The Plowman

 

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The Gospel of John series #06. An exposition of John 2:13-25. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, November 28, 2010.

Introduction:
Have you ever come to church and been disappointed with what you experienced?  Church was less than what you were hoping for or needed?  Let’s go even a step further - not only where you disappointed you were angry.  Fed up.  Felt as if you had had it.  Well, you are not alone.  This morning we are going to see what happened one day when Jesus “went to church.”  What happened may surprise you.  It might even shock you.  But, if you’re open, it can prove to be very valuable as a means of informing your worship.  We read about it in the 2nd chapter of John’s Gospel.

We are at the beginning of our Lord’s public ministry.
He has initially gathered some of his disciples.
They’ve attended a wedding in Cana of Galilee and there he performed his first miracle.
A miracle not to rid the earth of evil.
Not to bring judgment to the wicked.
It wasn’t to heal a cripple or rescue one possessed of the devil.
It was to save a young couple from humiliation.
It was a demonstration of power and compassion.

After a few days of rest and relaxation with his family in Capernaum Jesus and his disciples make their way toward Jerusalem for the Passover.  Passover was the major feast of the Jews.  It was a time of remembrance as they looked back in celebration of God’s delivering them from Egyptian bondage.  You remember God warned that the death angel would pass through the land of Egypt bringing death to every house.  The only way of escape was to take a lamb, slaughter it and place its blood above the door and on either side.  When the angel saw the blood he would “pass over” the house and thus death would not enter.  As all of Egypt mourned the children of Israel were expelled from the land.  Passover was a joyous celebration of deliverance.  Pilgrims from around the world made their way to Jerusalem to celebrate.  Jewish males within 15 miles of the city were compelled to attend.  Conservative estimates suggest that the population of Jerusalem swelled to 2.25 million during the Passover.

The atmosphere was electric.  The streets where filled with laughter and music.  But as our Lord and his traveling companions approached the temple the laughter and joy gave way to a very different emotion.  We read about it beginning with verse 13.

Text: John 2:13-25
It is no accident that this event is recorded immediately following the wedding in Cana.  It is to be viewed in contrast to that event.  The actions of our Lord in Jerusalem are to be seen in contrast to those of the wedding.  The quiet, unassuming yet powerful miracle worker is also the sovereign Lord of the temple.  The Lamb of God is also the Lion of Judah!

Too often the meek and mild Jesus of contemporary culture is an idol fashioned from a sentimental reading of only portions of the Gospel.  We witness in this text the white hot anger of God’s righteousness as our Lord is consumed by zeal for his Father’s house.  Such a picture is startling to modern eyes.  In a culture long on tolerance and short on truth such actions seem unreasonable.  But in light of the whole counsel of God we should expect nothing less.

As we work our way through this text we are gong to discover that…

Thesis: God-honoring worship demands a godly focus and a genuine faith.

Both aspects are essential.  Our focus must be right and our faith must be real.

1 want to point our two things.

1. God’s righteous anger burns against perverted worship.  (2:13-17)
2. God’s holiness refuses to reward superficial faith.  (2:18-25)

 

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An exposition of Psalm 65:1-13. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, November 21, 2010.

Introduction
In a few days families will be gathering around tables burdened with choice foods.  There will be laughter and celebration.  There will be a prayer of thanksgiving.  Following the “amen” forks and elbows will fly and within a few minutes the fruit of weeks of planning and days of preparation will be devoured.  Immediately following the meal kids will want to play.  Father’s will plop into a recliner and wonder why they ate so much.  When the kids ask dad to play – he must excuse himself for fear he would explode!  When the clean up is done, other exhausted family members fall into chairs and onto sofas.  And we all breathe a heavy sigh – another Thanksgiving has passed.  I don’t mean to sound cynical but holidays do seem to become routine.  We often find ourselves just going through the motions.  But maybe the problem is not with the holiday – maybe it’s that we fail to recognize our need to live a life of perpetual gratitude.  A spirit of thanksgiving is to permeate our lives as the people of God.  We don’t need to be told to be thankful one day out of the year – we are to live each day in gratitude for God’s abundant blessing. We are to reflect the attitude of the psalmist as found in Psalm 65.

Text: Psalm 65:1-13

While this psalm could be sung anytime in Israel, and no doubt was, it most likely was composed as part of the annual harvest festival – The Feast of Tabernacles.  Tabernacles was the longest and most joyful feast of the Jews.  It began on the 15th day of the seventh month and continued until the twenty-second day of the month.  The eight-day celebration was in gratitude to God for the harvest just gathered.

From this Psalm we are reminded that:

Thesis: God’s person and work demands a response of gratitude, praise and thanksgiving.

We are to praise and thank God for who he is and for what he has done.
That is exactly what is happening in this psalm.
This hymn has three stanzas let’s look at them.

1. The righteous praise God for His saving grace.  (65:1-4)
2. The righteous rejoice in God’s mighty power.  (65:5-8)
3. The righteous give thanks for God’s bountiful provision.  (65:9-13)

The psalmist praises God for his bountiful provision throughout the year and concludes by saying that all creation “shouts for joy and sings.”

This is to be the heart and attitude of the people of God.  Responding to God’s person and work with gratitude, praise and thanksgiving.  Praising God for his saving grace.  Rejoicing in His might power.  And giving thanks for His bountiful provision.

 

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The Gospel of John series #05. An exposition of John 2:1-11. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, November 21, 2010.

Introduction
Have you ever felt insecure, isolated or unimportant?  Have you ever been in a difficult spot and wondered if anybody really cared?  Do you ever wonder if God cares?  Do you ever find yourself thinking, “Well I know this is important to me, but I can’t bother God with it.  I mean He has His hands full with famine, poverty, war and all that other stuff.  Why would He be concerned about my problems?”  That’s a legitimate question.  Why would He?  Think about it.  In the grand scheme of things how important are you?

You are one of a few billion people on the planet.  When it comes to planets and solar systems ours is one of the smallest.  We get virtually all our energy from the sun.  Yet we receive only one half billionth of the energy that leaves the sun.  That’s understandable considering that energy travels some 93,000,000 miles to get here.  Light traveling from the sun at 186,000 miles per second takes 8 minutes and 19 seconds to reach us.  Light from the nearest star?  Four years.  From the center of our galaxy?  Thousands of years.  Yeah, in the grand scheme of things, who are you?

Your thinking, “Thanks pastor I was a little down this morning when I got here, now, thanks to you,  I’m suicidal!”  Hold on, stay with me.  I want you to think.  God spoke and this vast universe came into being.  He holds all of it together by His power.  Does He have time for you?  What effect does the details of your life have on the history of the world?  If you’ve ever wondered if God cared.  If you have ever wondered if you matter.  There is someone I want you to meet.  I don’t know their names.  I really don’t know anything about them other than they understand the extent of God’s great love.  One day they were on the verge of a great embarrassment.  What could have been the most humiliating day of their lives became instead a day of great rejoicing.  We read about it in the second chapter of John.

Text: John 2:1-11

John wrote his gospel from the city of Ephesus.
He wrote sometime between 55-95.
He wrote to reveal something of the heart of the Lord Jesus.
Gospel = selective history with a purpose.
Purpose - 20:30-31 - evangelistic, “…that you might believe…”
Only John tells us about this wedding in Cana of Galilee.
Here we find John’s account of the first of our Lord’s earthly miracles.

There are many surprising things about this miracle.  Not the least of which is that it is so private.  This is not what I would have done for my first miracle.  I think you need to open with a bang.  Burst on the scene with an eye-popping miracle.  You need some fanfare, some publicity you need a crowd.  Just a few people were in on this.  Most had no idea what was going on.  How are you going to build a following like that?

Another shocking this is the context of the miracle.  No famine.  No great tragedy.  No cripple.  No blind person.  No child to pull at the heart strings.  Just concern for a young couple who where about to be embarrassed on the most important day of their life.  It’s not how I would have done it but I’m sure glad He did it that way because it reveals a glorious truth.

Thesis: Jesus’ first miracle forever settles the extent of God’s love and compassion.

