Generous Giving - Mark Ralf

Generous Giving (Note: Much of this material comes from a Generous Giving conference attended outside London in 2004)

Well you’ve come back to this second talk on the subject of Generosity.

We’ve already talked about generous living and this week you shouldn’t be surprised that I’m going to talk about generous giving.

Most of what I going to cover today is taken from this book “The Treasure Principle” by Randy Alcorn. It is a fantastic book specifically on giving while this book “Generosity” by Mike Wakely is a great book on the broader subject of generosity and I recommend them both to you.

(SLIDE) Good news and bad news about wealth

Eccles 5 : Solomon – ¹⁰ Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.

Accumulated wealth is like trying to catch the wind – ultimately it does not satisfy

People chase mirages with their money. But we run out of money before we run out of mirages – and we say “if only I had a little more money I could get what I want.”

But Solomon was so wealthy – the Bill Gates of his time. He had so much money he ran out of mirages before he ran out of money. He could say from experience – It does not satisfy – no amount of money satisfies.

Solomon says in Eccles 5: ¹⁵ Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labour that he can carry in his hand.

That phrase “you can’t take it with you” comes from Ecclesiastes 5.

But there is good news…

(SLIDE) Matthew 6:19-21

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This is radical stuff. Why is Jesus saying don’t store up treasures on earth? Is it because treasures are bad? No, because treasures won’t last. We can’t take it with us.

Either our earthly treasures will leave us or we will leave them but we will be parted from them.

(SLIDE) You never see a hearse pulling a trailer!

So, why tell us not to store up treasures on earth? It’s not wrong – it’s stupid. It doesn’t make sense.

Then Jesus commands us, store up treasures in heaven. Why? Because it’s right? Yes he tells us to do it but he says do it because he says it’s smart. Because treasures in heaven are going to last.

God tells us to have a treasure mentality – he’s not against treasures – but he also says stop storing your treasures in the stupid place and start storing your treasures in the smart place.

He is not saying renounce your treasures – he’s saying relocate your treasures.

Store up treasures for yourselves, Jesus says – he is asking us to act out of enlightened self interest.

What is to God’s glory is also to our good.

Jesus is quoted in Acts 20:35: “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”

And many of us know that from experience too.

So I want to share 6 principles for giving

(SLIDE) Jesus is saying “you can’t take it with you but you can send it on ahead to heaven”.

Luke 12 ³³ Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief

Phil 4 ¹⁷ Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.

The terminology here is all financial – gift, credit, account. We have an account in heaven. We cannot work or earn our way into heaven – we are saved purely by the grace of Lord Jesus Christ. But once we are saved, he values our works and wants to reward us for our work.

Jesus says that he is keeping track of every cup of cold water so we make daily deposits in our account in heaven. The day we die is the day that account closes.

What is the balance in our account? Are we making regular deposits in our heavenly account?

Jesus gives us a choice? Treasures on earth or treasures in heaven. Which would we rather have?

Treasures on earth that aren’t worth that much in the first place and which you can’t hang onto, OR

take them, trade them in for treasures in heaven which are infinitely greater than anything we have on earth and which we can never lose?

Which will it be?

It’s a pretty obvious choice when you put it that way and that is exactly how Jesus puts it.

(SLIDE) 1. Jesus owns everything and we are only managing his money.

The Bible is clear about God’s ownership. Psalm 24 ¹ The earth is the Lord ’s, and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it;

That seems pretty comprehensive doesn’t it. Everything is God’s – earth, sea, gold, silver.

So we can assume we don’t own anything but ourselves.

Wrong. You are not your own; “ you were bought at a price . Therefore honour God with your body.” (1 Cor 6:20). Christ has paid for us – we don’t even own ourselves.

God trusts me enough to put my name on his account. I must be sure not to embezzle, waste or misuse his funds.

Deut 8: “¹⁸ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth”. So not only is wealth from God but so is the ability to create wealth. We owe everything to God. We must be found faithful as stewards of God’s money

(SLIDE) 2. My heart always goes where I put God’s money

My heart always goes where I put God’s money.

Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 5 ¹² The sleep of a labourer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep.

Why? Because his heart is where his treasure is. He cannot rest securely until his treasure rests securely. But earthly treasures are always at risk until we give them over to our Lord and then they are secure in his hands.

Jesus said in Luke 12 ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Jesus is saying show me your cheque books, your cash receipts and your credit card bills and I will show you where your heart is.

So what do our financial records say about where our heart is?

Maybe we should have a look at our bank records and look at it as Jesus would.

Where we put our money doesn’t just simply show where our heart is, it determines where our heart goes.

(Repeat) Where we put our money doesn’t just simply show where our heart is, it determines where our heart goes.

If you buy shares in a company like Marks & Spencer. Last week when you had no shares you didn’t take any interest in them. Now you have shares you see a story and you read it. You want to know what’s going to happen to your money, what’s going on in that company.

If you want a heart for your church or missions. Jesus has told us how we can do it. Put your treasure there and your heart will follow – every time.

So if we want a vested interest in God’s kingdom, we need to become an investor in God’s kingdom – through generous giving.

(SLIDE) 3. Heaven, not earth, is my home

The Bible says “we are aliens and strangers on earth” (Heb 11:13) and “our citizenship is in heaven” Phil 3:20.

In the recent US presidential elections, George Bush and the Republicans won – some say it was because of the born-again Christian voter. Garrison Keiller the writer and broadcaster is an die hard democrat and so has set up a campaign (somewhat tongue in cheek) to ban born again Christians from voting. He says they have renounced their citizenship and now have nationality in heaven so they shouldn’t vote in US elections anymore.

We are made for a person and we are made for a place. Jesus is that person and heaven is that place.

We will never be satisfied with any person less than Jesus and never be satisfied with any place less than heaven.

The single greatest deterrent to giving is our belief that this is all there is.

(SLIDE) Imagine our home is in Ewell and you are visiting America for a few weeks living in a hotel.

Here’s the rule. You can’t take anything back to England on your flight home but you can earn money and send it back via the bank to your account in England.

Would you fill your hotel room with expensive furnishings and extravagant wall-hangings?

Probably not. You’re just living in a hotel room. You will send your money on ahead so it will be there when you arrive.

We are here on earth on a short term visa. We will live 60, 70, 80, 90 or even a 100 years. But in terms of eternity with God that’s just a few seconds. If that’s true, let’s not spend too much time and effort making this world too pretty and comfortable because we are on our way to somewhere else.

So,

(SLIDE) 4. Don’t live for the dot – live for the line

Don’t live for the dot – live for the line

(SLIDE) We live in the now on earth. It’s just a dot. It starts and it stops.

(CLICK) We should start to live for the line – for eternity.

We will all spend eternity in one of two places, heaven or hell.

We all live IN the dot but we can live FOR the line.

In light of the line that

We know the line stretches out ahead of us and we can focus on that rather than just our present dot.

Hebrews 11:24 says: ²⁴ By faith Moses , when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. ²⁵ He chose to be ill-treated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.

Moses was looking at the future – at the line – not at the dot.

Some people would say this is selfish.

But that is not what’s happening here.

We are not to pursue gain at the expense of others. God does not have a limited amount of awards up in heaven. There is no limit. God offers an unlimited amount of reward in heaven.

And how do we get these rewards?

By serving him by giving of our time, our talents , our money and our possessions – that really belong to God in the first place - by giving those things to him. And when we do that we give to others who need to hear the gospel, who need to be fed and clothed, made well or educated with all the assistance that we can give them.

The very thing that is most helpful to us receiving treasure in heaven is the very thing that helps others in need. It is the very opposite of selfishness. When we serve God and serve others – it is also in our best interests.

This is not prosperity theology. No one can promise that by giving of yourself or your possessions that you will become rich on this earth. That is a lie. We may come to live more like Jesus but that is not rich in a worldly way.

(SLIDE) Jim Elliot, the missionary martyr, said “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”. He isn’t just an unselfish missionary type. He is interested in gain.

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.

Financial planners say think long term – not just the next 30 days or the next year.

Think 5yr, 10yrs and 30years ahead.

Jesus says you are thinking way too short term. Not just 30,40,50 years ahead and ask yourself “how will what I do today with my money (which really belong to God), how will they make a difference in eternity.

(SLIDE) 5. Giving is the only antidote to materialism

The Bible warns us about materialism & greed.

