by Pastor Donald J. Gettys

Bible quotations are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted

How To Be Happy Even Though You Are Married

Can you remember when marriage was a good word? Now the news headlines are filled with smut, some of which is flowing from the oval office. The white house is finding out that low living has a high cost. News commentators broadcast loathsome reports including hot steamy words we wish our children would not ask about. But the claim of adultery in our white house is not the worst part. What incriminates Americans is the fact that we don't even care. The popularity of this leader is up to 68%! We are more concerned about Dow Jones than Paula Jones. Most folks think the hanky-panky life of a leader is his own private business because what he did was not illegal. But it was certainly immoral. As we throw out the Ten Commandments from our court houses and toss Christian values from our nation, we are reaping further moral decline. Perhaps if some of these leaders had more vision they would have fewer nightmares. Hebrews 13:4 "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Our little children are picking up on these things. One small 4 year-old boy brought a neighbor girl to see his mommy and said: "Mother, this is Marcy, she is going to be my first wife!" The girl who remembers her first kiss now has a daughter who can barely remember her first husband. "Till death do us part" is still a part of the wedding vows. But far too often, it isn't a part of the real commitment of the heart. A groom said: "I'm getting married and thereby saving enough on my income tax to get a divorce if it doesn't work"..... Almost as if he were planning on divorce.  

Wedding vows are a life-long COMMITMENT to stay married. Vows are made to four different parties:
1. God
2. Their new spouse
3. Family members
4. Friends and witnesses

Marriage is not a contract. Contracts can be broken. Marriage is a life commitment to be kept. Let's study the exciting account of a godly woman who was zealously committed to her rotten marriage and what eventually happened to her. I Samuel 25:2 A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. This Hebrew word for wealth is HEAVY, .. he was loaded! How often God gives to the Nabals of life. 3 "His name was Nabal and his wife's name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman," She was beautiful on the outside and the inside. Brains and beauty are nature's gifts, but character is an achievement made by personal effort and a daily relationship with God. 3b -"but her husband, a Calebite, was surly and mean in his dealings (dishonest)." Even though Nabal inherited Caleb's land he acquired none of Caleb's fine qualities. Nabal was like a snapping turtle, snarling and mean. His name means Fool. Beautiful Abigail stayed married to this drunken crusty, sour man. How many an attractive Abigail is tied down to a harsh Nabal. Any other woman would have considered leaving. But Abigail was a person of commitment. Nabal was abrasive and violent. Their marriage appears to be one of the worst in the Bible. But, sour crabby behavior does not neutralize marriage vows. Verse one says Samuel died. This put David in greater personal danger from king Saul. So David was hiding in the outback. He and his band of mercenaries needed food. One day Nabal was out shearing his sheep. David's men came up and politely asked for a little food. David's men had been like a wall of protection guarding Nabal/s property from the vigilante-like Philistine raiders. Here is a bizarre thing. The evil Nabal abounds in surplus while a prominent a saint like David suffers want. How often the saints go begging while deplorable sinners flourish with money and goods. Nabal said: "Who is David?" and he ordered them away empty handed. "Don't ever expect any help from me." He hurled obnoxious words at them. Nabal was short sighted and short fused. He sent David's famished men away destitute. I Samuel 25:12,13 "David's men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word. David said to his men, "Put on your swords!" So they put on their swords, and David put on his. About four hundred men went up with David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies. You don't put on swords to have a friendly discussion at the neighbors. 400 troops set out to exterminate a selfish stubborn cheapskate. verse 14-17 "One of the servants told Nabal's wife Abigail: 'David sent messengers from the desert to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing. Night and day they were a wall around us all the time we were herding our sheep near them. Now think it over and see what you can do, because disaster is hanging over our master and his whole household. He is such a wicked man that no one can talk to him." Here was Abigail's opportunity of a lifetime. All she had to do was sit back and watch David's troops handle her marriage problems. In just a few hours she would be free. As the galloping horses rounded the mountain in a cloud of dust she could simply pray, Lord, take him quickly, don t let him suffer. All this is his fault, now he is going to reap what he has been sowing all these years. Thank you Jesus! That is exactly what a carnal husband or wife might do. That is the way a non- Christian employee might think. But not Abigail! At Nabal s weakest moment she protected her vulnerable doomed husband. Proverbs 12:4 A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones. Proverbs 31:10 A wife of noble character...... 12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. Abigail protected her worthless husband (I Samuel 25:18) Abigail lost no time. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two (leather bags of fresh grape juice), five dressed sheep, five seahs (10 gallons) of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. Abigail could work fast! David and 400 hungry men with heir stomachs growling are coming as fast as a cruise missile on a death mission. I don t know where Abigail could come up with 200 loaves of bread so quickly out there in the wilderness of Paran. Abigail sure was an industrious bride. She was a self starter but her husband was a crank. 19 Then she told her servants, "Go on ahead; I'll follow you." She got spruced up and joined them. I Samuel 25:23, 24 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground. She fell at his feet and said: "My lord, let the blame be on me alone. Please let your servant speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. Notice how submissive she was. Yielding is often the only way to achieve peace. Don t be slow to yield in an argument. If Both husband and wife will totally submit, then they can achieve reconciliation. Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Notice that sweet Abigail did not leave her fighting, cranky, harsh husband. No divorce here. It was hard, but she stayed with her husband and allowed God to take care of unfairness in His own time. Make the best of the marriage you have. Marriage is for life. If you are already divorced and now remarried, you can t divorce your currant companion and go back and remarry the first one. No. But from this moment on, stick it out. Matthew 19:6 what God has joined together, let man not separate. Your marriage is for life. This was probably not the first time Nabal s life was saved by his wife s wisdom, action and council. You know, we men don t listen to the council of our godly wives like we ought to. If you have a godly companion, listen up. It could save you a lot of grief. Abigail went out as a mediator between the forces of evil. In this respect she represents Christ our Saviour. Notice how Abigail takes the blame upon herself. She was prepared to suffer for the faults of others. She pled with David to forgive her husband for he knows not what he does. The word Nabal means Fool. She tries to atone for his faults. She speaks with wisdom: David, what you are about to do here is so uncharacteristic of your kindness. Don t spoil your Sterling record with murder. It is true that you have been hurt, but I know that you are a bigger man than to stoop to kill in revenge for personal wrongs. Deep down in my heart I know that you want to keep it that way. She tries to protect David's integrity in view of the office he will soon hold as president of the nation. David is such a neat Saint. His sword is drawn, his heart is pounding and yet as he listens to this godly lady his heart is changed. How impossible to be angry with a woman holding a tray of fresh homemade chocolate chip cookies! David is humble and flexible. Wisdom wins the day. I Samuel 25:35 Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him and said, go home in peace. I have heard your words and granted your request. Abigail turns and goes home. Imagine her homecoming! Can you just see her husband come running out to thank her? Oh, sweetheart, you saved my life! Thank you so much! I am going to live a different life from now on. I promise! They stand there in a warm embrace. But... not so! I Samuel 25:36 When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until daybreak. That night he suffered from a massive hangover from his drunkenness. A hangover is something that occupies the head that you neglected to use the day before. 37 Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and became like a stone. (It was already as hard as a rock!) The Lord didn't intervene and 10 days later, he died. Nabal had a massive heart attack or stroke.

Nabal was dead four times over:
1. Dead Drunk! It is hard to live with a drunken wife or drunken husband. He had died years ago.
2. Dead in Marriage. The marriage was long since dead. Yet his wife continued to be faithful.
3. Dead with Despondency. Verse 37- his heart died within him. How quickly he changed. The night before his heart was merry with wine, and the next morning as heavy as a stone. Maybe the reason he had a sudden heart attack was when he realized how much money his wife had just spent appeasing David s hungry men.
4. Dead indeed! When David heard the news of Nabal s death, he gave God thanks. Abigail must have breathed a sigh of relief. Tears are not shed at the grave side of misers.

Abigail was a person of distinction. No matter what your marital predicament, you can become a person of character and worth. I Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  

One of the Yardsticks of a great marriage is Unselfishness! The New English Bible expresses it this way:
• Love is patient;
• love is kind and envies no one.
• Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude,
• Never SELFISH,
• not quick to take offense.

Never marry a selfish person. They will take up more than their half of the checkbook, the bed, the assets, the time. An unselfish husband constantly looks for ways to make his wife happy. If we could put all known sins in a humongous iron pot and boil them all down to their single ingredient, that component would be selfishness. Nabal was an extremely selfish tightwad. How Abigail ever married him is not known. Especially since Nabal s parents chose a name that meant Fool. His miserly cranky attitude eventually cost him his life. Abigail s sweet nature and wisdom gained her a better life. Abigail's example lives on through the ages in distinguished excellence. This wife was committed, unselfish, wise, hardworking, patient, and virtuous. If you married a Nabal, allow Jesus to make you into a person of excellence. God often allows some of His dearest saints to be tried or buffeted by the winds of adversity so that they may be strengthened for His service and prepared to fulfill His highest purposes. Abigail was destined to be the companion of the King. So are we. Therefore in our homes and work places let us bloom where we are planted until that day when the king of king comes with His eternal reward to give to His faithful children.  

Opening Hymn # 88 I sing the Mighty power of God
Scripture Reading: Responsive Reading # 829
Hymn of Response: 335 What a Wonderful Savio
McDonald Road Sermons

by Kent Crutcher, Associative Pastor of

Quotations from the Bible are from the New International Version

Spirit Filled Living

Let's open our Bibles this morning to 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. "When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." "My message and my preaching were . . . with a demonstration of the Spirit's power." What is a demonstration of the Spirit's power? What if I invited you to go to a Bible study with me and you asked me to show you a demonstration of the Spirit's power, what would you expect to see? What about during a worship service? If you saw the Spirit's power demonstrated in a church service, what did you see? Eliot Wigginton was involved in a survey of religious services all over the South. He reports about one service with the following personal comment. "Each of us who participated in the worship service found this a church of incredible strengths, tremendous energy and honesty and of total commitment to God and to the congregation. It is not a church of talk, but of action so dynamic that beside it, more conventional forms of worship seem stale and lifeless." (Foxfire #7)  

Is this a description of your worship experience?
• Action not talk
• Dynamic
• Tremendous energy
• Honesty

I hope those adjectives truly do describe your worship and your life, but I hope that you don't do what this church did to get that dynamic energy! This report was given about a snake handling service! You can bet there would be tremendous energy in and service I attended that handled snakes! 'Where would you like a door? I'm going through the closest wall!" When we think of a demonstration of the Spirit's power, we are inclined to think of the dramatic and the spectacular. Like some preachers who weep and wail and shout and pound and jump around, wiping sweat from their brow with grand demonstration. Being Spirit filled does not necessarily mean being spirited.  

How did Paul describe a "demonstration of the Spirit's power" in our opening text? Look again at 1 Corinthians 2:1. He starts off with what it is not:
1. "I did not come with eloquence"
2. "I did not come with superior wisdom"
3. "My preaching was not with wise persuasive words"

Whatever a demonstration of the Spirit's power was, it was not eloquence or wise persuasive words.  

His Spirit filled preaching was:
1. In Weakness
2. In Fear
3. In much trembling

So what then does a demonstration of the Spirit's power consist of? It is none other than a Spirit filled life! A sinners changed life is the greatest demonstration of the Spirit's power! The changed life of Paul was a greater testimony than anything else. The man who had once persecuted Christ was now filled with Christ! He was filled with the Spirit and was himself a demonstration of the Spirits power. He manifest this power by bearing fruits of the Spirit that are produced in a person's life and as he witnesses to others. Let's take a look at Galatians 5:22. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy , peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control." This is what Paul wrote about being filled with the Spirit. If Paul's witnessing was filled with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, then it must have consisted of the fruits of the Spirit. LOVE----Spirit filled witnessing is full of love. There is a witnessing that seeks to change the mind of the person with no love. It can even be a well intentioned attempt to manipulate for Jesus. Too often we seek to mold people's opinions without melting them first.  

There are those who when they witness
• let the chips fall where they may.
• separate the sheep from the goats.
• point out the sins of the people.

Some respond to this tactic, but this does not make it right. I don't deny that there are times to point out the sins of another, but it had better be spoken from a broken heart with tears, without judgement. That is a witness of the Spirit's power of love. JOY----Spirit filled witnessing is also full of joy. When the Gospel has been experienced, there is joy in the life and joy in telling others! We Share Good News!  

What do children see in you and me?
• Do they see joyful Christians?
• Do they hear us speak joyfully about the Church? About Jesus? About the person whom we sat next to during the service?
• Do they watch us sing hymns joyfully (the words may be over their heads but they can tell if you are moved by what you sing)?
• Or do children see you as some that I remember in the church as a child: Bible under one arm, finger pointing at whatever was considered unacceptable behavior.

If the children do not see joy in you and the church, they may seek joy elsewhere! PEACE----Spirit filled witnessing is full of peace. Peace is more than the absence of war. We can have an inner peace that will be a great witness to others during times of turmoil, whether it be personal tragedy or a world crises. That is why it is called a peace that passes understanding. It is confidence that God is in control and is leading you in the best paths that you can take even though you do not understand why. I was in the city of Munich, Germany. With me were a couple of acquaintances with whom I did not have a close relationship. We figured out that we were lost. That can be a high stress situation in a foreign city when you have a train to catch. One of my defense mechanisms is to appear very calm even though I am extremely nervous. My acquaintances were drawn to me for guidance because I appeared to be at peace about the whole situation. They decided that I was worth having a deeper friendship with. If they had only know how unpeaceful I really was! True peace of mind draws others to you and to Jesus. PATIENCE----Spirit filled witnessing is full of patience.  

• Do people change as quickly as you would like?
• Do you change as quickly as they would like?
• Do you change as quickly as you would like?

Maybe things don't happen as quickly as you would like around your church. Be patient. My greatest disappointment is not in how little others have changed, but in how little I have grown. I like the saying that I have seen on T-shirts and bumper stickers: "Be patient. God isn't finished with me yet." If God has not finished with you, maybe He hasn't finished with the person next to you either. KINDNESS----Spirit filled witnessing is kind. Kindness can mean so much. Receiving a card or encouraging word can change a person's whole attitude. I had two friends in 7th grade over at Spaulding. One had turned against me and was trying to turn the other against me as well. In fact, he arranged a fight between us in the church parking lot after school. I didn't want to fight but I also didn't want to appear afraid. Well, the rains of Collegedale kept postponing the big event, much to my relief. But finally the day of reckoning had come. I had a plan. I invited the person who was going to knock my teeth out to go on a camping trip with my family. That took the fight right out of him! After school, in the church parking lot, we circled each other with the third guy egging us on. Then we pounced on him! It didn't matter much. He was bigger than both of us put together. A kind word turneth away wrath. Kindness can be as simple as saying the right thing at the right time. Just because something is true does not mean that now is the best time to say it. Even Jesus knew better than to tell His disciples everything. He knew that they would not be able to bear such knowledge at that time. GOODNESS----Spirit filled witnessing manifests goodness. There is a false goodness that we all fall for. Goodness developed to meet other s expectations. Doing things to keep up appearances. Putting a burden on your children that they need to keep up the appearance of goodness. True goodness is a natural kind that grows from the genuine heart and is not worn like a costume. The goodness of the Spirit is not a goodness of avoidance, or artificial separation from the world. The world we live in basically sees religious piety as just avoiding evil, and some of us see it the same way.

It is a piety that deals with the world by running from it:
• from rock music
• from pornography
• from bad TV

 

The testimony of one converted to this goodness of avoidance lists all the things they don't do anymore:
• they don't dance
• they don't drink
• they don't smoke
• they don't swear
• they don't....they don't....they don't....

That is hardly a testimony that appeals to the world! Broadcasting such external goodness is like the hypocrites standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Don't get me wrong! I don't believe in doing any of these things. But let's be careful lest we avoid evil, thinking therefore that we are good. Goodness is more than avoiding evil! Spirit filled goodness goes beyond a defensive fight against evil. I have always heard the expression, "the best defense is a good offense." Let goodness take center stage. Let our eyes be focused on the Gospel. Not on what the ultra liberals are doing or on what the ultra conservatives are into. If we are always fearful of the radical right or left minority, we doom the church to searching for liberals or conservatives instead of searching for sinners. Spirit filled witnessing manifests true goodness. FAITHFULNESS----Spirit filled witnessing is also faithful. When we think of faithfulness, we think of being faithful to the truth. Spirit filled witnessing is faithful to the truth. However, before you say, "Yes, I speak the truth so I am Spirit filled." let me warn you that for Spirit filled witnessing you need more that truth. Just because the man in the insane asylum states truth, "The Earth is round." does not mean he is ready for the world. Truth is not enough. There is something nonsensical about the truth in the mouth of one whose life has no evidence a participation in that truth. To preach and prove that the 7th day is the Sabbath is not enough. Spirit filled witnessing is more than a delivery of the truth. It is faithful participation in the truth. GENTLENESS & SELF CONTROL----Spirit filled witnessing is gentle and controlled. Have you ever used a chain saw? Have you noticed that the duller the blade, the harder you push? I remember using a chain saw that was so dull I had to use all my strength and use a sawing motion to cut a small tree. But if the blade is sharp, all you need is a gentle push. The same is true with witnessing. When less time is spent on sharpening the thoughts, more energy is spent bearing down on the point. People who get agitated and pushy if you don't see things the way they do resort to crying heresy to make you take notice. If more time were spent in prayer and Bible study, the thoughts would be sharper and less pushing would be needed. Thus, our witnessing would be gentle and controlled. Spirit filled witnessing is nothing more or less than Spirit filled people. Not eloquence, not superior wisdom, no wise persuasive words. But a people who manifest the fruits of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control. May our lives be truly filled with the Spirit!  

Opening Song: #229 - "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name"
Scripture: Galatians 5:22-25
Closing Song: #258 - "Baptize Us Anew"
McDonald Road Sermons

by Pastor Donald Gettys

Quotations from the Bible are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

Two Rocks on the Water

(Matthew 14:22-33) 20,000 hungry people had just eaten supper. The disciples rounded up 12 baskets of leftovers. What a miracle that day! Jesus was better than a vast grocery warehouse. Everybody was fed. Jesus was better than the mayo clinic....every ailment had been healed.... These were the healthiest and happiest people in Palestine. What a leader they found in Jesus! This Zealous crowd set out to force Jesus to be their king. They would have a revolution. I imagine this was one of the biggest temptations Jesus ever had. Here He could avoid the cross. Why not be the Savior of the world and let them just crown Him. He was God. He could sit on the throne in Jerusalem. The Romans would be no challenge for this Super Man. He could Christianize the whole world. That is what He came to do anyway. But Jesus ever lived to please His Heavenly Father and so He immediately broke up the crowd. If temptation is ever to be conquered, we must act immediately. If the party crowd urges you to sin, send them home or leave yourself. Jesus knew that if the Leader-Disciples left, the crowd would also leave. It is hard to imagine Jesus sending anyone away isn't it? But He did. Matthew 14:22 - -"Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side", while he sent the crowd back to Bethsaida and ordered the Disciples to the other side of the sea of Galilee by boat. Omniscient Weatherman Jesus knew a terrible thunderstorm would strike the lake in a few hours. Killer waves would come up. The lake was notorious for that. But the trip His disciples would make was only 3« miles and the twelve would have plenty of time to arrive while the lake was safe. Jesus never sends us into danger. Quickly they loaded up the 12 baskets of angel food bread into their boat. It was a fine evening in April, 30 AD. How do we know it was spring? Because Jesus fed the crowds by making them sit down on the GREEN grass. The moon would be full that night because this was the passover season. If the disciples had immediately obeyed Jesus, both they and their oars could have rested while the wind and sail carried them to the other shore. Matthew 14:23 "After he had dismissed (the crowd), he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone," He had a lot to pray about. His cousin John had just been beheaded. He would die next. Verse 24 "but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it." KJV says many Stadia= 1/8 mile. Many would be 25-30, or 3+ miles. John 6:19. Obviously the great storm had carried them several miles South. - - Right in the middle of the sea where the waves were the worst. The 12 followers did not launch out immediately. (See Desire of Ages, p.379- EG White) Unhesitating obedience would have avoided the storm. The $64,000 question is... Why did they delay??? The winds were contrary and so were their hearts. They were headed East and the winds were going West. Bucking both wind and wave. They should have left earlier. Instead they stood and quarreled. Arguing won't move boats across lakes. Perhaps they should have argued and sailed at the same time. Now it was too late. They argued over Jesus unwise judgement and their possible loss of some high positions in His kingdom. "Why does He do what He does?" Eventually the procrastinators set out as Jesus wanted. Do you go where Jesus wants you to go? Let's be people of quick obedience. If today you feel the tugging on your heart, move out and follow Him. The one hour trip took over 8 toiling hours. Had they promptly followed Jesus' command they could have spent the night in prayer like He did. Instead of praying, they spent their night fighting for their lives. Life is hard when we don't put Jesus first. Both Jesus and His disciples stayed up all night long, but what a difference! Jesus was strengthened, the disciples were exhausted. They had taken time to gather food fragments but now had no time to gather spiritual fragments. Millions of tons of water were crashing all around them. Just one four foot wave hitting a one mile stretch of beach produces 35,000 horsepower! The person who figures out how to harness that will be rich. Verse 25 "During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake." It was the darkness just before dawn. Their little bobbing boat was like a lost cork- out there on that vast dark 60 square mile sea . But Jesus always knows where His lost sheep are. David said: "If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Thy hand will lead me and thy right hand will lay hold of me." Psalm 139:8-10. Jesus came to demonstrate that God will go to any length to rescue His lost children. You will never be where Jesus cannot find you. No blast is too brutal for Jesus to save us from it. No storm of life is so awful and no boat so frail and no night so dark and no problem is so deep that we go beyond the loving reach of our Heavenly Father. Why did Jesus wait so long before coming? It is when we are at the tail end of the rope, just barely handing on, that we become willing to trust in Him. Why do we have to suffer so long before the answer comes? If we could only trust quicker. Jesus did come! He always does. Despite their disobedience in leaving late, Jesus came. Sin does not drive Jesus away. He comes near. He knows our struggles. Jesus walked along as if He will pass by. He never forces Himself upon us. Do you feel that you are in a desperate struggle with the waves of debt, or temptations, sorrows, or pain? If the storms of life overwhelm you, call on Jesus. Suddenly here came Jesus walking on the waves! They were seeing a live first hand miracle. Have you ever seen one? Do miracles make you uneasy? We live in a world of relative physical predictability. If I drop a heavy ball bearing, I expect it to hit the floor. I expect the sun to rise. The disciples did not expect God to suspend the laws of physics on their account. You would think they would rejoice to see Jesus coming to save them. But..... Verse 26 "When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. 'It's a ghost,' they said, and cried out in fear." How often we fail to recognize our Deliverer. We think of Jesus as the problem and not the answer. What they thought was death coming to get them was actually their redeemer. They might have thought they were having a near-death experience. The Phantom of the lake came and spooked them. The disciples turned white as a sheet. Their hair stood on end. But when our hair stands on end in fear Jesus stands near! Verse 27 "But Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.'" Notice that Jesus first quelled the squall that raged in their hearts before stilling the cyclone that raged without. They were in a panic. How could anybody walk on water? Do you believe things you can't understand? A youth came home from college and said: "I don't believe anything I don't understand." His father said: "Tell me how a black cow can eat green grass and give white milk from which we get yellow butter!" But Peter believed Jesus. Do you believe? Peter was the CEO of the Fishing business in which at least 4 disciples worked. Impulsive Peter spoke: Verse 28 "'Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water.'" Are we as eager as Peter to step out in faith? Peter could later advertise on his evangelistic handbill the fact that he and Jesus were the only two people to ever walk on unfrozen water. I like Peter. Every time he fell he rose again. A saint is not someone who never falls, but one who comes to Jesus. Peter is ready to walk on the water. He is anxious to try anything. Good thing there were no drugs around in his day. Now Jesus did not come to teach the disciples how to walk on water. It is amazing that Jesus said Come to Peter. Peter said "IF it is YOU." I don't think Peter thought... Now, umm, that just could be a ghost out there?!? Peter would never risk his life to join an unidentified spook on the heaving sea. This life-long fisherman well knew the dangers of drowning in a Galilee tempest. To leave the still floating boat and step into the deep took faith. Peter risked walking on the waters of sure death because they were the only path to His Savior. He risked all for Jesus. Only when you surrender all, will you have all. It was better to be with Jesus on the water than to be without Jesus in the boat! Verse 29 "'Come,' he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus." Do you think maybe he slowly placed his foot out toward the heaving swells of the storming sea. The lake was over 100 feet deep. His foot did not go under. He was standing on the moving water! Then walking on the water! One small step for mankind and one giant step toward God. Let's step out for God! Knowing fast Peter, he probably jumped out of the boat and bounced off the water. He got up dusted himself off, got his sea legs and headed for Jesus! Faith is grows by attempting the impossible. Paying the Tithe you know you can't afford. Giving the offering you don't think you can do. And then watching God as He keeps you floating high! What a thrill! Like a boy showing off on a bicycle riding ... "Look mom! No hands! I'm on the water! But Peter made a terrible mistake. "The instant Peter withdrew his eyes from Christ, that instant he began to sink." - Vol 2 - Selected Messages p. 235. Like Lots wife, he looked back. Keep your eyes on Jesus! By beholding Jesus Peter was enabled. Beholding changed him. Beholding Jesus can change you! Don't focus on the waves. When we let the problems of life become the primary thing we begin to sink. So often the waves of vexation and strife eclipse our view of the Savior. Water in the Bible represents people! How often people come between us and Jesus and cause our loss. Verse 30 "But when he saw the wind..... (Peter had pretty good eyesight to see the wind!!!) He was afraid." It is true that what we look at determines our destiny. "Two men looked out from prison bars. One saw mud, one saw stars." Everything depends on our habitual outlook. What we see is what we get. Look at the waves and sink. Look at Jesus and live! Ps 34:5 - "Those who look to Him are radiant!" Matthew 14:30 "But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'" Our human helplessness is the most laudable element we can present to the Savior. When you take your eyes off Jesus and look at people you begin to go down. Peter even chose good folk to look at... the disciples! You can't look to the deacon or even the Sabbath School Teacher. Rivet your eyes on Jesus. Verse 31 "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him." Jesus did not wait even a split second. The water under Peters feet gave way. He started to sink like a rock. But before he went under, Jesus extended His powerful saving right hand and lifted Peter up. Instant Salvation! The buoyant Rock of Ages reached down to save Peter the Petros a sinking pebble! Peter needed more faith didn't he? Faith is not something that we hold but something that holds us up.  

Sometimes we are battered by terrible Storms. 
Sometimes we feel the darkness has won.  
Sometimes we feel helpless as a fish caught in a net.
Sometimes we feel our best efforts are not enough.
Sometimes we feel the end is near.

BUT when you are near the hand of Jesus, all you have to do is call on Him. He will hear your sincere voice above the howling of the mightiest storm. Jesus hand became Peters life preserver. A Knowledgeable man noticed a farm girl draw water at the well. Before she lifted the brimming pail, the girl took a piece of wood out of her pocket and floated it on the water. He asked her why she did it. She said: "To keep the water from spilling!" When your heart is agitated, put the Cross in it's center to keep it steady. In every storm the presence of Jesus will bring quietude. If you are sinking today, turn your face to Jesus. Verses 31 and 32 - "'You of little faith,' he said, 'why did you doubt?' And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Invite Jesus into your house and the hot winds of strife will cease. Notice that the instant Jesus boarded the boat two things happened. The wind blew out and instantly they arrived at the land. (John 6:21) They had been in the middle of the sea! When Jesus boards the ship of your life, you reach your destiny. You are saved! So many lessons in this amazing true story. Our walking can never take us all the way to Jesus. Our best efforts cannot make us float. But His power is more than enables us to walk on in the greatest storm. Notice that Peter was totally supported by the water of life. Jesus is the only way!  

Opening Hymn # 83
Scripture: Matthew 14:28-31
Closing Hymn:   512   Just When I need Him most.

McDonald Road Sermons

by Pastor Donald J Gettys

Quotations from the Bible are from the New International Version

Sugar of the Earth

You have heard in the Bible of a land flowing with milk and salt, haven't you? You're going to study in the Sabbath School lesson today that you are the salt of the earth. Salt is a great thing isn't it? A little bit of it goes a long way. A land flowing with milk and.... What? And honey. Actually, we are to be the honey of the Earth as well as the salt of the Earth. There's a place for both. So I thought we'd just balance out the salt with a little bit of honey today. I was driving down a bumpy road in Hartford, Michigan, and I happened to see along the side of the road where apparently a delivery truck had bounced and hit a bump in the road or something, and a bag of cement had fallen off this truck. Now, I'm a person who doesn't want to waste a thing. The truck was long gone and it was just there. So I stopped. I thought, I will just... I'm strong enough. I can lift that 94 pounds or whatever it is. I'll just put that in my car and take it home and use it. Otherwise it will just go to waste. And so I stopped and picked up the lost bag of cement. But instead of finding that bag soft and pliable, apparently it had been therefor a while. It had taken on a very hard form. It was as hard as a rock. It was solidified into an unbendable object. And I just left it there. I thought, our lives are a little bit like that bag of cement. Over time our life takes on the shape of what it has been accustomed to. The wear and tear of life (ware and tare of life?), the things that we are exposed to. The rain, the sunshine sort of sets us in our ways. If you are expecting to arrive in heaven sweet and smiling, you'd better start smiling now, because you're going to be set in concrete pretty soon. So we aught to be happy Christians today if we expect to be happy Christians there. We have a lot to be happy about. We have Jesus. We have the Truth. Our dispositions are set in concrete very quickly. That's why I like children so much. And your mouth will be marked with smile wrinkles only if you do a lot of smiling in this world. Now what was Jesus like? It's always a good study, to spend a thoughtful hour every day, studying the character of our Savior, His life. I would like for you to open your Bibles to Luke 10. We're going to look at several windows on what Jesus was like. Luke 10: 21 Jesus was sending out the different workers and different disciples. "At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.'" So at that time, Jesus was full of JOY. Was Jesus a sad person? No! He was full of joy. I think we want to be like Jesus. Jesus was a very happy person. I think that Christians aught to be the happiest people on the planet. And if you're happy, you need to inform your face about it. Far too many Christians today look like that as youngsters they were raised on baby bottles of dill pickle juice. Well, we need to be happy. We are not the battery acid of the world. We are the sugar of the world. And let's be sweet. Now, I go for a nice walk every morning. I hope you do too. We certainly should exercise. And every morning I get out and I'm walking and I hear grand symphonies of magnificent music. The whole way of my walk happy birds serenade me from their lofty perches. This expression goes on whether there's rain or shine, snow or blow, those birds are singing. I heard them this morning. I also heard the lightning and the thunder, and as soon as it died down the birds were still singing. We aught to take a lesson from those birds. If those bird-brained creatures can be happy, I can be happy. God wants us to be cheerful as we go on our way to the kingdom. In fact, in the bible there are over two hundred references to joy and happiness. Christians aught to be tasty. We aught to be sweet. If Christianity were more appetizing more people would be Christians. So let's make it more appetizing. Now, it's true that we are the salt of the earth. We must add flavor to the world. And that flavor, I would submit to you, includes sweetness which salt does not add. I was thinking about a bakery that's located about three miles from here. They use a little bit of sugar, probably, each day or each second. And they use oil. It seems today the only things that are tasty are the things that are bad for you. If you can avoid sweets and avoid fats you're going to do pretty good, they tell you. Well, those are the very things that are the tastiest. And so we have potato chips with no fat but with the full taste. I believe we aught to have the full taste, the full flavor of Jesus Christ. We should be the desert of the world. We are here to serve up the refreshing flavor of Jesus Christ. I see people at our campmeetings passing out mimeographed sheets of information. And I wonder, who are we winning? I'd like to ask the members of our church, why they joined. I see them out in the lobby, and I ask, "How come you joined the McDonald Road church?" And of course I expect that they will say, "Well, we appreciate the good preaching." But alas, most of them tell me, "You know why we really joined this church is because of its friendly way." The people are friendly here. And why are they friendly? Because Jesus Christ is in their hearts. That's why this is a warm church. I don't believe we should be hilarious. I do not believe that in the pulpit we need to run competition with the entertainment industries of the world. What we need to be doing in our pulpits is uplifting Jesus Christ. Then I think the sweet warmth of loving, friendly people do a lot to attract people to Christianity. Now what was Jesus like? Here's another little window on Jesus. Revelation 1: 13-16 "and among the lampstands was someone 'like the son of man,' (and of course it was Jesus) dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance." I guess what impresses me most here about Jesus is ... I know what the sword is: it's the word of God. I know what these symbols mean, but what impressed me the most as I read this is his face. It's as the sun shine, shining. Whenever Moses went up to the mountain and was near God, his face started to shine, too. I submit to you that everybody in heaven will have a shining face. Now we may not have much to make our face shine in this world, but if we expose ourselves to our Savior our face is going to shine. We're going to be bright and cheerful. Jesus' countenance was as the sunshine, glowing and beaming. A religion that makes you look sick will never cure the ills of this world. We need to brighten up a little bit. A bitter world can only be bettered by sweet happy Christians. When the world looks on your face they should see reflected there the joy of Jesus Christ, the character of Jesus Christ. The Bible does not say that Jesus' face was like the moon, it was like the sun. It wasn't like a dark cave, it was bright. It was not stern and forbidding, even children would come up to Jesus. It was not something that would repulse you, but something that would attract you. And you can be like Jesus. You can never be God, but you can be more radiant, and you can smile more. How can you be joyful? Proverbs gives the answer, and as you might guess, it requires a major change for us who are used to being grumpy, perhaps, to be cheerful. Proverbs 15:13 "A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit." What is it that makes Jesus' face beam? Because he's happy. He is a person of joy. He really is. A cheerful heart develops a continual feast (verse 15). There's a lot that the Bible has to say. And when Jesus lives within your heart is going to create a smile on your face. You can tell who the Christians are by looking at their face. Like in Matthew 6:16 This makes another statement. This talks about the hypocrites and their fasting. "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Like in Matthew 6:16 This makes another statement. This talks about the hypocrites and their fasting. "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do...." How How do the hypocrites look? Sort of somber, gloomy, dark. They don't have Jesus inside. Christians aught to be the most cheerful, sweet, happy human beings on the world. Ministry of Healing p. 251 - EG White. "It is a positive duty to resist melancholy as much a duty is to pray." Wow! "If we are heaven-bound, how can we go as a band of mourners groaning and complaining all the way to out Father's house?" We can't do it can we? A church is in a bad way when they ban happiness from the sanctuary. Proverbs 16:20 (KJV) "... and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he." I think a scowling face repulses people, but a warm, sweet smile is like a magnet. If Christianity is ever going to convert the world it will have to attract the world. Honey attracts a lot more than vinegar. Don't fence your happiness in. Let it shine out of your face. Loosen up and smile. Smiles are not patented. You don't have to have to pay a royalty every time you smile. So go ahead and do it. Lavish your smiles on your wife, on your family, on your husband. Let them see you have a happy person in the home. Let's notice another window on Jesus in Luke 4. Jesus was attending church one day. Notice verse 16. Luke 4:16 "He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day (that's the seventh day of the week, Saturday) he went into the synagogue, as was his custom." He went to church on the Sabbath! If that's good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me. I can go to church on the Sabbath day. I was His custom to be in church on Sabbath. Do we ever have a record that Jesus went camping on the Sabbath? Now for you campers, we have first church. You can come to church and Sabbath School, then change your clothes and get out into nature and go camping, spend all Sabbath afternoon, all Saturday night, all day Sunday if you wish. That's great! If you go camping as a church group, have a sermon, have the Sabbath School lesson with you. Jesus' custom was that He went to church. "And He stood up to read." And He read a section from the prophet Isaiah. And He said.... "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down." (John 4:18,19) He did the opposite of what we'd do. Usually when we preach, we stand up. He sat down to preach a sermon. What He preached we really don't know. We don't have a record of that sermon, but somebody took some notes, and it's interesting to tread the notes. The note is in verse 22: "All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips." In his sermon His words were pleasant, they were gracious. He spoke with cultivated manners and warmth and love. Now, there are times to speak the straight testimony, and He did to the Pharisees and to others. But in His home-town church, which He desperately need to convert: you convert more people with honey than with vinegar. And He spoke with love that day. However, love did not win their hearts. What did they do? They took Him out. They were going to lynch Him. They were going to throw Him over the cliff. They were going to kill Him. He never did convert His home-town. But He realized that if it were ever going to happen, sugar would do a lot more. And so, His words were gracious to them, but they did not reach them. If you are ever going to reach your wayward husband, or your rebellious son, or your rebellious daughter, you will reach them far quicker when you have something sweet to attract them with. I don't know about you, but I'm drawn a lot more by something sweet than I am, like for instance brussels sprouts. I sort of like brussels sprouts because I know that they are doing me some good. A family of skunks waddled through the woods one day, and they came up to a paper mill. Now, if you've ever driven by a paper mill, I think you get the drift of what I'm going to say here. I think the wind began blowing some of that smell over to the skunks. The baby skunk said, "What is that awful smell? That smells almost like dead fish and some of that other stuff." Mother skunk said, "I don't know what it is, but whatever it is we've got to get some." You know, for trying to attract skunks to our church, then let's drag out all the rotten church garbage that we can find and put it out there for public display. Let's mimeograph it, but if we're trying to attract beautiful Christians to our church I believe what we aught to do is to hold Jesus in front of them with His beautiful truth. His grace, His love: I want to be more like Jesus. I want to speak more like Jesus in my home and in my pulpit. I want to vocalized the happy, gracious words that Jesus has. Some people's talk is like the devil's halitosis. Unless you can be sweet, you aught to keep silent. Invite Jesus into your heart. Jesus is to the sour grumbler what mouthwash is to the one that has bad breath. He makes us sweeter. John McNeil said, "Since I became a Christian I am happier when I am unhappy than when I used to be happy." I want to be the sugar of the earth. Do you know that sweet people live longer? The Bible hints at this in Proverbs 17:22 (KJV). "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth up the bones." Now medicine doesn't always taste good, but merry hearts do taste good. Your white blood count actually goes down during a time of sadness. If you have grief that comes into your life, be careful, you're liable to catch a cold. You're liable to get sick. A lack of joy depresses the immune system. This is from a study done by the University of Colorado. Dr. J.A. Scharfenberg reports the results of a study that was done on happy people and on sad people. They had 7,000 people that they kept track of for nine years. They discovered that those with a happy nature lived longer. Christians have fewer automobile accidents, fewer heart attacks, less sickness. The average Christian lives five years longer and the reason is that they follow Jesus Christ. So let's spread the joy of Jesus. Susie burst into the kitchen. "Mommy, what are you making?" "I'm making a casserole for Mrs Smith." "Why?" "Because," she said, "She has lost her daughter." "Well, why do we have to make food?" "Because, Susie, when people are sad they can't manage simple things like casseroles. Susie, you are a smart girl and I know that you can do something and think of some way to help to take care of Mrs. Smith's broken heart." With that, Susie left the room. A few minutes later Susie knocked on Mrs. Smith's door. Mrs. Smith noticed the neighbor girl and she opened the door. And Susie saw the sadness on the face of her neighbor. "What can I do for you, Susie?" said Mrs. Smith. "My mommy says that you lost your daughter and that you are very, very sad with a broken heart." Then Susie held out something in her hand, and it was a band-aid. "This is for your broken heart." And Mrs. Smith placed Susie's band-aid in a picture frame where she would see it often. Every time she walked past that picture frame she gained a little strength to deal with her broken heart. Susie's unconventional gift became a symbol of healing. And I think we should be the sugar of our neighborhood. We need to be a band- aid delivery service. A sugar, I believe that Christians let the car out that is trying to pull out in front of you. Christians will motion the car to come ahead. Christians do not experience road rage. Christians don't shove when they are standing in a slow line. They don't honk at a slow driver when the light turns green. Christians invest time building up other people. Christians smile more than other people. Christians are the happiest people in the world. Now, God is love. In 1 Corinthians 13:4 says that love is kind. And Christians are the kindest people. I will always remember my home-town church in Hartford City, Indiana. We had a doctor, and elderly man that came to our church, Dr. Charley Aukerman. Maybe some of you know him. As a seven-year-old youngster, I was very impressed with Dr. Aukerman. I don't know what kind of doctor he was. I don't know anything about him except one thing: he was kind. He was the sugar of the earth to me. Every Sabbath he brought a pocket full of special candy. After church he always let us have a piece. Now you're probably asking how many cavities do you have, Pastor. Well, I have one filling. I guess it didn't hurt me. I have fond memories of Dr. Aukerman because he was nice to me. I don't remember too many of the old sour saints in that church, but I remember Dr. Aukerman. What I think we remember as adults of our childhood are the people that were kind to us. Be tender with youngsters. They need your example. They need an example of what Christianity is all about. I think the sense of sweet joy is the balancing pole that helps to keep us stable as we walk the tight rope of life. We need that. John 15:11 Jesus says, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." Why was the Bible written? That our joy may be complete. Sweet happiness is the sunshine of the mind, and when you open your mouth to speak make sure that what comes out is more like warm sunshine on a cold day than like the frost that comes out when you open the freezer door. Be cheerful.  

Give this lonesome world a smile.  
     We stay at longest but a little while.  
Hasten to be happy or lose the chance 
     to give the gentle word a kindly glance.  
Be sweet and tender without a frown or pout.  
     This is what true Christianity is all about.

Martin Luther said this: "The devil is a chronic grumbler and a Christian aught to be a living doxology." Psalm 144:15 (KJV) "...Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord." If God is your God then be happy. Only sugar can make lemons into lemon aid. Smiling will not crack your face. Lazarus was not called out of the grave by some hollow, mournful sounds. It was a voice of joy and cheer. There will be more souls in heaven that are led there by Christians who wear heaven on their face than by those who bear the look of death. Proverbs 15:30 "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones." You can't help but look cheerful when Jesus is in your heart. You're going to be happy. When you see all your sins drowning in the blood of Jesus you're going to be happy. They're dead, they've drowned to death. Let's make this church the happiest, sweetest place on this planet. A place where dear hearts and gentle people are not afraid to come. And if Jesus is in our hearts I believe sunshine will be in our soul. Remember singing that song as kids? That sunshine will be in our soul, and it'll shine out, and people will see it and they will be attracted to it. I was walking yesterday morning and noticed the little flowers were all aiming at the sun. They were attracted to the sun. And if you want people to be attracted to you, then you need to be a little bit sunny. What good is sugar when it's still inside the bag? When you bring it home you need to open it. And let's get into circulation. Let's spread the sweetness of Jesus Christ. Let's spread His truth because we are living in a dying world. I believe that Jesus' coming is very soon. And I believe that people need to be won to Jesus before it's too late. The way we win them is by giving the truth with a smile. Christians, let's go out and serve the last message and serve it well and in a tasteful way.  

Openning song: #240 Fairest Lord Jesus
Scripture: Matthew 5:13
Closing song: #358  Far and Near the Fields are Teeming
McDonald Road Sermons

by Pastor Kent Crutcher

Quotations from the bible are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

I Just Wanted to be Your Dad

Open your Bibles to Ephesians 3:14-19 "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glory riches may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in you inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Every Bible writer's burden has been to help us comprehend the love of our Heavenly Father. I believe that this would be a good thing for us to dwell upon on this Father's Day weekend. The love of our Heavenly Father is the ideal for each of us, including Father's. Even though the Bible writers spent much energy in trying to explain the Father's love, we seem to be born with a fear about His love. This fear started with Adam and Eve. Look at Genesis 3:7,8 "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and mad coverings for themselves." Adam and Eve had become afraid of God. They were no longer secure but were worried about His acceptance of them. They had become self-centered, self-protective, and self-justified because they could not face the truth about themselves. They blamed each other and they blamed God. Adam and Eve made coverings of fig leaves to make themselves acceptable and so that they would once again feel good about themselves. Sometimes we too stop at very little just to feel accepted by God and by others. Depending upon personality and temperament, we vie for acceptance in different ways. Our way gets in the way of another s way until it seems that we are constantly at war. Just like Adam and Eve, we have our own brand of fig leaves. Have you noticed the Television Commercials? A high percentage offer fig leaves false coverings to hide who we really are so that we will be more acceptable and loveable. Could there be a Christian brand of fig leaves that has entered into Church? Yes: Legalism and Liberalism. The Legalist is typically conscientious, sincere, strong willed, reads and studies to find ways to recommend themselves to God. They pick up on all the reforms and even carry them to extremes. If two meals a day are good, one is even better. They are very ridged, tow the line, authoritarian, and stress conforming to rules and high external standards. THIS is only a security blanket for their intense insecurity about the Father s love. The Liberal is typically honest at heart, but weak willed. They know that they have nothing to recommend themselves to God. They don t study deeply into the Bible or Spirit of Prophecy for fear of condemnation. They are afraid to face what is wrong with themselves so they go through life saying God will understand. But at the same time, they are miserable. This is their security blanket for their insecurity about the Father s love. Both of these false coverings are a result of hope of reward or fear of punishment. THIS IS NOT OF GOD !!!! The legalist will be full of pride if they imagine that they measure up. Thus they develop a judgmental spirit. The liberal shows an apparent unconcern or even rebellion.  

These two extremes are at war with one another. Both sides quibble over things like:
• What is essential for my salvation.
• How much of this do we do.
• How much don't we do.How much time should I spend in study.
• How often shall I pray.
• How many reforms should I adopt and how shall I carry them out.
• Is it really a sin to do this or that?
• And on and on and on and on.....

We can battle on for decades while either DRIVING precious souls away in despair with legalism or ENTICING them away with liberalism. So, what is the answer? Balance is not the solution, or even the issue. Neither is trying to find the right percentage of Legalism or Liberalism to finally arrive at the Straight and Narrow Way. The thing that needs to be healed is not our behavior but our hearts! The things that need to be removed are enmity and distrust of our Jesus! The Jews asked Jesus a question in John 6:28: "....'What must we do to do the works God requires?' Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.'" They did not believe Him, do we? Adam and Eve loved their time in the garden with their Father before sin. After their sin, God still came to the garden to look for them! How did God respond to their sin? "ADAM, EVE? WHERE ARE YOU? WHAT DID YOU DO?" No, He came with a broken heart. He responded to their sin with a promise that His life would be given for them. Where they had tried to cover themselves, He covered them with His righteousness. Turn to 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 "If I speak in the tongue of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. "Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." The story of Adam and Eve is the start of how our Father displayed this kind love to bring us back unto Himself. Remember, He came in search of them! When two people are estranged from each other, it is the person in the right which often makes the first move in reconciliation. The person in the wrong is often emotionally unable to do such a thing. It was the Father s perfect love for us that was to cast out the intense fear that we were all born with. This love is not the human love that we were all born with, but the AGAPE of God. Even though this type of love was used in dealing with Adam and Eve, it's depth was not seen until the Cross when we saw how far Jesus would stoop for us! What our Father would go through on our behalf! This love was spilled out without measure and gives birth to true faith and a heart-felt appreciation for what God did for you and me personally. This is a faith that begins to grow in us when we behold Calvary. A faith that is not motivated by fear of punishment or hope of reward. A faith that worketh by love. This gives us freedom to look within and be healed, to see ourselves as we really are because we have seen Him as He really is. We can never look within and be honest with ourselves without first seeing a sin pardoning Savior. If we did, the weight of our sins would crush the very life out of us. The bondage of our fig leaves is only a matter of survival for the unbelieving. When people are experiencing this kind of bondage, censure and condemnation towards them only causes them to add more layers for some kind of warmth to fight the chill of rejection, They may even experience the feeling of being a martyr. But the true love of the Father strips away these false coverings and systems of works and self justification and covers us with His righteousness, if we permit it. Some have the attitude that we begin with love and then grow up to more important doctrines. A man named Frank told this story to his pastor. "I grew up in San Pedro. My dad was a fisherman, and he loved the sea. He worked hard and would stay out until he caught enough to feed the family. He was a man, and he was strong from pulling the nets and fighting the seas for his catch. When you got close to him, he smelled like the ocean. He would wear his old canvas, foul-weather coat and his bibbed overalls. His rain hat would be pulled down over his brow. No matter how much my mother washed them, they would still smell of the sea and of fish. "When the weather was bad he would drive me to school. He had this old truck that he used in his fishing business. That truck was older than he was. It would wheeze and rattle down the road. You could hear it coming for blocks. As he would drive toward the school, I would shrink down into the seat hoping to disappear. Half the time, he would slam to a stop and the old truck would belch a cloud of smoke. He would pull up right in front, and it seemed like everybody would be standing around and watching. Then he would lean over and give me a big kiss on the cheek and tell me to be a good boy. It was so embarrassing for me. Here I was, Twelve years old, and my dad would kiss me goodbye! "I remember the day I decided I was too old for a goodbye kiss. When we got to the school and came to a stop, he started to lean toward me, but I but my hand up and said, 'No dad.' It was the first time I had ever talked to him that way and he had this surprised look on his face. I said, "Dad, I'm too old for a goodbye kiss. I'm too old for any kind of kiss. Tears welled up in my dad's eyes as he looked out the windshield. I had never seen my dad cry before. 'You're right,' he said. 'You are a big boy....a man. I won't kiss you anymore.' "It wasn't long after that when my dad went to sea and never came back. It was a day when most of the fleet stayed in, but dad had a big family to feed. They found his boat adrift with its nets half in. He must have gotten into a gale and was trying to save the nets and the floats." Frank continued, "Pastor, you don t know what I would give to have my dad give me just one more kiss on the cheek....to feel his rough old face....to smell the ocean on him....to feel his arm around my neck. I wish I had been a man then. If I had been a man, I would never have told my dad I was too old for a goodbye kiss." The doctrine of love is not only the beginning, it is the middle and the end as well. Some may express a concern for too much preaching about love. They fear that it may cause a lowering of the standards. Without the foundation of love, standards are meaningless. But when based on the foundation of love, the standards will be raised to their highest level! The issue of the Great Controversy is not over laws or works but whether or not we believe God is love and that that love is for me. There will be a commandment keeping people standing in the last days, but the commandments will only be kept by those who see them as a transcript of God s character of love. Desire of Ages 641 says, When we love the world as He loved it, then for us His mission is accomplished. We are fitted for Heaven; for we have Heaven in our hearts. Love is not a soft soap to cover sin but is the only antidote for it. What is God s love (Agape) and how is it different than human love (Eros)? Eros is the love of something or someone because of its beauty or worth. Agape is not dependent on beauty and worth but is free to love even the bad and ugly. None of us are born with this but all have the capacity to receive it. The Hellenistic Greeks had a story about a beautiful and talented man named Admitus. Everyone loved him. But the gods wanted him to die unless someone would die in his place. No one volunteered. Finally, his girlfriend stepped forward because The world needed him. The Greeks thought this to be the ultimate sign of love. But it wasn't. Romans 5:8 says, "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." We were worthless to the world! Human love feels that we must go in search of God. Every pagan and false religion is based upon the idea that man must be clever and persevering enough to search God out. But Luke 19:10 states: "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." There is no parable of a sinner having to seek Jesus to be saved. But there are parables like the Good Shepherd who searched until He found. This idea that we must search for God has invaded the thinking of some Adventists and has perverted their way of seeing our one unique doctrine, the Sanctuary. These say that the Sanctuary Service in the wilderness began when the sinner made the first move by entering through the gate and sacrificing the lamb. But the Sanctuary Service begins somewhere else. They were led by a pillar of fire or cloud. God sought them out and was a visible presence in their lives. When God s love is a visible presence in our hearts, we will be willing to sacrifice whatever it is that tries to separate us from Him. Even in the Ten Commandments we teach that the first one it Thou shalt have no other Gods before me. But read the preceding verse which we often skip over, I am the Lord your God. Once again, He claims us first. When we see the Father in this light, it effects the way we relate to each other. When you first came into the message of this church, it was easy to say, I found it, I see it, why can't everyone else. This attitude is the beginnings of self righteousness. But when we see that it was God that came after us, we become humble and grateful and realize that God is seeking every individual on this earth in His own time. Human love is dependent upon the value of the object. (Story of Johnny Lingo if time permits) The Love of God is not dependent upon the value of the object, rather it creates value in it s object. Isaiah 13:12 say, I will make man scarcer than pure gold. Human love feels a constant urge to climb higher. A five year old will say: I m five and a half, or, I will be six. Human love thrives upon one upmanship. We are uncomfortable if we are a lot better than someone else because we feel responsible for their condition. We don't like it if we feel real inferior to someone because then we don t feel good about ourselves. We are most comfortable when we are one up on someone else. In school, the Freshmen wish they were Sophomores, the Sophomores wish they were Juniors, the Juniors wish they were Seniors, the Seniors dread college because they are at the bottom again. Satan wished to be like the Most High. Jesus wished to be the Servant of all. What God wants is for us to accept His true love and permit Him to take off our fig leaves, whether they be leaves of legalism or leaves of liberalism, so that He can put on the true covering of His righteousness so that He can be as close as a true Father. Emily was six years old. skinny with freckles and big brown eyes. She was in a bed a Loma Linda Medical Center in southern California, brain dead from a severe attack of asthma. Her father, Randy, stood above her before they disconnected the respirator. With tears in his eyes he said, "I never wanted much in life, I just wanted to be your dad." This is the desire of our Heavenly Father. Wish Him a happy Father's Day by giving Him your heart.  

Opening Song: #191, Love Divine
Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-19
Closing Song: #183, I Will Sing of Jesus' Love
McDonald Road Sermons