Relevant Reminders of Redemption

Sermon Notes, May 26, 2019 AM

Relevant Reminders

Of Redemption

Steve W. Reeves

steve@wschurch.net

stevewreeevessermons.blogspit.com 

INTRODUCTION:

A. During World War II a little boy was sent on an errand by his mother to the old

    country store in their rural community. As the young man stood at the counter waiting
    to make his purchase he saw a poster tacked to the wall. On the poster was a picture
    that seared itself into the young man’s memory for the rest of his life. It as the picture
    of an American Solider lying dead, face down in the blood stained sand of a South
    Pacific Island. Beneath the picture was a caption, “What have you done for your
    country today that was worth him dying for it yesterday?”
B. We need powerful reminders of the things that are truly important in life. Have you
    ever walked the battlefields of Vicksburg, Shiloh or Gettysburg? Have you ever
    visited Pearl Harbor in Hawaii to see the submerged remains of the U.S.S. Arizona? 
    Have you ever visited the Vietnam War memorial in Washington, D.C. and seen the
    thousands of names of men who died in that conflict? All of these places are powerful
    reminders of the sacrifices that have been made for our nation through the years.
C. The Bible contains many memorials that have been used throughout history to
    remember the powerful provisions and promises of God. 
    1. In Genesis 9:13-16, God established a covenant with Noah that He would never
        again destroy the earth by flood. As a reminder of this promise God set a rainbow
        in the sky.
    2. In Exodus 12 God established a memorial to remind the Israelites of their
        deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The bread without yeast reminded them of how
        quickly they had to leave. The bitter herbs reminded them of the harshness of their
        burdens. The sacrifice of a lamb and the shedding of its blood was a powerful,
        vivid reminder of redemption.    
    3. Esther 9:28 records the establishment of a feast called, “Purim,” which
        commemorated the deliverance of the Jews from Hamaan’s wicked plot to
        destroy them.”    
    4. Matthew 26:26-28; Luke 22:19-20, record the establishment of the Lord’s Supper
        which Christians partake of on the first day of the week. The bread and fruit of the
        vine are a memorial to the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
D. On this “Memorial Day:” I want to examine a memorial recorded in Joshua 3 and 4 as
    we consider “Relevant Reminders of Redemption.”
    1. When the Israelites were delivered from Egypt they had numerous opportunities to
        see the power of God in a variety of miraculous works.
    2. In Joshua 3 and 4 a new generation of Israelites had come of age. Joshua had
        assumed the mantle of leadership. Once again God wanted to demonstrate His
        promise, power and provision.
        a. For forty years they had wandered in a land of barrenness. Now they were ready
            to enter the land of blessing.        
        b. After forty years of difficulty and despair they were ready to experience the
            promise of deliverance and delight.
E. As they entered the land, God provided the Israelites with four relevant reminders of
    their redemption. These four reminders are just a relevant for us.  
 
I. RESPECT (3:1-6)
    A. Between the land of barrenness and the land of promise lay the Jordan River.
        1. We hear the word “Jordan” used as a metaphor in a lot of religious songs.
        2. The word “Jordan” means “descending.”
        3. The river stretches 156 miles. It begins in the north of Palestine where three
            streams combine at the base of Mount Herman. This water flows into the Sea of
            Galilee (nine miles wide by thirteen miles long). From the southern end of the
            Galilee the Jordan flows into the Dead Sea. The spot where Israel crossed was
            just north of the Dead Sea.
    B. As Israel prepared to cross the Jordan, they were told to do two things that
        demonstrated a profound and reverential respect for God.  
        1. The Levites were told to take up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people.
            (vs. 4). The Ark of the Covenant was a chest that was approximately two feet  
            tall, two feet wide and four feet long. On top of it was the “Mercy Seat,” with two
            statues called “Cherubim” facing each other. Inside the Ark were the tablets
            containing the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s staff and a pot of Manna that never
            spoiled. Everything about the Ark of the Covenant pointed to Jesus. It was made
            of wood but covered with gold reminding us of Jesus’ humanity covered with
            Deity. The tablets of law represented righteousness. The staff of Aaron
            represented power. The pot of Manna represented provision. The Cherubim
            represented honor and the Mercy Seat stained by sacrificial blood was where
            atonement for sins was made. The Ark was where the presence of God dwelt
            among the people of Israel   
            a. No one was permitted to touch the Ark. Only the priests were allowed to carry
                it by means of inserting poles through rings placed along its side. In 2 Samuel
                6:6-7 Uzzah was struck down by God when he reached out to steady the Ark
                as it was being carried in an unauthorized manner aboard a cart.
            b. On this occasion, the Ark, carried by the priests was to lead the procession.
                The presence of God was to lead the way.
            c. The people were commanded to keep a proper distance from the Ark
                (approximately 3000 feet) as a sign of respect.
        2. According to verse 5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for
            tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
            a. This ritual cleansing is described in Exodus 19:10ff.
            b. Consecrating themselves was a sign of respect for the holiness of od.                    
    B. How should we approach God today?
        1. In an article by ·Ethan Renoe in “Relevant,” he asserts that for the past two
            hundred years churches have been dumbing down God by teaching less and
            less about doctrine and Biblical knowledge and more about emotional
            experience and feeling. Because of this, he argues, most Christians are poorly
            equipped to defend their faith against the assaults being waged by atheism and
            agnosticism.
        2. Our approach to God has become one of casualness and convenience rather
            than conviction. We have lost our sense of respect and reverence for God.
    C. Joshua told the people (vs. 6) that God was about to do something astounding and
        amazing. It was imperative that they exhibit the attitude of respect. As we think of
        the redemption that is ours through Christ do we treat His sacrifice with the respect
        it deserves? Do we seek to grasp the significance of what Christ has done for us?
       
II. RESPOND
    A. Although redemption comes from God we must never think that this eliminates the
        necessity of our obedience to God.
        1. In verse 13 the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant were commanded to
            step into the water of the Jordan. According to verse 15 the waters of the Jordan
            at this time of year were out of their banks. This was not a thrilling brook or a
            shallow stream.
        2. God was requiting a step of faith. When the feet of the priests touched the edge
            of the water God stopped the flow of water from the north. The water level
            receded and the river-bed became dry. All of Israel was able to cross on dry
            ground.
        3. The forefathers of these people had witnessed the parting of the Red Sea. Now
            this generation had the opportunity to witness a similar occurrence. God was
            giving them assurance that He was with them.
    B. Suppose the people had refused to obey?
        1. What if the priests had said, “We don’t want to get our feet wet,” or “we don’t feel
            like it is necessary to go into the water.”
        2. What if the people had refused to follow the leadership of Joshua or the priests
            carrying the Ark?
    C. Although our salvation is a gift of God’s grace He still calls upon us to respond by
        faith. That faith is more than intellectual consent. It consists in obedience to God’s
        commands to repent of our sins, confess our faith and be baptized into Christ.
 
III. RELY
    A. Israel’s crossing of the Jordan was a demonstration of reliance on the power of
        God.
        1. According to verse 17, “And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of
            the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel
            crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.”
        2. From the time of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt God had been faithful to them
            even thorough they had not been faithful to Him.
            a. He had given them food and water. He had kept their clothes from wearing
                out. He had protected them from foreign nations. He had kept the promise of
                covenant with Abraham.
            b. God has been faithful to you when you have not been faith to Him!
    B. So often, instead of relying on what God is doing we try to improvise with our own
        plans. A seven year old boy was asked what he had studied in “Sunday School.”
        He replied, “We talked about Israel crossing the Red Sea. Moses ordered a huge
        suspension bridge built. Israel passed over. When Pharaoh tried to cross Moses
        ordered the bridge to be blown up!” The questioner asked, “Surely your teacher did
        not tell you that,” the boy responded, “If I were to tell you what she told us you’d
        never believe it!”
 
IV REMEMBER       
    A. In Joshua 4 God commanded Joshua to select twelves men, one from each tribe,
        to take a stone from the midst of the riverbed where the priests were standing and
        place them in the camp where Israel lodged. Notice verses 6-7, “Let this be a sign
        among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones
        mean to you?’ ⁷ then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan  
        were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan,
        the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to
        the sons of Israel forever.”
    B. The stones were set up at a place called Gilgal located east of Jericho. According
        to verse 24 they were a monument to the mighty hand of the Lord.
    C. What are the monuments in your life that bring remembrance of what God has
        done for you? 
       
CONCLUSION:
A. Imagine another poster. Upon it is the picture of a man hanging on a cross. His
    clothes have been stripped from him revealing a body that has been beaten, and
    bruised by horrendous torture. On his head is a crown made of long, thorns deeply
    embedded in his scalp. His face is covered with dried blood, grime and perspiration.
    From his hands and feet blood seeps from nails that attach him to the rough wood.
    Surrounding him is a crowd of people whose faces convey emotions of anger, fear,
    sorrow and disbelief. Nearby are Roman Soldiers gazing sternly at the scene.
    Beneath the picture is this caption. “What have you done for Jesus today that was
    worth Him dying for you?”
B. I am thankful for the relevant reminders of redemption that God provides for us.

Marrvelous Moms

Sermon Notes, May 12, 2019 AM

Marvelous Moms

Steve W. Reeves

steve@wschurch.net

stevewreevessermons.blogspot.com

 

INTRODUCTION:

A. A woman was shopping in Wal-Mart with her small daughter riding in the basket. The
    daughter was crying and screaming. The mother kept pleading, “Ellen, it’s okay.”
     “We’re almost finished, Ellen.” “We’ll go home soon and take a nap, Ellen.” “Ellen,
    calm down.” At the check-out counter the associate commented, “I couldn’t help but
    notice how patient you are with your little girl.” Then, looking at the child, she said,   
    “Are you having a rough day Ellen?” The mother said, “Her name is Charlotte. I’m
    Ellen.”
B. An unknown author has written this quip called, “The Mommy Test.”  “I was out
    walking with my 4-year-old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and
    started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do
    that. "Why?" my daughter asked. "Because it's been lying outside, you don't know   
    where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs" I replied. At this point, my daughter
    looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Wow! How do you know all this stuff?" 
    ‘Uh…’ I was thinking quickly, "All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mommy Test. You
    have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mommy." We walked along in silence for 2
    or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information. "OH...I get it!"
    she beamed, "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the daddy!”
C. Did you realize that “Mother’s Day” is the third most celebrated holiday in the world?
    Only Christmas and Easter are more popular.
    1. The first Mother’s Day took place 111 years ago on May 10, 1908 in Grafton, West
        Virginia, and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 
    2. The idea came from Anna Jarvis. Anna was a single woman with no children.
        However, she remembered her own mother’s wish that there might be a day when
        mothers throughout the nation were honored. The idea caught on and in1914
        President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation designating the second Sunday in
        May as Mother’s Day.
    3. Anna chose her mother’s favorite flower, the white carnation as the official flower
        for the occasion.
C. There has never been a book that has urged greater honor and respect for women in
    general and mothers in particular than the Bible.
   
   1. Both the Old and New Testaments contain the direct command, “Honor your father
        and mother” (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1).
    2. This is not merely a suggestion or an admonition. It is a direct command from God
        Himself.
D. Women play a crucial role in the story of Scripture.
    1. Israel’s history began with women like Sarah, Rebekah, Leah and Rachel.
    2. The deliverance of Israel from Egypt began with a woman named Jocabed.
    3. One of Israel’s early judges was a woman named Deborah. Another woman, Jael,   
        killed the Canaanite commander, Sierra, and became a hero in the land.
    4. The great judge and prophet Samuel was an answer to the fervent prayer of his
        mother, Hannah.
    5. The Davidic kingdom traced its ancestry back to a Moabite woman named Ruth.
    6. The Genealogy of Jesus contains the names of four women: Rahab, Ruth,
        Bathsheba and Mary.
    7. Two mothers were significant to the coming of the Messiah, Elizabeth, the
        mother of John the Baptist, and Mary, the mother of Jesus.
    8. There were many women who were important in the ministry of Jesus.
    9. Paul urged his friend, Timothy, to remember the faith he had received from his
        mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois.
E. How to Honor Your Mom – notice these 5 practical ways to honor your mom.
 
I. HONOR HER
    A. When God gave the Ten Commandments (literally “ten words”) on Mount Sinai,
        the first four dealt with humanity’s relationship with God. The remaining six dealt
        with relationships with others. The first of these concerned our parents.
        1. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the
            land which the Lord your God gives you” (Exodus 20:12).
        2. When a society does not honor authority in the home it will not honor authority in
            any other aspect of life.
    B. In Edward Gibbon’s book, The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, he listed five
        fundamental factors in the collapse of Rome.
        1. The undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home.
        2. Increasing taxes for frivolous purposes.
        3. A mad race for pleasure.
        4. An emphasis on armament while neglecting the decadence of morality.
        5. The decreasing influence of religion.
    C. According to Deuteronomy 27:22, the person who dishonored their father or
        mother was to be cursed.
        1. The only time I remember my father lashing out against me in anger was when I
            “sassed” my mother. He was working outside with a carpenter’s level. When he
            heard me talk disrespectfully to my mother that carpenter’s level ended up on
            my backside. He told me that I was never, ever to talk to my mother, his wife,
            like that again.
        1. It is wonderful to have a mother like the woman of Proverbs 31:28-29,   “Her
             children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her,
            saying: ²⁹ “Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all.”
        2. What if your mother has hurt you? What it you have difficulty honoring your
            mother on Mother’s Day or any day?
            a. God does not call upon you to give your approval.
            b. He does call upon you to love. Remember, “while we were yet sinners,
                Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
        3. You may not be able to control another person’s actions. You can control your
            own.     
 
II. OBEY HER
    A. In Ephesians 6:1-2 and Colossians 3:20, Paul wrote, “Children, be obedient to
        your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.”
    B. Have you ever been out west to the Continental Divide? This is the point where
        water on the east flows into the Atlantic and water on the west flows into the
        Pacific. It is the dividing line. The moral continental divide can be seen in
        obedience to parents.
        1. A child brought up to obey parents will likely obey other forms of authority.
        2. A child who does not obey their parents will also disobey the laws of the land
            and those who enforce them.
        3. Dwight L. Moody said, “No child who lives in disobedience to parents ever
            prospers.”
    C. Notice Romans 1:28-32, “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God
        any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are
        not proper, ²⁹ being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of
        envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, haters of
        God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
         ³¹ without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; ³² and although they
        know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of
        death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who
        practice them.”
D. Paul also wrote to Timothy, “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will
    come. ² For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers,
    disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ unloving, irreconcilable, malicious
    gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless,
    conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ holding to a form of
    godliness, although they have denied its power” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
 
III. CARE FOR HER
    A. Francis Schaffer was a popular theologian and author in the 20^th century. He once
        wrote that “the measure of any society can be seen in how it treats its most        
        vulnerable embers.” Schaffer specifically mentioned the very young (including
        unborn children) and those who are very old.
    B. Jesus spoke directly to this issue in Matthew 15:3-6, “Why do you yourselves
        transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? ⁴ For God said,   
        ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother is to
        be put to death.’ ⁵ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever
        I have that would help you has been given to God,” ⁶ he is not to honor his father
        or his mother.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your
        tradition.”
        1. The law said, “Honor your father and mother.” This implied caring for them when
            they were old. 
        2. These people said, “I have designated the portion of my money that should have
            been used to take care of you for God.” Was it important to give to God? Yes.
            This was not the issue. The issue was they were taking money that should have
            been used to honor their parents and leaving them in need and neglect.
        3. Do you realize that in 1 Timothy 5:8, Paul wrote, “If a man does not take care of
            his family he is worse than a non-believer.”
 
