Perry’s Scope: Christian sermons, lessons, and resources for teachers

1.      The Lawyer

2.      Romans 16.25-27

²⁵ Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages²⁶ but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—²⁷ to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

3.      [Reader’s Digest summarized lengthy books in a concise format – Good for all of us busy Americans – even came out with a Reader’s Digest Version of the Bible so we don’t have to worry about that pesky minutia.

 4.       Our text gives a summary of the gospel

I.       The Gospel Message

A.     Yeshua’s (Jesus’) Story – Romans 3.21-24

1.      “Messiah”

2.      Anticipated – OT/Today (return)

B.      “Good News” is to Be Declared (Romans 10.14-17)

1.      Good Facts – 1 Corinthians 15.1-4 (The Death, Burial, and Resurrection)

2.      Good Promises

a.       To provide wholeness – Saved/Lost is not just about heaven and hell

Why did he come? Son of Man is come to seek and save lost (Luke 19.10); not just go to heaven (“get me out of here”); Hints back to Ezekiel 34.11-12, 16 (done by God) – Yeshua is calling himself God;

Lost – bring back stray; bandage hurt and crippled; strengthen weak and sick (v. 20 – I myself will; v. 23 I will raise up one shepherd feed them; I will be their God)

Saved – Luke 7.50 – And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Healed – Matthew 9.22 – Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.

The woman was “Yeshua-ed” – Saved or made whole;

Issue of blood for 12 years touched tzitzit (Numbers 15.37ff; represents the totality of God); to be “whole”;

The woman with the issue of blood has heard the teachings of Yeshua and declares himself to be God and says – if I can touch his tzitzit I will be ‘yeshua-ed’ – his name is Yeshua and means to save/make whole;

Why did she do this? Seems strange she would touch the edge of his garment – Malachi 4.2 – “Sun of righteousness (euphemism for shining one of righteousness; messiah) with healing in its/his wings”; when she heard Yeshua speaking and understood he was declaring himself to be God, she linked the passages together and grabbed his tzitzitot and was made whole

b.      To provide freedom – Romans 6.17-18

1)      From sin – Romans 6.3-4

2)      From condemnation

3)      From death

3.      A Good Possession – “MY Gospel”

a.       His proclamation

b.      His Ownership – for all and for ME

II.    The Gospel Mystery

A.     Truth Formerly Concealed Is Now Revealed – Romans 11.25

Road to Emmaus – Luke 24

Parables

Hidden Gospel in OT – Isaiah 53; Psalm 22

Lord’s Supper is More Than crackers and juice – Body and Blood – 1 Corinthians 11.27-34

B.     The BIG Mystery – the Nations

1.      We Expect Salvation for Israel in God’s Plan – Romans 1.16

2.      Jews’ Advantages:

a.      Scriptures – Romans 3.1-2

b.      God’s Focus – Romans 9.4-5

3.      SURPRISE! God Let the Nations in – Romans 11.30-32

III. The Gospel Manifestations

A.     Our Obedience to God

1.      The Obedience of Yeshua (Jesus) – Romans 5.19

¹⁹ For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. = “Attentive; Hearkening; Compliance; Submissive”

2.      Obedience is Learned – Hebrews 5.8

3.      Obedience is Seen in Our Actions – Romans 12.9-14

B.     Our Obedience Brings Glory to God – Romans 16.26-27

Matthew 5.16 – Let light shine; glorify Father in Heaven AS:

1.      God of Eternity (eternal/immortal)

False gods/idols began with man

Man began with God – Psalm 90.1-2 (from everlasting to everlasting – you are God)

2.      God of Wisdom

3.      God of Power – Ephesians 3.20-21

3 Hebrew Boys – Our God is able

Three things Hebrews would die for rather than be forced to do:

Commit Murder; Immorality; idolatrous worship

4.      God of Worthiness (Deserves Worship)

Conclusion

 Don Calhoun and the Million Dollar Shot.

1.      St. John’s University is apparently known for being a theological school where intellectualism is highly regarded. Someone wrote the following graffiti on one of the walls there:

Jesus said unto them: “Who do you say that I am?”

And they replied: “You are the eschatological manifestation of the ground of our being, the kerygma in which we find the ultimate meaning of our interpersonal relationships.”

And Jesus said: “What?”

Whoever wrote that graffiti was basically complaining about some of the names and expressions that men had invented to try to define Jesus.

 2.      It is difficult to come up with a one word description of Yeshua (Jesus) – Son of Man; Son of God; Messiah (Christ); Holy One; Nazarene; Prince of Peace; etc.

3.      Matthew 16.13-20

4.      Easy to criticize Church

Worship service; sermons; building; bulletin; leadership; programs

Church is not the place many want to go – bad impressions;

Christians see church as “their” organization — “The church is for ME.”

