The Plowman

 

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An exposition of Matthew 15:21-39. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, August 29, 2010.

Introduction
I hate it.  When I go I make sure I don’t have anything extra on me.  I’m not carrying anything I don’t have to have at that moment.  Because the first thing they make me do is step up on that scale!  I know it is good and it’s necessary – but I don’t have to like it.  Check ups.  They are intended to prevent major disasters.  A regular visit to the doctor is designed to spot potential problems before they are definite problems.  So even though I don’t like them – I go.  I listen.  I sometimes do as I’m told.  Job evaluations are the same way.  No one likes to be told what they are doing wrong.  No one looks forward to having their work scrutinized.  But yet again it is a necessary evil if your goal is to do your best.  For any evaluation there must first be a standard.  For a medical check up the doctor begins with an understanding of what is healthy.  For a job evaluation you must begin with a job description.  You cannot determine if something is being done well if you do not know what’s supposed to be done.

The same is true when we seek to determine how we are doing in ministry.  We are inundated with books, tapes, seminars and conferences on how to “do church.”  One positive trend in the last few years has been a shift from a “church growth” model (which evaluates solely on the basis of numbers and size) to a “church health” model.  Understanding that numerical growth is not as important as spiritual health.  If the church is spiritually healthy – growth will take care of itself.  What has been discovered is that some churches have grown incredibly but are not healthy.  But how do we determine health?  How do we determine what the church is to look like?  How do we determine what the church is to be doing?  What ministries should we have?  How many committees should there be?  How many deacons should we have?  How many staff members?   Should we even have staff members?

I must tell you that this gets to be a complicated issue.  I do not believe there are simple answers to these questions.  I take that back, I think the answer is simple but its application is difficult.  Because the simple answer is – we are here to carry on the ministry of Jesus.  But before we can even begin to address the issue of what form that takes we have to deal with a more fundamental issue.  What was the ministry of Jesus like?  For some answers we turn to Matthew’s Gospel and the 15th chapter.

Text: Matthew 15:21-39
Jesus has just finished a dispute with the leaders from Jerusalem.
He argued with them over what constitutes genuine spirituality.
Jesus made it clear that it is not a mere matter of external conformity.
Rather the issue is an internal transformation that results in external acts.
Following that exchange our Lord once again withdraws for a time of renewal.
Yet again crowds follow.

As we reflect on our Lord’s interaction with the crowds we learn some things about his ministry.  Some things we would do well to consider as we ask ourselves –

1. Is His ministry our ministry?  Is our work marked by what marked His work?
2. The ministry of Jesus responds to the heart of persistent faith.  (15:21-28)
3. The ministry of Jesus meets the needs of the hurting.  (15:29-31)
4. The ministry of Jesus is driven by compassion.  (15:32-39)

Conclusion
This is the work we are called to.
A work that responds to the persistent faith of the desperate.
A work that responds that meets the needs of the hurting.
A work that is driven by compassion.

Is this what we are about?  Is this what we are known for?  By God’s grace may it be so!

 

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A Wednesday-evening Bible Study from Genesis 29:1-30. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on August 25, 2010.

 

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A Wednesday-evening Bible study from Genesis 28:20-22. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on August 18, 2010.

 

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A look at Genesis 15:1-6. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, August 11, 2010.

 

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An exposition of Matthew 11:1-19. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, July 18, 2010.

Introduction
It is part of who we are.  We can’t help it.  We are by nature curious.  Don’t you find yourself wondering and questioning things?  I mean, why do people without a watch look at their wrist when they ask you what time it is?  Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle?  Questions, we wrestle with them everyday.  Some are important, others are not so important.  Some mold or alter our lives, while others have little or no lasting effect.  This evening I want us to consider one of life’s vital questions.  Webster defines vital as concerned with or necessary to the maintenance of life; something fundamentally concerned with or affecting life.  I’m certain that we can agree that there are some questions that are of vital importance.  I would suggest that life’s most vital question has to do with the Lord Jesus – is he indeed the Messiah?  Is he the Savior?  Is he who he claims to be?

We are going to look this evening at a crisis point in the life and ministry of John the Baptist.  John found himself imprison for his faithfulness in declaring the truth of God.  He had faithfully and consistently declared Jesus as the Messiah.  As reports reached him about the ministry of Jesus, John came to a crisis of faith.  Through John’s story we learn something about the response of the Lord Jesus to the questioning heart.  We will consider John’s story is it is recorded in Matthew chapter 11.

Text: Matthew 11:1-19
There is that part of us that thinks faith eliminates all questions and struggles.  Sometimes we get the idea that it is “wrong” to question or wonder why.  But Christianity welcomes honest questioning.  Truth always invites investigation.  The Gospel is not afraid of someone asking too many questions.  Faith does not eliminate doubt.  In fact doubting is a tool for building faith!

Os Guinness has suggested there are two dangers to be avoided when dealing with doubt.

1. Being too soft on doubt – never needing any kind of assurance.
2. Being too hard on doubt – equating all doubt with unbelief.

Alister McGrath adds, “Faith isn’t a product of absolute certain knowledge.  Faith is about being willing to live through trust in the existence and promises of God, knowing that one day his existence and those promises will be totally vindicated.  But for the moment, we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Our text is fascinating to me given the background of John the Baptist.  This is a remarkable question coming from this man.  Yet it is a question that each of us must deal with.  It is a matter of life and death.  It is a “vital question” – a vital issue.

“Are you the one who was to come or should we expect someone else?”  “Are you the Christ?  Are you the Messiah?  Are you the long awaited Savior of the world?”  This question is at the heart of the Christian faith.  Mark it down.  Underline it.  Circle it in red.

Christianity is not primarily a teaching.  It is not primarily a philosophy.  Neither is it primarily a way of life.  It is a relationship with the Sovereign God of heaven and earth, through the person of Jesus Christ.  The Gospel is the story of the fact that Jesus Christ, the Son of God left the glory and splendor of heaven and was born on this earth.  His purpose in coming was to redeem fallen and broken humanity.  He and He alone is the savior of the world and there is no heaven apart from Him.  If that is true, then the most important question in this world is “What about Jesus of Nazareth?”

If He is who the Bible claims that He is, then there is no more important question.  The question then before the house is – “What are you going to do with Jesus?”  “How are you going to respond to Him?”

These are the issues/questions surrounding this snapshot out of the life and ministry of John the Baptist.  From this story we learn something about the questioning heart and the search for assurance.  In fact we discover that:

Thesis: The questioning heart finds assurance in the person of the Lord Jesus.
As this drama in the life of John unfolds before us we find three acts.

1. Act One: A crisis of faith.  (11:1-3)
2. Act Two: A clear word.  (11:4-6)
3. Act Three: A comforting reassurance.  (11:7-11a)

Have you ever struggled to believe?  You are in good company.  The questioning heart finds reassurance in the person of the Lord Jesus.

 

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This Bible study by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, July 7, 2010.

 

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An exposition of Hosea 10:1-15. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, July 4, 2010.

Introduction
I must admit, everything in me feels as if I should say, “Mr. Chairman the great state of Oklahoma cast all her delegates upon the next president of these United States - the honorable…”  I must acknowledge my struggle with this sort of celebration.  I fear too often there is a blurring of the line in Evangelical churches.  Often the church seems to equate patriotism and nationalism with the Gospel.  THAT IS A MISTAKE.  Yet I think it fitting that our celebration of the Nation’s birth begin here in the house of God.  For apart from the mercy of the Almighty there would be no United States of America.  No nation rises to power without his aid.  We are celebrating 234 years – young by the standards of history – yet the longest on-going constitutional republic in the history of the world.  I’m convinced it is the direct result of the blessing of God.  Not that America is perfect – for she most definitely is not!  And never has been.  Not that we are uniquely the people of God and stand entitled to special rank and privilege for we most certainly do not.  At the same time many today seek to “rewrite” our history.  Determined to downplay our Christian heritage modern day scholars say our Founders were at best Deists influenced by Enlightenment philosophy.  That’s simply not true.

While not all were devout, orthodox Christians – it is a fact that 27 of the original 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence held seminary degrees.  An honest reading of the founding documents and correspondence of the Founding Fathers reveals these are not the prayers and words of Deists!  In fact George Read, a delegate from Delaware, also considered to be “The Father of Delaware” wrote that state’s first laws and the 1776 Delaware Constitution. The Delaware Constitution initially read, “Every person who shall be chosen a member of either house, or appointed to any office or place of trust, shall make and subscribe the following declaration, to wit: ‘I, do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God blessed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given.”  Hardly the words of a Deist.

A significant number of the signers were presidents or vice presidents of various Bible Societies.  Two of the Continental Congress’ first actions were to hire military chaplains and to purchase 20,000 Bibles to remedy a national shortage. America’s first Speaker of the House was the “Reverend” Frederick Muhlenberg.  The reverend John Witherspoon, president of Princeton University played a major role in the American Revolution.  While Witherspoon’s influence alone was extremely impressive, “The record of Princeton men who studied under Witherspoon is outstanding, including President James Madison [primary author of the U.S. Constitution], Vice-President Aaron Burr, nine cabinet officers, 21 United States senators, 39 members of the House of Representatives, three justices of the Supreme Court, 12 governors, and numerous delegates to the Constitutional Convention.”

Those who are upset when politicians make reference to Scripture and the wear their faith on their sleeve have obviously not read the Founders!  The language of Scripture and the Christian Faith has permeated our National rhetoric from the beginning.

Now before this turns into a political rally – let me hasten to say, I’m no Archie Bunker – “America love it or leave” – type.  I love my country.  I am proud to be an American – I wouldn’t trade it for anything – but I do not wear blinders.  I confess that I have a higher Loyalty.  And we, in the church, must not abandon our prophetic post.  We have a responsibility to speak to the nation – both the government and the citizenry.  We must not allow partisanship to distort our vision or silence our voice.  Corruption is corruption, evil is evil and injustice is injustice regardless of who is in “office.”  And we must not fail to hold the moral rope.  We must not fail to point to a higher standard.  We must speak the truth with passion and conviction.  In May of 1776, just weeks before America declared her independence, John Witherspoon declared, “He is the best friend to American liberty, who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion, and who sets himself with the greatest firmness to bear down profanity and immorality of every kind. Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I do not hesitate to call him an avowed enemy of his country.”

Love of country and love of God are not antithetical.  God grant us the courage and boldness to speak with a true prophetic voice to the heart of our Nation.  Our text this morning is found in the 10th chapter of Hosea’s prophecy.

Text: Hosea 10:1-17
Israel is in its last days.  After repeated warning and extended grace – the time of judgment was at hand.  Hosea – whose name means “salvation” was called to close the book on the nation.  He was uniquely qualified – who knew the pain of spurned love.
He knew what it was to love a wayward spouse.  Thus he spoke with conviction and compassion – the awful truth was wrapped in love.

We would do well, on this celebration of our nation’s birth, to learn from Hosea the true nature of godly citizenship.  In our partisan culture – few statesmen are left.  Gone are those who love country above party; who are committed to truth rather than power; good rather than glory.  Hosea’s prophecy serves to remind us that:

Thesis: True love of country demands that the church fulfill its prophetic role.

There are four duties of a prophet reflected in our text.

1. The voice of the prophet dares to expose the nation’s shallow faith.  (10:1-3)
2. The prophetic voice boldly addresses the nation’s sins.  (10:4-11)
3. The voice of the prophet passionately pleads for repentance.  (10:12)
4. The voice of the prophet broken-heartedly declares the nation’s doom.  (10:13-15)

Conclusion:
God’s patience will not always abide with us.
Repeatedly turning a deaf ear to his commands – comes with a price.
We do no service to our great country by denying reality.
If we love this land – we must stand as the prophet:

• Exposing its shallow faith
• Addressing its sin
• Pleading for repentance
• Broken-heartedly declaring its doom.`

 

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This Bible study by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, June 30, 2010.

 

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An exposition of Psalm 42:1-11. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on June 27, 2010.

Introduction
It just didn’t make sense.  He had just experienced a great victory.  But instead of celebrating, he was pouting.  Instead of rejoicing, he wanted to be left alone.  In fact he just wanted to die.  Now that is hard to accept given the experience Elijah had on Mount Carmel.  You will remember his challenge to the priest of Baal.  You remember that after hours of pleading and extreme measures on their part – Baal never answered.  Elijah in confidence prayed a very simple prayer and the fire of God fell.  It was impressive.  Elijah was indeed the prophet of the living God.  But on the heels of that – Elijah became severely depressed.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon has been called “The Prince of Preachers.”  The great Baptist preacher of the 19th century was known around the world.  He spoke to thousands every week from the pulpit of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London.  His sermons were reprinted each week in newspapers throughout Britain, Europe and the United States.  He was, without a doubt, one of the most respected men of his day.  Yet he wrote out his resignation almost every week and suffered great bouts of depression.

I read a report back in the mid eighties that said every other hospital bed was occupied by a “mental patient.”  That meant a person whose condition was due to emotional issues.  Record numbers of people are on medication and/or receiving treatment for depression.  It is a major concern.  Depression is a genuine condition.  Often people do need medication because of a chemical imbalance and need counseling due to major traumatic events they have gone through.  That is not and indication of weakness on their part.  It is also true that all of us struggle with depression to some degree.  How do we fight it?  Can we win the battle?  That is the focus of our text found in Psalm 42.

Text: Psalm 42:1-11

This is the first psalm of book 2 (42-72).
We are told this is a psalm by the son’s of Korah.
The Korahites were Levites who performed temple music.

It is interesting to note that during the wilderness wanderings it was Korah who led a rebellion of 250 community leaders and their families (Numbers 16, Jude 11).
The sons of Korah were spared and were later dedicated to the glory of God.

James Boice entitles his study of this Psalm, “An Upward Look by a Downcast Soul.”  I think it is important to note from the outset that depression is a problem even among the people of God.  This is vital to note given the attitudes of many today who assume faith in Christ eliminates problems.  This is not a new problem.  Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the pastor of Westminster Chapel in London, published a book in 1965 entitled Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure, which remains one of his most widely circulated works.

Do you ever get depressed?  Are you ever down in the dumps?  If you say that you never sing the blues, I’ve just got one question for you, “What planet are you living on?”  You cannot travel this road of tears and not suffer occasional bouts of depression.  If you’ve lived any time at all you’ve experienced what some of the puritan writers called “the dark night of the soul.”

As we explore Psalm 42 I think we will discover:

Thesis: The righteous fight through depression by focusing on God’s goodness and grace.

Depression is not the kind of thing you can stop.
It is going to happen.
When life “dumps” on you – you’re going to get depressed.
When trauma comes, depression is sure to follow.

While it will not be eliminated down here – you can, by God’s grace overcome.  And we find some insight in this Psalm.  This is one of the most recognized Psalms because of the opening verses.

There are two truths I want you to take hold of this evening.

1. Even the righteous are prone to periods of doubt and depression.
2. The righteous find deliverance in facing depression head on.

Conclusion
Depression is going to come.  But you don’t have to live under it.  You, by the grace of God can overcome it.  How?  Recognize that it is part of life and then face it head on.  Fight through your depression and look to God’s goodness and grace.

 

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An exposition of Psalm 114:1-8. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, June 27, 2010.

Introduction
Donald McCullough mourned its practice in the mid nineties.  J.B. Phillips warned of its dangers in the mid sixties.  Tozer railed against it in the forties.  R.A. Torrey and others sounded the alarm at the turn of the century.  Phillips warned that our God was too small.  Torrey and company called for a return to fundamental truths.  McCullough decried the “trivialization of God.”  They all amount to the same thing – a pulling God down from the lofty heights to which he belongs and remaking him in our image.  Listen to most of the preaching today and you will hear of a “user friendly” God.  A God who is far more understanding of our weaknesses and far more sympathetic concerning our bent toward perversion.  Much of today’s “Christian music” sounds more like a top 20 love song than an expression of holy adoration and reverent worship.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not at all suggesting that only music written 300 years ago is appropriate for worship!  Neither am I suggesting that nothing worthwhile has been written in the last 30 years.  I am suggesting that there has been a general loss of wonder and awe.

Oh we sing Our God is an Awesome God and I Stand Amazed in the Presence of Jesus the Nazarene – it’s just that we are not awed and we do not stand amazed!  They are merely words.  We have lost the wonder.  Amazing Grace has become routine.  Our worship is matter of fact.  We have “handled” sacred things to the point they are no longer sacred.  This is why we are to cultivate a “child-like” faith.  Not a childish faith – but a child-like faith.  A child-like faith is the kind of faith that can look at something for an hour without loosing that sense of wonder.  And child-like faith leads to glorious worship.  Glorious worship does not demand bells, whistles and show-stopping music.  Glorious worship is a heart matter!  Our text this evening is found in the 114th Psalm.

Text: Psalm 114:1-8

This is the second in the six Psalms of the “Egyptian Hallel” (113-118).
To be sung at the three major feasts – dedication, new moon and Passover.
It is a brief Psalm but one of great significance.

Spurgeon called it “sublime.”

Derek Kinder says it recalls the Exodus, not as a familiar event from Israel’s past but rather as an “astonishing event: as startling as a clap of thunder, as shattering as an earthquake.”

As we explore the 4 stanzas of this brief hymn we discover the…

Thesis: Three marks of child-like faith.

1. Stanza 1 serves to remind us that child-like faith – Rejoices in God’s deliverance of and dwelling with His people.  (114:1-2)
2. The second stanza reminds us that – Child-like faith celebrates God’s protection and provision.  (114:3-4)
3. Stanzas three and four serve to remind us that – Child-like faith trembles before God’s majesty and might.  (114:5-8)

Child-like faith rejoices and celebrates but it also trembles!
The word means to twist or writhe.
It is not a “comfortable” thing.

We are far too comfortable with the holy – which would indicate and inadequate view of God and an inflated view of ourselves.

May God grant to us a child-like faith – one that:
Rejoices in God’s deliverance and his dwelling with his people;
Celebrates God’s protection and provision;
Trembles before God’s majesty and might.