Rest in Time of Weariness, Peace in Time of Turmoil

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light." Matthew:11: 28-30. (NLT)

Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock. Isaiah 26: 4 (NLT)

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Phillipeans 4: 6-7 (NLT)

Fellowship • November 14, 2004

Isaiah 65:17-25; Isaiah 12 or Psalm 118; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19

Sermon by Michael R. Martin
First United Methodist Church of Saranac Lake, NY

Today’s Psalm, Psalm 118, is one of the hallelujah psalms. Hallelujah means “praise the LORD” and expresses the uplifting and optimistic tone of these songs. Psalm 118 is one of the psalms traditionally sung at the Passover meal, commemorating Israel’s escape from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 11-12). Isaiah Chapter 12 is offered as an alternative to Psalm 118. This chapter is a hymn of praise and a graphic description of the people’s joy when Jesus Christ comes to reign over the earth.

In our reading from Isaiah 65:17-25, we have a pictorial description of the new heavens and the new earth. They are eternal, and in them safety, peace, and plenty will be available to all. Isaiah recounts the lord speaking, beginning with:

Isaiah 65:17-18a (NLT) "Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth—so wonderful that no one will even think about the old ones anymore. [18] Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! . . .

And concluding in verse 25 with:

Isaiah 65:25 (NLT) The wolf and lamb will feed together. The lion will eat straw like the ox. Poisonous snakes will strike no more. In those days, no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!"

And our reading from the Gospel:

Luke 21:5-19 (NLT) Some of his disciples began talking about the beautiful stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls. But Jesus said, "The time is coming when all these things will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on top of another."
"Teacher," they asked, "when will all this take place? And will there be any sign ahead of time?"
He replied, "Don't let anyone mislead you. For many will come in my name, claiming to be the Messiah and saying, 'The time has come!' But don't believe them. And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don't panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won't follow immediately." Then he added, "Nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other. There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and epidemics in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs in the heavens.
"But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will be accused before kings and governors of being my followers. This will be your opportunity to tell them about me.So don't worry about how to answer the charges against you, for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply! Even those closest to you—your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends—will betray you. And some of you will be killed. And everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to me. But not a hair of your head will perish! By standing firm, you will win your souls.

Our reading from Luke, 21:5-19, begins with the disciples and Jesus in the Temple built by Ezra in the 6th Century BC and remodeled and expanded by Herod the Great over a 46 year period. When some of the disciples commented on the beautiful stonework and decorations of the temple, Jesus stated "The time is coming when all these things will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on top of another." (Luke 21:6 NLT). The temple was indeed destroyed in A.D. 70 when the Roman army burned Jerusalem. In response to Jesus’ prophecy, the disciples asked Jesus about the times ahead. Jesus did not leave his disciples unprepared for the difficult years ahead. He warned them about false messiahs, natural disasters, and persecutions; but he assured them that he would be with them to protect them and make his kingdom known through them. The persecutions of the disciples soon began. Luke recorded many of them in the book of Acts. Paul wrote from prison that he suffered gladly because it helped him know Christ better and do Christ’s work for the church (Phil. 3:10; Col. 1:24). The early church thrived despite intense persecution. In fact, late in the second century the church father Tertullian wrote, “The blood of Christians is seed,” because opposition helped spread Christianity. Jesus warned that in the coming persecutions his followers would be betrayed by their family members and friends. In fact, Christians of every age have had to face this possibility. In the end, Jesus promised that he would return in power and glory to save them. It is reassuring to know that even when we feel completely abandoned, the Holy Spirit will stay with us. He will comfort us, protect us, and give us the words we need. This assurance can give us the courage and hope to stand firm for Christ no matter how difficult the situation. Jesus was not saying that believers would be exempt from physical harm or death during the persecutions. Most of the disciples suffered martyrdom. Rather Jesus was saying that none of his followers would suffer spiritual or eternal loss. On earth, everyone will die, but believers in Jesus will be saved for eternal life.

On this, the international day of prayer for the persecuted church, I’d like to reflect on Christian suffering. As Christians in the United States, we do not often truly suffer for our beliefs, suffer for Christ, but there are many around the world who do, who are truly risking everything for their faith. James speaks to suffering and healing in:

James 5:10-11, 13-16 (NLT) For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. Job is an example of a man who endured patiently. From his experience we see how the Lord's plan finally ended in good, for he is full of tenderness and mercy. . . 13Are any among you suffering? They should keep on praying about it. And those who have reason to be thankful should continually sing praises to the Lord. 14Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And their prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well. And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.

God intends for us to experience life together, what the bible calls fellowship. Fellowship, especially fellowship in small groups, is an essential part of being a Christian and belonging to a church. Nowadays, fellowship often refers to casual conversation, socializing, food, and fun. Asking “Where do you fellowship?” means where do you attend church. Inviting someone to “stay after church for fellowship” means join us in the back for refreshments. Ask Rick Warren tells us in the Purpose Driven Life, real fellowship is much more than just showing up at services. It is experiencing life together and includes unselfish loving, honest sharing, practical serving, sacrificial giving, sympathetic comforting, and all the other “one to another” commands found in the New Testament. As a church nowadays, we really miss the opportunity to be function as a family, to be there for one another, to truly interact in small groups. Think about how you can take what we have here this morning out into the rest of your week, not just to minister to the community at large, but to minister to one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

On this day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, remember that you are not responsible for everyone in the Body of Christ, but you are responsible to them.

Now I’d like to invite you now to the alter rail to be anointed by Pastor Linda. In Scripture, oil was both a medicine (such as in the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37) and a symbol of the Spirit of God (as used in anointing kings, see 1 Samuel 16:1-13). Thus oil can represent both the medical and the spiritual spheres of life. Christians, we should not separate the physical and the spiritual because Jesus Christ is Lord over both the body and the spirit. Western science & medicine is finally starting to recognize that there is a strong link between spiritual and physical health. So, come forth in an attitude of personal confession and prayer. This is an opportunity for the forgiveness of sins and for healing. Pastor Linda will pray over you and anoint with oil in the name of the Lord.

May the grace of the Lord be with you always, for you are precious family. Amen.

Michael R. Martin – November 14, 2004
First UMC of Saranac Lake, 8:30AM

God's Comfort • October 24, 2004

Joel 2:23-32; Psalm 65; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14

Sermon by Michael R. Martin
First United Methodist Church of Saranac Lake, NY

Ever have one of those weeks where you just don’t seem to get anything worthwhile accomplished and you are sort of feeling a bit down and a bit worthless? Well, I am at the tail end of two weeks in a row like that. I haven’t been getting anything done at work, days and nights have gone by with nothing accomplished. And right smack in the middle of it, a good friend dies suddenly.

Twenty four hours after hearing of Rob’s death, I found myself sitting with my bibles and my journal. I turned to a little resource I think I adapted from the back of an old Gideon’s Bible, entitled “Help in Time of Need.” I was directed to a couple of verses listed under “Comfort in Time of Sorrow” that I would like to share with you this morning. I guess if I have a message to share today, it is contained in these verses I am about to share, from the New Living Translation bible. May you be blessed and refreshed by His holy word.

2 Cor. 1:3-5 All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.

Romans 8:26-28 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

And I am not sure how I stumbled upon this last reading, but I hope you will find it as uplifting as I did.

Col. 3:12-16 Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

May God bless you and keep you, my friends.

Michael R. Martin – October 24, 2004
First UMC of Saranac Lake, 8:30AM

Reflections on Galations 6:1-1

If another is overcome by sin, help them back and don't fall into the same trap. Share each others troubles and probems. Don't get tired of doing what is good, don't get discouraged and give up, for we will be rewarded at the appropriate time.

Gal 6:10 (NLT) Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters.