Sermon in Phoenix 26.10.2014

May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the love of God our Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forever. Amen.

Let us quieten this morning as we begin our services in prayer and thanksgiving. Amen.

Dear Heavenly Father, holy and righteous God, we thank you this morning, dear Father, for this opportunity where we can again gather around your holy and precious word. You have provided for us these opportunities because you know, dear Father, that we are those kinds of leaky vessels that need to be reminded often of those matters that are necessary for our journey of living faith and that road that leads to everlasting life in the glory of heaven.

This morning as we have awakened, dear Father, we have awakened with this knowledge, this knowledge and joy in our hearts that we were protected through the night as your children. And we are mindful of the abundant blessings and gifts that you've given to us, both for the temporal and also the spiritual journey. You have given us food and clothing. You have provided of those necessities of this life. You have given us more than we even know to ask. You have also given to us your kingdom, this kingdom wherein we can dwell as your children, this peaceful haven away from the dangers and the temptations that come from the world, a place of rest where we can hear the good message. A place of rest where we can hear the good message that comes through your word. You have given to us believing escorts, those brothers and sisters in faith who help us on our journey home.

Most of all, dear Father, you have given to us of your Son. You sent him into this sinful world to fulfill your work and your will. And he did accordingly and obediently went to the cross and suffered so that we today might have hope through the shed blood of eternal salvation.

Dear Father, we are gifted in so many ways. We don't know how we ought to even thank. But yet we this morning pray, dear Father, that even these weak prayers you would hear and that you would also bless us today with your service blessing. That you would break those crumbs of grace small enough that the weak and poor traveler would be nourished and fed. Bless us, dear Father, on this day of grace. All of this we ask in Jesus' name.

And we pray as he is taught when we say, Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

This morning, before reading a text, I would with joy bring loving greetings to you brothers and sisters here from our recent travels. We were in Africa for those 10 days, 12 day trip. There we were able to meet many of the believers that lived there. We traveled and visited 14 different areas or congregations. We were able to again experience the work of God in a very miraculous way. We were able to share around the work with those brothers and sisters that lived there. And they asked, as we went from place to place, that their greetings would be sent here. And that they would be remembered in your prayers.

God blessed our trip there. He gave us, he protected us there. He fed us. He also gave opportunity to serve. And he gave us words to speak.

Also, greetings from last weekend. We were in Colorado for their dedication ceremony services there last weekend. It was a very joyful weekend. As you can imagine, as it was here many years ago when the congregation dedicated this church building. And the joy that is when these kinds of projects are prayed for and worked on and then to come to fruition. The believers there were very thankful that God has now given them and blessed them with this place of service. Loving greetings from there.

And then most recently, yesterday I was at the LLC board meeting. And greetings from there as well. The brothers wanted their greetings sent here. We experienced there also God's blessings. We enjoy that time of work where we can, with the unity and love of the Spirit, work toward that same common goal with that same understanding of faith that joins the hearts of God's children together.

And we live in a very unique time. We live in that kind of time when God is calling from many corners and corners of the earth His children. But also in our midst. A lot of work to be done with our youth and our children and our families. Serving one another also in the work. And as well, battling against the enemy of souls who brings before us his temptations that would draw God's children away.

Today, on the church calendar, the theme of the day's text speaks of faith and unbelief. The Gospel text for this day is found in the Gospel of John, the ninth chapter. And I will read from the 24th verse.

Then again called they the man that was blind and said unto him, Give God the praise. We know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not. One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.

Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? How opened he thine eyes? He answered them, I have told you already, and you did not hear. Wherefore would you hear that? And again, Will ye also be his disciples?

Then they reviled him and said, Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses. As for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

Now we know that God heareth not sinners, but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

Since the world began, was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind?

If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. Amen.

This is the ninth chapter of John. It speaks of this man who was born blind, and that Jesus had healed him from this blindness.

In the early parts of this chapter, the disciples had asked Jesus this question, when they had passed by this man who was born blind, that who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?

It was so during the time of Jesus that there were those who thought that because of sin, that these kinds of effects, or these kinds of matters would be so. And that if there was someone who was born blind, or born with certain physical ailments, it was because of sin that it happened.

It's not according to God's word. For one, how can a child who was in their mother's womb sin? It's not possible. That child that is created there is God's own and created in perfection.

The Psalmist says that in my mother's womb thou covered me. The 139th Psalm speaks about how perfectly God knew, even in the inward parts of the mother's womb, His creation work.

And that child that is there resting in the womb of his mother is innocent and perfect and born in perfection. No way in that mother's womb could that child sin.

So when the disciples asked this question to Jesus, that why was this person born blind, they asked the question, was it because of this child's sin or the parents?

And perhaps there are those times when we might think that God punishes people for their sinfulness. And I know it's not far from us when we face difficulties with health, we're laid up, we have something happens in our lives, it's not far from us to ask these questions and even allow the enemy of souls to raise this kind of sermon of doubt that it's because of your sinfulness that these things have taken place.

Have you brothers and sisters, when you've been sick or infirmed, have you pondered that, that is God punishing me for some reason? No. I have wondered these very same things.

But when the disciples asked Jesus this question, that what is the reason that this man was born blind? Jesus answered and he told them, neither hath this man sinned nor his parents, but that the works of God shall be made manifest in him.

We can understand and we can believe that it is God who allows things to take place in our lives. We can't escape that. It's a truth. God knows all things and he allows things to go as they go in our lives. And we can even be thankful that God directs these things. We don't need to worry over those things because God cares for them perfectly.

This doesn't mean, on the other hand, that God doesn't allow trials because God's word is filled with those kinds of words that explain to us that God does try his children. And these trials are for this reason that we would be made aware of that God is the Creator. And God can approach us in our lives and he can awaken us even in our sinfulness with a certain trial of our life. This is according to God's word.

But does God punish us? I don't think that way of God that he would punish us because of our sinfulness. If that was the case, who of us could even hold our head up? Because we would deserve nothing but punishment. We are sinners through and through.

God would hope that we wouldn't fall into sin and that's our desire. Even as John has written elsewhere that my little children sin not. But he also continues that if we sin we have a propitiation for our sin. We have a way that our sin can be forgiven and that is through Jesus. Through the shed blood of Jesus our sins are forgiven.

But yet God allows those trials. But here Jesus says this man wasn't born blind because of his parents or he himself did his sin but that my works might be made manifest.

And then he says I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day and the night cometh when no man can work.

So Jesus knew that he was working in his day in his time and he was doing the will of his Father. And he had but a short time to work. He knew that. He was going to return to his Father.

And he said as long as I'm in the world I am the light of the world.

Later on, or rather in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus told his disciples and his children that you are the light of the world. But now here Jesus says as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world.

So Jesus was furthering the work of God his Father when he came. God did his work in creation. And God continues to allow his created work to go forward.

We see from season to season the evidence of God's work. We see in our lives the phases of our lives. The children are born. These are God's blessings. They grow. We also see the effects of life when the older ones pass away. We see from generation to generation how God renews his creation work.

But we also read about how Jesus did his work. And Jesus was the Redeemer that was sent by God. And Jesus worked while it was yet day. He finished his work. And when he finished his work he then entrusted that work to his own. And that work continues today as the work of the Holy Spirit.

But when Jesus was in the world he says, when I am in the world I am the light of the world. But now Jesus is gone. And we today as God's children continue the work and we are the light of God. This is how God in his word has ordained it.

But when Jesus was doing the work there were those who did not believe it. They were detractors. They argued. They debated. And some of them were these Pharisees to whom Jesus was speaking. It was a group of those who believed in God. As it says in our text that they believed in God. They also believed that God approached Moses and spoke to Moses. And they said, we are Moses' offspring. We are of Moses' family.

But let's look at this. But little did they know they were accurate when they said that. But when they said that they did not believe that Jesus was the redeemer. But they were left under the law of Moses. They said that we are of Moses. And they were true. They did not on the other hand they did not believe. They did not have faith.

So, through this example when this man was blind Jesus came and healed him. And he healed this man on the Sabbath. And it's interesting that John when he writes of Jesus' work there. Of course Jesus I'm sure healed not just on the Sabbath day. But John recounts of those times and circumstances where Jesus healed on the Sabbath.

This was so offensive to those Pharisees. That this man was working on the Sabbath. But what was that work that Jesus was doing?

When Jesus saw this blind man and after he had spoken these words that he had spoken to him, I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day. And the night cometh when no man can work.

And when he had spoken he spat on the ground and he made clay of the spittle. And he anointed the eyes of the blind with the clay. And so he wiped this clay there in his eyes. And he told this man then to go and wash in the pool of Siloam.

And so this man went. And when he went there he received his sight.

And now it began a long dialogue of those that were near him. The neighbors that were there. And they had seen this man a number of times. It would be no different than in our neighborhoods. We know of those who have may have a disability. In our day it could be blindness of course. Or it could be someone that scoots around in a wheelchair. And they are known and recognized in our communities and in our neighborhoods. And there is a special spot in our hearts for those who have those kinds of special needs.

So this blind man was also known in his neighborhood. But now he was healed. He received his sight.

And so this discussion then it was between those neighbors and others. And they said is this not the man that sat and begged. And some said this is he. And others said it's like him. But they said but they were recognizing him that it's like him but now this man can see.

So how did it happen? That this man who was born from or from birth who was born blind all of a sudden can see.

And they asked this question. They asked this man that was born blind this question that how were thine eyes opened? How did it happen?

And he answered and said a man that is called Jesus made clay and anointed mine eyes and he said unto me go and wash in the pool. And I went and said to him. I went and washed and I received sight.

Then they said unto him where is he? And he said I know not.

And then he was brought to the Pharisees. And this question was made. The Pharisees they asked him that how was it that you received your sight?

And now remember the Pharisees who wanted to guard that word and that teaching that they had zealously. They were so zealous in following after this law that they knew that anything other than their narrow minded view was reason for well they would cast someone out of the synagogue if they believed differently or if they believed in this Jesus.

And so they wanted to question this that how and where did you receive your sight and how did it happen?

So he answered that it was this Jesus his name was Jesus that did this.

And the Pharisees even argued among themselves about Jesus. Some of the Pharisees they said that this man is not of God. That Jesus is not of God. Because he keepeth not the Sabbath.

And you know those laws of the Pharisees were so demanding that they had to be followed in such perfection that they couldn't deviate at all from what they thought to be so exact. There was no freedom there. They were living under the law of Moses.

And so these Pharisees even started to argue among themselves. Some said well how was he healed? If this man that healed him is such a sinner as you say he is because he heals on the Sabbath how can it be possible that this man could heal?

And others said it must be that he is a prophet.

So there was divisions among those Pharisees. It's this way brothers and sisters still today away from God's kingdom there are these divisions. How is a man saved? How does a person make it to heaven? Many of these kinds of questions are asked.

But what is the teaching in God's kingdom? Isn't it a simple teaching? Such a simple childlike teaching that even you children know if I was to ask and there is more than this not just this physical blindness that this man.

But he was also an unbelieving man. So when he was healed he was healed both of his physical blindness but also of his spiritual blindness.

Later on in that chapter Jesus returned to this man and he spoke and he asked this man the question about who do you say that I am?

And Jesus spoke to him that I am the Christ. He didn't say so much in these words but this man was given to understand. This man was given to understand that he was the Son of God. The one that was able to heal him from his sins.

In God's kingdom today even our children know and we teach them those simple teachings of the gospel and they are such wholesome teachings. They are those kinds of teachings that have been passed down from generation to generation that have sustained the weak traveler.

The message of the gospel. The sweetness of God's word that encourages us and uplifts us in living faith. This is the teaching of God's kingdom. And it is such a wonderful place to be.

Oh how I rejoice this last month. Brothers and sisters if you ever had that kind of opportunity and you can visit with Maggie. If you ever had that opportunity to go and travel to that country. Oh there is joy there. That far away continent of Africa. There is such joy there. Those who have been called. Words cannot describe that which God does.

We were this text it speaks so closely to me even of how this man was blind. He was unable to see. It reminds of some of those situations we faced there in West Africa.

We went to a village and we met a man. His name was Mensa Fofo. And we see how perfectly God has allowed those that seek Him.

Have you ever doubted? Have you ever wondered and questioned that how does how is it possible for someone who is on the far side of this world even away from the hearing of God's word. How is it possible that God knows?

We don't know. I don't know. I don't know the hearts of. I don't know the heart of your heart. But God knows your heart. God knows my heart.

And when we experience those things and those kinds of trips we realize how powerful and majestic and loving God is. He's created us. Each one of us. And He knows our hearts.

And this Mensa Fofo earlier this spring two trips before ours he was there and he happened in his village or in that city that he was living Atifame. He happened across the missionaries. The believing ministers that were there. There was a group of them gathered outside for services.

And he came close to that group and some friend or some acquaintance of his there. He asked them that who are these people that are gathered there? And they told him. This man told him that they're believing ministers and they're having services there.

And he told them that you're welcome to go. He didn't have enough courage to go and join the group but he stood from afar off. And he listened.

And he said what touched him was as he listened to that sermon the gospel is there. The gospel is preached. But the minister also asked for the gospel. And he thought in his mind that if that message that the minister preaches is so important that he needs it it must be something to be desired.

He knew the way that these brothers were going to leave. And so as they were leaving he went down and stopped them in the road. And he promised and he asked them would you come to my village and share that same message with me and with my family.

And the brothers said we don't have time. Our trip is already arranged and we have to go on. But they took his name and his phone number and they promised that the next trip they would return to that village and they would look him up.

So it was then that our brother Ken was there on the previous trip. And they went to that village that city to find him. And they had lost his phone number. They had lost his name. They had some vague description.

And so our brothers went knocking door to door in that area looking for him. And they eventually found him.

And this Mensa mentioned that I had I was sure that you men would never return. But he had been searching. He had gone to every church in that area. He had joined many missionary services. But he had never found peace. Until that time when the brothers were there and he was granted grace to believe.

Then on our return trip we were invited to his home village. And we went there. And there we met with his sister, his sister's daughter, his sister-in-law.

And they started to explain to us. You know I've explained before how it works there in those foreign mission fields. You go to those areas, those villages and they invite you there. They set up chairs in a little common area. And they introduce themselves. We introduce ourselves.

And then they ask the purpose of your visit. And what can we speak of? But how it's God's kingdom that is in your midst. And the message of God's kingdom is that kind of a message that preaches the forgiveness of sins.

And that if there are those who find themselves to be sinners it is God who now approaches through his children. Because God's kingdom is left here upon earth to preach. And that there are those who find themselves to be sinners. It is our joy to be able to preach that gospel of forgiveness.

And as we spoke those words and then we after a few minutes there we asked this sister or this lady, Germaine, that how do you find yourself to be?

She went on to explain how she found herself to be such a great sinner. Ten or twelve years ago God started to work in her life. Not unlike this blind man who had for years suffered in blindness. She also was blind. But God started to work. And he worked in this way.

Where her sister was killed in a car accident. And death affects, we find, no matter where we live, race or creed of people, it affects similarly. Where life is separated and loved ones are separated, we start to wonder and ponder that what is eternity? And how are my matters with God? Am I heaven acceptable when I leave and depart from this life?

These are the same kinds of thoughts that went through this Germaine's mind ten, twelve years ago when she lost her sister.

The mother of this sister that was lost was so downtrodden she mourned the loss of her daughter for two years and died. Shortly after, the father also of this daughter died. She had lost three of her loved ones. In a short period of time.

During this time, she was awakened to this knowledge of sin. And it was a fearful thing for her. She knew in that condition that she was to die, that she wasn't heaven acceptable. She prayed that would God somehow ease this burden of sin and would somehow God comfort her in her loss, in her sorrow.

Two years ago, she lost another sister. She was to that point of completely lacking and not trusting any longer in God at all. How hard she had prayed.

And we can only imagine, brothers and sisters, of what it would be with an awakened conscience to live under that burden of sin. Not only for a day, and we know as God's children how difficult it can be to travel with sin on our conscience.

God doesn't want us to do this. We're not those kinds of beasts of burden that can carry heavy burdens of sin.

When we visited with this Germaine, we asked her, is it so that you want your sins forgiven? She says, I've waited these years to hear.

When that gospel was preached, we can only imagine what the joy in her heart was. Now that this burden of sin is lifted, the eyes that were once blind can now see.

And what did she see? She said, I have seen angels that have come to visit. Angels in the form of sinful travelers.

Isn't it interesting how God's kingdom is so powerful? Is that kind of a kingdom where you have sinners, you have sick ones caring for the sick ones? You don't have those kinds of learned and knowledgeable and powerful and all-knowing Pharisees that are traveling as God's children. But you have those kinds of sinners that are doing the work of the Father.

Oh, how wonderful it is to experience and to see that God in His time and in His way calls sinners onto repentance.

It gives such courage, just as it did for this man. When they were asked this question, and even the parents were asked that, how was it that your son, your son was able to see?

The parents said, he is of age, ask him. And out of his mouth he testified that it was because of Jesus' healing that he was made whole.

It wasn't enough then that this question was asked once. But in our text, they brought him a second time. And he was called again and grilled and demanded.

And even these Pharisees said, give God the praise. For this man is a sinner. This Jesus that is doing this is but a sinner.

And he answered and said, whether he be a sinner or no, I know not. One thing I know, and whereas I was blind, now I see.

But I know not.

You know the workers of God's kingdom are those kinds of sinners.

The next morning we went to another area where this Mensa also had been. And we met another group of men there. And we visited again around God's kingdom.

And this one man that came, his name is Master James. He was quite a guy. Someday, God willing, you'll be able to visit with him.

I didn't know what to make of him. He asked these kinds of questions that were very pointed and very direct and almost to the way, that was the thought that... In fact, in my mind, I had wrote him off and said, I don't know that this guy would ever be granted the grace of repentance.

But there was another six guys here that were asking much more important questions, in my mind.

But as it turned out, Master Joe was asking those kinds of questions, mostly about what is your organization like? What is your church? What is the name? Are you going to build churches here?

But we spoke how it's... That's secondary. What's important is that a person finds himself to be a sinner. And then, so believing, you become a child of God and you begin to travel as one of God's own.

And if God gives increase to the work, then, of course, the building of the church is going to be a blessing. And, of course, the buildings will follow, just like they do here in the States.

So that wasn't the most important thing, that what is the name, or what is the organization structure like.

And then he asked these kinds of questions about sin. And he asked these kinds of questions that if your neighbor comes into your village and steals your goods, do you forgive him? And if he comes again that afternoon and steals from you, do you still forgive him?

And so we talked about forgiveness. And how forgiveness is the very essence of God's kingdom.

And through it all, I couldn't explain clearly enough. But then, this brother, this dear brother, who had been believing only some months, he started to preach to his fellow man, his fellow African.

And I marveled as to how God had revealed and opened his word through him. Once that blindness of unbelief was gone, he sees just as we do.

And God gave him such powerful words. And he spoke these kinds of words that it doesn't matter how big those sins are. Sin is sin. And sin separates us from God.

You might not steal your neighbor's property, or you might not murder someone, but, he asked him, do you ever have evil thoughts? Or, do you ever have those kinds of thoughts that are envious of others? Do you have those kinds of thoughts that come from your own lusts and desires of your flesh?

And as he spoke, this Master Joe was humbled. And we asked him then, that, do you find yourself to be a sinner? And he said, the greatest.

God also granted him grace to believe.

And isn't it so, brothers and sisters, that we are all sinners? But by the grace of God, who of us can remain believing?

This same blind man, who was healed, who found himself to be a sinner, he also then spoke of this Messiah, his Savior, the one that healed him, the one that forgave him.

He said, I don't know if he's a sinner or not, but I'm no longer blind, and I'm now able to see.

Brothers and sisters, this is how God's kingdom, and how the world, and how the work of God's kingdom continues. That we're all sinners. And when we find that there's grace and forgiveness for our sinfulness, then we also want to speak of the goodness that is there before us.

Jesus had heard of these things, that they had cast this man away, this blind man who had been healed, and didn't want to deviate from this teaching or this understanding or knowledge that Jesus was his Savior.

These Pharisees cast him out of the synagogue. They put him away. It doesn't show neither the love that is there for the sinner, does it?

In God's kingdom, there is no one that's thrown out of God's kingdom because of their sinfulness. Rather, in God's kingdom, there is an invitation to sinners.

That all who find themselves to be sinners, this is that place where we can live and travel as God's children, begging for grace each day.

But he was cast out of that synagogue. And Jesus then, when he had heard this, that they had cast him out, he went and found him.

And he said to him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? And he answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it was he that talketh with thee.

And when he had said, Lord, he said, Lord, I believe, and he worshipped him. He had faith. He had faith in the goodness of his Savior, Jesus Christ.

And we also today, brothers and sisters, travel by that same faith. That faith will carry us one day to the glory of heaven.

But how has it been? Have you felt to be so, so able to believe so perfectly? And have you found yourself to be so able to believe so perfectly? And have you found yourself to be so full of faith? Or rather, have you found yourself to be that kind of a weak and doubting traveler? I think so.

I think God's children often find themselves to be that kind of a doubting one and fearful one. That, will I make it to the glory of heaven?

Today, dear brothers and sisters, be not doubting, but believing. God is good. God has promised to carry you and all of his children home.

You can look to God, and you can look to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for your salvation. Don't look inwardly. There's only corruption there. You'll only find sin.

But rather look to the middle cross of Golgotha. Look to Jesus, who has promised to carry you all the way to the glory of heaven.

And you today, with faith in your heart, firmly believe that today, your sins are all forgiven in the name and precious atoning blood of Jesus.

And through so simply believing, you are traveling as one of God's own toward that eternal and final destination, the glory of heaven.

I also this morning come with my own doubts and my own sinfulness, my own fears, and ask that can I also hear that same gospel? I want to believe exactly as you brothers and sisters believe.

Because I know, if I believe as you do, I will also make it to the glory of heaven. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Let us quieten in closing benediction.

The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.