Illuminate Community Church

11/29/2020 - Advent Peace - Luke 2:1-14

I was thinking about this Christmas season and its potential for greater impact than many others. The reason is simple - we are a world and a country that continues to be filled with anxiety. What is the cure? The cure came 2000 years ago but not in the way anyone anticipated. A world changer would be expected to come from behind palace walls and certainly from a family of great influence. Instead, Jesus was born in a lowly stable and placed in a manger and his parents were unwed and poor teenagers. The baby would grow to be a man and that man had the most significant impact of anyone who has ever walked the earth. Lest we forget - Christmas holds the word “Christ.”

Jesus came to bring what we want in this world and what we need right now. Soon you will be receiving Christmas cards and letters that have a peaceful theme and we will sing songs that speak of "peace on earth." But you know I’ve found that the concept of peace means different things to different people. We find ancient distractions to relieve ourselves of our modern pain. Spend money, have a few more drinks, go all out and indulge in something you know you'll really regret. Meanwhile, there is a peace that lasts...

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:13-14

The word 'multitude' describes a huge number...like hundreds of thousands. It seems each angel in heaven could not contain his enthusiasm. So as we enter this season, let's remind ourselves of where lasting peace is found. Look inside that lowly stable and stare into the worn-out manger in the little town of Bethlehem. Doesn't the simplicity of it all tell you something? Your peace has arrived.

11/22/2020 - Thankful for Harmony - 1 Peter 3:8-12

No other faith crosses more social, racial, ethnic, and geographic borders than Christianity. In all of our diversity there is a powerful thread of unity. Do you know what the word “university” means? It's a compound word meaning unity in diversity. The same idea is printed on American currency, E Pluribus Unum "out of the many, one." Now, let me ask you, what is the one thing that brings unity in the midst of diversity?

The Truth. 

Ironically, this is the one thing secular universities tend to deny. 

Peter says there ought to be harmony amongst believers because we have the truth. Jesus himself said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” His truth has us in the same band and his truth has us all marching in the same direction. How good is that? We have the main ingredient upon which harmony is built!

Having the truth is the foundation. But unity can be difficult to maintain. You've probably noticed that over the last six months. Peter gives us four action points to maintain the witness Jesus wants for his followers...and they are good ones. Sympathy, love, compassion and humility keep the unity flames burning. In so doing, we prove ourselves to be the people of God.

11/15/2020 - Thankful for Unity - Philippians 2:12-17

I think we all understand that obey is not a welcomed concept today. This four-letter word is rejected by most unless it’s the idea that one would obey only himself. Let’s face it – it’s cool to be rebellious. This is why many of us as teenagers disagreed with authority. I seriously doubt if anyone woke up this morning and said, “God teach me to obey. I pray that my boss would give me lots of things to obey.” Kids don’t wake up in the morning and say, “I can’t wait to be obedient to mom and dad!” You know what kind of conversation never happens? The one that goes like this – “What do you love?" "I love to obey! I’m such an obedient person and I just can’t wait to be told what to do. I study all the verses on obedience because they are my favorites!”
 

Now those who have taken a Bible class or two may be thinking – “I wonder what the word obey means in the Greek? It can’t simply mean do what you’re told!” They are right. It actually means to keep your mouth shut and do what you’re told…sorry about that. Pretty sure that's not what most want to hear. Indeed, this is a bitter pill for us all to swallow and here’s why – we think we are smarter than everyone else. We think we are better than everyone and we think we see ourselves more clearly than they see themselves. Social psychologists call this the “self-serving bias" and it states that we all walk around thinking that we are better than we really are. There are a number of humorous studies that expose this. For example, when asked, 85% of Americans think they are better looking than average. Now statistically speaking this is problematic. It gets better. When Americans are told about the self-serving bias, over 90% say that it’s true for other people, but not them.
 

This is the reason we need to listen to those who care for us in love. It starts with God's voice. His instruction gives direction. It’s also important to surround yourself with people who will tell you what’s happening in your life as they observe it. One of the negative impacts of quarantine is that some folks are no longer in community. When you’re not in community there’s no accountability in your life. We complain, argue and grumble because we lose sight of the things that are most important. Isn't it great that we always have a guide to get us where we need to be? The path forward is through obedience to God's Word.

11/8/2020 - Thankful for Eternity - 1 Peter 4:7-11

As I was preparing the message this Sunday, I was reminded of a meeting I had several years ago. I was asked to visit someone in the hospital. It was a friend of a friend and someone I did not know; a man in his mid-forties who had terminal cancer. As I entered the room I introduced myself and you know how you get the sense that people don’t want you around? That was me. The atmosphere turned cold. He did not want to talk about God or heaven or eternal things even though he was in the last few days of his life on earth. My heart really broke for this man. It's not uncommon to find this response in people simply because our entire lives are spent trying to avoid death and some never come to embrace its reality. It ought not to be this way for the believer in Jesus Christ. In fact, it should be the opposite. Life should be one concentrated effort to prepare for what awaits us. For this reason, I am thankful for eternity but until that day Christian, you and I have purpose and meaning here and now.
 
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:7-11

Peter does not want us to be caught unaware having wasted our time, resources, and gifts. So because we are living on the edge of eternity we must be sober-minded and think and act according to God’s Word. This means that we persevere in our love for each other and one of the ways we demonstrate our love for each other is in showing hospitality. This involves giving ourselves away so that others can be blessed. And finally, in these last days, we are to use our gifts in serving one another. This is what it means to live today in light of eternity!

11/1/2020 - Thankful For Salvation - 1 Peter 1:1-12

In 1620, after a treacherous trip, the Pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower from England and dropped anchor near Cape Cod. Not long after their arrival they were greeted by Native Americans who taught them how to grow corn. Their first growing season was a success and in appreciation they invited the Native Americans to join them in a three-day long festival we now know as Thanksgiving. This marks our current season of gratitude and of all people, Christians have the most to be thankful for. One of Jesus’ early disciples explains why...

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5

Wow! There's a lot here to unpack...

We have received God's mercy!
We have been born again!
We have hope through the resurrection of Jesus!
We have an eternal inheritance!
We are guarded by God!

Will you pray this with me? "Father, what can we say? You are the giver of all good things and it begins with the gift of your Son. We live and breathe in your goodness now even as we look forward to all that awaits us in the life to come. THANK YOU!"

10/25/2020 - I Pledge Allegiance to the Kingdom of God

I grew up saying the pledge of allegiance in elementary school. The word allegiance refers to one’s loyalty. Of course, a Christian’s ultimate loyalty is to Jesus and his example. Jesus inaugurated the kingdom of God through his life, death and resurrection, and God’s people are to be a picture and a taste of that heavenly kingdom. God’s kingdom has not been fully and finally established and won’t be until the return of Christ. So for now we wait for something more. Until then, God’s kingdom isn’t simply American or western. His kingdom is composed of people from all tribes, tongues and nations. One of the sweetest Christian experiences you can have is worshiping God alongside brothers and sisters who speak a different language than you. You are reminded that Jesus came to make all people everywhere foreigners in their own land and ambassadors of his kingdom. 

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
1 Peter 2:11

While God dwells with His people now by power and the presence of the Holy Spirit, we are still waiting for the kingdom to be consummated when Jesus returns. Until then, we live as strangers in a foreign land. While we are certainly called to honor, obey and influence the laws of the land, America is not our home. It is not “the Promised Land,” but in more and more ways actually resembles the famed Babylon of old. Yet we do have many blessings in these United States. I read about a poor man from India who said that his dream was to live in America. When asked why, he said, “I want to live in a country where even the poorest people are overweight.” We have abundance but we are still living in exile. We are very much “east of Eden" and at the same time, we have a very direct mandate from the place to which we call our true home. Let’s read Peter’s words again and add the next verse...

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 
1 Peter 2:11-12

No matter who wins or loses in any election season, we have an allegiance to one who is far greater. We are the people of God. As your pastor, I'm going to ask you to commit to the ethics of God's kingdom. In this way, we will be presenting our good deeds for those who haven't yet been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.

10/18/2020 - Getting Right With God - Psalm 130

Psalm 130 is a hidden little gem. I have several commentaries on the Psalms and none of them devote more than a couple of pages to it, but then I was introduced to John Owen's work. The Puritan and vice-chancellor of Oxford wrote a 400 page commentary on these 8 verses! 400 pages and still more can be said. It takes you from the depths to the heights. It is in many ways the gospel found in the Old Testament.  It asks the question: How can I get right with God? And it gives the answer: Forgiveness comes through grace and not human merit. It is simple in that it contains only 8 verses, but its depth is profound. It begins with an intense cry for help from a dark place...

"Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!"

The fiery British Preacher Charles Spurgeon said this: “It matters little where we are if we can pray; but prayer is never more real and acceptable than when it rises out of the worst places. Deep places beget deep devotion. Everyone prays; but very few ‘cry.’ But of those who do ‘cry to God,’ the majority would say, ‘I owe it to the depths. I learned it there.’” It’s true. God uses dark moments to help us see the brightness of his light. The Psalmist has sinned, found himself lost and in need of God's mercy.

How do you see yourself?

The entire condition of the world is represented in Jesus' story about a Pharisee and a tax collector. (Luke 18:9-18) One man says, “I know who I am. I’m not evil. I’m a good person. I only need to compare myself to others and see that God is more pleased with me.” The other simply says, “God, I need your mercy.”  "Which man had a right relationship with God?" asks Jesus.

C. S. Lewis: “When a man is getting better, he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still in him. When a man is getting worse, he understands his own badness less and less.” Low thoughts of God accompany low thoughts of sin. Because God cares about people he cares about sin. He cared so much that he sent his son to die for them. The cross was God’s judgment of your sins placed on Jesus so that mercy would be made available. The Psalmist simply says, “What other plea can I make? I’m guilty.” God meets this confession with mercy.

10/11/2020 - Thy Word - Psalm 119

Throughout history philosophers have asked many questions. You've asked them too. What is the meaning of life? Where did I come from? What happens when I die? Is there life after death? How do I get to heaven? Why does evil exist? Why do I struggle to do good? In addition to these "big" questions, the Bible gives much practical advice in areas such as: What do I look for in a mate? How can I have a healthy marriage? How can I be a good friend? How can I be a good parent? What is success and how do I achieve it? How can I change? What really matters in life? How can I live so that I do not look back with regret? What do I do with my guilt? How can I overcome the unfair circumstances and bad events of life? To each of these questions there is in answer found in the Bible. Why? Because it is God's word to mankind; helping us know how to live life. However, it's not just understanding that God's word brings. Consider this...

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! 
Psalm 119:1

There it is again...that word blessed. Literally, it means, happy. The Word of God brings happiness into your life because it brings freedom. You can be free from the culture as it pressures you into its shape like plastic molding. How about spending at least 15 minutes a day in the Word? You can do it. It's a matter of priority really. Spend the time in God's book and experience understanding, happiness, and freedom. You will not be disappointed!

10/4/2020 - A Prayer For The King - Psalm 72

Like many Psalms, number 72 is a prayer. It has a specific person in view - the king. It describes the kind of king that rules well by bringing the kingdom of God to earth.

Nothing is quicker to divide than politics. Christians do not fit perfectly into a two-party system. Every four years many long-term relationships are tested. Sometimes to the breaking point. These relationships are not at a distance. Oftentimes they are under our own roof. What is the Christian's obligation? (A noun describing an act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally bound; a duty or commitment.) 

Does the Bible speak to such things? Yes, to say otherwise is to infer that the Bible does not apply to ALL of life. So what does it say? It says Jesus is our example. He was full of grace and truth. Contrary to what many believe, truth by nature is divisive. It's far more important to rally around truth than be divided by error. So Christians must speak truth and at the same time demonstrate love. Grace is what makes truth acceptable. Grace gives our gospel-centered voices an audience.

9/27/2020 - Shelter Me - Psalm 91

The words of Psalm 91 are some of the most beautiful words in the Bible. 

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2

They have been the source of comfort for God's people for more than 2000 years. They describe God's protection in detail. We see some of the verses quoted in the New Testament...by Satan. What?? Yes, at the temptation of Jesus, Satan reads from the Bible. Observe for yourself my friend.

And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’

“‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Luke 4:10-11 (Satan quoting Psalm 91:11-12)

Why would Satan quote from Psalm 91? Because he's tempting Jesus with a pain free life and if Jesus pursued a pain free life then he would not have died on the cross for our sins. If we believe that our lives will be made safe by coming to Christ then we will be let down when tragedy enters. We will question the goodness of God. We will say, "I thought it was supposed to be different!" Remember, God uses all things to work together for the good (Romans 8:28). Not all things are good but God uses all things together for the good. There are many stories of deliverance in the Bible and yet in the end, every hero dies. The Psalmist tells us that there will be an ultimate deliverance for the one who takes shelter in God.

What or where is your current hiding place and what would it look like for you to dwell in God’s shelter?