May 28, 2006 - The (Most) Important Thing

By: Rev. Steve Bass

May 28, 2006

Scripture Meditation: Philippians 1:15-19

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

• Pam and I are not very sentimental people
• Which is a good thing when you’re getting ready to downsize
• Losing 500 sq. feet of space means you’ve got to get rid of stuff
• And Pam is GOOD at getting rid of stuff!
• A/An...
• China cabinet her beloved Aunt K-K gave us- Sell it!
• End table that belonged to her parents- Get rid of it!
• Dining room table we’ve had for nearly ten years- History!
• I can live with that. I didn’t even mind when she traded our king-sized bed for a queen-sized one
• But then she went TOO FAR!
• She tried to give away my Panthers Super Bowl memorabilia!
• She tried to hide them in a collection of things we were sending to the consignment shop!
• Fortunately- I rescued them!
• See- until the Panthers win the Big One, the trip to the 2004 Super Bowl is the best sports memory I’ve got
• I don’t care if it is just a framed cover of an issue of Sports Illustrated
• You DON’T give away something like that!
• Sometimes I have to remind Pam about what’s REALLY important in life!

SCRIPTURE READING

• Please read Philippians 1:15-18
• In this passage of Scripture Paul is reminding the Philippian Christians what is REALLY important in the church
• So important it’s worth personal pain and sacrifice

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND

• Now here’s what you need to understand about this passage of Scripture
• Paul wrote Philippians while he was sitting in a jail cell in the city of Rome
• Bearing this in mind- look at what Paul wrote in Philippians 1:12-14
• Folks- to sit in a jail cell and say: "This is a GOOD thing..."
• Is a sign you’re either crazy or you’ve got an INCREDIBLE amount of faith
• Paul had an amazing amount of faith
• Look at what he says: "I KNOW...that what has happened to me has really served to advance the cause of the Gospel"
• Paul was THRILLED that his imprisonment had resulted in the proclamation of the Gospel in the highest levels of the Roman government
• BUT- there was a problem
• There were rival evangelists and missionaries who were deeply jealous of Paul’s ministry
• They were going around trying to make him look bad- so that they would look good
• Look at what he says: It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry...(They) preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains...
• Now folks- if I were in Paul’s shoes- I might have been ready to "go to war"
• But Paul’s attitude is more mature- more Christ-like- than that
• "But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice..."

THE QUESTION OF UNITY WITHIN THE BODY OF CHRIST

• I wish more Christians today had that kind of attitude
• But sometimes there’s so much division within the body of Christ- so much jealousy
• You’d think that different churches- different denominations- are bitter competitors in a fierce war of survival
• I’ve been to Pastor’s Conferences and heard ministers bitterly denounce mega-churches like Hickory Grove or Grace Covenant in Huntersville
• They’ll complain those churches are "trying to steal all our members. People are leaving my church and going to THAT church"
• It reminds me of a scene from an old episode of The Andy Griffin Show
• It’s early Sunday morning-
• The Taylor family is getting ready for church-
• And Andy is grumbling because a visiting minister is going to be preaching at Mayberry’s All Souls Church
• Conversation:
• Andy: "...I hold with Rev. Tucker. He’s good enough for me."
• Aunt Bea tries to cut in but Andy keeps talking
• Andy: "We’ve been takin’ from Rev. Tucker a good many years now, and I ain’t about to change"
• Finally Aunt Bea says: "But Andy, they’re on the SAME side!..."
• Folks- we’re not in competition with Hickory Grove- or Grace Covenant- or Christ Community- or Mulberry- or any other church in the Charlotte area
• The fact that someone may visit here- and then choose to join another church doesn’t mean...
• That Sunset Road is a failure-
• Or that our church is less important in the eyes of God!
• Or that the legitimacy of our ministry is being undermined
• Even if some of our church members decide to join another church-
• It doesn’t mean we’ve been defeated
• And it certainly doesn’t mean we should get discouraged and hang our head in shame
• Turn with me over to Matthew 25:14-23
• What’s the point of Jesus' story?
• Simply this: In God’s eyes numbers don’t equal success!
• All that God asks is that we be faithful to the ministry He’s given us
• If we do that someday we’ll hear God say: "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!"
• Now let’s shift gears and talk about the existence of other denominations
• If you think jealousies and rivalries can get nasty among Baptist churches
• When the question turns to other denominations- things can quickly go "from bad to worse"
• Granted- it’s not as bad today as it used to be
• But there are still a lot of folks who think-
• If you’re not a member of a particular denomination (That inevitably they happen to belong to)
• You’re not really a part of the kingdom of God
• I remember when I was growing up my pastor would make an announcement whenever the Lord’s Supper was celebrated
• He would say: "Only members of this local NT church may participate in the Lord’s Supper"
• Folks- I loved my pastor- but he was dead wrong on that one!
• The Lord’s Supper table does not belong to the membership of a particular church or denomination
• It belongs to Jesus Christ and He welcomes ANYONE who knows Him as their personal Savior and Lord!
• Let me tell ya: When it comes to denominations:
• We spend WAY too much time focusing on the things that divide us
• And not NEARLY enough time focusing on the One who unites us!
• Illustration: Visiting The Holy Land
• Visiting the Holy Land will help you see what I’m talking about
• When you’re surrounded by Jews & Muslims & Hindus & Buddhists- and everything else under the sun
• Suddenly singing a song of worship in a Catholic church doesn’t feel so strange
• Instead- you’re struck by the fact that as Christians we share a LOT in common!
• Folks- there needs to be a spirit of UNITY within the body of Christ!
• Jesus PRAYED there would be unity within the church
• God EXPECTS there to be unity within the church
• Christians should do everything in our power to INSURE there is unity within the church
• Now let me point out a couple of things about Christian unity
• First- Christian unity doesn’t mean that we’re all going to look the same- or act the same- or worship the same
• God made His children delightfully different
• And those differences are going to express themselves in the way we choose to do church
• Secondly- unity doesn’t mean that we should be ashamed of our denominational heritage
• Sunset Road is an unapologetically BAPTIST church- and I’m an unapologetically BAPTIST preacher
• Baptists aren’t perfect- far from it- but overall I think we’ve got a lot to be proud of
• But most importantly- a desire for Christian unity doesn’t give us permission to make compromises with the truth of the Word of God
• Paul provides a pretty good role model at this point
• He had no problem with the people who were going around criticizing him-
• As long as they remained faithful to the truth of the Gospel
• That’s why he was able to take a "live and let live" attitude in Philippians 1:18
• On the other hand, Paul didn’t hesitate to "stand up and be counted" when the truth of God’s Word was being compromised
• If you don’t believe it-
• Read what he wrote in Galatians 1:6-9
• So what does all this mean?
• Anyone who believes the fundamental truths of the Word of God is a Christian
• And should be regarded as a brother or sister in Christ!