If you’ve ever wondered if God cared.  If you’ve ever felt insignificant or unimportant you need to take a trip down to Cana of Galilee.  Two great truths are revealed there.

1. God, in love and great compassion, is concerned about the details of your life.  (2:1-5)
2. God, in power, can turn your tragedy into triumph.  (2:6-11)

Conclusion
But let’s not loose sight of the greater lesson.  This same Jesus who turned water into wine wants to transform your life.  He that converted water to wine desires to change you from sinner to saint.  He desires to deliver you from the bondage of sin and death.

John’s purpose in telling this story is not just to reveal the love of God for us.  But to remind us a new day has dawned with the coming of Messiah.  It is no insignificant thing that our Lord used those purification pots.  The water of Old Testament purification has been changed into the wine of the new covenant.  Types and shadows now give way to the reality of God’s Deliverer.  In this section down through chapter 4 John is beginning to unfold the glory of the One made flesh as he demonstrates the truth of Paul’s teaching in 2 Corinthians 5:17.

 

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1 Corinthians Series #07: An exposition of 1 Corinthians 4:1-21. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, November 14, 2010.

Introduction
I suppose we all dream of leadership in one way or another.  We aspire to be the leader, the boss, the one around whom everyone rallies.  In doing so we all have our own ideas about what makes a great leader.  To some degree those qualities depended on the field in which you are going to lead.  To lead troops into battle does not take the same set of skills as to grow a prize winning rose!  Still there are certain basics required if you are going to excel or lead in any area.  When it comes to the church we all have our ideas about what makes for a great leader.  That’s why it is understandable the folks in Corinth had their favorites just as we have our favorites.  We like this one’s preaching better than that one.  That one had a better personality than this one.  “He could really motivate while he put me to sleep.  He was a great comforter while he was aloof and hard to know.  Great organizer - never knew what was going on.”  The problem in Corinth was not that the folks identified with one more than the other but that they considered one a true servant of God and the others pretenders.  Paul’s focus in chapters 1-4 is to get them to see that that all their leaders are the servants of God and none of them really matter - it is God that matters.  He said, “I planted, Apollos water but it is God who caused the growth.”  In chapter 4 the apostle comes to describe what leadership in the church should look like.  He sets before us three characteristics of biblical leadership.  Our text this evening is found I the fourth chapter of 1 Corinthians.

Text: 1 Corinthians 4:1-21

This chapter brings us to the end of the first major section of the letter - Divisions 1:1-4:21.

As Paul has been addressing the various factions in the church he has had to address some of the  characteristics of leadership.  In this text he addresses the question directly.  What does biblical leadership look like?  What marks it as biblical.  This passive is not definitive.  It is not the only text in Scripture on the subject but it is one that addresses the issue head on.  As we work our way through the chapter we are going to find that…

Thesis: Biblical leadership is gospel oriented and focused on the crucified life.

It is important to note here, just like in chapter 3, that Paul is talking about those in leadership.  It is not that these same characteristics do not apply to all believers, for they certainly do, but that the specific context is the question of leadership.

That is clear because of 4:6 - I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.

Paul makes a clear distinction between himself, Apollos and the congregation.

I’m convinced this passage is much need in our day.  The church has become enamored with the corporate model with the pastor assuming the role of the CEO.  Churches are then staffed with committees, study groups and long-range planning groups to chart the course for the next decade.  I’m not suggesting that everything the church is doing is wrong.  I’m not suggesting that planning and charting a course of action is unbiblical, I’m saying the mindset is wrong.  The mindset is unbiblical.  At the same time the answer is not democracy.  The answer is not “give the people what they want.”

Well, what is the answer?
Paul spells it out in our text.

3 characteristics of biblical leadership.

1. Biblical leadership is firmly rooted in Gospel soil.  (4:1-7)
2. Biblical leadership consistently displays the virtue of genuine humility.  (4:8-13)
3. Biblical leadership faithfully admonishes and lovingly corrects wayward saints.  (4:14-21)

 

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The Gospel of John Series #04: An exposition of John 1:35-51. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, November 14, 2010.

Introduction
We’ve all had that experience of choosing up sides.  I remember those days in elementary school on the playground.  Clearly the goal was to win.  Winning wasn’t everything it was the only thing.  You choose those who will enable you to achieve the goal.  Friendship, feelings, relationships are out the window, this is war!  It was understood, if the game was a relay race I would be the last one chosen.  I was not swift of foot.  They timed me with a calendar.  But, if we were to engage in a tug-of-war, I was a first round draft choice.  “Tie a rope around Rodney and tell him to sit down they can’t move him.”  The goal determines the choosing.  Everyone knows that.  You choose those who are suited for the task.  That’s what is so confusing.  It made no sense.  When you consider those whom the Lord Jesus called out to be with Him, to form the foundation of His kingdom building enterprise, why this bunch?  They were an unlikely group.  It would seem that unlike the Marines our Lord isn’t very discriminating.  Unsophisticated, unlearned, unpolished not exactly the building blocks for a worldwide movement.  Then again a different principle was operating here.  This was no ordinary movement.

In John 1:35-51 we find John’s account of the early gathering of the disciples.  It has been suggested that the account in the 4th Gospel cannot be reconciled with the accounts in the other 3.  Attempts to harmonizes the accounts have failed.  But that assumes John and the other gospels are all talking about the same events.  I’m convinced that what is recorded in the opening chapter of John is a “first encounter” before their being “called” as disciples.  When you look carefully at the text our Lord doesn’t actually call anyone.  I believe that comes later and that would also explain how they so readily left everything to follow Him.  This morning I want us to explore John chapter 1 verses 35-51.

Text: John 1:35-51

Two things are clear to me in this account.

• The disciples are at the “come and see” stage.
• They are being told that they will see “greater things to come.”

This is an account of 5 men - each different, each with their own experience.

As we consider this account I want to seek out the timeless principles reflected in their encounters.  Are there some truths that are universal, that apply to all of those who would follow Christ?  I believe there are and I call your attention to three of them.
These matter because…

Thesis: Our Sovereign Lord is still in the business of graciously calling men and women to come follow Him.

3 characteristics of those who genuinely follow Christ.

1. Genuine followers of Christ must come to grips with life’s fundamental question.  (1:35-39)
2. Genuine followers of Christ are given a god-ordained potential.  (1:40-42)
3. Genuine followers of Christ recognize the Lord Jesus as the “gate of heaven,” the fulfillment of the promise.  (1:43-51)

Conclusion:
Our God is still in the business of calling men and women, boys and girls to follow Him.
What does it mean to follow Him?

• It means to come to grips with life’s fundamental question - what do you want/desire?
• It means you receive a god-ordained potential - made a new creation.
• It means you recognize Jesus as the “gate of heaven” the fulfillment of the promise.

Where are you in the process?

 

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An exposition of Genesis 42-44. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, November 10, 2010.

 

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1 Corinthians #06: An exposition of 1 Corinthians 3:1-23. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, November 7, 2010.

Introduction
You have to admit GEICO has some funny commercials.  I love the one when the announcer asks, “Can GEICO save you 15%?  Does a former drill instructor make a lousy therapists?”  The man lying on the couch is talking about what makes him sad.  The therapist says, “You know what make me sad?  YOU DO…!”  Sometimes you just want to say to people, “Grow up!  Stop your whining.”  I don’t think the apostle Paul was a former drill instructor but he seems to make the same kind of therapist.  When addressing the divisions and strife in the Corinthian church he finally says, “Grow up!”  He verbally slaps them in the face and says take a good look at yourselves.  You need to understand what is driving all this bickering and understand its devastating effects.  Our text this evening is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 3.

Text: 1 Corinthians 3:1-23

1 Corinthians 3 is one of the abused and misused texts of the New Testament.
It is used to justify the doctrine of purgatory by some.
It has been used to foster the spurious carnal Christian doctrine.

[As we’ll see Christians can be worldly but not in the sense of the modern day “carnal Christian” teaching.  The lifestyle or behavior many want to point to and say, “that’s an example of a carnal Christian” is better described as, “that’s a lost person carrying some christian baggage.”  More on that later.]

