Heavenly Worship
Revelation 4:1-5:14 Lesson 5
Key verse 5:13 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 5-23-10
“Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever.”
Revelation may be the most intriguing book in the Bible. It is full of powerful imagery, describing the terror of evil and the conquering power of God in Christ. Christians past and present have recited passages from Revelation to prepare for worship and to overcome persecution. In today’s lesson, we will learn about heavenly worship. How easy it is for us to go through the motions of worship. We can go through the order of service with empty hearts and empty heads. We can sing the “Lord’s Prayer” or sing “All Hail The Power Of Jesus’ Name” while yawning at the same time or flicking through the edges of the Bible. Actually that is quite a feat. Some try to tap into some “good feelings” while worshipping, not actually turning their hearts to God. So what is the model of worship? This is the theme of a popular praise song, “The Heart Of Worship.” One lyric reads, “I’m going back to the heart of worship…it’s all about you. It’s all about you…Jesus.” So, what is the heart of worship? And how can we get back to it? What or who do we have to get back to? In chapters four and five we see the picture of heavenly worship. We can learn why and how God is worshiped in heaven. We can participate in this worship even today. This can be our model of worship.
Part I: Worship God Because He Is The Holy, Almighty Creator (4:1-11)
In this part, John is taken up before the very throne of God. Look at verse 1, “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." This is not about heaven coming down and filling one’s soul with glory. It is about John going up to heaven where God’s glory fills everything. The first thing John mentions is a throne with someone sitting on it. Look at verses 2-3, “At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne” A throne symbolizes the majesty and power of a king. Thrones evoke reverence and humility from those who would approach. And rightly so. This King, at a word, has power to create, destroy, and judge everything in all creation. His power and majesty are manifest. Verse 5 says, “From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.” It is interesting that John never calls God by name. He calls him “the one seated on the throne” again and again (4:2,3,9,10; 5:1,7). John was awestruck by the power and majesty of God. John proclaims that God reigns over the universe from his throne. When we come to worship God, we must realize we are approaching the great King of the whole universe. It is easy for us to be too casual in our attitude toward God. Our inner attitude, and the outward manifestation should reflect the faith that we are coming before the King of kings and Lord of lords. Some of us have greater respect coming before the President of the United States, a doctor, a police officer, a sports star or a singer than coming before God himself. Some Justin Bieber concerts had to be canceled because of screaming girls. Would they scream if Jesus was coming to town? We must come before God with humble reverence and awesome respect.
The appearance of the throne gives us glimpses of who God is. Look at verse 3. “And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.” Perhaps the image here is that of light shining through crystal, as when brilliant light flows through a prism producing a spectrum of color that dazzles our mind’s eye with its beauty. If we turn the prism just slightly, it produces a whole new array of color, diverting its shafts in myriad directions. This is like Jesus. There are hundreds of names to describe Jesus…The Lamb of God; The Springs Of Living Water; The Bread of Life…etc. Beholding Jesus is like beholding an ever changing crystal in all of its brilliance. The emerald rainbow suggests greenness, which represents life, life that issues forth from God, the source of life. The absence of God is sometimes described as a desert. God’s presence brings life; flourishing, growing, abundant life. Moreover, the rainbow reminds us of God’s covenant with Noah. (Gen 9:8-17) God promised not to destroy the world with a flood again, even though mankind is evil. God remembers and keeps this promise faithfully. Thunder and lightning recalls God’s covenant with Moses to make his people a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. (Ex19:5,6,16) God keeps this covenant even though his people are often unfaithful. This is the God of the covenant. Though he is the Almighty God, he has limited himself, through covenant promises, to mere people. God does not exercise his mighty power at random, as a spoiled son of some totalitarian ruler might do. God reigns over his creation according to his covenant promises. We can trust God.
When we survey chapter four as a whole, we find that it describes a worship service in heaven. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads (4). Most likely, they represent the twelve tribes and the Twelve Apostles. They represent the redeemed of the Lord throughout all ages, before and after Christ. They have been sanctified and given glory and authority from God. Then, in the center, around the throne, were four living creatures. They were covered with eyes, in front and back, and they had six wings.
These four living creatures are, in a sense, worship leaders. On their cue, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him. Now we can understand why the living creatures needed so many eyes. Consider a chorus and orchestra conductor. As he conducts, his eyes dart back and forth, from one section to another, and he works hard to keep everything in harmony to produce the most beautiful choral performance. However, since he has eyes only in the front of his head, he cannot see the musicians and audience at once. He actually needs eyes in the back of his head. These living creatures always see God and the assembly before them simultaneously. They are always ready to respond to God. They see everyone, engaging everyone in worship. No one could sneak in the back unnoticed. The eyes under their wings suggest that nothing is hidden in the worship service. They seem to be equidistant from each other, to form a kind of “surround sound” effect of worship and praise. The living creatures lead others by first worshiping God themselves. As they give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne, the twenty-four elders fall down before God and worship him willingly and whole heartedly. We should learn from these creatures. We should lead the way in worship. When others come to worship service we should set the example. We should be very attentive to Jesus. Our worship should be full of praise, prayer and thanksgiving. Our worship should inspire others to worship God also. May that be the kind of worship that happens here at NIU UBF every Sunday.
Consider the elders. As they fall down, they yield all of their authority and power to God, recognizing God’s supremacy. They lay their crowns before the throne as they worship (10b). These crowns represent the church triumphant. God has given victory to his church in accomplishing its purpose. This victory has come through many individual battles and through the church’s corporate struggle as well. Finally the church’s victory is given back to God. This is part of worship. This is why we must overcome the world and render victory and glory to God in our personal lives and as a church. God has given each of us so many victories in life, in regards to school and work and sports etc. How easy it is to keep that glory for ourselves, seek more of it and revel in it. This is like prancing around, showing off our crowns defiantly, ignoring the fact that others are laying down their crowns at the foot of God’s throne. But may we learn from the elders to toss our crowns at the foot of Jesus and give all the glory, honor and praise to Jesus in very practical ways. This is actually the most glorious thing you can do with your victories in life.
We can learn why God is worshiped in this way by listening to the worshipers. The living creatures say, in verse 8b, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty....” These creatures proclaim God’s holiness. This is the distinctive feature which overwhelms them. Holiness is that quality of God’s character that completely transcends his creation. We cannot fully understand it. To scratch the surface, in describing his holiness, we can say that God is absolutely perfect in his morality, ethics and spirituality. His motive is always right. His knowledge is perfect. His character is flawless. His love is complete. Just think about how many decisions God has made. Not once did he ever make a wrong decision, in spite of Satan’s mischief and mankind’s sinfulness. (Ro 8:28) God has governed the whole created world with perfect wisdom to accomplish his own purpose. God’s holiness is like a consuming fire. It breaks out against impurity and imperfection (Ex 19:22,24). No human being can approach God at random. We must come before him humbly and with a repentant heart. We must be ready to receive conviction of sins which we are usually too dull to be aware of. What does “receive conviction of sin” mean? Think of it this way, when we are around someone who is always generous in serving others, we are convicted of our own selfishness. Likewise, when we stand before the holy God, all of our imperfections and sins are exposed. It is not easy to bear. In our humanness we would surely respond in self righteousness and self justification. Some would lash out at God. We need a warning about his holiness. The living creatures help us to be alert, not being caught off guard, so that we being ready to respond properly to God’s holiness. What is the healthy response? It is recognizing God’s holiness, repenting of our sins and aspiring to grow in that holiness is the proper response and is essential in worship.
Let’s learn more about God in verse 8b. The living creatures said, “who was, and is, and is to come.” (8b) God is eternal in nature. God has always existed, he exists now, and he will always exist. All other creatures are dependent on something else. But God is different. God is absolutely independent. Man did not invent God. He exists in and of himself without help from anyone.
The elders’ words of worship are recorded in verse 11. They say, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” God created all things, including each person’s life. God did this by his own will. He did not act as anyone’s agent. God made all things by his own free choice to do so. God did not need to make us. God has everything he needs in his own being. The created world is to God like a garment that he wears for a while (Ps 102:26). He can change it and put on another one as he pleases. Why do each of us have life? It is because God decided to give us life. We exist purely out of God’s kindness and grace. He willed us into existence and wants us to live in a love relationship with him forever with him in the Kingdom of God. This is one reason why we worship God, our Creator. We are compelled to do so by realizing his holiness, power, goodness, and grace.
The last part of verse 11 says that we have our being in God. Our true identity is in God. People travel to the ends of the earth and experiment with many things in order to “find themselves.” But when we know God and find ourselves in God, we can find out who we truly are. This comes when we worship God. There are many who don’t know their own identity in God. They only know their parents’ identity or a friend’s identity or the identity of a world sick with sin. The wonderful truth here is that when we worship God, we find our own being in God, that is, who we really are. This is what our young people are desperately searching for. May God bless you to worship God with all your heart in this year and discover your true identity in God.
Part II: Worship Christ Because He Is Our Redeemer (5:1-14)
In chapter 5:1, John’s attention is drawn to the right hand of him who sits on the throne. In his right hand, he holds a scroll. This scroll contains the decree of the sovereign Ruler of all. It is the written will of God. But it is sealed with seven seals. No one knows what is written in the scroll except God alone. Then a mighty angel steps forward and says, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” (2) None of the angels dare to step forward. No human being dares step forward. Science and technology cannot help us here; neither can philosophy or psychology. John begins to weep. He may be saddened by the fact that absolutely no one is worthy to break the seals and discover what is written on the scroll. He also has a burning desire to know God’s will, but he is utterly helpless. Have you ever wept out of a deep desire to know God’s will? Most people, even God’s people, don’t really care all that much. We need someone who is worthy to open the scroll for us. Who can do so? Look at verse 5. “’Then one of the elders said to him, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’” This refers to Jesus Christ. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, a prophetic reference to the conquering Messiah (Ge 49:8-12). Christ is the one who reveals God’s will to his people.
We learn more about Jesus’ identity in verse 6. “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” Although Jesus is called the Lion by the elder, John sees a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne. Jesus is both the Lion and the Lamb. John the Baptist had called Jesus, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29). This refers to Jesus’ sacrifice of atonement for us. When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain of separation between God and man was torn in two. Mankind was reconciled to God. From the throne of the Father God, through the Lamb of God, the Spirit is poured out into all the earth. The Spirit draws men to God the Father through Jesus Christ. Christ is the Mediator, who opens the way to God by the power of the Spirit.
After the Lamb takes the scroll, another wave of praise and worship breaks forth. This wave is directed to the Lamb by the living creatures and the elders. They recognize that the Lamb is the only one in all creation who can fulfill God’s salvation plan and redeem his creation. True worship of the Lamb requires us to recognize this: Christ is the only one in all creation who can save us. When they realized this, they fell down before him. They also offered up intercessory prayer to God for the salvation of mankind. Intercessory prayer is an important part of worship. Then they take out their harps and sing a new song. Praise music and vocal teams and choruses are an important part of worship. Look at verses 9-10. “And they sang a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.’” May God help Triton, DuPage and NIU UBF to form a heavenly praise band to help 800 people to worship the Lamb, Jesus, at the upcoming Summer Bible Conference!
The redemption of the Lamb is truly great. Let’s read verses 9-10 again. Christ saves men from every tribe and language and people and nation. Christ saves people from Africa, Asia, Oceania, South America, Europe and North America. Christ’s changing power makes selfish people become sacrificial people, proud people become humble people, corrupted people become holy people. Christ’s redemption produces a kingdom of priests and a holy nation in fulfillment of God’s unchanging hope and purpose.
As the great redemption wrought by the Lamb is revealed, another wave of praise and worship breaks forth. The angels in heaven, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand encircle the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sing: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then another wave of praise breaks forth. Let’s read verses 13-14. “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’ The four living creatures said, ‘Amen,’ and the elders fell down and worshiped.”
Today we have caught a glimpse of the worship of God and of Christ in heaven. We learned that we need to come before God with awesome respect. Behold the beauty and majesty of our God; worship God, acknowledging his grace and power. Cast our crowns at the feet of Jesus as an act of worship. Initiate worship and inspire others to worship. Come to Jesus, the Lamb of God, humbly ready to learn the many secrets of the Kingdom of God from him. Let’s accept this as our model of worship. Let’s pray that we may worship God our Creator and Christ our Redeemer in a way that pleases him. We should enjoy worshipping God like this for this that is what heaven is going to be all about…worshipping Jesus. May God help us to be Christians who can worship God in spirit and in truth, for these are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. (Jn 4:23).
Monday, May 24, 2010
Genesis 18:1-33
“Let Me Speak Just Once More”
Genesis 18:1-33 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF
Key Verse: 18:32 5-16-10 DuPage UBF
“Then he said, ‘May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?’”
In the last passage God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, planting in his heart the vision to be a father of many nations. How does a father of many nations live? Does he sit on a throne and let his extended family serve him hand and foot? No way! In this passage we discover what the practical life of a father and mother of many nations actually is. In it we will find the Lord coming to visit Abraham through three visitors. Abraham welcomed the visitors with his whole heart. Through his serving we find a wonderful example of God centered family. We also find Sarah in need of an infusion of faith. God will help her to repent of her fatalism and unbelief and put her trust in the Lord. We will see Abraham's personal relationship with God deepened as he converses with God as God’s friend. We will also learn how a father of many nations prays prayers that move the heart of God. May God grant us vision for our own house church ministries and grant us "nothing is too hard for the Lord " faith. May we grow in our friendship with God and learn how to be effective prayer servants for the people of our times.
Part l: A Beautiful House Church In Action. (1-8)
My heart is always moved when I see the inner workings of Abraham’s family or house church. They are so hospitable and sacrificial and so unified. So, I’d like to spend some time on this portion of the text.
God could not ignore such a great man of God. The Bible says that Abraham was God’s friend (James 2:23; Isa 41:8). Friends visit each other, dropping by even without an invite. And that is exactly what God did. Look at verses 1-2a, “The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby…” Who were these three men? The passage says that the “Lord” appeared to Abraham. Hebrews 13:2 reads, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” I believe that this was the Lord revealing himself through three angels who appeared as ordinary travelers, even strangers, to Abraham.
Enough about that. Let’s learn more about this generous hearted man. Look at verse 2b, “…When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.” It was in the heat of the day, in the afternoon, the time that most people want to have a little siesta after lunch. The last thing one would want is hurry to do anything, except to run off to bed. But Abraham hurried from the entrance of his tent. This senior citizen had more zeal in his step than some teenagers. Abraham was also eager to show respect and hospitality to these three visitors. In ancient times, hospitality towards total strangers was practiced. They were to be treated like honored guests. But Abraham wasn’t showing respect just because it was the custom. He respected others, from his heart, because he knew the God who honored and respected him. It was not easy to show such respect. Who was Abraham? He was the leader of more than 1,000 people. He was their spiritual leader, a rich rancher and a military general who conquered the regional bully, Kedorlaomer in Genesis 14. He was the one whom kings made treaties with. (Gen 14:21) He should demand respect from others but he did not. He reminds me of some of our UBF leaders who are professional people, holding prestigious positions in society and yet sincerely honoring and respecting young students like they were VIP’s.
Abraham sincerely invited them to his home in full expectation that they would accept his invite. Let’s read verses 3-5a, “He said, ‘If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.’…” These visitors could not ignore such a sincere and warm invitation. And so they said, “Very well, do as you say.” (5b) Students will not ignore your invite either if it is warm and sincere and if you fully intend to carry through with what you propose.
Abraham understood the needs of his guests. He knew they were thirsty and so he offered them water. He knew that their feet were dirty and so he provided a means to wash them. He sensed they were tired and so he offered them rest in the guest tent. He knew they were hungry and so he offered to feed them. He knew they were busy men and so promised that he would not burden them, but send them on their way when they felt it was the right time. Jesus saw our needs and served us accordingly. As ministers of the gospel to campus students we must have spiritual insight to see students’ needs and serve them accordingly. We are here, not to burden them, but to be a source of blessing and encouragement to them. May God inspire each of you with ways that you can bless those who God has brought into your life.
His family worked together as a unit. Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick. Get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread.” Sarah didn’t say, “I beg your pardon. Who are you saying, “Quick” to? By the way, I’m taking a little nap and I can’t kneed any dough…I just did my nails.” No, Sarah was not such a woman. She was a sincere woman of God who co-worked well with Abraham. She jumped into action, along all her other servants and even young Ishmael. They were willing and eager to serve. The words, "hurried" and "quick" and "ran" describe how Abraham and his family served his guests. They worked hard and fast. They served together as a house church.
They were very generous. Look at the menu. Three seahs of fine flour. (6) That is about 20 quarts. Do you known how much bread 20 quarts makes? Maybe 100 loaves! Next, curds and milk. Curds are cheese. Curds and milk were valuable commodities. A choice tender calf. This was not a scrawny, half dead cow that was already on it’s last legs. It was the best that they could offer. Indeed, there was no stinginess in the hearts of Abraham’s house church. When we serve we must give generously, reflecting the very heart of God who is so generous to each of us. They remind me of our DuPage UBF co-workers, serving delicious food every time we come to visit.
When the guests were eating, Abraham stood near them under a tree. (9b) When we serve we just don’t fill Styrofoam, “to go” boxes with food, collect money and quickly send people on their way. Abraham didn’t jump to the front of the serving line making sure he got some of the succulent beef barbeque before it all ran out. He stood by, like a servant, waiting for further opportunities to serve, like refilling water and passing out napkins. He engaged them in interesting conversation, listening intently more than talking. Their conversation went on well after the plates were cleared from the table. They sat on pillows, sipped Turkish coffee, smoked a Hookah pipe and talked on and on about spiritual things. What a beautiful dinner party. Abraham and his family remind me of the words of Jesus who said in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
God has called each of us and our homes to serve others in much the same way. Some people say they can not be hospitable because their homes are not big enough or nice enough. But even if you have a table and two chairs in a small dorm room, there are people who would be very thankful to spend time with you, enjoying an evening of conversation and sharing a meal. There could be visiting missionaries and other visiting servants of God whom would love to come and visit your family. There are students who long for one sincere friend to spend time with. This is all about opening your doors and helping others feel hospitable in your home and showing them the love of Jesus, even strangers. Be generous. Be gracious. Work together and who knows, they may even accept the gospel through you and believe.
Part ll: Good News For Sarah (18:1-15)
The Lord was not just making a social vist. There was some important business to discuss…some good new and then some bad news. First, the good news. Let’s read verses 9-10, “’Where is your wife Sarah?’ they asked him. ‘There, in the tent,’ he said. 10 Then the LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’ Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.” It may be hard for a woman from our society to understand why Sarah had to be in a tent, away from the main conversation. But that’s just the way it was back then. It is not the way it is now and I am glad. Anyway… the three visitors understood this and they talked loudly for Sarah to overhear.
What was the good news? Look at verse 10a again, “Then the LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’…” At this time Abraham was 99 years old and Sarah was 89. Sarah had been called by God when she was 65. She really wanted to bear Abraham a son! But she could not. Now she as 89; well advanced in years…definitely past the age of childbearing. (11) No amount of estrogen injections and invitro procedures could ever make this happen. And so, when she over heard this fantastic news she, “…laughed to herself as she thought, ‘After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?’" (12) Her laughter was laughter of unbelief and pessimism. But she liked the idea. She called giving birth to a child, at the age of 90, “a pleasure.” I guess I will never understand women.
Sarah needed to take God’s word of promise seriously. Look at verses 13-14, “Then the LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.’" God doesn’t joke around very much. Can you find God making jokes in the Bible? I know he joked around once when he created the duck billed platapus. But this time he was not joking. In fact he called her out in regards to her unbelief. She tried to deny her sin of unbelief, but God would not let it go. He said to her, “Yes, you did laugh.” Why make this old lady uncomfortable? It was because unbelief is a very serious matter. God wanted Sarah to repent and take his promise to heart.
This promise is linked to the previous promise that God had made to Abraham in Genesis 17:15-16, which reads, “God also said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.’" Abraham had laughed too. (17:17) But later he accepted God’s word and entered into the covenant of circumcision. (17:23) Now it was time for Sarah to believe the promise for herself personally. God changed her name from Sarai to Sarah. Traditionally the name Sarah means “princess” but in the context of this passage we can say that Sarah practically means “mother of many nations.” God wanted her to believe this promise and know that nothing is impossible with God. When she trusted in God her laughter of unbelief would changed into laughter of joy; of faith and victory when Isaac was born.
Who is God? He is the Almighty Creator God. He is the sovereign Lord and ruler of the whole universe. He is the source of all life and the author and perfector of our faith. When you think of it, is anything too hard for the Lord? The God who created the heavens and the earth can surely create a viable womb in order to conceive a child. He can surely give an old lady the strength to carry and deliver a healthy baby. This is no problem for our God? What is your situation right now? Do you believe that God will bring about the impossible in your life? Do you think you can not bear fruit in your life and ministry? Do you think it is impossible for you to become a mother, or a father of many nations? Do you think calculus is too hard to pass? Well you are wrong. The truth of the matter is, “nothing is too hard for the Lord.” When we accept these words, we can overcome all fatalism and despair and accept God’s vision for ourselves and our families and ministries. We can embrace all that God has in store for us and live according our calling.
Part lll: Abraham Pleads For Sodom (16-33)
The Lord had something on his mind. He said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?" (17) God wanted to share with Abraham some bad news. But first he reviewed the good news. Let’s read verses 18-19 together. “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.’" Here is a secret. If you ever want to share some bad news with a friend, then share some good news first. This makes the bad news more palatable. In these verses God confirms the promise he made to Abraham. He also revealed the secret as to why Abraham’s house church was so blessed and worked together like a well oil machine…it was because he taught his children and his household the ways of the Lord, verbally, but mostly through his practical daily life. This is a whole new message that I hope I can write and deliver one day, but not now. What God really wanted to share was his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah so that Abraham could share in his heart and pray. Look at verses 20-21, “Then the LORD said, ‘The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.’" Apparently there was an outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah. God was grieved so much that he was bound and determined to do something about it. But first he came to check it out. This is what I like about God. God does not listen to hearsay. He comes and checks things out, to find out what is really going on. God is truthful and just.
Abraham realized that his beloved but foolish nephew was on the verge of perishing under the wrath of God and this galvanized him to pray. Let’s see verses 22-23, “The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD. 23 Then Abraham approached him and said:” This means that Abraham prayed to God on Lot’s behalf. There was nothing else he could do. He tried his best. He even went to war to rescue Lot, but Lot and his family went back to their compromised lifestyle. And so he prayed. Sometimes this is all we can do for some people. Actually it is the best thing that we can do. Because God can change hearts only when we pray.
Though Abraham’s prayer we can learn several things about praying to God for others. First, we need to have the correct viewpoint of ourselves. Look at verse 27. “Then Abraham spoke up again: ‘Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes’” Abraham knew that without God, he was simply dust and ashes. He also knew that his own sins could stimulate the anger and wrath of God (30a, 32) and so he was very humble before God. God saw his attitude and listened to his prayers. We should never approach God thinking that we are all that. We are forgiven sinners. We must be humble, for God apposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Second, we need to know who God is. Look at verse 25. “Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Abraham knew that God is the Judge of all the earth and that he is righteous. He also knew that God makes a distinction between those who are righteous and those who are wicked and he treats them differently. Based on God’s character, Abraham prayed. The more we study the Bible and obey it’s teachings the more we know who God is. The more we know who God is the more effectively we can pray. So let’s study the Bible deeply and become very effective prayer servants for this generation.
Third, we need to be persistent. Abraham approached God in prayer six times in this passage, basically praying the same thing. When we pray we sometimes peel off one quick pray and then forget about it, thinking that is enough. But when we pray we need to pray again and again. We need to learn persistent prayer for our family, friends, campus’, community and nation and for all those whom God has brought into our lives…never giving up.
Fourth, we need to pray with a shepherd heart, a heart full of concern for others. Abraham prayed for Lot. In his six prayers he started off with praying for the salvation of fifty people, then forty, then thirty, then twenty, and then ten. What was he doing? I really feel that Abraham was not sure how many people were associated with Lot. There was his wife, two daughters and their two husbands. That is six people. What if Lot had some grandkids? What if a miracle happened and Lot had been reaching out to others and had a small church meeting in his home? Could there be 50 people gathering there? Abraham didn’t know. But he was concerned with Lot’s whole family and so he prayed for every possibility. Finally, God agreed to spare Sodom if as many as ten righteous men could be found in the city. Surely God listens to the sincere prayers of those who have a shepherd heart for others. May God grant each of us the same concern to pray for entire families and small house churches everywhere, especially in DeKalb. Hint…Hint.
In this passage we see what the lives of a father and mother of many nations is like. They serve whole heartedly. They believe the word of God and embrace all that God has in store for them knowing the nothing is impossible with the Lord. They are certain God will bless them as they live by faith. They are close friends with God and pray many prayers to him born out of their love and concern for others. Such was the house church of Abraham and Sarah. And such can be your house church. Yes, even for you singles out there, this blessed life can also be yours as you follow in the footsteps of Abraham. Believe God’s promises to you and embark on the adventure of faith today.
Genesis 18:1-33 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF
Key Verse: 18:32 5-16-10 DuPage UBF
“Then he said, ‘May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?’”
In the last passage God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, planting in his heart the vision to be a father of many nations. How does a father of many nations live? Does he sit on a throne and let his extended family serve him hand and foot? No way! In this passage we discover what the practical life of a father and mother of many nations actually is. In it we will find the Lord coming to visit Abraham through three visitors. Abraham welcomed the visitors with his whole heart. Through his serving we find a wonderful example of God centered family. We also find Sarah in need of an infusion of faith. God will help her to repent of her fatalism and unbelief and put her trust in the Lord. We will see Abraham's personal relationship with God deepened as he converses with God as God’s friend. We will also learn how a father of many nations prays prayers that move the heart of God. May God grant us vision for our own house church ministries and grant us "nothing is too hard for the Lord " faith. May we grow in our friendship with God and learn how to be effective prayer servants for the people of our times.
Part l: A Beautiful House Church In Action. (1-8)
My heart is always moved when I see the inner workings of Abraham’s family or house church. They are so hospitable and sacrificial and so unified. So, I’d like to spend some time on this portion of the text.
God could not ignore such a great man of God. The Bible says that Abraham was God’s friend (James 2:23; Isa 41:8). Friends visit each other, dropping by even without an invite. And that is exactly what God did. Look at verses 1-2a, “The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby…” Who were these three men? The passage says that the “Lord” appeared to Abraham. Hebrews 13:2 reads, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” I believe that this was the Lord revealing himself through three angels who appeared as ordinary travelers, even strangers, to Abraham.
Enough about that. Let’s learn more about this generous hearted man. Look at verse 2b, “…When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.” It was in the heat of the day, in the afternoon, the time that most people want to have a little siesta after lunch. The last thing one would want is hurry to do anything, except to run off to bed. But Abraham hurried from the entrance of his tent. This senior citizen had more zeal in his step than some teenagers. Abraham was also eager to show respect and hospitality to these three visitors. In ancient times, hospitality towards total strangers was practiced. They were to be treated like honored guests. But Abraham wasn’t showing respect just because it was the custom. He respected others, from his heart, because he knew the God who honored and respected him. It was not easy to show such respect. Who was Abraham? He was the leader of more than 1,000 people. He was their spiritual leader, a rich rancher and a military general who conquered the regional bully, Kedorlaomer in Genesis 14. He was the one whom kings made treaties with. (Gen 14:21) He should demand respect from others but he did not. He reminds me of some of our UBF leaders who are professional people, holding prestigious positions in society and yet sincerely honoring and respecting young students like they were VIP’s.
Abraham sincerely invited them to his home in full expectation that they would accept his invite. Let’s read verses 3-5a, “He said, ‘If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.’…” These visitors could not ignore such a sincere and warm invitation. And so they said, “Very well, do as you say.” (5b) Students will not ignore your invite either if it is warm and sincere and if you fully intend to carry through with what you propose.
Abraham understood the needs of his guests. He knew they were thirsty and so he offered them water. He knew that their feet were dirty and so he provided a means to wash them. He sensed they were tired and so he offered them rest in the guest tent. He knew they were hungry and so he offered to feed them. He knew they were busy men and so promised that he would not burden them, but send them on their way when they felt it was the right time. Jesus saw our needs and served us accordingly. As ministers of the gospel to campus students we must have spiritual insight to see students’ needs and serve them accordingly. We are here, not to burden them, but to be a source of blessing and encouragement to them. May God inspire each of you with ways that you can bless those who God has brought into your life.
His family worked together as a unit. Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick. Get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread.” Sarah didn’t say, “I beg your pardon. Who are you saying, “Quick” to? By the way, I’m taking a little nap and I can’t kneed any dough…I just did my nails.” No, Sarah was not such a woman. She was a sincere woman of God who co-worked well with Abraham. She jumped into action, along all her other servants and even young Ishmael. They were willing and eager to serve. The words, "hurried" and "quick" and "ran" describe how Abraham and his family served his guests. They worked hard and fast. They served together as a house church.
They were very generous. Look at the menu. Three seahs of fine flour. (6) That is about 20 quarts. Do you known how much bread 20 quarts makes? Maybe 100 loaves! Next, curds and milk. Curds are cheese. Curds and milk were valuable commodities. A choice tender calf. This was not a scrawny, half dead cow that was already on it’s last legs. It was the best that they could offer. Indeed, there was no stinginess in the hearts of Abraham’s house church. When we serve we must give generously, reflecting the very heart of God who is so generous to each of us. They remind me of our DuPage UBF co-workers, serving delicious food every time we come to visit.
When the guests were eating, Abraham stood near them under a tree. (9b) When we serve we just don’t fill Styrofoam, “to go” boxes with food, collect money and quickly send people on their way. Abraham didn’t jump to the front of the serving line making sure he got some of the succulent beef barbeque before it all ran out. He stood by, like a servant, waiting for further opportunities to serve, like refilling water and passing out napkins. He engaged them in interesting conversation, listening intently more than talking. Their conversation went on well after the plates were cleared from the table. They sat on pillows, sipped Turkish coffee, smoked a Hookah pipe and talked on and on about spiritual things. What a beautiful dinner party. Abraham and his family remind me of the words of Jesus who said in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
God has called each of us and our homes to serve others in much the same way. Some people say they can not be hospitable because their homes are not big enough or nice enough. But even if you have a table and two chairs in a small dorm room, there are people who would be very thankful to spend time with you, enjoying an evening of conversation and sharing a meal. There could be visiting missionaries and other visiting servants of God whom would love to come and visit your family. There are students who long for one sincere friend to spend time with. This is all about opening your doors and helping others feel hospitable in your home and showing them the love of Jesus, even strangers. Be generous. Be gracious. Work together and who knows, they may even accept the gospel through you and believe.
Part ll: Good News For Sarah (18:1-15)
The Lord was not just making a social vist. There was some important business to discuss…some good new and then some bad news. First, the good news. Let’s read verses 9-10, “’Where is your wife Sarah?’ they asked him. ‘There, in the tent,’ he said. 10 Then the LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’ Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.” It may be hard for a woman from our society to understand why Sarah had to be in a tent, away from the main conversation. But that’s just the way it was back then. It is not the way it is now and I am glad. Anyway… the three visitors understood this and they talked loudly for Sarah to overhear.
What was the good news? Look at verse 10a again, “Then the LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’…” At this time Abraham was 99 years old and Sarah was 89. Sarah had been called by God when she was 65. She really wanted to bear Abraham a son! But she could not. Now she as 89; well advanced in years…definitely past the age of childbearing. (11) No amount of estrogen injections and invitro procedures could ever make this happen. And so, when she over heard this fantastic news she, “…laughed to herself as she thought, ‘After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?’" (12) Her laughter was laughter of unbelief and pessimism. But she liked the idea. She called giving birth to a child, at the age of 90, “a pleasure.” I guess I will never understand women.
Sarah needed to take God’s word of promise seriously. Look at verses 13-14, “Then the LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.’" God doesn’t joke around very much. Can you find God making jokes in the Bible? I know he joked around once when he created the duck billed platapus. But this time he was not joking. In fact he called her out in regards to her unbelief. She tried to deny her sin of unbelief, but God would not let it go. He said to her, “Yes, you did laugh.” Why make this old lady uncomfortable? It was because unbelief is a very serious matter. God wanted Sarah to repent and take his promise to heart.
This promise is linked to the previous promise that God had made to Abraham in Genesis 17:15-16, which reads, “God also said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.’" Abraham had laughed too. (17:17) But later he accepted God’s word and entered into the covenant of circumcision. (17:23) Now it was time for Sarah to believe the promise for herself personally. God changed her name from Sarai to Sarah. Traditionally the name Sarah means “princess” but in the context of this passage we can say that Sarah practically means “mother of many nations.” God wanted her to believe this promise and know that nothing is impossible with God. When she trusted in God her laughter of unbelief would changed into laughter of joy; of faith and victory when Isaac was born.
Who is God? He is the Almighty Creator God. He is the sovereign Lord and ruler of the whole universe. He is the source of all life and the author and perfector of our faith. When you think of it, is anything too hard for the Lord? The God who created the heavens and the earth can surely create a viable womb in order to conceive a child. He can surely give an old lady the strength to carry and deliver a healthy baby. This is no problem for our God? What is your situation right now? Do you believe that God will bring about the impossible in your life? Do you think you can not bear fruit in your life and ministry? Do you think it is impossible for you to become a mother, or a father of many nations? Do you think calculus is too hard to pass? Well you are wrong. The truth of the matter is, “nothing is too hard for the Lord.” When we accept these words, we can overcome all fatalism and despair and accept God’s vision for ourselves and our families and ministries. We can embrace all that God has in store for us and live according our calling.
Part lll: Abraham Pleads For Sodom (16-33)
The Lord had something on his mind. He said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?" (17) God wanted to share with Abraham some bad news. But first he reviewed the good news. Let’s read verses 18-19 together. “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.’" Here is a secret. If you ever want to share some bad news with a friend, then share some good news first. This makes the bad news more palatable. In these verses God confirms the promise he made to Abraham. He also revealed the secret as to why Abraham’s house church was so blessed and worked together like a well oil machine…it was because he taught his children and his household the ways of the Lord, verbally, but mostly through his practical daily life. This is a whole new message that I hope I can write and deliver one day, but not now. What God really wanted to share was his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah so that Abraham could share in his heart and pray. Look at verses 20-21, “Then the LORD said, ‘The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.’" Apparently there was an outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah. God was grieved so much that he was bound and determined to do something about it. But first he came to check it out. This is what I like about God. God does not listen to hearsay. He comes and checks things out, to find out what is really going on. God is truthful and just.
Abraham realized that his beloved but foolish nephew was on the verge of perishing under the wrath of God and this galvanized him to pray. Let’s see verses 22-23, “The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD. 23 Then Abraham approached him and said:” This means that Abraham prayed to God on Lot’s behalf. There was nothing else he could do. He tried his best. He even went to war to rescue Lot, but Lot and his family went back to their compromised lifestyle. And so he prayed. Sometimes this is all we can do for some people. Actually it is the best thing that we can do. Because God can change hearts only when we pray.
Though Abraham’s prayer we can learn several things about praying to God for others. First, we need to have the correct viewpoint of ourselves. Look at verse 27. “Then Abraham spoke up again: ‘Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes’” Abraham knew that without God, he was simply dust and ashes. He also knew that his own sins could stimulate the anger and wrath of God (30a, 32) and so he was very humble before God. God saw his attitude and listened to his prayers. We should never approach God thinking that we are all that. We are forgiven sinners. We must be humble, for God apposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Second, we need to know who God is. Look at verse 25. “Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Abraham knew that God is the Judge of all the earth and that he is righteous. He also knew that God makes a distinction between those who are righteous and those who are wicked and he treats them differently. Based on God’s character, Abraham prayed. The more we study the Bible and obey it’s teachings the more we know who God is. The more we know who God is the more effectively we can pray. So let’s study the Bible deeply and become very effective prayer servants for this generation.
Third, we need to be persistent. Abraham approached God in prayer six times in this passage, basically praying the same thing. When we pray we sometimes peel off one quick pray and then forget about it, thinking that is enough. But when we pray we need to pray again and again. We need to learn persistent prayer for our family, friends, campus’, community and nation and for all those whom God has brought into our lives…never giving up.
Fourth, we need to pray with a shepherd heart, a heart full of concern for others. Abraham prayed for Lot. In his six prayers he started off with praying for the salvation of fifty people, then forty, then thirty, then twenty, and then ten. What was he doing? I really feel that Abraham was not sure how many people were associated with Lot. There was his wife, two daughters and their two husbands. That is six people. What if Lot had some grandkids? What if a miracle happened and Lot had been reaching out to others and had a small church meeting in his home? Could there be 50 people gathering there? Abraham didn’t know. But he was concerned with Lot’s whole family and so he prayed for every possibility. Finally, God agreed to spare Sodom if as many as ten righteous men could be found in the city. Surely God listens to the sincere prayers of those who have a shepherd heart for others. May God grant each of us the same concern to pray for entire families and small house churches everywhere, especially in DeKalb. Hint…Hint.
In this passage we see what the lives of a father and mother of many nations is like. They serve whole heartedly. They believe the word of God and embrace all that God has in store for them knowing the nothing is impossible with the Lord. They are certain God will bless them as they live by faith. They are close friends with God and pray many prayers to him born out of their love and concern for others. Such was the house church of Abraham and Sarah. And such can be your house church. Yes, even for you singles out there, this blessed life can also be yours as you follow in the footsteps of Abraham. Believe God’s promises to you and embark on the adventure of faith today.
Romans 16:3-17
An Exemplary House Church: Priscilla And Aquila.
Romans 16:3-17 NIU UBF 10/18/09
Key verse 16:5a, Shp Kevin Jesmer (An adaption of Pastor Mark Vucekovich’s
message delivered at the Fall 2009 USA UBF Staff conference at
Columbus Ohio.
“Greet also the church that meets at their house….”
We have just come back from our Fall 2009 USA staff conference. It was so good to see old friends and coworkers from across America. It was so good to see a co-working spirit manifest among us. It was also encouraging to hear the powerful messages of Dr Ruth Tucker, Pastor Mark Vucekovich and Pastor Kevin Albright. We all acknowledged that God has called us to be not only a campus ministry… not only a missionary sending institute, but also a house church movement. We chose this passage to try to learn from Priscilla and Aquila the principles of house church ministry. May God speak to our hearts and inspire us as we meditate on the words of life.
As we study the New Testament, we see that Paul really wanted the gospel of Jesus’ saving grace to grow and spread to the whole world. He didn’t want to remain small or in just a few places. It wasn’t just Paul’s vision, it was God’s vision given to Paul (Act 16:9-10; 26:19-20; cf. 9-18) To actualize this vision, at the end of his letter to the Romans, he focused on encouraging house church ministries in Rome. At the time there was no such thing as a Christian church building. Instead, believers met together in one another’s houses. In large places like Rome it seems there were many kinds of house churches scattered throughout the city. Partly it was out of necessity. Being a brand new movement, Christians faced suspicion and persecution from the population at large. Meeting in public places could cause riots and arrests. But in private homes Christians could continue to encourage one another, as well as help new people believe.
In today’s passage we meet perhaps the most famous of the house church leaders in the New Testament. They are Priscilla and Aquila. Uniquely, this couple is mentioned in the New Testament, seven times (Acts 18:2; 18, 19, 26; 1 Cor 16:19; Ro 16:3; 2 Tim 4:19) Here, they are first on the list of Christians in Rome to whom Paul sends greetings. In several ways, Priscilla and Aquila exemplify qualities essential for house church leaders and we want to discover what they are. Through this message may God open our hearts and inspire us to spread the gospel of Jesus to college students in America though the house church ministry.
House church ministry in the early church should not be a surprise to us. It is actually a practical expression of God’s purpose for his people, which he had from the beginning. God told the Israelites coming out of Egypt: “You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Ex 19:6). It was a remarkable grace and vision for people who had formerly lived as slaves. The Apostle Peter told the early Christians basically the same thing: “But you are a chose people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of the darkness and into his wonderful light.”(1 Peter 2:9) This is known as the “priesthood of believers.”
What better way to live out our new identity in Christ, as holy priests, than in a house church setting? In such a setting there is accountability. We know that in history, one of the weaknesses of Christianity has been hypocrisy. Christians tend to act one way on Sundays and another way at home throughout the week. But a house church setting helps to stop this. In a house church, Christian teachings and real life intersect every day. House church settings help us to obey Christ’s command to love each one another. (Jn 15:17) Earlier, in chapters 12-15, Paul taught practical Christian ethics. Among all the teachings on loving each other, he wrote, “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” (Rom 12:13) In our individualistic culture, which puts a premium on privacy, it is especially not easy to love one another. But in a house church, we can practice loving one another.
It is not easy to run a house church, but through thinking about the example of Pricilla and Aquila we want to learn how it can be done. First, Pricilla and Aquila co-worked for the gospel. Read verse 3. We notice here that Pricilla’s name comes first. In fact, out of seven times they are mentioned in the New Testament, five times her name comes first. (Acts 18:18, 19, 26; Rom 16:3, 2 Tim 4;19) At that time, to put the wife’s name first was highly unusual. This has led to much speculation. Many think Pricilla was a strong woman, perhaps from an aristocratic family, and so her name had to be first. If we read all of Romans 16, we might understand better. In verses 1-2 Paul commended a woman deacon, Phoebe. In verses 5b-16, Paul mentions another 25 people, seven of them are women. These greetings show that Paul deeply appreciated women who worked hard in the Lord and who mothered God’s people. It seems that such godly women are the key in developing house church ministry. So Paul put Pricilla’s name first, recognized her and encouraged her.
In any case, in the Bible, this couple’s names are always mentioned together. And they did not see to have any problem whose name is first. We meet this couple first in Acts 18:1-3, “After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.” Pricilla and Aquila were both tent makers. They worked in the tent making business together. Perhaps Aquila did manufacturing and Priscilla managed marketing and distribution. It is likely that the first floor was used for tent making and the second floor for living quarters. In America, people used tents mainly for camping. But in the Roman Empire, tents were used for the vast Romans army and for slaves working on construction projects. It was a good business everywhere. Everywhere they settled Pricilla and Aquila seemed to have been tentmakers. They worked hard with their own hands and with the profits they served God’s people. Statistics showed that it is hard for a couple to be in business together. But this couple saw each other every day throughout the day, yet did not get on each others nerves.
How could they work so closely and so well? Paul’s says at the end of verse 3 that they were both in “Christ Jesus.” It means that both Pricilla and Aquila had a personal, vine and branch relationship with Jesus (Jn 15:5) They both new the grace of God personally. They both experienced the love of God personally. So they could love each other, not with romantic love only, but with God’s love. They could embrace each other, support each other, pray for each other, encourage each other and be strong for each other. And their relationship was not just for themselves. It was for the sake of the gospel. They were both committed to serving Christ Jesus, their spiritual king. So they were both willing to use their home as house church. Pricilla did not just invite people over making Aquila angry. They were both interested in sharing the gospel with outsiders and in building up God’s people. Neither of them was consumed with money making only. Their deep love in Jesus and mutual commitment to the gospel was the foundation of their house church ministry. No doubt Aquila loved his wife as Christ loves the church. No doubt Pricilla respected her husband. They mutually submitted to one another out of reverence for Christ (Eph 5:21-23). So when people came to their home, they were moved by their relationship. One of the secrets of a successful house church is for the husband and the wife to have a beautiful relationship in Christ. It is such a gracious behavior that opens outsider’s hearts, wins their trust and makes the message about Christ attractive. (cf. Tit 2;10; 1 Peter 3:1)
In Triton UBF we see an example of a couple loving each other and co-working in Christ moving young people’s hearts. Charisma works full time as a nurse and helps to raise two young boys with Joseph Magno. Charisma gives her heart to serving the Triton Bible Club and shepherding a few people. Joseph smiles a lot and welcomes her Bible students into their home. Michael and Grace Norte are another such family. I can’t explain it, but people are simply attracted to this family. Grace is friendly and honest and forthright, Michael is graceful and smiles a lot and is always willing to help out, especially in driving and purchasing cars for other people. Whoever goes to their home feels like they are at home. I’ve watches many a movie and ate many a delicious Philippino meal at Michael and Grace’s house. Much fruit is being born out of these families. Through our ministry may God continue to raise couples that lovingly co-work in Christ for disciple-raising ministry.
Second, Priscilla and Aquila co-worked with Apostle Paul for the gospel. Read verse 3 again. Here Paul calls them not “my sheep” but “my co-workers in Christ Jesus.” Paul had come to respect them deeply. As we saw in Acts 18, Paul met this couple when he first arrived in Corinth. Some people believe that at this time, Priscilla and Aquila were already Christians. Others think that through living with Paul they came to believe in Jesus. In any case, they were with Paul in Corinth for a year and a half (Ac18:11). It says that when Paul met them in Corinth, “he stayed and worked with them” (Ac18:3b). At first, they made tents together. No doubt Paul also shared his deep Bible study and gospel faith with them. Through life together with Apostle Paul, Priscilla and Aquila grew spiritually and became his close co-workers. When Paul stopped making tents and dedicated himself to ministry in Corinth full-time (Ac18:5), Priscilla and Aquila no doubt continued to support him. Paul’s gospel faith was controversial. Most people hated him; a few liked him. Paul himself became scared to live in Corinth. So the Lord appeared to him in a dream and encouraged him to stay there (Ac18:6–10). Priscilla and Aquila also must have encouraged Paul. They supported Paul and encouraged him practically. When Paul finally did leave Corinth, it was Priscilla and Aquila who accompanied him (Ac18:18). Right away, Paul left them at Ephesus (Ac18:19), where he would later return on his third missionary journey. Paul trusted this couple so much that he wanted them to establish a footing in that city as well. It shows us that Priscilla and Aquila were willing to pull up and go anywhere to co-work with God’s servant, Paul. Usually, for a woman it is particularly hard to suddenly pull up and move her family, but Priscilla did it. Later, when Paul arrived in Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila were there, ready to co-work with and support him. It was during their time together in Ephesus that Paul wrote the church in Corinth, saying, “Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house” (1Co16:19b). Priscilla and Aquila ran a house church ministry with Paul first in Corinth, then, in Ephesus. Through their practical support, in Ephesus Paul’s daily Bible teaching at the lecture hall of Tyrannus became very fruitful, so that the word of God spread to the entire province of Asia (Ac19:8–10). Read verse 3 again. Paul calls Priscilla and Aquila “my co-workers.” It was not empty flattery. Paul came to deeply love and respect this couple as gospel co-workers.
We learn from Priscilla and Aquila’s example that good house church leaders do not isolate and protect themselves; they learn how to co-work closely with and support God’s servants. This was how Missionary Sarah Barry co-worked with Dr. Samuel Lee first in Korea, then in America. Since UBF’s conception in 1961, our ministry has grown to have chapters in 90 nations with over 1700 missionaries. Julie has had the privilege of co-working with Shp Teddy over the years. Now she is co-working the publication committee. During Purdue ’08 she could c-work with the registration and office team. May God continue to raise up servants of God who can humbly co-work in building up God’s kingdom in the hearts of American young people. If our house church ministry is really going to work and bear fruit, we need to continue to develop such deep mutual respect and close co-working.
Third, Priscilla and Aquila risked their lives for the gospel. Read verse 4a. The literal Greek expression here is: “they stuck their necks out for me.” Priscilla and Aquila supported Paul not just with a room to stay in, some meals, or some financial support from time to time. Their support went so far as to risk their own lives to protect and defend Paul. It was not mere human loyalty; it shows their true colors and the depth of their commitment to the gospel. Priscilla and Aquila realized how important Apostle Paul was for the cause of the gospel, and especially, how important his Gentile ministry was. They rightly recognized that at that time, but for Paul there probably would have been no outreach to the Gentiles. So they protected Paul at the cost of their own lives, so that the gospel of Jesus might continue to spread to the Gentiles. We are not sure what event Paul may be referring to here. Some guess it was the riot in Ephesus. Read verse 4b. Somehow, the Gentile believers had all come to know what Priscilla and Aquila had done for Paul. Probably their courageous, self-sacrificing faith became a source of courage and strength for many facing intense persecution. No doubt their practical, sacrificial life of always opening their home to Gentiles also was a good role model and influence to the Gentile churches. It is still risky to run a house church ministry. Inviting even one stranger into our home can be risky business. It is our basic instinct to protect and preserve ourselves, our homes and our families. But good house church leaders master how to sacrifice and even risk their lives for the gospel. Our UBF ministry worldwide is also indebted to couples like Priscilla and Aquila who can risk everything for the gospel? Dr Ruth Tucker and Dr John Armstrong have stuck their necks out, risking their reputations, to support the work of God in UBF. One Shpherd stuck his neck to for me to help me be able to work in Chicago. Julie did it to marry me. Have you “stuck your neck out” to support the work of God? Has anyone stuck their neck out for you? Thank God for such people.
Fourth, Priscilla and Aquila shared God’s vision along with Paul. In Acts we see that Priscilla and Aquila went to major cities ahead of Paul: first in Corinth; next, in Ephesus; and now, in Rome. It is quite likely they had gone to Rome not just because Jews were allowed back, but also because they knew firsthand of Paul’s vision: “I must visit Rome also” (Ac19:21). While in Ephesus, Paul was inspired by how God’s vision for world evangelism could be actualized. If he stayed in one major city and taught the Bible, the word of God could spread to an entire region. If God worked that way through Ephesus, how much greater through Rome! After leaving Ephesus Paul was busy strengthening the fledgling work of God; he also was deeply committed to taking a Gentile offering to Jerusalem, to build spiritual unity among God’s people. During this time, it seems Priscilla and Aquila had moved to Rome to set up shop there. Paul prayed especially for Priscilla and Aquila, because they shared his world mission vision. They were good his co-workers not because they tried to follow Paul humanly but because they shared his world mission vision. They lived in Corinth, Ephesus and Rome: gorgeous, wealthy cities in the Roman Empire. No doubt they had a prosperous business to be able to have their own homes in all three cities. But their purpose was to spread the gospel of Jesus through house church ministry. They put their hope not in their home equity “nest egg,” but in the kingdom of God. It must been especially hard to move back to Rome, where they had previously been cast out. But they were willing to move anywhere, to do anything, if only it could advance the gospel of Jesus. This kind of world mission vision and spirit is essential for effective house church leaders. Still, it seems too hard to do. How could this couple move from city to city and keep starting over? In UBF many people try hard to build up their own ministry, their own house church, their own chapter. But Priscilla and Aquila were willing to leave everything, to sacrifice everything. How could they? It must have been because of their living hope in the kingdom of God. They were working for God’s kingdom.
One such house church is that of John Mike and Dawn Pitts. In 1988 they left the main center and moved out to Triton College with Shp Teddy and Shp Liz and several other co-workers. They shared in a common vision, to preach the gospel to Triton College students and pioneer the western suburbs of Chicago. Holding onto this vision, Shp Dawn was there to faithfully type up messages. John Mike was there to deliver messages when Shp Teddy was out of town. They continuously invited people into their homes to serve the gospel ministry. (including me in 1991). Baby sitting during SWS and church events was always in their home. They even purchased a home next to Triton UBF church in order to co-work closely with Pastor Teddy in building up the Triton UBF church. Every event that is held at Triton UBF they are there to serve and support it. Nobody even wonders if they are going to be there..they just are. Good house church leaders share God’s great vision for the whole world. May God raise up leaders who share in the vision to make NIU and Kingdom of Priests and a holy nation and for the pioneering of the DEAR (DeKalb, Elgin, Aurora, Rockford) area of Illinois.
Fifth, Priscilla and Aquila were excellent Bible teachers who helped people to have clear gospel faith. It is noteworthy that they grew this way after living with Apostle Paul. In Acts 18:24–26 we read how Priscilla and Aquila helped Apollos. He was a learned man with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He was a good public speaker. But when they heard him, Priscilla and Aquila immediately recognized that something was missing in his message. They did not publicly embarrass him. Instead, they invited him to their home, probably served him a delicious meal, and explained to him the way of God “more adequately.” They helped him understand the deep meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the work of the Holy Spirit, the hope of the kingdom of God, the Second Coming of Jesus and God’s plan for world salvation. This able, young intellectual did not intimidate them; rather, they saw him from God’s point of view, based on gospel faith. And in their house church setting they could take personal time to help him practically. After being helped by them, Apollos went on to become an effective gospel worker, helping those who by grace had already believed. Good house church leaders not only share common life, giving housing and food; they also are excellent Bible teachers who share their gospel faith with even one person deeply in their home.
In our UBF ministry, it means we use our homes for one-to-one Bible study, prayer, personal counseling and disciple raising. For example, Julie was able to invite Janice and her sisters into our home during a critical time in Janice’s life. She prayed with her, served her and taught her the Bible faithfully for two years. Through that time Janice’s heart could begin to heal and she could have strength to bear up under a heavy cross that she is now called to bear. Though her life is difficult she does not doubt the love of God. She is faithfully studying the Bible with Trish at the main center every week. Janice could do this by the grace of God revealed to her by Julie’s shepherding her in her house church. Caring for one person through deep Bible study may seem small, but it is the hope of God for his kingdom to expand in the world. Let’s pray that God may help us to dig deep into each 1:1 Bible study and testimony writing so that we may continually grow as excellent Bible teachers. Then we can be effective house church leaders who can plant clear gospel faith in young college students.
Sixth, Priscilla and Aquila opened their home for church meetings. Read verse 5a. It seems Priscilla and Aquila always used their house for church meetings. They did so in Corinth, in Ephesus, and now, in Rome. They never got tired of doing so. They did not open their home grudgingly. They served others warmly. Their hearts were always open to God’s people. God always blessed them financially to be able to give to others. When God blessed them, they did not hoard their wealth; they used it to show hospitality and serve God’s needy people in many ways. We wonder what was going on in the church meetings in their home. We can only guess. But in light of Paul’s teachings elsewhere, we can just imagine. Their home was a place of God’s peace, where God’s troubled people could come and find rest. Their home was also a place of God’s word. When fellow believers came, they taught and admonished them based on the word of God. God’s word was the focus, and it was freely shared. Their home was a place where believers could gather to sing songs and hymns. Thus, it was a place to remember God’s amazing grace in Jesus and to give thanks. In their home, everything was done not for the sake of someone’s pride, but all in the name of the Lord Jesus, to turn people’s attention to God (Col3:15–17). Tim is learning how hard it to keep his home open for church meetings. It means cleaning up and setting up. It means preparing an environment faithful several times a week. It means serving.
In a large mega-church people easily can be ignored or hide. But in a house church, they can be cared for deeply and everyone can participate. That is one reason that we are all growing as messengers of God’s word and singers and musicians. Moreover, disciple making can be done naturally. There are so many examples in UBF ministry of beautiful house churches. Missionary Sarah Barry still personally runs a house church ministry out of her first floor apartment in Chicago, even though she is nearly 80 years old. Liz and Teddy Hembekides are another outstanding example. For years they lived in an unbelievably tiny apartment above the Bible house. They served many broken and needy American young people with the word of God, the love of God and prayer, day in and day out, from early in the morning until late at night. Through their sacrificial ministry run out of their house, so many disciples of Jesus were raised. Recently they held a 20-year celebration of God’s work at Triton, and we could see the powerful impact of the gospel through their house church ministry.
But it is not easy to live as a house church. So as a conclusion to his greetings here in Romans 16, Paul says in verse 20, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” How can we keep on co-working? How can we keep on giving and giving? How can we keep on overcoming cultural differences, persecutions and discouragements of all kinds? Paul says, “The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” House church ministry is possible when we renew the grace of Jesus in our hearts.
Today we learned the principles of house church ministry. They are: 1) loving co-working in Christ; 2) close co-working with God’s servants; 3) life-risking spirit; 4) sharing God’s great vision for the world; 5) planting clear gospel faith in young intellectuals; 6) building a spiritually healthy environment based on the peace of Christ and the word of Christ; 7) holding on to the grace of our Lord Jesus personally (Ro16:20b). May God strengthen our UBF house church ministries in the USA and around the world to follow these principles and be used preciously by him for his kingdom work.
1. What was Paul’s first thanksgiving topic? How did Paul share God’s view? (Ac 1:8; 19:21) In his vision, what did Paul do for them wholeheartedly and constantly?
2. Who was his witness? What do “my God” and “serve with my whole heart” reveal about Paul’s relationship with God? What was his prayer topic?
3. For what reason did Paul want to see them? What was the spiritual gift that Paul wanted to give them? (Ro 15:24,29-30) Why did he want to give this gift to them? (11b,12) What did Paul want them to be aware of? (13) What could be the harvest Paul wanted? (Ro 15:25-28)
4. Read verse 14. To whom was Paul obligated? What does it mean to be obligated? Where did his sense of obligation come from? (1 Ti 1:13-16; 2 Ti 1:11; Mt 18:32-33) What can we learn from Paul and his great sense of obligation?
5. Read verse 15. What did his obligation compel him to do, also for the saints at Rome? (1 Cor 9:16) What should be our motive to preach the gospel?
6. Read verses 16-17. Why was Paul not ashamed of the gospel? What is revealed in the gospel?
Romans 16:3-17 NIU UBF 10/18/09
Key verse 16:5a, Shp Kevin Jesmer (An adaption of Pastor Mark Vucekovich’s
message delivered at the Fall 2009 USA UBF Staff conference at
Columbus Ohio.
“Greet also the church that meets at their house….”
We have just come back from our Fall 2009 USA staff conference. It was so good to see old friends and coworkers from across America. It was so good to see a co-working spirit manifest among us. It was also encouraging to hear the powerful messages of Dr Ruth Tucker, Pastor Mark Vucekovich and Pastor Kevin Albright. We all acknowledged that God has called us to be not only a campus ministry… not only a missionary sending institute, but also a house church movement. We chose this passage to try to learn from Priscilla and Aquila the principles of house church ministry. May God speak to our hearts and inspire us as we meditate on the words of life.
As we study the New Testament, we see that Paul really wanted the gospel of Jesus’ saving grace to grow and spread to the whole world. He didn’t want to remain small or in just a few places. It wasn’t just Paul’s vision, it was God’s vision given to Paul (Act 16:9-10; 26:19-20; cf. 9-18) To actualize this vision, at the end of his letter to the Romans, he focused on encouraging house church ministries in Rome. At the time there was no such thing as a Christian church building. Instead, believers met together in one another’s houses. In large places like Rome it seems there were many kinds of house churches scattered throughout the city. Partly it was out of necessity. Being a brand new movement, Christians faced suspicion and persecution from the population at large. Meeting in public places could cause riots and arrests. But in private homes Christians could continue to encourage one another, as well as help new people believe.
In today’s passage we meet perhaps the most famous of the house church leaders in the New Testament. They are Priscilla and Aquila. Uniquely, this couple is mentioned in the New Testament, seven times (Acts 18:2; 18, 19, 26; 1 Cor 16:19; Ro 16:3; 2 Tim 4:19) Here, they are first on the list of Christians in Rome to whom Paul sends greetings. In several ways, Priscilla and Aquila exemplify qualities essential for house church leaders and we want to discover what they are. Through this message may God open our hearts and inspire us to spread the gospel of Jesus to college students in America though the house church ministry.
House church ministry in the early church should not be a surprise to us. It is actually a practical expression of God’s purpose for his people, which he had from the beginning. God told the Israelites coming out of Egypt: “You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Ex 19:6). It was a remarkable grace and vision for people who had formerly lived as slaves. The Apostle Peter told the early Christians basically the same thing: “But you are a chose people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of the darkness and into his wonderful light.”(1 Peter 2:9) This is known as the “priesthood of believers.”
What better way to live out our new identity in Christ, as holy priests, than in a house church setting? In such a setting there is accountability. We know that in history, one of the weaknesses of Christianity has been hypocrisy. Christians tend to act one way on Sundays and another way at home throughout the week. But a house church setting helps to stop this. In a house church, Christian teachings and real life intersect every day. House church settings help us to obey Christ’s command to love each one another. (Jn 15:17) Earlier, in chapters 12-15, Paul taught practical Christian ethics. Among all the teachings on loving each other, he wrote, “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” (Rom 12:13) In our individualistic culture, which puts a premium on privacy, it is especially not easy to love one another. But in a house church, we can practice loving one another.
It is not easy to run a house church, but through thinking about the example of Pricilla and Aquila we want to learn how it can be done. First, Pricilla and Aquila co-worked for the gospel. Read verse 3. We notice here that Pricilla’s name comes first. In fact, out of seven times they are mentioned in the New Testament, five times her name comes first. (Acts 18:18, 19, 26; Rom 16:3, 2 Tim 4;19) At that time, to put the wife’s name first was highly unusual. This has led to much speculation. Many think Pricilla was a strong woman, perhaps from an aristocratic family, and so her name had to be first. If we read all of Romans 16, we might understand better. In verses 1-2 Paul commended a woman deacon, Phoebe. In verses 5b-16, Paul mentions another 25 people, seven of them are women. These greetings show that Paul deeply appreciated women who worked hard in the Lord and who mothered God’s people. It seems that such godly women are the key in developing house church ministry. So Paul put Pricilla’s name first, recognized her and encouraged her.
In any case, in the Bible, this couple’s names are always mentioned together. And they did not see to have any problem whose name is first. We meet this couple first in Acts 18:1-3, “After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.” Pricilla and Aquila were both tent makers. They worked in the tent making business together. Perhaps Aquila did manufacturing and Priscilla managed marketing and distribution. It is likely that the first floor was used for tent making and the second floor for living quarters. In America, people used tents mainly for camping. But in the Roman Empire, tents were used for the vast Romans army and for slaves working on construction projects. It was a good business everywhere. Everywhere they settled Pricilla and Aquila seemed to have been tentmakers. They worked hard with their own hands and with the profits they served God’s people. Statistics showed that it is hard for a couple to be in business together. But this couple saw each other every day throughout the day, yet did not get on each others nerves.
How could they work so closely and so well? Paul’s says at the end of verse 3 that they were both in “Christ Jesus.” It means that both Pricilla and Aquila had a personal, vine and branch relationship with Jesus (Jn 15:5) They both new the grace of God personally. They both experienced the love of God personally. So they could love each other, not with romantic love only, but with God’s love. They could embrace each other, support each other, pray for each other, encourage each other and be strong for each other. And their relationship was not just for themselves. It was for the sake of the gospel. They were both committed to serving Christ Jesus, their spiritual king. So they were both willing to use their home as house church. Pricilla did not just invite people over making Aquila angry. They were both interested in sharing the gospel with outsiders and in building up God’s people. Neither of them was consumed with money making only. Their deep love in Jesus and mutual commitment to the gospel was the foundation of their house church ministry. No doubt Aquila loved his wife as Christ loves the church. No doubt Pricilla respected her husband. They mutually submitted to one another out of reverence for Christ (Eph 5:21-23). So when people came to their home, they were moved by their relationship. One of the secrets of a successful house church is for the husband and the wife to have a beautiful relationship in Christ. It is such a gracious behavior that opens outsider’s hearts, wins their trust and makes the message about Christ attractive. (cf. Tit 2;10; 1 Peter 3:1)
In Triton UBF we see an example of a couple loving each other and co-working in Christ moving young people’s hearts. Charisma works full time as a nurse and helps to raise two young boys with Joseph Magno. Charisma gives her heart to serving the Triton Bible Club and shepherding a few people. Joseph smiles a lot and welcomes her Bible students into their home. Michael and Grace Norte are another such family. I can’t explain it, but people are simply attracted to this family. Grace is friendly and honest and forthright, Michael is graceful and smiles a lot and is always willing to help out, especially in driving and purchasing cars for other people. Whoever goes to their home feels like they are at home. I’ve watches many a movie and ate many a delicious Philippino meal at Michael and Grace’s house. Much fruit is being born out of these families. Through our ministry may God continue to raise couples that lovingly co-work in Christ for disciple-raising ministry.
Second, Priscilla and Aquila co-worked with Apostle Paul for the gospel. Read verse 3 again. Here Paul calls them not “my sheep” but “my co-workers in Christ Jesus.” Paul had come to respect them deeply. As we saw in Acts 18, Paul met this couple when he first arrived in Corinth. Some people believe that at this time, Priscilla and Aquila were already Christians. Others think that through living with Paul they came to believe in Jesus. In any case, they were with Paul in Corinth for a year and a half (Ac18:11). It says that when Paul met them in Corinth, “he stayed and worked with them” (Ac18:3b). At first, they made tents together. No doubt Paul also shared his deep Bible study and gospel faith with them. Through life together with Apostle Paul, Priscilla and Aquila grew spiritually and became his close co-workers. When Paul stopped making tents and dedicated himself to ministry in Corinth full-time (Ac18:5), Priscilla and Aquila no doubt continued to support him. Paul’s gospel faith was controversial. Most people hated him; a few liked him. Paul himself became scared to live in Corinth. So the Lord appeared to him in a dream and encouraged him to stay there (Ac18:6–10). Priscilla and Aquila also must have encouraged Paul. They supported Paul and encouraged him practically. When Paul finally did leave Corinth, it was Priscilla and Aquila who accompanied him (Ac18:18). Right away, Paul left them at Ephesus (Ac18:19), where he would later return on his third missionary journey. Paul trusted this couple so much that he wanted them to establish a footing in that city as well. It shows us that Priscilla and Aquila were willing to pull up and go anywhere to co-work with God’s servant, Paul. Usually, for a woman it is particularly hard to suddenly pull up and move her family, but Priscilla did it. Later, when Paul arrived in Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila were there, ready to co-work with and support him. It was during their time together in Ephesus that Paul wrote the church in Corinth, saying, “Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house” (1Co16:19b). Priscilla and Aquila ran a house church ministry with Paul first in Corinth, then, in Ephesus. Through their practical support, in Ephesus Paul’s daily Bible teaching at the lecture hall of Tyrannus became very fruitful, so that the word of God spread to the entire province of Asia (Ac19:8–10). Read verse 3 again. Paul calls Priscilla and Aquila “my co-workers.” It was not empty flattery. Paul came to deeply love and respect this couple as gospel co-workers.
We learn from Priscilla and Aquila’s example that good house church leaders do not isolate and protect themselves; they learn how to co-work closely with and support God’s servants. This was how Missionary Sarah Barry co-worked with Dr. Samuel Lee first in Korea, then in America. Since UBF’s conception in 1961, our ministry has grown to have chapters in 90 nations with over 1700 missionaries. Julie has had the privilege of co-working with Shp Teddy over the years. Now she is co-working the publication committee. During Purdue ’08 she could c-work with the registration and office team. May God continue to raise up servants of God who can humbly co-work in building up God’s kingdom in the hearts of American young people. If our house church ministry is really going to work and bear fruit, we need to continue to develop such deep mutual respect and close co-working.
Third, Priscilla and Aquila risked their lives for the gospel. Read verse 4a. The literal Greek expression here is: “they stuck their necks out for me.” Priscilla and Aquila supported Paul not just with a room to stay in, some meals, or some financial support from time to time. Their support went so far as to risk their own lives to protect and defend Paul. It was not mere human loyalty; it shows their true colors and the depth of their commitment to the gospel. Priscilla and Aquila realized how important Apostle Paul was for the cause of the gospel, and especially, how important his Gentile ministry was. They rightly recognized that at that time, but for Paul there probably would have been no outreach to the Gentiles. So they protected Paul at the cost of their own lives, so that the gospel of Jesus might continue to spread to the Gentiles. We are not sure what event Paul may be referring to here. Some guess it was the riot in Ephesus. Read verse 4b. Somehow, the Gentile believers had all come to know what Priscilla and Aquila had done for Paul. Probably their courageous, self-sacrificing faith became a source of courage and strength for many facing intense persecution. No doubt their practical, sacrificial life of always opening their home to Gentiles also was a good role model and influence to the Gentile churches. It is still risky to run a house church ministry. Inviting even one stranger into our home can be risky business. It is our basic instinct to protect and preserve ourselves, our homes and our families. But good house church leaders master how to sacrifice and even risk their lives for the gospel. Our UBF ministry worldwide is also indebted to couples like Priscilla and Aquila who can risk everything for the gospel? Dr Ruth Tucker and Dr John Armstrong have stuck their necks out, risking their reputations, to support the work of God in UBF. One Shpherd stuck his neck to for me to help me be able to work in Chicago. Julie did it to marry me. Have you “stuck your neck out” to support the work of God? Has anyone stuck their neck out for you? Thank God for such people.
Fourth, Priscilla and Aquila shared God’s vision along with Paul. In Acts we see that Priscilla and Aquila went to major cities ahead of Paul: first in Corinth; next, in Ephesus; and now, in Rome. It is quite likely they had gone to Rome not just because Jews were allowed back, but also because they knew firsthand of Paul’s vision: “I must visit Rome also” (Ac19:21). While in Ephesus, Paul was inspired by how God’s vision for world evangelism could be actualized. If he stayed in one major city and taught the Bible, the word of God could spread to an entire region. If God worked that way through Ephesus, how much greater through Rome! After leaving Ephesus Paul was busy strengthening the fledgling work of God; he also was deeply committed to taking a Gentile offering to Jerusalem, to build spiritual unity among God’s people. During this time, it seems Priscilla and Aquila had moved to Rome to set up shop there. Paul prayed especially for Priscilla and Aquila, because they shared his world mission vision. They were good his co-workers not because they tried to follow Paul humanly but because they shared his world mission vision. They lived in Corinth, Ephesus and Rome: gorgeous, wealthy cities in the Roman Empire. No doubt they had a prosperous business to be able to have their own homes in all three cities. But their purpose was to spread the gospel of Jesus through house church ministry. They put their hope not in their home equity “nest egg,” but in the kingdom of God. It must been especially hard to move back to Rome, where they had previously been cast out. But they were willing to move anywhere, to do anything, if only it could advance the gospel of Jesus. This kind of world mission vision and spirit is essential for effective house church leaders. Still, it seems too hard to do. How could this couple move from city to city and keep starting over? In UBF many people try hard to build up their own ministry, their own house church, their own chapter. But Priscilla and Aquila were willing to leave everything, to sacrifice everything. How could they? It must have been because of their living hope in the kingdom of God. They were working for God’s kingdom.
One such house church is that of John Mike and Dawn Pitts. In 1988 they left the main center and moved out to Triton College with Shp Teddy and Shp Liz and several other co-workers. They shared in a common vision, to preach the gospel to Triton College students and pioneer the western suburbs of Chicago. Holding onto this vision, Shp Dawn was there to faithfully type up messages. John Mike was there to deliver messages when Shp Teddy was out of town. They continuously invited people into their homes to serve the gospel ministry. (including me in 1991). Baby sitting during SWS and church events was always in their home. They even purchased a home next to Triton UBF church in order to co-work closely with Pastor Teddy in building up the Triton UBF church. Every event that is held at Triton UBF they are there to serve and support it. Nobody even wonders if they are going to be there..they just are. Good house church leaders share God’s great vision for the whole world. May God raise up leaders who share in the vision to make NIU and Kingdom of Priests and a holy nation and for the pioneering of the DEAR (DeKalb, Elgin, Aurora, Rockford) area of Illinois.
Fifth, Priscilla and Aquila were excellent Bible teachers who helped people to have clear gospel faith. It is noteworthy that they grew this way after living with Apostle Paul. In Acts 18:24–26 we read how Priscilla and Aquila helped Apollos. He was a learned man with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He was a good public speaker. But when they heard him, Priscilla and Aquila immediately recognized that something was missing in his message. They did not publicly embarrass him. Instead, they invited him to their home, probably served him a delicious meal, and explained to him the way of God “more adequately.” They helped him understand the deep meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the work of the Holy Spirit, the hope of the kingdom of God, the Second Coming of Jesus and God’s plan for world salvation. This able, young intellectual did not intimidate them; rather, they saw him from God’s point of view, based on gospel faith. And in their house church setting they could take personal time to help him practically. After being helped by them, Apollos went on to become an effective gospel worker, helping those who by grace had already believed. Good house church leaders not only share common life, giving housing and food; they also are excellent Bible teachers who share their gospel faith with even one person deeply in their home.
In our UBF ministry, it means we use our homes for one-to-one Bible study, prayer, personal counseling and disciple raising. For example, Julie was able to invite Janice and her sisters into our home during a critical time in Janice’s life. She prayed with her, served her and taught her the Bible faithfully for two years. Through that time Janice’s heart could begin to heal and she could have strength to bear up under a heavy cross that she is now called to bear. Though her life is difficult she does not doubt the love of God. She is faithfully studying the Bible with Trish at the main center every week. Janice could do this by the grace of God revealed to her by Julie’s shepherding her in her house church. Caring for one person through deep Bible study may seem small, but it is the hope of God for his kingdom to expand in the world. Let’s pray that God may help us to dig deep into each 1:1 Bible study and testimony writing so that we may continually grow as excellent Bible teachers. Then we can be effective house church leaders who can plant clear gospel faith in young college students.
Sixth, Priscilla and Aquila opened their home for church meetings. Read verse 5a. It seems Priscilla and Aquila always used their house for church meetings. They did so in Corinth, in Ephesus, and now, in Rome. They never got tired of doing so. They did not open their home grudgingly. They served others warmly. Their hearts were always open to God’s people. God always blessed them financially to be able to give to others. When God blessed them, they did not hoard their wealth; they used it to show hospitality and serve God’s needy people in many ways. We wonder what was going on in the church meetings in their home. We can only guess. But in light of Paul’s teachings elsewhere, we can just imagine. Their home was a place of God’s peace, where God’s troubled people could come and find rest. Their home was also a place of God’s word. When fellow believers came, they taught and admonished them based on the word of God. God’s word was the focus, and it was freely shared. Their home was a place where believers could gather to sing songs and hymns. Thus, it was a place to remember God’s amazing grace in Jesus and to give thanks. In their home, everything was done not for the sake of someone’s pride, but all in the name of the Lord Jesus, to turn people’s attention to God (Col3:15–17). Tim is learning how hard it to keep his home open for church meetings. It means cleaning up and setting up. It means preparing an environment faithful several times a week. It means serving.
In a large mega-church people easily can be ignored or hide. But in a house church, they can be cared for deeply and everyone can participate. That is one reason that we are all growing as messengers of God’s word and singers and musicians. Moreover, disciple making can be done naturally. There are so many examples in UBF ministry of beautiful house churches. Missionary Sarah Barry still personally runs a house church ministry out of her first floor apartment in Chicago, even though she is nearly 80 years old. Liz and Teddy Hembekides are another outstanding example. For years they lived in an unbelievably tiny apartment above the Bible house. They served many broken and needy American young people with the word of God, the love of God and prayer, day in and day out, from early in the morning until late at night. Through their sacrificial ministry run out of their house, so many disciples of Jesus were raised. Recently they held a 20-year celebration of God’s work at Triton, and we could see the powerful impact of the gospel through their house church ministry.
But it is not easy to live as a house church. So as a conclusion to his greetings here in Romans 16, Paul says in verse 20, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” How can we keep on co-working? How can we keep on giving and giving? How can we keep on overcoming cultural differences, persecutions and discouragements of all kinds? Paul says, “The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” House church ministry is possible when we renew the grace of Jesus in our hearts.
Today we learned the principles of house church ministry. They are: 1) loving co-working in Christ; 2) close co-working with God’s servants; 3) life-risking spirit; 4) sharing God’s great vision for the world; 5) planting clear gospel faith in young intellectuals; 6) building a spiritually healthy environment based on the peace of Christ and the word of Christ; 7) holding on to the grace of our Lord Jesus personally (Ro16:20b). May God strengthen our UBF house church ministries in the USA and around the world to follow these principles and be used preciously by him for his kingdom work.
1. What was Paul’s first thanksgiving topic? How did Paul share God’s view? (Ac 1:8; 19:21) In his vision, what did Paul do for them wholeheartedly and constantly?
2. Who was his witness? What do “my God” and “serve with my whole heart” reveal about Paul’s relationship with God? What was his prayer topic?
3. For what reason did Paul want to see them? What was the spiritual gift that Paul wanted to give them? (Ro 15:24,29-30) Why did he want to give this gift to them? (11b,12) What did Paul want them to be aware of? (13) What could be the harvest Paul wanted? (Ro 15:25-28)
4. Read verse 14. To whom was Paul obligated? What does it mean to be obligated? Where did his sense of obligation come from? (1 Ti 1:13-16; 2 Ti 1:11; Mt 18:32-33) What can we learn from Paul and his great sense of obligation?
5. Read verse 15. What did his obligation compel him to do, also for the saints at Rome? (1 Cor 9:16) What should be our motive to preach the gospel?
6. Read verses 16-17. Why was Paul not ashamed of the gospel? What is revealed in the gospel?
Monday, May 17, 2010
Genesis 18:1-33
“Let Me Speak Just Once More”
Genesis 18:1-33 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF
Key Verse: 18:32 5-16-10 DuPage UBF
“Then he said, ‘May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?’”
In the last passage God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, planting in his heart the vision to be a father of many nations. How does a father of many nations live? Does he sit on a throne and let his extended family serve him hand and foot? No way! In this passage we discover what the practical life of a father and mother of many nations actually is. In it we will find the Lord coming to visit Abraham through three visitors. Abraham welcomed the visitors with his whole heart. Through his serving we find a wonderful example of God centered family. We also find Sarah in need of an infusion of faith. God will help her to repent of her fatalism and unbelief and put her trust in the Lord. We will see Abraham's personal relationship with God deepened as he converses with God as God’s friend. We will also learn how a father of many nations prays prayers that move the heart of God. May God grant us vision for our own house church ministries and grant us "nothing is too hard for the Lord " faith. May we grow in our friendship with God and learn how to be effective prayer servants for the people of our times.
Part l: A Beautiful House Church In Action. (1-8)
My heart is always moved when I see the inner workings of Abraham’s family or house church. They are so hospitable and sacrificial and so unified. So, I’d like to spend some time on this portion of the text.
God could not ignore such a great man of God. The Bible says that Abraham was God’s friend (James 2:23; Isa 41:8). Friends visit each other, dropping by even without an invite. And that is exactly what God did. Look at verses 1-2a, “The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby…” Who were these three men? The passage says that the “Lord” appeared to Abraham. Hebrews 13:2 reads, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” I believe that this was the Lord revealing himself through three angels who appeared as ordinary travelers, even strangers, to Abraham.
Enough about that. Let’s learn more about this generous hearted man. Look at verse 2b, “…When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.” It was in the heat of the day, in the afternoon, the time that most people want to have a little siesta after lunch. The last thing one would want is hurry to do anything, except to run off to bed. But Abraham hurried from the entrance of his tent. This senior citizen had more zeal in his step than some teenagers. Abraham was also eager to show respect and hospitality to these three visitors. In ancient times, hospitality towards total strangers was practiced. They were to be treated like honored guests. But Abraham wasn’t showing respect just because it was the custom. He respected others, from his heart, because he knew the God who honored and respected him. It was not easy to show such respect. Who was Abraham? He was the leader of more than 1,000 people. He was their spiritual leader, a rich rancher and a military general who conquered the regional bully, Kedorlaomer in Genesis 14. He was the one whom kings made treaties with. (Gen 14:21) He should demand respect from others but he did not. He reminds me of some of our UBF leaders who are professional people, holding prestigious positions in society and yet sincerely honoring and respecting young students like they were VIP’s.
Abraham sincerely invited them to his home in full expectation that they would accept his invite. Let’s read verses 3-5a, “He said, ‘If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.’…” These visitors could not ignore such a sincere and warm invitation. And so they said, “Very well, do as you say.” (5b) Students will not ignore your invite either if it is warm and sincere and if you fully intend to carry through with what you propose.
Abraham understood the needs of his guests. He knew they were thirsty and so he offered them water. He knew that their feet were dirty and so he provided a means to wash them. He sensed they were tired and so he offered them rest in the guest tent. He knew they were hungry and so he offered to feed them. He knew they were busy men and so promised that he would not burden them, but send them on their way when they felt it was the right time. Jesus saw our needs and served us accordingly. As ministers of the gospel to campus students we must have spiritual insight to see students’ needs and serve them accordingly. We are here, not to burden them, but to be a source of blessing and encouragement to them. May God inspire each of you with ways that you can bless those who God has brought into your life.
His family worked together as a unit. Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick. Get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread.” Sarah didn’t say, “I beg your pardon. Who are you saying, “Quick” to? By the way, I’m taking a little nap and I can’t kneed any dough…I just did my nails.” No, Sarah was not such a woman. She was a sincere woman of God who co-worked well with Abraham. She jumped into action, along all her other servants and even young Ishmael. They were willing and eager to serve. The words, "hurried" and "quick" and "ran" describe how Abraham and his family served his guests. They worked hard and fast. They served together as a house church.
They were very generous. Look at the menu. Three seahs of fine flour. (6) That is about 20 quarts. Do you known how much bread 20 quarts makes? Maybe 100 loaves! Next, curds and milk. Curds are cheese. Curds and milk were valuable commodities. A choice tender calf. This was not a scrawny, half dead cow that was already on it’s last legs. It was the best that they could offer. Indeed, there was no stinginess in the hearts of Abraham’s house church. When we serve we must give generously, reflecting the very heart of God who is so generous to each of us. They remind me of our DuPage UBF co-workers, serving delicious food every time we come to visit.
When the guests were eating, Abraham stood near them under a tree. (9b) When we serve we just don’t fill Styrofoam, “to go” boxes with food, collect money and quickly send people on their way. Abraham didn’t jump to the front of the serving line making sure he got some of the succulent beef barbeque before it all ran out. He stood by, like a servant, waiting for further opportunities to serve, like refilling water and passing out napkins. He engaged them in interesting conversation, listening intently more than talking. Their conversation went on well after the plates were cleared from the table. They sat on pillows, sipped Turkish coffee, smoked a Hookah pipe and talked on and on about spiritual things. What a beautiful dinner party. Abraham and his family remind me of the words of Jesus who said in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
God has called each of us and our homes to serve others in much the same way. Some people say they can not be hospitable because their homes are not big enough or nice enough. But even if you have a table and two chairs in a small dorm room, there are people who would be very thankful to spend time with you, enjoying an evening of conversation and sharing a meal. There could be visiting missionaries and other visiting servants of God whom would love to come and visit your family. There are students who long for one sincere friend to spend time with. This is all about opening your doors and helping others feel hospitable in your home and showing them the love of Jesus, even strangers. Be generous. Be gracious. Work together and who knows, they may even accept the gospel through you and believe.
Part ll: Good News For Sarah (18:1-15)
The Lord was not just making a social vist. There was some important business to discuss…some good new and then some bad news. First, the good news. Let’s read verses 9-10, “’Where is your wife Sarah?’ they asked him. ‘There, in the tent,’ he said. 10 Then the LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’ Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.” It may be hard for a woman from our society to understand why Sarah had to be in a tent, away from the main conversation. But that’s just the way it was back then. It is not the way it is now and I am glad. Anyway… the three visitors understood this and they talked loudly for Sarah to overhear.
What was the good news? Look at verse 10a again, “Then the LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’…” At this time Abraham was 99 years old and Sarah was 89. Sarah had been called by God when she was 65. She really wanted to bear Abraham a son! But she could not. Now she as 89; well advanced in years…definitely past the age of childbearing. (11) No amount of estrogen injections and invitro procedures could ever make this happen. And so, when she over heard this fantastic news she, “…laughed to herself as she thought, ‘After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?’" (12) Her laughter was laughter of unbelief and pessimism. But she liked the idea. She called giving birth to a child, at the age of 90, “a pleasure.” I guess I will never understand women.
Sarah needed to take God’s word of promise seriously. Look at verses 13-14, “Then the LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.’" God doesn’t joke around very much. Can you find God making jokes in the Bible? I know he joked around once when he created the duck billed platapus. But this time he was not joking. In fact he called her out in regards to her unbelief. She tried to deny her sin of unbelief, but God would not let it go. He said to her, “Yes, you did laugh.” Why make this old lady uncomfortable? It was because unbelief is a very serious matter. God wanted Sarah to repent and take his promise to heart.
This promise is linked to the previous promise that God had made to Abraham in Genesis 17:15-16, which reads, “God also said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.’" Abraham had laughed too. (17:17) But later he accepted God’s word and entered into the covenant of circumcision. (17:23) Now it was time for Sarah to believe the promise for herself personally. God changed her name from Sarai to Sarah. Traditionally the name Sarah means “princess” but in the context of this passage we can say that Sarah practically means “mother of many nations.” God wanted her to believe this promise and know that nothing is impossible with God. When she trusted in God her laughter of unbelief would changed into laughter of joy; of faith and victory when Isaac was born.
Who is God? He is the Almighty Creator God. He is the sovereign Lord and ruler of the whole universe. He is the source of all life and the author and perfector of our faith. When you think of it, is anything too hard for the Lord? The God who created the heavens and the earth can surely create a viable womb in order to conceive a child. He can surely give an old lady the strength to carry and deliver a healthy baby. This is no problem for our God? What is your situation right now? Do you believe that God will bring about the impossible in your life? Do you think you can not bear fruit in your life and ministry? Do you think it is impossible for you to become a mother, or a father of many nations? Do you think calculus is too hard to pass? Well you are wrong. The truth of the matter is, “nothing is too hard for the Lord.” When we accept these words, we can overcome all fatalism and despair and accept God’s vision for ourselves and our families and ministries. We can embrace all that God has in store for us and live according our calling.
Part lll: Abraham Pleads For Sodom (16-33)
The Lord had something on his mind. He said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?" (17) God wanted to share with Abraham some bad news. But first he reviewed the good news. Let’s read verses 18-19 together. “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.’" Here is a secret. If you ever want to share some bad news with a friend, then share some good news first. This makes the bad news more palatable. In these verses God confirms the promise he made to Abraham. He also revealed the secret as to why Abraham’s house church was so blessed and worked together like a well oil machine…it was because he taught his children and his household the ways of the Lord, verbally, but mostly through his practical daily life. This is a whole new message that I hope I can write and deliver one day, but not now. What God really wanted to share was his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah so that Abraham could share in his heart and pray. Look at verses 20-21, “Then the LORD said, ‘The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.’" Apparently there was an outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah. God was grieved so much that he was bound and determined to do something about it. But first he came to check it out. This is what I like about God. God does not listen to hearsay. He comes and checks things out, to find out what is really going on. God is truthful and just.
Abraham realized that his beloved but foolish nephew was on the verge of perishing under the wrath of God and this galvanized him to pray. Let’s see verses 22-23, “The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD. 23 Then Abraham approached him and said:” This means that Abraham prayed to God on Lot’s behalf. There was nothing else he could do. He tried his best. He even went to war to rescue Lot, but Lot and his family went back to their compromised lifestyle. And so he prayed. Sometimes this is all we can do for some people. Actually it is the best thing that we can do. Because God can change hearts only when we pray.
Though Abraham’s prayer we can learn several things about praying to God for others. First, we need to have the correct viewpoint of ourselves. Look at verse 27. “Then Abraham spoke up again: ‘Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes’” Abraham knew that without God, he was simply dust and ashes. He also knew that his own sins could stimulate the anger and wrath of God (30a, 32) and so he was very humble before God. God saw his attitude and listened to his prayers. We should never approach God thinking that we are all that. We are forgiven sinners. We must be humble, for God apposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Second, we need to know who God is. Look at verse 25. “Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Abraham knew that God is the Judge of all the earth and that he is righteous. He also knew that God makes a distinction between those who are righteous and those who are wicked and he treats them differently. Based on God’s character, Abraham prayed. The more we study the Bible and obey it’s teachings the more we know who God is. The more we know who God is the more effectively we can pray. So let’s study the Bible deeply and become very effective prayer servants for this generation.
Third, we need to be persistent. Abraham approached God in prayer six times in this passage, basically praying the same thing. When we pray we sometimes peel off one quick pray and then forget about it, thinking that is enough. But when we pray we need to pray again and again. We need to learn persistent prayer for our family, friends, campus’, community and nation and for all those whom God has brought into our lives…never giving up.
Fourth, we need to pray with a shepherd heart, a heart full of concern for others. Abraham prayed for Lot. In his six prayers he started off with praying for the salvation of fifty people, then forty, then thirty, then twenty, and then ten. What was he doing? I really feel that Abraham was not sure how many people were associated with Lot. There was his wife, two daughters and their two husbands. That is six people. What if Lot had some grandkids? What if a miracle happened and Lot had been reaching out to others and had a small church meeting in his home? Could there be 50 people gathering there? Abraham didn’t know. But he was concerned with Lot’s whole family and so he prayed for every possibility. Finally, God agreed to spare Sodom if as many as ten righteous men could be found in the city. Surely God listens to the sincere prayers of those who have a shepherd heart for others. May God grant each of us the same concern to pray for entire families and small house churches everywhere, especially in DeKalb. Hint…Hint.
In this passage we see what the lives of a father and mother of many nations is like. They serve whole heartedly. They believe the word of God and embrace all that God has in store for them knowing the nothing is impossible with the Lord. They are certain God will bless them as they live by faith. They are close friends with God and pray many prayers to him born out of their love and concern for others. Such was the house church of Abraham and Sarah. And such can be your house church. Yes, even for you singles out there, this blessed life can also be yours as you follow in the footsteps of Abraham. Believe God’s promises to you and embark on the adventure of faith today.
Genesis 18:1-33 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF
Key Verse: 18:32 5-16-10 DuPage UBF
“Then he said, ‘May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?’”
In the last passage God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, planting in his heart the vision to be a father of many nations. How does a father of many nations live? Does he sit on a throne and let his extended family serve him hand and foot? No way! In this passage we discover what the practical life of a father and mother of many nations actually is. In it we will find the Lord coming to visit Abraham through three visitors. Abraham welcomed the visitors with his whole heart. Through his serving we find a wonderful example of God centered family. We also find Sarah in need of an infusion of faith. God will help her to repent of her fatalism and unbelief and put her trust in the Lord. We will see Abraham's personal relationship with God deepened as he converses with God as God’s friend. We will also learn how a father of many nations prays prayers that move the heart of God. May God grant us vision for our own house church ministries and grant us "nothing is too hard for the Lord " faith. May we grow in our friendship with God and learn how to be effective prayer servants for the people of our times.
Part l: A Beautiful House Church In Action. (1-8)
My heart is always moved when I see the inner workings of Abraham’s family or house church. They are so hospitable and sacrificial and so unified. So, I’d like to spend some time on this portion of the text.
God could not ignore such a great man of God. The Bible says that Abraham was God’s friend (James 2:23; Isa 41:8). Friends visit each other, dropping by even without an invite. And that is exactly what God did. Look at verses 1-2a, “The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby…” Who were these three men? The passage says that the “Lord” appeared to Abraham. Hebrews 13:2 reads, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” I believe that this was the Lord revealing himself through three angels who appeared as ordinary travelers, even strangers, to Abraham.
Enough about that. Let’s learn more about this generous hearted man. Look at verse 2b, “…When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.” It was in the heat of the day, in the afternoon, the time that most people want to have a little siesta after lunch. The last thing one would want is hurry to do anything, except to run off to bed. But Abraham hurried from the entrance of his tent. This senior citizen had more zeal in his step than some teenagers. Abraham was also eager to show respect and hospitality to these three visitors. In ancient times, hospitality towards total strangers was practiced. They were to be treated like honored guests. But Abraham wasn’t showing respect just because it was the custom. He respected others, from his heart, because he knew the God who honored and respected him. It was not easy to show such respect. Who was Abraham? He was the leader of more than 1,000 people. He was their spiritual leader, a rich rancher and a military general who conquered the regional bully, Kedorlaomer in Genesis 14. He was the one whom kings made treaties with. (Gen 14:21) He should demand respect from others but he did not. He reminds me of some of our UBF leaders who are professional people, holding prestigious positions in society and yet sincerely honoring and respecting young students like they were VIP’s.
Abraham sincerely invited them to his home in full expectation that they would accept his invite. Let’s read verses 3-5a, “He said, ‘If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.’…” These visitors could not ignore such a sincere and warm invitation. And so they said, “Very well, do as you say.” (5b) Students will not ignore your invite either if it is warm and sincere and if you fully intend to carry through with what you propose.
Abraham understood the needs of his guests. He knew they were thirsty and so he offered them water. He knew that their feet were dirty and so he provided a means to wash them. He sensed they were tired and so he offered them rest in the guest tent. He knew they were hungry and so he offered to feed them. He knew they were busy men and so promised that he would not burden them, but send them on their way when they felt it was the right time. Jesus saw our needs and served us accordingly. As ministers of the gospel to campus students we must have spiritual insight to see students’ needs and serve them accordingly. We are here, not to burden them, but to be a source of blessing and encouragement to them. May God inspire each of you with ways that you can bless those who God has brought into your life.
His family worked together as a unit. Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick. Get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread.” Sarah didn’t say, “I beg your pardon. Who are you saying, “Quick” to? By the way, I’m taking a little nap and I can’t kneed any dough…I just did my nails.” No, Sarah was not such a woman. She was a sincere woman of God who co-worked well with Abraham. She jumped into action, along all her other servants and even young Ishmael. They were willing and eager to serve. The words, "hurried" and "quick" and "ran" describe how Abraham and his family served his guests. They worked hard and fast. They served together as a house church.
They were very generous. Look at the menu. Three seahs of fine flour. (6) That is about 20 quarts. Do you known how much bread 20 quarts makes? Maybe 100 loaves! Next, curds and milk. Curds are cheese. Curds and milk were valuable commodities. A choice tender calf. This was not a scrawny, half dead cow that was already on it’s last legs. It was the best that they could offer. Indeed, there was no stinginess in the hearts of Abraham’s house church. When we serve we must give generously, reflecting the very heart of God who is so generous to each of us. They remind me of our DuPage UBF co-workers, serving delicious food every time we come to visit.
When the guests were eating, Abraham stood near them under a tree. (9b) When we serve we just don’t fill Styrofoam, “to go” boxes with food, collect money and quickly send people on their way. Abraham didn’t jump to the front of the serving line making sure he got some of the succulent beef barbeque before it all ran out. He stood by, like a servant, waiting for further opportunities to serve, like refilling water and passing out napkins. He engaged them in interesting conversation, listening intently more than talking. Their conversation went on well after the plates were cleared from the table. They sat on pillows, sipped Turkish coffee, smoked a Hookah pipe and talked on and on about spiritual things. What a beautiful dinner party. Abraham and his family remind me of the words of Jesus who said in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
God has called each of us and our homes to serve others in much the same way. Some people say they can not be hospitable because their homes are not big enough or nice enough. But even if you have a table and two chairs in a small dorm room, there are people who would be very thankful to spend time with you, enjoying an evening of conversation and sharing a meal. There could be visiting missionaries and other visiting servants of God whom would love to come and visit your family. There are students who long for one sincere friend to spend time with. This is all about opening your doors and helping others feel hospitable in your home and showing them the love of Jesus, even strangers. Be generous. Be gracious. Work together and who knows, they may even accept the gospel through you and believe.
Part ll: Good News For Sarah (18:1-15)
The Lord was not just making a social vist. There was some important business to discuss…some good new and then some bad news. First, the good news. Let’s read verses 9-10, “’Where is your wife Sarah?’ they asked him. ‘There, in the tent,’ he said. 10 Then the LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’ Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.” It may be hard for a woman from our society to understand why Sarah had to be in a tent, away from the main conversation. But that’s just the way it was back then. It is not the way it is now and I am glad. Anyway… the three visitors understood this and they talked loudly for Sarah to overhear.
What was the good news? Look at verse 10a again, “Then the LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’…” At this time Abraham was 99 years old and Sarah was 89. Sarah had been called by God when she was 65. She really wanted to bear Abraham a son! But she could not. Now she as 89; well advanced in years…definitely past the age of childbearing. (11) No amount of estrogen injections and invitro procedures could ever make this happen. And so, when she over heard this fantastic news she, “…laughed to herself as she thought, ‘After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?’" (12) Her laughter was laughter of unbelief and pessimism. But she liked the idea. She called giving birth to a child, at the age of 90, “a pleasure.” I guess I will never understand women.
Sarah needed to take God’s word of promise seriously. Look at verses 13-14, “Then the LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.’" God doesn’t joke around very much. Can you find God making jokes in the Bible? I know he joked around once when he created the duck billed platapus. But this time he was not joking. In fact he called her out in regards to her unbelief. She tried to deny her sin of unbelief, but God would not let it go. He said to her, “Yes, you did laugh.” Why make this old lady uncomfortable? It was because unbelief is a very serious matter. God wanted Sarah to repent and take his promise to heart.
This promise is linked to the previous promise that God had made to Abraham in Genesis 17:15-16, which reads, “God also said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.’" Abraham had laughed too. (17:17) But later he accepted God’s word and entered into the covenant of circumcision. (17:23) Now it was time for Sarah to believe the promise for herself personally. God changed her name from Sarai to Sarah. Traditionally the name Sarah means “princess” but in the context of this passage we can say that Sarah practically means “mother of many nations.” God wanted her to believe this promise and know that nothing is impossible with God. When she trusted in God her laughter of unbelief would changed into laughter of joy; of faith and victory when Isaac was born.
Who is God? He is the Almighty Creator God. He is the sovereign Lord and ruler of the whole universe. He is the source of all life and the author and perfector of our faith. When you think of it, is anything too hard for the Lord? The God who created the heavens and the earth can surely create a viable womb in order to conceive a child. He can surely give an old lady the strength to carry and deliver a healthy baby. This is no problem for our God? What is your situation right now? Do you believe that God will bring about the impossible in your life? Do you think you can not bear fruit in your life and ministry? Do you think it is impossible for you to become a mother, or a father of many nations? Do you think calculus is too hard to pass? Well you are wrong. The truth of the matter is, “nothing is too hard for the Lord.” When we accept these words, we can overcome all fatalism and despair and accept God’s vision for ourselves and our families and ministries. We can embrace all that God has in store for us and live according our calling.
Part lll: Abraham Pleads For Sodom (16-33)
The Lord had something on his mind. He said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?" (17) God wanted to share with Abraham some bad news. But first he reviewed the good news. Let’s read verses 18-19 together. “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.’" Here is a secret. If you ever want to share some bad news with a friend, then share some good news first. This makes the bad news more palatable. In these verses God confirms the promise he made to Abraham. He also revealed the secret as to why Abraham’s house church was so blessed and worked together like a well oil machine…it was because he taught his children and his household the ways of the Lord, verbally, but mostly through his practical daily life. This is a whole new message that I hope I can write and deliver one day, but not now. What God really wanted to share was his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah so that Abraham could share in his heart and pray. Look at verses 20-21, “Then the LORD said, ‘The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.’" Apparently there was an outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah. God was grieved so much that he was bound and determined to do something about it. But first he came to check it out. This is what I like about God. God does not listen to hearsay. He comes and checks things out, to find out what is really going on. God is truthful and just.
Abraham realized that his beloved but foolish nephew was on the verge of perishing under the wrath of God and this galvanized him to pray. Let’s see verses 22-23, “The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD. 23 Then Abraham approached him and said:” This means that Abraham prayed to God on Lot’s behalf. There was nothing else he could do. He tried his best. He even went to war to rescue Lot, but Lot and his family went back to their compromised lifestyle. And so he prayed. Sometimes this is all we can do for some people. Actually it is the best thing that we can do. Because God can change hearts only when we pray.
Though Abraham’s prayer we can learn several things about praying to God for others. First, we need to have the correct viewpoint of ourselves. Look at verse 27. “Then Abraham spoke up again: ‘Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes’” Abraham knew that without God, he was simply dust and ashes. He also knew that his own sins could stimulate the anger and wrath of God (30a, 32) and so he was very humble before God. God saw his attitude and listened to his prayers. We should never approach God thinking that we are all that. We are forgiven sinners. We must be humble, for God apposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Second, we need to know who God is. Look at verse 25. “Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Abraham knew that God is the Judge of all the earth and that he is righteous. He also knew that God makes a distinction between those who are righteous and those who are wicked and he treats them differently. Based on God’s character, Abraham prayed. The more we study the Bible and obey it’s teachings the more we know who God is. The more we know who God is the more effectively we can pray. So let’s study the Bible deeply and become very effective prayer servants for this generation.
Third, we need to be persistent. Abraham approached God in prayer six times in this passage, basically praying the same thing. When we pray we sometimes peel off one quick pray and then forget about it, thinking that is enough. But when we pray we need to pray again and again. We need to learn persistent prayer for our family, friends, campus’, community and nation and for all those whom God has brought into our lives…never giving up.
Fourth, we need to pray with a shepherd heart, a heart full of concern for others. Abraham prayed for Lot. In his six prayers he started off with praying for the salvation of fifty people, then forty, then thirty, then twenty, and then ten. What was he doing? I really feel that Abraham was not sure how many people were associated with Lot. There was his wife, two daughters and their two husbands. That is six people. What if Lot had some grandkids? What if a miracle happened and Lot had been reaching out to others and had a small church meeting in his home? Could there be 50 people gathering there? Abraham didn’t know. But he was concerned with Lot’s whole family and so he prayed for every possibility. Finally, God agreed to spare Sodom if as many as ten righteous men could be found in the city. Surely God listens to the sincere prayers of those who have a shepherd heart for others. May God grant each of us the same concern to pray for entire families and small house churches everywhere, especially in DeKalb. Hint…Hint.
In this passage we see what the lives of a father and mother of many nations is like. They serve whole heartedly. They believe the word of God and embrace all that God has in store for them knowing the nothing is impossible with the Lord. They are certain God will bless them as they live by faith. They are close friends with God and pray many prayers to him born out of their love and concern for others. Such was the house church of Abraham and Sarah. And such can be your house church. Yes, even for you singles out there, this blessed life can also be yours as you follow in the footsteps of Abraham. Believe God’s promises to you and embark on the adventure of faith today.
Genesis 2:20b-5:5
Eve …The Mother Of All The Living
Genesis 2:20b- 5:5 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 5-9-10
Key verse 3:20,
“Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.”
Today is mother’s day and we want to learn about various mothers in the Bible…mothers that you often don’t hear about. We hear a lot of Mary the mother of Jesus or Hannah the mother of Samuel. They are great examples of mothers. But do we hear about other mothers that are equally important? What about Noah’s wife? What about Moses’ mother? Do you know her name? Jochebed (Ex 6:20). Today we want to take a close look at Eve and find out what kind of mother she was and what we can learn from her motherhood. At best I may have another 50-60 years of preaching left in me. And so I can write about 50 or 60 mothers in the Bible. This is the first of the series….Eve…the mother of all the living.
Did you know that people are not that different from each other? Even though we may look different on the outside, on the inside we are very similar. Our DNA is very similar. An Eskimo in the Canadian Arctic and an Aborigine native in Australia look like they are worlds apart, but in reality, when you analyze their DNA they are actually more closely related to each other than two chimpanzees from two neighboring chimp groups in West Africa. Evolutionists would have you think that a massive natural catastrophe killed all other forms of humanoids and left only one type of homosapien, and that is why were are so similar. But there is another, more believable explanation. How about exploring the fact that we all came from the same mother? And that mother is Eve. She went through so much and has an incredible spiritual journey to share with us. Let’s take a closer look at Eve and discover some of her qualities as a woman and a mother.
Part l: God Establishes A Beautiful Family (18-25)
God cared about Adam and wanted to introduce him to Eve. Read verse 2:18. "The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.'" Eden was beautiful, a perfect paradise. But God looked and saw something that was not good. "It is not good for the man to be alone.” So one day, after Adam had worked hard doing God's work, he fell into a deep sleep (19,20). God took one of his ribs and from it he made woman, and he brought her to Adam.
There was a good purpose for creating a woman. She was not to be an object of pleasure. She was not a reward for Adam’s hard work. She was not to be Adam's servant or be a solution to his loneliness problem. God created a woman to help the man fulfill the mission God had given him. She was to be his companion, his helper and his friend. She, too, was created in God's image. Therefore she could worship God and participate in God's mission for them with deep understanding and a common love for God and faith in God, right alongside her husband, Adam. The fact that she was created from Adam’s rib means that she was supportive and protective and would stand with Adam, side by side.
Adam was very happy...so happy that he made this confession of love: "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman', for she was taken out of man" (2:23). Adam welcomed Eve with his whole heart. He did not know her. He did not date her. He did not live with her to “check her out.” He trusted God absolutely. Eve trusted God too. She did not get upset saying, “Who is this Adam guy you’re introducing me too?” God himself united them thereby creating the first family. They were united as one by God, absolutely committed to one another in love and faith. A home is built on this confession of love and on this union of two personalities coming together as one. Verse 25 implies that they were free and innocent in their relationship with one another. There were no artificial barriers and no competition between them. They felt no shame, revealing that they had the right relationship with God, for shame comes from sin. They joyfully served God and loved each other and were very happy. Verse 2:24 reads, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife.” Adam made a life-long commitment to Eve. They worked together to fulfill their mission in the Garden of Eden and glorify God. From the establishment of this first family we learn that God cares about our happiness and wants to make us truly happy. We must entrust our lives and our future so that his grace may be poured out on us. God is good and he wants the best for us. Do you believe this? (Matt 6:33) Can you trust God like Adam and Eve did?
Part ll: The Fall (3:1-24)
But one day something tragic happened to this beautiful family. Satan came to deceive the woman. He had told her that eating the forbidden fruit would make her as wise as God, and she believed him was tempted to disobey God. (4-6) Satan didn't tell her the tragic consequences of disobedience. Her physical desires, which were intended to enrich her life, became unrestrained. The fruit was beautiful and looked delicious. It became very desirable. So, without any further thought, she took it and ate. Her act was an act of obedience to Satan and an act of disobedience to God. She moved from the kingdom of God to the kingdom of this world, the kingdom of Satan. Guilt longs for company, so she gave some of the forbidden fruit to Adam; he ate and joined her in the kingdom of Satan. Their innocence was gone. (7) They tried to cover themselves to hide from each other. They tried to hide from God. (8b-9) The beautiful relationships with God and with one another were broken. (12-13) Adam blamed the woman for giving him the forbidden fruit, and he blamed God for giving him the woman. Fear, guilt and broken relationships are the gifts of Satan. When God called, "Adam, where are you?" Adam could not but reveal the spiritual turmoil in his heart. He was lost. Their lives and their new family had fallen apart. There was nothing else God could do except discipline them spiritually (14-19), care for their needs (21) and expel them from the garden. (22-24)
It is important to understand the new setting that this house church found themselves in. They just disobeyed God’s command and were cast out of the Garden of Eden. They were in a bad spiritual condition. Their burden on their hearts was immense. They were filled with shame and were afraid of God and hiding from God. They were blaming the each other. Eve blamed the devil and Adam blamed God, saying, “The woman you put in here with me, she made me do it.” (12) They were in desperate need of marriage counseling but with no one to offer it to them.
Part lll: The Worst Case Scenario
What could their family life be like after the fall? Let’s see. God had warned them in Genesis 3:17, “but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." After the fall, they surely began to die in so many ways. Their home life and their spiritual life suffered. Look at 2:17-19, “To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." Adam’s life would be incredibly difficult. Under the curse he would work painful, long days in the fields. There would be a never ending battle controlling the weeds. Thorns and thistles would pierce his hands. Every meal was hard earned through the blood, sweat and tears of Adam. When he thought he was getting a little bit ahead, some natural disaster would destroy what his hands had built. One year a tornado blew down his barns. Another year a flood ruined a crop. And then there was the brush fire that killed so many of his flocks. His own mortality was before him as he felt arthritis setting into his back and his knees. He thought to himself, “Will this ever end? I’ll have to work like this until I am an old man.” Every day was the same old routine…work, eat, sleep --- work, eat, sleep – only waiting to die. Sometimes he skipped family worship to make sure that the harvest was in. Adam felt meaningless crying out to his sheep, “What do you think of my life?” They would reply in unison, “ It’s bahhhhh’d”
Eve too, suffered a lot. Let’s read 3:16, “To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." She would be faced with intense labor pains when she gave birth to children. Labor lasted for 15 hours for Cain and 20 hours for Able. She almost died both times. The thought of death crossed her mind every time she told Adam, “Honey, I’m pregnant.” Not only that, she would be obsessed with Adam, desiring all of his time and love and devotion all the time. It was a constant battle to keep her mind focused on worshipping God. Eve would be forever disappointed with Adam’s love, for Adam was no longer the gentle, loving, understanding person he consistently was while living in the Garden. Now, Adam would rule over Eve, becoming demanding and insensitive. After a hard day working in the fields he would push his dinner to the floor and say, “This is too cold…This place is a mess. I worked hard all day in the fields. What did you do all day?” Eve was left to cry, cleaning up the spilled food and eating quietly with young Cain and Able trying to console them, “It’s o.k. boys. Daddy’s just having a bad day.” The boys just sat eating in silence.
Satan was also out to get this couple. Look at Genesis 2:14-15. Satan had just been cursed by God. All of his glory and beauty was taken from him. (3:14) There was now mutual hatred towards this family and himself. (3:15) Satan also is very desperate because he knows his time is short. God will one day send a Savior, the offspring of a woman, who would deliver a fatal blow to him. (15) This would be Jesus Christ, who would defeat the Satan through his own suffering, death and resurrection. The devil hates God. He hates God’s children and so the devil began to prowl around like a roaring lion, waiting to pounce on Adam and Eve to devour them, first separating them from each other and then driving them towards death and eternal damnation. Adam and Eve, and their descendents would be harassed daily by the devil for many millennia. When Adam worked hard in the fields, the devil would prompt his heart to despair to the point of contemplating suicide. Adam took his frustrations out on Eve and the boys. Satan would prompt Eve to hate Adam and leave him. She worried about the boys and the effect on their psyche. Such is family life under the curse.
Part lll: Eve Overcame By Faith
That was the worst case scenario. It is exactly the kind of life that so many young families are finding themselves in this dry, spiritual desert we call “Western Culture.” Though Adam and Eve were tempted to live like this day in and day out, for the rest of their lives, (some days were like this to be certain) there is evidence that they did not succumb to the devil’s temptations, nor to their own negative feelings and emotions.
Though they had been blaming each other for what has happened, Adam and Eve still loved each other. Let’s read 3:20, “Adam named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all the living.” Eve means “living.” Instead of seeing Eve as, “The woman you put here with me.” (Gen 3:12a) Adam had spiritual eyes to see his wife with eyes of hope and life. He saw her from God’s point of view. Verse 4:1 reveals that they had normal marital relationships. Eve forgave Adam for his grumpiness and Adam repented of blaming his wife for everything. They were two forgiving, forgiven sinners. They were committed to building a family together. That is the foundation that any healthy family needs.
Adam and Eve knew the deep grace of God. Look at 3:21, “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” God could have cast them out of the garden and forgot about them. But he didn’t. He cared about their nakedness. He killed one of his own animals to clothe them. This sacrifice of an animal is also an indication that God covered them with his own righteousness that he provided. And they accepted it. Adam and Eve had received some very hard training from God. Most people would have become very bitter and blamed God for the predicament that they themselves had put themselves into. But they did not. Eve’s heart remained tender, constantly being reminded of the deep grace of God for her family.
They still had hope in the kingdom of God. Look 3:24, “After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” God could have completely destroyed the Garden of Eden or the pathway to it. But he did not. The Garden of Eden is still there for all who place their faith, hope and trust in God. We call it, “The Kingdom of God.” Eve possessed this hope in her heart and this hope gave her strength and life direction. She knew that her life would not end in the cruel desert, but that her life was a pilgrimage…a journey back the kingdom of God where she would dwell in perfect paradise with God forever. This hope helped her to look beyond the suffering, the poverty, the bitter words that were sometimes spoken around the home. She had a clear life direction to seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness in all she did. (Matthew 6:33)
Eve had hope in the coming Messiah. When God cursed the serpent he said in Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring [a] and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." This verse is called the “pre-gospel” In this verse God promises to send a Savior, the offspring of a woman who deliver a fatal blow the devil. But in doing so, this savior would suffer, but not be killed. Jesus fulfills this prophecy. He eternally defeated the devil through his suffering and death and resurrection. Eve knew that no matter how furious the devil’s attacks were on their small house church, the Savior would win the ultimate victory. She would find strength knowing that though there were many battles and struggles, they had already won the war when they held onto the hope of God, through faith. This hope in the victorious suffering Savior was the strength they needed to carry on with their struggles of life, with a victorious spirit.
They tried their best to worship God by faith, through sacrifices. Think of their situation. They were cast out into a world of suffering by a God who was angry with their sin. There was a great chasm because of their sin. They could have been overcome with self –condemnation, bitterness or despair or a combination of all three. Many people would have given up trying to worship God. Many would have stopped going to church, saying, “What’s the use?” or “What has God ever done for me?” But this family continued to worship God. There were no other people to show them the way. There was no Bible. Maybe they remembered the animal skins that God clothed them with. They tried to come to God through the offering up of sacrifices. This revealed their desire to please God and come to him with contrite hearts, offering something that cost them. Adam and Eve taught their children how to worship God too.
Look at 4:1-2, “Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. [b] She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth [c] a man." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.” They raised a family. They had a least three sons, Able, Cain and Seth. They approached a hard life with hope and expectation. They could have said, “I don’t want to bring any children into this cruel world. Why make them suffer?” But their faith in God gave them hope. They were not afraid to build a family. They didn’t say, “How can we provided for their needs.” They just did it by faith, dedicating their children to God, teaching them to worship God and hoping that they would grow to be sources of blessing to the world.
Let’s think more about their teaching their kids to worship God. Let’s read 4:3-4, “3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,” How did Cain and Able know that there was a God? Adam and Eve must have taught them. They did not say, “They can believe what they want when they get older.” They taught them how to worship God from a young age even teaching them that they must give their best to God. Children are blessed when their parents take the time to teach them how to worship from a young age. Our kids have been coming to church since 4 years old. Jason’s dad led daily morning Bible studies every day and now Jason loves Jesus and the word of God. Ruth Graham had family devotionals with their kids twice a day and now their kids are changing history, especially Franklin Graham. We need to take time to teach the younger generation how to worship God by offering their hearts and lives to him and accepting the ultimate blood sacrifice, Jesus Christ.
They taught their kids how to work hard. Many parents spoil their kids. Not Eve. They worked hard, by the sweat of their brow, setting the example for the boys. And it paid off. Able was a hard working man, taking care of flocks of sheep. Cain was a man of the soil, producing grains and vegetables and fruits. Let’s take a lesson from Eve teaching our kids how to work hard, especially by setting the example in our own lives.
They saw the dramatic increase in the number of their descendants. They had so many grandchildren and great grandchildren. There is a man living in Dubai who has 83 kids. He hopes to have 100 kids before he dies. They must have taught their grandkids, and all of their descendants the ways of God. They were not lonely seniors, but well connected to the lives of their extended family.
They had joys of seeing the sincere faith of their son Able. Look at 4:4, “But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering” How their hearts must have beamed every time Able asked sincere questions regarding faith and worship. How happy they must have been when they saw Able willingly bringing his sincere offering to the Lord. He gave his best. Eve felt like Joseph and Mary when they found 12 year old Jesus in the temple asking deep questions. (Lk 2:41-52) May we all experience the joys of seeing our kids coming to sincere faith in God. They also saw Seth growing in faith. Seth probably means “Granted.” He was an answer to Eve’s prayer that God would give them another sincere son, who could stand as a man of faith and God granted that request. The Bible says that Seth was made in the likeness of Adam, who was made in the likeness of God. (Gen 5:1-2) After Seth was born men began to call on the name of the Lord. (Gen 4:26) That means he must have been preaching and influencing the people of his generation towards sincere faith in God. What a joy it is to see Jenn teaching Anais the Bible and for all the kids participating in campus mission.
There were also some dark spots in their family life that faith helped them to overcome. They despaired at seeing the empty forms of worship in Cain’s heart. (4:5) They knew that every time Cain came to offer up a sacrifice to God it was it was with a grudging, stingy heart. They knew that Cain really didn’t love God and was self-righteous and sarcastic. (4:9) When saw the sibling rivalry between their two sons, they must have tried to intervene many times, but to know avail. Cain wouldn’t stop. He wouldn’t back down. They saw the hate in Cain’s heart. All they could do it pray for him. They eventually would have to bear the fact that their own son, Cain was murderer and that he would leave home, lost in sin and darkness and maybe to be never be seen again. There are times when even very sincere servants of God see their own children fall away from God. The prophet Samuel was one of these people. (1 Sam 8:5) It is a great burden on any parent’s heart, but it does drive us to prayer and trust in God.
They lost their precious Able. (Gen 4:8) No parent should have to bury their own child. It could be one of the saddest things that a person could do. No words could describe the grief they bare. Eve faced this extreme grief. They lost their older son Cain to his sin. For them, it was like they were loosing two sons that day. But this grief did not paralyze them. Look at 4:25, “Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, ‘God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.’" They carried on with their lives. They started again to build a family of faith.
In a worldly sense Cain was successful. He built cities in the far off land of Nod. The people he ruled over had technology and an agricultural commerce. Adam and Eve would have heard of their sons successes in the world. Cain may have sent messengers to them hoping to hear his parents say, “I’m proud of you son.” Maybe Cain longed for his parent’s forgiveness for killing Abel. Adam and Eve would be happy to learn of their son’s successes but his victory rang hollow in their hearts. They knew that even if Cain ruled the whole world, it would be nothing if he did not have the right relationship with God. They prayed for his salvation daily.
In this passage we can see that despite their difficult circumstances, Adam and Eve overcame their feelings and loved each other. Adam saw his wife with eyes of hope and life. They lived and two forgiving, forgiven sinners. They were committed to building their family, with hope and expectation, even though the world and the devil tried to destroy it. Eve could remain strong because she knew the deep grace of God. Eve maintained her hope in the kingdom of God and sought it. She hoped in the first coming of Jesus. She taught their sons to be men, to work hard, the worship God, to sacrifice. She had the joy of seeing some of her children walking in the Lord and grieved at one son falling away from God. She bore the sorrow of burying a child. But through it all, Eve kept her faith and her hope and moved ahead in life, by faith.
Genesis 2:20b- 5:5 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 5-9-10
Key verse 3:20,
“Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.”
Today is mother’s day and we want to learn about various mothers in the Bible…mothers that you often don’t hear about. We hear a lot of Mary the mother of Jesus or Hannah the mother of Samuel. They are great examples of mothers. But do we hear about other mothers that are equally important? What about Noah’s wife? What about Moses’ mother? Do you know her name? Jochebed (Ex 6:20). Today we want to take a close look at Eve and find out what kind of mother she was and what we can learn from her motherhood. At best I may have another 50-60 years of preaching left in me. And so I can write about 50 or 60 mothers in the Bible. This is the first of the series….Eve…the mother of all the living.
Did you know that people are not that different from each other? Even though we may look different on the outside, on the inside we are very similar. Our DNA is very similar. An Eskimo in the Canadian Arctic and an Aborigine native in Australia look like they are worlds apart, but in reality, when you analyze their DNA they are actually more closely related to each other than two chimpanzees from two neighboring chimp groups in West Africa. Evolutionists would have you think that a massive natural catastrophe killed all other forms of humanoids and left only one type of homosapien, and that is why were are so similar. But there is another, more believable explanation. How about exploring the fact that we all came from the same mother? And that mother is Eve. She went through so much and has an incredible spiritual journey to share with us. Let’s take a closer look at Eve and discover some of her qualities as a woman and a mother.
Part l: God Establishes A Beautiful Family (18-25)
God cared about Adam and wanted to introduce him to Eve. Read verse 2:18. "The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.'" Eden was beautiful, a perfect paradise. But God looked and saw something that was not good. "It is not good for the man to be alone.” So one day, after Adam had worked hard doing God's work, he fell into a deep sleep (19,20). God took one of his ribs and from it he made woman, and he brought her to Adam.
There was a good purpose for creating a woman. She was not to be an object of pleasure. She was not a reward for Adam’s hard work. She was not to be Adam's servant or be a solution to his loneliness problem. God created a woman to help the man fulfill the mission God had given him. She was to be his companion, his helper and his friend. She, too, was created in God's image. Therefore she could worship God and participate in God's mission for them with deep understanding and a common love for God and faith in God, right alongside her husband, Adam. The fact that she was created from Adam’s rib means that she was supportive and protective and would stand with Adam, side by side.
Adam was very happy...so happy that he made this confession of love: "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman', for she was taken out of man" (2:23). Adam welcomed Eve with his whole heart. He did not know her. He did not date her. He did not live with her to “check her out.” He trusted God absolutely. Eve trusted God too. She did not get upset saying, “Who is this Adam guy you’re introducing me too?” God himself united them thereby creating the first family. They were united as one by God, absolutely committed to one another in love and faith. A home is built on this confession of love and on this union of two personalities coming together as one. Verse 25 implies that they were free and innocent in their relationship with one another. There were no artificial barriers and no competition between them. They felt no shame, revealing that they had the right relationship with God, for shame comes from sin. They joyfully served God and loved each other and were very happy. Verse 2:24 reads, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife.” Adam made a life-long commitment to Eve. They worked together to fulfill their mission in the Garden of Eden and glorify God. From the establishment of this first family we learn that God cares about our happiness and wants to make us truly happy. We must entrust our lives and our future so that his grace may be poured out on us. God is good and he wants the best for us. Do you believe this? (Matt 6:33) Can you trust God like Adam and Eve did?
Part ll: The Fall (3:1-24)
But one day something tragic happened to this beautiful family. Satan came to deceive the woman. He had told her that eating the forbidden fruit would make her as wise as God, and she believed him was tempted to disobey God. (4-6) Satan didn't tell her the tragic consequences of disobedience. Her physical desires, which were intended to enrich her life, became unrestrained. The fruit was beautiful and looked delicious. It became very desirable. So, without any further thought, she took it and ate. Her act was an act of obedience to Satan and an act of disobedience to God. She moved from the kingdom of God to the kingdom of this world, the kingdom of Satan. Guilt longs for company, so she gave some of the forbidden fruit to Adam; he ate and joined her in the kingdom of Satan. Their innocence was gone. (7) They tried to cover themselves to hide from each other. They tried to hide from God. (8b-9) The beautiful relationships with God and with one another were broken. (12-13) Adam blamed the woman for giving him the forbidden fruit, and he blamed God for giving him the woman. Fear, guilt and broken relationships are the gifts of Satan. When God called, "Adam, where are you?" Adam could not but reveal the spiritual turmoil in his heart. He was lost. Their lives and their new family had fallen apart. There was nothing else God could do except discipline them spiritually (14-19), care for their needs (21) and expel them from the garden. (22-24)
It is important to understand the new setting that this house church found themselves in. They just disobeyed God’s command and were cast out of the Garden of Eden. They were in a bad spiritual condition. Their burden on their hearts was immense. They were filled with shame and were afraid of God and hiding from God. They were blaming the each other. Eve blamed the devil and Adam blamed God, saying, “The woman you put in here with me, she made me do it.” (12) They were in desperate need of marriage counseling but with no one to offer it to them.
Part lll: The Worst Case Scenario
What could their family life be like after the fall? Let’s see. God had warned them in Genesis 3:17, “but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." After the fall, they surely began to die in so many ways. Their home life and their spiritual life suffered. Look at 2:17-19, “To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." Adam’s life would be incredibly difficult. Under the curse he would work painful, long days in the fields. There would be a never ending battle controlling the weeds. Thorns and thistles would pierce his hands. Every meal was hard earned through the blood, sweat and tears of Adam. When he thought he was getting a little bit ahead, some natural disaster would destroy what his hands had built. One year a tornado blew down his barns. Another year a flood ruined a crop. And then there was the brush fire that killed so many of his flocks. His own mortality was before him as he felt arthritis setting into his back and his knees. He thought to himself, “Will this ever end? I’ll have to work like this until I am an old man.” Every day was the same old routine…work, eat, sleep --- work, eat, sleep – only waiting to die. Sometimes he skipped family worship to make sure that the harvest was in. Adam felt meaningless crying out to his sheep, “What do you think of my life?” They would reply in unison, “ It’s bahhhhh’d”
Eve too, suffered a lot. Let’s read 3:16, “To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." She would be faced with intense labor pains when she gave birth to children. Labor lasted for 15 hours for Cain and 20 hours for Able. She almost died both times. The thought of death crossed her mind every time she told Adam, “Honey, I’m pregnant.” Not only that, she would be obsessed with Adam, desiring all of his time and love and devotion all the time. It was a constant battle to keep her mind focused on worshipping God. Eve would be forever disappointed with Adam’s love, for Adam was no longer the gentle, loving, understanding person he consistently was while living in the Garden. Now, Adam would rule over Eve, becoming demanding and insensitive. After a hard day working in the fields he would push his dinner to the floor and say, “This is too cold…This place is a mess. I worked hard all day in the fields. What did you do all day?” Eve was left to cry, cleaning up the spilled food and eating quietly with young Cain and Able trying to console them, “It’s o.k. boys. Daddy’s just having a bad day.” The boys just sat eating in silence.
Satan was also out to get this couple. Look at Genesis 2:14-15. Satan had just been cursed by God. All of his glory and beauty was taken from him. (3:14) There was now mutual hatred towards this family and himself. (3:15) Satan also is very desperate because he knows his time is short. God will one day send a Savior, the offspring of a woman, who would deliver a fatal blow to him. (15) This would be Jesus Christ, who would defeat the Satan through his own suffering, death and resurrection. The devil hates God. He hates God’s children and so the devil began to prowl around like a roaring lion, waiting to pounce on Adam and Eve to devour them, first separating them from each other and then driving them towards death and eternal damnation. Adam and Eve, and their descendents would be harassed daily by the devil for many millennia. When Adam worked hard in the fields, the devil would prompt his heart to despair to the point of contemplating suicide. Adam took his frustrations out on Eve and the boys. Satan would prompt Eve to hate Adam and leave him. She worried about the boys and the effect on their psyche. Such is family life under the curse.
Part lll: Eve Overcame By Faith
That was the worst case scenario. It is exactly the kind of life that so many young families are finding themselves in this dry, spiritual desert we call “Western Culture.” Though Adam and Eve were tempted to live like this day in and day out, for the rest of their lives, (some days were like this to be certain) there is evidence that they did not succumb to the devil’s temptations, nor to their own negative feelings and emotions.
Though they had been blaming each other for what has happened, Adam and Eve still loved each other. Let’s read 3:20, “Adam named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all the living.” Eve means “living.” Instead of seeing Eve as, “The woman you put here with me.” (Gen 3:12a) Adam had spiritual eyes to see his wife with eyes of hope and life. He saw her from God’s point of view. Verse 4:1 reveals that they had normal marital relationships. Eve forgave Adam for his grumpiness and Adam repented of blaming his wife for everything. They were two forgiving, forgiven sinners. They were committed to building a family together. That is the foundation that any healthy family needs.
Adam and Eve knew the deep grace of God. Look at 3:21, “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” God could have cast them out of the garden and forgot about them. But he didn’t. He cared about their nakedness. He killed one of his own animals to clothe them. This sacrifice of an animal is also an indication that God covered them with his own righteousness that he provided. And they accepted it. Adam and Eve had received some very hard training from God. Most people would have become very bitter and blamed God for the predicament that they themselves had put themselves into. But they did not. Eve’s heart remained tender, constantly being reminded of the deep grace of God for her family.
They still had hope in the kingdom of God. Look 3:24, “After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” God could have completely destroyed the Garden of Eden or the pathway to it. But he did not. The Garden of Eden is still there for all who place their faith, hope and trust in God. We call it, “The Kingdom of God.” Eve possessed this hope in her heart and this hope gave her strength and life direction. She knew that her life would not end in the cruel desert, but that her life was a pilgrimage…a journey back the kingdom of God where she would dwell in perfect paradise with God forever. This hope helped her to look beyond the suffering, the poverty, the bitter words that were sometimes spoken around the home. She had a clear life direction to seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness in all she did. (Matthew 6:33)
Eve had hope in the coming Messiah. When God cursed the serpent he said in Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring [a] and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." This verse is called the “pre-gospel” In this verse God promises to send a Savior, the offspring of a woman who deliver a fatal blow the devil. But in doing so, this savior would suffer, but not be killed. Jesus fulfills this prophecy. He eternally defeated the devil through his suffering and death and resurrection. Eve knew that no matter how furious the devil’s attacks were on their small house church, the Savior would win the ultimate victory. She would find strength knowing that though there were many battles and struggles, they had already won the war when they held onto the hope of God, through faith. This hope in the victorious suffering Savior was the strength they needed to carry on with their struggles of life, with a victorious spirit.
They tried their best to worship God by faith, through sacrifices. Think of their situation. They were cast out into a world of suffering by a God who was angry with their sin. There was a great chasm because of their sin. They could have been overcome with self –condemnation, bitterness or despair or a combination of all three. Many people would have given up trying to worship God. Many would have stopped going to church, saying, “What’s the use?” or “What has God ever done for me?” But this family continued to worship God. There were no other people to show them the way. There was no Bible. Maybe they remembered the animal skins that God clothed them with. They tried to come to God through the offering up of sacrifices. This revealed their desire to please God and come to him with contrite hearts, offering something that cost them. Adam and Eve taught their children how to worship God too.
Look at 4:1-2, “Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. [b] She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth [c] a man." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.” They raised a family. They had a least three sons, Able, Cain and Seth. They approached a hard life with hope and expectation. They could have said, “I don’t want to bring any children into this cruel world. Why make them suffer?” But their faith in God gave them hope. They were not afraid to build a family. They didn’t say, “How can we provided for their needs.” They just did it by faith, dedicating their children to God, teaching them to worship God and hoping that they would grow to be sources of blessing to the world.
Let’s think more about their teaching their kids to worship God. Let’s read 4:3-4, “3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,” How did Cain and Able know that there was a God? Adam and Eve must have taught them. They did not say, “They can believe what they want when they get older.” They taught them how to worship God from a young age even teaching them that they must give their best to God. Children are blessed when their parents take the time to teach them how to worship from a young age. Our kids have been coming to church since 4 years old. Jason’s dad led daily morning Bible studies every day and now Jason loves Jesus and the word of God. Ruth Graham had family devotionals with their kids twice a day and now their kids are changing history, especially Franklin Graham. We need to take time to teach the younger generation how to worship God by offering their hearts and lives to him and accepting the ultimate blood sacrifice, Jesus Christ.
They taught their kids how to work hard. Many parents spoil their kids. Not Eve. They worked hard, by the sweat of their brow, setting the example for the boys. And it paid off. Able was a hard working man, taking care of flocks of sheep. Cain was a man of the soil, producing grains and vegetables and fruits. Let’s take a lesson from Eve teaching our kids how to work hard, especially by setting the example in our own lives.
They saw the dramatic increase in the number of their descendants. They had so many grandchildren and great grandchildren. There is a man living in Dubai who has 83 kids. He hopes to have 100 kids before he dies. They must have taught their grandkids, and all of their descendants the ways of God. They were not lonely seniors, but well connected to the lives of their extended family.
They had joys of seeing the sincere faith of their son Able. Look at 4:4, “But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering” How their hearts must have beamed every time Able asked sincere questions regarding faith and worship. How happy they must have been when they saw Able willingly bringing his sincere offering to the Lord. He gave his best. Eve felt like Joseph and Mary when they found 12 year old Jesus in the temple asking deep questions. (Lk 2:41-52) May we all experience the joys of seeing our kids coming to sincere faith in God. They also saw Seth growing in faith. Seth probably means “Granted.” He was an answer to Eve’s prayer that God would give them another sincere son, who could stand as a man of faith and God granted that request. The Bible says that Seth was made in the likeness of Adam, who was made in the likeness of God. (Gen 5:1-2) After Seth was born men began to call on the name of the Lord. (Gen 4:26) That means he must have been preaching and influencing the people of his generation towards sincere faith in God. What a joy it is to see Jenn teaching Anais the Bible and for all the kids participating in campus mission.
There were also some dark spots in their family life that faith helped them to overcome. They despaired at seeing the empty forms of worship in Cain’s heart. (4:5) They knew that every time Cain came to offer up a sacrifice to God it was it was with a grudging, stingy heart. They knew that Cain really didn’t love God and was self-righteous and sarcastic. (4:9) When saw the sibling rivalry between their two sons, they must have tried to intervene many times, but to know avail. Cain wouldn’t stop. He wouldn’t back down. They saw the hate in Cain’s heart. All they could do it pray for him. They eventually would have to bear the fact that their own son, Cain was murderer and that he would leave home, lost in sin and darkness and maybe to be never be seen again. There are times when even very sincere servants of God see their own children fall away from God. The prophet Samuel was one of these people. (1 Sam 8:5) It is a great burden on any parent’s heart, but it does drive us to prayer and trust in God.
They lost their precious Able. (Gen 4:8) No parent should have to bury their own child. It could be one of the saddest things that a person could do. No words could describe the grief they bare. Eve faced this extreme grief. They lost their older son Cain to his sin. For them, it was like they were loosing two sons that day. But this grief did not paralyze them. Look at 4:25, “Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, ‘God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.’" They carried on with their lives. They started again to build a family of faith.
In a worldly sense Cain was successful. He built cities in the far off land of Nod. The people he ruled over had technology and an agricultural commerce. Adam and Eve would have heard of their sons successes in the world. Cain may have sent messengers to them hoping to hear his parents say, “I’m proud of you son.” Maybe Cain longed for his parent’s forgiveness for killing Abel. Adam and Eve would be happy to learn of their son’s successes but his victory rang hollow in their hearts. They knew that even if Cain ruled the whole world, it would be nothing if he did not have the right relationship with God. They prayed for his salvation daily.
In this passage we can see that despite their difficult circumstances, Adam and Eve overcame their feelings and loved each other. Adam saw his wife with eyes of hope and life. They lived and two forgiving, forgiven sinners. They were committed to building their family, with hope and expectation, even though the world and the devil tried to destroy it. Eve could remain strong because she knew the deep grace of God. Eve maintained her hope in the kingdom of God and sought it. She hoped in the first coming of Jesus. She taught their sons to be men, to work hard, the worship God, to sacrifice. She had the joy of seeing some of her children walking in the Lord and grieved at one son falling away from God. She bore the sorrow of burying a child. But through it all, Eve kept her faith and her hope and moved ahead in life, by faith.
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