Powell Butte Christian Church

There's a story of a man who worked with Mother Teresa for a period of time. Every night he would go out with the Sisters of Mercy into the streets of Calcutta and pick up men and women who were on death's door. They would then take these individuals to a hospice home called Kalighat, where these people who were actively dying would be cared for in their last days. A friend of a friend had gone out there to serve personally and said it was a HARD ministry to be involved with...So anyway this man who was helping Mother Teresa, after spending a week at this hospice house said to her, “I wouldn't do what you do for a million dollars!” And Mother Teresa said, “I wouldn't either.”Say what you will about Mother Teresa, she was certainly someone who came to understand that giving of one's talents and time and effort and giftedness couldn't be measure in terms of earthly treasure. What they found to be true about the Treasure Principle is that these principles we have looked at go beyond our financial lives.This week, I want us to look at what the Bible says about what we do with our time and our talents.

You may have observed in the time you have known me that I don't have a great sense of balance.  Therefore when I navigate through uneven terrain, I must be very careful. Balance is one of those things that is necessary when you have to go through rough terrain. Today is going to be about finding balance. And whether you are talking about whole body balance, or whether you are talking about balancing, let's say, this, science has demonstrated to us that there are a few laws that govern balance. And what's REALLY cool is that if you can get your mind around the laws of physical balance, it's going to be easier to think about the other areas of your life that God has called you into balance.Ultimately when we live in God's holiness we live in balance in a number of ways: our appetites, our relationships, our emotions, our work life, and since we've been on the subject, you can add our finances. And here's what I've observed in my lifetime: though the number is starting to grow, there are very few people out there who actually live a balanced life when it comes to their personal finances.So today – I'm going to ask this question: What is the overall objective when it comes to money? What am I trying to do? What is the one thing I am trying to accomplish with my money? Now that question has a variety of answers for a variety of people. 

There have been times, I must admit, and I would imagine so must you, when poor planning has brought about some serious problems in my life. And there have been times when I could have sworn that I DID plan things — it was just a lousy plan. I didn't take things into account; I didn't foresee real issues that could possibly (and often DID) pop up.It's good to plan, for sure. If you are engaged in an important endeavor, it is good to think through the things that could happen that might be obstacles or challenges along the way. But here's the deal: you can plan and plan and even think of potential pitfalls and come up with contingencies, and there will still be times when things go awry - things totally out of your control, and things that frankly, you never thought of.So how does GOD want His people to plan? I've unfortunately been a part of teams where it ended up that WE thought something was a good plan and then WE asked GOD to come alongside us and, essentially, bless this mess (as it turned out). Many believers live their lives like that: God, these are my plans; I'd like to invite you into my plans. When, as it turns out, God is asking us, His people, to find out HIS plans, and to find ways that we can fit into those plans, rather than vice versa.This is what the next part of James' letter is all about: not presuming what the future will hold, and what plans you will accomplish, but to humbly ask God to guide and direct you where HE wants you to be, doing what HE has assigned and empowered you to do for HIS glory and HIS plans.

This last week in our Staff Meeting, I said some things out loud. And they weren't horribly critical. I think that they were just funny observations (at least in MY mind). And the staff basically told me how awkward it was to hear them. I told them that's what popped into my mind. And that's when Ethan said, they pop into our minds, too, Trey - but those tend to be INTERNAL conversations with us!

Several years ago Barbara Walters interviewed General Norman Schwartzkopf, one time commander of Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf. When asked about the cost of the war in terms of human life the general began to cry. Walters rather bluntly inquired, "General, aren't you afraid to cry...?"  To which the general replied, "Barbara, I'm afraid of a man who can't cry!"Here is a soldier who's been trained to be tough, a man who's seen more death and destruction than I know I will ever see and yet doesn't apologize for his tears. In fact he's afraid of the one who can't cry.Many of us aren't so much afraid of tears as we are ashamed of tears. Maybe it's because of the steady stream of messages we get: stop crying, shake it off, only babies cry. Crying makes us feel vulnerable, and we fear being vulnerable.But in that same vein, I also have come to realize by experience that sometimes the absolute best thing you can do is to break down when you realize things are not as they should be. And things are NOT good. The situation is NOT funny. And sometimes you just have no choice but to cry.That's a part of what we get from the next verse in our study, as we are in James chapter 4. Turn with me to James 4 and let's look at verse 9: "Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom." (ESV)

Draw near to God. And guess what? He will draw near to you. That's where we ended last week, if you'll recall. What this means is that some of us have to quit thinking that God is so far away, playing some sort of cosmic hide-and-seek game with you. James is clear: make connection with God your destination and you'll find Him coming towards you the same way!Last week we looked at the attitude of Humility: submitting to God, resisting the Devil, and drawing near to God.  All of these things happen on the inside. But here's the amazing thing about Biblical faith: remember even the overall theme of the book of James is this: FAITH WORKS. Right? Yes, the Bible teaches that we are not saved by our works - it's by God's grace that He even extended the olive branch, the rescue rope, offering to pull us up out of the pit of our sinful nature; but it's also very clear from Scripture that the faith we have in that Grace causes us to move, to do, to obey, to become something different.And so not only is the attitude of Humility important when we consider what it means to be saved, to live in God's eternal Kingdom, but our ACTIONS - the way we live, the decisions we make, the way we honor God with our bodies, the way we treat other people - these, too, are important.

