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Sunday Sermon: Your Own Personal Jesus

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Pastor Ryan Jantzi from Zurich Mennonite Church.

Hymns:
Whom shall I fear God of angel armies by Chris Tomlin
Beautiful one by Tim Hughes
Good Good father by Chris Tomlin
In the garden by Charles Austin Miles

Scripture: John 3:1-21

3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where
it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes
from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the
Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Sermon Notes:

Pastor started the sermon off playing this clip:

Johnny Cash lived a troubled life, fighting drug abuse.
This song was important to him

In history Jesus being shown as a personal Saviour
Shift now to seeing him as king of universe

He is our personal Saviour as well as king of the universe.

Nicodemus is invited to make Jesus his personal Saviour

A member of the Jewish ruling council, a faithful follower of God

Jesus tells him he must be born again.
To experience the fullness of the kingdom of God you need to be born again.

Moses and the snake

Poisonous snakes, people need to look to the bronze Snake in order to be healed from the poisonous snakes.

So people need to look to Jesus to be saved from the poison of sin.

Nicodemus represents people that need to respond to the truth of Scripture.
Nicodemus needed to know the personal Jesus.

We are just like Nicodemus,  needing to know Jesus in our heart.
People can know the scriptures well without really knowing God.

Hear Jesus today.   Be born again.

How do we bear one another’s burdens?

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You know something?   It’s hard to get used to another churches way of doing things.  The church we are going to for the rest of January doesn’t write down things like scripture passages, sermon titles or music used.   Makes it MUCH harder for me to take good notes.   I know that I missed a couple of songs this morning, but it is what it is eh?   And I made up a title based on the short message presented.

Hymns/Songs: 

Precious Lord take my hand
My eyes are dry by Keith Green
Set my spirit free by Charlotte Baker
Lord I need you by Matt Maher
Follow you by Ed Cash

Scripture: Psalm 31, Romans 12:9-13, Galatians 6

Text Romans 12
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 

Sermon Notes:

Our focus this week is on mental health.  We are called to learn and grow.
How do we care for those with mental illness in the church.

How do we bear one another’s burdens?   Galatians 6
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.

We need a Holistic approach,  moving toward the person instead of stepping away.

Why do we step away?
. Fear
. Not knowing how to help
. Seeing others as able to help better ie counselors

Romans 12:9-16
Cling to what is good,
Be devoted to one another
Walk with them
Be joyful in hope
Be hopeful for their recovery and let them know it’s not the whole story
What does it look like to welcome the mentally into our hi,especially,  or even going into their homes
Be a blessing to them.
Show them how they are a blessing to you.

You might need to ask people with mental illness how you can help them, what support do they need?

THE REST OF THE SERVICE was taken up talking with health care professions, and having people with mental illness tell their stories and what has been most beneficial to them in getting better.   My notes are included as they may prove helpful.

Holistic care…what does it look like?
People used to treat just the physical and the mental either together or separate, the spiritual was ignored.  More and more the integration is seen as not only as helpful but necessary

Describe what a helpful community looks like
. A lot of advocacy needed, different agencies working together,
. Acceptance

What are unintentionally hurtful ways
. Giving pat answers
    . Instead we should listen with all your skill instead of listening to give an answer
. Forgetting the person and only seeing their illness.
. Giving unsolicited advice
. Trying to fix the person
. Minimizing their pain
. Prayer as a way of stopping the conversation
.
What we should do
. Walk with the person not ahead of them
. Listen with all your skill
. Take in a mental first aid course (like physical first aid)
. Know when you are in over your head
. Let the person do for themselves what they are able
. Show mercy and God’s grace

Sabine’s story
Has schizophrenia
As a youth had a good life
Then at age 19 three people died who where Important to her
Age 20 was hospitalized….psychosis
Age 30 hears voices, telling her how to kill herself and others
World shattered,
Eventually learned how to share it with others
Her world opened up

Suggestion:  to pray for those with mental illness
: to say hi and ask how are you doing as isolation is a big concern for the mentally ill

Sara
Chemically induced depression….as in the chemicals in her brain don’t work together correctly
Clinical anxiety, seasonal affect time disorder

Stress is a trigger

What helps
. Knowing she is not alone, having a mentor
. Doesn’t need people feeling sorry for her
. A good listening ear
. Ask how you can help
. If you don’t have time to listen then don’t ask
. People she can trust
. Be understanding of the struggles.

Damaging
. People saying snap out of it
. Anxiety is stupid get past it
. Not understanding good weeks/bad weeks

Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon

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Today’s passage is taken from Ezekiel 31.   You can read more in my Ezekiel Studies here and here.

Here is a reading of Ezekiel 31.

The Word of The Lord again came to Ezekiel, this time with a word against the Pharaoh of Egypt.  He is to ask Pharaoh this question

“Whom are you like in your greatness?
He is to then give The Pharaoh the example of Assyria, how it was like a cedar in Lebanon, a great beautiful tree, towering above others, nourished with abundant waters.  It was so beautiful, tall and luxurious that not in the the cedars in the garden of God could rival it.                                       3     Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon,
                                        with beautiful branches and forest shade,
                                           and of towering height,
                                           its top among the clouds.
                                    4 The waters nourished it;
                                           the deep made it grow tall,
                                             making its rivers flow
                                               around the place of its planting,
                                                       sending forth its streams
                                                   to all the trees of the field.
                                   5 So it towered high
                                     above all the trees of the field;
                                      its boughs grew large
                                       and its branches long
                                          from abundant water in its shoots.

This tree was indeed so beautiful that the other trees envied it, even the trees in the garden of Eden, the ones in the garden of God.
                                    9 I made it beautiful
                                       in the mass of its branches,
                                     and all the trees of Eden envied it,
                                           that were in the garden of God.
It grew to be proud, full of itself, because of all it’s grandeur, so God himself, the one who grew the tree gave it over into the hand of a mighty one from the nations.
This land will deal with it as it’s wickedness deserves.  Pride has caused it to be cast out.
You know.. I read those words and I think… God hates those who are full of themselves, those who forget WHOSE they are.  Seriously.  How often does God condemn the pride of men and nations?
This cedar of Lebanon which is Assyria… so proud of her fame,fortune, good looks… and GOD HATES IT.
He really does.  He sees it as wickedness and so he allows her to be cut down.
 
 12 Foreigners, the most ruthless of nations, have cut it down and left it. On the mountains and in all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs have been broken in all the ravines of the land, and all the peoples of the earth have gone away from its shadow and left it. 13 On its fallen trunk dwell all the birds of the heavens, and on its branches are all the beasts of the field. 14 All this is in order that no trees by the waters may grow to towering height or set their tops among the clouds, and that no trees that drink water may reach up to them in height. For they are all given over to death, to the world below, among the children of man, with those who go down to the pit.
I read how Assyria is to be cut down and thrown into the pit and I think OH GOD.. let me not be a proud person.  Looking only to my own achievements.  Let me give the praise to God and show rightly that everything I am is his own doing.
Let me NOT be used as an example to others having them to be clothed in doom and mourning.
Look what happens to the church today when one of our “lights” is brought down.   How it makes the whole church look bad and people mourn the loss.
I am not one of those bright lights that people look…(to the larger Christian community).   But I still don’t want to be caught up for pride. And in God’s anger at it cause myself to be disciplined and others saddened because of it. 
 

So just as Egypt is challenged by the fall of Assyria….so I am challenged.
18 “Whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? You shall be brought down with the trees of Eden to the world below. You shall lie among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword.
“This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, declares the Lord God.”

Are you challenged as well?   What do these words speak to your heart?

Hymn Study: Precious Lord, Take My Hand

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I wasn’t aware of some controversy around this song until I started researching it. 

The controversy makes sense. There are two men bearing a similar name, living around the same time. Thomas Dorsey the big band musician and Thomas Andrew Dorsey musician.

I depended on Snopes to help wind my way through this quagmire. 

AND EVEN SO.. I still don’t really get it.  ALL I really understand is that Thomas Dorsey (white guy, big band) didn’t write this song.  Thomas Andrew Dorsey (black guy, jazz player) DID write the song.  The fellow who wrote it did have his wife and son die, and through his grief at the loss of both wrote this song Precious Lord. 

It’s important to get the names straight.   

This is a story that comes from a place of extreme grief.  Knowing that you were performing, doing the Lord’s work, while at home your wife is dying, giving birth to your son, and having your son die the next day.  

Pouring out your grief before the Lord in song….and struggling to come back to him in the aftermath.    In the midst of despair, a friend visited Dorsey and arranged for him
to be left alone in a music room with a piano. “It was quiet; the late
evening sun crept through the curtained windows,” Dorsey recalled. For
the first time in many days, he sat at a piano using his fingers to
browse the keys. Soon, the young artist experienced a personal
revival: “I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and
touch God. I found myself playing a melody, one I’d never heard or
played before, and words [for “Precious Lord”] came into my head—they
just seemed to fall into place.”  (source)

 Dorsey was raised in a Baptist home, but turned away from the Lord to pursue playing jazz and blues music.  Severe illness brought him back to the Lord.  Over his life time he composed over 1,000 songs, 200 of which were gospel songs.   To learn more, read this page.   He died in 1993 and is known as the “architect of modern gospel music”.

Lyrics: 
Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light:
Refrain
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

When my way grows drear,

Precious Lord, linger near,
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call,
Hold my hand lest I fall:
Refrain
When the darkness appears
And the night draws near,
And the day is past and gone,
At the river I stand,
Guide my feet, hold my hand:

Sunday Sermon: On Whom Do You Rely?

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This is the Official Closing Service of Bethel Reformed Church. 

Pastor preached an excellent sermon at the closing service, you really should listen to it and not just read my sermon notes.    A difficult service, but a great sermon.

 Hymns

A mighty fortress
Amazing Grace
Guide me, o my great redeemer
Oh Lord my God.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 text vv8-10

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who
comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort
those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we
ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If
we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are
comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you
patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Sermon

 

My Sermon Notes:  

Today we come to close the Bethel Reformed Church in Exeter.

It’s easy to struggle with the question of why, why did God let this happen?

Sometimes it’s easy to see things that didn’t go as they should have, but when push comes to shove, it’s all in God’s providence, and we can’t always know why.

In our reading today, Paul writes to the Corinthian church talking to them about the suffering he has gone through.  And not always knowing the why, but being able to see the result.

Paul writes to them …letting them know that he suffers.  Suffering was him.  Beaten, accused,  misrepresented,  imprisoned,  sometimes nigh unto to death.  It was not easy for him.

Paul suffered….and in that suffering was comforted.
And through that comfort is now able to comfort others.

Paul didn’t say what his suffering in Asia was, just that it was beyond them, it was so bad they wanted to die.   They were so burdened and suffering that death was welcome.  It seemed the end was right there waiting.

But God delivered them.

Many now struggle.  Some with the church closing.  Loss of community hurts and burdens. 

See like Paul did.   God was working.  
God was teaching them to rely on him, he the God who raises the dead.   Rely on me God says.

God….
He pushed Paul to see who he should really rely on.
God…
And this is the God who raises the dead.
The God who brought Christ back from the dead.

God brought them through that time of difficulty.
God can bring any of us through this.

It teaches us to rely on him more.

So that we can set our hopes on him, knowing he will deliver us again.

The God we rely on…..is the God that raises the dead.

This God will not abandon us.   In our sufferings he will always be with us.

So ask yourself this.
Just who do you rely on?

For those who answer their reliance is on God.
Know that God’s work in you has not ended.
God’s work in the church has not ended.
He will do things we can’t even imagine as of yet. 

God’s Chooses to Weaken Egypt

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20 In the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and behold, it has not been bound up, to heal it by binding it with a bandage, so that it may become strong to wield the sword. 22 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt and will break his arms, both the strong arm and the one that was broken, and I will make the sword fall from his hand. 23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them through the countries. 24 And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a man mortally wounded. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall. Then they shall know that I am the Lord, when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt. 26 And
I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them
throughout the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

I have to admit, i don’t get what’s going on here. 

We already learned from the previous 19 verses that God was going to execute judgement against Egypt for her treatment of Israel.   So when they talk in this section about breaking Egypt’s good arm and also breaking her broken arm again, I don’t get it.

I understand the end result of what God wants.  He wants Egypt to see that he is the Lord.  That none of their ‘gods’ is God ONLY he is.

I guess the point is, when I stop and think about it some more is this.   God could have just let Babylon come in and fight and eventually defeat Egypt.

What God did though is he weakened Egypt.   He weakened her in such a way that Pharaoh was groaning about it.  

It tells me that God strengthens those he will strengthen and weakens those he will weaken.
God is Lord.
It is very apparent to me in these verses, God is Lord.  

He used a nation that was evil in the sight of God to discipline another nation that had treated his people badly.  In that process he weakened Egypt so that Babylon could wreak devastation upon her.

Egypt: Alas the day

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Today’s Devotional is based off Ezekiel 30:1-19.
 God’s word against Egypt continues.

God tells the people to prepare for 

“Wail, ‘Alas for the day!’
3     For the day is near,
    the day of the Lord is near;
it will be a day of clouds,
    a time of doom for the nations.
4 A sword shall come upon Egypt,
    and anguish shall be in Cush,
when the slain fall in Egypt,
    and her wealth is carried away,
    and her foundations are torn down.

A time of hardship is coming for the people of Egypt, a time of doom and the sword, for her wealth to the carried away.

It won’t be just Egypt who falls but all who support her as well. 

Cush, and Put, and Lud, and all Arabia, and Libya, and the people of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.

6 “Thus says the Lord:
Those who support Egypt shall fall,
    and her proud might shall come down;
from Migdol to Syene
    they shall fall within her by the sword,

All these nations and cities will be devastated.
So that they will know that “I AM THE LORD” (says the Lord God).
Egypt and all her helpers will be broken … so that folks will know this fundamental truth.   God is the Lord, there is none other. 

The Lord will allow Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babyton 

  • to destroy the land
  • draw swords against Egypt
  • Fill the land with the slain

God will

  • dry up the Nile
  • sell the land in to the hands of evildoers
  • bring desolation upon the land and everything in it
  • he will do this using the hands of foreigners.
  • destroy the idols
  • put an end to images in Memphis
  • no more princes of Egypt
 14 I will make Pathros a desolation
    and will set fire to Zoan
    and will execute judgments on Thebes.
15 And I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,
    the stronghold of Egypt,
    and cut off the multitude of Thebes.
16 And I will set fire to Egypt;
    Pelusium shall be in great agony;
Thebes shall be breached,
    and Memphis shall face enemies by day.
17 The young men of On and of Pi-beseth shall fall by the sword,
    and the women shall go into captivity.
18 At Tehaphnehes the day shall be dark,
    when I break there the yoke bars of Egypt,
and her proud might shall come to an end in her;
    she shall be covered by a cloud,
    and her daughters shall go into captivity.
19 Thus I will execute judgments on Egypt.

 The Lord has spoken.
It will be as he has said.

And so Egypt will know that the God is the Lord.
The Lord God is so specific in his judgements against Egypt.  Spelling out what will happen to her and her allies. 

Egypt, the land that Israel turned to time and again for help.   Who in the Old Testament first treated Israel well and then led to a time of horrid captivity.  The land to which eventually Joseph would feel with his young family when warned by angels to do so.

Egypt with its many gods needed to learn a fundamental truth.   The same truth we all need to learn.

GOD IS THE LORD.   

Not the Nile, not Ra, Not the pharoahs, nothing else.  Nothing that we make out as important.  Not traditions, tv, blogging, family, life, health, work etc.  NOTHING.

ONLY God is the Lord.

Recognize that fundamental truth. 
Learn from the mistakes the Egypt made.