January 15, 2012

The Way Is Opened

Matthew 3: 1 - 17 

Matthew

In those days John the Baptist began preaching in the Judean wilderness.  His message was, "Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near."  Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness:  'Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming!  Make a straight road for him!'"  John's clothes were woven from camel hair, and he wore a leather belt; his food was locusts and wild honey.  People from Jerusalem and from every section of Judea and from all over the Jordan Valley went out to the wilderness to hear him preach.  And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he denounced them.  "You brood of snakes!" he exclaimed, "Who warned you to flee God's coming judgment?  Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God.  Don't just say, 'We're safe - we're the descendants of Abraham.'  That proves nothing.  God can change these stones here into children of Abraham.  Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever our roots.  Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

"I baptize with water those who turn from their sins and turn to God.  But someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am - so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  He is ready to separate the chaff from the grain with his winnowing fork.  Then he will clean up the threshing area, storing the grain in his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire."

Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.  But John didn't want to baptize him.  " I am the one who needs to be baptized by you," he said, "so why are you coming to me?"

But Jesus said, "It must be done, because we must do everything that is right."  So then John baptized him.

After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.  And a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him."        

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Thoughts.....

Please forgive the delay in presenting this to you today.  Life situations......

For those following along, you will noticed I skipped from Luke to Matthew.  Matthew tells the story briefly.  Much like an infomercial.  This same story is told in Mark 1, Luke 3 and John 1.  Some books have more, some less detail.

In the first paragraph, we read a bit about John.  In today's world, John may appear to be a homeless person.  In todays world, we do not give much credibility to what a homeless person has to say....sadly.  So the climate at the time of John was such that people could listen to a homeless person and choose to follow them, befriend them, care for them...or not.  Pretty much the same as now, however, were a group of people to go hang out at a homeless camp in today's time and listen to what a homeless person had to say, the authorities could arrest the homeless person for 'ranting'....from an empty mind and consider the group senseless.  Even the group could be arrested for unlawful assembly.  And per today's world, the likelihood that what a homeless person has to say is worthy of much travel over many days to be heard, is....well....terribly UNlikely.  Could our Messiah have returned and we not know it?      

Back then, there were those who were eagerly awaiting the messiah.  They remembered the prophecy about a voice shouting in the wilderness.  The people were hungry, thirsty spiritually....and ready for the Savior of the world to come to their rescue.  Now.....people believe they can do everything themselves and they own their own power.  They ask why their life is not perfect, but they don't ask God.  They wonder why the world is the way it is, but they don't bow down to his Majesty the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  They choose their way instead of the Holy Highway.  Are you eagerly awaiting the Messiah today?

And who in the world in this day and age would consider a homeless person, being usually unclean themselves, as a baptizer for cleansing of sins?  I'm guessing not many.  However, that was precisely the path and the person God chose to lead others to the Savior of the world.  In this 'age of enlightenment', those self described, would be hard pressed to answer to God, were they given a chance, to explain why they didn't believe prophecy, why they didn't believe the ones he sent, or believe in the ones he sent, and why they didn't receive the Messiah, Savior of the world.  Just as Jesus came into the world in a stable/barn, it was scheduled for him to enter the hearts of many through what many may call the lowliest.  You may ask, what in the world was God thinking?  Could he have been sending a message to let us know we need to humble ourselves?  Could he have been willing to show those not humble, that to receive the fullness of him through the Savior that we must be humble?  Could he have been showing the least that they are the greatest?  Because he was received by them first?  Hmmmmmmmm.  Who are you?  Are you ready?

The second paragraph reminds us that we cannot be Christians merely because our family brought us to the church, or we chose to go, or say the words.  It reminds us that we must love the Lord with all our heart, mind, and strength.  It reminds us that we must show him how much we love and believe in him by our actions.  That we are willing to let go of our 'purple uglies' and become new in him.....washed as clean as new fallen snow.  It reminds us that we will be cut off from the source of life, if we don't believe, honor, obey, follow, love, uplift, do for, live with, asking him within having received....him.  Are you ready to receive him yet?

The third paragraph addresses the difference between water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism and fire.  Water baptism is to cleanse us of our sins; we go to a human to help us with that traditionally.  Holy Spirit baptism and fire comes from Jesus....we must go to him for that.  Holy Spirit baptism and fire gives us the fruits and the gifts, gives us clarity in understanding scripture, and ordains us to go forth to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ....to tell the world of who he is, that he is, and how wonderful he is.  It separates those who say versus those who do....are in him....are one with him....he in them.  This paragraph lets us know that we are either for him or against him, and, if we are against him, as evidenced by not doing for him, then we are cut off, cast out, eliminated from all the gloriousness of heaven...and every day life with him by our side.  Producing good fruit can be defined as positive outcomes in Christ:  those whose lives are forever changed having turned to him....people who receive him who can now be called Christians....children of the living God....Promise Children.  You will be known by the works you do spiritually, as just defined, in everyday walking and talking.

In the remaining paragraphs, we see that Jesus defers to that person God has placed in position to preach the word of God, and who can place them in the hands of God through baptism.  He must defer to John and bow down to God, knowning that God's order of things are always right.  [Note:  there is a vast difference between God's order and Satan's order.]  Jesus himself, humbled himself, to receive God fully.  He affirmed and confirmed that which was done for him at birth was indeed a choice he voluntarily chose to make as an adult....to live for and with God.   

When Jesus came out of the water, a dove settled on him, and a voice from heaven declared Jesus as his beloved son and God was fully pleased with him.  This was done to prove that Jesus was the son of God, the Messiah, so all would know he came into the world.  Now he calls us to receive him into our world....our hearts.....that we, too, may receive the Messiah, be baptised with water for the forgiveness of sins, receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit to obtain the gifts and the fruits of the Holy Spirit, receive the ordination to go forth, and the opportunity for eternal life.

At days end, will God be able to say to you, "This is my beloved in whom I am fully pleased."?  Now that you know, it's 'now or never'.  This day, whom will you choose?  I hope you will choose God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.   

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Let Us Pray

God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, please forgive me of my sins and make me whole.  Please come into my life fully.  I wish to be baptised by the Holy Spirit and receive all the fruits and gifts you want me to have.  I realize I cannot take one or two, I cannot pick and choose, that you want to give me all.....so fill me to overflowing.  I wish to receive all that you have to give.  Help me to go forth in your name telling others who you are, that you are, and how wonderful you are.  Help me to be fruitful and multiply by bringing others to you.  May you receive all the glory.  Amen, Father.  Thank you.  I love you.  Amen again.

Lord,LordJesJeJeJJjEJJJ     JJThe LORD is king!  Let the nations tremble!  T***

More love.... 

  Benediction....Blessing

Let us hear from Paul as he prays:  

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now glory be to God!  By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.  May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages.  Amen.  Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT         

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Scroll down to read Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving...'The Unforced Rhythms of Grace'.

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Definition of a Christian:  Anyone who believes in God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Regardless of church name or religious affiliation. 

It is not how we worship, but that we worship....the Trinity!   

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If you feel that the Church of the Holy Spirit has inspired or helped you, we'd like you to prayerfully consider tithing regularly to us or gifting us, so that we can further the work and carry out the will of the Father as proclaimed in Matthew 28:19-20 NLT

 to

 "Go and make disciples out of all the nations

baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:

I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

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  Our Current Cause

It is time to reach into the community and the world around you to see wherein lies the greatest need.  As you choose to focus on these areas, do so with a servant's heart.  Whether the need is for children, adults, or animals, or any cause in between that will help those in need, ask God how you can best serve his needs, what path you must take, and how long you should persevere.  Sometimes we are to be in the lives of others merely as stepping stones.  Sometimes we are to touch those lives forever.  Whatever journey you are called to take, whatever team you will be a member, know this:  God is with you always...even til the end of time.  He loves you, is grateful for you, and will help you along life's way, especially if you are helping others along theirs, persevering with a servant's heart. 

Please accept my sincerest thanks....and God's....and may God richly bless you!   

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Trinity Missions

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In the meantime, we hope you will trust us to direct them to where the need is the greatest.

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    One last thing....

 Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving

'The Unforced Rhythms of Grace'

"Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer:  "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.  You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people.  Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly.  "The Father has given me all these things to do and say.  This is a unique Father - Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge.  No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does.  But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."

"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly.

   Matthew 11:  25-30

  The Message

And the people said,

"Amen."

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I now write most prayers in the position of ' I ' (first person) because most people are sitting at their computer alone, not in groups, and it allows those reading and praying to personalize the prayer as coming from them going to God.  Variations may appear on holidays when families may wish to use the prayer provided. 

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  Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.  All rights reserved.

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