Who needs grace today? Who really wants grace? Grace awaits - but notice to whom God gives grace… to the deserving? to the famous? No. It's very likely that those people miss the fact that they have NEED of grace. After all, why receive grace if you haven't done anything wrong?So then, God gives grace to…the low-down dirty rotten scoundrels of this life?Be careful before you give the church answer to that one. When we sing Amazing Grace, we DO sing the phrase "that saved a wretch like me." Grace DOES seem to be for those who NEED grace, those who are NOT perfect; the ones who do NOT have it all together. And that's what we celebrate when we sing that song - the fact that grace is available to the low-down dirty rotten scoundrels.But I say be careful even with THAT sort of thinking, because something is missing in that equation. I'm sure that, like me, you know people who NEED grace, but won't receive it – ironically for the same reason that those who think they are deserving won't receive it.James says it's all about HUMILITY. And you can be a pious do-gooder relying on your own moral behavior to make you right with God, or you can be an unrepentant sinner that doesn't care to have a connection with God because you don't want to ch

I want you to think back on a recent argument or conflict you had with someone. Could be your spouse, parents, kid, or somebody at work. What was the argument over? What was it about? Money, chores, politics, or something else. Regardless of the issue, what caused that argument?That is the question that James wants us to deal with because the answer gives us deeper insight into why we have conflict with others. At the end of James 3 God gave us some incredible insight into what real wisdom looks like in our daily lives. Just because you are walking in wisdom does not mean you will not have conflict. This is why James 4 begins the way it does.James just finished a section dealing with God's wisdom and what it looks like and acts like in our life. When we are living by God's wisdom, we are told that we will plant seeds of peace in our lives and in our relationships rather than seeds of conflict and division. So then, it's perfectly natural to follow that discussion up with a practical question: “Why do I get into arguments with others even when I'm trying to walk in God's wisdom and pursue peace?” Such an important question that James begins chapter 4 with THIS question: “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you?”Wow. What a great question. Great because it seems to cut to get to the core issue. Many times when conflicts arise, we go for the quick fix - but ultimately what we end up doing is merely putting a band-aid on the problem without fixing it. A band-aid given to a hemophiliac. So you might take care of the immediate problem at hand - but wouldn't it be better to get to the root of the problem so you don't waste so many band-aids??So it's good to find the cause of quarrels and fights. But before we do that, let's make sure we know what we are speaking about…

 If you had just ONE wish, what would it be? Obviously this scenario is one that reveals what is at your core. If it's to win the lottery, I suppose people could conclude that financial security is most important to you. If it's to live to a ripe old age, perhaps family relationships are top priority for you. If it's to possess a certain ability, again, that would demonstrate what motivates you, or what do you care most about.There's an event in the Old Testament in the life of young King Solomon, of whom God asked for his greatest desire. What are YOU looking for today? Today, many seek riches, power, long life and other things…. but do you see how truly wise it was for Solomon to ask for wisdom? Because ultimately, one could live by the wisdom that is gained, and in doing so, you can take steps to get to some of those other goals that people have: financial security, relational harmony, physical and emotional health. Those things aren't bad. But by seeking wisdom, you might be able to benefit from MANY things because you have approached your decisions in life with wisdom.

Associate Pastor Brian Hall

Youth Pastor Ethan Waud

 Hard times were coming for Israel; big needs, big challenges to come. They desperately needed help. Enter Isaiah - a prophet with a word from the Lord. What will it be God? After all, in the past, there were 10 plagues and the parting of the Red Sea to get us away from Egypt. There was that time when the wall around the city of Jericho fell down so that Israel could just rush in and take it. There was that time that an angel entered the camp of the Assyrians and killed 185,000 of them. What will it be this time, God?Something quite unexpected… “Unto us a child is born. Unto us a SON is given”Here is God: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father. Prince of Peace. But not in a great wind. Not a pillar of fire. And he's - a BABY??Israel needed help. Humanity needed help. And what do we get? A Destroyer of Worlds? A Knight in Shining Armor? No. We get a SON. A Son who started out small.I wonder if this was a letdown for the people of Israel when Isaiah delivered it. I mean it STARTED well enough: Matthew 4 repeats this prophecy to show how God fulfilled His promise, not just in Isaiah's time, but with the birth of Jesus.

Remember the mirror? How God's Word is a mirror for each of us individually? Remember how much courage it takes to stand there, allowing God to show you what needs to be changed? Well, did you ever think that maybe churches need mirrors as well? We have come to a short passage where we get to hold a mirror up to us as members of a church body.It's amazing how many different experiences people have when they start connecting to a church. I believe people tend to show up when they are genuinely seeking some sort of spiritual fulfillment. Maybe they're coming back after a long absence. Maybe they're at a stage of life when it's important to them to raise the children in a church. Some folks are just connection-less and are seeking what's missing in their lives.And so they come - for various reasons…and what they find in the gathering of the people of God is sometimes good - and sometimes shockingly bad! Especially if their interest is, as I said, genuine; they are REALLY looking for a place where they can ask questions, find some answers, and find a group of grace-filled people who are willing to share the journey with them.And what they find, again, amazes me — both the good and the bad. I'm SO encouraged whenever someone tells me that as they attend PBCC, they're finding it almost like "home." I like that. It was the word I thought of when my dad asked what word would I put up on the outside of our church. And I'm amazed at the openness and welcoming atmosphere that has been created here.But then I hear of horror stories of churches. People who claim to be religious, and yet don't act ANY different from the people outside the church (and sometimes WORSE!). Folks truly searching for something significant and different sometimes just find the same ol' same ol' - judgmentalism, hypocrisy, isolation, people pretending to have it all together. Not much different from what's out there in the world today, really.So what are people looking for when they connect with a church community? Are they looking for a place of perfection? Probably not. Are they looking for a place to fake it? I highly doubt it.I think what MOST people are looking for in a church connection are people who are sincerely making an effort to grow in their faith; people who want to be authentic about their spiritual journeys - weaknesses and quirks and mistakes and all - BUT who are actually finding true, real life-change in a community that is there to help them thrive.

