“God’s Protection”
Malachi 3:16-18
Sunday, September 5, 2010

Introduction: “The Runaways,” from Stories of the Heart, p. 223. There is a story of a boy who went to help his dad feed the cows, on winter morning before he went off to school. So he got dressed in his warmest clothes. It was a beautiful day as the sun was shining, and the ground was covered in snow. They harnessed their horses to the wagon, loaded the hay, and then took it over the hill to the cows. After they fed the cows they headed home. His dad then asked him if he wanted to drive. He was very excited to be able to drive the wagon, so he took the lines from his dad, looped them over his hands and headed home. After a while he got tired of just plodding along, so he got the horses to speed up. First they began to trot, then a little faster. But their horses decided they wanted to go faster still, and so they started to run. At this point the wagon was bouncing from mound to mound. He started to get a little afraid, not knowing if he could control the wagon; he tried to pull with all of his strength, but couldn’t slow down the horses. The fear kept building up, but he didn’t want to show his fear in front of his dad. So as casually as he could he handed the lines to his dad and said: ‘Here dad, you drive, I don’t want to drive anymore.’
We all will have times when we fear, and that is okay: but we also need to have a fear, a respect of the Lord. This morning we are going to see the result of those who fear the Lord; those who give the reigns to God and say: ‘Here God, you drive, I don’t want to drive anymore.’

I. Spiritual Relationship- (Malachi 3:16; Hebrews 10:25; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Jeremiah 20:9)
To do this I want us to look at a number of scriptures to see how we should
be living as Christians who fear God, and how through these actions we see God’s protection. In Malachi 3:16 we read how those who feared God spoke to one another. What are the ways we should speak to one another?
a. Encouragement- Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how we may
spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” We need to understand that God does not call us to live our lives alone. God surrounds us with others who are to be there for us. When we meet together, as we are doing today, or as we do at other times, one of the main purposes for meeting is to encourage one another; to encourage one another to love, and to do good deeds.
As Christians, we are called to love one another. If when we meet together we are not loving each other, encouraging each other, provoking one another to do good, we are not fulfilling our calling as the people of God. There is plenty in this world that can bring us down, frustrate us, and abuse us. The last thing we need at church is more of these things. Let us be encouraging and in this way show our fear of the Lord!
b. Edification- 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage one another and
build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” This verse also talks about being encouraging, but then it goes on to challenge us to build one another up; to edify. How do we edify? We edify by sharing our experiences with each other. We edify by being a good example to one another. We edify by joining together in prayer and praise. As we understand the calling we have as Christians to do this, we can see that as we encourage and edify others, we ourselves are encouraged and edified.
Do you think we are an encouraging and edifying church? I would say sometimes we are. But we, like many churches, have conflict in our midst. God would desire for us to work through our conflict in love, and to not carry our conflict into times of worship and meetings, but to work things out aside from these times of gathering. This is the mature Christian behavior.
c. Evangelism- Jeremiah 20:9, “But if I say, ‘I will not mention him or speak
any more in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” One of the things we have talked about a lot in my time here at Community Pres. is evangelism; the sharing of our faith. In this verse in Jeremiah, Jeremiah is telling us that in those times that he does not take the opportunity to tell others about God, there is a burning fire that builds up in him, and to release this fire he has to talk about God. As we build up a respect, a reverence, a fear of the Lord, we begin to understand the importance of telling others about Jesus Christ; the importance of sharing our faith with others. God does not want any to be lost. If we agree with God about this, then we will seek to build our spiritual relationship with God by talking about God.

II. Spiritual Reception- (Malachi 3:16; Philippians 4:6; Jeremiah 29:13; 1 John 5:14)
Along with God’s protection coming to us as we build up others and as we
ourselves are built up, we also receive God’s protection through God’s listening to us. Malachi 3:16 goes on to say: “…The Lord took note and listened…” It is when God sees us loving Him and loving others that God begins to really listen to us, because we have aligned ourselves deeply with God.
a. Hearing the supplications- Philippians 4:6 tells us, “Do not worry about
anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” If all we did in our times of prayer was come to God and ask for things, God would know that we did not have an understanding of what it means to receive Him. But when our requests are born out of the way we are living (living for God and living for others instead of just for ourselves), then our requests are put in proper perspective, and God listens to our prayer. In this way God knows that we are serious about doing something with the answer that He gives to us.
b. Hearing the sincere- Secondly, God hears our supplications; the sincere
statements of our heart. Jeremiahs 29:13 tells us, “When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.” One of the deepest needs we have is to find God. But all too often people do not make the effort to seek God and to know God. That is why Jesus spoke in parables; in stories. Jesus would tell these stories in order to see who really wanted to seek Him. Many people would get confused and just leave, because to them it was as if Jesus was speaking in riddles. But some would stay around and seek Jesus by asking Him what He meant in His teachings.
How often do we hear something at church, or read something in the Bible, and yet leave it at that; we do not seek to find out the meaning, and thus miss an opportunity to find God. We have not sought God with all of our heart. When we fail to do this, we are not seeking to receive God through spiritual means; we are not employing our spiritual reception; we are not being sincere in our faith. We thus will miss out on God’s protection; the protection of being close to God.
c. Hearing the surrendered- God hears us when we lift up our supplications,
our requests, and God receives us when we are sincere. But God also hears us when we surrender ourselves to Him. As 1 John 5:14 tells us, “And this is the boldness we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to his will, He hears us.” Now be careful not to read too much into this verse. Many will read it and immediately hear this: “If we ask anything, he hears us,” leaving out the phrase “according to His will.” For us to be able to boldly trust that God hears us and will respond to our requests, we must understand that it is in the context o0f our asking ‘in the will of God.’ God will answer our requests when they are in line with His will. This is the surrendering we must have, that we will accept that it is not our will, but God’s will in which we are to ask. We will not fully receive God, we will not be fully heard by God, until we surrender our will to the will of God.

III. Spiritual Rewards- (Malachi 3:17-18; 2 Corinthians 5:10; James 1:12; Romans 14:12)
We can have a spiritual relationship with God, we can be received by God,
but we also can have spiritual rewards from God.
Illustration: “Near Miss,” 1001 Humorous Illustrations, p. 170, #428- There is a story of a 6-year-old girl named Angie who came home from school one day with a blue ribbon! She told her mother that she won it for knowing an answer in natural history. She said her answer was that a giraffe had 3 legs. Her mother responded to her: “But darling, a giraffe has 4 legs.” Angie replied back: “I suppose so, but I was the closest of anybody in the class.”
a. For our faithfulness- For some things a near miss is okay, but not for
eternal rewards. 2 Corinthians 5:10 tells us, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” Scripture tells us that we will be judged when we leave this earth; judged for our good and bad actions. But as Malachi 3:17 says, ‘a book of remembrance is written before God for those who feared the Lord.’ Only those who have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will have a true fear of the Lord and will have their name written in this book. Having received Jesus, we have the protection of His blood. So even if our good isn’t that good, and our bad is pretty bad, it is all wiped away by the blood of Jesus, and judgment will be passed on to us as one who is cleansed and made righteous
b. For our faith- And so through faith we are able to stand strong and
endure. And having done so, our reward will be great. We are told this in many places in the Bible, but one place is in James 1:12- “Blessed is the one who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” The crown of life is given to those who through faith have persevered in this world; to those who stood up against temptation knowing that through the power of Jesus Christ, we could overcome. The crown that is worn is the ‘crown of live.’ Or you could say the crown of eternal life. It is the sign that the cross we bore, while here on earth, has been changed to a crown.
c. For our fervency- So we are rewarded for our faithfulness, and we are
rewarded for our strong and enduring faith, and we are rewarded for our fervency; the ways in which we intensely expressed our faith. Romans 14:12 says, “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”
Even though we are saved through faith, rewards will be given to those who were faithful in the ways they lived out their faith in their life, for God. We have been given this life not to waste, but to make the most of, just as Jesus talked about in the parable of the talents. This parable talks about how we have been given talents, and resources, to be used to bless God’s people, and God’s Kingdom. When we fail to live with fervency, with intensity, we lessen the impact we make for God, and we will be accountable for this before God.

Conclusion: It is important to remember that we have roots that go long before us; Christians who have fought the fight and lived their life for God, and in doing so, received God’s protection. There are many examples of people who lived with great faith and conviction. As they lived in this way, they gained a spiritual relationship with God, a spiritual reception from God, and spiritual rewards. The questions I want us to think about are these: Do we want to make a difference? Do we want to have a spiritual relationship with God? Do we want to be received by God on a deeper level? Do we want the spiritual rewards that come from not only believing, but by living out our faith? I hope your answers to these questions are “yes.” If they are not, I pray that God would give you the desire. If they ARE yes, then seek God each day through His scripture, in singing praise, and by telling others about your faith. “Happy Ending,” p. 128, #305, 1001 Humorous Illustrations. A young boy named Jonathan had been promised a puppy for his tenth birthday. He was now at the local pet shop trying to choose a puppy from a dozen candidates, and it was not an easy decision. Finally he decided upon a very plain shaggy pup, who was wagging his tail furiously. Jonathan explained to his parents: “I want the one with the happy ending.”
If we seek God daily, and persevere in our faith, and encourage one another, then we too will have a happy ending; we too will be rewarded by God. May we praise God this day and every day. Amen.

“Can Anything Separate Us From God?”
Romans 8:34-39
Great Questions of the Bible Series: 8/29/10

Introduction: There are many kinds of separations in life: we can be separated from our family if we move away; we can be separated from friends or family through arguments and choosing to no longer talk to each other; we can be separated from God through our sin or choosing to not connect ourselves with God. Today I finish up our series, “Great Questions of the Bible,” as we look at the question “Can Anything Separate Us From God?”
I believe today’s question is one of the most important, because it has implications of our life here on the earth, as well as eternal implications. It is an important question for those who believe, and for those who don’t believe. It is at the core of what God desires us to know. It is why God sent His son into the world so that all people might have a definitive answer to this topic. So let us talk about the idea of condemnation, separation, and God’s love.

I. To Be Condemned- (Romans 8:34, 3:23, 10:13-14; 1 Peter 1:16;
John 3:17, 8:1-11)
a. Who is to condemn?- The first important question that leads us to
answer our ultimate question is: Who is to condemn? Meaning, who has the right and the authority to condemn us. In the movie “A Few Good Men,” there is a powerful court scene between Jack Nicholson as Colonel Jessep and Tom Cruise as a lawyer named Kaffee trying to find out the truth about the death of a soldier under Jessep’s command during a hazing act. There has been a cover-up that is trying to hide that this soldier was killed during the hazing act. Jessep tells Kaffee that the soldier, Santiago, had been given transfer orders because they felt it wasn’t safe for him to be there anymore. But then Kaffee shows Jessep that the transfer orders were actually doctored up later to make it look like he was being transferred, to aid in this cover-up. Kaffee shows some other discrepancies in what transpired, and the testimony of many witnesses, poking many holes in their story. Colonel Jessep tries to strong arm Kaffee with his words, confuses him a little, and then says thank you and starts to leave. Kaffee tells him that he is not done examining him, in essence ordering him to sit back down, which doesn’t go over well with Colonel Jessep. He is used to being the one giving orders. He feels he is above all of the law./ The examination continues until Kaffee has angered Jessep with his questions, causing Jessep to explode, saying: “You want answers?!” KAFFEE: “I want the truth.”
JESSEP: “You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls. And those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You?…I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: That Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me there…I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it…” He then admits that he ordered the code red, and they proceed to arrest him. He doesn’t understand why they are arresting him, or why he is being judged; he doesn’t believe they have the authority to condemn him for this action, even though it led to the death of a soldier!
Just as Colonel Jessep believed he was above the law, so there are many people in our world that believe they are above God’s law; they don’t understand that Jesus is only one who has the power to condemn as He was given that power by God the Father.
b. Criteria for judgment- So what is Jesus’ criteria for judging us and
for condemning us? And what does condemnation bring? The truth is, that Jesus’ criteria is holiness. Since God is holy, and can’t be in the presence of unholiness, then we must be holy to get to heaven. As 1 Peter 1:16 says, “for it is written, ‘Be holy, because I’m holy.’” And yet we know from scripture, that because of sin, we cannot be holy. Romans 3:23 reminds us: “For all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.” This doesn’t seem fair. How can we be judged for something that we can’t be?
This is where we need to hear the good news, that Jesus came into the world, not to judge the world, but to give us a way out of the condemnation. As John 3:17 says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” This is indeed great news, as Paul tells us in Romans 8, that the one who CAN condemn us died for us, to pay the penalty, so that we wouldn’t be condemned. The criteria for judgment then becomes faith. FAITH IN JESUS. When we have faith in Jesus, our condemnation is overturned by the blood of Christ!
We see this truth in the story of the woman caught in adultery, in John chapter 8. The woman is brought to Jesus, she has been caught red handed, they remind Jesus that the law says the punishment is stoning her to death, and they are condemning her right in front of Jesus. But they ask Jesus what He thinks. He responds in verse 7, “… ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’” Jesus reminds them that they don’t have the authority to condemn her, because of their own sin. Only Jesus, who is sinless, has this authority. Then in the end Jesus pardons her as we read in verses 10-11, “Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ 11‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’”
Author Joel Rosenberg tells a story of when Tony Hall, the former Democratic congressman, had been appointed by the president to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations food and agriculture agencies. Hall was outspoken in urging all those in both parties, who believed in Jesus, to not be shy of bringing their faith to their office. In one trip he took to an Islamic country, he was met by the ambassador of the U.S. to that country. This ambassador said to him: “I just want to remind you that you’re in a Muslim country. Please don’t talk about religion, or it could really set back what we’re trying to do here.” When they arrived at the office of the king, the king asked him why he had come to the country. So Hall was honest and forthright, as he said: “I would like our countries to be friends. And I would like to invite you to the National Prayer Breakfast, in the name of Jesus.” The U.S. ambassador went pale. But the king got very excited. He slapped his knee and said: “That is remarkable. You have come all this way to be my friend and to talk to me about Jesus. That is wonderful. My mother used to talk to me a lot about Jesus when I was a child. We should talk about Jesus more often.” Then the king turned to the U.S. ambassador and said: “Why don’t you talk about Jesus?”
Romans 10:13-14 says, “for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” People will only be condemned if they don’t have Jesus. We are called to tell people about Jesus, and about how there is no condemnation in Jesus for those who have faith!

II. Separation-
a. Separation from loved ones- Through this idea of condemnation, we
also think about being separated. Separation can be difficult. When I got the job at Ecumenical church, in Pueblo West, Colorado, it caused Tami and I to have to be separated from our family and friends here in California. We, in essence, were separated from our support system. This became especially challenging after we had our first child. When you have children, you realize that living away from your family is not easy. We started taking a great amount of video so that we could send these tapes to our family. Every vacation we took was back to California to see our family, and so that the family could see Tyler. Separation is not easy.
When my parents got divorced, I was an adult, with a wife, and child, and a home. I didn’t think that it would affect me. But it did. One way it affected me was in regards to separation. Because my parents were no longer married, I was separated from the two of them; meaning that because they couldn’t be together, it was more challenging to spend time with them. There was also the separation of distance, since after the divorce my dad moved to Hemet and my mom moved to Arizona, and I was living in Colorado!
When my dad died, there was separation. The death of a loved one is one of the greatest aspects of separation. You no longer can be in their physical presence. I have the memories, which are wonderful, but I can’t go and visit him, and he can’t come to my house and see my children, or go to their games or concerts. There is definite separation.
While separation is part of life, it is not an easy part of life to deal with, because it can leave us feeling alone. Only in God can we have those feelings comforted and blessed.
b. Separation from God- An even greater separation is from God. As I
said before, our sin can separate us from God, because God cannot be around sin. Maybe we have anger towards God because we feel that God has not given us our due, or answered our prayers as we desire, or made our life out to be what we think it should be, or we feel that God isn’t fair with us compared to others. This too can lead us to separate ourselves from God. For others, they might isolate themselves not just from the world, but from God as well. Maybe because of depression, or anxiety, or stress, they choose to isolate and separate themselves from ALL of their relationships.
There is a STORY of two masked men with guns who came charging into a church one and yelled out, “Anyone willing to take a bullet for Christ remain where you are.” Immediately the choir fled, the Deacons fled, and most of the congregation fled. Out of the 2,000 in the church, only 20 remained. The man who had spoken took off his hood, looked at the pastor, and then said: “Okay Pastor, I got rid of all the hypocrites, now you can begin your service. Have a nice day.” And with that they walked out.
We need to understand that there is only one thing that can keep us from separation from God, and that is JESUS. Jesus is how we know God, and how we can sustain our faith in God, and how we can stay connected to God. We must have the kind of faith that keeps us believing not matter what happens in life!

III. The Love of God- (1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Romans 8:38-39; 1 John 4:8)
a. What is love? Probably the most popular bible passage read at
weddings is 1 Corinthians 13. It is popular because it talks about love; true love; unconditional love. It talks about the love that we long to have for another. It talks about a love that is patient: oh how we want someone who is patient with us, because we know of all the faults we have. It talks about a love that is kind: who wouldn’t want to be married to someone who is kind? It talks about a love that is not boastful or arrogant. We want someone who will care about us, and pay attention to us, not someone who only focuses on themselves, and brags about all of their wonderful qualities. And then it goes on: “Love is not rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends…”
Wow. What a description. We hear this description, and we are in awe, because we know it is talking about perfect love; a love that we fall short of living ourselves. But how we can dream. Yet, we don’t have to dream, because 1 John 4:8 tells us that “…God is love.” Love is not just the essence of God, but God Himself. Love is at the core of God’s nature. If you were to take away love, God would not exist. Even before you think about or talk about what God has done for us, we must understand that God is love. Love is what motivates God to do anything that He has done.
As you look at the list of 1 Corinthians 13, you see that God fulfills all of those qualities, as God is patient and kind, unselfish and hopeful, truthful and enduring. God’s love for us does not, and will not end!
b. How does God show His love? Stories for the Heart, “The Small Gift,” p. 122
There is a story of a couple who were celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary. The husband was asked what the secret to their successful marriage was. He answered with the story of how after the wedding ceremony, his father-in-law took him aside, and gave him a little gift. He opened it with excitement, and saw that it was a large gold watch. As he examined the watch, he noticed an inscription; an inscription that led him to the secret of a successful marriage; it said: “Say something nice to Sarah.” Sometimes just saying nice things to each other will go a long way. But God does more for us than just say nice things. How else does God show His love? Let me just briefly list a few…
1. God first showed His love by creating the world. God created
this world for you and for me, and for the rest of His creation. He created the plants, and trees, and animals, and all living creatures, for us to enjoy and care for. He created this world to fit together beautifully, and to be beautiful in its nature.
2. He next showed His love for us by creating us in His image.
God could have created us in so many different forms, but He wanted us to be like Him in so many ways. He created us to love, and to think, and to reason, and to be able to create, and to be in relationship with others and with God.
3. A third way He demonstrated His love for us was by His
dying for us. As Romans 5:8 says, “For God demonstrated His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” When we were in our weakest place, lost in our sin, unable to show love to God, God showed His love for us so that we would not forever be lost in our sin!
4. Along with that we see God’s love in His redeeming us. If you
have ever failed in something, you know that you can feel down on yourself. That is what our sin can do to us as well. God knew that He needed to do more than die for us, which is the technical aspect of our being saved, but He needed to get us to believe in ourselves again, so He redeemed us in a way that helps us to see that we are gifted, and talented, and capable. He gave us purpose again.
5. Not only does God forgive us when we accept Him as our
Lord and Savior, but He offers us forgiveness every time we sin, if and when we confess our sin to Him. What a great show of love, that God has provided a way for us to have our sins forgiven. What an important part of our relationship with God!
6. Sixth, His love is shown to us by giving us eternal life in a
place like heaven. We are told that in heaven there will be no more sickness, or pain, or tears. Heaven will be a place of love, and peace, and joy. Heaven will be a place where we get to live IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD; where we get to see God face to face.
7. I could talk of so many more ways that God shows His love
for us, but the last one I want to mention is that He makes it so that nothing can separate us or condemn us. As Romans 8:38-39 says, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Conclusion: “For my sister,” Stories for the Heart, p. 123. There is a story of a little girl had been diagnosed with a rare disease and needed a blood transfusion. The doctors knew that her only hope was to receive a transfusion from her brother who had recovered from the same rare disease and had the same blood type. The doctor asked Johnny, the girl’s brother “Would you give your blood to Mary?” Johnny hesitated, he thought seriously for a time, then he answered “Sure, for my sister.” As the two children lay side by side on hospital carts, with the blood line connected one to the other, Johnny asked in a broken voice, “Doctor, when do I die?” At that moment the doctor realized that Johnny had thought that giving his blood to his sister meant he would die. That is why he hesitated before he answered. He was willing to die to save his sisters life! The answer to the question “Can anything separate us from God,” is NOTHING, if you have Jesus. What a great and important message for us, and for all of humanity. Let us believe it, and share it, this day and every day. Amen.

