Bring the Child to Jesus - Jun 8, 2008

Service Introduction:

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and discipline” (Proverbs 1:7 NIV).

Living in the information age, we are also living in the education age. If you don’t have a high school diploma, you can get your GED. With an internet connection you can take college courses from the comfort of your own home. If you don’t have that, you can still learn on the job, or in the break-room with a book borrowed from the public library.

Learning is very available to us, but, not all learning has the same value. Worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom are often very different things.

God speaks to us today about true wisdom, the wisdom that we gain through our ongoing relationship with Him. This true wisdom from God often conflicts with what sinful mankind considers to be wise.

OT Introduction:

Sometimes human opinion matches up with God’s opinion. But sometimes following God’s command seems foolish.

Our Old Testament reading is taken from the Proverbs which King Solomon wrote down at the direction of God’s Holy Spirit. As we read through these think about what the characters of your favorite TV show would think. Where would they agree, and where would they laugh at the wisdom of God?

Old Testament.............. Proverbs 16:17-33 (NIV)

¹⁷ The highway of the upright avoids evil;

he who guards his way guards his life.

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,

a haughty spirit before a fall.

¹⁹ Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed

than to share plunder with the proud.

²⁰ Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,

and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.

²¹ The wise in heart are called discerning,

and pleasant words promote instruction.

²² Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,

but folly brings punishment to fools.

²³ A wise man’s heart guides his mouth,

and his lips promote instruction.

²⁴ Pleasant words are a honeycomb,

sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

²⁵ There is a way that seems right to a man,

but in the end it leads to death.

²⁶ The laborer’s appetite works for him;

his hunger drives him on.

²⁷ A scoundrel plots evil,

and his speech is like a scorching fire.

²⁸ A perverse man stirs up dissension,

and a gossip separates close friends.

²⁹ A violent man entices his neighbor

and leads him down a path that is not good.

³⁰ He who winks with his eye is plotting perversity;

he who purses his lips is bent on evil.

³¹ Gray hair is a crown of splendor;

it is attained by a righteous life.

³² Better a patient man than a warrior,

a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

³³ The lot is cast into the lap,

but its every decision is from the LORD.

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That last proverb is so enlightening and full of power.

“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD” (Proverbs 16:33 NIV).

There is no such thing as chance. Jehovah God governs the world He made with more care and control than that. The more we take this to heart, the more we will be able to set our foolish pride down and walk in God’s ways, even when those ways conflicts with what human wisdom dictates. Our God blesses us in ways unexpected when we live our life choices in step with His direction.

Letter Reading Introduction:

Our New Testament letter reading comes from Paul’s letter to the young pastor Timothy.

Here Paul emphasizes that God’s wisdom is different than man’s wisdom. Paul calls living God’s wisdom, “Godliness”. Godliness is very versatile. It is beneficial for this life, and for the life to come.

Letter reading............... 1 Timothy 4:6-11 (NIV)

⁶If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. ⁷Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. ⁸For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

⁹This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance ¹⁰(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

¹¹Command and teach these things.

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That phrase at the end might seem confusing at first,

“…we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:10 NIV).

Paul is pointing out that fact that Jesus didn’t just suffer to save people who would believe in Him, Jesus suffered the punishment for the sins of all people. He is the Savior of the world.

But Paul also points out the fact that sinners only receive the blessings of God’s Salvation through faith. It is faith which binds them to their Savior and connects them to the blessings that He won through the cross of Calvary.

God is the Savior of all, and yes, He is also especially the Savior of those who believe.

Confession of Faith

Sermon:

Samuel Taylor Coleridge was a poet who lived in the 18^th and 19^th Centuries. In high school you might have had to read his poem “Kubla Khan”, or his version of “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”

I can’t remember much about Coleridge’s poetry, but there is one story about him that can’t forget.

Coleridge had some guests at his home and he had gotten into a conversation with a man who insisted that children should receive no formal religious instruction. Instead, they should be left free to choose their own religious faith upon reaching a suitable age.

Coleridge inwardly disagreed, but didn’t immediately argue the point. Instead, later in the evening he invited the man to see his sadly untended garden. Upon seeing the jumbled mess that Coleridge called his “garden”, the man exclaimed, “You call this a garden? There are nothing but weeds here!”

“Well, you see,” Coleridge replied, “I did not wish to infringe upon the liberty of the garden in any way. I was just giving the garden a chance to express itself and to choose its own production.”

Coleridge’s point seems to be that if we do not cultivate the proper “plants” in the garden of our children, weeds will grow there instead. If we allow the children in our care to raise themselves and to choose their own beliefs from all those that the world has to offer, then we fail our children.

Today, Jesus says to us, “Don’t let the world raise the child, bring the child to Me.”

gospel Reading................... Luke 18:15-17 (NIV)

¹⁵People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. ¹⁶But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁷I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

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Missionary Dave Koenig is our senior missionary serving members of our fellowship in India and Africa. Much of Dave’s work is visiting the different congregations to encourage, teach and see how the CLC might otherwise assist our brothers and sisters in Christ.

After a service of worship, the people will line up to have Missionary Koenig pray for them individually. As each person comes forward they tell him what they’d like him to pray for. Dave then puts his hand gently on their head and simply speaks to God for them.

This was what Jesus was doing in our reading. Many people came to hear Jesus teach. Many came to have Him heal them. But others came carrying little ones, babies for Jesus to lay His hands on and pray for.

This same event is recorded in Matthew and again in Mark. In Mark we are told that Jesus took the little children right into his arms to bless them (Mark 10:16). Matthew tells us that Jesus prayed for them (Matthew 19:13).

Jesus was pleased to hold and pray for these little ones. He must have also be pleased with those who brought them to Him. Babies can’t walk you see. If nobody brings them to Jesus, they’ll never get to feel His tender care, never get to hear His voice of blessing.

There are children who have been placed within your realm of influence. I don’t care if you’re a parent or not. There are children who you come into contact with. These children depend on you. Especially if you’re the one who is responsible for their daily activities, but also if you’re one who sees them just for a little while. They depend on you, to put them into contact with Jesus so that they might have all the riches of a relationship with God’s own Son.

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When the disciples of Jesus saw that people were lining up to have Him pray for their little ones, they tried to shoo them away. For some reason, the disciples thought that these people were bothering Jesus. Perhaps they thought that praying for babies was a waste of the Great Teacher’s time. Perhaps they thought that more important people should see the Master first, and these little children should come later. Whatever the reason, the disciples tried to send these little children away from Jesus.

In our country the same thing happens. Some parents refuse to let their children learn about Jesus at all. They wouldn’t dream of sending their children to Sunday School or Vacation Bible School. They cringe if anyone in public school even mentions the name of Jesus.

Others hinder children from meeting with Jesus by less open opposition to Him. They simply don’t share Jesus with children, and don’t support those who do. Sometimes it is Christians who prevent little ones from coming to Christ by their failure to support the ministries that reach out to them.

Others hinder children from knowing Christ by living their so-called Christian lives apart from Christ’s Word. While they might not openly speak against Christ, their actions shout against Him. They don’t seek to hear Jesus speak to them through His Word, or they carelessly dispose of His words and live their lives according the wisdom of the world.

In all of these things, the little ones around us are prevented or discouraged from meeting with their Maker and Redeemer. Yes, you and I have sinned against God in this way. We too have tried to send these little children away from Jesus. Either by what we have said, or by what we have failed to say. By what we have done, or by what we have failed to do.

The correcting voice of our Savior rings out to us today,

“…Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Luke 18:16 NIV).

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Today, Jesus tells us to pay attention to the children around us. Jesus tells us to pay attention to them by giving them our time.

It’s so easy to treat children like they are second class humans, not quite as important as adults. It’s easy to say, “After my big important adult things are done, then I’ll pay attention to the little ones”. But a small person isn’t less of a person. Little people are not less worthy of our time.

When it came to babies, Jesus said, “Don’t worry, I’ve got time. Bring them to Me.” These little humans needed His healing hand just as much as the big ones did. These little sinners needed Jesus’ saving grace just as much as the big ones did.

When it comes to the little ones in your life, follow Jesus’ example and give them your time. Give them your attention. And by your interaction with them, lead them to spend their time with Jesus.

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Jesus wants us to pay attention to little children for their sake. But Jesus also directs our attention to little children so that we might learn something about the kingdom of God.

Jesus didn’t say the kingdom of God belongs to the highly educated. Jesus didn’t say the kingdom of God belongs to those who have paid for it with good deeds. Jesus said that the kingdom of God belonged to people who are like babies.

So, what are babies like? They’re needy. If someone doesn’t feed them, they’ll die. They’re helpless. They can’t protect themselves, someone else has to protect them. In a word, babies are dependent. They depend on those who are much bigger and wiser and stronger than they are. They depend on adults for everything. When babies need something, they are unable to do anything about it except cry. They cry out to those who love them.

As God’s people, this is what we need to recognize: we’re just big babies. We need God to feed us - mouth food and soul food - or we die. We need God to protect us - from body danger and sin danger - because we can’t protect ourselves.

If you want to be a strong Christian than accept that you are a big baby. You can’t do anything to fulfill your needs but cry. Cry out to God because you know that He loves you. Jesus proved God’s love for you when He died to remove your sin forever.

This lesson is hard for adults to really take to heart. We think that we’re so much more important than we really are. We think we have so much more influence on the details of our own lives than we really do. We may throw the dice, but as the proverb says, God decides how they fall (Proverbs 16:33).

All people are completely dependent on God, whether they believe it or not. So, believe it dear Christians! Be babies to Christ. Depend on Him. Cry out to Him. In all things.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Luke 18:17 NIV).

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Nickolaus Ryan Kauno received the gracious rule of God in his heart, on June 12, 1994. He did not choose to come to Jesus, but his parents brought Nick to Jesus when they brought him to the faith igniting waters of Holy Baptism.

After Nick was connected to Jesus through the waters of Baptism, his faith in Christ was nourished by the Word of God. Nick’s relationship with Jesus grew as his parents, teachers and pastors brought the nourishing Good News of forgiveness to Nick’s growing soul.

For the past three years I have had the blessing of helping Nick’s walk with Christ to grow through our study of God’s Word in Catechism Class. Today my role as Catechism teacher comes to an end. Today the spoon feeding stops and Nick enters our congregation as a communicant member.

Confirmation Vows

May God enable us all to take Jesus’ words to heart so that we bring all who need Christ to Christ. May the Holy Spirit prevent us from ever hindering people from being brought to Jesus. And may our heavenly Father continually remind us that we are dependant on Him, Him who loves us with an everlasting love which was given to us with the forgiveness of sins that came to us through Jesus Christ.

Amen.

The Peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Christian, Don't Show Favoritism - Jun 1, 2008

Service Introduction

Playing favorites. It isn’t right, but we all do it. With our children. With our friends. With our family. With our church family. Today, God speaks to us about showing favoritism. Simply put, he says, “Don’t show favoritism, instead exercise love, mercy and forgiveness – to all.”

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In our Old Testament reading God illustrates a number of things that may cause someone to sinfully favor one person over another: Peer pressure. Pity. Hatred. Bribes. Distrust of a foreign people. All these things can lead to sinful favoritism.

Old Testament...................... Exodus 23:1-9 (NIV)

¹“Do not spread false reports. Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness.

²“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, ³and do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.

⁴“If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. ⁵If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help him with it.

⁶“Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. ⁷Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.

⁸“Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.

⁹“Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.

▬

In our Gospel reading, God shows how faulty information and preconceived ideas leads to sinful favoritism.

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day hated Him for no good reason. They didn’t really try to see who Jesus was. They didn’t really seek to compare His teachings with God’s Word. Their preconceived ideas about Him led them to discriminate against the Savior that God had sent to rescue them.

gospel Reading..................... John 7:40-53 (NIV)

⁴⁰On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”

⁴¹Others said, “He is the Christ.”

Still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee? ⁴²Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David’s family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” ⁴³Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. ⁴⁴Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.

⁴⁵Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

⁴⁶“No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards declared.

⁴⁷“You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. ⁴⁸“Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? ⁴⁹No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”

⁵⁰Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, ⁵¹“Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?”

⁵²They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”

▬

These so called experts in God’s Word had overlooked the fact that the prophet Jonah had come from Galilee. They also neglected to look into Jesus background. Sure, he had grown up in Galilee, but Jesus had not been born there. Perfectly in line with prophecies of the Messiah, Jesus had been born in Bethlehem, to a young virgin girl who was a descendant of King David.

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The letter that we call “James” was written by an important leader in the young Christian church. James wrote to Jewish Christians. That means people who were Jewish by birth, but who had become Christian through the work of the Holy Spirit.

The faith that the Holy Spirit had planted through the message of Jesus, He would now nourish and cause to grow. Through the words of James, the Holy Spirit would mold the lives of Jesus’ followers so that they would resemble Christ more closely. They would then radiate Christ’s love and power through their changed behavior.

Letter reading..................... James 2:1-13 (NIV)

¹My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. ²Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. ³If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” ⁴have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

⁵Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? ⁶But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? ⁷Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

⁸If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. ⁹But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

¹²Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, ¹³because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

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These are the words of the Holy Spirit. May He enlighten us and lead us in the path of righteousness, to the glory of our only Savior Jesus Christ.

James is very direct. He states his major teaching point right away, “Christians, Don’t Show Favoritism”. Don’t shower forgiveness on the people you like, but not on the people you don’t like. Don’t help the people dear to you, but ignore the people you don’t care for. Don’t play favorites with people.

Our natural sinful instinct is to smile on people who treat us kindly, and to frown on people who don’t. We Christians can even justify this vengeful attitude in our minds. We may think, “If someone is bad to me then I need to show them what they did was wrong by the way that I react to them.” In truth, we’re may not actually be trying to help them see their sin and repent. We may just be repaying them evil for evil.

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:9 NIV).

God doesn’t have this sinful instinct to smile on people who treat Him kindly, and to frown on people who don’t. That’s why He is kind, even to those who hate Him.

There are plenty of people in this country who fight against God every day, but the sun still shines on their houses in the morning. The crops still grow in their fields. Their employers still pay them their wages. They grow old and live to see their grandchildren. The air still fills their lungs and their hearts continue to beat.

Jesus told His followers,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:44-48 NIV).

When Jesus said those words He wasn’t teaching anything new! He’s was just teaching what the Father had always said. God tells His people not to differentiate between those who love us and those who hate us. Our Old Testament reading said:

“If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. ⁵If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help him with it” (Exodus 23:4-5 NIV).

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Our sins of favoritism may very well spring from false ideas in our heads. When we look at others we see differences in blessings that God has given. When we see these difference we are tempted to judge people.

The Jewish people of James’ day sometimes viewed riches as being a reward from God for good behavior. Conversely they then saw poverty as God’s judgment for bad behavior. But this wasn’t necessarily true! Having lots of money doesn’t necessarily mean that God is happy with you. Having just enough to get by doesn’t necessarily mean that God is unhappy with you.

When we judge people by mere outward circumstances we judge very poorly. When we then rank them as good or bad, better or worse, our favoritism is not only incorrect, it’s wicked.

Treating people with differing love because of our perception of their worthiness is certainly NOT treating them like we would want to be treated. We want and even expect people to mercifully forgive the “little sins” that we commit. We don’t want them to keep a running tally of OUR sins and consult that list whenever dealing with us. Yet that is what we do when we measure out the mercy that we will give others in proportion to their past dealings with us.

We may view our sins of favoritism as “little sins”. But James blasts that idea to pieces when he reminds us that every sin shatters the will of God. Murder is just as evil as adultery. Lying is just as evil as theft. Favoritism is just as wrong as genocide. We cannot overlook our favoritism as minor and to be expected. We must take it as seriously as God takes it.

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James directed the Jewish Christians to take their sins of favoritism very seriously, and to look forward to when they would stand before God to be judged.

When unbelievers and believers stand before God He will not show favoritism. Those who don’t have Jesus in their hearts will be judged by their own personal record. A scary thought indeed, since all have sinned and fall short of God’s expectation.

Those who have Christ in their hearts will also be judged, but not according to their own personal record. Instead those who trust in Jesus will be judged on the basis of the personal record of Jesus. In mercy the Son of God lived His life for sinners, and that life will triumph over the judgment that sinners deserve.

James points us to the forgiveness that we have in Jesus as our great comfort and as the source of power for weeding out the sinful favoritism that is in our life.

Since God will judge us by Christ’s personal record, let us do the same to the sinners around us. Christ suffered the consequences for the sins of every person you will ever meet. View them with this in mind. When they sin against you, think to yourself, “Christ has already suffered for them and forgiven them. As Christ’s follower, so will I. His perseverance and mercy will shine, in mine.”

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There’s a little phrase that you can use to remember everything that the Holy Spirit teaches us here. “Keep it level.”

People want to grade others and plot them on a graph as good, better, best and then treat them accordingly. God says, “Keep it level. No favoritism allowed.”

People want to grade sins and then plot them on a graph as bad, worse, worst. But God says, “Keep it level. Every sin is breaking my will.”

Christians sometimes want to divide the world into believers and unbelievers, and then love the believers and hate the unbelievers. God says, “Keep it level. I love them all, and want them all to know my Son.”

The message of James is all about putting everyone on the same level. All sinners. All loved by God and offered full forgiveness in His Son Jesus. But there is one place where we can’t keep it level. When it comes to God, we want to put Him high above the world’s advice. We want to consider His word far above our heart’s instinct.

May the undeserved love of Christ, fully expressed in His painful cross and empty tomb, compel you to follow Him. May His Spirit enable you to show favoritism to none, but great love and mercy to all, to the glory of the Father.

Amen.

The peace which comes from God, which far exceeds all our understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

God Gave His Name - May 25, 2008

Service Introduction: The Church Year

Traditionally the church year has been divided into two parts: the Festival Half and the Non-Festival Half. The Festival Half starts in Advent and celebrates the Savior:

The prophecies that foretold His arrival.

His birth in Bethlehem.

How He revealed His identity through pure preaching and amazing miracles.

How He died a shameful death to set us free from sin and punishment.

How He rose from the dead on Easter morning and into the Heavens on Ascension Day.

How the Spirit filled the followers of Jesus on Pentecost so that they might bring the message of life through Jesus to the world.

All this we celebrate in the Festival Half of the Church Year.

The Non-Festival half of the church year begins today with the Second Sunday after Pentecost. Until Advent begins again our focus shifts from the Savior to the Saved. Or in other words, our focus shifts to the life of a people who have been touched by God through the Good News of His Son.

What does it mean to live as a follower of Christ?

What joys can we expect when we walk with Him?

What troubles?

What wisdom?

What responsibility?

What peace?

What future?

Many call themselves Christian, but what does it mean to be one? These are the things we consider in the second half of the church year.

You know, you might call the traditional Church year, “The Life of Christ”. The Festival half is all about the “Life He lived” and the Non-Festival half is all about the “Life He Gives”.

I pray that the Persons of the True God, Father Son and Holy Spirit, would touch our lives in a powerful way during this part of the Church year, through Christ who is our source of eternal life, and our source of power for living the Christian life.

Old Testament Reading Introduction

It had taken seven years, but the Temple that Solomon had set out to build was now finished. Out in front of the Temple stood a huge altar on which sacrifices would be burned. Out in front of that altar Solomon had set up a square bronze platform that was about seven feet wide, and four feet tall.

On the day of the Temple’s dedication Solomon stood on that platform before the whole assembly of Israel. Then kneeling down he spread out his hands toward heaven to pray. His prayer is our Old Testament reading.

This is a larger reading than we’re accustomed to, but I couldn’t bear to cut it short for the sake of custom. Instead let me point out and explain some of the words that Solomon uses here. This will help us to get more out of a single reading of this prayer.

“Name” – As we read through this prayer, look for all the times that God’s “Name” is mentioned. Solomon talks about How God has promised to put His Name on this Temple, and that means the world to Solomon. If God puts His Name on a something, then He is associating all that He is and all that He does with that something. Solomon knows that if God will truly put His Name on the Temple in Jerusalem, then it will be far more than a place of beautiful architecture, it will be a place of real power because it is the Temple of the LORD.

“Prayer and Supplication” – In his prayer, Solomon speaks of two different kinds of prayer. One he just calls “prayer”, the other he calls “supplication”. In the Hebrew, the term “prayer” is talking about coming before God to speak. The term “supplication” is talking about humbly bowing low before God to speak. We might summarize these two as “prayer” and “begging prayer” made in full recognition that God owes us nothing.

“Forgive” – Throughout His prayer Solomon repeatedly describes a cycle of events. First, the people of Israel sin against God. Then, God then makes them miserable in one way or another so that they will recognize their sin. When they realize what they have done, and that their suffering is a consequence of their sin, they turn toward God’s Temple and pray. Solomon asks that when this happens, before anything else, God would forgive them their sin. Then after that most crucial forgiveness is rendered, Solomon asks that they would also receive relief from the LORD’s rebuking hand.

Old Testament ...... 2 Chronicles 6:12–7:3 (NIV)

¹²Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. ¹³Now he had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had placed it in the center of the outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. ¹⁴He said:

“O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. ¹⁵You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.

¹⁶“Now LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons are careful in all they do to walk before me according to my law, as you have done.’ ¹⁷And now, O LORD, God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David come true.

¹⁸“But will God really dwell on earth with men? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! ¹⁹Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence. ²⁰May your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name there. May you hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. ²¹Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.

²²“When a man wrongs his neighbor and is required to take an oath and he comes and swears the oath before your altar in this temple, ²³then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, repaying the guilty by bringing down on his own head what he has done. Declare the innocent not guilty and so establish his innocence.

²⁴“When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you and when they turn back and confess your name, praying and making supplication before you in this temple, ²⁵then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to them and their fathers.

²⁶“When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, ²⁷then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.

²⁸“When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when enemies besiege them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, ²⁹and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel—each one aware of his afflictions and pains, and spreading out his hands toward this temple—³⁰then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive, and deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of men), ³¹so that they will fear you and walk in your ways all the time they live in the land you gave our fathers.

³²“As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple, ³³then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.

³⁴“When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to you toward this city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, ³⁵then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.

³⁶“When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; ³⁷and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly’; ³⁸and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; ³⁹then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you.

⁴⁰“Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

⁴¹ “Now arise, O LORD God, and come to your resting place,

you and the ark of your might.

May your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation,

may your saints rejoice in your goodness.

⁴² O LORD God, do not reject your anointed one.

Remember the great love promised to David your servant.”

^7:1When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. ²The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it. ³When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying,

“He is good;

his love endures forever.”

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Sermon Theme:

“God Gave His Name”

On Solomon’s Temple

To the Israelite People

Not to be Dishonored

To Be Called Upon for Grace

To the Christians Beside Us

To Me

Because His Love Endures Forever

Jehovah God is serious about His Name and were He puts it. His Name is everything that He is. Everything that He says. Everything that He does. His Name is Himself.

Over four hundred years before Solomon was born, Jehovah promised Moses and the people of Israel that He would to put His Name on His place of worship.

On the day that the first Temple of the LORD was dedicated, Jehovah showed the people, in a spectacular way, that His Name was here. He was here. This was His place.

When Solomon’s prayer was finished and His voice fell silent, then from the sky above fell fire, burning up the sacrifice which had been laid on the great altar that stood before the all the people.

A bright light emanated from inside the Temple. A light that was so bright that the priests couldn’t come near it. A radiance so brilliant that all the people put their faces to the ground and worshipped.

In the fire God displayed His power. In the brightness, His glory.

Yes, Jehovah God is serious about His Name and were He puts it, for His Name is Himself. All that He is. All that He says. All that He does.

