Grace and Peace

The abuse of alcohol has taken another life.  A fine young woman, who knew and loved Jesus, has now gone home to meet Him after being killed by a drunken driver.  She was a 2006 graduate of Northside High School and in her first semester as a student at NC State University.  A bright, energetic, Jesus loving young woman has left us all to quickly.  In light of this tragedy, I would like to repeat part of an article written earlier this year:

We often hear in the news that America has a drug problem.  Frankly, I agree with that acessment.  In discussing that problem, we could talk about the dangers of cocaine, marijuana, meth, or heroin, but then we would be overlooking America’s #1 problem drug.  That drug is not any of those aforementioned illegal substances, instead it is a legal drug called ALCOHOL.

Alcohol has produced more deaths than any other drug.  Over 55% of highway fatalities are alcohol related.  It causes heart problems, liver problems, and powerful addictions.  There are over 17 million alcoholics in America today, and the number is increasing.  Alcohol addicts, by far, outnumber the addicts of any other drug.  And what about the misery index? When you consider the death, disability, psychosis, and addiction that alcohol causes, it surely produces more misery than any other drug.

But what makes alcohol so dangerous is that it is sold legally.  Not only is it sold legally, but it is as widely available as a bottle of ketchup, a bottle of shampoo, or a baby’s bottle of milk.  It is just another package of consumer goods.  It is widely advertised on TV, radio, billboards, and magazines.  Alcohol distributors will spend $600 million, asking you to drink their brand.  And note this; Americans will spend $25 billion on beverage alcohol this year.  Not million, billion!

But in spite of all the damage alcohol causes, we continue to ignore its evils.  Some Christians even debate whether the consumption of alcohol is Biblcial or not.  I think those friends miss the point.  As Paul the Apostle wrote, "Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be brought under the control of anything ( 1 Corinthians 6:12 Holman Christian Standard Bible)."

My friend, Dennis Swanson, has written a fine essay, Abstinence for a Life of Wholehearted Service which makes a great contribution to the debate. You may link to it by clicking on the title.  After reading the article and considering the information presented above, see if you don’t agree that abstinence from alcohol consumption is a Biblically sound conclusion that is practical and evidences judicious prudence.  Even with liberty comes responsibility.

For the second time this month, Lt. Dan Moran was in a vehicle attacked with an Improvised Explosive Device.  On the first occasion, Dan suffered a concussion and some bumps and bruises.  This time, he sustained a concussion, lacerated spleen, and burns (2nd and 3rd degree) on more than 50% of his body.  Dan was moved yesterday to a burn center at Brooks Army Hospital in San Antonio, Texas.  Teal, his wife, Trey, his son, and other family members were already there awaiting his arrival.  Pray for this fine young Christian warrior, husband, and dad.  Remember also to pray for his wife, son, and all the other family, comrades, and friends who love him.  As a matter of fact, remember to pray for all of our men and women in uniform as they serve our country and protect our freedom.

Although Dan's injuries are not life threatening and he has no sign of infection now, the doctors fully expect him to develop an infection from exposure to the Iraqi environment for which our bodies do not have a natural resistance.  Pray that he (contrary to the majority of the other burn victims) does not develop an infection, and that if he does, his body has the strength to fight it.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.  (Exodus 20:17 NKJV)

Maybe you don’t believe covetousness (the lust for stuff) is a problem. Guess how much money was spent on marketing (commercials, catalogs, etc.) in the USA during 2005?  $1.074 trillion was spent by companies trying to persuade us to buy their product. They did that, because they know that with the right sales pitch they can make us want it. They can make it look like everyone else has it and they are happier because of owning it. So, we need it too!

By the way, consumerism and the lust for stuff invade the hearts of believers, too.  We are as guilty of avarice as the next guy.  Check out these parody “song lyrics” by John G. Stackhouse, Jr.:

Name it and claim it, that’s what faith’s about!
You can have what you want if you just have no doubt.
So make out your “wish list” and keep on believin’
And you will find yourself perpetually receivin’  

We may wrap our sin in the trappings of faith, but greed is still greed.  God is not a “genie in a bottle” waiting to do our bidding.  As a matter of fact, God is more interested in the condition of our heart than He is the bottom line in our personal financial statement.

In the spring of 1999, two young ladies from Jacksonville High School decided to skip school one bright and beautiful day to go to the beach.  They planned to report to school the next day and say they were sick.  With their plan made, they drove to Emerald Isle and had a great day sunbathing and guy watching. But when the supposedly sick young ladies got up the next morning to go to school, guess whose photo was on the front page of the Daily News? They were busted!

Everyone tells lies now and then – at least that’s what they say!  Lying is just not viewed as all that serious in our culture. In fact, a lot of people consider it helpful and good! Just look at these quotes:

• A degree of lying - you know, white lies - seems to be inherent in all languages and all forms of communication. - Matthew Lesko
• Lying increases the creative faculties, expands the ego, and lessens the frictions of social contacts. - Clare Boothe Luce
• Lying is the simplest form of self-defense. - Susan Sontag
• Honesty is for the most part less profitable than dishonesty. - Plato
• Honesty is the best policy - when there is money in it. - Mark Twain

• The manufacturer of the tires on your vehicle says, “The tires that you are riding on are safe.”
• An airplane mechanic servicing a plane you are about to board says, “The engine will last through your entire flight.”
• Your spouse says, “I will be faithful to you alone until death.” 

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Exodus 20:16 NKJV

Here are three things you should know about lying:

These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:  A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19 NKJV

2. Satan is the source of lying.

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. John 8:44 NKJV 

He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Rev. 21:7-8 NKJV 

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32 NKJV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 NKJV 

You shall not steal.  Exodus 20:15 NKJV

The eighth commandment is very straightforward and simple.  Even an old country boy like me can understand it.  And yet, we might stumble in our understanding if we fail to take a particular matter into account that is many overlook:

“Will a man rob God?  Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?  In tithes and offerings.  You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation." Malachi 3:8-9

Have you every thought about the fact that failing to tithe is stealing from God?  You might say, "Don't talk to me about my money...that is just way too personal."  But Jesus talked about money and how our handling of it reveals a lot about our heart's condition.  As a matter of fact, Jesus spoke more on the topic of money than he did about heaven and hell combined.  There are more than 2000 verses in the Bible regarding money, but only about 500 on prayer and 500 on faith.  Our stewardship of money is very important to God!

As for our giving, the truth about tithing is this....when we are faithful and obedient in the tithe:

• We are doing what God has asked of us
• We provide the resources for His work
• We testify to His faithfulness in our lives
• We honor Him and acknowledge that He is worthy of our worship

Again today I found great strength in being surrounded with brothers and sisters in Christ.  From the time I walked on our church campus and was greeted by our First Touch Team until the time when Becky and I left to return home, I was encouraged by the community of faith.  I loved studying with my small group during Sunday School, greeting friends (old and new),  praying with the church family (and with individuals, too), singing songs of faith, the witness of corporate giving, and especially the time of commitment.  Going to "church" is not an obligation for me, it is a joy and a delight.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28 NKJV)

For one thing, we can learn from Job who said, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust upon a young woman.” (Job 31:1 NLT)

In your battle to overcome lust, let me suggest four practical steps:

1. Confess to God – This is the beginning place for healing.  Confess means to agree with God about your sin…to call it the same thing He does.  Until you see your sin as the horrible creature it is, you will not experience God’s forgiveness, healing, and restoration.
2. Forsake the occasion of sin – If you struggle with internet pornography, stop surfing the web in secret.  If you are involved in a relationship you shouldn’t be in (even if it is “only an emotional affair”), stop it now.  Repentance means not only being convicted about sin and sorry for sin, but turning away from it to follow God.
3. Get into the Word daily and pray – Constant exposure to the light of God’s Word and fellowship with Him through prayer will drive the darkness away…light always dispels darkness.
4. Tell a Christian friend – Find a growing Christian, same-sex friend who loves you because God loves you.  Tell them what you are going through and ask them to pray for you and hold you accountable.

The Hebrew word, "raw-tsach," refers to premeditated and deliberate killing.  Literally the word means "to tear in pieces or to murder (a human being)."  A correct understanding of the language helps us distinguish the intent of this commandment from killing in self defense, warfare, or in the case of capital punishment.

Has it occurred to you that the sixth commandment teaches us that human life is valuable?  It is precious primarily because of two facts that are revealed in Genesis 1:27.

1. God is the creator.

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27

2.  We are made in the image of God.

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27

Since God values human life, we should too!  I realize that very few of us in this room will ever commit murder - literally.  But here's something you need to know.  While God laid out the law in the OT - Don't murder - and that's pretty straightforward. Jesus came along and gave us insight into God's heart concerning this commandment:

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. (Matthew 5:21-26).

God is not just concerned with outside compliance to the letter of the law; He's also concerned that our heart has the right attitudes!  In light of Jesus' interpretation, we need to realize that God is calling us to release destructive anger towards our brothers and sisters.  Hate is as powerful a weapon as a gun.

The first 4 commandments dealt with our relationship with God. These are the VERTICAL commandments.

A lawyer once asked Jesus what He considered the greatest commandment.  Jesus said to him, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. (Matthew 22:37-38 NKJV)

The final 6 commandments deal with our relationships with others. These are the HORIZONTAL commandments.

In that same exchange with the lawyer, Jesus went on to say, "And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:39-40 NKJV)

With that being said, it is no shock that the first of the HORIZONTAL commandments would address the relationship between children and their parents.

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.  (Exodus 20:12 NKJV)

It is clear by this commandment's prominence in the lineup that God puts a premium on it, but our world today doesn't value this commandment. When you watch TV shows today, how are most parents portraied?  They are Morons!  Let's face it, Homer Simpson does not make you want to respect him. That 70's Show parents always come off looking like idiots.  And that is what Hollywood drums into the heads of our kids.  Even when parents do get respect, it's more of a "what can I get out of it" type of attitude.  Like the bumper sticker which reads: "Honor your parents: they haven't written their will yet".

God's command stands in sharp contrast to that attitude. It's very simple: Honor your father and mother.  Let's talk about that word, "honor."  The Hebrew word has the following ideas: to strengthen, to boast, to give weight and influence to, and to not humiliate.  So how do we "honor" our parents?

We need to answer that in two ways.  First, let's consider how to honor our parents as a child in the home.  The major way we honor our parents at that stage in life is through obedience.  Make sure your obedience flows from respect for your parents or you might be like the little boy who was standing in the back seat of the car, riding down the road with his parents. His parents told him to sit down and put on his seat-belt because they were concerned about his safety. His father told him once, then twice, then a third time. His mother looked back and asked him to sit down. He defiantly said, "No, I will not sit down!" His father told him if he didn’t sit down he would give him the spanking of his life. So the boy sat down. But then he said, “I may be sitting down on the outside, but I’m standing up on the inside.” There’s obedience, but there’s no respect.

As to the matter of respect, let me give two bits of advice.  Always speak kindly to your parents.  With your words and tone show respect.  Then, always speak kindly of your parents.  Do not put them down or trash them to your friends.

Now let's consider how to honor our parents when we are no longer a child at home.  Let's be quick to show gratitude to our parents for all they are and all they have done for us.  Let them know what they mean to you!

Also, show them consideration.  Be considerate of their feelings, their decisions, and their needs.  And speaking of needs, don't forget to make provision for your parents as they advance in years.  Consider these words from the Apostle Paul:

But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God. But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Timothy 5:4,8 NKJV)

Let me urge one further step to take in honoring your parents.  That is honor them by forgiving their failings.  But you might say, "What if my parents aren't worthy of honor?"  Maybe they divorced and left you hanging.  Maybe Mom and Dad fought and you were caught in the middle...a pawn in a marital tug-of-war.  Perhaps you were abused...physically or emotionally.  Forgiveness is a needed word for you.

Forgiveness is not a feeling. It is a choice to not hold on to anger or the desire for revenge.  Give up thinking of them with contempt. Then, ask God to begin using you as a channel for his love. Forgiveness is the key to freedom.

The world is too big for us: too much going on, too many crimes, too much violence, and excitement. Try as you will, you get behind in the race, in spite of yourself. It is an incessant strain, to keep pace and still, you lose ground. Science empties its discoveries on you so fast that you stagger beneath them in hopeless bewilderment. Human nature can't endure much more.

That sounds like something from today's paper, but it actually appeared in the Atlantic Journal on June 16, 1833.  Life goes on at a breathless pace, constantly accelerating. That's why we need the guidence of the fourth commandment so desperately today.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.  For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.  Exodus 20:8-11 (NKJV)
 

God established the Sabbath because He knows our need for rest and worship. It is His word of grace for those who are driven and harassed. It says to housewives and to construction workers, to students and to teachers, to marines and to sailors, "You must stop now and come aside with me."

God intended the Sabbath for blessing; we've ignored it and allowed ourselves to be enslaved in a culture of busyness. The fourth Commandment, like all the others, is not designed to limit us, but to liberate us. So before we get too deep in our discussion of the Sabbath, I want to make sure that we avoid a deadly trap:  the trap of legalism.

By the time of Jesus the Pharisees had lost all sense of delight in God. They surrounded His law with over 1500 rules and regulations. The problem was not with what God said, but with what they said about what He said. Rabbis drew up lists of rules regulating everything. Some were ridiculous. If an ox fell in a ditch the owner could pull it out, but if he fell in the ditch he had to stay there until the end of Sabbath. Eggs laid on the Sabbath could not be eaten, because the hens had worked. If a fly bothered a man, he had to let it gnaw away, for any attempt to catch it would be hunting on the Sabbath.  Jesus spoke against Jewish legalism regarding the Sabbath:

And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27-28 NKJV)

Steve Rexroat elaborates on that text:

Declaring himself to be Lord of the Sabbath, he spoke against their ritual-centered understanding of the day and argued that the day was for man rather than man being made for service of the day. God's instructions about observing the Sabbath were for our benefit, not just another burden to bear. Take hold of that truth and the observance of a day of rest will become more a delight than a matter of duty. The special day set aside for unhindered fellowship with God was intended as a gift. Those who try to turn it into a guilt trip simply don't understand God's positive purpose.

Are you tired of the struggle to meet the pace of your life?  Do you need rest?

Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.   (Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV)