Ramblings from Retirement – Forget About It

Ramblings from Retirement – Forget About It
By Lee Hemen
May 1, 2021

I shared before that I’ve been going through pictures and stuff my mother had for decades at my brother’s house. A huge trunk now converted to four medium sized cardboard boxes. She passed away several years ago at the age of 92 and lived a pretty full life. She only had a 7th grade education getting her education in a one room school, lived in a circus tent in the Wyoming wilderness, survived the Kelly Flood in 1927 in Wyoming when the Gros Ventre River broke through a natural earthen dam caused from a mud slide several years earlier, and she could ride, shoot, and roll her own cigarettes with one hand. Later she left home at the age of 15 or 16 and followed her sister to Alaska, another wilderness. She worked in the newly built Coca Cola bottling plant and there met my father who asked her to marry him several times refusing him every time but the last. All of that to say this that she lived quite a life.

However what got me to thinking again was about a man who was a friend she had known in Wyoming and later knew again in Alaska. His name was Julius Russell. I came across newspaper clippings and several photographs of him in my mother’s things, including his personal diary. What makes this interesting is that this young man, who was a photographer and artist, went off into the Chandalar Alaskan wilderness on his own without a gun or fishing equipment. They found his body a year later. He had probably starved to death. He was 30 years old.

As I sat there thinking about the diary, the photographs, and newspaper clippings I found it kind of sad especially after I tried to get in touch with any family of his to return the diary and things. I have had no luck whatsoever and then God kind of nudged me and reminded me what He’d told Isaiah to tell the Israelites when Isaiah knew they were going to go into exile again. God tells Isaiah to tell them, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. (Isaiah 43:18 NIV)” Now this is interesting because God often tells the Israelites to remember how they were saved from slavery, escaped through the Red Sea, brought them out of bondage, and chose them from all the other peoples of the earth to be His own. And yet here he tells Isaiah to forget former things and not to linger on the things of the past, why? I believe God does so because He knew that what they were going to go through in the near future and it would be harsh. Some things are best left in the past because it is too harsh to remember what occurred, what they had, and what they had to leave behind.

I wish I could find Julius Russell’s family but I may not be able to and I may have to leave it in the past. And shouldn’t we all do that sometimes? We often like to dwell in the past thinking that if we feel guilty enough then we can forgive ourselves and be cleansed from our guilt. But this is not true. God can and does forgive us and completely forgets our sins when we come to Him by faith. Yet we still cling to the past. Maybe like Paul we should “not consider (ourselves) yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing (we should) do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, (we should) press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called (us) heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. (Philippians 3:13-16 NIV)”

Today dear children of the Lord “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” Forget about it and allow God to handle the tough things you want to dwell on and feel guilty over.

This article is copyrighted © 2021 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Ramblings from Retirement – Why Struggle?

Ramblings from Retirement – Why Struggle?
By Lee Hemen, Retired Pastor
March 23, 2021

Have you ever known someone who seems to constantly struggle in life? They struggled on the playground trying to find someone to play with, they struggled through Middle School and High School trying to fit in, and they struggled in college trying to find themselves. When they get a job they struggle with coworkers, bosses, and trying to get ahead. When they look for love they struggle trying to find the “right” one to love and they struggle raising their kids and being partnered in a marriage. And they certainly struggle with their relationship with God.

Esau was this kind of a person who struggled all through his life from his birth to his inheritance. We could make excuses for Esau and say that his twin brother Jacob was a grasping deceiver but we forget that we all make choices in life and perhaps this is where many of our struggles come from?

Esau was impulsive and knew he should have safeguarded his relationship with his father but he did not give a thought to the future and lived for the day instead. After returning home from hunting game to prepare a meal for his dying dad he learns the awful truth that his brother had tricked their father into giving him his rightful blessing.

When Esau heard his father’s words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me–me too, my father!” But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.” Esau said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? He has deceived me these two times: He took my birthright, and now he’s taken my blessing!” Then he asked, “Haven’t you reserved any blessing for me?” Isaac answered Esau, “I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?” Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!” Then Esau wept aloud. His father Isaac answered him, “Your dwelling will be away from the earth’s richness, away from the dew of heaven above. You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck.” Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob. (Genesis 27:34-41 NIV)”

Now Esau makes threats and his brother flees for his life. Both learn tough lessons. Jacob learns what deceitfulness is all about from his future father-in-law. Esau marries “Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had” (Genesis 28:9 NIV), while Jacob heads to Haran to find a wife. His father-in-law Laban uses him and deceives him into first marrying Leah in order to finally marry Rachel whom he truly loved. Leah ends up having sons and Rachel remains barren. She then gives Jacob her maidservant Bilhah for sexual relations, and she gives birth to two sons. Leah gets mad and gives Jacob her maidservant Zilpah (Are you getting a picture here?) And back and forth and back and forth it goes until Rachel gives birth to Joseph who gets stuffed in a well because his brothers end up hating and are jealous of Joseph because he is spoiled by their parents. This is a whole other story. Jacob finally gets away from Laban with his wives and kids and heads back home. On the way there he meets his brother who at first is loaded for bear but they end up forgiving one another and Jacob does the right thing by Esau.

All of this to say that we often make our own struggles in life because of the choices we make. This was certainly true for Esau. We truly do not need to struggle in life because we have someone who is more than willing to take on our struggles and make them His own. Jesus related, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)” Why struggle, let Jesus struggle for you.

This article is copyrighted © 2021 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

God Hears Us When We Call to Him! — Psalm 86:1-13

God Hears Us When We Call to Him! — Psalm 86:1-13
By Pastor Lee Hemen
April 26, 2020

I can remember my mother asking me, “Young man, did you hear what I said?” Of course no matter if I did or not the correct answer was always “yes”. Being distracted is the profession of teenage boys and unfocused believers. It is good to know therefore that God is never distracted and always hears us when we call to him.

David, in this Psalm, was crying out to the Lord and if we just read what David says we might think that perhaps God had been distracted. The reason we would think this is because we often are distracted ourselves in how we talk with God, listen to him, and how we follow through with what he asks. David comes to the Lord asking that God hear him when he calls to him, let’s discover what this means…

READ: Psalm 86:1-13

It is a curious thing but when we all of sudden need help we are often willing to humble ourselves in order to get a quick response thinking that we can perhaps fool God. However we can never fool the Lord and in fact we learn from David that…

I. God hears us when we call to him in honesty! (Vv. 1-5)

Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.

  1. David uses the word “hear” several times throughout this Psalm. It is the idea that David desires God to listen to his prayer. David is almost being like a small child who cries out in the middle of the night for their parent to come and comfort them. David cries out “Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.” David realizes that he cannot be dishonest with the Lord. God knows if he is lying or not and whether or not David truly needed him. Therefore David humbles himself as being “poor and needy”. David’s earnest desire is that the Lord would “Guard [his] life”. That God would protect him in the midst of his trials. God is the only one David could go to with his fear and in his fear David admits his need and that he is “devoted” to the Lord. At this time David realizes his total dependence has to be firmly in the Lord his God. “You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you.” In his need of the moment David understands that there is only one who truly would come to his aid even when perhaps he did not deserve God’s help so David prays “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long.” Evidently David was suffering from his sin the consequences of which had come home to roost and now David only knew sorrow. This is why David requests God to “Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” And in his suffering because of his sin David knows that he has to be truthful with the Lord and admit his sin. As he prays he tells God that “You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.” It is there the petitioner can find joy and know God cares. David reminds us that God hears us when we call to him in honesty!

  EXAMPLE: I do not know about you but I dislike it when people have hidden agendas. Often they cannot be honest with others and they cannot be honest with their selves. God hates dishonesty. This is why when we come to him we must come to him with all that we are. Over the years as a pastor I have listened to some of the lamest excuses from folks about their relationship with the Lord. It makes me want to yell, “Just be honest!” David teaches us that God hears us when we call to him in honesty!

God knows our heart. He knows our inner most thoughts. He is never fooled by our words, false deeds, or inconsistent lifestyle. David learns not only should he be truthful with the Lord but that…

II. God hears us when we call to him for mercy! (Vv. 6-10)

Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me. Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.

  1. Again, David asks God to “Hear my prayer” and to “listen to my cry for mercy.” David needed the Lord’s undeserved love. That’s what mercy is all about. David was in personal distress. “In my day of trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.” Just like we sometimes do David felt that no one would listen or that no one would care that was facing a day of trouble. It’s like someone once told me, “Pastor, no one wants to hear about your problems!” But that is not true! God always does. He never tires of us coming to him whether it is in the good times or our troubled times. David knew God would answer him. Curiously David declares openly that “Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours.” David wasn’t advocating that there were actually other gods but rather that those who believed in other gods than the Lord God should know that those made of wood, stone, or clay could not compare to the Living God. Their supposed deeds were mere fables whereas God’s deeds were real and David could testify to the fact. The truth was that eventually “All the nations” with those false gods would “come and worship before you, O Lord” and “they will bring glory to your name”! Not only was David testifying about the mercy and might of God, to grant him mercy but those nations which God had made with their mythical manmade gods would eventually have to glorify the Lord! David affirms, “For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.” It is because of God’s greatness and who he is that he grants us his grace. David teaches us that God hears us when we call to him for mercy!

  EXAMPLE: We are willing to go to God for mercy but we often think he may not be listening to our cry for help. It always amazed me but when our daughter was little, even if she just kind of whimpered in her sleep, my wife could wake up out of sound sleep, jump out of bed, and be at her crib in seconds. Loving parents respond to the cries of their children no matter how soft and David teaches us that our loving God hears us when we call to him for mercy!

Abraham Lincoln is credited with the saying, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” I’ve learned that you can’t fool the Lord at any time; he knows when we are being insincere. And here we learn from David that…

III. God hears us when we call to him with all that we are! (Vv. 11-13)

Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

  1. Finally David gets down to what he truly desires as the outcome of his prayer to the Lord. Later in this Psalm we learn that arrogant and ruthless men were seeking David’s life. They didn’t care that he was God’s chosen. David however knows that God is “a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness”. This is an absolute truth that we all should write on our heart of hearts. And it is in this truth that David comes and asks God “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” David, even with all his sin and faults, wanted to learn from the Lord, to walk in his truth with an undivided heart. Far too many folks try to fool the Lord thinking they can pull the spiritual wool over him. In doing so they show a contempt and total disregard for whom God is. Not David, he wanted to “fear” even the very name of God. David understood that words mean nothing without action. Out of his fear, out of his entire being David tells the Lord, “I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.” David only considered himself the “son of a maidservant” before the Lord, even though he was king of Israel. David desired a “sign” of God’s “goodness” towards him so that his “enemies would see it and be put to shame”. In this he could confidently say, “For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.” David knew without a doubt that God hears us when we call to him with all that we are!

  EXAMPLE: The other day as I was sitting in my living room some kids came walking by and the youngest was screaming at the top of her lungs for her mother. I mean it was not just loud; it was piercing in the extreme. Her older sister stopped in the middle of the street and being a bit annoyed and being the older sister she hollered back, “Why are you yelling so loud?” The little girl responded, “I just want mom!” You know what? When a person truly needs the Lord, God knows it. And here David teaches us that God hears us when we call to him with all that we are!

Conclusion:

God hears us when we call to him in honesty! God hears us when we call to him for mercy! God hears us when we call to him with all that we are!
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This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

The unrepentant will suffer! – Matthew 11:20-24

The unrepentant will suffer! – Matthew 11:20-24
By Pastor Lee Hemen
December 29, 2019

With the New Year coming there will be those who celebrate it by getting drunk, making silly resolutions that they cannot keep, or by thinking that it will give them a magical reboot on life. None of these make any sense nor do they solve any problems until one addresses what the real root of their personal problems are they will continue to rely on getting high, making faulty promises, and hoping for change that will not come.

Jesus had just gotten through declaring that the unrepentant Jews would not listen to God’s prophets, John the Baptist, or the Messiah who was standing right in front of them! He now gives them the example of unrepentant cities that faced God’s wrath and how they would also face similar judgment unless they repented. Jesus tells them that unrepentant cities will suffer, let’s discover what he meant…

READ: Matthew 11:20-24

Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the Day of Judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the Day of Judgment than for you.” (Matthew 11:20-24 NIV)

Though it was not Jesus’ primary thrust in his First Advent to pronounce judgment, Jesus did denounce sin. Here he specifically pronounced condemnation against the cities in which some of his most significant miracles had occurred and all three near the Sea of Galilee’s northwest shore: Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum.

The first two cities Jesus mentions are Korazin and Bethsaida Jewish cities known for their commerce and the final one we will look at is Capernaum.

