A Message of Hope

Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (Genesis 2:3)

God created everything we know and experience.  But have you ever noticed that the above scripture tells us God made and blessed a day of rest?  The Jews called this the Sabbath and they observed it rigorously.  In fact, some would argue that even today, their day of rest takes a lot of work to maintain. 

The word we know as ‘Sabbath’ comes from the Hebrew word for “rest” ‘shabbath.’  The first mention of sabbath rest is in Exodus 16 as Moses is explaining to the children of Israel why there will be no manna on the seventh day.  It was a “day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the LORD.” (vs 23)  The ‘rest’ of the story is some people still went out to gather their manna on the Sabbath and God asks Moses “How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions?” (vs 28)  God told the people to rest on the seventh day and they still went to work. 

We can learn two valuable lessons from these people in the Sinai desert.  First, God takes care of us and is way ahead us in the planning department.  Remember that God sent double the manna on Friday so the people would not have to labor on the Sabbath.  God takes care of his people in ways we may not understand, but we can always trust that His plan includes us.  Second, God wants us to follow His instructions and not be workaholics.  He created a day of rest and asks us to observe that.

What am I saying?  Should we observe Saturday as God’s Sabbath?  What about Sunday?  In today’s world there always seems to be something that needs to be done.  Our schedules are full of must do’s that seem to keep us from resting.  Burn out and stress are prevalent in our society.  Perhaps we can prevent these things from entering our lives by observing God’s Sabbath rest.  Paul tells us that no day is more holy than another (Romans 14:5,6), but we should honor God in however we observe our Sabbath rest.  He reiterates this to the Galatians in chapter 4 as he questions their return to the old ways of celebrating “special days and months and seasons and years.” (vs 10) We honor God with our everyday lives and not with being holy only during certain times of the week.

But the fact remains, that God created a Sabbath rest for us.  He wants us to find time to reflect on Him and His role in our lives.  Some of us find this time on Sunday.  Others find quiet time in their schedules to rest with God.  However or whenever we find time to do it, we all need time to draw closer to God in Sabbath rest.   

Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8

What does John mean when he writes (twice) that “God is love?”  Is he intimating that God is just a really good feeling?  The Almighty is just an emotion?  What exactly is John trying to tell us about God here in 1 John 4?
God is love has many connotations to many people.  Some see God as the kindly father who loves his children often to a fault.  Others see this as a counterpoint to the God of the OT who commanded obedience and servitude from his people.  Many today consider God to be contained within themselves to the point that they become a god.  What was John trying to convey to us when he used these words?
The context of these statements about God is important.  First, the situational context is that he is writing to people who are doubting their salvation, because others have told them they are not ‘good enough’ for God.  One thing John’s writing should do for us is to reassure us that God loves us.  He expresses that love in many ways.  Our response to His love is to love each other.  John is encouraging us to reach out to the world in love.
The textual context of these verses is associated with our lives.  In the first instance in verse 8, we are told that without love in our lives we cannot know God.  This negative description of life without love as a life without God is based on the fact that God is love.  In verse 16, John uses the same terminology to describe a positive relationship with God as love.  “Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in them.” 
Isn’t this second life what we are searching for?  A life of love that overcomes the world with God living in us?  John is not using flowery, hyperbolic language here.  John is telling us today that our salvation is secure based on the love of God in our daily lives.  Lets believe and live it.  sm

Most of the time when we talk about love, we go to 1 Corinthians 13.  Here Paul tells us about the ‘most excellent way.’ (12:13)  But his description here really doesn’t do justice to the love that Christ has for us.  To find the love of Christ, we must go to John 13. 
John 13 is set just prior to Passover.  Christ is preparing to leave this world and return to heaven.  The story is about Jesus doing something for his disciples that he has never done before.  He put on the role of servant and washed their feet.  Feet in the first century were dirty due to the fact of having to walk in dirt and filth wearing only sandals.  People stepped in many undesirable things as they walked around outside.  When they came into a home, the tradition was for servants to wash their feet to keep the dirt out and their feet clean.  Lacking servants, a basin was often provided for people to clean their own feet.  The ultimate form of hospitality was for the host to wash his guests’ feet.
Why is this incident mentioned under the topic of love you might ask?  In verse one, we are told that Jesus loved his own in the world to the end.  We are then told as the evening meal was in progress, Jesus got up and washed his disciples feet.  He loved them so much that he wanted to purify them prior to leaving them.  Christ was also modeling behavior for them.  He tells them “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (vs 15)  Should we be washing each other’s feet today?
The point of the story is not clean fee

t.  The point of the story is love.  Jesus loved his disciples so much that he wanted to do something for them.  He showed them how to love each other.  Verse 17 sums up by telling us that we will be blessed if we do “them.”  “Them” is not foot washing per se.  “Them” is following the perfect example of Christ and doing what He did.  We need to love like Christ loved.
Scripture:  John 13: 1-17

Kayla and I are excited about being here and working with you in Albany.  We are looking forward to a lasting relationship with each and every one of you as we all work in the gospel ministry.  Tim talked last Sunday about 2 Corinthians 3 where Paul tells us we have a glorious ministry that brings us righteousness and leads to our “being transformed into his image.” (vs 18)
So with this promise what could go wrong in this life?  Do we really trust God to do what He says?  Doesn’t he need our help every once and awhile?  People throughout the ages have wrestled with this issue.  We want to help God by helping ourselves.  Adam and Eve reasoned they could eat from the trees God put off limits.  Lot’s wife wanted just one more look at Sodom.  The children of Israel weren’t sure they could really take the Promised Land.  How do we view the world and God’s control of it today?
We live in tumultuous times.  There are wars, famine, droughts, and financial upheavals.  People are turning away from God and His commands in droves.  Do we trust that God is in charge?
Paul tells us in Romans 8 that God is in charge and we are free from the “law of sin and death.” (vs 2)  This promise is for those that are able to live by the Spirit and become members of God’s family.  In fact, we are promised that the Spirit will intercede for us in our prayers. (vs 26)  No matter what happens here on earth God is in charge.  He created us.  He sent His Son to die for our sins.  He gives us His Spirit to help us.  We must know that in every turn of life, God uses every situation for good for those that love Him. (vs 28)
While there are people turning away from God in droves, many are returning to Him.  There is a world wide Christian revolution going on in the world.  People in developing nations, new democracies, and even here in America are turning to God.  Many understand they are not in control and need an eternal, unchanging, righteous light in their lives.  Our mission is to help them see the love of Jesus in our lives.  We have a glorious ministry.  If God is in charge of our lives, then nothing can go wrong.
Scripture:  Romans 8: 28