We have to see chapter 3 as part of a larger argument.  One that begins in chapter 1:10 and continues through to 4:21.  Throughout that whole section Paul is addressing a problem that is plaguing the church at Corinth.  There is a divisive spirit tearing the church apart.  Certain people from Chloe’s house have told Paul that groups within the church have formed around their favorite preachers.  Some say, “We follow Paul” others, “We follow Apollos” - or someone else.  Chapter 3 must be seen in light of this continuing argument.

At the heart of this problem is a misunderstanding about the Gospel itself - its cross-centeredness and the accompanying applications and a misunderstanding of Christian leadership.  As we look at chapter 3 we are going to find that…

Thesis: Paul graciously warns of the devastating effects of spiritual immaturity.

I want to point out three things in our text.

1. Divisive believers display a wicked, foolish, and entirely unacceptable spiritual immaturity.  (3:1-4)
2. Immature believers fail to adequately understand the nature of the church and the work of those who serve her.  (3:5-17)
3. Immature believers fail to appreciate the rich and glorious heritage that rightfully belongs to them.  (3:18-23)

 

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Gospel of John #03: An exposition of John 1:14-18. This message by Pastor Rod Harris at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, November 7, 2010.

Introduction
We live in an increasingly “spiritual” culture.  Spirituality is a hot topic.  People are spiritual but not religious.  That’s how most put it.  It does seem strange that in a world where science is deemed the great deliverer that interest in spiritual matters would be on the rise but that’s part of the paradox of our time.  Much of that is due to the fact that science provides less than satisfying answers to many of life’s most difficult questions.  For all of our scientific advances and though we are living longer we are not living “better.”  Most of you are old enough to remember when some academics boldly declared, “God is dead.”  With our knowledge of the universe we no longer needed the “god hypothesis.”  God was not needed to explain the universe.  So if God is dead why the interest in spiritual matters?  First of all the God who was no longer needed was the God of the Bible.  The God of the Christian Church.  Frederick Nietzche, the philosophical leader of the “god is dead movement” said, “When the God who has been known and worshipped in Christendom is dead, the result will be a rain of gods.”  G. K. Chesterton said, “When people deny the biblical God it is not that they believe in nothing…but that they believe in anything and everything!”  That is where we are.

As a result we are no longer sinners we are seekers.
God is not a judge who passes sentence on our rebellion.
He is an affable, friendly God who looks and acts remarkably like us!
God has been domesticated.
He’s been made “user-friendly.”
He is far more approachable and understanding.

Man has always been “religious.”  Every culture has looked to a supreme being.  Since the Garden we have be sewing fig leaves together in a futile attempt to cover our nakedness.  We’ve sought various means to hide our guilt and establish relationship with God.  That is what religion is - man’s attempt to reach God.  Biblical faith is not about man’s reaching God but about God’s coming to us.  In the Garden when our first parents rebelled, it was God who sought them, “Adam where are you?”  We love Him because He first loved us.  Our text this morning is found in the first chapter of John’s Gospel.

Text: John 1:14-18

We are coming to the end of the prologue.
The introduction to John’s Gospel.
Here he lays out the various themes that we’ll meet again and again throughout his account.
John’s purpose is evangelistic - 20:30-31.

We already been told who He is:

• He is the Eternal One
• He is God
• He is the Creator of everything that exists
• He is life and light.

We’ve been introduced to the forerunner - John the baptizer.
He is an example of godliness:
Understands his worth is rooted in the call of God on his life.
Delights in his role as a light bearer.
Acknowledges his usefulness but is not delusional about his importance.
Glories in the exaltation of Christ.

Now we launch into deep theological waters with this simple, eloquent statement.  It has been rightfully said that John’s Gospel is shallow enough for a child to wade and yet deep enough for elephants to swim!  Simple straightforward statements that will take eternity to unpack.

In this section we are reminded that…

Thesis: The doctrine of the incarnation sets Christianity apart from the religions of the world.

There are three things I want us to note concerning this wonderful truth.

1. The incredible fact of the incarnation.  (1:14)
2. The blessed benefits of the incarnation.  (1:14-17)
3. The glorious result of the incarnation.  (1:18)