“What Will It Profit You?”
Mark 8:31-38
Great Question of the Bible Series: 8/8/10

Introduction: A man takes his paycheck, gets in his car, drives to Las Vegas and gambles it all away. A woman tells some lies, covers up some shady deals, and gets a promotion. A politician takes some bribes and gets elected. Why do these people do these things? They do it because they believe it will profit them in some way. The man hopes to turn his paycheck into a million dollars; the woman wants the more glamorous position; the politician wants to become president some day.
In life, we often make choices thinking that there is profit in it for us, only
to find out it was the wrong decision. There is that lure of something better; that hope that we can attain all we believe that we need in life; the feeling that we are lacking something in our lives. Today’s question that we look at is: What will it profit you? A question that Jesus asked to the crowd He was trying to teach; a question that Jesus ultimately asks each of us.

I. Gaining the world- (Mk. 8:31-33; Hebrews 12:1-3; Colossians 3:1-2)
a. Peter’s rebuke- STORY: There once was a little boy who had a
bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and a hammer and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, 'You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. But It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound will still be there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.'
In this passage, we see that Jesus is trying to explain to the people, and His disciples about the suffering and rejection that He will have to go through. Of course the people don’t understand. Why would Jesus need to suffer? Peter especially couldn’t understand it, so he rebuked Jesus for this. We can judge Peter for this action, but it came out of a love for Jesus; it came out of the zeal Peter had as a follower of Jesus.
But often times it is important to use discretion before we act and speak. This is where the story comes in; when we lose our temper, or lose our focus, we will do things that will not gain us anything in this world. Instead, we will usually do detriment to our situation. Instead of rebuking Jesus, Peter should have been really listening to Jesus, and trying to understand what Jesus was saying, and why all this needed to take place. Peter was speaking and acting out without having the knowledge he needed. How often do we do the same? We speak or act before we have adequate information; information that will lead us to make good and right decisions. His being upset, and having his mind set on another plan, hindered Peter from being able to accept the path that was best.
b. Jesus sets Peter straight- Next we see Jesus give a counter-
rebuke. The rebuke is pretty stiff, as Jesus says: “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Jesus gives it to Peter straight; Peter has been called to follow Jesus. This following has a purpose: the purpose of Peter to become a disciple who could know the ways of God, and the plan of God, and help to carry out the mission of Jesus after Jesus is gone from this earth. It was imperative that Peter listen, and focus, and develop a spiritual mindset.
The truth is, when we set our mind on our own selfish ways, and/or on the ways of the world, we are being controlled by Satan, and not God. Whenever we do anything that is counter to God’s will, we are benefiting Satan’s plan, and not God’s. That is why Jesus said “get behind me Satan” to Peter. Peter thought his rebuke was out of love, but it really was serving the purpose of Satan.
On top of this, Jesus needed people around Him to help Him in this journey. We know that later Jesus would struggle with this path of going to the cross when He would pray to the Father for another way. It was going to be a hard journey; a journey of suffering, and rejection, and ultimately crucifixion. It would take the strength and support of others around Him for Him to pull this off. That is why Jesus took some disciples with Him when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, so that He would have support, and why He was so disappointed when they fell asleep instead of praying!
Jesus knew that His biggest task with the disciples was to help them learn how to set their mind on divine things. And this is true for us. That is why we are told in Hebrews 12:1-3, “There-fore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with per-severance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” And that is why the apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 3:1-2, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Without having this kind of mindset, we cannot carry on the work Christ has set for us to do; we will give in to the ways of the world. And what will it profit you to gain the world?

II. Being ashamed of Jesus- (Mark 8:38)
a. How are we ashamed? STORY: “Where is the safest place?”…..
Someone once tried to figure out where the safest place to be is. They discovered that you should avoid riding in automobiles, because they are responsible for 20% of all fatal accidents./ Also, do not stay home because 17% of all accidents occur in the home./ Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14% of all accidents occur to pedestrians./ Avoid traveling by air, rail, or water because 16% of all accidents involve these forms of transportation./ Of the remaining 33%, 32% of all deaths occur in Hospitals. So, above all else, avoid hospitals. But. . ..You will be pleased to learn that only .001% of all deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders. Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given point in time is at Church! The moral
of the story? Attend church, and read your Bible IT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE!
What is the purpose of being in church? Not just to be safe, but to connect our spirit with the Spirit of God; to grow; to be empowered. Every week we have the acolyte come and light the candles. It is the light of Christ. The acolyte lights the south candle first, representing the humanity of Christ, and then the north one, representing the deity of Christ. Then at the end of the service, the acolyte lights the wand from the deity candle, then puts out both candles, and walks the flame out, reminding us that we are to take the light of Christ into the world!
We come to church to be safe and to be built up, so that we can be prepared to take Christ to the world. We are to walk with boldness, not with being ashamed. And how are we ashamed?
1. Maybe you are in a conversation with someone, and the topic of Jesus
comes up, and you choose not to speak for fear of being contradicted or of causing conflict. IN REALITY, YOU ARE ASHAMED. 2. You choose not to say grace at a public meal for fear of having others judge you. 3. Someone invites you to do something on a Sunday morning, but instead of telling them you can’t go with them, because you have church, you choose not to tell them, and go out with them.
b. The results of our being ashamed- We need to understand that
there are results to our being ashamed. In not wanting to be despised by others, we choose to want their approval; their acceptance. We don’t understand, that in many situations we have to make a choice: choose Jesus, or choose people of the world. Those who love Jesus, will accept us. Those who don’t love Jesus will reject us. Just as the rich young ruler had to choose Jesus, or his possessions (and he chose his possessions), so we have to choose between Jesus and the acceptance of those in the world.
Why is it that we want the approval of others? We want to feel loved.
Illustration- There is a TV show that is on this summer called “So You Think You Can Dance.” Tami and I and the kids like to watch this show because of the kinds of dances they show, and the whole experience of the competition. And since it is a competition, they eliminate a dancer each week. Because it is a competition, and they desire to help these dancers improve, there are judges who comment on the dances. Sometimes when a dance doesn’t go well, the judges say critical things about the dancer’s performance. It intrigues me that when they make these negative comments, the audience always boos, and when they make positive comments the audience cheers. The audience only wants to hear positive comments.
This intrigues me, because it causes me to think about how we are afraid of conflict and negative input. But sometimes the negative input should be accepted; almost desired. Why? Because if we are getting negative comments about our faith, it is probably because we are striking a nerve in someone else, and by striking this nerve we can perhaps challenge them to think more about Jesus.
Another result of our being ashamed, Jesus says, is that the Son of Man will be ashamed of us. This is not a good thing, because it is the Son of Man, the Messiah who mediates on our behalf to the Father. And it is not a good thing if your mediator is ashamed of you and your actions. You want your mediator to have full confidence in who you are so that He can lift you up to the Father and remind the Father of the forgiveness and blessings you need in your life. What will it profit you to be ashamed of Jesus?

III. What can you give in return? (Mark 8:37)
a. Where are your values?- When Jesus asks the question in verse
37, ‘what can you give in return?’ Jesus is really helping us to come face to face with what our values are. It is possible to appear to be a success in this life, and yet have lived a life that was not really worth living. Meaning, it is possible to put our values in the wrong place, and achieve the wrong goals.
One such value would be seeking profit. Money is such a big draw for people, that some will do anything to attain it. Therefore, to attain the money he wants, a man may work many hours a week, sacrificing time with his family. In the end, he gets his money, but sacrifices his family. He gets his money, but he had to make less honorable choices along the way. He gets his money, but for what? What did this money really bring him?
How many business people increase the profit margin to a great amount, between what they buy a product for, and what they sell it for? They are not concerned with those who need the product, but they are concerned about the amount of profit they can gain from their sale. They don’t value integrity.
OR, how about the person who values popularity over principle? The great Cardinal, Wolsey, who served King Henry the Eighth once said: ‘Had I but serv’d my God with half the zeal I served my king, he would not in mine age have left me naked in mine enemies.’ Wolsey was more concerned with serving the king than God, yet in the end the king left him alone against his enemies. The question we ask should not be, ‘What do men think of this?’ but, ‘What does God think of this?’ It is not the verdict of public opinion that matters in the end, but the verdict of God that settles our destiny.
b. Our return- We have bought into the thinking that we need to
leave a legacy of profit and success. But what we envision to be success is often out of whack with what God tells us is success. For us, having nice things, a big house, lots of money, having taken great trips, establishing powerful businesses, and on and on is what we think is success. As the bumper sticker says: “He who dies with the most toys, wins.” This is what many people think we are supposed to return with the work of our lives. But this is the thinking of ‘human things.’
This is not how God sees it. God wants us to look at it with divine thinking; with the eyes of Jesus Christ. If Jesus were to compare King Herod, with the widow who gave her last coin in the offering, the widow would be judged more successful than King Herod. This is because King Herod was a tyrant, who was jealous of all, and trusted no one. The widow trusted, loved, and served God. For God, it is about faith, and faithful service, over power and fortune.
Story: There is a little-known story that took place on 9/11/2001 at the Pentagon: It is told by a chaplain who was assigned to the Pentagon. The story takes place at a daycare center near where Flight 77 hit the Pentagon. This daycare had many children, including infants who were in heavy cribs. They needed to evacuate, but there was no time to bundle up all the kids into carriers and strollers. But just then a young Marine came running into the center and asked what they needed. After hearing what the center director was trying to do, he ran back out into the hallway and disappeared. The director thought, 'well, there we are-on our own.'
About 2 minutes later, that Marine returned with 40 other Marines in tow. Each of them grabbed a crib with a child, and the rest started gathering up toddlers. The director and her staff then helped them take all the children out of the center and down toward the park near the Potomac. At the park the Marines then did a
fabulous thing - they formed a circle with the cribs, which were quite sturdy and heavy, like the covered wagons in the Old West. Inside this circle of cribs, they put the toddlers, to keep them from wandering off. Outside this circle were the 40 Marines, forming a perimeter around the children and waiting for instructions. There they remained until the parents could be notified and come get their children. Ronald Reagan once said: "Most of us wonder if our lives made any difference. Marines don't have that problem."
It could be seen that they did this because it was their job; but even more than their job, it had become part of their character! God wants us to have this kind of character—the character that leads us to serve God by serving others. The king of character that leads us to seek the will of God, instead of our own selfish will. The kind of character that helps us to understand that we cannot, on our own, achieve anything that has eternal significance. Rather, with God leading us, the only thing worthy of profit is our faith in Christ, and our serving Christ!

Conclusion:
What will it profit you to rebuke Jesus? What will it profit you to save your life (meaning that you seek what you desire rather than what God would desire for you)? What would it profit you to try and gain the world? What does it profit you to be ashamed of Jesus in order to gain popularity with others? The answer, is that it may gain you some worldly good, or some worldly acknowledgment, or some worldly perks, but it will not gain you access to heaven, nor will it gain you any lasting achievement. In the end, you will have sacrificed your relationship with God for a relationship with the world. In the end, it will lead you to be a follower of Satan, and not of God. STRONG WORDS? Yes. But they are the true words of Jesus Christ to us. They are strong words because Jesus wants to keep us on the right road; the road of heavenly blessing; the road of eternal fulfillment; the road where Jesus is proud of us, and welcomes us to heaven with fanfare. Amen.