This morning I wanted to use this time together to really highlight the Perspective course coming up in the first part of 2025, and to encourage all of you to prayerfully consider making that gutsy call to step forward and put yourself out there and take the course.Perspectives is a globally-focused discipleship class that is hosted in churches and universities around the world. It's a 15 week experience that will expand your vision of God and your worldview. And though we typically think Perspectives is this Missions class, it really is one of the best tools for launching folks into ALL SORTS of ministries.God has a heart for every people group on this planet. Read the Book of Revelation - you'll see that John saw in his vision there around God's throne were people from EVERY tribe, tongue, and nation. How does that happen? Are you one that doesn't even THINK about that? Or one that just presumes that other people are going to get that done?Perspectives helped me understand why God even WANTS all of that around His throne, and how God has called ME to be a part of seeing that future promise become reality.

What's the first thing you do when you get up in the morning? Whatever it is, it's probably the same thing every day. Everybody seems to have their own morning rituals to get them going.Some part of everybody's morning ritual is coming face to face with the mirror.Most of us probably get our first look at ourselves while we're still pretty scary looking. Our eyes have that bleary, dazed look; hair is sticking out in strange places… Ugh. Not a great experience, right?Here's the bad thing about mirrors: they're too honest. Unless you have one of those carnival fun-house mirrors that distort things… What you see is what you get!Mirrors don't flatter, they don't gloss over the junk we have stuck between our teeth or the make-up that's been smudged. They don't try to tell us we look better than we really do. Every wrinkle, gray hair, blemish — they're ALL there staring back at us.So, the question is…why do we even HAVE mirrors in the bathroom? And why the bathroom???Well, because as unpleasant as it may be, the reality is: if we DON'T take a look at ourselves and (most of the time) make *some* kind of adjustment (sometimes MAJOR adjustments), then the rest of the world will have to deal with THIS!And so we figure it's better to face the truth and do what we can to not scare everyone else off!Today we're looking at a passage in James 1 that likens God's Word to a mirror. Not a mirror for our physical appearance, but a mirror for who we REALLY are, deep down where it really counts. 

John Adams, in a letter to the Massachusetts militia, dated October 11, 1798, said this: Because we have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion, avarice, ambition, revenge, and licentiousness would break the strongest cords of our Constitution, as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.What Adams was expressing was this idea that Constitutions such as the United States of America has only work when those who live under it can exert a strong degree of self-control.Adams wasn't alone in this view. To our Founding Fathers, it was “self-evident” that a democratic republic could only be sustained by those who were able to be self-controlled. Reflecting that thought, a contemporary German author and philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe stated: “What is the best government? That which teaches us to govern ourselves.”A later prominent 19th Century minister, Henry Ward Beecher, simply said: “There is no liberty to men who know not how to govern themselves.”Self-governance consists of self-regulation of attitudes and actions. In keeping with this philosophy, the Founding Fathers believed that the success of our nation, our culture, hinged on both individual and community virtue - that is, moral character.This morning, we are still in the first chapter of James (wow!). And the text we are looking at is short - again, just three verses long, but HUGE in its impact. Because what we are going to see is the key, according to James, to being the people God has called us to be. 

Opening up a can of worms this morning. Gonna talk about something that I haven't heard much about from the pulpit in my life. Gonna talk about addiction, which is something very easily demonized by good Christian folk. Too easy to think it's not a problem because it's not a problem for YOU. It's on THOSE people, in your opinion. They made their bed so to speak. Or maybe too easy just to say it isn't a problem because you don't want anyone finding out that it IS a problem for YOU!Why do we do that? Pretend that we're okay when we're not? I bet that if most people were honest with themselves and really understood the power of the sinful nature, we would realize how easy it is for anyone to find themselves trapped in sinful addictions.You'd think that once we give our lives over to the Lord, then sin and addiction shouldn't come into play anymore, right? That "good Christians" don't deal with addiction. And yet, that's not what we find. The Bible tells us that there is a spiritual war we enter when we step from the darkness into the light. And the enemy isn't one to just give up ground in this war. The power of God is there to free us from the punishment of sin - but it's also there to free us from the power of sin and one day free us from the presence of sin as we step into eternity.Now here's a disclaimer this morning: addiction is a big issue, and this is merely an overview and a look at addiction from a biblical perspective. And that's good and necessary. BUT…if you think you have an addiction, it would be wise to also seek out other avenues of support and accountability, Christian counseling and other support programs. MY job today is to tell those struggling with addiction that God is for you and gives us some valuable wisdom in dealing with this battle.

Last week we talked about some of the trials of life - stuff that happens simply because we live in a fallen world; and how God uses what we go through to help us through what I called the Perfecting Process (perfect being a Biblical term that often just means complete and whole, or mature). We saw how if we watch, if we ask WHAT GOD and not WHY GOD, then we can cooperate with the perfecting process and God's ultimate intention for our lives - making us more like Jesus - is able to happen.This week, we are still in the first chapter of James - but I want to show you something that may shake your theology a bit.You see we live in a culture where those who believe in God love the blessings that God brings to them. We like to look at verses 16 and 17 of this first chapter: "Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."Father of Lights you delight in Your children, we sing. We love the good and perfect gifts from above, don't we?But have you ever gotten a gift that ultimately was good, and truly perfect - but it didn't SEEM good at the time? IOW, what if SOME of those trials we face in life didn't come from just life happening, but from a different source?

I'm sure you've heard of Murphy's Law: “If anything can go wrong it will.” I just discovered this week that there are a few other laws of Murphy as well…- “The chance of the toast falling jelly side down is directly proportional to the cost of the carpet.”- “When you drop your phone while driving, it will find the gap between your seat and the center console."- “The light at the end of the tunnel is too often the headlight of an oncoming train.”Why are these funny? Why are these true? It's interesting that, whoever he was, Murphy sure had a bead on the insight that problems in this life are pretty much inescapable.But why is that? Why are there troubles in this world? Why doesn't the world operate in a - what WE would consider - fair way? Where is God when it hurts? If God is real, why is there so much pain and trouble in this world??

 Open your Bible to the New Testament Book of James. This morning begins our next Bible book study, and for those who have been hungry for some applicable lessons to connect with all the theology we've been studying for the past year, this is for YOU! This letter, broken down in modern Bibles into five chapters, is all about living out what you believe. And this morning, I'm just hoping to give you a 30,000 foot view of this letter, setting the table (if you will) for the meal to come in the next few months.

Authority. Who gets to say which course gets changed? And where do they get that authority?“You're not the boss of me” “You can't tell me what to do.” Especially in Western culture, where we are used to having the right to do what we want to do, it's difficult to submit to authority.But as Christians, the whole idea of Lordship involves submitting with the correct perspective of authority:Matthew 7:28-29   When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority— quite unlike their teachers of religious law.In other words, there is a kind of authority that is not Tyrannical, but actually beneficial for those who are being led.  The kind of authority Jesus talked with was different, obviously different than the religious rulers of the day. And in the next few chapters in Matthew flesh out this idea and show Jesus' authority over sickness, over nature, and over demons. Then in chapter 8, we get the big picture about authority:Matthew 8:5-10,13   When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain. Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,' and they go, or ‘Come,' and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,' they do it.”When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel!... Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.Authority matters. The officer understood it. HE had authority over soldiers and could command them to accomplish certain tasks, and so Jesus was able to perform miracles because all things are under his leadership. He is the ultimate authority – not just in this world but in the spiritual world as well.Reading through Scripture, there is a correct way to embrace authority in our lives…

A 5-year-old girl was sitting at the breakfast table one morning and, in between bites of sugary cereal, she sang with one hand in the air and the other cradling her spoon. Her mom asked her what she was doing. “I'm praising God, Mama.” Then, in a huff of overly dramatized exhaustion, she dropped her hand on the table saying, “But sometimes praising God is hard. My arms get sooooo tired.”Do you realize how true that statement is? There are definitely times when praising God is easy… Blessings are realized, we feel close to God, there's so much good things going on.But then there are times when it is almost exhausting to lift up praises to God. Life wears us down, people are taken away from us, things seem to end up in failure. Maybe you are in a season right now when praise just gets stuck in your throat and, like that little girl, you drop your arms on the table, crying out: “It's too hard!”We are coming to the conclusion of this amazing letter to the Hebrew believers. And in the midst of the doctrine it teaches, we can see that ultimately what the Author is demonstrating is how the new covenant through the death and resurrection of Jesus is actually designed to lead God's people into a new way of worship. Previously the Hebrews had been burdened with fulfilling the Mosaic Law, but by his sacrifice and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled those impossible standards and opened the way for the Holy Spirit to indwell believers and write the Divine Law on their hearts.And if this is a new way of worship, then through that same Holy Spirit at work in our lives to get rid of the old self, the sinful nature, we are led into this lifestyle of worship.

A couple of weeks ago, as I was gearing up for the children's performance down in Bend, I had a conversation with one of the dads of the kids in the theater group. He is a film-maker and he and I started up this conversation about potential collaborations. And in the course of the conversation it was brought up that he was a Jew - but he was quick to point out he wasn't a “practicing Jew.” Now, I THINK I know what he meant. But it got me to thinking about the first part of Hebrews 13, and the practicality of how the Author of Hebrews is ending his letter.Remember the letter is about encouraging the Hebrew believers to stay the course and to not go back to an inferior system of being made right with God. It's a giant commercial for Jesus, if you recall. There hasn't been a lot of practical application - more just teaching about correct doctrine and God's plan for salvation. But now we are heading into this passage that is VERY practical. And connecting it with the conversation I had with this Jewish man who was not a “practicing Jew,” I look at today's passage as a way to help us determine what is a “practicing Christian.”And to be honest, I have come to a strong belief that true believers can ONLY describe themselves as “practicing Christians,” or in other words, Christians who put their faith into practice; not just leaving it as abstract theological thoughts and discussions. But truly life-changing faith that HAS to be put into practice in order to grasp faith that God has called us into...living your faith out loud.In today's passage, we have a good list — it's definitely not the exhaustive complete list, but a good list nonetheless about what living out loud looks like for a Christian. Let's read the passage and then talk about five pieces of evidence that would convict us if being a Christian were outlawed. These are some of the main marks of living our faith out loud.

 Olympics - runners. Some pretty amazing finishes! as you're running there's something that happens even in a marathon when you're completely fried when you're completely tired when you've hit the wall but then somehow when the Finish Line comes into view when when the Finish Line hits that Horizon something reinvigorates you you get that second wind you can pick up speedIn many ways it feels as though we very well may be running the last lap. We would do well, as Jesus taught in the Gospels, to live each day with the mindset that He could truly be coming back at any moment on any day. And instead of trying to figure out WHEN that day and hour will be, Jesus pretty much told us - doesn't matter - just be doing what I want you to do when I get back.And so, whether this is the last lap for us (or not), the Spirit of God has been given to us so that we run this race, whichever lap we are on, with all our might and our eyes FIXED on Jesus, as we saw a few weeks ago when Dad and I shared the sermon time.What this means is that instead of focusing on the state of the decline of our culture so much, we focus solely on living as followers of Jesus. HE must be our only true passion and our only true purpose. Because, as we will be reminded in our study this morning, he is the only true destiny for those who walk by faith.

Do you remember the old slogan for Avis Car Rental? Hertz, apparently, had taken the top spot on the list - and of course, they let people know: “We're #1!” Avis' approach was intriguing to me. They were like: “We're #2…BUT WE TRY HARDER.”While there's something to the idea of trying your best, in my experience I have found that by adopting this motto in our spiritual growth, more often than not what you end up with is frustration and guilt and at times the feeling like it's not worth it and the temptation to just walk away and give up.You see the symptoms of folks teetering on that edge. They neglect time with God. They stay away from God's people. Worship is - at best - an afterthought. That very well may come from a lack of understanding what GRACE is, specifically what the PURPOSE of grace is.We've talked a lot about grace recently. And ultimately we understand grace to be the thing that saves us. But is there something else grace does? We've touched on this a bit before, but what I, as your pastor, am excited to show you today is how grace is the thing that helps us BE who God designed us to be - How to be SAVED and how to BE saved. and WITHOUT doing the Avis thing, trying harder in our own power.

As we begin, I want to make sure you know a truth about this book, the Bible): this isn't A book; this is 66 books with over 40 authors, written over a period of 1500 years on 3 continents - and yet there is amazing harmony throughout. And scripture helps us interpret and understand scripture; when you get to one passage that may be difficult to understand, you can be sure that there's most likely a few other passages that deal with the same subject that can shed light on how the difficult passage should be interpreted.There are a few books, in addition, that give us a clue as to WHY it was written. The Gospel of John, for instance, has a purpose that John tells his readers. John 20:30-31 “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But THESE are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”This is why, by the way, the Gospel of John is made available by many churches and Christian organizations and given out to those who are seeking spiritual truth. John hand-picked the events in Jesus' ministry and the teachings he heard for the purpose of showing people that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God - AND that in seeing that truth, one could come to faith and eternal life.So it's nice when a book from the Bible actually tells us what it's about.So that's why I LOVE this next section of the book of Hebrews because there is a whole lot that the Author lays out for us, here in the second part of chapter 7 and going through the first part of chapter 10. In fact, there is SO much that I probably don't have to read every verse of that section, cuz if I DID, we would go much longer than we even did last week.

We don't know a whole lot about him, and what we do know is buried in mystery. We know that he was the King of Salem, we know that he was a priest of the Most High God, we know that he had a funny name and we know that Abraham thought enough of him that he made an offering of ten percent of everything he owned to him.He is fairly obscure. He's first mentioned in Genesis 14 where he is given a total of three verses. He's not mentioned again until Psalm 110:4 where David makes reference to the coming Messiah and writes: “The LORD has taken an oath and will not break his vow: ‘You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek.'”And then nothing, not in Proverbs, or Ecclesiastes, none of the prophets mention him. Melchizedek's name doesn't come up in any of the gospels or the book of Acts. Paul doesn't mention him - but then, all of a sudden, the Author of Hebrews writes  17 verses about this mystery monarch.We actually have preached a couple of times in the past year about Melchizedek. Last summer we studied the life of Abraham, where we first encountered him, and earlier in our study in the book of Hebrews we talked about the priesthood of Jesus being like Melchizedek and not like Aaron and his descendants.Today I want to focus on yet another aspect of these verses - one that is perhaps not as obvious, but definitely is worth stopping and taking note, especially because the story found in Genesis 14 is the first recorded instance of somebody sacrificing financially to provide for the work of God in some way. Before Genesis 14, there were definitely sacrifices made by individuals as a way to honor and worship God, but this event in the life of Abraham is the first time a priest of God is given a portion of someone's resources.

One of the greatest problems we face today is a loss of trust. It used to be that in the past a man's word was a sacred bond. Contracts would be signed with a handshake and one's word. There was little need for lawyers or documents. If a person promised to do something, their honor depended upon them following through with their pledge.Not so much today. Today we have grown cynical and question everyone's motives. You can't trust the media, or the government, or corporations, or the educational system, or even pastors! At least, that's where our cynicism has led us to believe. And no wonder - because scandals and lies and crime happens in so many arenas of our world today.And you know where this cynicism lands us? With the inability to trust anyone but ourselves! The only one I can really trust is ME. And when THAT happens for too many people, we see the damage that is done to what was used to be known as community. It's bad. And for many, there seems to be no answer…In the midst of this cynicism there IS a clear voice that cuts through for those who have come to believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior:“Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart..” (Psalm 37:3-4)“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)Throughout our sacred Scriptures there is this voice that tells us we can trust God… But sometimes I wonder if our cynicism has spilled over into our relationship with God. I have seen people who have been burned by so many systems be EXTREMELY cautious when it comes to putting their trust in ANYTHING outside of themselves — EVEN GOD.

We read from the Author of Hebrews how important it is to maintain momentum in understanding and living out faith in Jesus. He said in Heb 5:11-14: “About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”The people who were receiving this letter apparently had been Christians for awhile. We know that they are HEBREW people (Jewish people), as were the majority of the Early Church in Jerusalem. (A fact that many people don't know - that Jews and Christians are very closely connected to each other, and what Jesus began 2000 years ago was intended to bring the Jews to the next level of relationship with their God. Some of them got it, some of them did not.)And as we read through Hebrews, we see that these Jewish converts were having a tough go in their new-found faith in Jesus. And that's understandable. If you grew up being taught one way, believing in a certain set of teachings, sometimes it's difficult to embrace something new without being tempted every now and then to go back to the old ways.So the Author of Hebrews is encouraging these Jewish Christians to keep growing, keep maturing. His point is that, if you're not moving forward, you are in danger of falling back to your old ways.He is reminding them throughout this book of the superiority of Jesus. In fact this whole book is one gigantic exciting commercial for faith in Jesus! The Author will tell us that Jesus is better than the Prophets, better than the Angels, better than Moses, better than the Law, better than the High Priest, and even better than the annual sacrifices proscribed in the Law. The old way of doing things served, he says, as a foreshadowing of a better covenant, a better connection with God - not based on our performance in adhering to the external lawbook, but in the deepening relationship we have with our Heavenly Father made possible through the work of Jesus on the cross.