THE FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS OF THE GOSPEL

• Now you might be thinking: "O-K Steve- what ARE the fundamental truths of the Word of God?"
• There are six of them
• And each one is absolutely important
• First there is the belief in the infallibility of Scripture
• To say that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant Word of God is to simply affirm what the Bible says about itself
• Scripture references:
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17
• 2 Peter 1:19-21
• The second fundamental truth of the Christian faith is belief in the deity of Christ
• This is just another of saying that Jesus was the unique and only begotten Son of God- that Christ was "fully God and fully man"
• Scripture references:
• John 1:1-5 & 10-14
• Philippians 2:5-11
• The third fundamental truth of our faith states that Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a Virgin
• Here’s the thing- the doctrine of the Virgin Birth
• Isn’t some afterthought that can be dismissed or ignored
• It is an ESSENTIAL element of the Bible’s testimony about Jesus!
• Scripture references:
• Galatians 4:4-5
• Matthew 1:18-23
• The fourth fundamental truth of the Christian faith concerns the atoning sacrifice Jesus made for our sin on the Cross of Calvary
• In other words: When He was hanging on the Cross Jesus took on Himself the full penalty for your sin- so that you and I might be saved
• Scripture references:
• Romans 5:6-9
• Galatians 3:13-14
• The fifth fundamental truth of our faith states that Jesus was physically resurrected from the dead
• It wasn’t an illusion- He wasn’t a ghostly apparition who only APPEARED to be alive. The fact is-
• The One who DIED on the Cross on Friday
• Was discovered to be physically ALIVE again on Easter Sunday morning!
• Scripture references:
• Matthew 28:1-6
• 1 Corinthians 15:12-20
• The sixth fundamental Christian truth states that Jesus is going to come to Earth a Second Time
• The Bible says He will Come Again...
• In clouds of glory surrounded by the armies of heaven
• And "every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord"
• And the people of God from every corner of the world will rise up to meet in the air

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

• Bottom line: If you believe those six fundamental truths of the Christian faith you are my brother or sister in Christ
• It doesn’t matter:
• If we worship or govern our churches in different ways
• How we choose to practice baptism- or how often we celebrate the Lord’s Supper
• If we have different theories about the Second Coming- or disagreements about the nature of the gifts of the Holy Spirit
• What matters is...
• That we have "the same Lord (who) is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him..." (Romans 10:12)
• And that as brothers and sisters we’ll spend eternity together in the presence of our Heavenly Father!

THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT CHRIST BE PREACHED

• And this is where we come back to Philippians 1:18
• Let me paraphrase what Paul is saying here
• "What’s the big deal? The ONLY thing that matters- is that one way or the other- people are hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ! And that makes me so happy I don’t know what to do!"
• Folks- if we’re going to win the world for Christ we’ve got to change our attitudes
• We’ve got to stop worrying about making church members
• And start concentrating on making members of the Kingdom of God!
• Illustration: "Dan Medlin"
• I was once asked to help conduct a funeral service for a man named Dan Medlin
• Mr. Medlin lived in the community surrounding New Sandy Creek Baptist Church
• When I met him Mr. Medlin was in his late 70's and dying of chronic emphysema
• He’d never been a member of a church- he’d never accepted Jesus Christ as His personal Savior and Lord
• So the first time I met him I sat down beside his bed and shared the plan of salvation
• When I asked him if he would like to ask Jesus to be his Savior he said: "Not right now- I think I’d like to give it a little more thought"
• As it turns out I wasn’t the only preacher to visit Dan Medlin during his last few weeks of his life
• A Methodist- a Pentecostal Holiness- a Church of God - and an independent Baptist pastor also shared the plan of salvation with Mr. Medlin
• Happily- during the independent Baptist pastor’s visit- he finally said "Yes" to Jesus
• After his death, Mr. Medlin’s wife asked all of us to officiate at his funeral. She said: "God used each one of you to bring Dan to Jesus."
• Folks let me tell you something:
• When we did that funeral we didn’t concentrate on the differences between our denominations
• We just celebrated the fact that God had one more child in His kingdom!
• "But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice..."
• Let us pray

May 21, 2006 - Being Available To God

Being Available To God

By: Rev. Steve Bass

May 21, 2006

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

• Mark this as one of the those things you never thought you’d hear a preacher say: I’ve never really liked to pray
  • Makes me feel guilty just saying the words
  • But it happens to be true
• One reason has to do with my own life experience
  • When I went through depression as a teenager I was obsessed with my salvation
    • I’d accepted Jesus as my Savior- and followed Him in believer’s baptism- when I was ten
    • But Satan used the depression to make me think that wasn’t enough
      • I was afraid I was still lost in sin
      • And doomed to eternity spent in hell
  • So I prayed...CONSTANTLY !
    • Around the clock for nearly two YEARS !
    • Lord- if I’m not saved please let me know. I promise- I’ll do ANYTHING to get right with You!
  • Folks, I’ve been carrying the baggage of that experience for 35 years
    • Quite often the thought of praying would bring back all those terrible memories
    • Trust me- it’s hard to pray when you feel like that!
• When it wasn’t driving me crazy- I also found prayer to be kind of boring
  • I mean folding your hands- and bowing your head- and closing your eyes
  • As a person who lives by a To Do list- it didn’t seem like I was accomplishing very much when I prayed
• Of course- all that didn’t stop me from praying
  • But I tended to look at prayer as a burden to be borne
  • Not a blessing to be enjoyed

MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE TO GOD

• Thankfully- God’s given me a new in-sight into the meaning of prayer
  • I first heard expressed it at a Pastor’s Prayer Summit
  • Bill Fogarty- the facilitator of the group- said: When it’s all said and done- prayer is making yourself available to God
• Prayer is making yourself available to God.
  • Prayer is not supposed to be a ritualistic discipline to be endured
  • Prayer is supposed to be a time of joyful communion- and fellowship- with God
• When you start thinking about prayer this way you realize it can be done-
  • At a particular time and place of your choosing
  • Or any time or any place you want to enjoy some quality time with your Daddy God
• Of course for some Christians that’s a problem: See- they don’t want to enjoy fellowship with God
  • Now please understand-
    • I’m not judging their salvation
    • If they’ve asked Jesus to be their Savior- they’re saved- PERIOD!
  • But they don’t want to spend quality time with God because of twisted and distorted ideas they have ABOUT God. Look:
    • If you think God is a tyrant- a demanding taskmaster- an angry, distant, difficult to please father
    • Let’s face it: You’re NOT going to want to spend much time with Him
• That’s why we’re going to start this morning’s message on prayer by discovering who God REALLY is

WHO GOD REALLY IS

• The first thing you need to know about God is that He’s your Creator
  • In other words:
    • You’re not who you are because of some cosmic accident
    • Some random collision between your mother’s and father’s genetic material
  • Before your parents even thought about having a child- God had already determined that you would be born

  Psalm 139:13-16

• Because He’s your Creator- God knows you inside and out
  • He sees behind the masks you present to the rest of the world
  • He knows the REAL you. He knows...
    • What makes you tick
    • What kind of things motivate and inspire you
    • What kind of things terrify or discourage you- and He STILL loves you

  Psalm 139:1-6

• After more than 25 ½ years of marriage, it’s safe to say that nobody knows me better than Pam
  • She understands my fears and vulnerabilities and places of weakness
  • Remember the myth of Achilles?
  • Pam knows EXACTLY where my Achilles heel is
  • If she wanted to-
  • She could use that information to hurt me very badly
  • The reason she doesn’t is that her knowledge ABOUT me is balanced by her love FOR me
  • What’s true of Pam- is infinitely more true about God!

  Lamentations 3:22-25

• Now with all this in mind- I want you to read to what it says in Hebrews 13:5
  • The word never is a moral absolute- it implies the impossibility of a particular event taking place. Because of the love I have for you...
    • There’s not a situation or a circumstance in the world in which I would leave you
    • It’s IMPOSSIBLE to create a situation or circumstance in which I would abandon you- or stop loving you!
  • To put it another way: There’s nothing you can do..
    • To make God love you more
    • To make God love you less
• Because God loves you so much- the Bible says He will meet ALL of your needs
• Philippians 4:19
  • The best way to understand this verse is to think about a baby
    • A baby doesn’t worry about whether or not his parents will take care of his needs
    • In his mind it’s a given- Mommy & Daddy take care of me!
  • God wants you to know that you can have the same kind of faith in His desire- and ability- to care for you
• Now because God knows you, and loves you, so much- you can trust Him to guide you through life

  Proverbs 3:5-6

• Illustration: Whitewater Rafting Guide
  • I’ll never forget the first time I went whitewater rafting
    • We’re getting ready to run a dicey stretch of the river
    • When the guide motioned for us to come over to his raft
  • In a stern voice he said: This part of the river is dangerous- it can kill you. You MUST listen to me- and follow my exact instructions. Trust me- I know how to get you through
• Folks- this is God’s promise of love to you
  • He knows what He’s doing- His plans for you are perfect in every way
  • All He asks is that you let Him guide you through
• There’s one other thing the Bible wants you to know about God: He wants to give you the gift of His peace

  • John 14:27

  • Now turn with me to Philippians 4:6-7

• At this point you might be thinking:
  • This sounds great Steve! God loves me and wants only the best for me.
  • But what’s all this got to do with prayer?
• Simple: Once you understand the passionate intensity of God’s love for you
  • You’ll want to spend more time with Him
  • And-
    • When you want to spend more time with Him
    • You’ll discover the pleasure and joy of prayer!

THE NEW FUNDAMENTALS OF PRAYER

• So what does all this mean?
  • What are some of the implications of this new approach to prayer?
  • That’s what I want to talk about for the next few minutes

Stop worrying about the "shoulds"

• I don’t know about you- but I HATE being told what I should do
  • Which is why I hate most of the books on prayer I read over the years
  • Most of these books are essentially books of shoulds
• According to these prayer experts you SHOULD -
  • Pray at the same time every day: Make time in your schedule for God
  • Create a particular place to pray: Find a prayer closet where it will just be God and you.
  • Pray for a certain length of time every day: Get up an hour earlier and spend that time with God!
  • Cleanse your mind of every other thought besides God: Don’t let the thoughts and concerns of life interfere with your time with God
  • Pray on bended knee or bow down prostrate before GodF)
  • And on and on and on it goes
• Here’s the problem with the shoulds:
  • If you’re focusing all your energy on getting the shoulds right
  • You’re focusing on the wrong things!
    • See- God isn’t concerned with where and how you pray
    • God’s concern is the condition of your heart WHEN you pray!
• If you don’t believe what I’m saying- consider the Pharisees
  • The Pharisees had all the rituals- the shoulds- of prayer down cold
  • But Jesus condemned them because their hearts were far- far- away from God
• Turn to Matthew 23:25-28

Don’t spend so much time talking to God

• Now I know this one sounds shocking- but it happens to be true
  • See when you understand that prayer is ultimately being available to God
  • You realize it’s a lot more than the words you say between:
    • Dear Heavenly Father
    • And In Jesus’ name we pray
• The truth is your prayer time with God can consist of many things:
  • Silent reflection and meditation
  • Singing hymns or songs of praise and thanksgiving
  • Reading the Bible or a Christian devotional book
  • Listening to Christian music
  • Recording your thoughts in a prayer journal
  • And- obviously- having a little talk with God
• Jack Hayford likes to tell a story about a special prayer experience he once had with God
  • He’d just returned home from leading a crusade in Nigeria
    • During one of the services he’d watched as many of the Nigerian Christians began dancing in the aisles
    • Being a conservative, evangelical North American he’d been appalled by what he’d seen: Dancing in the church! How dare they!
  • So it shocked him when he felt the Holy Spirit speaking to him: Jack- I want you to dance for Me
    • But Lord- I couldn’t do that. I’m the pastor of the Church On The Way. I have an international television ministry. I’ve written books on worship and hymns of praise. I’ve..
    • Holy Spirit: But Jack- TODAY I want you to dance for Me!
  • And so Jack Hayford says: I loosened my tie- took off my shoes- and danced before my Lord. It was one of the most meaningful times of worship and prayer I’ve ever experienced
• Who knows where the Holy Spirit will lead you during your next time with God
  • BUT - if you let HIM decide what you should do
  • God will be glorified- and you’ll be blessed be-yond anything you can imagine!

Don’t be intimidated if you don’t know all the words

• When I was growing up my Pastor would pray the most eloquent prayers you’ve ever heard.
  • They would-
    • Be filled with: Thou gracious Heavenly Father(s)
    • And lots of we praise Thy holy and glorious Name(s)
    • And tons of we humbly beseech Thee(s)
    • Not to mention plenty of in the great and glorious name of the Lord Jesus Christ we earnestly make this prayer
  • It all sounded good- but to a twelve year old it was terribly intimidating
    • I didn’t talk like that- to be honest it sounded like a foreign language to me
    • Did that mean there was something wrong with the way I prayed? Not hardly
• See- here’s the thing:
  • You don’t have to sound like a Shakespearean actor in order to pray
  • All those Thees and Thous and Thines and beseeches weren’t in the original text of the Bible anyway
• The fact is that when you make yourself available to God the least important things are the words YOU say!
  • Don’t believe it?
  • Read what the Bible says in Romans 8:26-27
• By far the most powerful prayer I’ve ever heard prayed consisted of exactly two words
  • It was prayed by a mother whose son’s surgery had gone tragically wrong
  • Through sobs all she could say was "Oh God!"
    • Trust me- the Holy Spirit took those words
    • And translated them into a prayer of power and faith and conviction

Spend less time making your petitions known to God

• I want you to try and imagine the following situation:
  • Your child hasn’t eaten in two days and tells you she’s really hungry
  • How many times is she going to have to ask before you fix her something to eat?
• Turn to Luke 11:11-13
• Here’s the point Jesus is trying to make:
  • If sinful human beings- who don’t have a clue about loving one another perfectly- know how to lovingly provide for our children’s needs
  • How much more will your Daddy God- who defines what perfect love is- know how to lovingly provide for His children’s needs?
• Now obviously you have the right to make your requests known to God
  • Jesus makes this clear in Luke 11:9-10
  • But here’s the thing: Don’t spend all of your time with God bombarding Him with your requests and petitions
    • You don’t need to because He already knows what you need
    • And you can trust Him to care of ALL of those needs

Pray for the people the Spirit lays on your heart

• I’ve always believed in praying for others
  • That’s why we print a Prayer List on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights
  • It’s one way of fulfilling the mandate of Galatians 6:2
• But here’s the thing:
  • During your time with God don’t be slavishly devoted to that Prayer List
  • Instead- pray for the people the Holy Spirit lays on your heart
• For instance- let’s say I’m driving down I-77 and the Holy Spirit lays Jim Rollins on my heart
  • I don’t have to know WHY the Spirit brought Jim to my attention
  • But I’ll utter a prayer that goes something like this: Father- I don’t know what’s going on in Jim’s life today- but I lift him up to You. Watch over him, protect him and help him bring You glory

CONCLUSION

• Last Sunday being Mother’s Day- I made a point of spending time with my mother
  • Not because I had- or because I felt like I needed to
  • I spent time with my mother because of who she is, and what she means to me
• Folks- THAT’S why you make yourself available to God in prayer
  • Not because you HAVE to- or because of some sense of obligation or duty
  • You spend time with God because of who HE is, and what HE’S done for you
• I want you to "close your eyes" and listen to these familiar words of Scripture

  1 John 3:1-3

• If you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord-
  • You are God’s dear and precious child
  • And He wants to spend some time with you!

May 14, 2006 - Loving Your Child Into The Future

By: Rev. Steve Bass

May 14, 2006

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

• Any lovable coward can be a grandparent
  • We even brag about it
  • I’m gonna spoil ‘em rotten- then send ‘em back home! They can straighten ‘em out!
• There’s no doubt kids need the cowardly love only grandparents provide
  • And I plan to be the biggest coward of them all
  • Unless Pam beats me to the punch
• But here’s the thing:
  • Grandparents only get to be lovable cowards
  • If PARENTS are willing to be loving heroes!
• There’s no doubt parents have the hardest job in the world. You’ve got to:
  • Love your children unconditionally
  • And disciple them lovingly
• It’s a delicate balancing act-
  • Love your child without disciplining them and you’ll condemn them to a lifetime of confusion and failure Proverbs 29:15
  • Disciple your child without loving them and you’ll curse them to a lifetime of anger and misery Colossians 3:21
• So parents- how do you do it?
  • If you follow some simple Biblical principles- and a few pearls of collective wisdom-
  • You’ll be able to courageously love your child into their future!

GIVE THEM UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

• Someone once said that an unloved child is the saddest creature in all of nature
  • But, a child who doesn’t receive unconditional love may be in a worse situation
  • Here’s the thing:
    • If you teach your child that he has to earn your love
    • He’ll go through life stressed, depressed and quite possibly suicidal
• This sense of desperation is reflected in Essau’s cry in Genesis 27:38
• So what does unconditional love mean?
  • Someone once said it’s love that comes without any strings attached
  • Personally, I think of it as love that isn’t determined by the other person’s response or actions
    • In other words: Your love for your child can’t based on-
      • The way they look-
      • Or the grades they make-
      • Or how many points they scored in the last game
      • Or whether or not they make you happy
    • You love your child just because they exist
• Remember the Parable of the Prodigal Son?
  • The Prodigal Son had completely rejected his father’s love
    • First- he left home with his share of the in-heritance
    • Then he spent the next few years squandering his wealth in "riotous living"
  • But Jesus says that when he finally "wised up" and started for home: his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. (Luke 15:20)
    • Folks, THAT is unconditional love
    • The P.S. had done everything except stick a knife in his father’s back- but the father’s love for his son never wavered
• 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 describes unconditional love
• Parents-
  • The greatest gift you can give your children is unconditional love that never fails
  • It’s the foundation upon which everything else about parenting rests

DISCIPLINE THEM

• Read Proverbs 3:12
  • There is a direct connection between loving your child- and disciplining your child.
  • Let’s put it this way:
    • Everyone knows that you have to feed a child because it’s essential to their physical health and well-being
    • In the same way loving discipline is essential to a child’s emotional health and well-being
• The problem is that a lot of parents aren’t crazy about doing the "discipline thing"
• They want their children to "like" them- they want to be their child’s "friend"
• They don’t wanna be the "tough cop" who sets the standards and enforces the rules
• Folks- don’t try to be your child’s friend
• Your kids have plenty of friends!
• But they only get one set of parents. Parents who have a God-given responsibility to discipline their children in love!
• ...Now I’ll grant you- they don’t always like it!
  • When she was in middle school Stephanie’s band played a gig at the Marriott hotel
  • While they were there- a few kids took some Thank You For Not Smoking signs from a storage closet
  • Stephanie didn’t take one- but she got one from the kids who did
    • The next morning I confronted her about her new acquisition
    • First words out of her mouth: I didn’t take it- THEY did
      • Steve: Did you know they’d stolen it from the hotel?
      • Stephanie: Yes
      • Steve: In that case you’ll have to take it back- and apologize to the hotel manager
      • Stephanie: DADDY! I can’t do that! I’d be too embarrassed! Besides- I DIDN’T TAKE IT!
      • Steve: But you knew it was stolen- and you accepted it. Now you’ll have to suffer the consequences
  • To make a long story short- She fussed and fumed all the way to the hotel- but she returned the sign!
• Hebrews 12:11
• Which takes us to the next principle I want to share with you:

LET YOUR CHILD SUFFER SOME FAILURES AND DISAPPOINTMENTS

• The Observer recently ran a story about parents who are spending $100,000- and more- on their daughter’s Sweet Sixteen party
  • One mother was quoted as saying: All her friends were having big parties, and I didn’t want Sarah to be hurt or feel like she was less important than they were
  • Now here’s a woman:
    • Who has WAY too much money
    • And needs to:
      • Stop spending it on obscene parties
      • And start spend it on some serious psychological counseling
• Look...
  • The desire to protect our children from pain and injury is God-given
  • But that instinct must always be tempered with good, old-fashioned common sense
• When you try to wrap your kids up in a cocoon and shield them from all the bumps and bruises and disappointments life has to offer
  • You’re not helping them!
  • All you’re doing is condemning them to a lifetime of dependency and perpetual adolescence
• Think about it this way: How did your kid learn to walk?
  • They fell down a lot!
  • ...And sometimes they bumped their heads and scraped their knees. And it hurt- and they cried
    • But ever since Cain and Abel- it’s been the only way for human beings to learn how to walk
    • Fall down- get bruised- stand up- and try again
• Please read 2 Corinthians 7:10
  • Folks- it’s a GOOD thing for children and teen-agers to experience some failure and disappointment and pain in their life
  • It:
    • Helps prepare them for the real world
    • And it may be the tool God uses to bring them to Christ!

NEVER BE AFRAID TO ADMIT: ‘I WAS WRONG’

• I wonder if President Bush- given the scope of the Hurricane Katrina disaster- has ever regretted telling FEMA director Michael Brown: You’re doing a heckuva job Brownie!
  • Somehow I doubt it
  • If you’re a politician the code says:
    • Sound insensitive, arrogant- even stupid- if you must
    • But never- NO NOT EVER- admit you:
      • Were wrong
      • Or might have been wrong
• A lot of folks have the same approach to parenting
  • They’ll never admit they were wrong, about anything!
  • Let me tell you something: THAT is a sin-
    • Against God-
    • And your child!
• Read what the Bible says:
• Ephesians 6:4
• James 5:16
• Children- particularly teenagers- have a highly developed sense of justice
  • In other words: Kids EXPECT to be disciplined when they do something wrong
    • They may not LIKE it
    • But they expect it
  • But they also expect justice to "cut both ways"
    • The fastest way to loose your child’s respect is to demand something from them
    • That you won’t apply to yourself
• Illustration: "Apologizing To Stephanie"
  • I remember when Stephanie was about 7-8 years
    • I thought she’d done something I’d told her not to do
    • So I told her: Sit down in that chair and don’t move ‘till I tell you to get up
  • A few minutes later I find out that PAM had done what I’d accused Stephanie of doing
    • IMMEDIATELY I went to her and said: "I’m sorry Sweetie. I was punishing you for something you hadn’t done. Will you please forgive me?"
    • I’ll never forget she jumped up- gave me a hug- and said: "It’s o-k Daddy! I forgive you!"
• Parents- let’s be honest here:
  • We ALL make mistakes from time-to-time
  • Let’s be mature enough to admit it- and move on!

SET REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS

• Earl Woods died two weeks ago. You may have heard of his son- Tiger
  • From the time he was a toddler it was clear Tiger Woods was a golfing prodigy. Let’s put it this way:
    • When Tiger was ten years old
    • He ALREADY played golf better than I can on my best day!
  • Unlike some parents of remarkable children- Earl didn’t try to push Tiger into golf at the expense of everything else
    • If anything- the exact opposite was true
    • Earl’s expectations for his son were to:
      • Obey him and his mother
      • Be on his best behavior at all times
      • Treat others well
      • Get involved in extracurricular activities
      • And do his best in school
  • Only when Tiger met those reasonable expectations was he rewarded by being allowed to play golf
• Folks- as a parent you have:
  • Set reasonable expectations for your child- insisting that they do their very best
  • But then you have to accept their best effort as just that- the BEST they can do!
• Pam taught me a valuable lesson when Matthew was first learning how to make up his bed
  • I guess he was about 4 years old at the time-
    • And he made up his bed like- a 4 year old
    • Which didn’t meet my expectations
  • So I start fixing his mess. Pam walks in and asks:
    • Pam: "What are you doing?"
    • Steve: "I’m making up Matthew’s bed"
    • Pam: "Well stop it"
    • Steve: "What do you mean? It looks terrible!"
    • Pam: "But it’s the best HE can do- and that’s got to be good enough for you!"
• 1 Kings chapter 3
  • In this passage of Scripture God has essentially given Solomon a "blank check": "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." (1 Kings 3:5)
  • And notice what Solomon says in verse 9: ".....Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
• Folks- every parent needs to pray for the gift of a "discerning heart"
  • Look- every child can’t be the best and the brightest
  • As a parent your job......
    • Isn’t to push and prod your kid to become the next "American Idol"
    • Is to help them become the person God created them to be
  • With the help of the wisdom and discernment that flows from God’s throne of mercy-
    • Trust me- you’ll do just fine
    • And your child will be blessed because of it!

LISTEN TO THEM

• Turn with me to Luke 2:42-49
• Jesus wasn’t being disrespectful to his parents when He said: "Why were you searching for me? Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"
  • But in those days a 12 year old wouldn’t have been allowed to talk to his parents that way
  • The fact that Jesus did shows what good parents Mary & Joseph were
    • They always encouraged Jesus-
    • And loved Him enough to listen to what He had to say
• Pam and I always tried to listen to what Matthew and Stephanie had to say
  • As long as they showed us respect- and didn’t scream and throw a temper tantrum
  • We encouraged them to say whatever was on their mind
• Illustration: "Stephanie & Nana’s Dresses"
  • I’ll never forget Christmas 1987. We had:
    • A little girl who’s never had an unexpressed thought
    • And a grandmother who’d always dreamed of buying frilly clothes for her granddaughter
  • Only one problem with that theory: Stephanie was her granddaughter
    • She’d open the present and say: "I don’t like this dress. Me not wear it!"
    • My mother was on the verge of tears
  • About a month later my folks came up for the weekend
    • Mom asks Pam: "Has Stephanie worn any of the dresses?"
    • Pam said: "No- she doesn’t like them"
    • Mom: "She’s 27 months old! You should make her wear them!"
    • Pam: "I’m not going to do it. That’s one battle I don’t have to fight!"
• Recently my mother and Pam were laughing about that incident when Mom said:
  • Mom: "At the time I couldn’t believe what you said- but now I realize you were right"
  • You and Steve always let the kids speak their minds. I guess that’s why they come and talk to you now
• For the last couple of years the Drug Council was run a commercial with the catch phrase: Parents- The Anti-Drug
  • Parents- if you want your kids to talk to you about drugs or sex or alcohol- or peer pressure- or anything else on their minds
  • Make sure they know you’ll ALWAYS listen to them!

SUPPORT THEM IN THE THINGS THEY DO

• A few weeks ago Pam and I went down to Furman to see Stephanie- and her friend Laura’s- Mainstage Concert
  • During the show they made a point of thanking Charlie, Mary Ann, Pam and me for being there
  • They said: We think it’s awesome our parents would come here for us
• Parents and grandparents- I can’t TELL you how important it is for you to show up for the things your child does
  • You may think you’re just another face in the crowd-
  • But it’s the face your child is looking to see
• Hebrews 3:13
• I know what it’s like to have a busy schedule- but remember your God-given priorities in life:
  • Christ is first- your spouse is second- your children are third- and everything else comes after that
  • Show your child that she is important to you!
    • It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give her
    • And she’ll never forget it!

REMEMBER THAT CHILDREN AREN’T THAT INTERESTING

• On the other hand- never forget that children aren’t THAT interesting
  • The fact that your kid has just gotten potty-trained may be INCREDIBLY important to you
  • But don’t be offended if most people don’t find it particularly interesting
• 1 Corinthians 13:11
• God created your child to be self-centered, self-absorbed and self-important
  • It’s normal- it’s healthy- it’s essential for their growth and development as CHILDREN
  • But it’s a disastrous trait to have as an adult- just look at Tom Cruise!
• The best way to help your child grow from being self-centered to others-oriented is to let them see you living in an adult world
  • In other words:
    • Insist that they respect the time you need to build your relationship with your husband or wife
    • Give them opportunities to see you caring for- and ministering to- others
    • And above all- let them know that Christ comes first in your life- PERIOD!
  • Do these things and they’ll become healthy, happy, spiritually-mature men and women of God

LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH

• The Bible offers these words of instruction in Deuteronomy 6:6-9
• Illustration: "Pam’s Comment To Children"
  • Whenever Pam sees a young child she’ll hug them and say "I’m glad God made you"
  • This was something our children heard from the time they were born
    • I’m sure Matthew & Stephanie can’t remember the first time they heard about the love of Christ
    • Pam and I made it a point to speak of the love of Christ "early and often" in our home
• Of course you can "talk the talk" all you want- but it’s even more important that your children see you "walk the walk" of faith
  • If they see an inconsistency between the things you SAY you believe- and the way they see you live your life at home
  • They’ll decide that:
    • Being a Christian means being a hypocrite-
    • And most kids- especially teenagers- hate hypocrisy
• On the other hand, when your children see a consistency between the things you SAY you believe- and the way you live your life day-by-day
  • They will naturally begin to absorb that faith into their own life
  • And someday they WILL receive Christ as their Savior
• One other thing: You can’t teach your children about the love of God in a vacuum
  • It takes help- it takes a church family
  • A church family that will:
    • Pray with you- and love you- and support you
    • And teach your child about Jesus and His love
• I’m gonna offer this challenge to every parent in this room today:
  • Make the things of God the number one priority in your life
  • Come to church with your kids- and see if God doesn’t pour out His blessings in your home

CONCLUSION

• I titled this morning’s message Loving Your Child Into The Future
  • Parents, grandparents- what kind of life will your child be living twenty five years from now?
  • It all depends on what you do now!
• Love them- discipline them- encourage them- support them- teach them about the love of God in Christ Jesus
  • NOTHING you do in life is more important
  • Let us pray

May 7, 2006 - Heaven Is...

By: Rev. Steve Bass
May 7, 2006

Scripture Meditation: Revelation 21:1-14

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

• A few years ago Pam and I bought into a vacation exchange program with RCI International
  • We were only able to buy a VERY small number of vacation points
  • Let’s put it this way: With our number of points we can only vacation....
    • For three or four days at a time
    • And it has to be at a WAY out of season resort
• Fortunately for us- RCI has a WORLD of vacation destinations to choose from
  • See their catalogue?
  • Let me tell you: This baby could make....
    • Four days spent in Pageland, S.C. in the middle of the dog days of August
    • Sound like a winter at an exclusive resort in the Caribbean
• Seriously- the people who write these catalogues must be geniuses
  • By the time you finish reading what they’ve written you’re practically chomping at the bit
  • You can’t WAIT for the travel agent to arrange your trip to this FABULOUS vacation dream-world
• Sometimes I think God should let one of RCI’s people write a travel brochure about heaven
  • I mean let’s face it: Most Christians aren’t that excited about heaven
    • Now we’re glad to know we’re going there
    • After all- it sure beats the alternative
  • But the thought of heaven doesn’t capture our imagination- or make us homesick to be with Jesus
• Bill Hybels says: (When I was a middle school teen-ager) five or ten billion years in (heaven) wasn’t my idea of a good time. (Between) the harps- and pearly gates- and hymns and flowing robes heaven (sounded like) the most boring place I could imagine.
• See the problem is that there’s a lot of misunderstanding about what heaven’s like
  • Most of what we THINK we know isn’t based on the inerrant Word of God
  • It’s more influenced by books and movies and T.V. shows- and some really BAD preaching
• So what it heaven REALLY like? That’s what we want to think about this morning

HEAVEN IS THE GLORIOUS PLACE WHERE GOD IS

• Have you ever tried to describe...
  • How you felt when you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord?
  • Or what it’s like to be so head over heels in love with someone that it almost made you sick?
  • Or what it was like to hold your newborn child for the very first time?
• It’s hard isn’t it? Actually- it’s impossible
  • You stutter and stammer and babble on
  • Trying to find words to describe indescribable feelings and emotions
• Essentially that was the challenge Biblical writers faced when they were trying to describe what heaven is like
  • Even though they were working under the perfect leadership of the Holy Spirit
  • They STILL found it difficult to describe things that boggle our feeble human imagination
• In 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 Paul describes a vision God has given him of the courts of heaven
• Folks, Paul was a man of unusual eloquence
  • And yet he couldn't find the words to describe the things he has seen and heard
  • So he just calls them inexpressible things
• Turn with me to Isaiah 6:1-4
  • All Isaiah was trying to do was describe the throne room of heaven
  • And even then his vocabulary was inadequate to the take of describing the glories of heaven
• Folks- when you're reading the Bible's descriptions of heaven don't get so bogged down in the details that you miss the big picture. For instance...
  • When the Word of God describes streets of gold and pearly gates and walls made of pure jasper and a throne of sparkling crystal
  • The point is that heaven is a GLORIOUS place of treasures and riches that transcend human imagination.
• Think about it:
  • On Earth people will rob and cheat and steal to have these kinds of things
  • In heaven they’ll be taken for granted- it'll just be part of the scenery
• In some ways 1 Corinthians 2:9 contains the final word on the glories of heaven: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him'
• Illustration: Robin's Idea Of Heaven
  • I remember sitting around with a group of friends one time- talking about the Bible
    • During the discussion, the conversation shifted to the question of what heaven would be like
    • One person said: I'm looking forward to claiming my mansion in heaven and seeing the streets of gold
  • Another person spoke up at that point: I don’t want a mansion or streets of gold. I'd rather have a little log cabin sitting beside a mountain stream
• Both of those things sound pretty good to me- but both folks were missing the point:
  • YES- Heaven is a glorious place
  • BUT- God’s Word wants us to focus on some-thing more important than floor plans and paving materials
    • The Bible wants us to concentrate on WHAT heaven is
    • Heaven is the place where GOD is- and that's what makes it glorious!
• Scripture references:
  • Psalm 11:4
  • Ecclesiastes 5:2
  • Revelation 21:22-23
• Dr. Leith Anderson says: What makes heaven, heaven is God! It is being there with Him. With His presence comes peace and contentment, a fulfillment, a sense that all is well
• Heaven is the glorious place where God is.

HEAVEN IS FREE FROM GRIEF AND PAIN

• You know, whenever someone dies we try to soften the blow by using euphemisms like we lost him or she just passed away
  • We do this because that’s what death feels like on this side of eternity
  • Death creates a terrible, haunting sense of loss that eats away at the fabric of your soul
• Illustration: Pam Crying
  • I’ll never forget going to PBC to see Matthew play basketball about four months after Pam’s mother died
  • As soon as we walked into the gym Pam started crying
    • When I noticed what was going on I asked her what was wrong
    • Pam: I just remembered... this was the last place Momma saw Matthew play basketball
• That’s the way grief is
  • Long after you feel like you've cried every tear in your body- they keep coming
  • The tears are a constant reminder of the pain of loss and separation
• If you've ever had a grief experience Revelation 21:1-5 should be one of the most encouraging passages of Scripture in the Bible
• Isn't this a wonderful promise?
  • When we get to heaven God is going to personally wipe away all the pain and tears and agony that have accumulated during our time on Earth
  • In one transcendent moment all the suffering and pain and grief of this life will be vanished forever!
• Think of the happiest moment you've ever experienced in your life
  • Now multiply that joy 10,000 times 10,000 times
  • And you STILL won't be able to comprehend how it will feel when you get to heaven!
• Besides containing the clearest teaching about the Second Coming of Jesus found in the Bible- it 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 also contains a fantastic promise
• I know it’s not safe to make assumptions- but this morning I’m going to assume that my parents are worshiping at First Baptist Church
  • I saw them yesterday- and I expect they're fine and healthy this morning
  • But I don't know that for sure- in this life that’s an impossible thing to know
• But Pam knows EXACTLY where her parents are
  • They died knowing Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and Lord
  • Based on the perfect Word of God we KNOW they’re with Jesus in heaven- a place free from all grief and pain and suffering!

HEAVEN IS YOUR REAL HOME

• Illustration: Linda Parrish
  • Living in Vance Co. for eight years taught me something about country folks: They have a different definition of home than I’ve got
    • I grew up in the suburbs where home is the place...
      • Where you live with your immediate family-
      • The place where your stuff is
    • If you happen to live in the same city as some members of your extended family- all the better
  • But that’s not how Linda Parrish thinks
    • After she got married she and her husband bought a home about 3 miles from her parent’s farm
    • And she was miserable. She kept telling Larry: I wanna move back home
  • Eventually that’s what they did
    • Her father gave them an acre of the farm to build a house
    • When they moved in Linda told: Finally- I’m home!
• No matter how she felt- Linda Parrish was still not home
  • The Bible says that as a Christian she is- at best- an alien and a stranger in this world
  • Her home- her REAL home- is in heaven!
• Read 1 Peter 1:1-9
• Illustration: The Rabbi's Response
  • An American tourist once paid a visit to the renowned Polish rabbi, Hofetz Chaim
    • He was amazed to see how sparsely the rabbi's apartment was furnished
    • The only things in the room were books, a table and a cot
  • Conversation:
    • T: Rabbi- where is your furniture?
    • HC: Where is yours?
    • The puzzled American asked: Mine? But I'm only a visitor here. I'm only passing through.
    • The rabbi replied: So am I
• Now here's where it really starts to get good: When a Christian dies they IMMEDIATELY go to their heavenly home!
  • Ecclesiastes 12:6-7
  • Luke 16:20-22
• Don't get the idea that there is a lag time between the moment of death and your arrival in heaven
  • Some denominations teach a doctrine called soul sleep
    • They believe that when you die you fall into a state of spiritual sleep
    • And stay in that condition until Jesus Returns
  • The theory faces one problem: Jesus says it isn’t so!
    • Remember what He told the thief on the Cross: "I tell you the truth, TODAY you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43)
    • Not tomorrow- not next year- not 10.000 years from tomorrow- TODAY you will be with ME in your Heavenly Home!
• Folks- born-again Christians have a birthright given to us by our Heavenly Father
  • The world we live in now is not our home- we're just passing through for a brief time
  • Heaven- the place Jesus died to secure for us- is our real home

HEAVEN IS A PREPARED PLACE

• And that brings me to the final point I want to make this morning: Heaven is a prepared placed
• John 14:2
• In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
• Illustration: Dad & Mom Buying Wayne & Mary's House For Them
  • Years ago- when my father's brother was stationed in Germany- he wrote my dad with an unusual request: Buy a home for Mary and me
    • Mary was expecting their first baby
    • They needed a place to live as soon as they got back to Charlotte
  • And so Mom & Dad went out and bought them their first home
    • Wayne & Mary never saw it until they got back to Charlotte
    • They had placed their total trust in my parents
  • I remember when Mary saw the house for the first time she said: I love it! It's perfect! I knew you’d find just the right place for us
• Folks, the Bible says that Jesus is preparing a place for born-again believers to spend eternity
  • We haven't seen it yet- we don't know exactly what it will be like
  • But we can trust Jesus to prepare a perfect place for us
• But here's the thing: Heaven is being prepared for people who are prepared for heaven!
  • The Bible says that if you want a place in heaven you must make preparation TODAY!
  • Scripture references:
    • John 14:3-6
    • Acts 4:10-12
    • Hebrews 9:27-28
• Let me explain what the Bible is saying: If you want to get to heaven you must accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord- RIGHT NOW!
  • If you die without Jesus
    • All the...
      • Prayers of your loved ones aren't going to help
      • Good things you've done in life aren't going to matter
    • You will be lost and condemned to an eternity spent apart from God in a sinner's hell
  • But- if you ask Jesus to come into your life- and be your personal Savior and Lord
    • He'll do it!
    • He'll come into your life- and save you- and prepare a place for you in heaven!
• There's no time to waste-
  • Now is the time
  • Today is the day to make your preparations for heaven
• Let us pray