(SLIDE) Luke 12:15 (TNIV) “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

Giving is the only antidote to materialism

Paul says in 1 Tim 6:8: People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money (NOT MONEY ITSELF BUT THE LOVE OF MONEY) is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Materialism is joyless self destruction and so Paul offers a solution which is the joyful antidote of giving.

(SLIDE) 1 Tim 6:17: ¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

This is not aestheticism – there is a place for enjoying material things.

¹⁸ Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,

God has made us rich so that we can be rich in good deeds.

and to be generous and willing to share. ¹⁹ In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Jesus said “ I have come that they may have life , and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Do you know about the Copernican revolution. When people finally understood that the sun doesn’t revolve around the sun – it doesn’t work that way.

Giving is like a Copernican revolution of the Christian life.

Life doesn’t revolve around us. We are to revolve around the Lord Jesus Christ, and his causes and his agenda and his kingdom.

Giving shifts our centre of gravity.

Things have mass and mass has gravity.

And gravity holds us around it.

That’s why the large planets have dozens of moons held in gravity around them.

With giving we shift our centre of gravity from earth to heaven and now we ca revolve around the things of heaven not the things of earth. We can get a new centre of gravity.

(SLIDE) 6. God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving

God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving

Jesus says in Luke 8:39, “Give , and it will be given to you. A good measure , pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

So God generously provides for us as givers. But why?

Why does he generously provide for us? Not so we can be rich and selfish.

What does the Bible say?

1 Cor 8:14 says, ¹⁴ At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, ¹⁵ as it is written: “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.” ^a[1]

It is possible to have too much and it is possible to have too little.

But God is often granting too much to some so that they can give it to those who have too little.

When we give we solve two problems at the same time.

We solve the problem of us having too much and of others having too little.

2 Cor 9:11 says ¹¹ You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

If we ever wonder why we have been given so much, the Bible answers it for us - so that you can be generous on every occasion.

(SLIDE) How much is this money worth?

Not only is this no longer currency, but worse still this is fake as well.

Just before the end of the war when the north was going to win the clever person would trade confederate money which won’t be worth anything soon so US dollars.

When the Euro came in, the French changed their francs for Euros. Otherwise after a short time they are worthless.

All our earthly treasure – our money and possessions - are currency that won’t be worth much for very long. There’s nothing wrong with it. We just need to realise that their value is limited and it is for a limited period of time.

If I offer you a £1,000 to spend in any way you want or if you wait one year I will give you a million pounds. Which option would you choose?

This is the situation we are in. We can take the earthly treasures. We can take everything we can accumulate and have all the small treasures that give small pleasure for a while and then what’s left? Jesus says you can invest in eternity.

We can keep it for ourselves or we can be God’s delivery people.

We wouldn’t give letters to the Royal Mail if they weren’t going to deliver them – we expect them to deliver our letters and parcels.

It’s just the same with us.

Why would we assume that when God hands something to us, we should expect to keep it?

God expects us to deliver the riches he has given.

Of course we will keep some of it. We will use some of it. God provides for us – he takes care of us.

We are his delivery boys and girls.

If God wanted to reach the world for Christ and help an enormous number of suffering people, what would you expect him to put in the hands of his delivery people? Exactly what he has put into them – riches, wealth and possessions.

We all have different amounts but we are all wealthy.

So to close…

5 minutes after we die, we will know exactly how we should have lived – how we should have given. Ask yourself “what will I wish I had given away while I still had the chance?”

When you can answer that, why not give it away now?

(SLIDE) Why are so many people afraid to die?

Is it because we have laid up for ourselves treasures on earth? So that every day we get nearer to the day of our death we are backing away from our treasures. And we see people going to extraordinary lengths to try and prolong the time that we can stay here on earth with our treasures.

Jesus is calling us to turn that around and lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven so that every day we move toward our treasures in heaven.

Let us pray.

Job 19 Getting a different perspective

Job 19 – Getting a different perspective

“Last week we heard about living with despair – this week we are going to try to get a bit of perspective. We will explore why things often look so dark, why God doesn’t seem to answer our prayer and he seems far away. We are also going to look at the real hope we have. What a difference we can see when we look at our situation and our world the way that God sees it.”

AMAZING FACTS

The earth tilted at 23 degrees produces our seasons. If it wasn’t at 23 degrees, vapours from the ocean would move both north and south piling up continents of ice.

