director, entered the ministry and is currently the Senior Pastor of Stow Presbyterian Church in Stow, Ohio where he leads the staff and serves with the church elders to provide vision and direction for the congregation.  He holds a Ph.D. in theological education.

David enjoys cooking, jazz, drama, hiking, Star Trek and is an accomplished musician and ventriloquist.  He and his wife have two grown children.  He doesn’t like pizza and every spring believes the Cleveland Indians will win the World Series.

He has previously authored:

Amua Passages: A Camp Story of Faith

(ebook)

Called By God: Responders of Biblical Proportion

(ebook)

Doubters of Biblical Proportions: I Believe, Help my Unbelief

(ebook)

Ever Heard of 'Em?  Lessons from Some Lesser Known Bible Characters

(ebook)

Five Kinda Quirky Stories: Peculiar Accounts from the Bible

About Jonah and Jacob

(ebook)

How to Achieve Effective Committee Meetings: A Guide for the Chair

(ebook)

Manatoc Moments: A Scouter's Memories and Reflection

Paying Attention to Retention: A Guide for Keeping Boys and Leaders In Scouting

(ebook)

Relax!  It's Not the End of World: Biblical Eschatology and Other Fancy Words

(ebook)

Seventy-Five Things to Think About As You Are Getting Married

(ebook)

Some Iron Sharpening Iron: Leadership Sharpening Tips from One Leader to Another

(ebook)

There Is A Time for Everything: Reflections on Ecclesiastes 3

(ebook)

Thirteen Days, Ten States, Five Museums, and Some Route 66

(ebook)

To These Things You Must Return - A History of the Manatoc Scout Reservation (5 volumes)

Note to the Reader

I've always been fascinated with God's call on my life.  Why He chose me to be a pastor is a mystery both to me and those who know me.  It may even be a mystery to my congregation as well!

But when I began to look at God's call on persons in the Bible, I realized He always knew what He was doing.

This book is a collection of messages I gave to my congregation in the summer of 2012.  I know I learned a lot writing it.  I hope you'll learn from reading it.

Blessings.

David Weyrick

Chapter 1

Abram/Abraham

My family and I love going on vacation.  It's an annual event we start looking forward to the minute we return from one.  But you can’t just up and go on a vacation. You have to plan. You have to pack. Where you are going determines how you are going to pack.  You just can’t set out on a journey not knowing where you are going.

But what if you where to set out on a journey and you had no idea where you were going? How would you feel? How would you respond?

In this book we will be looking at many people in the Bible who responded to God’s call in their lives. We begin with Abram. God called him to take a journey.  But Abram had no idea where he was going.

Genesis 12.14

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.

Let’s go back in time to around 2600 B.C. The Bible says, “The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”

Now that's a pretty serious command; leave. The Hebrew is literally “go from.” Go from what? Pretty much everything. Go from his country, his friends, and from all he knew.

Abram was living in Haran at the time. He probably liked it there because it was a rich fertile valley area with rivers. God was saying, “Time for you to go. I have a plan for you. Start packing and let go of this life for another one.”

Now God didn’t leave Abram hanging. God told Abram what was going to happen.

God said, “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you.”

What does that mean, “I will bless you?”

What do we do when people sneeze?  The act of blessing is the act of declaring or wishing God’s favor and goodness upon others.  The idea was that the good words people would use would come out of their mouths and stick on others and the good things would come to pass.

Blessing is providing a beneficial thing for which one is grateful. It is something that brings well being; that which lifts up rather than tears down.

But what about this, “I will make you into a great nation?”

It’s referring to a large group of people with a name and identity and relationship to one another. It’s kind of the same idea as we say America is a great nation and we refer to our Founding Fathers. We call George Washington the Father of our Country.  Abram was to be the patriarch of the Jewish people.

God went on to say, “I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” And Abram, who later changed his name to Abraham, responded.

He set out purely on faith. We know that because in the New Testament book of Hebrews (11.8) it says, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

We read, “So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot (his nephew) went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.”

There’s a reminder that you are never too old or too young to be called of God. I think God calls all of us at some time in our lives and asks us to do the same; to respond even though we don’t know where the road will lead.

Our most recent family vacation took us to Dallas via Springfield, MO, Tulsa, OK and Oklahoma City. We traveled many miles on old Route 66 which was an adventure in itself.

Unless you’ve been there, you really don’t have any concept of the sheer size of the Dallas/Ft. Worth megaplex. Unless you’ve been there, you really don’t have any idea how much road construction is going on all over.

When we travel, we use a GPS, an AAA “Triptik” and maps. I know some people just use a GPS and that’s it, but I have to see where I’m going with a map. But in parts of Dallas, nothing will do you any good because what was once a road last year or even last week isn’t there anymore. Our GPS kept saying “Recalculating,” “Recalculating.” We found ourselves moving forward, but having no idea where we were going. And for a few moments, that was a very uncomfortable feeling.

Not knowing where you are going can be extremely uncomfortable. When God calls, it can be uncomfortable.

Imagine how Abram felt. No map. No Triptik. No GPS. Just stepping out in faith.

I find it interesting that he knew how to pack for the journey. The Bible says, “He took his wife Sarai and all the possessions they had accumulated.”

We learn a valuable lesson from Abram. No matter how or when or to where we are called, we are to bless others. We are to be a blessing.

Remember, blessing is providing a beneficial thing for which one is grateful. Blessing is something that brings well being. Blessing is that which lifts up rather than tears down. Way too many people conduct their lives wanting to be blessed, but not being a blessing.

When we were traveling Route 66 in Oklahoma, we stopped to eat at the famous Wayland’s Hamburgers, home of the KuKu burger. It’s in Miami, OK, and has been feeding burgers to hungry travelers and locals alike for decades.

As we were sitting, eating our burgers (I had a buffalo one) and watching the traffic going by, I heard an old song from the 1960s’ from the Mamas and Papas that said, ”You gotta, go where you wanna wanna go, do what you wanna wanna do.”

I got to thinking, that’s not right. When you follow Jesus Christ you sing the song, “You gotta go where God wants you to go and do what God wants you to do.”

I don’t know when God has called you, or how or to where God is calling you, but I do know this; God wants you to be a blessing.

Graduates all have plans. Some to college. Some to work. Some to figure out what’s next. But no matter where God calls them and where they end up at the various places in their lives, God wants them to be a blessing.

On this journey of life, wherever it takes us, God wants us all to bless others. God has called or is now calling you to somewhere or something. You respond by going and being a blessing. You pack the ability to be a blessing in your suitcase of life. Remember I said way too many people conduct their lives wanting to be blessed, rather than being a blessing.

How do I do that?

1. Smile.

People smile in the same language. Somebody once said, “Allowing yourself to smile takes 99% of the effort.”

It’s not so much the smiling, it’s the decision to smile.

When I check out at the grocery store I smile at the clerk. When I go to a restaurant, I smile at the server. When I check into a hotel, the first thing I do is smile to the clerk and offer a friendly, “Good afternoon.”

This is not rocket science!  We can all smile.

2. Realize blessing means using words.

Speak both small-talk and words that bring well being to others.  God is all about communicating.

On that same vacation, we stopped to hike on Mt. Magazine in Arkansas. We stayed at the Lodge there and after hiking decided we would relax at the pool and hot tub. A man and his wife came in and I smiled and greeted them.

“Where y’all from?” he asked in a deep southern accent. “Akron, Ohio.  It’s about 30 miles south of Cleveland.  You?”

“Shreveport, Loosianna,” he said. I knew he was from the deep south.

We chatted about Arkansas and hiking, he recommended several other state parks for good hiking.

As we were leaving he said, “Now God bless y’all on your journey, friend.”

I’ll never see that man again. I never caught his name. But he blessed me through his words. The Bible says James 3:9 that our mouths can either bless or curse and we choose which to do.

3. Carry a sense of humor.

Jesus did. I did an entire sermon on Jesus’ sense of humor once.  Trust me when I say that your demeanor, the way you conduct yourself, can be a blessing to others. Don’t be afraid to laugh; especially at yourself.

4. Show some common courtesy.

Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts said when asked about our nation, “It just feels to me like we’re losing in this country basic courtesy and grace.”

I agree. I actually see it in my own part of Ohio than in other parts of the country. We’re losing the ability to be courteous to one another.

I believe the act of courtesy is a form of blessing. Remember, blessing is something that brings well being. It is that which lifts up rather than tears down.

Common courtesy concentrates on the consideration for others. Being courteous is all about the other person you are being courteous to.

A man opens a door for a woman.

He walks closest to the road when walking with a woman.

A man stands up when introduced to a woman.

You allow someone with less groceries to go in front of you in the line.

You show friendliness to strangers.

You compliment people when they do a good job.

You say "Please," "Thank you," and "I’m sorry."

I once saw a sign which read: “Proper apologies have three parts: 1) What I did was wrong. 2) I’m sorry that I hurt you. 3) How do I make it better?”

God called Abram to leave everything and go, not knowing where. And in doing so, Abram was to be a blessing to others. I believe God calls us as well to different places and at different times to do different things. And we are all called to be a blessing to others. “You gotta go where God wants you to go and do what God wants you to do.”

What God wants you to do, is be a blessing.

Chapter 2

Moses

Back around 1600 B.C. God made a divine appointment with Moses. It was so important that God told Moses to take off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. God spoke to Moses through, of all things, a burning bush.

Exodus 3.1-14

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.

So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight; why the bush does not burn up.”

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”

“Do not come any closer,” God said.

“Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”  Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”

At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey; the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.  So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

God got specific with Moses because God’s people were being held as slaves in Egypt. God wanted Moses to take God’s people out of slavery there and lead them back into the land God had promised for them through Abraham.

Look at what God said.

“I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt.”

Misery means affliction, anguish, ailment, grief, or sorrow. God’s people were in slavery, not by their own choice and they were miserable.

God said, “I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers.”

We can only speculate about their lives as slaves.  I would suggest they had no rights. They had to work all day every day from sun up to sun down. They were told when to eat, when to drink. God heard their crying.

God said, “I am concerned about their suffering.”

The term for concern is the root for the word “know.” God had the intimate knowledge of what they were experiencing. God was saying, “I have close, loving, intimate, emotional, caring, knowledge of what they are going through.”

God said He was going to do something about it.

God said he would rescue them. That’s why God picked Moses.

God said, “I will bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey.”

This is figurative language used to describe the land God promised His people.

In this passage Moses is called by God, and Moses wants to know something very important: he wants to know God’s name. He wanted to know God’s name because the pagan God’s had names like Dragon, Ball, Ashteroth. God revealed to Moses His proper name.

That’s the good news!

The bad news is that it’s a name that we really don’t know how to pronounce.  There are no vowels in the Hebrew spelling of the name, just letters.

We call it the “tetragrammaton,” meaning four letter writing. The best guess that we can make is that it is pronounced, Yah-weh.  And that was anglicanized to be Jehovah.

I kept thinking about this passage; of all things, God used a burning bush to call Moses and reveal His name. Why?  What was so special about the burning bush that God chose that when He revealed His name? God could have used another other symbol in the world: a dove, a river, a tree . . .

We know that the most common tree of the area was the acacia tree which could be shaggy. We also know that it really wasn’t any big deal to see one of those on fire.  Ashes of a nomad’s fire or a flash of lightning sometimes started the dry grass of the wilderness which would ignite the bushes. But here, the bush didn’t burn up.

But why the burning bush? I know that fire is a symbol of God’s presence. God made a covenant with Abraham after He called him and a lamp of fire was used to symbolized God’s presence. When Moses took the Israelites into the wilderness, God guided them with a cloud of smoke in the day and a pillar of fire at night. But why this bush that wasn’t consumed?

One time on vacation, my family and I hit the road before dawn to drive from Memphis, TN to Louisville, KY. We had just rounded a bend on the interstate and came face to face with an incredible sunrise.

"Wow!" my wife exclaimed.  "Get your camera.  Get your camera."

"I’ve never seen the sun so huge," I said as I was clicking away.

The early sunrise was a sight to behold. It looked like someone had taken the sun and enlarged it three times on a copy machine.

I know the sun doesn’t change size, but after it rose and "shrunk" to normality, I took my smart phone and "googled" why this phenomenon happens.  I found out that by and large, we really don’t know the exact reason.  There are several explanations, but none that really prove anything.

That’s reassuring to me.  I think it’s kind of neat that there are still things in God’s creation we can’t explain.  Maybe God created the effect of some nifty sunrises and sunsets where the sun just screams "Look at me" so you will say, "Wow!"

It reinforced again the fact that with God, you never know what to expect around the next bend.

Moses discovered that. God called Moses for a huge task in an unexpected way.

But look how Moses responded. Five times we read of Moses being hesitant and doubting whether he could respond to God’s call. Verse 3.11 reads “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh?”

Verse 3.12, “Suppose I go and they ask me questions?”

Then in chapter 4 we can read verse 4.1, “What if they do not believe me? What if they will not listen to me?”

Verse 4.10, “I’m not good with words.  I don’t talk well.  I stutter and stammer.”

Verse 4.13, “Please send someone else.”

I think there was some serious doubt going on here with Moses. We find in Moses some signs that showed a lack of confidence or a fear of self.

Moses questioned his status. People say, “I can’t do that because I’m really low on the totem pole of life.”

Look at the Bible and you’ll see God doesn’t call those who are higher on the totem pole of life. Joseph (not Jesus’ earthly father but the Old Testament guy) was born into a family of twelve and wouldn’t be much more than a shepherd.  But he ended up as assistant to the Pharaoh of Egypt.

Peter was a fisherman who ended up as a Disciple of Christ and the one in charge of the early Christian Church.

Hadassah was a Jewish orphan girl who ended up as queen to a Persian King.  She is better known as Esther.

God doesn’t question status.

Moses questioned his intelligence. I have met some pretty stupid people with Ph.D.s. And I have met some intelligent people who never finished high school. Intelligence is not a factor to God nor is it measured in earthly ways by God.

Never think you are stupid. That great theologian Forrest Gump once said, “Stupid is as stupid does.”

Moses let the “what ifs” dominate. We can live in the world of “what ifs.”  You wouldn’t get anything done if all you did was think “what if this?” or “what if that?” You couldn’t even go to church or the store thinking what if the car won’t start? What if I get in a wreck? What if I don’t like the sermon? And on it goes.

Moses questioned his inabilities. We must be realistic about what we can and cannot do. We have nothing to do with how much ability we’ve got, or how little, but with what we do with what we have.

Rev. Peter Marshall (1902-1949) once said, “One person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety-nine who have only interests.”

Moses was afraid to do something. Of all the things that Moses struggled with, this is the only one where we read, “But Moses said, ‘O Lord, please send someone else to do it.’

Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses. God got upset that Moses didn’t want to do what God called him to.

But look at how God responded to Moses:

Moses questioned his status when he said, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh?”

But God said, “I will be with you.”

Moses questioned his intelligence when he said, “Suppose I go and they ask me questions?”

But God promised He would give Moses the words.

Moses let the “what ifs” dominate when he said, “What if they do not believe me? What if they will not listen to me?”

But God said that He would do things that will make them pay attention.

Moses questioned his inabilities when he said, “I’m not good with words.  I don’t talk well.  I stutter and stammer.”

But God said, “I will help you speak and teach you what to say.”

Moses was afraid of himself, when he said, “Please send someone else.”

But, God reassured Moses that his brother Aaron would go with him and help him. With God’s help, Moses could do it.

God can call in unexpected ways, and when He does He equips those whom He has called. You may come around the bend in life sometime soon, and God will call you in an unexpected way to do something you think is crazy, but trust me He will also equip you.

God may be calling you right now to do something unexpected, but trust me, He will equip you.

God may have called you years ago to something and you’re still arguing with all sorts of excuses, but trust me, He will equip you. With God’s help, you can do it.

How do I do that? How do I trust God enough to respond to His call with confidence?

1. Be confident but also be realistic.

I’ve said this a zillion times, “God calls us to be faithful, not stupid.”

God is probably not calling you to send your entire life savings into a TV evangelist. God is probably not calling you to quit your job to move to a commune to sit with others to experience the supposed end of the world.

But God may be calling you to tithe and test Him in questionable economic times.  You can do that. God may be calling you to help in your church in some way.  You can do that.

2. Realize that when God calls, eventually you will run out of excuses.

God first called me into the ministry when I was in high school. I laughed.  If you knew me in high school and college, you’d laugh, too.  But that call kept coming back, and coming back, and I had excuse after excuse.  My biggest one was that I didn’t feel confident enough.

Finally, years later, I ran out of excuses and here I am.

When God calls, go ahead and offer excuses.  But like Moses, and like me, eventually you will run out of them; especially the one of feeling confident enough.

3. Trust that when God calls, in whatever way, He will go with you.

God sees, hears, and has concern.

God says, “I will be with you.”

God promises He will give you the words.

God says He will do things that will make others pay attention.

God says He will help you and teach you.

God says He will send others to help.

How do you respond when God calls?

Chapter 3

Parents

The third Sunday in June is Father’s Day in the United States.  It’s the day we honor our fathers, whether living or not, and remember their contributions in our lives. Father’s Day, when it began, did not have the same success as Mother’s Day.

We can thank Sonora Dodd from Spokane, Washington for creating the idea in 1910. With the success of Mother’s Day, she wanted a day to honor fathers because her father had been such a wonderful influence on her, and was a single parent to six children.

It actually started in a church. Sonora wanted the service to be on Sunday June 5, her father’s birthday. But, the pastor couldn’t get his sermon ready in time, so it was moved to June 19, 1910, two weeks later, which happened to be the third Sunday in June.

It didn’t really have a lot of success at first and didn’t catch on like Mother’s Day. Not until in the 1930's when Sonora Dodd started getting the trade unions involved in promoting such a day because it would mean more business. She got the necktie manufacturers and the tobacco pipe companies on board. It spread to New York City and really took off when the New York Association of Men's Wear Retailers began promoting it.

But it still never caught on with the same popularity as Mother’s Day. Americans looked at it as just a commercial day. If you think about it, it is still promoted more commercially than Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is more about remembering mom and giving her breakfast in bed. Father’s Day is about getting dad something like a new tie or a new drill.

There were attempts to make it a national holiday starting in 1913, then in 1924, then again in 1957. Congress thought it was too commercial. In 1966, President Johnson actually issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, and then in 1972 President Nixon signed it into law.

God calls fathers and expects them to respond. God calls mothers and expects them to respond. God set that up with Moses once God’s people had come out of slavery in Egypt.

Deuteronomy 6.1-8

These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may have reverence for the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.

Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

Let’s go back to around 1600 B.C. and the time of Moses. Last chapter we learned that God called Moses in an unexpected way to take God’s people out of slavery in Egypt. On the way from Egypt (where God’s people were slaves) to the Holy Land, he stopped at Mt. Sinai. God gave important words and commandments to Moses to which he was to give to the people.

These words come from God to His people. Moses said to the people, “These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may have reverence for the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.”

Note the key words.  Moses was saying, “These are the commands I am to teach you to observe so that you and your kids and grandkids will revere God and will enjoy life.”

Several years ago, author and pastor Robert Fulghum wrote a book called, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. He wrote: “Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be, I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandbox.”

He explained the things he learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush.

Think of what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about 3 o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankets for a nap.

He wrote, “And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.”

Moses gave the Israelites simple instructions to parents, that if they obeyed them, they would do what God wanted them to do to enjoy a long life so it would go well with them.

The words begin, “Hear O Israel.”

Hebrew is “she-ma” which means listen. It means to listen and obey. As a matter of fact, this passage in Deuteronomy is called the “Shema.” The Bible says, “Hear O Israel, understand this: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.”

Remember, God’s people lived in a world of idolatry. They were surrounded by it in Egypt. The people groups all around them were all polytheist who worshiped many gods. The message that the nation Israel was to give to the world was the message of the unity of God.  The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. Nobody else.

The Shema goes on, “Love the LORD with all your heart, soul, and strength.” We are told to love God.

Listen. Hear this.  The love of God for us is a given.  God can do nothing but love us. We are created to be loved by God. But, even though God’s love for us is a given, our love for Him is not.

A movie came out a few years ago called Bruce Almighty. The main character, Bruce Nelson (played by Jim Carrey), meets God (played by Morgan Freeman) who lets Bruce take His place for one week.  Bruce got to be God.

Bruce was selfish. He blamed God for his troubles. He used people.  He denied the power of the presence of God, but was the recipient of amazing grace.

In one of the most moving lines in the film, Bruce says, “How do you make somebody love you without affecting their freewill?”

God replies, “Welcome to my world, son.”

Our love for God has to be a decision. You can’t make somebody love you. You can’t make somebody love God. He or she must decide to love God.

In the Shema, God gave parents a simple, yet vital responsibility; to impress the oneness and love of God on their children. The root meaning of this word “impress” is to sharpen, as in sharpening a knife.

Every good chef knows that a dull knife isn't very effective. Actually, the sharper the knife, the better.  It means to “sharpen” so that the information will penetrate, and the child will understand God and be useful in life.

The most important characteristic a child needs to be useful, is to love God with everything and love others. The Bible says that parents, and grandparents, are to talk about this.

Parents are to talk about the fact that God is one, and their children are to love Him and others. They are to talk about it when they sit at home. They are to talk about that when they walk along the road. They are to talk about when they lie down and when they get up in the morning.

The Israelites were to tie God’s commandments as symbols on their hands and bind them on their foreheads. They were to write them on the doorframes of their houses and on their gates.

Do you know what a mezuzah is? That’s how you pronounce the Hebrew word for doorframe or doorpost used in this passage. A mezuzah is a box that contains the Shema.  It’s a reminder of God that is placed by the doors of Jewish homes to fulfill the mitzvah (or commandment) to have the words on the doorframes of the house. I have a mezuzah at the door of my home office.  It’s a reminder of my responsibility to love God and to impress that on my family and on you, my church family.

How do I do that?  How do I respond to God’s call if I am a parent or grandparent? I truly believe one of the most effective ways father and grandfathers, mothers and grandmothers can talk about God is through sharing memories we carry about God and how God has worked in our lives.

We respond to God’s call by sharing the stories of God in our lives. We talk about God by opening the scrapbook of our lives and sharing our experiences. This impresses others. It helps sharpen others.

Our stories usually begin, “Did I ever tell you about the time when...”

It wasn’t all that long ago when fathers and sons and grandfathers spent long hours plowing together and harvesting together. Mothers and daughters and grandmothers spent long hours quilting, canning, and cooking together. Those hours and days of being side by side presented opportunities for parents to talk and to teach. A boy got to hear his father talk about honesty and integrity. A girl heard her mother share about love and marriage.

In our culture those opportunities no longer come easily. There’s too much happening: soccer, piano, cheerleading, baseball, wrestling, technology, TV, social media, and on it goes. But that doesn’t mean we don’t take the time to make an impression by sharing our stories.

There are three types of memories to share as we talk about God.

1. Share the Happy Memories.

Tell the fun, precious stories. Those God moments that we will never forgot and cherish. Pass on the fun family history to share God at work within the family.

One memory helped me pay attention to the impression I make as a parent. Did I ever tell you about the time when my family and I were on vacation at the beach when my kids were little? My wife and I were relaxing one evening and heard our two kids giggling in the other room of our condo. We knew something was up. Soon they came out of the room, dressed as my wife and me in our clothes and shoes. That moment made me realize that I needed God’s help, because our children would eventually grow up and fill our shoes. And what would they understand about the love of God, the love of others, the servant life?

2. We also have Tough Memories and we need to share those as well.

These are memories that are anything but tender. These are the hard ones.  The memory of sadness and yet God’s love and comfort; the stories of tough times and God’s strength. The realization that life is hard but God is good.

I, like you, have had some tough memories, but God is good.

Did I ever tell you about my father? Sadly, he suffered from an ugly oral cancer. He died at home under hospice care. The last weeks were tough.  But my now adult kids were there helping out in the 24 hour vigil that my family kept.  They sat with him, held his hand, and even fed him. They were there when he went to heaven.  As hard as that was, I saw that the impressions my wife and I had made on our kids had become real during that time.

Tough memories are tough, period. But to share them and to talk about God’s blessings during them is fulfilling the Shema of God.

3. Share the Faithful Memories.

God knows that we have minds that forget. That’s why He commanded people to remind others of His goodness and love. That’s why Jesus initiated the Lord’s Supper so we remember His sacrifice for us.

I have had faithful memories in my life; those times that I recall when God said, “Trust me.”

Did I ever tell you about the time when I was a little kid and I was really sick with the croup?  I had to move into a bedroom all by myself and sleep in a croup tent. None of my family could come in and out of the room except my mom, who was a nurse and that was only to bring me food or medicine.

But in that room, hanging on the wall, was a copy of the famous bust of Jesus painted by Warner Sallman.   I’ve seen the original at Anderson University in Indiana.

One night, I woke up and that painting spoke to me. Maybe it was a dream. Probably was. But for a little kid, it scared me. I screamed. I can still see it talking to me. My father came in the room. He asked what happened. I told him Jesus talked. I was crying.

“What did He say?” my dad asked.

“He said, ‘It’s me.  Don’t be afraid.’”

“Do you believe it?” he asked.

“Yeah.  But could you take the picture off the wall for tonight?”

I have thought of those words many times in my life. “It’s me.  Don’t be afraid.”

When we share those faithful memories, we impress on others the faithfulness of God in our lives.

Everything I have learned, I really learned from godly parents and those who made an impression on my life.  Wisdom and faith were found in their stories and the way they conducted themselves in the “sandbox” of life.

I learned there is a God.

I learned that the only one who can accept His Son Jesus as Savior and then choose to follow Him is me.

I learned that I have to walk the walk and talk the talk, and that faith without works is dead.

I learned that love means sacrifice.

I learned that marriage is a lifetime commitment.

I learned that each child is as unique as each snow flake.

And I learned that in this life, I am commanded to make an impression.

If I do this, if I obey, it will go well with me.

Chapter 4

Joshua

Do you have any magnets on your refrigerator? We have a lot of them in my house. They serve as souvenirs for where we’ve been and the things we’ve done. We also have some reminder magnets like, “Better ask your teenagers now while they still know everything.”

One of my favorites is, “Be strong and courageous. The LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Those great words are a reminder from God to His servant Joshua. They were given to Joshua when God called him and Joshua responded.

Joshua 1.1-11

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them; to the Israelites.  I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates; all the Hittite country to the Great Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”

Joshua was called by God to take the place of Moses, to complete God’s task of getting His people into the Promised Land.

It had been forty years since the Israelites left Egypt.  They were now on the edge of the Promised Land. Moses had died. He never got in the land. God called Joshua to take over.

We read that God said to Joshua, “You and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them, to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.”

Joshua had some big sandals to fill!

He was perhaps 60 at the time. We know he was born a slave in Egypt. He was named Hoshea, which means “salvation” in Hebrew. Moses later changed his name when Joshua and some others went into the land beforehand to scout it out. His name became “Yashua” which means “Yahweh is Salvation.” Jesus is a form of Joshua by the way.

We know Joshua was the oldest son of a man named Nun of the Tribe of Ephriam. We know he was a first born son which meant his life was in danger the night of the Passover, if you know the Jewish history of the Passover. He and his family had faith in God as they placed the blood of the Lamb on their doorposts.

Joshua worked with Moses and even went up on the mountain with Moses to meet with God. Joshua was obedient to God. Moses anointed Joshua to take over. God came to Joshua just as the Israelites were ready to cross the Jordan River and enter their Promised Land.

Can you imagine the anticipation?  An entire generation had been waiting for forty years. Maybe they were like kids at Christmas. God had a plan for His people and Joshua was the instrument through which He was going to accomplish that plan. God called Joshua to take over. Look at what God said to Josh, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

God said, “I will be with you.”

God said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

These are a couple refrigerator magnet style statements to serve as reminders. There are many times in life when we need to be reminded that God is there and won’t leave us.

I’ve shared many times about my having Meniere ’s disease and about having to have an MRI done on my head. As I lay down on the table for that MRI, the technician gave me a button to hold, the "panic button."

"Just push it when you want out and we’ll get you out," he said.

As they rolled me into the machine, I started pushing the button.

“It’s OK.  The button works. Just push it when you need out,” the technician said.

“I do need out and I need out now!” I yelled.

So they rolled me out and I sat up. The tech said, “It’s the best way we can get a picture of the head.  There are no short cuts.”

Then she said, “I can’t go in there for you.  You have to do this alone.”

“No I don’t,” I said.  “I don’t have to go in there alone.  God is coming with me.”

So I took a deep breath and tried it again.

God said to Joshua and says to us, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Then look what God said to Josh, “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous.”

“Strong” in Hebrew was a battle term which meant being strong in the fight.

“Courageous” carried with it the assumption that the task wouldn’t be easy.

You are always afraid if you don’t think you’re adequate. Joshua would not only need to be strong for this task but had to be very courageous. The people who were already living in the land weren’t going to be real friendly to those coming in to claim it saying, “God gave this to us.”

There were many conflicts and battles with enemies. There’s another magnet reminder for you: be strong and courageous.

Think about it. We have all been in situations where we needed to know God was there and we needed to be strong and courageous.  Sometimes very courageous.

Many people, perhaps even you, know how much courage is needed to take your dog or cat to the vet one last time. My family and I had to take our 13 year old dog, Jake, to the animal ER late one Sunday night and had to make the decision to put him out of his suffering.

The night before, he had yet another disk slip in his back, this one closer to his neck.  He could hardly walk.  His congestive heart failure went crazy and his lungs were filled with fluid again.  And he was in such pain.

It took courage that came from God to "put him down.". It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my life. It took being courageous. It took being very courageous to say that enough was enough, no more suffering for Jake.

Look what else God told Joshua. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

There it is again. Be strong and courageous. Think God means something with that?

And here’s another refrigerator magnet statement, “Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged. For the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

How did Joshua respond? He followed the plan that God laid out for him. He followed God’s instructions.

Let me ask this. Has God ever called you to take over for someone? Has God ever called you to fill someone else’s shoes? These promises weren’t just for Joshua.  They are for all of us when we are called to take over or called to do something.

These are refrigerator magnets for life:  Be strong and courageous.  God will never leave us. Do not be terrified.  Do not be discouraged.

How do I do that? How do I get a grasp on God’s call?

1. Understand the past.

What and who got you where you are? Good, bad, or indifferent, know how you got to where you are. Joshua did.  He knew how God had led the Israelites, and taken care of them and gave them instructions on how to live. Hindsight is always 20/20.

2. Know where you are to go.

Joshua did. God made it clear he was to cross the Jordan River and take the people into the land. The sad thing is, sometimes it’s not that clear. Sometimes we just have to take the next step and allow God to guide us one step at a time.

3. Define your fears.

What are you afraid of? What’s keeping you from God’s goal? Joshua was probably afraid of his potential enemies. I know I would have been. What are you afraid of?  Can you define it? God said to Josh three times, be strong and courageous.

4. Give yourself plenty of reminders.

Attached to my desk in my home office are reminders I have gathered through the years and taped to the walls. I need reminders of God’s love and help and provision. I need reminded every day of His presence. Maybe you do, too. Find ways to remind yourself.

There was something else God said to Joshua when God called him to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. God said,  “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.”

To do what God’s Book says, we claim the fact that because God goes with us and helps us and provides us courage, we can do whatever He calls us to do.

Chapter 5

David

I need to set the stage as we go back in history to around 1050 B.C. God’s people wanted a king because they wanted to be like everyone else. But God, through the prophet Samuel, warned them that if they got a king, they would have problems, but they didn’t care. Samuel anointed Saul to become king and the Israelites rejoiced when their new king’s armies defeated their enemies.

A few years later God sent Samuel back to Saul to warn him and the people to be sure to worship God and not idols. Saul didn’t follow Samuel’s orders so Samuel informed Saul that his kingdom would not last long because he disobeyed God.

Saul disobeyed God again and Samuel told him that God was going to choose a new king.

1 Samuel 16.1-13

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.”

The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”

Samuel did what the Lord said.

When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”

Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.”

Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.”

So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered, “but he is tending the sheep.”

Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”

So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features.

Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.”

So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.

Even though Saul was still very much alive, Samuel was mourning for him.  Saul was not a good king and he did not like Samuel. That’s why Samuel said to God, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.”

Samuel didn’t mean that like when we said when we were kids, “My dad is going to kill me,” if we got in trouble. Sam really meant this.  Saul would have killed him if he found out.

I think there was some fear on Samuel’s part. Even those who have been called and have responded with biblical proportions can still have fears.  Even when we are called, our human emotions don’t go away. That’s why God said, “I will show you what to do.”

God told Samuel to package the anointing around a sacrifice.  Even though Sam was going to Bethlehem to anoint a new king, he could say, without lying, he was going to make a sacrifice. We see this reinforced when he got there.

We read, “Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”

Sam had a reputation that was not always viewed as good mind you.

Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.”

He was really there to anoint a new king, but to play it safe he wrapped it around the sacrifice.

Sam told the people to consecrate, to purify themselves to participate in the sacrifice.  That means they were to set themselves apart to get ready to do a holy thing.

Consecration means to set apart. In my church, during the Sacrament of Communion we set the elements apart, we consecrate them for the purpose of Christ’s spiritual presence.

The reason people would dress up to go to church was to set themselves apart from the everyday; the routine. I wear a suit on Sundays for that reason. I shine my shoes on Saturday night. My Sundays are different from the rest of the week on purpose. It’s setting myself apart from the ordinary.

Do you consecrate yourself on Sundays? Do you set yourself apart from the routine of your life, your week, to take the time to give thanks and praise to God and hear from His Word? Or is your Sunday morning just like the rest of the week; hectic? Crazy? Rushed?

Christ followers are not re to be like the rest of the culture.  We are not to behave like the culture or sound like the culture when we worship. We are to set ourselves apart, to consecrate ourselves to worship God.

A man named Jesse brought his sons to the sacrifice.  Samuel knew one of them was to be the next king and that God would let him know who it was. Samuel saw Eliab, Jesse’s oldest son.  He was striking in appearance; probably handsome and strong.  We know he was tall. Sam no doubt thought Eliab would be the one; the oldest, good looking one.  The Bible says that he thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord,” meaning Eliab was the one.

God said to Sam, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.”

And here we find a serious nugget of truth.  God said, “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Do you know God has a heavenly X-Ray, CAT Scan, EKG, MRI all rolled into one and can see into your heart?  And when God looks at your heart, what does He see?

God didn’t see any king-like potential in Eliab’s heart.  Even though he probably looked like Tom Cruise, except for the height part, God didn’t see what He needed to see in Eliab’s heart.

Samuel looked at the other sons of Jesse:  Abinadab, Shammah, and four others. Their hearts weren’t right for the job. Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”

Jesse said, “There is still the youngest, David.  He is tending the sheep.”

Samuel said, “Send for him.”

We read in 1 Samuel 16.1-3 that “Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David.”

What did God see in David’s heart? God saw a man of great faith; that faith was demonstrated when David met with Goliath not long after his anointing. David was offered the king’s armor but refused it saying, “The LORD will deliver me.”

He met the giant Goliath and said, “The battle is the LORD’s.”

God saw a man who used his abilities for God’s glory.

David was not only a shepherd but a musician as well; and a good one according to the Bible. He used that ability for God and to give praise to God.  We have a book in the Bible loaded with David’s songs; the Psalms.

God saw a man who wasn’t perfect. David messed up at times. David didn’t make everyone happy. David committed adultery. But David knew how to deal with his sins.  He owned them.

When God looks at your heart, what does He see?  I hope He sees someone of faith who has given his or her life to Christ and has decided to follow Him. I can’t do that for you. Your parents couldn’t do that for you.  No one can do that for you but you.

When God looks at your heart, what does He see? I hope He sees someone who uses his or her abilities for God’s glory. You have been given abilities, gifts, unlike any other person, and God wants you to use them to serve Him. That doesn’t mean you use them for just church things.  It means you use them in your service and devotion to the welfare of others.

When God looks at your heart, what does He see? I hope He sees someone who owns his or her sins and knows how to apologize. And I need to publicly apologize for something I did on a recent vacation.

My wife and son attended a minor league baseball game of the Memphis Redbirds, and we had great seats; front row, third base line right on the aisle.

About thirty minutes before the game, a little league team came down our aisle, through a gate, and on to the field.  They stood right in front of us just on the other side of a three-foot wall.  Apparently, the team had won some contest and the kids were selected to run out on the field with their Redbirds counterparts.  For instance, when the Redbirds first baseman was introduced, the first baseman from the little league team ran out with him.

As the boys were waiting for the game to begin, they were with their backs to us against the wall.  We could have reached forward and tapped them on the shoulders.

The coaches had a bunch of cameras and asked the boys to line up against the wall. It was at that point when I realized that my wife, my son, and myself, because of where we were sitting, would be in every photo taken of the team.

And it was at that point when I realized I had a decision to make. Do I ignore the cameras? Do I smile for the cameras?  Or, do I make funny faces for the cameras?

God forgive me because I just couldn’t resist.

Every time the coach held up a different camera or cell phone and said, "Look here . . . one, two, three," I made a funny face.  Not a real mean face or even a ridiculous face, I just smiled extra hard and sort of tipped my head one way or another. My wife joined me.  My son, embarrassed by his crazy parents, moved to a vacant seat out of picture range.

We kept smiling. Sometimes I raised my eyebrows as high as they could go.  One time I frowned.

So if any parent of one of those boys on the little league team in Memphis, TN is reading this, I’m sorry. I’d probably do it again however.

So, how do I do that?  How do I make sure that what God is seeing, He likes seeing.

1. Consecrate your Sundays.

I had heard that because of the wild fires in the summer of 2012, the Flying W Ranch outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado had burned to the ground.  My family and I were there on vacation in 2001 and had a wonderful evening of a chuck wagon dinner, cowboy music, and hoopin’ and hollerin’.  But now it’s gone.

There was a church there with an active congregation called the Church at the Ranch. The congregation lost its building but worshiped anyway the Sunday after the fire to still give praises to God.

They did it and so can you. Set your Sundays apart for time with God. It’s not a time like the rest of the week.

2. Use your abilities with the right attitude for God’s glory.

If you are an extrovert, God wired you that way to reach out to others. Some people just aren’t cut out to be the Walmart Greeters of life.  But some are.

If you are artistic, God wired you that way to reach people’s emotions.

If you are scientific, God wired you that way to think for the good of all.

3. Own up to your sins.

Learn to say, “I was wrong and I’m sorry.”

Secular psychology will tell you there are huge emotional benefits in an apology for both parties.  The July 2002 issue of Psychology Today had a great article on “The Power of Apology.”

A person who has been harmed feels emotional healing when he is acknowledged by the wrongdoer.

When we receive an apology, we no longer perceive the wrongdoer as a personal threat. By apologizing and taking responsibility for our actions, we help rid ourselves of esteem-robbing self-reproach and guilt.

Apology has the power to humble even the most arrogant.  When we develop the courage to admit we are wrong and work past our resistance to apologizing, we develop a deep sense of self respect.

The Bible says, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

When He looks at your heart, what does He see?

Chapter 6

Solomon

Does being wealthy make someone a good leader?

Does having control of a huge army make someone a good leader?

Does having a lot of power make someone a good leader?

If you became the leader of a nation and God came to you and asked you what is it you would like to have to help you be a better leader, what would it be?

That’s what happened to Solomon, the son of David, when he became king and took his father’s place.

Let’s see what he chose when God came to him.

1 Kings 3.5-14

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

“Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.

So give your servant an understanding mind to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.

Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for, both riches and honor, so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.  And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”

Solomon was the son of King David. David appointed Solomon as his successor around 970 B.C.  Scholars agree that Solomon was around 20 when he was crowned. He took over when things were going well for God’s people, and they experienced great material and spiritual prosperity.

Solomon expanded the kingdom, had the Temple in Jerusalem built, and was the first king to trade goods to other nations. He wrote most of the Proverbs and Psalms, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon.

The Bible tells us, “Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statutes of his father David.”

We read that Solomon went to Gibeon. It was a city in the Holy Land which had a popular altar for sacrifices. It’s interesting that the prophet Jeremiah mentioned a “Great pool that is in Gibeon,” around 600 B.C.

In 1956, archaeologists discovered that pool; a 33 foot deep pit dug into solid rock.

It was at Gibeon when God appeared to Solomon in a dream. This is not the only time God appeared to someone in a dream. Jacob had a dream about a ladder up and down from heaven. Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, had a dream from God.

God appeared to Solomon and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

How would you respond if God said that to you? I know it kind of sounds like a genie in a bottle story.

Here's one of those just for fun. A woman rubbed a bottle and out popped a genie. The amazed woman asked if she got three wishes.

The genie said, “Sorry, three-wish genies are a storybook myth. I’m a one-wish genie. So, what will it be?”

The woman did not hesitate. She said, “I want peace in the Middle East. See this map? I want these countries to stop fighting with each other and I want everyone to have peace and harmony.”

The genie looked at the map and exclaimed, “Lady, be reasonable. These countries have been at war for thousands of years. I’m out of shape after being in a bottle for five hundred years; I’m good but not that good!  Make another wish and please be reasonable.”

The woman thought for a minute and said, “Well, I've never been able to understand men. I wish for the ability to be able to understand the man in my life.”

The genie let out a big sigh, and said, "Let me see that map again."

God is not a genie in a bottle, but God gave a wish. God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Note God didn’t say, “Tell me what you want me to give you.” God said, “Ask me,”

Jesus said that one day. He said, “Ask and it shall be given.”

There is something important about asking rather than demanding. Do you ask or demand when you eat with others? Do you say, “Pass the salt,” or “Would you pass the salt please?”

When you talk to a server at a restaurant do you say, “Bring me some more water,” or “Could I have some more water, please?”

How about at work? How do you treat others at work? Do you demand or ask? God set up an example that we should ask. Do you demand of God or ask Him?

The Bible says, “O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant an understanding mind to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong; for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

Solomon asked for an understanding mind to be able to distinguish right from wrong. The Bible says, “The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.”

God said “I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.’”

Later on, in 1 Kings 3.28, the Bible calls this the wisdom from God.

We see this wisdom demonstrated when shortly afterward, two women came to him, both claiming to be the mother of the same baby. Solomon used his wisdom to decide what to do. I know it sounds gross, but he decided to cut the baby in half in front of both women. But one woman demanded Solomon give the baby to the other, and thus Solomon knew she must be the mother because she wanted to child to live.

Anytime we display wisdom, it pleases God. What is wisdom?

We know it is having an understanding mind to be able to distinguish right from wrong; good from bad. We also know that wisdom is the ability to judge correctly based on knowledge, understanding, and experience.

If you are a leader in any way, how well are you displaying wisdom? How well are you displaying an understanding mind to be able to distinguish right from wrong?

Or, let me back up. If you are a leader in any way, have you ever asked God to give you wisdom? And if you have it, are you sharing it with others?

American humorist Will Rogers (1879-1936) shared some wisdom of life, his knowledge, understanding, and experience when he wrote:

"Never slap a man who’s chewing tobacco.

Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.

Never miss a good chance to shut up.

If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

The quickest way to double your money is to fold it and put it back in your pocket."

Solomon wrote most of the book of Proverbs; a book dedicated to learning wisdom. It is a 3000 year old book full of hundreds of proverbs; words which call out, “Here’s what I’ve learned. Pay attention. I’m sharing my wisdom.” Here are some of my favorites:

Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined. (13.20)

Foolish people don't care if they sin, but good people want to be forgiven. (14.9)

Intelligent people want to learn, but stupid people are satisfied with ignorance. (15.14)

A wise, mature person is known for his understanding. (16.21)

The most stupid fool is better off than someone who thinks he is wise when he is not. (26.12)

Look what the Bible says next: Then God said, “Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for, both riches and honor, so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.”

Solomon could have asked for these things. He could have asked for riches and honor. But he would have lacked wisdom.

If you lead anyone, if you are in charge of anything, you need wisdom first. If you demonstrate that, then all the rest will fall into place.

One of the greatest examples of wisdom in American history comes from Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln had a political genius and was able to win the presidency in 1860 over three rivals of national reputation. Perhaps you have heard of William Seward, Salmon Chase, and Edward Bates.

When Lincoln won, they were shocked and angry. History tells us that Lincoln won because he had the ability to put himself in the place of others, to experience what they were feeling, to understand their lives.  He was the first to “feel your pain.”

But he created his cabinet from his rivals, including Seward, Chase, and Bates, rather than his friends. He brought his opponents together and this ensemble used their combined passions to serve the Union. That was a huge reason they were able to preserve the Union and win the Civil War.

Lincoln captured the words of Jesus’ wisdom when he said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

Wouldn’t it be great if every leader, every politician, could be wise? Wouldn’t it be great if leaders had understanding minds to be able to distinguish right from wrong; good from bad? If they all had the ability to judge correctly based on knowledge, understanding, and experience?

How do I do that?  How do I become a wise person and demonstrate that wisdom?

1. Ask God for it and keep asking when you need it.

If you have assumed any leadership role, ask God to grant you wisdom above and beyond anything else. Everything else will fall into place once you do that.

I did that when my family and I came to this church more than 20 years ago, and I do that on a weekly basis.  I pray for God to grant me the wisdom to be a pastor. I don’t pray for money or fame or power or a bigger church or a TV program. I pray for the ability to have a loving, discerning heart.

2. Listen to the wisdom of others whom you trust.

Before becoming a pastor, I was a high school band director. When I was a brand new director many years ago, I thought I knew it all. I was arrogant and conceited. No one was going to tell me what to do or how to do it. I had a huge ego.

During my first year, I called a last minute practice for a Sunday afternoon and demanded every student show up. A parent, who was the local Lutheran pastor I might add, stopped by the school and wanted to talk with me. His name was Fred. It was a defining moment when he explained his son would not be there because the family had plans and Sunday afternoon was not appropriate for a rehearsal.

And then Fred said to me, “You may know a lot about music, but you still have a lot to learn about people.”

He was right. He shared his wisdom. A few years later he became a mentor in my life and helped me discern my call into ministry. And I give glory to God for him.

Here’s some wisdom I can pass on to you, “Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.”

3. Remember those you lead.

You have to love what Solomon did next. “He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.”

He gave credit to God first and then brought others on board with a huge dinner!

So let me ask again. If you became the leader of a nation or of anything, and God came to you and asked you what is it you would like to have to help you be a better leader, what would it be?

I hope it would be wisdom.

Chapter 7

Daniel

Let's pause to review. We have been looking at people in the Bible who responded to God’s call on their lives.  We began with Abram. God called Abram to be the father of His people and to journey to the land God promised. We learned that God blesses us so we can be a blessing to others.

Next we looked at Moses. God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt back to the land God promised. We learned God can call in unexpected ways, and when He does He equips those whom He has called.

Then we learned that God calls parents and wants them to respond by passing on the love of God through memories and stories.

We learned from the call to Joshua that we are to “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Then we learned from David, whom God called to be a king. We learned God looks at the heart. He looks at who we are on the inside.

We learned about God’s call to King Solomon, David’s son. Solomon could have had anything from God, but he chose wisdom. Good leaders are first of all wise leaders.

We continue with another call and response of Biblical proportion; the call of Daniel and his commitment to be faithful to God.

Daniel 6.1-26

It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss.  Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.  Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”

So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” So King Darius put the decree in writing.

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”

The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”

Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.

Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”

So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”

A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.

At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”

Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”

The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth:

“May you prosper greatly!

“I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.

“For he is the living God

and he endures forever;

his kingdom will not be destroyed,

his dominion will never end.

I can still remember going to Sunday School as a little kid and learning my Bible stories. I learned about Adam and Eve, the Tower of Babel, Noah’s Ark, Abraham, Jonah, and of course, Daniel. No child gets out of Sunday School without hearing about Daniel in the lions’ den.

Let me set the stage. Around 600 B.C., God’s people were taken away from their land and placed in exile in a place called Babylon. They had turned away from God, and God kept warning them not to do that. So, as a result of their continued turning away, the Babylonians defeated them and took them to Babylon.

Daniel was around 16 when he, along with thousands of others, was taken captive. Daniel was trained to serve in the king’s palace.

One day the king, Nebuchadnezzar, had a dream and wanted it interpreted. His own wise men could not tell him the meaning but Daniel could. Because Daniel could explain the dream, he was given a promotion; an important government job.

Within a few years, he was able to rise to an important position among the Babylonians.

A little side note here.  Nebuchadnezzar decided he would build a big statue to himself and he wanted everyone to bow down to it and worship him.

Daniel had three friends who refused to do so. Their Hebrew names were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Their Babylonian names were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They didn’t bow down and got thrown into a fiery furnace, and didn’t burn up because God was there.

That got Nebuchadnezzar’s attention and he developed a respect for the God of the Hebrews. He actually worshiped God. But then a new king came along, Belshazzar, who saw God’s handwriting on the wall. Daniel was the only one who knew what it meant and he ended up warning Belshazzar that an enemy army, the Persians, would invade and take over. Sure enough, that happened and a new king, a Persian king, took over named Darius.

So we pick up the action in chapter six and we read, “It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel.”

Who were the satraps? I know, it sounds like sand trap.  A satrap was like an assistant king with great authority over his mini-kingdom. Darius appointed 120 of them to be assistant kings, which meant he divided Babylon into 120 sections. He then must have divided those mini-kingdoms into 40 and appointed three “uber-satraps” to oversee forty each. Daniel was one of the three. Not only that, Daniel was in charge of the other two. And the other two and the 120 satraps didn’t like it.

We read, “At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”

They wanted to get rid of him but couldn’t find anything against him, so they decided to catch him doing good, but made the good thing bad. The satraps became like sand traps. They became hazards in the golf game of life. They provided a pit and made things much more difficult.

So, to circumvent God’s Law, they devised a man made law to get Daniel in trouble. They went to Darius and buttered him up and said, “You should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.”

And they specifically wanted it in accordance to the laws of the Medes and Persians, meaning that once he made it, he himself couldn’t break it. So he did and the decree was published.

At that point, Dan had to make a decision. He came to a defining moment. Would he follow the decree and compromise his faith, or would he just shrug his shoulders and do what he always did, worshiped God anyway?

Sometimes in life, we all come to a defining moment and reach a point when we have to make a decision.

Do I or don’t I?

Do I or don’t I have a second donut?

Do I or don’t I eat that amazing double chocolate confusion cake?

Do I or don’t I look at porn on the internet?

Do I or don’t I keep on drinking?

Do I or don’t I stop attending worship?

Do I or don’t I tithe this month?

Do I or don’t I compromise my faith?

We read, “Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”

He went and prayed with the windows wide open.

So what did our sand traps, I mean satraps do? These guys were spies. They saw Dan praying. They ratted on Daniel to the king. They had this all planned out. They knew exactly what they were doing.

We read, “So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: ‘Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions’ den?’”

Darius agreed he did that.

The satraps said, “Daniel pays no attention to you.”

Darius was upset by that because he really liked Daniel. He tried to find a way to save Daniel from punishment but the sand traps knew what they were doing and reminded Darius that this law was made according to the laws of the Medes and the Persians; meaning he had to keep it. Darius was chicaned! He was beat. They got him. Darius couldn’t do anything but have Daniel thrown into a lions’ den.

He said to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, must rescue you” meaning that Darius couldn’t do a thing about it.

We know from antiquity about lions’ dens used in Morocco and Persia. They were a large square cavern with a partitioned wall in the middle, with a door that could be opened and closed from above. By throwing in food, the controller could entice the lions from one chamber into the other, and then shut the door between as they entered. People could look in the cavern and a large stone was used to cover it. The king sealed it shut.

Daniel was no doubt placed into one side and the door was opened.

The king was so upset he couldn’t eat or sleep and didn’t even want to watch the History Channel that night. And what happened? That’s what Darius wanted to find out.

We read, “At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, 'Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?'”

We find out that nothing happened. Daniel was OK. We find out that an angel had somehow shut the mouths of the lions.

God rescued Daniel!

That impressed Darius so much we read, “Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land: ‘May you prosper greatly! I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.’”

We read later that Darius himself, believed in the God of the Hebrews.

Do you see any foreshadowing here? Cavern? Stone? Sealed shut? Angel? Early morning? He’s alive? Others believe?

Sometimes the Old Testament foreshadows the New

But here’s where we don’t really have a parallel, and here’s what I didn’t learn in Sunday School. We read, “At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.” Ouch!

God called Daniel to be faithful. God honored that faithfulness by keeping Daniel safe. I believe God honors our faithfulness and takes care of us.

I'm a ventriloquist and my wife is a puppeteer.  We attended an international ventriloquist convention a while ago. There were more than 600 puppeteers and ventriloquists, both professional and amateur, gathered together to share ideas and lift up the art of puppetry.

There were many performances as well. One of the “head liners,” Taylor Mason, gave a lecture on some basics of ventriloquism. In the lecture he stated with boldness that he is a Christ follower and presents his act with integrity. He said that you don’t need to be dirty to be funny. He admitted he had been blessed and gives God the credit for taking care of him.

He boldly stated, “I don’t go into the bathroom or the bedroom in my shows. I could and make a lot more money doing that and play Vegas, because that’s what Vegas wants, but I choose not to.”

He said, “I have an accountability to God. All the money in the world can’t buy me a loving wife and family which I am blessed to have.”

Mason made a decision early in his career; do I or don’t I?  He chose to honor God.

How do I do that? How do I make sure that when God calls with a defining moment that I respond in the right way?

1. Recognize your satraps, your sand traps, your hazards.

Who or what are those people or places or things which may cause you to compromise your faith or end up being thrown to the lions' den?

I don’t watch Comedy Central on TV. I choose not to because the humor and the language is way too much bathroom and bedroom for me. I don’t go there.

I could. I could easily pick up a puppet and do a gag and use off-color jokes, and have the puppet say bad words and you would laugh. But, I choose not to.

You need to decide that for yourself.

2. Don’t compromise your faith and your integrity.

Daniel didn’t. It’s called consistency.

I had to take statistics and advanced statistics when I was in graduate school. I had to learn about consistency in testing which measures the reliability of a test to make sure it’s testing what its supposed to test. The tests is consistent; it is the same throughout.

Are you consistent when tested? Are you consistent when you come to a defining and have to ask yourself the question, “Do I or don’t I compromise my faith or integrity?”

One of the performers at our convention had been in show biz for more than fifty years and made puppets for every U.S. President to use in his gag. Sure enough, when he picked up the Bill Clinton puppet, the main source of jokes came from Clinton’s relationship with Monica Lewinsky. How sad that a slip of integrity is still the source of jokes years later.

3. If you find yourself in a lions’ den, trust that through God, you’ll get out and won’t get hurt.

I love verse 23 when it says, “And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.”

Rescuing Daniel from the lions’ den is a wonderful picture of what God can do when He lifts us put of the lions’ dens of life.

Ever been in a lions’ den in life? Daniel’s rescue encourages us as we face lions and challenges.

Second Peter 2.9 says that “The Lord knows how to rescue us from trials!” God can see to it you come through without being hurt. God can lift you out. God can rescue you from tough times. God can even give you the strength to keep going within those difficult situations. God calls us to maintain our faith and integrity and we respond by trusting in Him.

Chapter 8

Ezra

No doubt the vast majority of Americans are descended from immigrants to this country.  Our ancestors came from many places like Ireland, Scotland, Germany, France, Italy, or somewhere in Asia or Africa. But it goes back many generations for most of us.

Did you have parents who immigrated to this country?  Are you second or third generation? If you are second or third generation, how much do you know about where your parents came from? Do you speak their language? Do you eat their food?

Imagine this happening in reverse.  Rather than families coming from all over to one place to America, imagine all of us forced to go to another country say like Mexico or Brazil.  And not just for a vacation, but for generations.

If we had to do that, what would we want to pass on to our children and grandchildren about who we are, where we came from, and our faith?

Last chapter I mentioned about how God’s people had disobeyed Him so much that God, around 600 B.C., allowed the Babylonians to take over and actual move God’s people to Babylon. We call it the Babylonian Captivity. Eventually, God’s people were able to return to their promised land some 70 years later but it took awhile.

There were actually three different groups which returned from Babylon under three different leaders over several decades. The first group was led by Zerubbabel around 537-536 B.C.  Then some eighty years later Ezra led another return.  This return is described in Ezra 7-10.

Ezra led a restoration of Jerusalem. Then a few years later, about ninety years after the first group returned, a third and final group came back led by Nehemiah.

Nehemiah was instrumental in rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem which had fallen in ruins. However, during the captivity and even during the return, God’s people developed a problem.  Not a physical one, but a spiritual one.

The returning generations lost any connection with God.

Somehow the original generation did not pass on the faith, the worship, and the ability to understand God’s Word. The returning Israelites had lost the ability to pray, worship, and understand God’s Word. Their spiritual leaders had become weak.

In Nehemiah, chapter 8, we read one of the most spectacular events in the Old Testament. Ezra led the people to understand the faith of their fathers and the essence of God’s Word.

Nehemiah 8.1-10

All the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion.

Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

The Levites, Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah, instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there.

They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

God called Ezra to be a leader to a generation of religiously ignorant people.  Ezra was born in captivity but was trained by the scribes who had come from Jerusalem. Ezra knew God’s Word and could read it and understand it. Ezra became known as Ezra the Scribe, and we know he did a lot of work with the Hebrew Bible and modernized the language, updating it so the people could understand it.

It was during the captivity that God’s people began speaking Aramaic and not Hebrew, and Ezra translated the Bible into Aramaic so the returning people could understand it. Aramaic was related to Hebrew like some of the Eastern European languages like Serbian and the Slovak language today.

When Ezra arrived in Jerusalem, some eighty years after the first group had returned, he found out that the Jewish men had intermarried with women from surrounding nations. He set up some new rules for the men, worried that the influx of pagan gods would pollute the Jewish faith even more.  He found the Jewish people in a huge pagan hole and stopped their digging.

God called Ezra to bring His Word back to the people and Ezra responded. We read, “The people assembled as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.  So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.”

Note they gathered at the Water Gate.  This is not the famous Washington DC hotel.  The city of Jerusalem had various gates with various names.

Note the group was made up of the Hebrew men, women, and any others who could understand the Aramaic he was using. These people were hearing God’s Word read to them for the first time. Their grandparents and great grandparents grew up hearing it, but for some reason did not pass it on.

We further read, “Ezra read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.”

The word attentively means “to give an ear to.”  There is a huge difference between hearing something and listening with an attentive ear. We can hear background music at the grocery, but not pay attention to it. We can hear the TV while napping but not pay attention to it. But, what does it take for us to really listen to something?

We will listen when it’s important. When the doctor comes into the waiting room after surgery and wants to talk with the family, they listen. Sometimes they even take notes. When the score is tied in the bottom of the ninth and our favorite baseball team has bases loaded and nobody out, we listen.

God’s people hadn’t heard God’s Word in decades and they listened.  They listened from the crack of dawn until noon. We read that there was even a special platform built so Ezra could be up high and heard.

Here’s what’s interesting.  We read that six guys stood on his right and six on his left. Why mention them? Because, I believe, they formed a human microphone. The ancient people didn’t have microphones and speakers like we do today. They had to use each other.  Persons gathered around the speaker repeated what the speaker said, thus “amplifying” the voice of the speaker. When Ezra spoke, he probably spoke one sentence at a time and the twelve repeated it together and thus amplified it twelve times over.

The Bible says, “Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up.  Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, ‘Amen! Amen!’  Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”

That was before he even read anything.  They stood up and bowed down. I so much appreciate the Roman Catholic tradition of standing for the Gospel reading.

Ezra read and the microphone guys repeated for six hours.

Do you know what they did next?  They broke up into small groups Bible studies. Have you ever been to a conference where you break up into small groups?

We read that the Levites, the 13 priests, (don’t ask me why 13) instructed the people in the Law. They made it clear and gave it meaning so that the people could understand what was being read. Not only was God’s Word being read to them for the first time, but they even had further explanation so they could really understand it.

They did this for seven days.  Ezra would read in the morning and then small group study in the afternoon. As the people learned, they were so emotionally moved, they wept.  They were moved by being introduced to God’s Word and understanding where their ancestors had come from.

There was a program on TV called Who Do You Think You Are? It dealt with celebrities’ genealogies and helped them discover where they came from. Unfortunately it has been cancelled. One episode last spring featured Rita Wilson, wife of Oscar winner Tom Hanks.

She didn’t know a lot about her father because he never spoke of his past before he died.  So she traveled to Greece, where he was from, and then to Bulgaria. She found out her father had been married before and his wife and infant son had died. She met her long lost uncle and discovered her father had been an enemy of the state after he escaped from a labor camp and fled during WWII. She then discovered her father had been forced to join the military and was in prison for stealing plastic bottles. And learning all these things moved her so much that it caused her to weep.

God’s people were so moved by learning about their past and who they were in the eyes of God that they wept. Has there ever been a time when you have attentively heard God’s Word and wept?

Nehemiah, one of the leaders along with Ezra told they people, “This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.”

Then they told them what they were to do next. You want to know why churches have coffee and donuts?  It’s biblical.

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared.”

I did a funeral service here a few years ago and asked some people who attended if they were going to stay for the luncheon afterward. They said, “No.  We don’t eat in a church.  Our pastor doesn’t believe in eating in a church.”

Ever been in a situation where you really wanted to say something but you didn’t? I didn’t say anything.

But I wanted to say, “Has your pastor ever read the Bible? It sure does mention a lot about feasts and a lot about fellowship.  And let’s not forget Communion.  Of all the ways Christ wanted us to remember Him, He chose food and drink.”

Nehemiah also said, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

We are supposed to have some food and have a feeling of joy in our relationship with God.

God chose Ezra to bring the people back to God and His Holy Word. And Ezra did that. God’s people reconnected with their spiritual roots, with God’s Holy Word, and with the Lord God Almighty.

How do I do that?  Maybe better asked, how do we do that?  How do we make sure that we don’t ever get in a position of having our offspring forget about God and His Word?

1. We need to decide if, indeed, passing on the faith is a priority.

What is priority?  It is a status established in order of importance or urgency. Is it important?  Is it urgent?

We are only one generation away from Christianity becoming extinct.

Priorities can change.

I was getting sweet corn from a local corn stand not long ago.  A young man, who looked to be in high school, was helping sell corn, tomatoes, squash, and beans.  I got two dozen ears and some green beans. The total was $12.25 to which I gave the young man $15. He then took out his phone and pulled up the calculator and started figuring out what change to give me.  I then proceeded to give him a lesson on making change and he looked at me like I was from Mars. With all our technology, is the ability to mentally make change a priority?

Or what about an ability to know direction and read maps? I always have to have a map when I travel.  I like to see where I’m going.  I like to have a sense if I’m going north or south. But is that necessary today with GPS?  Is it a priority? Depends on who you talk to.

Or, what about teaching cursive?  Is it necessary today?

Is the Christian faith a priority to be passed on?  Is an understanding of God’s Word a priority? I hope so.  I pray so. I’ve only dedicated my life to it.

2. If it is a priority, are we OK with that or apologetic about it in our culture today?

It seems it’s almost politically incorrect to claim you are a Christian and believe the Bible in some circles today.

The local newspaper in my community ran a series of discussions on various issues among people. People talked with other people about such issues as the economy, politics, education, and race relations.

I was selected to be in a clergy discussion.

Several members of the clergy were gathered to discuss the state of religion in our country and to talk about how well we get along and the role of God. There was a rabbi, a Catholic priest, a Muslim imam, a Buddhist priest, a Black Muslim leader, and two Protestant clergy; me being one. We spent four hours in dialogue.

When we first started, we had to introduce ourselves and tell a bit about our backgrounds and our congregations. The other Protestant pastor gave his name and then said that he was a Christian and apologized to the rest of the group for that.  He said, “I know the name of Jesus can be offensive and I’m sorry if I offended you by mentioning about my faith.”

My jaw dropped. I’m not ashamed of the Gospel and if anything, we need more Christ followers in this world who aren’t ashamed, either.

3. Do we find joy in our faith?

The joy of the Lord provides is strength.  You have strength when you have joy.

A pastor friend of mine told that a few years ago he had a guy come to his church and committed his life to following Jesus Christ.  And he found joy in the Lord. One Sunday my friend was reading from the Bible in the Psalms and read, “Shout with joy to the Lord.”

Guy stood up in balcony and yelled at the top of his lungs.

The congregation looked at him like he was nuts.  There was a moment of awkward silence. The guy said, “I’m just keeping the faith.”

That’s how we keep the faith.

We find joy in the Lord and we pass it on.

Chapter 9

The First Disciples

Let's review again. We have been looking at many people in the Bible who responded to God’s call on their lives. We began with Abram. God called Abram to be the father of His people and to journey to the land God promised. We learned that God blesses us so we can be a blessing to others.

Next we looked at Moses. God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt back to the land God promised.  We learned God can call in unexpected ways and when He does, He equips those He has called.

Then we learned that God calls parents and wants them to respond by passing on the love of God through memories and stories.

We learned from the call to Joshua that we are to “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Then we learned from David whom God called to be a king. We learned God looks at the heart.  He looks at who we are on the inside.

We learned about God’s call to King Solomon, David’s son.  Solomon could have had anything from God, but he chose wisdom.  Good leaders are first of all wise leaders.

Then we looked at the call of Daniel and learned that if you find yourself in a lions’ den of life, trust that through God, you’ll get out and won’t get hurt.

Last chapter, we learned about God’s call to Ezra to bring God’s people back to God and teach them who they were and how to worship. We learned we must remember who we are and where we came from through God.

We move to the New Testament and see Christ’s call He gave to His first disciples.

Matthew 4:18-22 (DRW)

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a casting net into the lake for they were fishermen.

“Come on, get behind me.” Jesus said, “I will make you fishermen of people.”

Soon they left their nets and followed him.

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets.

Jesus called them and soon they left the boat and their father and followed him.

We read, “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a casting net into the lake, for they were fishermen.”

Fishing, a family occupation, was a main source of income for some folks during the time of Jesus.  There were many fishermen around the Sea of Galilee.

They would fish in different ways depending on the season and the weather. Here, they were standing in shallow water and throwing a large net outward.

The fishermen made their own nets and mended their own nets.  By the way, the Bible uses the same word for mending nets as it does for reconciliation; mending relationships.

The net had small weights on it and when thrown properly would create a sinking dome to capture the fish.  Then they would pull on a line which closed the dome and pull in any collected fish.

Jesus was walking along the shore, probably early in the morning, and saw these two brothers casting a net.

We read, “Come on, get behind me,” Jesus said, “And I will make you fishermen of people.”

We have here, the first of two terminologies which we understand as “follow.”  The first term is two words pronounced “deu-po ho-pis-o” and it means “Come on after me” or “Come on, get behind me.”

The first word, “deu-po” is like someone urges you to come along with the wave of an arm saying, “Come on.  Let’s go.”  It’s like you are following someone in a car and he puts his arm out the window and gestures to come on.

It’s not a question; “Will you come?”

It’s not really a command; “Come!”

It’s an urging; “Come on.”

The second word, “ho-pis-o” is really a preposition referring to position; behind or after.  Together they form this understanding of “Come on, get behind me.”  Or, “Come on, follow me.”

Jesus said, “I will make you fishermen of people.”

Here is where the English language differs from New Testament Greek.  In English we have one word that covers the noun for fish and also the verb for fish.  Like when I say, “I fish for fish.”  I use the verb fish and the noun fish together.

In Greek, there are two different words; one for the verb and one for the noun.  Perhaps you have heard of the noun; pronounced “ick-thus.”

A little side trip here, the reason the fish became an ancient symbol for Christians was because when the Christians were being persecuted they used the term “ick-thus” as a code word with each letter in the Greek spelling an acronym meaning, Jesus Christ God Son Savior.  They would draw a fish in the dirt with their feet.

The noun term, “ick-thus” is not used in this passage.  Instead, any use of fish is in the verbal form which is pronounced, “al-i-eu-o.”  Even the term for fisherman is in the verbal form which is really better translated as fishing man.

These two brothers were called to be fishermen of people.  It’s a metaphor.  That’s a figure of speech in which an expression is used to compare something. They didn’t literally take their nets and capture people with them by throwing them over their heads.

What does that mean?  John Calvin, one of the early reformers explained, “As to the meaning of the metaphor, there is no necessity for a minute investigation.”

Meaning, we don’t have to mico-manage this. Calvin wrote, "People stray and wander in the world, as in a great and troubled sea, till they are gathered by the Gospel."

We read in the Bible, “Soon they left their nets and followed him.”

A second understanding of follow is used here.  The Greek term is pronounced “a-ko-lou-thee-o” and it means to follow but in the sense of accompanying someone on a journey.  There’s a sense of traveling together.

Maybe you grew up in a Christian worship tradition which uses acolytes at church.  They light the candles before worship begins.  An acolyte is someone who follows the light in, the light being a symbol for the Light of Christ.

Jesus said, “Come on, get behind me.”

And they responded by following Him.

We see this call again later when we read, “Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets.”

We know that James and John were Jesus' first cousins through their mothers Mary and Salome.  It’s not like they didn’t know each other.

We also know their father was Zebedee and they had a nickname, Sons of Thunder.  I don’t know if that referred to their personalities or their gang of Harley camel riders.

We read, “Jesus called them.”

The Greek is specific.  It’s not “He called to them” like they were off in the distance.  He called them to follow Him.

And we read, “Soon they left the boat and their father and followed him.”

Perhaps you have heard this translated as, “Immediately they left the boat.” Or, with Peter and Andrew “Immediately they left their nets.”  The term in the original language can also mean “soon.”  I think that’s a better translation.

I’m practical when it comes to the Bible and I don’t think they just dropped everything in a split second and left.  Peter in particular.  He was married.  He didn’t just drop his net and follow Jesus then and there.  I think he went home and got things together and talked about it with his wife.

I’m not negating the passage in any way by translating it as “soon.”  There is still a sense of urgency and priority in that.

Jesus called them.

And Jesus calls us.  Jesus calls us to follow Him.  Those are His words.

What does that mean?

I like how retired Presbyterian pastor Eugene Peterson put it, “To follow Jesus implies that we enter into a way of life that is given character and shape and direction by the one who calls us.  To follow Jesus is as much, or maybe even more, about feet as it is about ears and eyes.”

How do I do that?  How do I follow Jesus Christ when He calls me?

1. You have to come to a realization that it is not easy.

It was never meant to be easy because it starts with denial.  Jesus said follow me.  He said in Luke, “If anyone will come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.”

Too many people and too many pastors make it easy.  They preach that all you have to do is pray a prayer and ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior and that’s it.

Jesus never said that.  He never said to pray a prayer and ask me to be your Lord and Savior.

Now don’t get me wrong.  Prayer is vital in our forgiveness, especially if someone’s life is coming to an end.  But the first step isn’t even a prayer. The first step is a denial.

Does that mean you live like a hermit and live poorly and deny yourself clothing and food and shelter?

No.  Biblical denial is humility.  It is surrender. You surrender the "me" for the Him. You take on a life that is the life He would want you to lead.

I experienced this type of denial, this humility at that ventriloquist convention I attended, which I will never forget. It was a God moment.

When I wanted to be a ventriloquist back in seventh grade, one of my heroes was Jimmy Nelson.  Many people my age or older remember him, his sidekick Danny O'Day, and his dog Farfel.  They were on TV and also advertized Nestles chocolate products.

Imagine my surprise when I accidently bumped into a man at the convention.  He turned around and said, “I’m sorry.”

Then I saw his name tag.  It was Jimmy Nelson!  Even at 85, he was attending the convention.  We chatted.  I thanked him for being a mentor to me through his instructional records and TV appearances.  He was polite and we talked about the convention.  He was interested in what I did and the puppet ministry at my church.  I got his autograph!

Two days later, I was standing by the door waiting to get into an afternoon workshop given by world-famous ventriloquist Jeff Dunham. Jeff is the Jimmy of our day.  As you could imagine, there was a crowd around the doors, waiting to get in.

I heard a voice saying, “Excuse us.  Excuse us.”

One of the convention officials was saying that as he was working his way through those gathered waiting for the doors to open.

We moved out of the way as the official, followed by two others, made it to the door.  The two others happened to be Jimmy Nelson and his wife.  They were being seated early.

As Jimmy walked by me, he recognized me from our earlier conversation.  I was shocked by what he said.

“I’m sorry to cut and jump the line to get in before you.  But they said I was allowed.  I’m so sorry.”

Jimmy Nelson apologized to me for being seated early!

Huh?  Jimmy had earned the right to be seated early.

A celebrity of his status humbled himself (to me of all people) and I am forever grateful for that moment.  It was a God moment.  It was a huge lesson in humility and denial.

2. Realize that after denial comes taking up your cross every day.

Do you know what that means?  That means sacrifice.  That means you start everyday saying, “It’s not about me.”

I find myself watching the news or reading the newspaper and becoming so saddened by the fact that so many greedy people don’t get it.

The opposite of sacrifice is greed.

The great jazz musician Count Basie was once asked by a young musician how to play jazz.

To which Basie said, "If I gots to explain it, you just don’t get it."

I don’t know how much more I can explain sacrifice than by the example Jesus set for us on the Cross.  If I got to explain it, you just don’t get it; a life of sacrifice.

He’s not asking us to go to a cross.  Jesus tells us that we every day we make a decision to realize it's not about us.

3. Understand that following means action.

That’s what Eugene Petersen was talking about when he said, “To follow Jesus is as much, or maybe even more, about feet as it is about ears and eyes.”

How serious are you about following Jesus Christ?

Chapter 10

Peter

Back in 2005 and 2006 when the elders of my church and I were wrestling with our future outside of our former denomination, we asked ourselves some serious questions.

One of those questions was, “What do we believe about Jesus Christ?”

Looking at the Bible and our historical confessions of faith from our Presbyterian ancestors, we came up with this statement: We believe in Jesus Christ, eternal Son of God and promised Messiah, who became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. He who is true God became a true man, united in one Person forever. He died on the cross as the sacrifice for sins according to the Scriptures. On the third day He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Father, is the High Priest and Mediator.  He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by faith in Him.

I know that’s a mouthful.

But, how would you respond if ever asked, “What do you believe about Jesus Christ?”  “Who do you say that he is?”

That’s essentially what happened one day when Jesus looked at His disciples.  That’s essentially what happened when Jesus called the disciple Peter to be the Rock and hold the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 16.13-19 (DRW)

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven."

Chapter 16 is a turning point in Matthew.  Because of growing tensions, Jesus began to withdraw and spend less time in public.  He began to speak more and more about His coming death and then His resurrection.

It’s no accident that Jesus and His disciples came to Caesarea Philippi because that was the geographical start of the Gentile territories to the north.  It was the boundary of Jew and Gentile.  It was appropriate that this conversation was held at that boundary.

Jesus stopped and asked His disciples an important question.  It was like He was taking a first century survey or a Gallup poll.

“Who do the people say the Son of Man is?”

The answers made sense.  They said, “Some think you’re John the Baptist.”

John was the one who prepared the people for Jesus’ coming.  John had been held in high honor by the people but he was killed by King Herod.  Some thought that he would had come back to life and they were thinking Jesus was him.

The Disciples said, “Some say you could be Elijah.”  That made sense as well.  Hundreds of years earlier, the prophet Elijah performed miracles and inspired people.  The Bible says Elijah didn’t die but was taken up to heaven in a chariot and would return to the earth some day.  To this day, during the annual Jewish Passover meal, a cup is poured for Elijah, an empty chair is set for him, and the door to the house is opened because they believe he will return to earth some day.

Jesus said that Elijah actually returned in John the Baptist. Not in the flesh, but an "Elijah" type.

The Disciples also said, “Some say you are the Prophet Jeremiah.”  That made sense as well.  This prophet was known to speak boldly and yet he mourned over the hardness of people’s hearts.  People saw Jesus pronounce “woes” and weep and so they wondered if he was Jeremiah.

These weren’t bad answers, but they fell short of who Jesus really is because no one was confessing Jesus to be Messiah.

So Jesus asked, “But what about you?  Who do you say that I am?”

The question is posed to the group.

Here again is where the original language of the New Testament Greek is superior.  We have a weakness in the English language.  It’s our 2nd person pronouns; singular and plural “you.”

Here we know from the Greek that this is a plural “you.”

By the way, the American Southern dialect is actually more accurate in the use of “y’all.” Our neighbors to the South are more accurate with “y’all,” “all y’all,” “y’all’s” and “all y’all’s.”

Jesus posed the question to the group.

Peter, the fisherman who we learned last chapter followed Jesus with his brother Andrew and James and John, answered with this.

“You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

This, in theological terms, is known as the Great Confession.  There are two ways we use the term “confession.”

1. Fess up about your sins.  We confess our sins to God.

2. Make a public declaration.  The Bible teaches Christians must make public professions of faith.  They make public professions of the fact they have decided to follow Jesus.

This was Peter’s public declaration. “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

Note Peter says, “the Christ,” not just Christ.

He was saying he knew Jesus was more than John the Baptist, more than a prophet like Elijah or Jeremiah.  He knew Jesus was connected to God Himself.

The term “Christ” is a label, a title, and it is a Greek word.

It’s actually a transliteration.  That’s a word that moves from one language to another with little change in pronunciation.  Like “croissant” (French), “khaki” (Hindi), or “umbrella” (Italian).

Christ is Greek and it means “anointed one.”  Christ is the Greek word for the Hebrew Messiah.

Anointed One is very Jewish in flavor.  To understand Christianity you have to understand Judaism.  I have been in discussion with other pastors who don’t get it or won’t get the fact that Judaism is the foundation of Christianity.

It was no mistake that this question was asked at Caesarea Philippi, the bridge area between the Jewish and Gentile worlds.

The word Christ or Messiah means “to anoint, smear with oil.”  Kings were anointed with oil.

The greatest king of God’s people was King David.  After his death God’s people began to hope for another like him.  They wanted someone to maintain the power and prestige of the people.  Israel came into some hard times and a disillusion concerning the hope of a king like David turned into a future hope.  The future hope was for the Messiah.

But, they were looking for a political leader who would defeat enemies and bring a golden era of peace and prosperity.

Prophets confirmed His coming someday, but, foreshadowed it wouldn’t be like what they may expect.  Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah, Zechariah all promised His coming.

The question is, “Who do you say that I am?”

That question was asked to a group.  Yet, the response was singular.  We don’t read that the disciples said together in unison, “You are the Christ.”

It was an individual answered.  That’s the profession of faith.

A group cannot decide to follow Jesus.  Individuals must.

And here lies the essence of Christianity.  For to call Jesus that which He is not, is not Christianity.

John Calvin said, “They who shall honestly submit to Christ and shall not attempt to mix with the Gospel inventions of their own brains will have the truth.”

We read, “Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.  And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.’”

Peter’s name means rock, by the way. The symbolism of rock is huge in Judaism.  The rabbis taught that when God chose Abraham, God had found a rock on which He could build and establish the world.

The prophet Isaiah told God’s people, "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn; look to Abraham."

Jesus gave the keys to the kingdom of heaven to Peter.

An ancient symbol for Peter is the crossed keys.  He supposedly holds the keys to the doors to heaven.

This is where all the jokes about someone dying and meeting St. Peter at the pearly gates come from.

One of my classic jokes is about a Presbyterian pastor and a taxi driver who both died and went to heaven. St. Peter was at the Pearly gates waiting for them.

“Come with me,” said St. Peter to the taxi driver. The taxi driver did as he was told and followed St. Peter to a mansion. It had everything you could imagine from a bowling alley to an Olympic size pool.

“Wow, thank you!” said the taxi driver.

Next, St. Peter led the pastor to a rugged old shack with a bunk bed and an old black and white television set.

“Wait, I think you are a little mixed up.” said the pastor.  “Shouldn’t I be the one who gets the mansion?  After all I was a pastor, went to church every day, and preached God’s word.”’

“Yes, that’s true,” said Peter.  “But during your sermons people slept. When the taxi driver drove, everyone prayed.”

There is a theological disagreement between Roman Catholics and Protestants on Peter.  The Romans Catholics see this as the apostolic succession of the papacy, the popes.  Peter was the first pope who is considered Christ’s representative on earth.

Most Protestants respect that, we just don’t agree with it.  Protestants see Peter’s Confession as the rock of our faith, the foundation of our faith. Jesus is the Christ of God. The type of faith, as Isaiah put it, from which we were cut, the quarry from which we were molded.

The rock, the solid quarry of our faith is from Jesus as the Christ, the one from God, who offers forgiveness of our sins.

Jesus called Peter to be the example of the rock of faith for us all.  Peter responded and was a true leader in the early church.

How do I do that?  What am I supposed to do with that?

I think Jesus calls all of us and asks, “Who do you say that I am?  We all must come to an answer to the question, “Who are you Jesus?”

It can’t be a group decision.

What is your answer?  I hope it’s He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

But that’s something you have to answer on your own.

There is an ancient story told about a student who came up to his rabbi with a question. “Is the bird I'm holding dead or alive?”

If the rabbi said dead, then the student would let the bird fly away.  If the rabbi said alive, then all the student had to do was crush the bird.

So the rabbi responded by saying, “The answer is in your hand.”

That’s an ancient teaching to reinforce how the question is answered.  Is He dead or alive?

Who do you say Jesus is?

Great Teacher?  Rabbi?  Philosopher?  Prophet?  Great man?

Or, is He the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

The answer is in your hand.

Chapter 11

Paul

One day, Jesus called a man named Saul to take His Light to the known world.

Acts 9.1-19

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.

“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.  For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.  In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.  And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.  I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

This event took place about a year after Jesus’ Resurrection.  Much had happened. Jesus ascended into heaven. The disciples picked a twelfth man to take over for Judas. The Holy Spirit came. Two men named Peter and John become the leaders of the early church. The original Deacons are selected. One of them, Stephen, was stoned to death for believing in Christ.

Now we meet Saul of Tarsus who became known as Paul. We know a great deal about him.

1. He was a very religious Jew. He was blameless according to the Law of Moses. He was a Pharisee among Pharisees (a religious sect of Judaism at that time).

2. He was well educated. He was trained at the feet of Gamaliel, one of Israel’s greatest teachers of the day.

3. Saul had a rich religious heritage. He called himself a “Jew among Jews.” He was proud to be descended from the tribe of Benjamin.

4. He was ambitious. Saul advanced quickly up the ranks of the Pharisees and had the ability, the desire and talent far above his peers.

5. Saul didn’t like Christians. We read in the chapter before (Acts 8.3) “But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.”

Saul was on his way to Damascus to do what he thought was the will of God. He was on his way to persecute and arrest Christians.

Damascus, by the way, is probably the oldest inhabited city in the world. It’s in modern Syria. Its population today is around 1.7 million. People have been living there since around 6000 B.C. Compare that to the oldest city in the US, St. Augustine, Florida founding in A.D. 1556.  The age of Damascus is mind boggling for us.

Damascus is located about 150 miles from Jerusalem and it would have taken 5 to 6 days to get there by foot.  We know a Christian population had already settled there for reasons that we aren’t quite sure.

On the road to Damascus that day, Paul was called by the Risen Christ. What happened? Saul got permission of the high priest so that if he found any Christians he could take them as prisoners back to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus a light from heaven flashed around him; a bright light.  Like a million flashes.

He fell to the ground and heard a voice. “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

Saul wasn’t sure who it was.  The voice said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”

A side note here. I find it interesting that when Christians are persecuted, so is Christ. I read there were more people martyred for their faith in the 20th century than in all the previous centuries combined that we know of.

The men traveling with Saul heard the voice but didn’t see anything. Saul stood up and realized he was blind; perhaps by the bright light. He was so blind that he had to be lead into the city. We read that he didn’t eat or drink for three days.

I want you to notice Christ’s call to another person who is often overlooked but is a huge part of this story.

We read, “In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision.”

Perhaps you are familiar with the call placed on Saul who became Paul, a huge leader in the early church and writer of 14 letters in our New Testament.

Have you heard of Ananias?  He was also called by Christ.

Christ called him and said, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.”

There really is a Straight Street in Damascus and it’s been there for millennia. We know that Christ had given Saul a vision that a guy named Ananias would come to that location and place his hands on Saul to restore Saul’s sight. Christ was calling Ananias to step out of his comfort zone and do something. Christ wanted Ananias and Saul to connect.

Look at Ananias’ reaction.  He wasn’t real thrilled about it.

He said, “Lord, I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

Somehow word had traveled very quickly among the believers about Saul and they frankly didn’t have much use for a guy who wanted to murder them.

Look at Jesus’ response.  “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Jesus didn’t want to hear any arguments.  He just commanded Ananias with one word, “Go.”

Ananias went to the house which belonged to a guy named Judas (a common name back then) and he placed his hands on Saul, and Saul was then able to see. Ananias brought the light if you will.

Saul was even baptized. And we don’t hear anything more about Ananias other than Saul/Paul referred to him as “a devout man having a good report among the Jews” (Acts 22.12).

So, essentially in this biblical account, we have two different callings:

1. The grandiose calling of Saul on the road to Damascus as he is zapped by Christ. Saul responded by changing his name to Paul and bringing the Good News of Christ to the Jews and gentiles.

2. The calmer, less extravagant call on Ananias to step outside his comfort zone and pray with a man that others didn’t like and bring the light. Ananias responded by answering the call and going to Saul on Straight Street.

We have the call to conversion and the call to bring the Light to others.

How do I do that?  How do I understand these calls of Christ?

1. We must all go through a conversion in some way to be a Christ follower.

We all walk the Damascus Road to some degree. We’re not out to hurt Christians, but we have our own agendas. And Jesus is waiting to convert us.

Every Christian has gone through a conversion experience of some sort. Remember, we are not automatically born a Christian. We are automatically born American citizens if born in this country, but faith must be a decision.

For some, like Saul, that conversion is instantaneous. For most, like me, it is a slow process that may take years, but it happens. And for everyone there is change. We become changed people.

2. Many times Christ calls those who are converted to step outside of their comfort zones to bring the Light.

That call may not be in a vision, but it's in a feeling or just an idea that comes into our heads and we can’t get it out. We may not even know the outcome, but we just know we have to do something because someone is telling us to, and we are to bring some sight or some light.

Not long ago, my wife and daughter and I were out for a walk. It was a very warm Saturday afternoon. As we were walking down one of the residential streets near our home, we heard some breaks and heard a bump and knew there had been an accident between drivers. I didn’t see the accident so I didn’t know whose fault it was.

But the two cars pulled over and I knew I was supposed to stop and help. I really didn’t want to because I had things to do once I got home.  But I had this feeling, this call that I was supposed to be there.

It was a fender bender; no one was hurt. The one driver was an elderly woman and the other was a young woman perhaps in her early twenties. Nobody was hurt but they were both rattled. The older woman left her car running and got out, but unfortunately locked the car with it running. She seemed confused and upset, and I realized I was going to have to serve as a mediator between the two until a police officer could arrive.

The young lady was frustrated because her day had been interrupted and wasn’t going to even talk to the older woman, who I insisted stand under a nearby shade tree because it was hot. After we called the police, I went to each woman making sure they had their insurance.  The younger did, the older one did not know since her purse was in the locked car.

I asked if there was anyone I could call. She gave me her home number and I spoke with her husband who was housebound and no longer drove, and didn’t know what he could do. I suggested he call a neighbor and asked him if there was another set of keys for the car and to bring those or send them with someone else.

I went back to the younger woman and asked her if she could call anyone. And we waited for the police to arrive. But there was some serious tension in the air and neither was speaking to the other.

I became the peacemaker as we waited for perhaps twenty minutes. I went back and forth between the two women trying to offer support and comfort.  A neighbor brought out a chair and a bottle of water for the woman who had locked her keys in the car.

A police officer arrived as did the younger woman’s boyfriend, and the older woman’s husband with a friend and the other set of keys.

Everything seemed OK and that same feeling or voice said, “OK.  You can walk on home now.  You’re done here.”

I have no idea why Christ called me. I just know I was supposed to be there and through some calmness, perhaps bring the Light of Christ into a situation.

I believe Christ calls the converted in many ways to bring the Light. He calls.  Will you respond?

We come to the end of this book. We have looked at several persons in the Bible who responded to God’s call on their lives.

We began with Abram. God called Abram to be the father of His nation and to journey to the land God promised. We learned that God blesses us so we can be a blessing to others.

Next we looked at Moses. God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt back to the land God promised. We learned God can call in unexpected ways and when He does, He equips those He has called.

Then we learned that God calls parents and wants them to respond by passing on the love of God through memories and stories.

We learned from the call to Joshua that we are to “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Then we learned from David whom God called to be a king. We learned God looks at the heart. He looks at who we are on the inside.

We learned about God’s call to King Solomon, David’s son. Solomon could have had anything from God, but he chose wisdom. Good leaders are first of all wise leaders.

Then we looked at the call of Daniel and learned that if you find yourself in a lions’ den of life, trust that through God, you’ll get out and won’t get hurt.

We looked at God’s call to Ezra to bring God’s people back to God and teach them who they were and how to worship. We learned we must remember who we are and where we came from through God.

We learned about Christ’s call to His first disciples and how He called them to follow Him. That same call goes out to us as well.

Last chapter we learned about Christ’s extended call to Peter to be the rock, the foundation of the faith through His recognition of Jesus being the Messiah of God.

We concluded with Christ’s call to a man named Saul and His call to Ananias.  We are called for conversion and called to bring the Light.

Thanks for reading.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11