IV. LISTEN TO HER
    A. Here’s what Proverbs1:8-9 says, “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction And do
        not forsake your mother’s teaching; ⁹ Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your
        head and ornaments about your neck.”
    B. When I was fifteen I doubted that my parents knew what they were talking about.
        By the time I was seventeen I knew they didn’t know what they were talking about.
        By the time I was twenty-five I was pleased that my parents were becoming more
        intelligent. When I was forty I was amazed to discover that they had known all
        along what they were talking about. I wish I could listen to my parents a little
        longer.
 
V. THANK HER
    A. Do you know where appreciation begins? It is with our parents. So many of the
        difficulties families experience stem from not feeling appreciated.
        1. Have you ever written your mother a letter of appreciation?
        2. Many years ago when J.N. Armstrong was President of Harding he encouraged
            the students to write a thank you letter to their parents or whoever it was who
            had made it possible for them to attend college. A young student named James
            Bales went to his room and wrote a letter to his grandmother thanking her for
            helping him attend college. He had no way of knowing that it would be the last
            thing she read.
        3. When my mother passed away do you know what we found in her Bible?
            Mother’s Day cards and flowers given by her children and grandchildren.
 
 
 
CONCLUSION:
A. I recently asked if any of you would like to share something with me regarding
    “Mother’s Day” and your own thoughts. I only received four responses but they
    convey the deep emotions many of us feel.
    1. Janice Farley remembers her mother as an extremely hard worker.  On Sunday      
        she would rise early, preparing a big breakfast and then a lunch with a main dish
        and home-grown vegetables. She baked homemade cakes and rolls without a mix.     
        She did all of this in a very dark kitchen with no air conditioning. The only running
        water she had was if someone ran outside and drew a bucket of water out of the
        well. She made sure we were ready for worship in clothes she had sewn and
        ironed, no permanent press. She drove us to church in an old car and then she
        taught a Bible class. Daddy stayed at home, but I don't remember her ever nagging
        at him. We were all glad when he would decide to go once in a while. Her example
        paid off because she "won him over without a word" and he was baptized in his
        50's. He was a faithful Christian for the rest of his life”
    2. Sharon Pitt wrote this about her mother, Lotha Howell, “Mother always taught me
        that if something was worth doing it was worth doing right. I still remember having
        to take a zipper out 3 times before I passed her inspection. Way to go Mom! I love
        you for it.”
    3. Bruce Bryant shares this, “This is my mom.  She passed away in 2011 from
        pancreatic cancer.  I am a "Mama's boy", so I miss her every day.  She influenced
        my life in a variety of ways, but she was the proudest when she would tell people
        that all three of her sons were gospel preachers. She was a Bible Class teacher at
        the Formosa Church of Christ. She converted my father and let the light of Jesus
        shine through her life to teach and change the lives of many”
B. I want to close with an email I received from Lynley Turner.
 
"The Strongest Mother" by Lynley Turner
 
The roles and responsibilities a mother carries are many, and with such grace I watch many oman around me mother their children with patience and love. Too often a mother must step p to fill the roles that her child's father cannot or will not fill. I believe these women are trong. The women who raise kind children, the women who make it to all the sports practices and the women who always get their kids dressed and to church on time, or, well, at least ost of the time. 

 

n the last year, I have come to realized, though, the strongest mother of all may not e the mother trying to keep 3 children quiet and behaved during worship service. 

 

he strongest mother may be the one who has an empty spot next to her in the pew. he mother who went to the hospital carrying her child in her womb and left with othing but a box of footprints, while her child's body was taken away to the funeral hom. 

 
The strongest mother of all, very well may be the mother who loves a child she cannot hold. he child she can no longer see. After all, "Faith is the confidence in what we have hope for nd the assurance about what we do not see..." Hebrews 11:1
 
This Mother's Day I hope we will make a point to recognize all of the mothers who have a hild, multiple children, or, in my case, all of their children already in their eternal home. 
 
Happy Mother's Day to the mothers who are waiting to be reunited with their children. May hey find joy and peace as they wait. 
 
C. May you use this “Mother’s Day” to honor your mother. More importantly, may you
    honor your Heavenly Father through your trust and obedience to His word.