If the moon were only 50000 miles away from the earth instead of 200,000 miles, the tides would be so enormous that all the continents would be submerged in water. Even the mountains would be eroded.

If the crust of the earth has been only ten feet thicker, there would be no oxygen, and without it all animal life would die.

The earth weighs 6 sextillion tons (6 with 21 zeros) 6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 tons

Yet it is perfectly balanced and turns easily on its axis. It revolves at more than 1,000 miles an hour or 25,000 miles a day. No wonder we feel so tired!

Still the sun is only one minor star in the 100 billion orbs which comprise our milky way galaxy. If you hold out a one penny coin at arms length, you would block out 15 million stars from your view, if your eyes could see with that power.

Yet we refuse to believe in a loving God. Despite all the evidence crying out in how we has placed us in an almost perfect environment and cared for every need we have and some we are only just discovering.

How can we miss it?

Well just like Job sometimes we get a bit self-absorbed.

19:1 “How long will you torment me?” As we heard from John last week, sometimes it would be better for people to shut up rather than try to offer advice and help. Sometimes it is better just to be alongside people when they are suffering.

If you have friends like Bildad, Zophar and Eliphaz – who needs enemies?

We can often feel like we are in trouble or suffering, our friends are no use and God seems far away and not listening.

We want to scream but we think no one would hear – or they would just complain about the noise!

We don’t always feel sure if God is for us or against us.

Job has been asking the question WHY since chapter 3.

And we ask the same question?

Why did she die?
Why did my pension money get stolen?

Why did my husband leave me?

Why did he get Alzheimer’s?

Why did my parents split up?

Why did this happen to me?

The bible says that God loves me and that he cares about me but if I’m honest it doesn’t always feel like that

Sometimes it feels like God is against me. Is he?

Of course we all know the text book answer: Romans 8:31

^{ “}If God is for us, who can be against us?”

But Job is honest, that isn’t how he feels – easy answers are not Job’s way.

In verses 1-5 Job has a go at his friends who have been tormenting him.

“isn’t it enough to have god against me? You have to torture me as well?”

V4: If it is true that I have gone astray, my error remains my concern alone.

But Job knows he has nothing on his conscience. If we are in trouble, or suffering we need to get right with God too. – so our conscience is clear.

In v6-12 Job says it’s bad enough for God to be against me without my friends turning against me too.

Whatever Job has done is between Job and God. It is for him to repent before God not for others to rub Job’s nose in it.

I’m all alone!

Verse 12 is pretty sad: God is huge, his armies are massive and they are surrounding little old ME! I’m alone in my tent and I’m surrounded. It’s not fair!

Imagine going out one night for a camping trip and waking up to find the whole US army surrounding your tent. You would think it is all a bit too much.

V12: He is alone and surrounded

V13 : He is alienated and friendless

V14: He is forgotten

There’s no point in sending Job a Christmas card, he’s as good as dead!

V15-17: He is an alien. No one can bear to be near him.

Even his breath stinks.

V18-19: Children ridicule him and his friends have all turned against him

CD mirrors

Hold up the CD to your face – look deeply into the shiny side . What do you see? – You! You may like the sight or you may hate it. You may see it clearly or a bit fuzzily.

Now hold the CD to your eyes and look through the hole. What do you see? Can you see you anymore? No. You can see others and you can see the world.

Now take a look at the picture that Claire is holding up. What can you see? Is it a picture of the world? What do you remember about it?

Without looking – keep facing me! – What was written just beside Claire? Does anyone know? It says “I really love you.”

We don’t always see things because we are not focused on them.

So Job sums up how he feels in v21-22

“Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.

 Why do you pursue me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?

Job thinks God is against him. He is a bully and is picking on Job.

Beware the dodgy thinking!

Is this true? Job says in v21 “for the hand of God has struck me”

Look back at 1:11-12, Satan says:

^11 “but stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” ^12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

In fact God is protecting Job, not striking him. The hands that hit Job’s possessions and his family and wrecked his health are Satan’s.

Admittedly Satan is acting with the permission of God but with strict constraints.

Satan has been hitting at Job and his family and possessions constrained by the strict limits imposed by God.

Job cannot see who is hitting him – just as if he is blindfolded. Both Job and his friends assume it is God.

There is no place in their theology for Satan.

Theirs is a simple world – cause and effect.

If you are good, God will bless you

If you are bad, God will curse you

Wealth and health and happiness are God’s gift for the good people

Poverty and illness and despair are God’s punishment for the bad people

THIS IS NOT TRUE

Satan wants to harm us

Satan is real and he is loose in the world.

He hates us and wants to destroy the relationship we have with God

Satan says: ^11 “but stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

Satan wants to break our faith in God, our relationship with Jesus. He will do whatever it takes – money or lack of money, good health or illness, long life or early death, happiness or despair. He is the enemy and he is out to get us.

Cause and effect

Job’s friends describe a world where everything that happens is the direct result of what Job has done. It is not true for Job and it is not true for us.

Sometimes we face the consequences of our sin. An illegitimate child, a criminal record, broken relationships. Other times no one but God knows. There is no direct link.

The poor in Africa are not poor because each one of them is bad. Some leaders have been bad but probably not a lot worse than other leaders whose people have not suffered half as much.

No, the poor are suffering because of the greed of people throughout the world – encouraged at every step by Satan.

The sick are not ill because they are bad. Sometimes they have caused their illness by smoking or something similar but many smokers die happily in their bed after a long life. Sometimes sickness is the only way to get people to think seriously about their lives. But we are fallen people. After Genesis 2 we are thrown out of the garden where we were under God’s protection. We are out in the open – we wanted our own way. Now we have our own way and we feel frightened and alone!

So Job want to set the record straight

Look at v22, Job is pretty certain he is going to die, and when he is dead everyone will say

“Job died and he never admitted what he had done wrong – and so he paid the penalty. He died because he wouldn’t confess his sins”

Job really wants his innocence to be written down permanently so it can’t be erased – well he got his wish: a major book of the Bible with 48 chapters – about 18,000 words!

But it’s here, at the point of despair, at rock bottom, that Job’s faith really take off.

Job wants to record before he dies, just how he feels so that when he is gone others will hear his side of the story – some of the best words in the Bible:

^25 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. ^26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; ^27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

What brilliant words… but who is the redeemer?

But what does Job know about the Redeemer? Job lived a long time before Jesus. Quite a lot actually - Job understands the concept of the kinsman redeemer. Just like Boaz in the book of Ruth, the Kinsman redeemer is the person who comes to preserve the family rights, or rights a wrong. In the case of Ruth it was marrying a widow and giving her deceased husband an heir.

Job turns his back on his friends. He knows they are wrong.

Job ignores his feelings. He knows that they are leading him astray.

Job trusts in God. He knows deep down that God is going to rescue him – even if it is after death.

God has not abandoned him – God is going to rescue him

God has not abandoned him – God is going to rescue him

God is Job’s, (and our) kinsman redeemer – The book of Ruth is there to remind us.

Even if Job’s flesh is destroyed – he will stand before God – face to face.

So when we suffer or someone we care for is suffering, we often ask “WHY?”

Sometimes we ask “is God for me or against me?”

Is God trying to make my life a misery?

Like Job we can respond with faith.

We can bring our pain to Jesus – even when we are dying or are worn out.

We can be certain that God loves us.

We can be certain that Jesus will hear us even when we are not very focussed on him because of our circumstances.

And we can echo the words of Job:

^25 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. ^26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;

^27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

Our Core Beliefs

Christ Church Ewell - Core Beliefs

We believe the central truths of Christianity, as revealed in the Bible, including:

God

There is one holy, loving and true God.

He exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

He is the almighty creator, saviour and judge who sustains and governs all things according to his will.

Jesus Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is fully God and fully human.

He was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life.

He died on a cross, was raised bodily from death and is now reigning over heaven and earth.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit enables people to turn to God and trust in Jesus Christ.

He lives in all who trust in Christ and produces in them increasingly Christ-like character and behaviour.

He empowers them to live for him, serve him and make him known.

The Bible

The Bible can be trusted because God himself inspired it.

In it he has revealed himself and all that we need to know to follow him and live for him.

Because it is God’s voice, it has supreme authority in all matters of what to believe and how to live.

People

All men and women are created in the image of God and have equal dignity, worth and accountability.

God created people to have fellowship with him, but we have all defied him and incurred his anger by sinfully going our own way.

Each person therefore needs to be forgiven and reconciled to God, in order to be restored to fellowship with him.

Salvation

Sinful people can be rescued from the guilt, penalty and power of sin only through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ in their place.

Those who turn to God in repentance and trust in Jesus as their saviour, are forgiven, accepted by God and granted eternal life.

The Church

The worldwide church is the body of which Christ is the head and to which all who trust in him belong.

The Future

God will bring the world to an end at his appointed time and Jesus will return in person.

Everyone who has ever lived will experience bodily resurrection and all will be judged.

Those who have rejected Jesus as their saviour will suffer eternal separation from God. Only those who have been saved by Christ will enjoy eternal fellowship with God in heaven.

By Royal Command Part 2 - Matthew 28 - David Pile

By Royal Command part II - Easter Sunday

( Jesus vs the World)

Matthew Chapter 28 S1

Ø Some of you may be interesting in Rugby, and would have been following the recent 6 nations competition.

Ø Both before and during the competition the various commentators and pundits were making all kinds of comments about the strengths and weakness of each time.

Ø Who the expecting to win and why?

Ø In the end Wales won a historic grand slam title.

Ø Many political commentators are saying this is going to be the year for a general election.

Ø Almost any time a major political event happens, they say this a clear indication that it is about to happen. The time is right. The conditions are favourable, but we still wait.

Ø All the parities are trying to persuade us that their leadership is best for the nation and for us.

Ø Who will convince the most people is yet to be discovered.

Jesus S2 (Matt 20 vs 18 –20)

Ø This contest between JC and the world is set.

Ø JC’s life demonstrates power and authority in every area of life.

Ø This directly challenges the existing authorities, and they are not prepared to tolerate this any more.

Ø

World S3 (various heading as per notes)

(Summary of the preceding chapters)

Women vs Gaurds S4

Women S5

Ø From fear to faith

Ø From weakness to strength

Ø See Jesus and worship him.

Women

From Fear to Faith

Ø The women go to the tomb knowing the circumstance surrounding the death of JC ie crucifixion.

Ø There is a large stone in front of the tomb, which will need to be moved in order for them to achieve what the want to do.

Ø Would they have the courage to ask the roman soldiers to help them move the stone? Even if the did would the soldiers help them anyway?

Ø Then in the midst of their questions and earthquake happens, followed by an Angel of the Lord descending from heaven.

Ø Who then rolls the stone away and sits on it (act of Triumpth), and proclaims the following news; “Do Not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised from the dead”.

Ø The fact the women can see an empty tomb ads weight to the testimony of the angel.

Weakness to Strength

Ø These 2 women appear to be incredibly calm and relaxed considering recent events.

Ø They are encouraged by the angel to “Fear Not”, while the guards are so griped with fear they look dead.

Ø They become the first witness to the resurrection, and are entrusted with most precious message.

Ø This is in sharp contract to the cultural climate that they lived in.

Ø They would have been considered second-class citizens but God has put them First!

Ø The testimony was generally mistrusted, so much so that it was enshrined in Roman Law. But God has made them the most precious and trusted witness in this setting.

See Jesus and Worship Him

Ø Upon seeing Jesus they worship him.

Ø Please note they left the scene in obedience to the angels instruction and on the way back meet Jesus.

Ø How many times do we / could miss out on a similar encounter with Jesus simply because we do what we are supposed to. Their faith is strengthened because they see Jesus.

Ø Their seeing brought confidence in what they had already believed, on the strength of the angelic proclamation.

Guards S6

From Faith to Fear

Ø We are dealing with some of the most fear soldiers of their time.

Ø The represent the strength and might of the empire. They are on diplomatic protection duty.

Ø Similar to when the queen mother died. Guard post around the coffin so that no one would be tempted to touch it.

Ø They are well-trained soldiers confident in their ability but don’t really expect any trouble.

Ø That’s when an angel turns up and starts disturbing the peace.

Ø These soldiers are so shocked and frightened by the angels’ appearance, they appear to be dead. Almost scared to death literally.

Ø The angel has no words of consolation for them.

Strength to Weakness

Ø The soldiers thought they had the situation under control.

Ø They were more than prepared for any attack from the locals or their supporters.

Ø If they needed re-enforcements they would have been swiftly.

Ø They were not able to respond to what the angel did, let alone what Jesus had already done!

Ø The power and Strength of the Roman army was unable to respond to Jesus and his power.

Ø Jesus was strong and they realised they were weak.

Ø

See the Chief Priests

Ø There is some discussion regarding just how much the soldiers would have seen and heard.

Ø This much is sure, they would have seen the women arriving, the angel, the stone being moved, the empty tomb and the women leaving.

Ø It’s highly probable that they also knew what the angel had told the women. Even if they didn’t hear the angel tell the women.

Ø All of this is told to the chief priests.

Ø After listening to the credible witness of some of the soldier the Chief Priests choose to ignore what they hear, and fabricate an alternative version.

Ø They get their “Spin Doctors” on the case.

Ø Do we know people like that? They know credible witness but refuse to accept their testimony, because it challenges their ideas / understanding / authority / status too much that they are not prepared to accept it.

Ø Why would some of the guard go to see the chief priests unless the priests were expecting something to happen?

Ø Maybe they did as JC predicted his death and resurrection on various occasions in public and private.

Ø The account of the guards is unchallenged.

o Many today might challenge that Jesus bodily rose from death, but not so in this passage.

o In fact a Jewish understanding of resurrection is that it has to happen in the body, otherwise it is just a ghost!

o The body was clearly missing and the guards could not explain what happened.

Ø The guards decide to promote the lie even though they know the truth.

Ø They took a big risk in doing so because:

o Guards who saw an angel were ready, like Judas (26:15), to betray the truth for money.

o It would have taken a large sum of money to persuade the soldiers to spread the cover-up story, as sleeping on guard duty was a capital offence.

o But Pilate’s reputation was well known; if the story had reached his ears, he could have been satisfied with a further bribe.

o (Thus, for example, a soldier assigned to guard corpses hanging on crosses to prevent burial found a body stolen and preferred suicide to court-martial and execution--Petr. Sat. 112.)

o

o Justin mentions that such stories were still being mentioned in the 2nd century

o Grave robbing was a capital offence, so the terrified disciples would not have done it.

o Grave robber steal money not bodies!

J C Ryle Matthew

What will they do when they see all the dead rise and all the angels of God assembled round the great white throne? What fear and terror will posses their souls, when they find they can no longer avoid god’s presence, and must meet him face to face? Oh that people would remember that there is a resurrection and a judgement, and that there is such a thing as the wrath of the Lamb(Rev 6 vs 16).

Disciples S8

Ø Seeing Jesus leads to worship

Ø Worship Jesus while doubting.

Ø Response to the instruction of Jesus.

Disciples

Seeing Jesus leads to Worship

Ø JC had done what he said he would, clearly demonstrating the he has power and authority over all things including Death.

Ø This links with Dan 7.14 yet again, but whereas earlier refs looked forward to future fulfilment on Dan’s prophecy of the universal authority of the Son of Man, now that fulfilment has taken place.

Ø Since Jesus has now demonstrated the fact he is king of God’s kingdom, they recognise his right to reign now!

Ø They also recognise that he will be ruler when the final judgement happens.

Ø

Worship while Doubting

Ø We in a world which places a lot of confidence in what can be seen and touched. “Seeing is believing”

Ø What happens in vs 17 is in complete contrast to that, “when they saw him they worshiped him but some doubted”.

Ø I find this incredible, that they of all people could still doubt after all they have experienced.

Ø This can be a source of encouragement for us, since even some of the disciples struggled then, but later moved to strong conviction then surely so can we.

Response to the instruction of Jesus

Ø “Go therefore”.

Ø Because of what you know to be true, go and let others know about it.

Ø This also links back to chapter 10 of Matthew, the first time they were sent.

Ø You need to do this again, but this time there are no restrictions! Everybody needs to know / realise / discover / appreciate what has happened.

Ø Better than the last, I will be with you. Not just send you.

Us? S9

When we see Jesus

o Does it lead us to worship like to disciples?

o Does it lead us to deny the truth like the soldiers and chief priests?

Worship Jesus while doubting.

Ø What is it that we are struggling with?

Ø In the presence of Jesus there is the ability / opportunity to continuing to worship until we reach a stronger place.

How do we respond to the instructions of Jesus?

o The disciples recognised his authority and got on with the job

o The soldiers and chief priests denied His authority and trusted in their own

o Where we put our trust now will determine the Response we receive from the King at the end of time.

§ Life

§ Death