Mother's Day is probably the toughest day of the year to preach. That's primarily because it seems that Mother's Day is a minefield of different emotions for so many in any given church. In the 8 years I have preached here at PBCC, I have not ever preached a Mother's Day sermon. We have taken time out of the service to honor moms, but I typically have just barreled through with the sermon series we happened to be in at the time.And to be honest it's a difficult subject because while there are many of us who had great moms, some people have had – or still have – painful relationships with their moms, and some have lost their moms.And then you have the ladies who would LOVE to be moms – but for whatever reason, could not be. And there are moms who pray continually for their kids who have gone off the rails, hoping that one day they will come back to the family or come back to their faith.So it's tough to find the balance. And besides, how many ways can you say honor your mother? I've heard that one so many times when I was growing up. And it can get so trite that it really carries very little meaning!But today, as I DO bring a Mother's Day message, one thing we can say that we all have in common - regardless of where you might fit into the mine field I described - is that we all have mothers. Our mothers gave us life. Whether they turned out to be great moms or terrible moms, or something in between, the Bible is clear that we are to honor our mothers.

 I have long been fascinated with Western Turkey, and the area of the world where the seven churches of Revelation were located. In fact, one day, my hope is to visit that area to see for myself the places that I have studied for over 30 years now.Of course, the actual cities where the churches that John addressed in The Book of Revelation no longer exist as they did in the First Century - but the ruins of those ancient cities can still be seen to some degree. The only thing that remains are the foundation stones.  You could still easily build on these foundations even today. The BUILDINGS that were on these foundations are gone - but the foundations have endured the centuries.We have been talking about the Foundations of our Faith, according to Hebrews 6, verses 1-2. The Author of Hebrews was frustrated that the believers who, by the way, were being tempted to go back to the law to justify themselves, rather than to put their full weight on the work of Jesus for their righteousness, these believers SHOULD HAVE progressed to deeper spiritual truths - but they still were stuck on the ABCs of the Faith.And it has been those ABCs of the Faith that we have spent the past couple of months studying, making sure WE understand the principle doctrines of Christianity - especially when we move on to the next thing the Author of Hebrews wants to talk about.If you recall those ABCs are repentance, faith, baptism, laying on of hands (which is the work of the HS in the lives of believers), and finally the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And it's this last part of the Foundations that we are in the middle of talking about.

It's been said that an essential key in life... is the wisdom to navigate life WITH THE END IN MIND. IOW, when we understand what we want our life to lead to, we are able to form a life that is consistent with that end. So it's vital that as a believer you bear in mind WHERE are you headed? What is the end aim for your life? Is there an aim - or are you just shooting your arrows at trees and then going up and painting the target on the tree where the arrow hit?Where are WE going? What is the end that defines our existence? Where is life ultimately headed? These are the questions we are going to explore today.  We've been studying the foundations of faith as outlined in Hebrews chapter 6. We talked about Repentance, and Faith, about Baptism and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. And now we come to the end of the list - “the resurrection of the dead and eternal punishment.”

70% of Americans (or right around that number) believe that Jesus rose from the dead. But the reason there isn't a spiritual awakening in this country is that what was ALSO determined from research was that for a good majority of those people who believe Jesus rose from the dead, those who acknowledge the truth of Easter, they don't see how it makes any kind of difference to their lives.And so, they do not live resurrected lives. They remain dead in their sins; their faith in Jesus' resurrection, just a mere mental acknowledgement that has no power, practically, in their lives.Many people may not gather in a faith community throughout the year - but somehow they know that being in church on Easter is somehow important. And they're there. And they tell me, sometimes, how they USED to come here as kids - but they haven't been in a long time. And they are afraid that somehow God is going to strike them with lightning as soon as they step foot in the building.Some have even seemed hesitant to come in. You wonder what their lives must be like for that kind of almost FEAR. Like in there, where the service is happening is a holy place, and for whatever reason, they feel like they would not be welcomed there.Some of you may have come to church this morning with a similar anxiety that something this morning at church is going to be holy, and you won't be welcome there. Deep inside there has been something that has been closed off, at least that's how you feel. And you're here today - but you aren't sure you're truly welcome in the presence of a holy God.Today I want you to see that what you THINK, what you FEEL, has been closed off, actually has been opened. The title of today's message is History's Greatest Grand Opening. And there's something exciting about a grand opening, isn't there? Big news and great hope for the future.

 I hope you're ready today for a doozy!  There is a skyscraper in Chicago known as Willis Tower. And one of the features of the tower is a glass sightseeing box extending from the 103rd floor. It attracts 1.5 million visitors each year.  Pretty trippy, if you ask me.BUT, what's even scarier is that back in 2019, the protective layer covering the glass floor of the Skydeck shattered into millions of pieces. No one knows really why - but it just shattered. Apparently it happened when a woman with her two kids were standing there inside the extended box.Needless to say, people are afraid to go out on the ledge anymore! So I mentioned last week that we would look at the doctrine of the Trinity. And like the Skydeck, so many people are afraid to tackle the concept of the Trinity. We think it's difficult, if not impossible, to understand - and even harder to explain! So people tend to stay safe, far away from the ledge.On top of that, you have both certain denominations within Christianity, as well as some Christian-LIKE cults who have tried to shatter this doctrine with frontal attacks on the Trinity.It's my hope when we're finished, each of us will grow in our delight of the triune God and our faith will be fortified. AND, if you are good at taking notes, I hope you'll pick up some good points to use when someone asks you WHY you (and your church) believe in the Trinity.