5.      This Passage has real impact on our lives – climax of Yeshua’s teaching ministry; a type of final exam for the apostles (sink or swim – one question); our answer to this question is key – our eternal destiny centers on it;

I.                   A Key Observation

A.     Looking Out to Others

The difference between a conviction and a preference, according to the U.S. Supreme Court:

A preference is a strong belief, but a belief that you will change under the right circumstances. Circumstances such as: 1) peer pressure; if your beliefs are such that other people stand with you before you will stand, your beliefs are preferences, not convictions, 2) family pressure, 3) lawsuits, 4) jail, 5) threat of death; would you die for your preferences? A conviction is a belief that you will not change. Why? A man believes that his God requires it of him. A conviction is not something that you discover; it is something that you purpose in your heart (cf. Daniel 1-3). Convictions on the inside will always show up on the outside, in a person’s lifestyle. David C. Gibbs, Jr., Christian Law Association, P.O. Box 30290, Cleveland, Ohio 44130.

1.      There was Speculation about Yeshua (Jesus) – John the Baptist; Elijah; Jeremiah; a Prophet

2.      View of Messiah as political

3.      Observations of Yeshua (Jesus) – Rabbi; miracle worker; not politician

4.      Today? – Good man; good teacher; ethical; ONE way to heaven (John 14.6); other views of Messiah – USF student – He will return as he came via a woman

B.     Looking In to Self

1.      Great Confession – “Messiah-God” (literal translation in Hebrew)

[Inquisition/Modern Islam (Convert or die)

2.      Incarnation – Atonement – 1 Corinthians 1.22-24

II.                A Key Inspiration

A.     Encountering God

1.      We are to KNOW God – not know about God – Jeremiah 31.33-34

³⁴ And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me,. . .”

2.      More than mental knowledge

3.      Enoch-Abraham-Moses-Yeshua-Apostles-Disciples-US?

4.      Holy Spirit – John 14.15-17

B.     Encountering God Brings:

1.      Responsible Stewardship – Keys to the Kingdom

And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. Isaiah 22.22 cf. Revelation 3.7; Acts 2

Henry Blackaby – the author of “Experiencing God” writes: “We should attempt things so great that they are doomed to failure unless God intervenes.”

2.      Reasonable Judgment

a.       Bind/Loose – Idiom – forbid/permit – judgment calls for the gray areas

b.      Gentile Converts – Acts 15

c.       Paul’s comment on marriage – 1 Corinthians 7.10-13

¹⁰ To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord

¹² To the rest I say (I, not the Lord)

III.             A Key Construction

A.     The Builder is Yeshua (Jesus) – “I WILL build. . .” (not just future – fact)

1.      HIS church

2.      HIS initiative

3.      We add by our intentional actions

B.     The Building

1.      Church = ekklesia (called out; Greek); kahal (community; congregation; assembly; Hebrew)

2.      Living Temple – Ephesians 2.21-22

²¹ in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

3.      Significant Stones 1 Peter 2.4-5

⁴ As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, ⁵ you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

4.      Purpose/Place

C.     The Base (Foundation)

²⁴ “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. Matthew 7.24-25

1.      Truth of Yeshua (Jesus) – Petros vs. Petra

2.      Yeshua is the chief cornerstone – Ephesians 2.18-21

3.      Apostles (2.20)

4.      Quarry of Abraham – Isaiah 51.1-2

•          How are you doing on your own? Yeshua (Jesus) offers stability to your life.
•         Death itself cannot stop your success – because of the resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus).

1.      Relationships: During John F. Kennedy’s presidency, there was one member of his cabinet who had a unique relationship with the President: the Attorney General was his brother Robert. Robert Kennedy was reported to have greeted new lawyers entering the Department with the following message:

“This may appear to be a large organization, but when you do something well, I’ll hear about it and it will go on your record. I want you to recall that I was recently a lowly worker in the Justice Department myself, but that I now serve as Attorney General, due to perseverance, long hours, hard work, and the fact that my brother became President of the United States… not necessarily in that order.”

APPLY: It helps to be related. I want to remind us of our special relationship with God.

We’re created in God’s image. That gives a unique relationship with God. And because of that relationship, God places immense value on you and me.

•   In Genesis 1, God created the Light and said: “That’s good”
• He created the sun, moon and stars and said: “That’s good”
• He created the vegetation and said: “That’s good”
• He created the animals and said: “That’s good”
•   But on the 6th day, after having created man and giving him dominion over all the works that He had created, God said: “That’s VERY good.”

2.      Psalm 8

3.      Questions This Psalm answers: Who Am I? Why Am I Here? Who Is God?

I.       The Pure Praise for God – (Bookend verses)

A.    Praise Comes When We Encounter God

1.      Moses at the bush; Thomas with Jesus

2.      “Visit” – (Oversee; Remember; Care for)

a.       Punishment – Genesis 6

b.      Gracious Provisions – You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit. Job 10.12; James 1.27

B.     Praise Incorporates “Awe” – Exodus 20.20

The April 16, 2007 issue of Time Magazine contains and excerpt from the new biography on Albert Einstein titled, “Einstein and Faith.”

II.    The Permeating Power of God

A.    His Power is Seen in His “Name”

But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. Exodus 9.16 (to Pharaoh before plague of Hail)

But God said to me, ‘You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ 1 Chronicles 28.3 (to David)

If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. John 14.14

B.     His Power is Seen Nature

1.      In the Heavens

a.       Creative Power

b.      “Fingers” (Not Handiwork) – idiom for Holy Spirit

See: Exodus 8.18-20; 31.18; Luke 11.20

c.       This was probably a nighttime recitation – no sun is mentioned

2.      On the Earth (Matthew 6.10 – on earth as it is in heaven)

a.       The Innocents – infants (Psalm 8.2) 

Quoted by Jesus – Matthew 21.14-17

*Child shall lead them (Isaiah 11.6) /Josiah – Jesus

b.      The Enemies – Adversaries (Job and Satan)

III. The Prominence of People with God – “What is Man?”

A.    The Low View (Negative Side) Proverbs 6.16-19

B.     The High View (Positive Side)

One author noted this and commented: “God is crazy about you. . . “

1.      God has given us Divine Qualities – “crowned him with glory and honor/majesty”

2.      A little less than the divine –

3.      His image – live up to it. – Render to Caesar/to God

A famous artist once took his easel to the heart of Paris. He secured a studio overlooking a back street. His attention was captured by a man below—a common derelict, dirty and unshaved, spending most of his days in a drunken stupor. He decided to paint him, but not as a bum. He painted him clean, well-groomed, an image of self-respect. Then he showed the portrait to the man. “That’s not me,” he said. “It can’t be.” The artist replied, “When I look at you, this is the man I see.” If that is the man you see,” said the derelict, “then that is the man I will be!” God sees us not just as we are now, but as we can be. For “…while we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Conclusion:

1.      God IS mindful of us.

2.      He made us; he loves us (every one of us)

3.      He is coming again for us.

Conrad Hyers in his book, And God Created Laughter tells a of an 8 year old girl who wrote to Abraham Lincoln, who was then running for President suggesting that he grow a beard. In her opinion, Lincoln would stand a better chance of election if he grew one to hide the homeliness of his face. Lincoln could have been offended, but instead he answered her letter personally and thanked her for her suggestion, furthering adding that he’d like to visit with her when his campaign came to her area. . . .

In the next few weeks we will be in the process of selecting additional Elders – we know the importance of the task; and the seriousness

Exodus 18.12-23

Jethro – “What are you doing?” “This is not good.”

I.       The Burden on Leadership

[Number of People at SY – Members + Children + Regular Visitors = 885

A.     Primary Role to Equip Members for Ministry – Ephesians 4.11-13

Training/Caring For/Leading/Mentoring

[Barna Survey – 10% of church members are active in any kind of personal ministry (does not have to be official church ministries); 50% of all church members have NO interest in serving in ANY form of Ministry –

Reason we are uninvolved – Don’t see a need – saved by grace; waiting to die

B.     Danger – Burnout – Numbers 11.11

1.       Massive Numbers – 3 Million for Moses
2.       6 Elders for All of SY
3.       Can’t be done

C.     A Solution – More Leaders (18.21-23)

1.       Levels of Leaders (efficient at 1:10; early church 30 members)
2.       Qualified Leaders – CAPABLE – Ability; FEAR God – Spiritual; TRUSTWORTHY – Honest/Integrity; HATE A Bribe – No Dishonest Gain (Ezekiel 34)

Qualifications Continue: Deacons – Acts 6; Elders – 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1

II.    The Delegation of Leadership (Matthew 10.1 – power given by another; not inherent)

A.     Acknowledge Limitations

1.       Community/Body (1 Corinthians 12.1) is significant
2.       No one can do everything; all can do something

[T-Shirt – “I know 2 things – There IS a God; and You are NOT Him!”

B.     Determine Priorities Eastern Flight 401

1.       Moses was called to Lead/Represent God to the People; People to God
2.       NOT to be a Counselor (Even Jesus understood this – Luke 12.13-15 ¹³ Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” ¹⁴ But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵ And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”)
3.       #1 Goal – get people to the Promised Land
4.       Examples

Apostles – Ministry of Word & Prayer

Elders – Ephesians 4.11-12 (People, not programs)

C.     Train Leaders

D.     Restrain Ego

1.       What do I give up to delegate?
2.       Is this about ME or Jesus?

E.     Accept Ultimate Responsibility

[Jethro did not tell Moses to take a vacation

1.       Be available
2.       Jimmy Carter – detail-oriented; scheduled use of White House tennis courts

III. Our Selection of Leadership – No Coin Toss

Methods:

A.     Casting Lots to Replace Judas (Acts 1) – Qualifications/Choices

B.     Deacons – Qualifications – select from the people (Acts 6)

C.     Elders – Qualifications – Timothy and Titus

D.     Hybrid Model – Qualifications – Preacher – PEOPLE

Remember, we are looking for Shepherds, not Administrators

1.       The process begins today
2.       Prayerfully consider anyone meeting the qualifications (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1) who are shepherding and could be shepherds within our congregation
3.       Remember, it is about ability; availability; and Spirituality
4.       It’s about SERVICE

1.      ILLUSTRATION: ON DESTINY

2.      There is something within us that says we are important; that we want to rise higher than our current position

3.      God agrees – EACH one of us is important to God – Galatians 2.20 (the life I now live)

a.       We each have shortcomings

b.      We each have things to overcome

4.      Jeremiah 29.10-14

a.       Captivity of Judah

b.      Based on sinfulness of the people (see Jeremiah – no converts)

I.       God’s Good Intentions

A.     God Attracts Us by His Goodness

1.      Physical Necessities – (Matthew )

2.      Spiritual Necessities – “Son’s Reign”

B.     God Wants the BEST, not the Worst

1. Sometimes God DOES get angry – Moses’ Call
2.  He is seeking our good

Too often good intentions stay INTENTIONS – not with God. . .

II.    God’s Good Intentions Lead to God’s Good Actions

A.     God’s Purpose is to Act for Our Good

God Does NOT Forget His Purpose!

1.       We Do Not Always See what God is Doing – Genesis 50.20
2.       Not all is “good” – Romans 8.28
3.       Not our timeline – Moses 80 years; Joseph 30 years; Jesus 30 years
4.       But God makes great things happen – Ephesians 3.20

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” Corrie Ten Boom.

B.     God Delivered His People:

1.       From Egypt – he said he would
2.       From Babylon – He said he would
3.       From Sin and its consequences – he said he would

a.       Ultimate Sin Offering

b.      Ultimate Relationship (Note the New Covenant) – Jeremiah 31.31-34

III. God’s Good Actions Lead to Our Choices

A.     “Seek and Find” – Not “Hide and Seek”

1.       He Has Been Seeking Us and Wants Us to Find Him
2.       Turn Around – “Repent”
3.       No Procrastination – Proverbs 27.1 (James 4.13-14)

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

B.     It IS Whole-Hearted Effort – Deuteronomy 6.4

1.       God is not our hobby/our convenience
2.       God is our life
3.       Jealous God – not second place

C.     To Be With His Whole People

1.       Gathering from Babylon
2.       Gathering in the world to come

Conclusion

1.       What does it take to find God? 1 Corinthians 13.13

a.       Faith – Hebrews 11.1; 11.6

b.      Hope – Assurance

c.       Love

2.      Things are not always as they seem –

a.       Judah was captive in Babylon (greatest country in the world) – coming home in 70 years;

b.      Joseph in Egypt – saved the nation; sent home via Moses

c.       Mordecai – Daniel – 3 Hebrew boys – Christ on the cross (stumbling block; foolishness)

d.      Effects of our sins

3.      Stop Running and start looking!

“Moses spent his first forty years thinking he was somebody. He spend his second forty years learning he was a nobody. He spent his third forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody.” Dwight L. Moody

Acts 7.17-22

Moses was raised to deliver the nation – as was predicted in Genesis 15.13-14

¹³ Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. ¹⁴ But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.

I.       Moses Jumped the Gun

A.     Moses Was Esteemed

1.      He was Esteemed by God – 7.20

2.      He was Esteemed by his Parents (Exodus 2.2)

3.      He was Esteemed by Pharaoh’s Daughter

4.      He was Esteemed by Pharaoh (Acts 7.22)

• Mighty in Words and Deeds
• Groomed to be a leader in Egypt

5.      He Esteemed Himself

B.     Moses Expected a Following (7.23-25)

1.      Apparently Understood his destiny – a type of king to deliver Hebrews from affliction (7.18 cf. Exodus 1.7-8)

2.      Tried to right a wrong by doing wrong

• Did not see God at work and did not wait on him – Psalm 27.14
• [Do we ever deal with church issues in Moses’ manner?
• No one is trying to fix it – so I will; no one is looking and I assassinate a person’s character with a whisper campaign
• See Galatians 5.14-15
• What SHOULD we do?

3.      Rejected and Fled to Midian

4.      Good News – even when we make rash decisions God can still use us – in time; Moses needed more training – with the sheep

II.    Moses Tried to Dodge God’s Bullet

“Send Me a Sign” – Flaming Arrow, etc.

A.     An Enlightening Encounter – a Burning Bush

1.      Pattern for the Hebrews’ Menorah in Tabernacle/Temple

2.      God’s Lamp for Man’s Light

B.     Elaborate Excuses

It was Benjamin Franklin who said: “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.”

1.      Excuse #1 – Who Am I? – Exodus 3.10-11

a.       Already tried and failed

b.      “I am with you” – Exodus 3.13

2.      Excuse #2 – I Don’t Know Enough – Exodus 3.13

a.       Who knows it all? The more I study, the less I know

b.      God’s Assurance – Exodus 3.14-22

1)      YHWH

2)      The People will listen

3)      Pharaoh will even listen – eventually

3.      Excuse #3 – They Won’t Listen – Exodus 4.1-9

1)   Signs of Power

2)   Staff to snake to staff/hand leprous and back

4.      Excuse #4 – I Don’t Have the Gift – Exodus 4.10

a.       “Mighty in his words and deeds” (Acts 7.22) = talent

b.      Sheep?

c.       God’s Presence – Exodus 4.11-12

d.      God is not looking for ability, he is looking for availability

Availability, not Ability

Moses was old and shepherd of sheep on the backside of the desert. He failed at age 40 with his talent, rank and money to deliver his people. He tried to do it in his own strength. God moved into his life at age 80; not in the palace but in a pasture.

God does not need out talents, rank and money, He need us. When God gets us He gets everything else.

5.      Excuse #5 – I Don’t Want to get Involved – Exodus 4.13

III. Moses Was “On Target” with God (Acts 7.35-36)

A.     Solutions from an Angry God – Exodus 4.14-17

B.     Success from a Acquiescent Moses

Easy to criticize Moses

Aristotle wrote: “It’s easy to avoid criticism: all you have to do is say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.”

Rabbi Zusya years ago said, “In the world to come I will not be asked (by God), ’Why were you not Moses?’ I will be asked, ’Why were you not Zusya?’” B. Larsen, Luke, p. 42.

Years ago there was a TV show called The Honeymooners. Art Carney played one of the characters on the show, Ed Norton – a kind of happy go lucky, but fairly slow thinking worker in the sewer systems of the city. Ed Norton once summed up his philosophy of life with these words:

When the tides of life turn against you

And the current upsets your boat

Don’t waste those tears on what might have been

Just lie on your back and float.

• Joseph was a man who repeatedly who saw the tides of life turn against him. His boat was upset more than once. His difficulties would have crippled the faith of a lesser man. BUT, he didn’t sink and he didn’t even float. He overcame AND he rose above the waves of adversity. He overcame these difficulties because of his “philosophy of life” – a philosophy of life was nobler and wiser than that of Ed Norton.
•         There is more space devoted to Joseph in the book of Genesis than Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob
•         God does not speak against him at any point – even though he was imperfect (great encouragement in our Quest for God; we do not have to be perfect, just pursuing Him)

Acts 7.9-16

1. I.       Joseph Found Favor
   1. A.     With Jacob – Genesis 37.3

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors [or long coat].

1.       Death of Rachel; Death of Isaac (Genesis 35)
2.       Comforted himself with Joseph

  B.     With God –

1.       Ability to Interpret Dreams –

a.       Attributes ability to God (40.8; 41.16, 25, 32)

b.      Remember where we get abilities

2.      Providential Protection

C.     With Egyptians

1.       Potiphar (39.1-6)a.       Young – 17

   b.      Good Character/work ethic

2. c.       God’s Favor Brings Potiphar Benefit – Genesis 39.5

2.      Prison Warden (39.21-23)

a.       In Charge of Prisoners

b.      Trustee

3.      Pharaoh (41.38-46)

a.       At age 30 Treated as a Prince in Egypt

b.      Second in command over the land

II.    Joseph Endured Fighting

A.     Joseph Started Off with (Over) Confidence

B.     He Had Some Serious Struggles

1.       His Brothers

2.      Mr. & Mrs. Potiphar/His Own Temptation (39.6b-8a)

•          The Hebrew people represented a DIFFERENT morality
•          Until the Hebrews people tended to be Amoral

 III. Joseph was Given Foresight

A.     The Dreams

1.      Right about His Family bowing before him

2.      Right about Baker and Butler

3.      Right about 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine

B.     His Wisdom –

1.      In the Years of Plenty – stockpiling

2.      In the Famine (gathering riches for Egypt)

3.      In Dealing with his brothers

a.       Saves his family and the lineage of Yeshua (Jesus)

[Satan has always tried to destroy the people of God

 b.      Honors God – Genesis 50.20

[God’s ways are not always comfortable but they always ensure his success

4.      Wisdom Demonstrated by Joseph (and others) is from God – Proverbs 2.6

Yogi Bera, the famous catcher for the New York Yankees once said: “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’re likely to end up someplace else.”

Joseph was a man who knew where he was going.

He may not have known HOW he would get there, but he knew WHERE he was headed. At the age of 17, God had given him a vision. He had a vision that he would be man of great importance.

“Man’s Quest for God” depends on faith, not knowledge.

1.  Examination

At 3:00 a.m. one cold morning a missionary candidate walked into an office for a scheduled interview with the examiner of a mission board. He waited until 8 a.m. when the examiner arrived. The examiner said, “Let us begin. First, please spell baker.” “B-a-k-e-r,” the young man spelled. “Very good. Now, let’s see what you know about figures. How much is twice two?” “Four,” replied the applicant. “Very good,” the examiner said. “I’ll recommend to the board tomorrow that you be appointed. You have passed the test.”

At the board meeting the examiner spoke highly of the applicant and said. “He has all the qualifications of a missionary. Let me explain. First, I tested him on self-denial. I told him to be at my house at three in the morning. He left a warm bed and came out in the cold without a word of complaint. Second, I tried him out on punctuality. He appeared on time. Third, I examined him on patience. I made him wait five hours to see me, after telling him to come at three. Fourth, I tested him on temper. He failed to show any sign of it; he didn’t even question my delay. Fifth, I tried his humility. I asked him questions that a small child could answer and he showed no offense. He meets the requirements and will make the missionary we need.” (7,700 Illustrations # 3461)

2.      In our Quest for God:

  a.       We are tested – To help us improve

  b.      To check our progress

3.      Abraham was called by God (Quest for Man) and Responded (Quest for God)

I.       God’s Persistent Attention to Abraham

  A.     God Called – Abram Responded – A Little

    1.      Mesopotamia and Haran – Acts 7.2; Genesis 11.31-12.1

    2.      God did not give up on his imperfect man

      a.       A work in progress

      b.      Lying about Sarah

      c.       Laughing about Isaac (17.17; S in 18.12)

      d.      Ishmael

Years ago, when John D. Rockefeller was running a gigantic empire known as the “Standard Oil Company,” one of the employees made a disastrous decision that cost the company more than $2 million. Fear swept through the company as everyone expected Rockefeller not only to fire the man responsible – but take out his wrath on them as well.

Edward T. Bedford, a partner in the company, was scheduled to see Rockefeller that day and as he entered he saw the this powerful man bent over his desk/ busily writing (with a pencil) on a pad of paper. Bedford stood silently, not wishing to interrupt. After a few minutes, Rockefeller looked up.

“Oh, it’s you, Bedford,” he said calmly. “I suppose you’ve heard about our loss?”

Bedford said that he had.

“I’ve been thinking it over,” Rockefeller said, “and before I ask the man in to discuss the matter, I’ve been making some notes.”

Bedford later told the story this way:

“Across the top of the page was written, ’Point in favor of Mr. ______.’ And there, underneath that title, was a long list of the man’s virtues, including a brief description of how he had helped the company make the right decision on 3 separate occasions. Decisions that had earned the company many times the cost of his recent error.

The man kept his job, and Bedford left the meeting forever changed in how he viewed other employees of the company.

Now, why did I tell you that story?

I told you that story so you’d understand how God viewed Abraham… and how He views us:

Yes, Abraham made mistakes

Yes, Abraham failed God on a number of occasions

Yes, Abraham had a past filled with miserable disappointments…

BUT God didn’t look at Abraham to see his past, God looked at Abraham, to see his potential. He looked him to see his possibilities.

  B.     His Perseverance Resulted in his title, “Friend of God” (James 2.23; 2 Chronicles 20.7; Isaiah 41.8)

    1.      Faithfulness

    2.      NOT perfection

II.    God’s Penetrating Assessment of Abraham (Genesis 22.1-19)

  A.     Clarification of His Progress

    1.      God saw Abraham’s progress

    2.      God Showed Abraham his progress

  B.     Consecration of His Possessions

    1.      God asked for his most valued possession – his one and only son (Genesis 22.2)

First use of “love”

Unique son – supernatural element

    2.      All Abraham’s possessions had come from God – including Isaac

    3.      How could Abraham withhold from God the only thing He was asking from him after God had protected him from Pharaoh (Genesis 12:17) to Abimelech (Genesis 20:3), from famine (Genesis 12:10) to warfare (Genesis 14:15), from Chaldee to Canaan?

    4.      What is your most valuable possession? Can you give it to God? If not, that is an idol in your life; RYR (Matthew 19.16-22)

  C.     Culmination of His Priorities

    1.      Preparation

Wood ON Isaac – foreshadows the cross on Yeshua

Fire – foreshadows the torment of Yeshua

Knife – foreshadows the blood of the lamb

    2.      Location – Mt. Moriah (22.2) – temple

    3.      Replacement – God to provide the lamb (22.8)

      a.       Passover Lamb – Exodus; crucifixion

      b.      Ram’s Horn (22.13)

Shofar/Trumpet – call to worship/war

Crown of thorns

    4.      Reward for Abraham

      a.       Life of Isaac (able to resurrect – Hebrews 11.19 – figuratively received him from dead – foreshadow of Yeshua)

      b.      Multiplication of descendants

      c.       Land of promise to descendants

      d.      Blessing for nations (in Yeshua)

      e.       BECAUSE he HEARD/OBEYED the voice of God (Genesis 22.18; 26.4-5)

In Our Quest for God we remember to put our faith into practice!

Don’t Hold Back

Bertoldo de Giovanni is a name even the most enthusiastic lover of art is unlikely to recognize. He was the pupil of Donatello, the greatest sculptor of his time, and he was the teacher of Michelangelo, the greatest sculptor of all time. Michelangelo was only 14 years old when he came to Bertoldo, but it was already obvious that he was enormously gifted. Bertoldo was wise enough to realize that gifted people are often tempted to coast rather than grow, and therefore he kept trying to pressure his young prodigy to work seriously at his art. One day he came into the studio to find Michelangelo toying with a piece of sculpture far beneath his abilities. Bertoldo grabbed a hammer, stomped across the room, and smashed the work into tiny pieces, shouting this unforgettable message, “Michelangelo, talent is cheap; dedication is costly!” (Gary Inrig, A Call to Excellence)

Too often Christians are just like Michelangelo in that we simply coast through worship service by simply going through the motions. Going through the motions of singing songs and taking notes is cheap; dedication to true worship is costly.

Football players have a saying — “leave it all on the field.” It means that during the game they don’t hold anything back.

Lesson for us as we walk with God – Don’t hold back!

   Luke 15.8-10

1.        Background – Yeshua’s (Jesus’) critics are offended with the company he keeps
2.       He uses “Lost & Found” stories to help them understand his purpose – to seek and save the lost (Luke 19.10; Ezekiel 34)
3.        The first story – a sheep is lost from its shepherd and the shepherd goes into the wilderness after it
4.       This story – a woman loses a coin and searches until she finds it

I.      The Object of the Quest

A.     The Pursuit of People (Luke 19.10; Ezekiel 34)

1.    Created by in the image of God – image on coin?
2.    Value expressed – lost sheep; lost coin

              a.       May have represented 1 of 10 coins on a woman’s wedding attire – never to be taken from her; similar to wedding rings and diamond sets; sentimental value?  Jeremiah 2.32

             b.      May have represented a day’s wages – survival (daily bread)/10 days’ savings; this is evidence of stewardship if the woman, entrusted with this money as the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31;

B.     The Prominence of the Words of God (Proverbs 2.1-5

1. We seek earthly things – silver & gold; Of how much more value is the eternal – God’s word?
2. These critics needed to do some Torah-searching for themselves – they were forgetting such things as “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19.18)    a.       In dealing with sinners there is the temptation to avoid them so as not to fall into temptation

       b.      In dealing with sinners there is the duty to restore them

                c.       Then again, who isn’t a sinner? – Luke 15.7 (humor of Yeshua)

II.                The Effort of the Quest

A.     There was a Cost – lit lamp; used oil and wicks – significant to the poor

B.     There was Exertion – sweeping straw/dirt/stone floor – basalt in Capernaum

• Lay bare the floor
• Open selves to God

C.     There was Diligence – Not an Easy Task

1. Dark Houses (stone/small or no windows – required lamps)
2. Small Houses – 1 car garage
3. Tireless love of God

       4.  Woman stopped all of her chores to search – what is God doing today?

III.             The Initiator of the Quest

A.     A Responsibility – “I lost the coin”

1. A Critique of the Leaders of the Nation – Losing the people
2. did not seem to care

B.     A Representation

1. God has a feminine side – YHWH – ½ is masculine/1/2 is feminine
2. Cares for us as a mother to her children – Isaiah 49.13-16

IV.              The Conclusion of the Quest — Celebration

A.     The Thrill of the Find

B.     The Relief of Restoration

With God the JOY is REAL!

Conclusion

1. This and the other stories in this chapter give us insight into the heart of God.
2. EVERY person matters to God, EVERY ONE of us!
3. Have you ever interrupted someone? How do you feel? How were you made to feel?
4. You are not an interruption to God – you are the most important thing in the world to him!

God seeks and finds but we still have the choice as to how we will respond to him.

1. Survivor Eva Hart remembers the night, April 15, 1912, on which the Titanic plunged 12,000 feet to the Atlantic floor, some two hours and forty minutes after an iceberg tore a 300-foot gash in the starboard side: “I saw all the horror of its sinking, and I heard, even more dreadful, the cries of drowning people.” Although twenty life-boats and rafts were launched-too few and only partly filled-most of the passengers ended up struggling in the icy seas while those in the boats waited a safe distance away.
   Lifeboat No. 14 did row back to the scene after the unsinkable ship slipped from sight at 2:20 A.M. Alone, it chased cries in the darkness, seeking and saving a precious few. Incredibly, no other boat joined it. Some were already overloaded, but in virtually every other boat, those already saved rowed their half-filled boats aimlessly in the night, listening to the cries of the lost. Each feared a crush of unknown. Swimmers would cling to their craft, eventually swamping it.
2.  One of the Impressive things about our God is how much he cares about us. HE initiates our relationship with him

•            Adam – “Where are you?”
•            Abram

       3.      Luke 15.1-7

I.                   The Defiant Disapproval

A.     Scribes and Pharisees

1.      Knew the Torah (specially trained scribes copied; Pharisees studied it and oral law)

2.      5 Bad Pharisees and 2 Good; Yeshua (Jesus) close to Pharisees in Theology

3.      Zealots were a branch of the Pharisees – impatient with God – “DIY”

4.      “Separated Ones”

a.       Separate from Sadducees/Priest – sold out to Rome/Hellenism (no EL)

b.      Separate from sin and sinful people – holiness issues/uncleanness

B.     Misunderstanding God  Isaiah 65.1

Samuel Colgate, the founder of the Colgate business empire, was a devout Christian. During an evangelistic service that he’d attended, an invitation was given at the close of the sermon for all those who wished to turn their lives over to Christ and be forgiven.

One of the first persons to walk down the aisle was a well-known prostitute. She wept openly as she expressed her desire to become a Christian and to become a member of this church. For a few moments, the silence was deafening. This was in the days when some churches “voted” on whether a person would be accepted into their congregation, and it became apparent that these people weren’t sure they wanted her in their church.

Apparently Samuel Colgate understood this. Maybe he was even thinking of these parables (in Luke) when arose and said, “I guess we blundered when we prayed that the Lord would save sinners. We forgot to specify what kind of sinners.

We’d better ask him to forgive us for this oversight. The Holy Spirit has touched this woman and made her truly repentant, but the Lord apparently doesn’t understand that she’s not the type we want him to rescue. We’d better spell out for him just which sinners we had in mind.”

Almost immediately, a motion was made and unanimously approved that the woman be accepted into membership in the congregation.

Paul wrote in I Corinthians 6:9-11

1.      By misunderstanding the nature of God, they misunderstood the mission of the Messiah (Luke 19.10)

2.      By misunderstanding the nature of God, they misunderstood their mission – instead of seeking lost sinners they kept to themselves in their religious club

II.                The Searching Shepherd (A Picture of Messiah/God)

The boss of a big company needed to call one of his employees about an urgent problem with one of the main computers. He dialed the employees home telephone number and was greeted with a child’s whispered, “Hello?”

The boss asked, “Is your Daddy home?”
“Yes,” whispered the small voice.
“May I talk with him?” the man asked.
To the boss’ surprise, the small voice whispered, “No.”
The boss persisted, “Is your Mommy there?”
“Yes,” came the answer.
“May I talk with her?”
Again, the small voice whispered, “No.”
“Well, is there someone else there I might talk to?” the boss asked the child.
“Yes,” whispered the child, “a policeman.”
“Well then, may I speak with the policeman?”
“No,” whispered the child “he is busy”
“Busy doing what?” asked the boss.
“Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the Fireman,” came the whispered answer.
Now the boss was growing concerned and just then he heard what sounded like a helicopter through the ear piece on the phone, the boss asked, “What is that noise?”
“A hello-copper,” answered the whispering voice.
Alarmed, the boss nearly shouted: “What is going on there?”
In an awed whispering voice, the child answered, “The search team just landed the hello-copper!”
“Why are they there?”
There was a muffled giggle as the child said, “They are looking for me!”

A.     Sees the Value in ONE Sheep

1.      Left 99 to find the ONE

2.      Took Risks in the Wilderness

a.       Dangerous animals; terrain; thirst; hunger

b.      Yeshua encountered the Adversary in the wilderness (Matthew 4; Luke 4)

B.     Has Compassion on ONE Sheep

³He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.  Psalm 23.3

1.      RESTORES my soul – repentance; to go from waywardness to paths of righteousness

2.      Relief when retrieved – Isaiah 40.11

He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.

C.     A Depiction of Yeshua (Jesus)

1.      Good Shepherd – John 10.11

2.      Shepherd who seeks his sheep – Luke 19.10

a.       Reference to Ezekiel 34.11ff

b.      Condemns bad shepherds and does the work himself

c.       Carries the helpless home

III.             The Community Celebration

Several years ago the city of Pittsburgh constructed a large, new post office at the cost of several million dollars. On the day of its opening, the Governor made a speech, the bands played and the people cheered. It was quite a celebration.

But when the first man entered to mail a letter, to the embarrassment of the engineers, it was discovered that in the rush to meet the deadline, they had omitted the usual letter drop. Here was a costly new post office, but no place to mail a letter! It was a slight omission, but it negated the very reason for its existence.

A.     The Return Home

1.      Sheep is Safe

2.      The Shepherd is Successful

B.     The Focus of the Party – the Found Sheep

1.      Saved from Disuse – while lost of no value

(sheep are not smart/have no sense of direction)

2.      Saved from Danger (sheep are defenseless)

3.      Saved from Death – given new life

1.      A man was walking down a deserted Mexican beach at sunset. As he walked along, he began to see another man in the distance. As he grew nearer, he noticed that the local native kept leaning down, picking something up and throwing it out into the water. Time and again, he kept hurling things out into the ocean.

As the man approached even closer, he noticed that the man was picking up starfish that had been washed up on the beach and, one at a time, he was throwing them back into the water.

The man was puzzled. He approached the man and said, “Good evening, friend. I was wondering what you are doing.”

“I’m throwing these starfish back into the ocean. You see, it’s low tide right now and all of these starfish have been washed up onto the shore. If I don’t throw them back into the sea, they’ll die up here from lack of oxygen.”

“I understand,” the man replied, “but there must be thousands of starfish on this beach. You can’t possibly get to all of them. There are simply too many. And don’t you realize this is probably happening on hundreds of beaches all up and down this coast. Can’t you see that you can’t possibly make a difference?”

The local native smiled, bent down and picked up yet another starfish, and as he threw it back into the sea, he replied, “Made a difference to that one!”

2.      WE are like the lost sheep

All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53.6

3.      How important is each of us?

a.       Important enough for God to come after us

b.      Important enough for Yeshua to die and rise for us

4.      The Bible tells us to seek God because he is seeking us

Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near; Isaiah 55.6

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29.13

(That is what he has done for us)

5.  Sheep was lost and did not know how to get home – shepherd came to the rescue!