      Korazin is located on the side of a large hill about two and a half miles north of Capernaum. This city is remembered as one of the three key cities in which Jesus spent much of his ministry. It was a prominent ancient city, although during the third century AD the city became uninhabited and today its archaeological remains are identified. A synagogue was discovered in the 19th century. The majority of the ruins are black basalt and one of the most interesting findings was the Seat of Moses which was carved out of a single block of stone with an Aramaic inscription. More evidence includes images of Medusa carved onto stones, something that wasn’t common to Jewish Synagogues. Some legends later claimed that the Antichrist would be born in Korazin.
      Bethsaida, which means “the house of fishing”, and is aptly named since it is on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was an important fishing town for the area and exported its fish to the surrounding cities. Bethsaida was the hometown of the apostles Peter, Andrew, and Philip. Jesus had healed a blind man there and fed the five thousand near the town. Some believe it is located where the Jordan River enters the Lake. During the time of Jesus it was renamed Julias by Herod Phillip II to honor Augustus’ wife but the locals continued to refer to it as Bethsaida.
      The final city mentioned by Jesus is Capernaum. It too was a fishing village established during the time of the Hasmoneans, a Jewish/Greek empire, and was located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Peter’s home that he lived in during his ministry with Jesus was there. It was reported to have been the hometown of the tax collector Matthew, and located not far from Bethsaida. Jesus spent a lot of time there, healed a man with an unclean spirit there, taught in its synagogue, where he healed Peter’s mother-in-law, and the Centurion’s servant. Capernaum is also the location of the healing of the paralytic lowered by friends through the roof to reach Jesus, as reported in Mark 2:1-12. In fact some suggest that the wording in Matthew 9:1 “Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town” refers to Capernaum. It became significant because it was Jesus’ headquarters during his ministry. So each of these cities was significant in receiving the ministry and attention of the Messiah but they had refused to acknowledge him just as many do today! So “Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.”
      EXAMPLE: Korazin and Capernaum were Hebrew cities that knew about God. They understood their history and how important it was to repent of their sins. They also knew about the promised Messiah to come but they did not repent of their sins. How could people who were supposed to be God’s witnesses in the world, who understood their history, and yet they could not or would not repent of their sins?

Now we come to the cities of Tyre and Sidon. Why are they significant?

      The names Tyre and Sidon were famous in the ancient Near East. They are also important cities in the Old and New Testaments. Both are now located in Lebanon, with Tyre 20 miles south of Sidon and only 12 miles north of the Israel/Lebanon border. Today each is just a shadow of their former selves. Sidon, called Saida today (Arabic for “fishing”), was named after the firstborn son of Canaan (Genesis 10:15) and probably settled by his descendants.
      Twenty miles south of Sidon, in the middle of a coastal plain, Tyre was constructed on a rock island a few hundred yards out into the Mediterranean. In fact, the city took its name from this rock island. Tyre comes from the Semitic sr (Hebrew Sor) meaning rock. Apparently the island was fortified first and called Tyre, while the coastal city was settled later. Beginning with David, the Tyrian connection became prominent; Hiram, king of Tyre, offered cedar trees, carpenters and masons to build David’s palace and later for Solomon. In the days of Ezra and Zerubbabel, the Jews returning from captivity also sent to the men of Sidon and Tyre for cedars to build the Second Temple.
      During Jesus’ ministry Tyre and Sidon were prosperous Roman port cities. Yet there was great spiritual hunger in the region. Early in Jesus’ ministry, people from Sidon and Tyre heard about the things he did. They came to see him (Mark 3:8) and be healed by him (Luke 6:17). Later in Jesus’ ministry, he visited the region of Sidon and Tyre. There he healed the Canaanite (Syrophoenician) woman’s daughter (Matthew 15:21–28). Therefore Jesus’ pronounced judgment on Korazin and Bethsaida suggests that if the pagan cities of Tyre and Sidon had experienced what Korazin and Bethsaida did, they would have long ago repented in sackcloth and ashes. The pagans of the region recognized him for who he was and his own people did not!
      Sidon was the scene of heavy fighting during Lebanon’s civil war and its situation only deteriorated. Today Tyre is a depressed city that has suffered greatly during Lebanon’s civil war and Israel’s subsequent occupation of southern Lebanon. The modern isthmus that joins the island to the mainland holds streets of houses and shops. Tyre has a number of unplanned squatter settlements.
      EXAMPLE: Prosperity does not mean spirituality, in fact often quite the opposite. Just look at the Hollywood elite or the politically powerful. Far too often those who find financial success forget who gave them life in the first place. Tyre and Sidon were prosperous but needed a Savior and it seems that unlike many today some were willing to listen to Jesus and repent.
     
      Conclusion: How do you recognize Jesus today? Are you ungrateful for what he has done by sacrificing himself for your sins? Today’s world needs a Savior, today’s world needs Jesus if not the unrepentant will suffer!
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This article is copyrighted © 2019 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Mercy! — Matthew 9:9-13

Mercy! — Matthew 9:9-13
By Pastor Lee Hemen
September 1, 2019

When the great Puritan preacher Thomas Hooker (1586-1647) was on his deathbed, a friend tried to console him by saying, “Brother Hooker, you are going to receive your reward.” “No, no!” he breathed. “I go to receive mercy!” What is this mercy Hooker longed to receive?

God’s mercy is found in every act of Jesus, his every kindness, and especially in the unmerited favor we find when we come to him as Savior and Lord. It is sacrificial in its very nature. We set aside ourselves, our desires, and our needs to give everything to another just as Jesus did when he willingly sacrificed himself for our sins. Here we find Matthew a tax collector who others felt did not deserve God’s favor finding it in the unlikely place. Matthew finds mercy. Let’s see how…

READ: Matthew 9:9-13

In our pride we think we know it all or have all the answers but we do not. In fact we discover that…

I. Mercy is found in submission! (Vv. 9)

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

  1. We never know when Jesus might call us to follow him but when he does we have to be willing to get up and go where he leads. Matthew’s day began as all other days had begun. He prepared himself for the day’s rigors of collecting taxes from a disagreeable crowd. No one liked tax collectors and especially ones who were Jewish that had gained their position by bribing themselves into the position. Matthew evidently did not care or tried to push away the thoughts of what others thought of him. He would face ridicule, anger, and obstinacy. Some would pay begrudgingly while others would beg for his mercy because they did not have the means to pay their taxes. And Matthew would have to turn a blind eye and ear to their pleas. Little did Matthew know it but this day would be different because Jesus was in the crowd and when “he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth.” Matthew’s life was about to be changed forever. Mercy, God’s grace, was going to find Matthew. “Follow me,” Jesus tells him; two simple words that would require Matthew’s immediate response. And to his credit “Matthew got up and followed him”! Matthew had a lucrative business collecting taxes on customs paid probably at the ports, in this case, Capernaum. I am sure Matthew was a pragmatist, a realist, and a practical person, and yet he willingly gets up and follows Jesus. Perhaps Matthew had longed for someone to recognize him, to look at him as he truly was, and Jesus did just that in that moment. And we discover along with Matthew that mercy is found in submission!

  EXAMPLE: In olden days when entering the presence of a king one would bow down and bare their necks to the king’s personal guard. From this act of contrition we developed the whole notion of genuflection whereby there are those who think that by bowing before an altar they are submitting themselves to God’s authority. Sorry to burst their bubble but they are not. In fact they are trying to substitute an act of theirs with the mercy of God. Here we discover that mercy is found in submission!

Mercy by its definition cannot be bought or sold and it cannot be found vicariously through heritage, DNA, or by being nice. In fact we discover here that…   

II. Mercy is displayed by relationship! (Vv. 10-11)

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and “sinners?”

  1. Matthew’s day had started like all the rest but it was going to end completely different! He immediately followed Jesus and later becomes one of his disciples but now we find that Matthew has extended a dinner invitation to Jesus and his other disciples. And “While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and ‘sinners’ came and ate with him and his disciples.” The common crowd thought of those who collected taxes as “sinners”; I guess not much has changed. Matthew either wanted his fellow tax-collecting sinners to come to know Jesus as he had or he was more comfortable eating with them instead of Jesus and his disciples. Either way Jesus did not seem to mind in the least. Jesus was comfortable with anyone. Tax collectors, adulteresses, Pharisees, and those he had chosen to follow him! It did not matter to Jesus so long as they came and would listen to what he had to share. However, “When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners?’” Matthew had been one of these “sinners” just as we all are until he came to follow Jesus. Far too many of us agree with the Pharisees and their comments and with Paul when he wrote: “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NIV)” Yet Paul reminds us: “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV)” Paul, like Jesus, knew that the only difference between a sinner and a saint is their relationship! We discover that mercy is displayed by relationship!

  EXAMPLE: When a man was asked by a friend how his mother was getting along, he was told that dementia had robbed her of the ability to remember a great many names and events from the past. “Even so,” the man added, “she can still sit down at the piano and, without sheet music, beautifully play hymns by memory.” In her life she had developed a deep abiding relationship with playing hymns. For her it was a comfort and became even more so after she lost much of her memory. We might say that “God is merciful” but in fact we discover that mercy is displayed by relationship!

I confess that there are some people I have a hard time with. Those who I know are deliberately lying to me are the hardest for me to deal with. I have to remind myself to b gracious in such circumstances and I remind myself that…

III. Jesus desires to give mercy! (Vv. 12-13)

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

  1. Believers say they want others to come to Jesus but few actually share their faith so others can do so. There are many reasons for this from fear of being rejected to just plain laziness. Jesus knew that the crowds who followed him wanted something from him. They wanted to be healed, have their friends or family healed, or they wanted to see a good show. And while Jesus came and healed many there were far more who never were healed. Jesus did not primarily come to heal the sick, make the lame to walk, drive out evil spirits, or resurrect the dead – he came to proclaim the kingdom of God — to seek and save the lost! Yes, as he went about proclaiming the kingdom is at hand he did all of those things. But perhaps you have forgotten this morning that Jesus did not come so you could be good for goodness sake, have a great worship experience, nor did he come so you could have a good life. Matthew was shocked and surprised that Jesus would ask him to follow him, but he did immediately. The Pharisees and perhaps others were just as surprised that Jesus had called Matthew to be his disciple but just remember that perhaps others around you may have been just as surprised you were called by grace. On hearing the sarcastic words of the Pharisees, Jesus responds, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” The Pharisees would never understand because their own sense of selfish piety got in the way of truly hearing God or the cries of the crowd. Dear child of the King I pray this never happens to you. Jesus came for sinners just like Matthew and just like us! We learn from Matthew that Jesus desires to give mercy!

  EXAMPLE: When we used to go over to my grandmother’s house she would literally prepare a feast. It was not unusual to find several kinds of meats, potatoes, vegetables, and of course desserts afterwards. She often poured out her love in the food she prepared for her family and what was great about it is the fact that a starving young boy could get all he wanted and more! This is a perfect example of what God did through Jesus, he gave us more than we deserve and abundantly piled it on pressed down shaken together and running over! And the wonderful truth is: Jesus desires to give mercy!

Conclusion:

Mercy is found in submission! Mercy is displayed by relationship! Jesus desires to give mercy!
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This article is copyrighted © 2019 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Praying! – Matthew 6:5-15

Praying! – Matthew 6:5-15
By Pastor Lee Hemen
April 7, 2019

When asked what believers need to do the most the answer always is to “pray” and this is good advice. If one’s prayer life is nonexistent their relationship with God is basically nonexistent. As a new believer having been brought up in a faith that taught that prayer was by route, meaningless, and automatic to discover that it was actually speaking with God was amazing to me. It changed my life dramatically. Praying is the heart and life of a Christian’s faith walk with God.

In Luke’s gospel we learn that “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ (Luke 11:1 NIV)” And here in Matthew’s gospel we discover the same prayer being offered by Jesus as part of his sermon. Jesus did not mean for his example to become a formula or a mantra we were to use until it became a mind-numbing chant. Let’s discover what Jesus taught about praying…

READ: Matthew 6:5-15

Jesus’ disciples would learn that prayer for Jesus was a personal thing and not something one did in order to appease an angry deity. Jesus often went off by himself to pray but here we find he includes simple teaching on the subject of praying. The first thing we discover is that…

I. Praying for Jesus was not just gibber jabber! (Vv. 5-8)

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

  1. An individual talking with God had become a real problem with the Hebrew people. From intimate conversations with God like that of Abraham, Moses, and David prayer had now developed into the ritualistic chanting of the Temple. Or worse an outward display for the unwashed crowds to display the Pharisees’ phony piety! So Jesus teaches that “when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.” Instead of a personal conversation between a person and their God prayer had become a sham! Jesus says this kind of prayer is hypocritical! He goes on to lay it out for his listeners, “I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.” Jesus knew God desired a personal relationship with them! And like with their acts of personal giving they were to make their prayer personal as well: “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” God does not need public displays because he knows the individual’s heart already. Prayer is an intimate conversation and Jesus knew that their “Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Talking with God is supposed to be give-and-take. Too many folks have never heard God’s voice because they’ve never taken the time to hear him speaking to them! We live in a fast paced society that wants instant results and have forgotten that a deep spiritual relationship is developed not rushed. God is not your personal servant waiting on the sidelines to answer your beck and call when you need him. Therefore Jesus tells them that “when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.” You cannot expect to know someone intimately if you never spend time with them. Sure God knows what we are going to pray before we pray it but he desires our full attention and he desires us, therefore, “Do not be like [these hypocrites], for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” We come to know God and his will and ways when we spend time talking with him! Praying for Jesus was not just gibber jabber!

  EXAMPLE: We often do not know what God desires to communicate to us because we are so involved in just spewing words at him! I guess some think that God only listens when we pray hard and fast! The other day I was asked by an older gentleman who saw me with my granddaughter if she “talked a lot”. I told him she was sparse with her words but soon she probably would be a chatter box. He remarked that his daughter had been a “little chatter box” who just went on and on about everything. He remarked, “I loved every minute of it and now we have a great relationship where she calls me almost every day to tell me about how things are going.” This is what Jesus wanted his listeners to understand about prayer. Praying for Jesus was not just gibber jabber!

I discovered early on in my marriage relationship that I had better become a good listener to my wife. And I had better be willing to share my day with her as well. Give and take in our relationship is what has made our marriage strong. We spend time talking with each other daily. We discover here that…

II. Praying for Jesus was an intimate thing! (Vv. 9-11)

This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.

  1. I have heard this prayer example of Jesus used as a model to pray, as a formula one uses to get to the heart of God, or as some kind of outline for all our prayer. While there may be some validity to some of these I believe Jesus was first and foremost trying to get his listeners to remember what prayer was about and so he bluntly tells them “This, then, is how you should pray”. He isn’t telling them to pray exactly what he prays nor is he giving them an ultimate guide formula to emulate but rather he is teaching them that their prayer should contain some thought. When we speak with friends or loved ones we usually ask them how they are doing or what’s new in their lives. Prayer, being a conversation with a loving God whom we are trying to know better, should be done in the same manner! We are speaking with the Creator of all things who is holy, loving, and far beyond our comprehension! While he loves us and cares for us God is not our “Buddy”, he is a holy God! So we should come before him by reminding ourselves of just who we are speaking to: “Our Father in heaven”! He is a Living God who exists and is not some dead manmade idol of wood, stone, or metal! Also remember Jesus is teaching them how to pray to God that at that time was before he had died on a cross, was resurrected, and ascended back to heaven himself! Jesus is therefore teaching his fellow Hebrews how to reestablish their personal contact with a holy God that they had lost! They had forgotten what Job had known: “Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. (Job 16:19 NIV)” We as believers now enjoy our advocate Jesus but we should always remember we are speaking with a holy God and “hallowed” is his “name”! At the core of our existence is to know and do the will of God. We do not seek God because we want things to go our way. How shallow is that kind of relationship? Instead we should be willing to pray to him “your kingdom come, you will be done on earth as it is in heaven”! Believe me Jesus understood that God’s will, would be done no matter what. This is why he would pray in the garden when he was facing the trial of his life, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. (Luke 22:42 NIV)” And yet we can also ask God for our daily needs for life: “Give us today our daily bread.” It shows our daily dependence on God’s care. It is here we discover that praying for Jesus was an intimate thing!

  EXAMPLE: I like mornings in our household during the week because my grandkids come over very early and I get to spend a few moments praying with them and getting them back to sleep. (Mom and Dad work and I get the privilege of being with them before school.) I spend time talking to Jesus with them about their day, their parents, and school. It is a special time. It isn’t hurried. It is kind of cozy in fact. Prayer for Jesus is supposed to be just like this because praying for Jesus was an intimate thing!

When I first learned to pray it was all by formula and in fact we used a prop so that our prayer would become something you could do unconsciously without any thought at all. This is not how Jesus viewed prayer. Yet it is how prayer had become in his day! We learn that…

III. Praying for Jesus was a means for forgiveness! (Vv. 12-15)

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

  1. The entire reason Jesus came to earth was to fulfill God’s promise to mankind to redeem them back to his self. In order for that to be accomplished a debt had to be paid. We have a tendency to forget that sin exacts a heavy price because it is against the holy nature of God. God does not wink at our sin nor does he laugh at it or excuse it because he sees us as wayward kids. Sin is serious business for God so much so he came as Jesus to sacrifice himself for our sin. Now all of this to say that God sees sin as a debt and this is why he tells his audience that when we pray we have to be willing to ask God, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” This is an exacting thing because it requires forgiveness on our part which was something the Pharisees had a hard time with. They believed in an eye-for-an-eye payback, yet we have to forgive. Jesus also knew that being the weak creatures we all are we need all the strength we can get so he relates that when we pray we should ask God to “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Jesus knew that God never leads us into evil and the wording suggests we are to ask for him to lead us to his strength. In fact as we look at this sentence knowing it is given to Hebrew listeners we discover that it contains hope because Jesus would indeed deliver us from not only the sting of death but Satan’s influence as well. And then Jesus reminds his listeners that “if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” This is a reminder of the fact we reap what we sow and we want to sow the things of God in our lives. It is not the idea of balancing the scales between being good and bad or doing good or bad but that we are accountable for our lives and whether or not they are lived for God or not! Again this would be a tough concept for his listeners and so they needed to be reminded of it. If one wants to draw close to God and speak intimately to him they cannot harbor animosity, anger, or hatred to one of those he came to die for! And we must never forget that praying for Jesus was a means for forgiveness!

  EXAMPLE: A special Scripture for me is 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NIV)” Jesus desires that we “walk in the light” of his grace. I am not a perfect person and I often blow it. However prayer has become a time for me to declare my ungodliness honestly and openly before him. I have learned like John did that “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8 NIV)” And we cannot “walk” with Jesus! Yet if we “confess our sins” he is more than willing to forgive us! John concludes by reminding his readers that “If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. (1 John 1:10 NIV)” I am overjoyed that praying for Jesus was a means for forgiveness!

Conclusion:

Praying for Jesus was not just gibber jabber! Praying for Jesus was an intimate thing! Praying for Jesus was a means for forgiveness!
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This article is copyrighted © 2019 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Anger! – Matthew 5:21-26

Anger! – Matthew 5:21-26
By Pastor Lee Hemen
March 10, 2019

Angry words can never be taken back. Society’s standard of foul and angry words has declined in recent years, but we don’t have to decline with it, we should think about how to honor God with our speech. We please the Lord with our tongue when we show discernment. Proverbs 10:19 reminds us that “He who restrains his lips is wise”. When we do speak, we are to filter the words that escape our lips: “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (Proverbs 21:23 NIV). Paul’s warns us to “let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth” (Ephesians 4:29 NIV).

How can we keep our anger contained? How do we remain calm in a world that seems to be filled with hatred, evil, and ungodly behavior? Jesus in the Beatitudes sets an almost impossible situation where we are to speak right and think right all the time. Jesus did this to startle his listeners and to shock them into listening to what he was teaching about himself. And here he gives us some practical advice on what to do when we get angry with one another. Let’s discover what Jesus teaches…

READ: Matthew 5:21-26

A young lady remarked, “As I was reading the text message on my phone, my temperature started to rise and my blood began to boil. I was on the verge of shooting back a nasty answer when an inner voice told me to cool down and reply tomorrow. The next morning after a good night’s sleep, the issue that had upset me so greatly seemed so trivial.” In dealing with anger Jesus teaches us…

I. We can murder others with our angry words! (Vv. 21-22)

You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.” But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, “Raca,” is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, “You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of hell.

