To Know Christ and Zmake Him Known

 Jer. 9:23-24; Phil 3:7-14. 9/28/25. EPC

This is what the LORD says:“Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.24But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD,dwho exercises loving kindness justice and righteousness on the earth—for I delight in these things,”
7But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in a Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 
Jeremiah had just predicted the utter destruction and captivity of Jerusalem.  This happened in 586.  If you knew that everything you had would be gone,  it would change your perspective. There isn’t real wisdom in asking- if everything I treasure disappears, what am I left with? 
    In 1988 Kay had just had our second baby.  I was trying to cook supper- and I was frying French fries the old fashioned way with hot oil. I got distracted by a phone call and had to go to the back of the house.  When I was back there I heard this explosion.  The. Pot had exploded with heat and a fire was burning the kitchen cabinets and was going into the attic.  You’re not supposed to do this- but I rushed the pot out the back door, then got a fire extinguisher and put out the flames while Kay called the fire department.  Back then we didn’t have much, but everything was tinged with smoke and much was ruined and burned up in just seconds.  The old question is, “If your house caught fire, what would you save first?  The answer should be your family- but what’s next? 
    NOT BOASTING Jeremiah tried to save his people by getting them to turn to God and then getting them to surrender instead of being killed.  They would not listen.  But he gave us this beautiful verse inspired by the Holy Spirit- no doubt.  In our culture how much is spent on what is temporary- and we know it.  In my mind, such devotion to the temporary good takes away from the better eternal.  So in the face of destruction, let not the wise or skillful person boast in their earthly wisdom.  All the books will be burned.  I have visited a lot of brillliant men and women who have lost their ability to think with dementia.  Specifically, I visited one of my old college professors- a brilliant guy who had written several books.  But he couldn’t remember his name.  It is so sad- but there is a truth here.  Let not the strong and powerful person boast in their strength- the strongest will be bent or die.  I remember talking to a man who owned multiple gyms in our area- he was a good friend. He worked out a lot and was in excellent shape. But the doctors had told him his muscles were not producing enough testosterone to keep from shrinking.  He was so sad.  Jeremiah goes on to say “Let not the wealthy boast in their wealth.”  You can’t take it with you.  In the book of Ecclesiastes, it speaks of the vanity of wealth and how we must leave it all behind.   The old saying goes that “I’ve never seen a UHaul trailing a hertz to a graveyard.”  Much less a tiny columbarium niche. Now these three things are things Jeremiah says not to boast about- I want my children and grandchildren to have- use your mind, your body, and have enough to be comfortable. Yet there are limits.  What have you become addicted to that has become your God?  Temporary gods die a hard death. Today I might ask for how long can you leave your phone behind? The more of these things you have, the harder it is to hold them lightly in this life.  But the one thing that doesn’t fade away is the God who made us and loves us.  Jeremiah knew experientially that all he had would be gone.  He had been put in prison.  The people of his home town of Anathoth tried to kill him because he asked them to turn away from false gods.  They wanted to worship multiple gods to cover all the bases.  They were the choosers of God instead of thinking God is their Sovereign King.  Jeremiah had lost all he had already.  He knew what was important and wanted to tell the people- quit boasting or wallowing in the comfort of temporary things.  In Hebrew the word “boast” is “let-Halel” from which we get our word “Hallelujah.”  Literally, it says “quit glorying in your wisdom, strength, and riches.” Or it could be translated quit praising your wisdom, strength, and riches- or quit worshiping your wisdom, strength, and riches.  Hold lightly to these things- because you will have to let them go.  By the way with the rise of social media, there has been a rise in the amount of money Americans spend on beauty products- nearly doubled for the younger generations we spend $6.6 trillion each year on trying to be pretty or handsome.  I have heard many times when someone looks at an open casket- “Doesn’t she look beautiful- or doesn’t he look handsome.”  I don’t say it, but I want to say it- that’s just makeup. The exterior things are temporary- don’t look at the outside of the cup Jesus said.  If you were told a hurricane may destroy-all you have, how would yo prepare?  Go buy some books in case the internet goes out? a generator, chain saw?  But if it was a cat 5- wouldn’t-matter.  What role does your faith play  in preparing for a hurricane?  if the way you prepare for the disasters in your life or death is to do everything but-call out to God then you need to listen to Jeremiah.
KNOWING GOD- But God doesn’t leave us hopeless- Jeremiah knows this too.  There is something we can boast about- and it is the one thing that we often hide- that is our faith.  If anyone wants to boast let them boast that they understand and know me.  Knowing God is so important.  Jesus said as recorded in John 17:3, “Now this is eternal life- that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”  Paul said that he considered everything rubbish- garbage- compared to the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. 
A) THIS IS NOT JUST KNOWING ABOUT GOD- Knowing facts about God are important.  James says the demons know about God and shudder.  It is possible to know about God and still be evil in your heart.  But when you know God relationally- when you love Him- and want to know Him better- it transforms you.  I can say after 45 years of marriage I have been changed for the better- sometimes it has been difficult for me to be shaped, and many times it has been difficult for my wife to help me be a better person.  But when you love someone- it changes who you are.  You want to please them.  Some of you guys need to remember when you first were dating how you did anything to make her happy- and some of you gals need to remember how patient you were when you were dating and how you were able to overlook some things better.  You do not stop growing in knowledge of someone in marriage or in any kind of friendship.  You never stop growing in knowledge of God.  He is infinite and eternal.  Jeremiah picks three qualities here- loving kindness, justice, and righteousness.  We can grow in our knowledge of God in all of these areas. 

MAKE HIM KNOWN- To boast about knowing Him- means to let others know.  Do not be ashamed of your faith.  It is what brings you joy, hope, love, grace, strength.  Food is my love language.  I love to eat.  I don’t mind talking about my latest meal or my favorite restaurant.  If I find a new helpful app for my phone- I share it with people- I like to talk about the YOUVERSION Bible app.  When I have been working on houses on a mission trip- I will say, “Here use this tool- it works great.”  When you find something good you want to share it.  This is the same with knowing God.  I have a friend in God- and you can be his friend too.  Come and meet my friend. He’ll be in church Sunday and I’ll introduce you.  I am not embarrassed to introduce my wife` or my children or my grandchildren.  I am proud of them.  I boast about them because I love them.  If you love God- and to know God is to love God- then you will want to introduce Him.  Make Him known.   [Calvin]Jeremiah says in 29, “If you seek me you will find me if you search for me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah wanted others to seek Him.  It is possible to know God as sure as you know anything else.  You know Him by faith.  But we all live by faith somewhat.  If I get in my car- I know my brakes will work.  Now I don’t go look under my hood to make sure there is brake fluid or look underneath the car to inspect my brakes every time.  I know they will work.  I know the sun will come up tomorrow because I trust it will.  I don’t scour the news to see if someone is predicting it won’t come up.  Everyday I know things by faith.  Knowing God is not any different.  There is security in knowing my brakes work and the sun will come up.  There is peace that comes when you are able to live by faith in the small things.  How much more peace comes from knowing God.  Spread the peace in a world that desperately needs God’s peace.  Eastminster you have done it for over 75 years.  Keep spreading the knowledge of God. 

Douglass Key said this was my “swan song at Eastminster.”. So let me end with this (from Casting Crowns): “I’m just a nobody… trying to tell everybody… all about somebody who saved my soul. Ever since He rescued me, He gave my heart a song to sing.  And I want the world to see nobody but Jesus.”

I man the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen

Relying on God's Plan- Jeremiah 29 and Matthew 6

Jeremiah's prediction was that the people would be taken into exile in Babylon (which happened).  He also predicted that they would amazingly come back to the land after 70 years in exile.  This happened.  The Temple was destroyed 686 and re-dedicated 616.  Daniel (9:2), Ezra (1:1), the Chronicler (30), and Zechariah (twice) referred to this prediction as being fulfilled. The point is even in exile, as a remnant, God can give us hope.   

9/21- SVPC  Jeremiah 29:4-7, 10-13; Mt. 6:25-34 “Relying on the Plan” Rev. Dr. Ben Sloan

Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz7dmPG6kEQ

"For I know the plans I have for you to give you a future and a hope." (29:11) 
Plans don’t always go the way we had hoped. 
    The Apollo 13 was headed to the moon. Jim Lovell,  who died last month (and was a lifelong PCUSA Presbyterian who read Genesis on Christmas Eve on Apollo 8)  was the commander.  On April 13, 1970 an O2 tank exploded leaving a gaping hole and depleting their oxygen supply.  NASA worked feverishly to save them. They abandoned their plans to go to the moon, and changed it to get them home. 
     Ernest Shackleton was going to cross Antarctica in 1914-16 by the South Pole.  But when his ship, Endurance, got trapped in ice, he led his men on a survival journey- and everyone survived.  Shackleton said he experienced the presence of a fourth individual on his journey back- later calling it providence. 
     A movie came out two years ago called “On a Wing and Prayer” about the true story of Doug White.  He and his family were on a plane on vacation when the pilot died.  With a lot of prayer and direction from air traffic controllers and people on the ground, he was able to land the plane safely. You can bet he was seeking help from God and the experts.   Certainly, that was not the way he planned his trip.  We could also say that the disciples had many plans for how things should go with Jesus- but even though they were told he would die and rise again- it went over their heads. 
Jeremiah lived in a day in which people thought God really didn’t pay any attention to them.  They were getting lax morally and spiritually- worshiping other gods.  Jeremiah, Isaiah and others had said that the Babylonian army would come.  But when the Babylonian army actually came it shocked everyone.  They were taken into exile.  Jeremiah was writing to the people asking them to not give up on God and the faith- but to settle in for a 70 year stint and then God would rescue them.  God is the One who is steadfast.  He knows our future.  There are no surprises to God. 
Therefore we do not need to rely on our own short-sighted expectations but on God Himself. 
We should always adjust our plans to God’s reality. 
Some of you may have wanted Jack to go on being pastor of Spring Valley forever, but that is not the reality of it.  I would like that.  I think Jack provided stability.  He loved God and was a good guy. 
But God has a way of surprising us.   
But we can still believe that God has a plan for Spring Valley Presbyterian Church.
I remember Rick Warren began his all time best selling book, “The purpose Drive Life” by saying “It is not about you.  It is about God.”  In our consumer driven world where I have a choice of which food, which store, which meds, which house and more- it is hard to realize I don’t have total choice and control.  But that does not mean that the universe and God doesn’t care for us. 

I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU.  The people were going in exile.  Jeremiah was saying it would not be forever.  Same here at SVPC.  You are without a pastor- it is an interim period- but it will not be forever.  Jeremiah was telling them this why?  He didn’t want them to give up hope.  Have hope that God can do even greater things. 
God didn’t say I might have some plans.  Or I have some plans and if this happens then that will happen.  No the God who can figure out all the probabilities, who can see the past and future as the present says, “I KNOW” the plans I have for you.  Literally it is “I know the thoughts that I think toward you- thoughts of peace and not of harm.”  When God thinks a thought toward us- it is a plan sure to happen.  He has weighed every factor and the master architect has a plan- a purpose for us. 
Is it possible for God to know us?  There is so much information to know- so many people- how can God know us?  Today we are helped to understand this.  There is this thing called “Google.” It handles 95 million requests/searches per minute.  It can find you- tell the world who you are- show where you live- show the license plate of your car in your drive way. If Google can know you- cannot the God who created the universe? 
God knows the plan- we don’t- but we can trust.  It is the hardest thing to walk by faith and not by sight. 
I just got back from the mountains of NC- there are a lot of horseshoe curves and sharp angles.  If you are trying to go up behind a slow moving car- and pass them- you may run into an 18 wheeler. 
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a drone flying overhead or a satellite you could use to see if the way is clear for you to pass that car.  We can’t see the future.  But God can.  He can tell us when we can go and when we should wait.  Believe that you are here for a purpose. 
PLANS TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND A HOPE. 
We may think we are permanently in exile, and things will just continue to go downhill morally, spiritually.   Some say the church is dying.  They said that when the OT church was in exile in Babylon- there was no chance of revival.  The mainline churches have lost so many members.  In 1962 there were 6.2 million PCUSA Presbyterians.  Today there are 1 million.   But that is also true of the Episcopalians, Lutherans, Methodists.  You may think the church is dying in America.  But God has left a remnant.   See the church is bigger than those groups.  Today there are more non-denominational churches than denominational churches.  You see them around you- Seacoast church;
You know for the first time in forever this year- Bible reading went up 22% mainly by young people? 
For the first time - according to Barna research there are more young people attending church than older people.   Maybe not here- yet- but they are searching.  There is a hope for the church.  We have been in exile long enough.  It is time to search ourselves, rise up, look for the ancient paths and walk in them (Jer. 6:16).  Jeremiah gives this promise- a future and a hope. 
In a world that is full of anxiety and that lacks hope- God says you can count on me for hope.  I remember going to one of the poorest places in all the world- a refugee camp in Kenya just across the border from South Sudan.  The people had fled from war, famine, and all kinds of evil.  There was still not enough food in the refugee camp.  I watched a young mother pass out right in front of me- because she had given her last bit of food to her child.  But I was talking to the elders there.  They said something about God-life-and hope I will never forget.  They said, “we can live without shelter, without clothes, without much food or water…but we cannot live without hope.”  Hope is something their faith in God gave them even in exile.  Do not give up on the church- or on God.  He has great plans for you if you do not give up.
CALL AND PRAY TO HIM    Philippians 4 says “Do not be anxious about anything but by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”  Pray about anything.  Do not be afraid to think it is too small.  God sees the atoms- clearer than the strongest atomic microscope.  Remember Jesus told Peter to find a coin in the fish’s mouth to pay his taxes.  Do not be afraid to think it is too big. God who raised the dead. 
When you know God knows you- and more than the mightiest machine- He loves you- then you will call on Him.  Do not be afraid to let God say no to you.  Just pray about whatever is on your heart. 
Again, if I can use google as an example.  I am not afraid of asking Google a question.  I don’t say, “that’s too trivial for google to know” or “that’s too big for google to know” I just ask.  Just ask God.  He longs for you to ask.  Unlike google- He cares for you- and wants you to know you can call on Him.  Jesus said to call on Him as a child would a Father. Jesus’ favorite name for God- and the name He tells us to call God “Our Father.” 

SEEK ME AND FIND ME WHEN YOU SEARCH FOR ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART
Jesus echoed these words when he said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; Seek and you will find.  Knock and the door will be opened to you.”  This was part of Jesus’ core teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. 
Jesus talked about searching for God like a woman looking for a lost coin;  or a sheep looking for its shepherd; or looking for that pearl of  great price. 
    Barna and Pew Research came out with a 2025 study that showed a significant resurgence of people seeking Jesus- a 12 percentage point increase since 2021- that equals an additional 30 million. 
   The church is the place where you are encouraged to seek and find God.  Today there are more people seeking God than ever before.  There is an epidemic of loneliness according to the last two surgeon generals.   A week or two ago we remembered 911- the horror of that.   We have lived through the terror of Covid where hundreds of thousands died- some of you may have had friends or relatives die.  But today we have an opportunity.  We have the opportunity to find solace, rest, hope, comfort, strength in God.  We have the opportunity to trust that God will see us through our exile into bringing us back home to Himself.  I invite you to seek God- and help others seek and find Him today. 

"The God of All Nations" Sermon 7/6/25 at Eastminster on Hezekiah rev. dr. J. Ben Sloan

"The God of All Nations"  Eastminster by Rev. Dr. Ben Sloan  2 Kings 19:10-19, 32-37; 1 Pt. 5:6,7

Here is the vimeo video of the sermon: https://eastminsterpres.org/sermons/the-god-of-all-nations/

Picture of King Sennacherib mentioned in this passage: 

Below is the transcript: 

Hezekiah was in some ways, the greatest king of Judah.  18:3 says he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord just as David did.  Verse 5 even says, “Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him.”  Ironically, he was sandwiched between two of the worst kings.  His father- King Ahaz- had shut down the temple nailing its doors shut and then put up false idols in it.  His son, Manasseh sacrificed his son to foreign gods and rebuilt all the altars to other gods that his father had destroyed.  Manasseh was blamed for the exile of Judah and the first destruction of the Temple.   But Hezekiah tried to reform the faith.  He built up the Temple.  He had a nationwide Passover. He is responsible for the writing down of 5 chapters of the BIBLE (PROV. 25-29)  He built up the defenses of Jerusalem in 1838 Edward Robinson found the tunnel to the springs that he built to make sure Jerusalem had water and that those surrounding Jerusalem did not.  We know it is Hezekiah’s because of a Hebrew inscription dating back to his day.  There are many who are skeptical about almost everything the Bible says.  But this passage in particular has a lot of archaeological backing.  For almost 100 years (1750-1840) top critical scholars  could find no evidence of the existence of the Assyrian kingdom.  Yet the Biblical stories of Jonah, the book of Nahum, are all about them.  The Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom and here they were defeated by Hezekiah- in what seems to be an unbelievable story.  But Austin Layard unearthed Nineveh and found a relief- picturing the king we are talking about- and 70 years later they found an inscription that Sennacherib says “I caged Hezekiah up in Jerusalem like a bird.” And descriptions of his conquering all but Jerusalem- and then there is also evidence of his army’s sudden defeat and his assassination as described exactly in 2 kings 19 and Isaiah 37 and 2 Chronicles 32.  We have found references in Herodotus (a 5^th century Greek historian) to the Assyrians being destroyed by the work of a plague of field mice that stopped their Egyptian campaign.  and Berossus (a 3^rd century Babylonian historian) the Assyrian army was destroyed outside Jerusalem by a plague.  I am saying you to encourage you to not be like those who doubt because they couldn’t see what scripture was talking about.  In fact, that is one of the great lessons of this great passage- to trust in God. 

 

How do you feel about a Tropical Storm hitting today?  52% of Americans and 60% of all people experienced high stress in the last year to the point that they felt they could not cope (IPSOS 2024).  Where do you go in your stress and  anxiety?  According to the NIH, One in five Americans experience an anxiety disorder in a given year.  Anxiety is something all have some times.  It can be helpful to be anxious in a stressful situation, it is not good to be continually paralyzed so that you cannot live your life.  94% of Americans talk to others to relieve anxiety;  77% listen to music to calm anxiety;  Exercise, meditation, and more can be tools, creative activities can help, 20% use anti-anxiety drugs to help them; Many go to counseling.  I am not against any of these at all.  But the Christian has another tool that has proven itself across cultures, across horrible problems and across time- that we often neglect- deep prayer.  An NIH study says in general prayer lowers heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate- and puts us in a state of relaxation- if we believe God is not distant and cold toward us.  Scripture says Cast your cares on Him for He cares for you.  Paul said it like this- “Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  Today’s story from Kings is a true story of high anxiety.   Hezekiah was told by his enemies that prayer is a waste of time- putting confidence in God is a losing proposition that has failed so many.  Hezekiah’s father and son would also give up on trusting in God and both times their kingdoms were ravished by enemies.  But Hezekiah called out to God anyway- and did not give up. 
     There were probably about 200,000 Assyrian soldiers lined up against Hezekiah’s small army of about a tenth of that size.  Already every other fortified town of Judah had fallen. The sister kingdom of Israel had fallen 722 BC 21 years before this happened. 
     Sennacherib’s messengers basically said, “No other god could save their people out of King Sennacherib’s hand- why should your god be any different?  Then they gave a false prophesy- that God had even told them to conquer them.”  This was clear blasphemy of the God of Israel.  There may be times when you feel like you have no strength, no power on your own.  Your mighty resources that you thought would last forever have disappeared- like in when the Trade Towers fell, or like in 2008’s housing crisis, or the Columbia flood, or whenCOVID took away all relationships, or uncertainty about AI or AGI, or even possibilities of nuclear war or terrorism…or maybe you have been told you have some illness, or lost your job, or lost the ones you depended on.  Then you are beginning to get a taste of what Hezekiah was feeling. 
      But Hezekiah cast his cares on the Lord- believing that God still cared for him.   Job cast his cares on the Lord believing God still cared for him.  Jesus cast his cares on the Lord though he was the suffering servant.  The disciples gave themselves fully to God.  The word “cast” is like “cast a net.”  The same word is used when they cast their coats before Jesus as he came into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  They gave their coats up.  They cast their cares- giving control of them up to God.   Hezekiah tore his clothes- He asked God to hear their cry for mercy- and he humbled himself just as 1 Peter 5:6 says and as James 4:10 says- humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.
  To call on God in times of anxiety is not a passive act but an act of defiance against despair.  We are as someone described it “”grasping for God. Like a drowning person lunges for air.  We reach out not because we are strong but because we are wired to need Him.”  (David Zuccolot- Christian Post 6/9/25).  To call on God is not some kind of Christian stoicism.  It is not a surrender to fate- but to the One who cares for us.  This is countercultural.  The world will tell you to escape, to numb, to distract- maybe go on a vacation to someplace cooler and prettier- or “You NEED a shot, a pill, or whif of something.”  But when you come back from your escape- reality still awaits you.  Call out to Jesus. 

Some scholars say that in Mesopotamia and in much of the world each country had their own private god/goddess.  This is called henotheism or ethnotheism.  So Athens had Athena.  So Assyria had Asher; The Babylonians had Marduk;; So Egypt had Amon-Re; Troy had Apollos; Amaterasu for the Japanese.  The messengers of the King of Assyria said no other god could stand against the mighty kings of Assyria. The lesson of this passage is that the God who made the heaven and earth is not like every other idol.  No ruler can stand against the living God. It makes a difference what you believe.  There is no doubt that Isaiah and Hezekiah promoted the idea of monotheism- that God is the God not just of Jerusalem or Judah- but He is the Maker of Heaven and earth.  This is based on other scripture: Abraham’s promise (Gen 12) is that all nations would be blessed through him. Psalm 67 says, “May the peoples praise you- may all the people praise you.”  Hezekiah says (vs. 15,19) says, “You alone are god over all the kingdoms of the earth…19-Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God.”  A pretty bold statement in an anxious situation.    In this story- Hezekiah and Isaiah and the people all called out to God- casting their cares on Him for he cares for them.  The lesson here is not about military strategy as much as reliance on God to help us. Scripture does not say things like- mice came and gave the army disease, or they drank poisoned water because Hezekiah had blocked all the clean water.  Instead it says, “That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp.”  To the writers of Isaiah, 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles- it is not the means that is important- but it is seeing the hand of God working that is important.  Sure Hezekiah built up the walls, built water tunnels and stored food- sharpened spears.  But in the end Hezekiah wanted to give God the glory.  This story is amazing.  It is also testified to by archaeology and historians as well as three different chapters of the Bible that all say the same thing. But it is not just a story of the past.  It is a story of the living God who invites us to trust in Him. 

[Read Passage- 2 Kings 19 and 1 Peter 5:6,7] Parallels 2 Chronicles 32; Isaiah 37

Do you believe God able to save us- to help us- protect us?  Is God able to bless us?  Do we want God to bless us- and do we believe God can-without choosing political sides?  Can I tell you some stories of the American Revolution without offending you?  There is no doubt that many in American leadership during the American Revolution called on God- and believed that God’s providence blessed them.  American general and later first president, George Washington, was a colonel for the British in 1755 in the French and Indian War under General Braddock.  Braddock was killed and every officer on horseback was shot except for Washington.  Washington wrote to his brother afterwards, “But by the all-powerful dispensations of providence I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me.” Early writers in the American Revolution credited God’s help with the American army’s escape though surrounded by twice the force at Long Island by a sudden dense fog that hid the escape of the American army. Or the absolute surprise when Washington crossed the Delaware in a snowstorm to win a vital victory.   
          Henry Laurens-born and baptized in Charleston SC, was the grandson of French Huguenots- John Calvin the founder of Presbyterian or Reformed theology is a French Huguenot.    Laurens considered entering ministry.  He also was one of the few leaders in SC who opposed slavery.  He was the President of the Continental Congress during most of the American Revolution.  He was the only American put in the Tower of London and later exchanged for British General Cornwallis.  Upon his release he learned he was part of the commission to negotiate the Peace Treaty of Paris with Great Britain ending the war with the United States. He is buried at Mepkin Abbey.  The Continental Congress was formed in part when the British abolished the Virginia House of Burgess in May 1774 because they called for a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer as the British blockaded Boston Harbor.  Talk about anxious times.  The British had the best navy, the most up to date weapons, and the largest army in the world- and America was beginning a war with them.  In June 12, 1775 the Continental Congress, led by Laurens, proclaimed July 12 a national day of public humiliation, fasting and prayer.” The congress proclaimed three other similar days.  In some ways, I cannot help but think Laurens was influenced by Hezekiah’s humiliation, fast, and prayer that God clearly answered in a positive way.   Laurens credited God with helping us- and He believed in calling out to God.
     God has helped this country in the past.  I believe despite our sin and failures God still is at work today. I believe we must as individuals, families, a church, community, nation- call out to God.  The God who made the heavens and the earth.  I also believe that despite my sin and failures- despite your sins and failures- God is still at work today in our individual, family, church and community lives.   Let us humble ourselves before the One who is the lifter of our heads and hearts- Let us cast ALL our anxiety on Him- and then see God at work through His providence. 

 

Was Jesus born in Bethlehem?

 To me, this is a question that is even silly to ask.  

We have two gospels that refer to Jesus' birth, and both of them put the birth in Bethlehem.  
Matthew 2:1- "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod..." 
The magi came asking the king where was the new "king of the Jews."  Herod consulted the scribes who indicated the prophets say the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem (the city of "Bread" or the city of David- his home town).  They based this on Micah 5:2- "But you Bethlehem in the land of Judah..out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel" (David was a shepherd who became king 300 years before Micah). The magi found Jesus in Bethlehem as a child (not an infant) in a house (2:11).  Herod found out and tried to kill all babies under two years old (one of many horrible violent things Herod did).  Note that this gives a specific time, place, rulership, and characterizes the rulership of Herod as violent (which it was).  Matthew was written within 50 years of the death of Jesus.  
Luke 2 gives a fuller narrative.  Saying he was born in a place that houses animals (stable/cave/garage type place-Ken Bailey).   The environment of shepherds out in the field fits in well with Bethlehem which grows sheep for the Passover sacrifice, and was the home of David- and has multiple pastures even today.  Luke also gives a reason for Joseph and Mary to travel to Nazareth though she was pregnant.  A census was to be taken and the governor of Syria (naming Quirinius the governor 6 BC- 12 AD) enforced it.  Again, there are specific names, specific details, and places.  Luke too was written 50-60 years after the death of Jesus as a way to preserve the "eyewitness account" (Lk. 1:2).  Doubtless, some eyewitnesses were still living when Matthew and Luke were written and could testify to it.  They, unlike some other pseudo or later gnostic "gospels" were widely accepted by the living Apostles, their immediate disciples 
For example by the end of the 2nd century (like 180 AD) Irenaeus and Tertullian wrote of the churches' wide acceptance of the four gospels and Tatian even wrote a harmony of the four gospels by then.  Mary, who could have testified to the birth narrative died somewhere between 43-48 AD.  Perhaps her death prompted the writing down of the oral tradition.  
     The other two gospels ignore the birth narrative.  Mark begins with the ministries of John and Jesus' baptism.  John begins speaking of the logos made flesh- a theological description of the birth.  There is no dispute among the canonical texts of the New Testament as to the place of Jesus birth.  John 7 says "we know where this man is from; when the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."  This is not a contradiction of Bethlehem as Jesus' birthplace.  It could be seen as muddying the water about the tradition that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem for it seems to indicate a belief that the Messiah would just appear out of nowhere.  But it is also possible, to be seen as from some place but be born some place else.  Julius Caesar was seen as "from Rome" but he was born in Subarra not far from Rome.  Woodrow Wilson was seen as "from Princeton" where he served as president of the university.  He could also have been said to have been from Augusta, Georgia or Columbia, SC where he spent his boyhood but he was actually born in Staunton, Virginia.  
     Some of the earliest post Biblical writers speak of Jesus being born in Bethlehem.  Justin Martyr speaks of Jesus being born in a cave in Bethlehem (180 AD).  Origen also speaks of Jesus being born in a cave in Bethlehem.  The Infancy Gospel of James (2nd century found at Nag Hammadi) has Jesus being born in Bethlehem.  There is no other Christian text that has him being born anywhere else.   
     Bart Ehrman (in a 12/21/2022 blog) along with some other Jesus' Seminar scholars seem to think that an argument from silence is stronger than the argument of people who actually talked with Jesus and eyewitnesses (like Matthew and Luke).  I would say disinterest about where Jesus was born may mean that it doesn't matter to the ones who are disinterested.  But that does NOT mean that it contradicts the clear testimony of biblical and post biblical references to the birth of Jesus.  Ehrman seems to infer that Matthew and Luke's writings were not good enough because they were prejudiced toward Jesus' being born in Bethlehem.  But the same could be said of both Ehrman and John Dominic Crossan.  They do not believe in miracles, or the divinity of Christ or the physical resurrection.  They have brought their own presuppositions to this debate- trying to make Jesus in their own image.  Should we trust scholars who would erase Christian tradition more than those who were around eyewitnesses to the event?  There is no DNA or archaeological evidence that would make those modern scholars more certain or trustworthy.  Most would say that corroborated witnesses closer to the time are more reliable than those making educated guesses later on with their own prejudice against prophesy and scriptural reliability.  
    But there is another strong strand of evidence for the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.  It is found in the oral tradition of those in Bethlehem who pointed to the exact cave where Jesus was born.  Tradition says that a cave in Bethlehem was venerated as the birth place of Jesus.  Hadrian built a pagan temple to Adonis there in the second century so people would stop venerating the place.  Constantine's mother, Helena, asked the locals in Bethlehem where was the place of the birth of Jesus, and then she built a church there in the fourth century.  It was destroyed but Justinian built the Church of the Nativity over the spot in 530 AD.  In our day we see similar things.  We may not remember where Martin Luther King's boyhood home was until he became a great leader.  Then those in his neighborhood can say it is at 234 Sunset Ave in NW Atlanta.  Similarly, Woodrow Wilson spent several years in Columbia SC as a boy.  When he became president, people remembered he the house was at 1705 Hampton Street and today it is well preserved.  We know where many of the Roman emperors were born (Hadrian and Trajan 9/15/53 in Italica Spain near Seville for example).  The tradition of the people confirmed with text of scripture- with no other valid early text giving a named alternative, adds up.  
     The ultimate "we-know-better-than scripture" pride is very strong in the Jesus' Seminar and Ehrman.  In the 19th century there was a movement that said that no scripture was valid unless it was corroborated by another text.  The Bethlehem narrative is corroborated in both Luke and Matthew.  But the Jesus Seminar folk think they have the right to say what was authentically true or not in scripture by a vote is disrespectful to the writers and elevates them as judges over scripture.  The spiritual danger in this is that if we can pick and choose what we want to be valid or not- we can pick and choose parts that are easy or comfortable for us. This is the ultimate eisegesis- putting our prejudices into or above the text.  This means we don't have to listen to the text when we disagree with it or just don't want to.  Bruggemann was a great scholar and he constantly urged his students to listen to the text of scripture rather than ignoring the parts that are hard or that do not make sense to us right away.  If we listen to the earliest witnesses- and they differ in content- but agree in substance- Jesus was indeed born in Bethlehem.  

Saul Who Remembered...Kind of 5-25-25 sermon at Eastminster

 

1 Samuel 13:7b- 14; Focused reading: 1 Samuel 15:10-17, 22-24   5/25/25 Memorial Day EPC Ben Sloan Sermon: "Saul, Who Remembered...Kind Of" 
We are beginning a preaching series on the kings of Israel/Judah.
On this Memorial Day Weekend we will be remembering Saul the warrior King who only kind of remembered God.

                 What do you remember and how do you remember it?  In the end, God’s memory is the ultimate one that counts.  We say, “God only knows.”  Brian Williams was the anchor for NBC News.  He said twice in 2015 that he was in a helicopter that was hit by a RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade) and was forced down in Iraq in 2003.  Truth was his helicopter did come under fire, but it was the helicopter in front of him that was hit by a RPG and forced down.  He was forced out of his anchor position at NBC.  Similarly, Hilary Clinton said in 2008 she had come under sniper fire in Bosnia but CBS and the journalists with her said otherwise and she retracted her story. In 1983 Ronald Reagan told Israeli Prime Minister Yishak Shamir that his film unit took pictures of the liberation of a Nazi concentration camp.  Later we found out his unit never left the United States. Sometimes, whether we are republican- democrat- rich-poor; whoever we are we are human enough to all make mistakes.  Mitt Romney told a Michigan crowd when he was running for president, that he fondly remembered the golden jubilee celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the automobile.  But later he admitted he was born nine months after the event- and that his memory was “foggy.” All this is to publicly show how our memories fail us, and also frankly how our egos can distort the facts a bit.  Daniel Schachter of Harvard speaks of how there is a large amount of literature that points out that we can have confidence in a distorted memory, and how our egos can conflate events or change them a bit in our mind. 
I really like those Progressive Commercials where one person throws a red challenge flag on another for how they remembered things- and then they replay the event on the camera and one of the two remembers it wrong.  
   All this is to say Saul was really good at remembering things the way he wanted them to be remembered- in a way that portrayed him in the best light.  Saul is perhaps the most memory bungled king in the Bible.  His pride and his lack of trust in God caused him to do some impatient and ego-driven things.  The difference in Saul’s remembering was he was given special instructions by God Himself through the prophet and he just kind-a remembered them.  In other words he kinda obeyed God.  It is a bit like half obedience which is not obedience at all.  When he got caught, Saul was sorry he got caught- but there is little evidence of real repentance.  He was great about making up excuses. 
I don’t know about you, but when I get caught doing something- I can find an excuse.   It is a real weakness, and I can learn from this story how wrong excuse making can be.  Usually my wife catches me.  The conversation goes something like this- “Did you do those things that needed to get done that we talked about before the company comes?”  “Uh- well- I didn’t vacuum, but I did sweep the entranceway.”  That is very Saul-like.  I was going to take out the trash too, but the phone rang and I got distracted.  I’d do it now,but we ran out of time.  Usually my wife calls out my excuses- she’s a retired school teacher and can see a lame excuse a mile away.  Saul was called out by Samuel the prophet.  You bet that was really intimidating.  When Saul started making these excuses and then he said, “I’ll tell you what I’ll make a sacrifice to make up for it.”  Samuel said, “To obey is better than sacrifice.”  Let’s talk about that for a minute. 
     The people of God were called to listen to God- who revealed Himself to them through the law and the prophets.  But God knew they would mess up.  So God developed a sacrificial system as an atonement- to make things one or right with God.  But which is better, obeying God or trying to make up for disobedience by sacrifice?  Is it better when a friendship stays strong, or when it breaks up and then manages to get back together?  It’s better if it stays strong.  There is a price of distrust and a crack in the solid frame of a relationship when a break-up happens.  So not listening, not paying attention, not caring, valuing convenience over obedience, finding excuses for misbehavior is very Saul-like and these are things we all do. 
      In our passage Saul was told to wait seven days on Samuel.  But Saul was growing impatient because his soldiers were outnumbered and scared and were deserting at a rapid pace.  So he took things into his own hands and even though he was not a priest, he made the sacrifice to God.  Still on the seventh day, Samuel showed up- just as Saul was finishing the sacrifice.  You can almost hear Saul saying,”Uh oh!”  “Uh oh- I am caught!”  Saul made the excuse- ”The men were scattering, you didn’t come (trying to blame Samuel), and I was just trying to make God happy by having a sacrifice.”  The problem with Saul is not his actions as much as his heart- his pride thinking he can make the rules up as he goes, instead of listening to what God says.  
Saul also disobeyed about the war with the Amalekites.  He kept the livestock and the king partly out of fear of the people who wanted the plunder.  He also later consulted the Witch of Endor, probably an Amalekite religious person. Which was against his rules.  Samuel even rose up from the dead to rebuke him one more time then. 
      We could contrast Saul with David with the caveat to acknowledge we are not the judge.  David seems to do worse things- he was at least a second degree murderer, and he clearly broke God’s law with Bathsheba.  Similarly to Saul, a prophet (this time Nathan) confronted him.  The difference with Saul is David did not make any excuses- but recognized his sin immediately.  Supposedly, he wrote Psalm 51 in response to his rebuke- “Have mercy on me, O God according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.  Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.  For I know my transgression and my sin is always before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight...”  I think the difference between Saul and David is similar to the Pharisee and Tax collector in worship.  The Pharisee was proud and talked about how great he was and listed the things he had done right like he deserved God’s favor.  The Tax Collector beat his chest and said, “Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.” 
    Memorial Day began towards the end of the Civil War. Some say Lincoln began it when he decorated graves after his Gettysburg address.  Thirty-six different towns both north and south claim they started it first. Our memories are suspect. We cannot  drop the red challenge flag to let the video replay tell us what is true.  God only knows.  Memorial Day comes at the beginning of summer.  The public swimming pools opened this weekend, and they say fashion changes to summer clothes on Memorial Day.  There are tons of Memorial Day sales to celebrate, and grocery stores will have hot dogs and burgers on sale. However, over a million soldiers died in service for their country that we remember.  It doesn’t matter if they were from the north, south, California, or South Carolina.  They are to be remembered no matter what their political or religious persuasion.  They are dead.  In some ways we value liberty today- the freedom to live the life God gave us.  We are not dead, they are- leaving behind grieving families, and future hopes.
One of my favorite Memorial Day movies is “Unbroken” about a World War 2 hero: Louis Zamperini.  Louis qualified for the 1936 Olympics.  He was extremely disciplined.  His plane was shot down and he survived on a raft in the ocean for 47 days.  He watched many of his war buddies die- 40% of the POW’s in Japan died in captivity.  He was picked on mercilessly by his Japanese captors, and amazingly resisted.  The movie ends with the war ending and setting them free. Somebody’s memory was distorting things by this ending. See, the rest of the story is that when Zampirini came back to the states he became an alcoholic trying to deal with the sadness of the loss of his buddies. He was still acclaimed as a hero but he needed strength beyond himself. One night he thought he was choking his tormentors, but was choking his wife. But things changed for the better when he came to the Christian faith through a Billy Graham meeting and found peace with his past and the loss of his friends.  He gave up alcohol.  Eventually he went back to Japan, found those who imprisoned him and amazingly forgave them.  Healing and forgiveness comes when we give up our excuses and egos to confess and repent.  The focus of our lives should not be on our problems or difficulties.  We will all have them.  But it is possible to lift up your eyes and remember God who is the ultimate giver of life and freedom.  When you remember God, He heals your memories.  He doesn’t change them, but redeems them, forgives them and enables you to move on. 
     Let us also as believers not forget to remember.  We do not exist in a vacuum.  As Brad reminds us, We are standing on the shoulders of those who went before us, and drink from wells we did not dig.  While some have half believed and half obeyed-like Saul; there are those who fully humbled themselves before God and lived heroic meaningful and faithful lives.  The Bible calls us to live grateful lives.  We should be grateful for those who have given themselves fully, and also be grateful ultimately to God who gives us life, and sets us free from our sins- when we call out and come to Him. 

WHY MISSIONARIES?

These are the last words of the Gospel of Matthew:  
28:18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The whole book of Acts is about spreading the Gospel throughout the Roman world, with the church ordaining and laying hands on Paul, Barnabas, Saul and others to be ambassadors and missionaries.  Again, the last words of Jesus before His ascension: 
"And you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  

The Gospel of John has Jesus saying, "Peace be with you.   As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." (John 20:21)

It seems almost silly to try to defend the idea of   missionaries as an essential part of the Christian faith.  Yet, some have doubted.  Most notably, my own denomination (PCUSA) has recently eliminated its missionary workers.  It has come gradually.  At first we eliminated missionary schools cutting back on official support.  Then we eliminated missionary hospitals.  Ironically over half the hospitals in Africa today were started as missionary hospitals- and many in the United States were also church started/affiliated (How many "Presbyterian Hospitals" or "Baptist" or "St. Joseph Hospitals" are there?).  Then the name changed from Missionaries (meaning "sent ones") to "Mission co-workers" in order that we not offend our partner churches and countries.  

But perhaps we don't need missionaries any more?  Perhaps everyone has heard?  Well we know that 41% (3.2 billion) of the world's population are not in positions to hear the gospel.  Perhaps because there are Christians in every nation our work is now completed?  The Joshua Project along with US World Missions has projected that there are 7,234 people groups (tribes) with their own la.  nguage, culture, area that have no Christian witness in them.  The work is not done until as Revelation 7:9 says, "people from every nation, tribe, people and language" were before the throne.  In Matthew 24:14 Jesus said, And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. The "all nations" is "ta ethnois" which could be best translated "testimony to all tribes" as "ethnee" (think ethnic) means tribal.  But our mission work is not just evangelism, it is also an act of love to tell others about our faith.  The full time workers are needed to speak the language, know the people (love), and know the culture.  It is imperialistic to think we can cruise into another culture and tell them what to do without staying with them and loving them.  Short term missions are nice, but they are dependent on long term-paid missionaries.  

We are not just to care about ourselves.  The Parable of the Good Samaritan is about a Samaritan showing love to a wounded Jew as an answer to the question, "who is my neighbor?"  We are called to love people whether they are of our nation or not.  This means feed the hungry whether they are of our nation or not; heal the sick whether they are of our nation or not; strengthen the weak, care for the poor, and yes... spread the good news.  

To some, it seems that just telling another person the good news is a bad thing.  It might infringe on their rights or conscience like some kind of imperialism.  If we know a way out of death and we do not tell others, then we have been partners with them in their not attaining life.  Perhaps, using their line of thinking, the women should not have told the disciples that Jesus is alive?  They were just telling others the good news.  Perhaps they were upsetting the disciples?  The women were the first missionaries- sent from Jesus and the angels to tell the disciples (Matthew 28:10; Mark 16:10,11; John 20:18).   Peter and Paul upset people.  Stephen was stoned for talking about Jesus.  But to the early church, the spreading of the good news was worth everything- even their lives.  

One of the problems we have is that we value our bureaucracy, church institutions, and making political statements above talking about the risen Christ.  Yet it is Christ who gives real hope and enables us to really love others- beyond borders, beyond differences.  All the talk about inclusiveness means nothing if we only include Americans and then only Americans who think like we do.  

In one of the statements defending the firing of missionaries, our denomination's bureaucrats said that we have people from other countries coming to us.  That is not rationale to be quiet about our faith- or withdraw.  Rather that is all the more reason to be missionaries both here and abroad.  Sadly, in our circling of the wagons financially we are looking to simply sustain a denominational structure, existence and offices rather than caring for people and that people hear the good news of Christ.  If indeed other countries are sending missionaries to us, that is a sign that our children are coming back to remind us to repent and turn back to our first love.  Missionaries are sent to spread love.  It is the love of Christ that compels us to send missionaries, and it is the love of Christ that calls us to go.  

A church that is embarrassed to tell others of the love of Christ, is embarrassed to be who we are.  Jesus said, "He who is ashamed of me and my words, I will be ashamed of them before the angels and my Father in heaven."  Paul similarly said, "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.  For it is the power of God to all who believe: to the Jew first, but also to the Greek." (Rom. 1:16).  Let us not hold the love of God within.  Let us spread the love- by being and calling missionaries.  

The Humiliation of Christ

 The Humiliation of Christ (Maundy Thursday 4/17/25- Eastminster) by Dr. Ben Sloan Jn. 13:31-37; Phil. 2:1-10; Mark 10:45

Humiliation is a tough word.  I think of the Middle School student who is embarrassed to be seen with their parents in public- walking behind them five steps.  But humiliation is the bringing down of someone high up.         So we may think of examples of humiliation- as a preacher who has been kicked out of their church- Like Jim & Tammy Baker who had a TV ministry of millions called the PTL Club from 1974-1987 and developed a Christian Theme Park called “Heritage USA” in Fort Mill, SC. He went to prison for fraud- charged w/ infidelity.
Jefferey Epstein; Prince Andrew; Harvey Weinstein; Martha Stewart. 
Humiliation is seen as a terrible nightmare that we avoid at all costs.  Some love to see the fall of others.  Jesus purposefully fell- not sinning, but humbling himself.  You cannot really understand Maundy Thursday if you don’t understand Jesus’ humiliation. 
Our Westminster Confessions speak of Christ’s work as prophet priest and king- both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.  The humiliation of Christ is something done willingly for us.  It consists in
1) Leaving the throne of heaven to be born in a stable- in a humble condition- not in a palace.
2) Being made subject to the laws of nature and human laws.  The King of kings became a subject.
3) Undergoing the miseries of this life- Jesus knew what it was like to be hungry, thirsty, get tired, feel alone, to suffer- he understands.
4) Face the wrath of God- He bore the punishment that we deserved on the cross.
5) The death of the cross- All the scorning, mocking, whipping, mock trials, the torture.  The cross was meant to be an element of humiliation as well as suffering- it was publicly visible- took a long time so it was hard to miss.
6) Being buried- He was put away.  They tried to seal and guard his tomb to make sure he stayed there- but He didn’t. 
But Christ talked all about not exalting ourselves- but exalting God the Father.
He said, “He who would lose his life will save it.”
“If anyone would follow me, they must deny themselves, take up the cross and follow me.”
“Now that I your teacher and Lord have washed your feet, you should also serve one another.” 
The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.” 
Jesus’ cousin and forerunner, John The Baptist likewise said, “If someone wants you to go one mile- offer two; share your coat, your food with others. Be content with your pay.” John also said he was not worthy to untie the messiah’s sandals- that He must increase and I must decrease.”
In our first world thinking- we are tempted to think of Jesus as making our lives easier, and better.  It is true, I think that the Christian life of love is the very best way to live- but it is not always easy.  In much of the church, service and suffering are ways we become like Christ. 
The suffering we face purges off the unimportant trivial distractions.  Job said, “When He has tried me I will come forth as gold.”  When you have been told by the doctor you only have a few months to live- it changes what is important to you. 
When you are in pain- you priorities change too.  Paul says (Rom. 8:18) “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”  When you know you will live forever, you know suffering and death are not the last word- and that is how so many disciples of Christ including 10 of the disciples- could face death bravely.   James tells us to “consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds- knowing that the testing of your faith develops perseverance- and in the end maturity.”  Suffering has meaning because of the humility of Christ. 
Likewise- losing our pride in service to others is also Christlike.  When we suffer for others or God- it is redemptive/healing suffering.  When we get out of ourselves in service- we find relief from suffering.Laura Story- b Augusta- USC-CIU- Carl Evington Brain Tumor- why not heal?  John Calvin- founder of the Presbyterian church- says that the two parts of the Christian life are mortification and vivification- that is dying to self- and living to God.  Calvin was no stranger to suffering- he was sick with something most of his ministry, he had been hunted down by the catholics, and kicked out by the secularists.  He lost his wife and had several stillborn children.  People made fun of him.  Yet he continued to give himself to God.  
Think in history of great people who were humiliated only to come back to success.  Einstein was so slow to talk that his teacher called him “misfit” and he failed his first college entrance exam- but ended up as the world’s greatest physicist. 
Nelson Mandela was arrested and in prison for 27 years- they thought they had silenced him, but he led the revolution of South Africa becoming its first president. 
Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested.  He famously wrote, “Letters from a Birmingham Jail.”   And led the world in the abolishment of segregation in the United States. 
J.K. Rowlng was turned down 12 times before her Harry Potter series was published.
Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper for lacking creativity.
Steve Jobs was fired from Apple only to be asked later to return and run the company- which he did- leading it to the richest company in the world.  Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team but went on to be a legend.  Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard and his first company failed before he founded Microsoft.  Josh Sullivan was trying to start a church- now that he has been rescued from his kidnappers he has a platform and a bullhorn for the gospel. 
Humility and humiliation often strengthens us for success if we persevere. That is part of God’s design.  Success and suffering or humiliation are often linked. 
Jesus teaches this in coming down for us- leaving heaven, living a poor life- born in a stable, being a refugee to Egypt, not having a house- he said famously, “Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”  Dying the public humiliating death of a wicked person- though He was innocent. 
Maundy Thursday is about the humiliation of Christ- He washed their feet; He gave Himself as the bread and the cup.  He was praying til he bled in the garden.  He was betrayed by a friend- arrested.  He was left alone and later that night Peter denied Him.  Humiliating. 
The context of the new commandment/mandate- Love one another as I have loved you- is the humbling way He loves us- How has he loved us?- He gave His body and blood.  The concrete way of showing love is humble even sacrificial service.   Our faith, our words of love mean little without humility and sacrifice.  He washed the feet of his betrayer- and shared a meal with him.  God has served us in Jesus.  Let us humbly love one another and keep the love feast.

Peace Be With You- Words of the Risen Christ

 

“Resurrected Peace” John 14:27  4/27/25 Preached at the Presbyterian Home in Columbia Ben Sloan

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  (John 14:27) 

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”  …Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!  As the father has sent me, I am sendng you.” 
(John 20:19- ) 

The most common words Jesus said to his disciples were “Peace be with you.”  (Shalom Aleichem); (Shlam’alakhon Aramaic); Why was this important for Him to say?  Why is it still important for us to hear today?

I) WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO SAY? 

1) The second most common phrase Jesus gave was “Do not be afraid.”  (al tira). 

They had been afraid of those who put him to death- the Roman authorities, the Sanhedrin.  They were in a locked room- and Jesus came through the locked door- according to Matthew,

Mark says “He rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen (16:14). 

In Luke it seems they thought they had seen a ghost and they were afraid- 24:37 sas, “They were startled and frightened thinking they saw a ghost.”  He proved it was not by inviting them to touch him- then give him some broiled fish to eat.  Ghosts can’t be touched.  He invited Thomas to put his hands in his wounds- to prove it was really him- not just someone with makeup on.  He ate because ghosts can’t eat. 

2) He wanted them to not cower in fear but to be bold and brave.  In all the gospels he tells them to tell others that He is alive- in fact to go into all the world.  Today there are believers in every part of the world.  The disciples went from cowering to boldly proclaiming and going into all the world.  Star Trek used to have a saying, “To boldly go where no man has gone before.”  The first missionaries lived this.  They didn’t know the language, didn’t know the customs, didn’t have time to study ahead of time- they just went.  Today there are 430,000 Christian missionaries all over the world.  [Sadly the PCUSA just fired all theirs last month (Did not say)].  There are still over 7,000 (7,244 according to the Joshua project) unreached people groups (tribes) and 3.43 billion who have no Christian witness in them (most (85%) live in the 10/40 latitude window).  Some of our missionaries are the bravest, most sincere, most believing, most loving people I have ever met. 

II. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TODAY FOR YOU AND ME-

1) We need peace.  In this world we will have tribulation- troubles, suffering, sickness, dying- but be of good cheer- I have overcome the world.  Jesus said while He was living, “Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am humble and lowly in heart and you will find rest unto your souls.

In our day many of us have anxiety.  I want to say I refuse to be anxious about what goes on in Washington.  I want you to know I refuse to be anxious about what goes on in Louisville- though I may disagree with a lot- it is beyond my control; but it is not beyond God’s control.  Jesus said, “Who of you by worrying can add a single cubit to your height? Or a single hour to their life?  Truth is worry takes away from our height and our time.  It weighs us down, eats up our sleep, destroys our energy- our life.  In His greatest sermon Jesus said look at the birds of the air and the lilies of the field- and find peace.  We need to pass that peace on to our children and grandchildren. 

2) We need to rest in peace- That ability does not come just when we die.  President Trump’s response to the Pope’s death was, “Rest in peace.”  We want the dead to not worry or be restless.  There is a peace that comes from the grave- it is just non-action.  But there is a steady peace- we can have right now.  It is found in confidence in God’s Word and recognition that we have the victory in Christ.  You know I am a Clemson fan.  About one game a year I go up and see Clemson play.  They  struggle on the field- push, tackle, stretch.  I sit and eat a hotdog and clap my hands.  But if they win I say, “We won!”  I am happy- though I didn’t break a sweat except in maybe walking to my seat.  There may have been some white knuckled times when I was anxious about their winning- but in the end- they won.  Jesus won in the resurrection.  But we won too.  We are connected to Him by faith.  He is the first one through the tunnel of death- and He came back to say, “I made it though- now put your faith in me and have peace in this life.” 

There is an interesting phenomenon happening right now. You don’t hear about it in the news or even the Presbyterian News.  Easter attendance in the West and for that matter all over the world was at an all-time high.  At Eastminster we were up by 200 if you count online people- and we do today.  There is a growing belief in Christ among the younger generation.  There is a huge rise of people who believe in heaven today.  Part of this is fueled by people who have seen the video testimonies of people who have had Near Death Experiences.  That is, they were declared dead- maybe their heart stopped beating for a long period of time and then they came back.  For those who have faith, they tell us about going through a tunnel of light and seeing Jesus and even seeing relatives and friends on the other side.  They talk about being enveloped in a feeling of love and peace.  There are also hundreds who testify about being pulled down to the other place.  But if they call on the name of Jesus, they are buoyed up.  All of them talk about coming back and telling others to not be afraid of death.  Some say “fear of death is what drives us in life.”  But what if you are not afraid to die?  What if you have the peace of Jesus in you?  Then you can change the world around you- your relatives, the people that live in this place, and yourself.       Seek Peace and pursue it.  The Lord bless you and keep you… and give you peace.