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Human beings are serious about their names too. Some cultures are extremely serious about family names. In the Japanese culture, maintaining the honor of your family name is often placed far above the individual. If a person has done something that dishonors their family name they are expected to make up for it. They call it “saving face”.

In ancient Japan, a very painful and self-inflicted suicide called “seppuku” was expected of warriors and high officials in the government if that person had done something to dishonor their family name. One historian writes,

“In the world of the warrior, seppuku was a deed of bravery that was admirable in a samurai who knew he was defeated, disgraced, or mortally wounded. It meant that he could end his days with his transgressions wiped away and with his reputation not merely intact but actually enhanced”(Dr. Stephen Turnbull).

The Japanese culture is unique in many ways. But, when it comes to salvation the mind of man always comes up with the same tired idea. Without the true God’s help mankind always thinks, “I’VE got to do something to balance the scales with God. I’VE got to do some great or difficult task to wipe away my sins and restore my name.”

Some cultures may look on such actions as honorable and admirable, but Jehovah God is not pleased by any actions that sinners attempt to offer as a payment for past sins.

God does not approve of “seppuku”, but God is serious about “saving face”. He is serious about His Name being honored. He desires that His Name be associated with goodness and not with evil.

In Ephesians God instructs His followers,

“¹¹Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹²For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.” (Ephesians 5:11-12 NIV).

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In his prayer, Solomon spoke about God’s people in Old Testament times. Since they were chosen by God, His Name was associated with them. His Name had been put on them. They were made His family. From that point on everything that they did either polished the Name of Jehovah and made it shine, or smudged that Name with sin. Every sin that the people of Israel did was an insult and a dishonoring of God’s Name.

Think about it like this: If God is love, than to hate is to spit on God’s Name. If God is all about forgiveness, than refusing to forgive is to spit on God’s Name.

When the Israelite people sinned against God’s Name, God would not put up with it. He would afflict them in some way or another. The guilty schemer would find his own evil plan toppling down on his head. The rain would not fall on the spring crops and they would wither and die. Hunger would pain the bellies of the people. Disease would weaken them. Insects would infest their fields. Enemies would take them captive. All as a result of their unrepentant sins against God’s Name.

God had put His Name on these people when He had chosen them as His own. He would not permit them to tarnish that Name by their continuing in unrepentant sinning. God’s Name is not “Sin”. His Name is “Holiness”. He would afflict His sinning people in some way so that they would realize they were dishonoring Him, and repent.

But God is not a cold and selfish God, only concerned with His reputation. He is also a loving God. He would touch His people with the hand of rebuke because of His Name, yes, but also because of His love for them.

When a person turns away from God by continuing in unrepentant sin, refusing to turn away from that sin, that person is in serious danger. Each one of us has a time of grace, a set time of life and opportunity to know God by faith. For all people, believers and unbelievers, there comes a moment when that time of grace is ended. If the unrepentant sinner doesn’t turn back to God, at some point their time of grace will end and God will let them go away from Him forever.

Personally, I pray that God would afflict me terribly if I ever get stuck in the bog of unrepentant sin. I pray that He would hurt me bad and lead me to see my sin as the source of my pain. Then there might be hope for me. Then I might remember His mercy. Then I might call out for His help, and He would answer in love, forgiving me and restoring me because Jesus suffered all in my place.

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It’s no coincidence that Solomon prays this prayer from His knees and uses the word, “supplication” or “begging prayer”.

Solomon thought the idea that God was going to live in this Temple like a person might live in a hut to be an extremely silly idea. He says,

“…the highest heavens, can’t contain you. How much less this temple I have built!” (2 Chronicles 6:18 NIV).

Solomon’s whole posture and tone in this prayer reveals that He would have also considered it ridiculous to pray to God like God owes you something.

Turn away from your sin. Come low. Ask mercy. Receive forgiveness. That’s Solomon’s wisdom.

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The Temple and the Israelite people are not the only ones to have God’s Name placed on them. God placed His Name on you and me when we came to trust that Jesus really did take our punishment away by His death, and really did seal our eternal life by His resurrection. We individual Christians are the Temples of God.

“¹⁶Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? ¹⁷If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NIV).

With invisible fire, the Holy Spirit created faith in Jesus within our hearts and minds. Through our testimony God shines the glorious message of His forgiving love out into the world.

Yes, Jehovah God is serious about His Name and where He puts it, for His Name is Himself. So we aught to come before God with Solomon’s humble awe. We must approach God on our knees, knowing He owes us nothing, but has given us everything in the forgiveness, salvation and eternal life that comes to us through Jesus Christ.

The more clearly we see the greatness of God’s Name, the more respect we will have for all things that He puts His name on. Whether it’s this sanctuary, or His Bible, or His called servants or His holy people.

Think about that one for a moment. Your fellow Christians are God’s Temple. God has placed His Name on them. God has connected all that He is, with all that they are. They are people cleansed from sin and damnation by the blood of God’s Son. When we Christians disrespect each other, we disrespect God. But when we honor one another, then we honor Christ who has saved us. As Jesus said,

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:40 NIV).

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The whole Bible is Christocentric. What that means is that it’s all about the Christ, the Savior that God promised to send to rescue sinners from eternal punishment. Whenever you open your Bible to read, a very good practice is to look for Christ. Is He actually in this reading? Is He foreshadowed here? Is He prophesied? What is the connection to Christ Jesus here?

Looking at the prayer of Solomon, we see Christ in the forgiveness that Solomon is so sure that Jehovah will dispense to the repentant who call out to Him. That forgiveness was only available to the people of the Old Testament because God knew in advance what His Son would do on the cross of Calvary. That He would suffer for each sin of each person.

But there is another connection to Christ that is found in Solomon’s prayer. Solomon closes his prayer to Jehovah with the words:

“O LORD God, do not reject your anointed one. Remember the great love promised to David your servant” (2 Chronicles 6:42 NIV)

To understand how this connects to Christ you have to know a little history about Solomon’s father David. David had once wanted to build this Temple for God. He realized that while he was living in a grand palace, God’s house was still just a tent, the Tabernacle that the people had carried through the desert.

When David expressed his desire to build a house of worship for God, God told David, “No”. The building of the Temple were God would put His Name would be done by David’s son. Jehovah told David,

“When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (2 Samuel 7: 12-13).

God promised David that his offspring would build a Temple where God would put His Name. God also promised that the throne of this Descendant’s kingdom would be established forever.

In Solomon this prophesy found partial fulfillment when He built the Temple. But in Christ Jesus God’s promise to David found complete fulfillment.

Through David’s descendant Jesus we are cleansed from our sin. Through faith in Him God’s loving rule pours into our hearts. The Kingdom of God pours into our heart. That Kingship never ends because He gives us eternal life.

David’s family line never ends either because Jesus, the Son of David, rose from the dead after His Crucifixion and lives now on forever. David’s family grows with each new soul that comes to trust in Christ as the Son of God and Redeemer of all.

“…Remember the great love promised to David your servant” (2 Chronicles 6:42 NIV).

Solomon asks God to forgive the repentant sinner because of the great love promised to David. The great love promised to David is the Son of David, Jesus.

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When Solomon’s prayer was finished, God responded in a powerful way. Fire reigned down from heaven. Light burst out of the Temple.

The people responded to this by kneeling on the pavement with their faces to the ground. From there they worshipped God with the words:

“He is good; his love endures forever.”

What a fitting response. That fire could have fallen on them. They were sinners. God would have be fully justified if His fire had devoured the whole lot of them. But in love God spared them. He is good. His love endures forever.

In whatever pain or sorrow you find yourself in, pray and reflect on it to see if it is the rebuking hand of God trying to get your attention. Looking to God’s promise, to His Son’s cross, pray that He would forgive all your sins. And know the He is good; his love does endure forever.

¹¹As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” ¹²For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:11-13 NIV).

And…

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15 NKJV).

He has put His name on you dear Christians. Call on that Name often. In humble repentance look for His mercy. In joyful restoration offer Him your praise.

Amen.