     1. Jesus reminds the crowd and his disciples of the commandments of God. He relates, “You have heard it said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’” “You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13 NIV)” Jesus was also commenting on some of the prevailing opinions among the Jewish leadership of his day to show that the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was defective. Remember he had just related that if their righteousness did not exceed that of the Pharisees they would not see the kingdom of heaven. The people needed a better righteousness or they could not be saved. Jesus illustrates what he meant by that better righteous-ness by showing that the common opinions of the scribes were incorrect. This is why he immediately remarks, “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” Jesus is equating a person’s irrational anger to that being the same as murder! The Pharisees thought it perfectly okay and even righteous to be angered at the Romans or anyone who did not agree with them; this is how they could later justify murdering Jesus and using the Romans to do their dirty work! Jesus understood that irrational anger could lead a person to totally dismiss those one disliked and thereby “murder” them. He continues by reminding them that “Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin.” God views all human life as sacred and to dismiss someone by calling them a “fool” was the height of arrogance and yet the Pharisees did it all the time. “But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” To God it demonstrates one’s intent and the sinfulness of their heart and was in danger of being condemned to hell, “Gehenna” meaning valley of Hinnom, the valley south of Jerusalem where fires consumed the city’s garbage. This became an apt name for the eternal punishment of the wicked. Jesus is reminding us that we can murder others with our angry words!

  EXAMPLE: On the playground is not uncommon for children to get into arguments. We may think it is childish and just part of growing up but words can be hurtful and especially name calling. When adults carelessly use ungodly references or names for others it is just as childish and ungodly. Regretfully, I must confess that I am often tempted to respond in anger more than I would like to admit. I constantly find myself having to put into practice familiar Bible truths, such as “Be angry, and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26 NIV). Thankfully, God has given us his Spirit who will assist us in our battle with our sin. Peter and Paul called it the “sanctifying work of the Spirit” (2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2 NIV). We need to remember that we can murder others with our angry words!

Jesus could have just given his listeners an admonishment for their bad behavior and then let it go but he then gives them how they can resolve the issue of angry words used in haste. Jesus continued by teaching that…

II. We can be reconciled for our angry words! (Vv. 23-24)

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

  1. Jesus is not giving us a set of rules we have to put into effect in order to be forgiven by God. Sadly there are those who actually think that this is exactly what Jesus was doing but he is not. What Jesus begins to do is to teach us through example how we are to come before God when we do sin and how we are to treat one another when we act horrendously. The Pharisees were intent only on the external act in worship. They looked not at all to the internal state of the individual. If a man conformed to the external rites of religion, however much envy, and malice, and secret hatred he might have, they thought he was doing well. Jesus taught a different doctrine. It was of more consequence to have the heart right than to perform the outward act. How many of us have been dismissive of our parents, our children, siblings, neighbors, or fellow believers? How could anyone say they love God and yet harbor in their heart ill feelings toward another? We could never go to worship! Jesus puts it in a way everyone could fully understand. He related “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.” I must insert here that Jesus will later tell us what the two greatest commandments of God are to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (and to)… Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39 NIV)”! Here he is sharing how they could do this when they realize that they have offended another by their hateful words. If they realized it they were stop what they were doing, even if was going to worship God, and “First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” This would have been shocking behavior to the Pharisees who thought their worship was far more important than anything including people’s view of them! What Jesus is describing here is not the actual act we are to do but rather how we are to respond when we realize we have offended someone else with angry words. And in his example Jesus is teaching us that we can be reconciled for our angry words!

  EXAMPLE: “Now go and tell your brother that you are sorry” my father admonished me. My retort was, “What if he doesn’t care?” My dad reminded me that I had been given only one brother and that I would always be his brother no matter what. It did not matter how he responded but rather how I acted. And here in Matthew’s gospel we discover a wonderful picture of how we can readily approach God anytime we have sinned! It does not matter where we are we can come before him and be forgiven! Also if we say we love God but do not care about those we have offended then what does that truly say about our love of God? This is where the Pharisees failed but Jesus pointed to a new covenant of reconciliation between us and God and one another! We can be reconciled for our angry words!

Words mean things. If they didn’t then we would not use them to express ourselves. This is why Jesus knew that words said in anger can truly be hurtful and can literally “murder” another’s character. As believers we need to be careful of our words and anger. Jesus teaches us that…

III. Unreconciled anger will lead to judgment! (Vv. 25-26)

Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

  1. The consequence of not being reconciled Jesus expresses in the language of courts. The adversary (the one you offended or perhaps God himself who becomes our adversary when we do not confess our sin) shall deliver us to the judge, and then to the executioner and he shall throw us into prison! If we are unwilling to be at peace with others how will God deal with us? God’s dealings with those that harbored these feelings towards those who would not be reconciled with their fellow believers results in the example of punishment inflicted by human courts! That is, he would hold us as violating the sixth commandment and would punish us accordingly. Murdering someone can occur when we willingly know we have sinned and refuse to confess our sin or be forgiven by others! We should therefore “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court.” It is like when I would call my brother a stinky name and I knew as soon as I did I had better say I was “sorry” and mean it or suffer the consequences! Jesus related if we did not immediately do what we know we are supposed to do in such a situation we could suffer the consequences: “Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.” Jesus is not suggesting that the believer will never be forgiven and thereby end up in hell for an eternity, because we know this to be patently false. What Jesus is teaching is the seriousness of our angry words and our ungodly actions! His disciples, his followers, were to act differently than even the pious Pharisees! God wanted us to be holy because he is holy and he knew this was totally impossible because we are ungodly in our attitudes and actions! It is only through the shed blood of Jesus we are made holy and can be seen as righteous! We could surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees in Jesus! Our ungodly anger will lead us to an eternity in prison: “I tell you the truth you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” We can never pay the debt we own without Jesus’ sacrifice! Unless we take care of it through our faith in Jesus our unreconciled anger will lead to judgment!

  EXAMPLE: David McCasland writes: “A friend told me about the time he was watching football on TV as his young daughter played nearby. Angered by his team’s bad play, he grabbed the closest thing and threw it down. His little girl’s favorite toy was shattered, along with her heart. My friend immediately embraced his daughter and apologized. He replaced the toy and thought all was well. But he didn’t know how much his fury had frightened his 4-year-old, and she didn’t know the depth of her pain. In time, however, forgiveness came. Years later he sent an identical toy to his daughter when she was expecting a baby. She posted a photo of the toy on Facebook with the words, ‘This gift has a very long story going back to my childhood. It wasn’t a happy story then, but it has a happy ending now! Redemption is a beautiful thing. Thanks, Grandpa!’” When we are the victim of anger, God asks us to “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (v.32). Unreconciled anger will lead to judgment!

Restored relationships are not easy, but they are possible by the grace of God.

Conclusion:

We can murder others with our angry words! We can be reconciled for our angry words! Unreconciled anger will lead to judgment!
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This article is copyrighted © 2019 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Salt and light – Matthew 5:13-16

Salt and light – Matthew 5:13-16
By Pastor Lee Hemen
February 24, 2019

What would you consider the absolute necessities of life after food and water? For some it might be their cell phone, big screen TV, clothes or shoes. One of things that help put perspective on what you value in life is to do an extensive list of your top 50 priorities. It can show you in a very real way what you value in life and what you focus on or not.

In Jesus’ day a couple of absolute necessities were two things we often take for granted, salt and light. Salt was used for many things from seasoning, preservative, sterilization of wounds, and as currency. It was considered an absolute staple for everyday life. Light was a means of continuing to work later, see your way, keep warm and keep out the darkness of night and long winters. Jesus understood the dependence and importance folks of his day placed on these two things; let’s discover how he uses salt and light this morning…

READ: Matthew 5:13-16

According to the urban dictionary a person who is “salty” means they are being rude, upset, angry, or bitter all the time. However when fellow sailors use it with one another as in “stay salty” it means to have a salty layer on one’s person because of their constant exposure to the ocean and here we learn that…

I. Believers are to remain salty! (Vv. 13)

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

  1. It is an old adage or phrase we have heard and used for centuries but it was Jesus who first used it in the context he did when he addressed his disciples and the crowd. He tells them, “You are the salt of the earth.” Salt was often mined from the ground or produced from an evaporation process from the ocean. The purer the salt the better it was and the more expensive it was. Pure salt was highly prized. While many today are trying to get as much salt out of their diet as they can, most people during Jesus’ day prized it for its preservative and seasoning powers. Jesus reminds his listeners that they are the common folks that make up most of the world. Just as salt was a common necessity so were they as far as God was concerned. He valued them for who they were. But he knew like everyone else of his day knew that “if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?” The answer is that it could not. In fact the storage of salt was just as important for traders, businessmen, the Roman army (which used it as pay) and others. Huge salt cellars were often dug out of the side of mountains where moisture could not leech it away; but as good as they tried to store it some of it would leach away and leave behind the minerals that did not evaporate. The salt would become worthless. If they lost their “saltiness”, their godly flavor, they could not automatically be made salty again either. In fact salt was “no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men”! Jesus was referring to the fact that leached out salt where it was mostly dirt or minerals were no longer good for seasoning or as a preservative. In fact, it could be dangerous and so this kind of worthless salt was thrown on the roads where it killed the invasive vegetation and was walked on by man and beast! If God’s people, lost their godliness, they could not be made godly again could they? This is the inference Jesus was making. Most would have agreed with Jesus’ assessment of salt and them. His disciples were to be the salt of the earth, seasoning the world with his gospel message! They were to be careful to not lose their saltiness, the message they would declare could not be allowed to be diluted or spiritually evaporated away! Jesus’ warning was clear, believers are to remain salty!

  EXAMPLE: Recently I watched a YouTube video by Destin of Smarter Everyday about making his brain relearn how to ride a backwards bicycle. He related that “truth is truth and knowledge does not equal understanding”. He is correct. We may think we know the truth or that we are knowledgeable because we are educated. Yet Jesus came to show us the truth and still people decide not to believe him. If folks did not believe Jesus they would not believe his disciples either. The truth is people often think they know better but in reality they don’t. Truth is truth no matter what one believes and we may think we know something but in reality not understand the truth at all. Jesus related, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:31-32 NIV)” Here Jesus teaches us that believers are to remain salty!

Being able to illuminate one’s home was often considered an extravagance in Jesus’ day because oil or tallow was expensive. And the lights during this time were not that great but even in the darkest room a little light was a welcome thing. Here we discover that…

II. Believers are to enlighten the world around them! (Vv. 14-16)

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

  1. Jesus goes on to tell his disciples “You are the light of the world.” Notice Jesus does not say that all people are the light of the world, only his disciples or followers were. He was referring to the fact that the world at large is a sin-darkened place. Those who are in the world cannot spiritually see without the light of God in their lives and they would be the light of God. And just as “A city on a hill cannot be hidden” they could not hide the fact of who they were once they decided to follow Jesus. It is an offhanded reference to the Holy Spirit residing in someone who would trust him with their lives. Of course this would not be evident or available until after Jesus’ death and subsequent resurrection: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12 NIV)” and this is why the Apostle Paul would write, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV)” Jesus’ disciples however could not hide the fact of the Spirit of God living in them! So, just as a city on a hill could not be hidden “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” They were to share the light of God; his gospel with the world. People are attracted to the love of God that is found in Jesus. His compassion, gentleness, kindness, and ability to cross any social, racial, or economic barrier made him attractive to the crowds. As his disciples we are in a sense to be attractive as well: “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Faith in Jesus without kindness, compassion, or gentleness displayed in one’s life is “dead” as James, Jesus’ brother, would later write. Believers are to enlighten the world around them!

  EXAMPLE: In Clark County we get our electricity from several different sources: wind, water, solar, and natural gas. With the invention of better lighting it has revolutionized homes and industry. People began to have free time, they could read, play games, study, or do extra work. We can now light our homes at a fraction of the cost compared to when I was a child. In fact we have so much light it can be seen from space! Interestingly the idea of light became synonymous with combating the darkness of sin and here we are told by Jesus that believers are to enlighten the world around them!

Conclusion:

Believers are to remain salty! Believers are to enlighten the world around them!
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This article is copyrighted © 2019 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Jealousy in marriage is dangerous

Jealousy in marriage is dangerous
By Pastor Lee Hemen
October 2, 2018

Unwarranted jealousy is one of the most destructive emotions known to man. We find it in the Bible when King Saul became jealous over the friendship his son Jonathan had with the future King David: “Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? (1 Samuel 20:30 NIV)” Jealousy usually comes from a deep seated insecurity of one’s self. This was Saul’s problem. He saw his own weaknesses and projected them on his own son and David who enjoyed a deep friendship with one another.

I remember well a friend who had a beautiful wife. She was one of those individuals that when she walked into a room everyone turned and looked because of the way she carried herself. He confided in me that at one time he struggled with jealousy concerning his wife because of how other men would look at her. But he had overcome his unfounded jealousy. I asked him how. He remarked that he realized that being jealous of his wife for something that she had no control over and that in fact he found very appealing was childish. He realized his emotions came from his own insecurity of how he viewed himself. He found that when he accepted himself as a man, confessed his sin, and sought the help of his wife and others that he could find pride and joy in his wife and was no longer jealous.

Personal guilt caused from past events or personal experience in the person’s life is usually the percolating cause for the insecurity of jealousy. Cheating parents or divorce experienced as a child. And so if this happened to them before it will happen to them again. Jealousy usually manifests itself because the person feels like they can’t control events or individuals in their lives and feel the need to be able to. The person feels neglected like they did as a child and lashes out with jealousy in an attempt to control their surroundings. And of course no one can.

The destructive behavior of jealousy when found within a marriage usually does not end well. Its root cause is the same as found with King Saul: deep seated insecurity. Usually because the person who is jealous knows their own weaknesses and they began to think their spouse is guilty of the same weak behavior. It tells their innocent spouse that they are not to be trusted. The spouse soon begins to feel they cannot do anything or their jealous significant other will suspect them or others around them.

Can there be good jealousy? Sure if it one’s jealous over their relationship with God and they desire it to be stronger. But jealousy within a marriage is self destructive, hurtful, and harmful. Counseling to get to the root issues of why the person is jealous can help. The sin of jealousy is a danger to the foundation of trust within a marriage. How we view ourselves and our relationship with the Lord can conquer the sin of jealousy if we want it to. The choice is ours to make.

David De Hann wrote that “Discontent, jealousy, bitterness, resentment, defensiveness, touchiness, and ingratitude are the dispositions that ruin our marriages, wither our children, alienate our friends, and embitter every life—including our own. It’s easy to defend our bad moods and to slide into deception and hypocrisy. But we must guard our hearts against such destructive attitudes. When they arise, we need to confess them, let them go, and experience God’s forgiveness.” The first place to destroy jealousy is to immediately confess it and its destructive behavior in your life to the Lord and apologize to your spouse for making them feel untrustworthy. Begin to set up how they can help you to overcome your jealousy through prayer, communication, and trust. Seek the help of a good counselor. Reestablish quiet moments with God and your spouse. Remember it isn’t others who make you jealous, you decide to be or not.
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This article is copyrighted © 2018 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

No matter what, preach the gospel! – Philippians 1:12-17

No matter what, preach the gospel! – Philippians 1:12-17
By Pastor Lee Hemen
June 10, 2018

What is important in your life? I mean to the point where you would be willing to leave your home, family, friends, and do what you knew was the most important thing in the world. For some it is sports, some it is music or writing, for others it might be acting or art but for the believer who has given their life to Christ everything should revolve and focus on him who gave everything for them.

For Paul life was Jesus and Jesus was life and this is why for Paul in his life he considered it the greatest thing in the world to preach the gospel. He gave up family, friends, and everything in life to follow him and following him meant telling others about Jesus’ mission and message. Therefore for Paul it meant that no matter what, preach the gospel! Let’s find out how Paul encouraged others to do the same…

READ: Philippians 1:12-17

Someone once said that “The most important thing you have to realize in your life is: knowing your self-worth and by knowing your self-worth you would finally get to know what you deserve. And then you’ll be able to work for what you deserve.” Paul understood his self-worth. He wrote, “Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8 NIV).  For Paul it meant…

I. Preaching the gospel to anyone who would listen! (Vv. 12-14)

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

1. A lot of folks think things happen in life through happenstance but when it is something bad they immediately want to blame God but Paul never did. He knew things happen for a reason and not by mere accident. And for the believer Paul knew that things happen in life for one reason only: to further the gospel. This is why Paul writes, “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.” Paul was being persecuted for his faith and especially for his preaching the good news. In fact, he was in prison for doing just that! Now he was held captive under house arrest waiting for his trial in Rome, held prisoner under false accusations by the Roman government for telling others the gospel. However far from discouraging Paul it only reinforced in him the providence of God in a Christian’s life. In fact Paul’s imprisonment became a means for him to testify about Jesus! And Paul writes that “As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.” Evidently those back in Philippi were concerned for Paul but he was enjoying every moment! Paul was not discouraged at all because his imprisonment meant that from the Roman guard to those in the household of Caesar was now hearing for the first time the gospel of Jesus! Paul the prisoner had a second affect as well, “Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.” His persecution made others bolder in sharing their faith! Life for Paul was all about Jesus and that meant preaching the gospel to anyone who would listen!

EXAMPLE: Christians can be a contrary crowd believing that Jesus is the only means of salvation but only sharing with those they feel comfortable with. A group of teenagers visited a home for the elderly in Montego Bay, Jamaica, one young woman noticed a lonely looking man at the end of the room. He appeared to have little left in this world but a bed to sleep on—a bed from which he could not move because of his disability. She began to share the story of God’s love for us. Responding to his interest, she explained the wonder of Jesus’ sacrificial death for us. “It was hard for this man, who had no hope and no family,” she recalled, “to understand that Someone he’s never met would love him enough to die on the cross for his sins.” She told him more about Jesus—and then about the promise of heaven (including a new body) for all who believe. He asked her, “Will you dance with me up there?” She saw him begin to imagine himself free of his worn-out body and crippling limitations. She helped him pray a prayer of forgiveness and faith. When she asked him if she could get a picture with him, he replied, “If you help me sit up. I’m a new man.” Paul believed in preaching the gospel to anyone who would listen!

People do things in life for different reasons: Some out of pride or for praise; some from a sense of duty while others do certain things because of guilt. Paul knew that…

II. Preaching the gospel is an act of love! (Vv. 15-17)

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.

1. Paul was not stupid. He knew that not everyone who was preaching the good news did so because they loved the Lord like he did. He knew they did it for varying reasons and he writes, “It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.” Just like today there were those who wanted to make a quick buck off of anything that was new and that folks were attracted to. During Paul’s day it was usually the latest fad in spirituality. There were those like the cults of today whose founder’s only want fame and fortune. Then there were those who sadly while even within the church itself sought personal recognition or they thought they were in some kind of a competition with Paul. Paul did not care as long as the gospel was correctly preached! So he wrote, “The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.” How sad there were those within the church whose only desire was to outdo Paul or to bring Paul down in some way. Their reasons did not concern Paul because he was happy that Jesus was preached! Make no mistake he disliked factions within the church and wrote the Corinthian church, “For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not mere men? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe–as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (1 Corinthians 3:4-7 NIV)” For Paul preaching the gospel is an act of love!

EXAMPLE: Lee Geysbeek of Compassion International told about a woman who had the opportunity to travel to visit the child she sponsored. She decided to take the child, who was living in abject poverty, to a restaurant. The boy ordered a hamburger and the sponsor ordered a salad. When the food came the boy surveyed the scene. He looked at his huge hamburger and over at his sponsor’s small salad. Then he took his knife and cut the burger in half, offered it to his sponsor, rubbed his tummy, and asked, “Hungry?” A child who had next to nothing his whole life was willing to share half of what he had with someone he thought might need more. This child can be a good reminder the next time we meet someone in physical, emotional, or spiritual need. As followers of Jesus, our faith in him should be mirrored through our actions. We encounter people in need every day; some simply around the corner who need of a warm meal or a kind word. What a difference believers can make by doing good and sharing their faith. Paul knew that preaching the gospel is an act of love!

Conclusion:
Preaching the gospel to anyone who would listen! Preaching the gospel is an act of love!
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This article is copyrighted © 2018 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.