For a variety of reasons, I am excited about this message. Have you ever said this: I can hardly wait to get my hands on that person!  I'm pretty sure that's NOT what the Bible means when it speaks of this “laying on of hands.”But I also am pretty sure that this is one of those really confusing ideas we read in Scripture and don't automatically understand what it's talking about.I mean - on one hand, you have pentecostal preachers out there (some on tv) who claim to have the gift of healing people by laying hands on them. You find others laying hands on folks who then break out in tongues and things get chaotic. And so on that one hand, people tend to not WANT to know about the laying on of hands - especially if it means that kind of experience. Kinda scary to many people, ya know?But then on the other hand, you see that the Bible DOES instruct the Church to participate in the laying on of hands…and if it's commanded in Scripture, then we know it must be important…So what does it mean to have hands laid on you? What does that signify?Well, this will be a journey that may take us a couple of weeks to get through - which is fine. I would rather us have a more thorough understanding, because this is one of those issues that represents, what I believe, to be the power of life-transformation that God designed us to experience. And for that reason, I don't want us to misunderstand the source of that kind of power.

This morning I want to talk to you about Baptism. Baptism is one of those things we talk about here at PBCC - but I don't remember the last time we had a study on the basics of baptisms. This is one of those issues that was clearly important to the early Church. In the New Testament book of Acts, for instance, it might surprise you to see that there are absolutely NO unbaptized believers. Baptism is brought up time and time again by the writers of the New Testament, beginning with the gospel accounts and going through Paul's letters and Hebrews and Peter.Paul likens baptism to the death, burial, & resurrection of Jesus and says things like: Rm 6:3-4: “...all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death…in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”Peter likens baptism to the saving of Noah and his family when God destroyed the world through the flood. 1 Pt 3:20-22 “In it only a few people, 8 in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also - not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God…”Jesus himself was baptized, as he said: “To fulfill all righteousness” (Mt. 3:15) and then he instructed his disciples to baptize in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20a: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you…”When it comes to baptism, I'm not sure why there's so much debate because it seems to me that the Word of God - if we are to trust this book as the Word and Will of God - the Word of God is clear. Baptism is a part of what it means to be a disciple. Make disciples, Jesus said; TEACH them what I have taught - a part of which is the importance of obedience through faith into the waters of baptism.What I want to do mostly today is to show you from scripture itself that baptism is something that is part of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and that it really is, more than anything else, an amazing piece of evidence of one's faith in the saving power of God's grace.

I want to start this morning with a question. Does your faith have any value at all? In other words,  once you come to faith in Jesus, does that mean anything?Once I become a follower of Jesus, should there be anything different about what I do with my life? Should there be a different focus for the way I live than what I had before I confessed my faith?FAITH in Jesus can not just be something to acknowledge. FAITH should have a profound effect on our lives. This is at the heart of Hebrews 11, which we looked at briefly last week. This chapter, this Hall of Faith, is one of those great passages that lifts up the example of people who came to truly KNOW God, to LOVE Him, and to TRUST Him to the extent it caused them to surrender their own wills to God's will, and to live a life characterized by obedience to the leading of God's Spirit.

This past week I was doing a lot of thinking and meditation and discussing with other people about the concept of faith. You know, even if you claim to be a person without faith, the fact remains that you have faith in SOMETHING. And you can have 100% of faith in something. Don't believe me? People do it everyday when they get on an airplane…this multi-ton metal tube that hurtles through the air at an insane speed. And it comes to land on three points of rubber… don't tell me you don't have faith. Obviously you do - otherwise you'd never get on a plane.We live by faith. In fact, I don't think you can get through a single day without demonstrating faith in SOMETHING. When you flip a light switch you put faith in the electrical wiring. When you turn the ignition switch in your car, you trust the motor. When you mail a letter you have faith in the US Mail Service. Well….okay….maybe there's a limit with somethings. I KID! But, seriously…when you THINK you can trust things, and it turns out bad, there is a better chance that you just placed your faith in the wrong thing rather than that thing doesn't exist. IOW, faith SEEMS to be only as valuable as WHAT (or WHO) you put your faith in.Now that's true in human relationships, in commercial companies; and it's ALSO true when it comes to SPIRITUAL faith. And there are many, many things and entities that people have put their faith in over the course of human history. Buddhists have put their faith in the idea of getting to do things over and over and over until you get it right, according to the teaching of the Buddha. Muslims have put their trust in Mohammed, the prophet, and his insights into God (whom they call Allah). Hindus have put their trust in thousands of gods. Even when people claim no religion at all, they still live by faith. Faith that their system of belief is actually real.And at the heart of most religions, interestingly enough, is the faith that people are by-and-large generally GOOD. Humans seem to have faith in human potential. And that may manifest itself in the preeminence of science or politics, or it may well be expressed as a harmony with nature.Last week we began a mini-series in the New Testament Book of Hebrews based on what the Author of Hebrews refers to as “the elementary” things of God - the Basics, if you will. Things that you should probably understand before moving on to some deeper understanding of how God works in our lives, and how He leads us. In fact, the Author of Hebrews is frustrated that the Hebrew converts to Christianity to whom he is writing aren't able to withstand the temptation to go back to try to be justified by the Old Testament Law, rather than to trust in the sufficiency of Jesus for their right standing with God.He tells them that by this time, they ought to be teachers (Heb. 5:12), but instead they are on shaky ground because they still need someone to teach them the basics yet again.The basics shouldn't be shunned or thought less of. That's why I decided we should pause our Hebrews study to go back to the basics. And for some of you, that might be frustrating; you want to get past all this elementary stuff and get to the Master's courses. But please note there are others here who have never even heard about the basics EVER - and this is the first time they are hearing about things like repentance, and faith, and baptism, and the Holy Spirit, and Eternal Life.And then there are the majority of us who find ourselves somewhere in the middle of those extremes; folks who THINK they know the game, but who need to be sat down every once in a while and have a coach pick up a Bible and say, “Church, this is the Gospel. This is the Faith.”For the next two weeks we are looking at the second foundational truth the Author of Hebrews mentions in chapter 6, verses 1-3. Last week we talked about repentance, this week and next will be all about

I want to begin by mentioning an important event that will happen this week for many, many churches around the world. Now, in our tradition, in the Restoration Church, where we don't follow many of the High Church events on the Church calendar (i.e., Epiphany, All Saints' Day, etc.), we haven't ever really focused on this event - much less ever really mentioned it; BUT it is a day that has been held as sacred for many Christians over the past centuries.The day is Ash Wednesday - a commemoration not specifically commanded in Scripture - but a day where the intention is very much connected to the principles that we read of in Scripture.What is Ash Wednesday? Well, Ash Wednesday originated somewhere between the sixth and eighth centuries (in the Year of our Lord - A.D. - Anno Domini). It was a day for the Church to gather to remember the sinfulness of mankind and the need for repentance. And as a sign of the sorrow for sin and the decision to be made clean, believers would sprinkle ashes over their heads.Last week I showed you from Hebrews 5 and 6 the FOUNDATIONS of our faith. Remember the Author of Hebrews is concerned that the Hebrew converts to Christianity would not be strong enough to withstand the temptation that they faced to go BACK to trying to be justified by the OT Law, rather than through their faith in the sufficiency of Jesus' perfect life and perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for their sins,He scolded them for not growing past the basic, elementary doctrines of the faith, knowing that if they still were having trouble with the foundations, they wouldn't get the deeper stuff that is involved in living out one's faith through obedience to the Spirit of God.And, if you recall, this prompted me to decide that perhaps, before we continue in our study in Hebrews, we would do well to pause and take a look at those foundational truths of the Gospel: The truths of repentance from dead works, of faith in God, of the teachings of baptism, of the laying on of hands - which is the yielding to the Spirit of God, and finally of matters of eternal life.So this morning I have set the scene for us (and I think it's quite timely since this Wednesday will be a time where Christians around the world will be focusing on repentance) for us to also consider the basic, foundational truth of repentance, and what that IS, what is MEANS, and what it LOOKS LIKE for believers today.

When people don't mature like they should, we recognize that there is something wrong with that. What's even worse is when people experience a real psychological phenomenon called Personality Regression.Personality regression is a mental state in which one suddenly adopts an identical or similar personality, thought structure, mannerisms and behaviors to that of their past self from a younger age. During this state, the person will often believe that they are literally a child again and begin outwardly exhibiting behaviors which reflect this belief. These behaviors can include talking in a childlike manner, engaging in childish activities, and temporarily requiring another person to act as a caregiver or guardian.Now…what could be unhealthy in a physical sense (because there is the truism that healthy things grow, right? And if you're not growing - or if you're regressing - that's NOT healthy)... what could be called unhealthy in your physical life, I can argue that it's just as unhealthy when you are regressing or not progressing in your spiritual life as well!We now come to a section in the NT Book of Hebrews - this letter that we have been in since back in the Fall - where the Author (remember, we don't know WHO wrote the letter, we just know it was written to Jewish converts to Christianity - religious people who were being tempted to go back to trying to earn their salvation by works of the OT Law, rather than on the sufficiency of Jesus as the one who didn't abolish the Law, but fulfilled it by his perfect life and sacrifice on the cross) - this section is where the Author is bemoaning the spiritual maturity level of these people.We can suppose that in the Author's mind, if the Hebrew converts were well past the fundamentals of the faith, the “elementary truths,” he will call them, if they were more mature in their faith then they wouldn't be tempted to regress!Apparently the Author of Hebrews is concerned that these believers remain ALIVE in their faith - not dead and unproductive. DEFINITELY NOT regressing, but moving forward. Because if we aren't, well, then, there is something wrong.

What makes a King? Is it merely the title? Some people operate like that. Not great leaders. What makes a King is the power he has AND HOW HE USES THAT POWER…Today's culture - LOTS of politicized things. Driving a wedge between people, where there doesn't seem to be much middle ground. There's an explanation - and it has a lot to do with the kind of leaders we have in power…Today as we approach the Christmas story, we will take a look at power and how things haven't really changed much in human history. And, this is the week we will look at the three Kings. 

Today I want to talk about words. Words are powerful ways to communicate ideas. And some words are beautiful. Majesty. Creation. Life. Forgiveness.Home's a good word . Some of you have confirmed that word for me in the last few weeks.There are some beautiful words. There are also words that make us a little uncomfortable, aren't there? Tests. Moist.Submission. Obedience. LORDSHIP. Start using these terms with people and they tend to bristle… or not even truly understand what you're talking about. Lordship? What's that?We don't have Lords anymore. We have bosses – and that's KINDA like a Lord. But there was a stronger bond connecting a vassal to a Lord in olden days, more so than an employee's connection to a boss at work. You can quit your job, tell your boss to take a hike, if you don't like what has been told you to do. And yes, you'll have to find another job, sure… BUT you don't HAVE to do what the boss said if you would rather walk away to perhaps be your OWN boss.The Bible speaks of submission and obedience and Lordship. And because of our culture, those things aren't popular words or ideas to many American believers. And yet they are characteristics of a lifestyle that biblical faith leads believers into.This morning we are looking at the baby in the manger and his advent, his coming into this world, as the Lord of Lords - a title that we read of throughout scripture: