Faith for the Future

Are you walking into God's future?

Faith for the Future:  A sermon preached on 23rd October, 2016 at Easton Methodist Church, Portland.  The sermon is based on Deuteronomy 34:1-12. The full text of the reading is below.

Deuteronomy is a collection of great speeches given by Moses who led the people of God, the Israelites, out of Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land.  Moses and Joshua are the two main characters apart from God of course.  Moses dies just outside the Promised Land having led the people of God for 40 years.  The story continues seamlessly with the book of Joshua as Joshua becomes the new leader.

Our theme today is "Faith for the Future".

Moses was told, ” I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.’  How frustrating that might be if those words were spoken to us.  We go the edge of something great but do not get to experience it.  Yet sometimes that is the role we are called to.

  

Moses is shown the Promised Land. He gets a glimpse of God’s future for his people, although will he not enter into that future himself. Moses has spent years walking and journeying in faith, believing God for the future and God is faithful. Sometimes we are blessed with entering into the future that God has prepared. Sometimes we are the ones who pave the way or build the foundations. This is just as important and sometimes a more challenging aspect of faith. Faith is not mentioned in this passage, but surely Moses stands as an example of faith and perseverance.

This week Team GB athletes from the Olympics and Paralympics were in the news. Celebrations took place in Manchester and London including a trip to Buckingham Palace.  One part of the Olympics is relay race.  The starter is not the finisher!  They pass the baton.

We have to pass the baton of faith, of vision, of journey, of building.  Our Christian journey is a rich mixture of inheritance from those who have gone before and their vision and those who are to come – who we will start things for.  Together we are called the Communion of Saints. 

So here we are today thinking about Faith for the Future.

In order to have faith for the future I suggest we need to have or do the following.

Walk by faith

2 Corinthians 5:7

"For we live by faith, not by sight."

This is the life we are called to.  This is the life Moses was called to.  He was challenged to see what human eyes might not see.  He was called to look with the eyes of faith.

Exodus 3 has Moses’ encounter with a burning bush.  It burned but did not burn.  As Moses drew near he heard the voice of God.  Out of that encounter Moses is told he is standing on holy ground – God is there.  He is told God’s name – I am who I am. This is important in explaining to the Israelites that he has the authority of God.  He receives a call and commission to lead God’s people out of Egypt – a task he does not feel up to.

Moses is challenged to see with eyes of faith, to walk by faith.  To see the impossible become possible, to enter into this high and hard calling.  To all intents and purposes in human terms what God was asking was impossible.  There were too many barriers.  But the walk of faith does not stop at such barriers. We walk by faith.  We are called to have eyes of faith.

We can see by faith what will be.  So one challenge today is what can you see growing or happening by faith in the future?  The steps we take today might be the thing that enables that to come into being.

  

What is God calling us to see in his mind’s eye today?  Where are we being called to walk by faith?  In human terms it may look impossible.  But close your eyes and look with his eyes.

Let's pause for a moment in silence.

Is there something for you, for me, today?  Is there something that we can see with eyes of faith?  Something God is calling us to?

In order to have faith for the future, we need to 

Act by Faith

And so Moses acted.  He took his first steps into the future of God’s purposes.  He went to the Israelites; he went to Pharaoh; he led the people out of Egypt; he headed towards the Promised Land.  This was not without its challenges, problems, pain, delays. 

Charles Wesley said, “FAITH, MIGHTY FAITH, THE PROMISE SEES, AND LOOKS TO GOD ALONE; LAUGHS AT IMPOSSIBILITIES, AND CRIES IT SHALL BE DONE.”  So whatever God calls us to, whatever we see by faith, we need to say “It shall be done”.  We need to act by faith.

It’s a bit like that book by John Ortberg “If you want to walk on water you’ve got to get out of the boat”.

So what steps are we called upon to take an make as we move into God’s future?  That might be a step as an individual for something God is calling us to do perhaps some kind of ministry for him?  It might be a step about what we do with our lives.  The step or decision we take today may build our lives for better or worse.  Or it might be a step as a church.  I do believe we have seen a sign of what God can do when we exercise faith in relation to stepping out and confirming that we would repair the roof here at Easton Methodist Church when we did not have the money.  We said that as a Church Council because we believe that God wants mission and ministry channelled through this place.  That meant nearly £25000 minimum to be raised in 5 months.  And out of the blue it just arrived!

There are other steps we are being challenged to take in relation to this place – a big vision – a comfortable, warm, well lit, flexible worship space in the Sanctuary.  Way beyond what we are doing to make the place water tight.  But if that vision is right it won’t be accomplished tomorrow.  It will need to be started and we will need to take steps now.  And those that take the first steps will not necessarily be those who take the steps further along or indeed who take the last steps.

But then what else does God have for the future?  Maybe this house needs to be refurbished because God is going to fill it.  Why not?  Maybe God wants us to step out in faith in terms of ministry and mission in new and expanded ways.  Maybe that will take time, effort, expense.  Maybe the task will be great and will take time to come to fruition.  Maybe…........  Whatever God has for us we take steps today that are vitally important which help move us further into God’s future.

We walk by faith seeing by faith, but we act as well.  We examine ourselves and say does God have me?

Does he have my time?

Does he have my talents?

Does he have my wallet or purse?

Does he have me as a living sacrifice?

Does he have me so that when he calls me to act I will?

God today may be speaking to us as individuals and as church saying take a step forward, move now, make this thing happen, look to the future.  Don’t build a wall round the present and try to keep it like this for ever.  It doesn’t work.  God is on the move.  He calls us to be on the move as well.

In order to have faith for the future we need

Trust in (Trust = Faith) God’s unfolding plan for the Future

"God buries his workmen, but carries on his work."  This was quoted in my Local Preachers' Accreditation letter from the then President of the Methodist Conference.  It is a Charles Wesley quote that appears on a monument to John and Charles Wesley in Westminster Abbey.

The story of the people of God carries on in Joshua 1:1 – and God speaks to Joshua, Moses successor.  Moses died.  God and his will did not.  We serve God and his purposes.  The legacy we build is not our own but God’s.  I want to serve the purpose of God in this generation as the worship song goes.

Maybe we haven’t always looked to and for God’s future.  Maybe we haven’t always responded to God’s call.  Maybe we haven’t always been obedient.

Sometimes we recognise that we have drawn back from God's future or even tried to prevent it.  It is like the "Undo" button on a computer which takes away the last thing.  Unfortunately we can’t do that in life.  In each of us that is true.  We have done what we have done.  We can be forgiven for it if it was bad, but we cannot undo it.  If the Devil reminds you of your past remind him of his future.  The past is the past.  But we can affect the future.  We can decide to live for God and his purposes and trust that we have a part to play in God’s unfolding purposes and future.  And it may be that our part is to build the foundations for some work of God.  It may be others who see the end result.  That is why we should not devalue that which we are called to know.

And in this building work we have Jesus himself to be the head of it and the power of the Holy Spirit within us to help us in the task.

Walk (by faith)

Act (by Faith)

Trust (in faith)

Milan Cathedral was started in 1386 and mostly finished in 1965, though some details were not completed until later. The construction took almost six centuries.

We are not just building for now we are building for tomorrow.

Moses saw it through.  He kept going even though he would not see the end result.  But God used him to form and found that new land and the people that were to enter it.

We may not all get to whatever the Promised Land is on earth, but we can all be a part of the journey towards it.  Amen.

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, opposite Jericho. There the Lord showed him the whole land – from Gilead to Dan, ² all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, ³ the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. ⁴ Then the Lord said to him, ‘This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, “I will give it to your descendants.” I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.’

⁵ And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. ⁶ He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. ⁷ Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. ⁸ The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.

⁹ Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.

¹⁰ Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, ¹¹ who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt – to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. ¹² For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

Clowning Around

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of clowning around is there?  I suppose it depends on who the clown is and what clowning around they are doing!  In the news at the time of writing are a number of stories of people dressed as clowns who are deliberately chasing and frightening people, apparently sometimes with weapons (hopefully mock ones) dripping with blood.  It is alleged this craze has its origins in America and has now moved to the United Kingdom.  I do not know whether that is true.  I do not know whether there have been many clown sightings or whether some have been made up.  I do not know whether any who do dress up as clowns and chase in this way think they are “clowning around” or whether there is something more threatening and sinister going on.

I do know that some Police forces around the country have been making statements about activities such as this and warning that they do not find actions such as this funny.  I am aware of some younger children who are distressed and scared.  I have some sympathy for the other news story about the man who is dressing up as Batman and chasing clowns.

It is particularly sad that we are dealing with these stories of clown sightings given the long and noble tradition of clowns.  Personally I have not always found clowns hilarious although there have been many occasions when I have found them very funny.  I recognise that sometimes clowns can exhibit and represent great sadness and that the International Film Industry has been able to use clowns to create suspense, drama, and fear within films.  This hardly helps the clown image!

If this is a craze I guess it will come and go with something else replacing it which will perhaps be more threatening or indeed more benign.  In the meantime we may have to be alert for those who want to make mischief or worse.  Halloween approaches and some may well use that as an opportunity to cause difficulties or indeed to scare people.  Children and vulnerable adults, sometimes already threatened by some of the very scary costumes around, may well fall victim to costumed clowns or those in other costumes.  Some of these will only intend to enjoy themselves and have a laugh, but others of will use the cover of darkness (maybe physical and spiritual) to cause havoc.

There will be those in our society that recognise that occasions like Halloween do not really help our society to grow and develop and become wiser or healthier.  This is partly because we live in a society now that is hedonistic and individualistic and which wants to indulge in whatever way they find satisfying.  There is little thought given to consequences and repercussions for themselves or society.  In recognising the unhealthiness of the behaviour of those who think it is good to scare other people and to use something like Halloween to that end there will be those who look for alternatives to Halloween.  I am delighted that once again on Portland in Dorset we will be organising a Light Party (see the poster on this blog post).  Maybe there is a Light Party near you this year.  If so why not think about supporting that rather than Halloween which some use for mischief.  We live in a society which can get very confused between right and wrong.  Shops using the slogan “Happy Halloween” do not begin to get the contradiction in that.  As a society let’s stop clowning around and wise up.

Ministerial Meanderings: Faith in Christ for Salvation

Ministerial Meanderings: Faith in Christ for Salvation: Faith in Christ for Salvation Here are the sermon notes for a sermon preached on 9th October 2016 at Underhill Methodist Church, Port...

Faith in Christ for Salvation

Faith in Christ for Salvation

Here are the sermon notes for a sermon preached on 9th October 2016 at Underhill Methodist Church, Portland, Dorset on the theme of "Faith in Christ for Salvation" as part of a series on FAITH.

It is based on Ephesians 2:2-10 and John 14:1- (full readings at the bottom).

Ephesians 2:8-9a For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. 

The Problem of Sin

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins 

We have a problem Houston! My daughter has not along returned from the World Methodist Conference and Council in Houston.  Accurately I believe the words were “Houston, we’ve had a problem” uttered from the Apollo 13 flight which went wrong although thankfully the crew made it back alive.

There are some problems which are killers. We have a problem.   

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins 

We’re going to define a number of words that we use as we go through this.

Sin = both moral and ethical failure and putting ourselves at the centre of the world instead of God.

The problem with sin is it cuts us off from a Holy God and it does that not just now but for eternity.   It would be like trying to pour some dirty water into a bowl of strong bleach.  The dirty water could not exist in an environment of powerful cleansing and so would be consumed by it.

Sin/transgressions have a devastating effect on our relationship with God and our spiritual life now and for eternity.

What contributes to that sin, what helps to cause it?

3 things mentioned in this reading from Ephesians.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh^[a] and following its desires and thoughts.

The World – which lives to different priorities.

The Devil – Fighting against us.

The Flesh – our own desires that well up from within.

We have a problem.  It makes us dead!

Also, in the words of the reading, we were by nature deserving of wrath

That’s the bit about God not being able to tolerate sin – like the powerful bleach cannot allow dirt to live alongside it.

So that’s a mess.

We decide we don’t need God.

We decide we know better.

We end up apart from God.

We face that state for eternity.

We deserve the wrath of God.

That’s what we deserve, but….

In the same way that a loving parent would try to find a way to help their children if they were in trouble; in the same that a loving parent might try to reach out to their children if there was a broken relationship; in the same way that a loving parent might try to help clear up the mess of a broken wounded life, so God reaches out to us, to try to help us in trouble, to heal a broken relationship, to clean up the mess.

we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved

We may have deserved the wrath of God for the way we have turned from him and made a mess of life and the world but God has this difficulty.  The difficulty is this – that although God hates the sin he loves the sinner.  And he does reach out to us. He acts out of grace – it is by grace you have been saved

Definition of Grace = the unmerited favour of God towards people.  His grace arises out of his mercy.  Mercy = compassion or forbearance shown towards an offender.

This is a doctrine which goes to the heart of the Protestant Church and has been a touchstone since the Reformation. The main tenets of the Reformation have been gathered into five "Solas£ (meaning "alone" or "only" in Latin).

 - By Faith alone

-  By Scripture alone

-  Through Christ alone

-  By Grace alone

-Glory to God alone.

These were not written down as a list at the time but have been used since to summarise those things central to teh Reformation. 

And so moving forward to verses 8 & 9 of Epehsians 2, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.  This says it is by God’s unmerited favour that we have been saved through faith and this is all because of God – nothing to do with what we have done.  It is the gift of God.   And it is the only way to be reunited with God and to be assured of eternal life with him.

What are we “saved” from?  Sin and death.

And so we have the Problem of Sin but we also have

The Promise of Salvation

Salvation by grace, through faith – all from God, and nothing to do with our works.  We cannot earn salvation and eternal life, we can only receive it.

Billy Graham said “Salvation is an act of God. It is initiated by God, wrought by God, and sustained by God.” And that is accomplished though Jesus and him alone.    The Christian faith says there is a problem (of sin) that cannot be overcome by anybody except God.  The way he does that is through Jesus who in his life stands against sin and conquers death and when he lives in us he plants the seed that enables us to live life for him and to reject sin.  he also brings the seed of resurrection life so we can know God’s love in eternity.  That is why we have the reading from John 14 today – because Jesus challenges to hear these words:

⁶ Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 

All of this through faith in God whom we see and encounter in Christ.

Definition of Faith = complete trust.  Complete trust in Jesus who died for us, who wants to live within us, who wants to lead us in this life and into the next life.  Your life in his hands.

In 1981, a Minnesota radio station reported a story about a stolen car in California. Police were staging an intense search for the vehicle and the driver, even to the point of placing announcements on local radio stations to contact the thief. On the front seat of the stolen car sat a box of crackers that, unknown to the thief, were laced with poison. The car owner had intended to use the crackers as rat bait. Now the police and the owner of the VW Bug were more interested in apprehending the thief to save his life than to recover the car. So often when we run from God, we feel it is to escape his punishment. But what we are actually doing is eluding his rescue.

Unknown.

The thief had nails through both hands, so that he could not work; and a nail through each foot, so that he could not run errands for the Lord; he could not lift a hand or a foot toward his salvation, and yet Christ offered him the gift of God; and he took it. Christ threw him a passport, and took him into Paradise.

D. L. Moody, "Day by Day with D.L Moody," Moody Press.

 ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. 

Bible Readings

Ephesians 2:1-10

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh^[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

John 14:1-7

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God^[a]; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.’

⁵ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’

⁶ Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you really know me, you will know^[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’