“Walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:1,13-25)

Galatians 5:1,13-25

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Pastor Tom Johnson, June 26, 2016

In our reading from Galatians, Scripture calls us to “Be guided by the Spirit.” The New Testament word here is “walk about by the Spirit.” “Be guided makes it sound more passive like we need to wait for the Spirit to make the first move. But here we also have the responsibility to take the initiative. We are to "walk about"—to journey through this life with intention—with purpose—and with a mission to do some good to others for the glory of God—to live our lives by the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. In other words, “Live a life that manifests the Holy Spirit’s presence and activity in your life.” Walk the walk. As Christians, we should do less harm. As believers and followers of Jesus, we should be grow to be a blessing those around us. As God’s people, we should be more like Christ.

But the problem with simply asking anyone—even Christians—to just “walk the walk” or “be more like Jesus” is that it is not that easy. It’s not as simple as you or I deciding that we are going to live better and godlier lives. God does not ask us to merely do better or try harder. Scripture calls us into a struggle. Paul describes walking by the Spirit as a battle. He says, “the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh.” When we believe in Jesus, we take up the sword of the Spirit the Word of God. We walk by faith, not by sight. There is a war going on between God and our old human nature. Our old self wants to live for itself and its own pleasure.

It’s a sad reality of our broken, human condition that we naturally want to live for ourselves. We want, in Paul’s words, to “gratify the desires of the flesh.” We get sidetracked by our own little world where the only thing that matters is what I need and what I want. What follows is what we call “sin.” We see the list right there in black and white in our reading from Galatians. The list is not intended to be comprehensive or exclusive—any activity that damages a healthy relationship with God or with one another is a work of the flesh. We are living under the power of the old sinful nature when we, either by negligence, laziness, or malice do those things. This is, as Paul does, simply to remind us of the Golden Rule: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

But we no longer have to live our lives consumed by our own needs and desires. Jesus died and rose again to give us the freedom to love God and one another as he wants us to do. We now get to live out our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit! Jesus sent the Holy Spirit into our lives to give us the desire and the ability to live transformed lives. The Holy Spirit sets himself against our old nature and our old ways. The Holy Spirit has drowned the old self in the water of baptism. The Holy Spirit empowers us through prayer and the reading and hearing of the Word of God. The Holy Spirit is the one who has begun a good work in us. And as Scripture boldly says, “I am confident that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philipp 1:6).

The Holy Spirit has done mighty things in our lives. He has forgiven our sins. He has adopted us as daughters and sons of God. He assures us of eternal life. It only makes sense that if God forgives our sins in the past and guarantees our eternal life in the future that he also cares about our lives in the meantime. And so our Scripture says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us walk by the Spirit.” If we have been given life by the Spirit, then we should also conduct our lives by that same Spirit. If we are led by the Spirit, we will love our neighbor as ourselves. We will fulfill the Royal Law because that is what the Spirit does.

A few weeks ago, my family and I were driving across the country to Yellowstone National Park.
Since we were pulling a trailer, we had to frequently stop for gas. I had perfected the art of timing—looking at the map and filling up just when needed. All was going really well and as planned until the rolling hills of west Iowa started to empty my tank at an alarming rate. I watched as the needle on my fuel gauge quickly dropped and counted down the miles to the next gas station. Just a few miles from the next stop, and at the top of long hill, I was able to coast to a little more than three-fourths of a mile from the gas station. Daniel and I went on an unexpected morning run, filled a borrowed gas can, and filled the car. This is external dependency—fuel reliant car—energy bound up in that liquid gold. I’m a big fan of hydrogen and electric driven cars. In any case, a car relies on something it cannot generate itself.

And so it is with the Holy Spirit who works in our lives now. He gives us new life, forgiveness, and eternal salvation—by faith. We hear and read God’s Word and the Holy Spirit fills us up and gives us the fuel we need to proceed forward. When we encourage each other as sisters and brothers in Christ…when we pray for each other trusting in God’s promises, the Holy Spirit gives us the strength and sustaining power that we need. When we receive the bread and the wine—the Body and the Blood of Jesus—the Holy Spirit strengthens and preserves our faith. “If we live by the Spirit, let us walk by the Spirit.” God the Holy Spirit has made us alive. And he leads and propels us forward to live out our lives in love for each other and glory to him.

“Declare how much God has done for you” (Luke 8:26-39)

Luke 8:26-39

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Pastor Tom Johnson, June 19, 2016

Biblical historians describe the country of the Gerasenes like the Wild West. It was a desolate place. It was a land of lawlessness. It was just across the border outside Israel. It was filled with bandits and tribal conflict. It is what makes a herd of pigs possible. Pigs were forbidden by Hebrew Bible. Cemeteries were also considered places of uncleanliness and forbidden by Jewish Law. So, in addition to the disciples being grossed out by the pigs and creeped out by the cemetery, there is a demon possessed man on the loose. He is naked, out of control, living among the tombs, and able break the chains they try to bind him with. And here he comes screaming at the top of his lungs at the feet of Jesus begging him not to torment him. But it is not the man who is speaking. It is a legion of demons that are holding him captive. That would be between 4-5,000 soldiers in a Roman army.

As Scripture says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). That is to say, many of our troubles are invisible, inaudible to human observation. Our challenges are sometimes numerous. And our needs and difficulties are not just physical, emotional, mental but also spiritual. You even hear people say without an desire to sound religious or spiritual say, “I am dealing with my demons.” Often we are talking indirectly about addiction to drugs or alcohol, our inability to manage our anger, sexual addiction, or some other behavior or attitude that plagues us. But such demons don’t just impact the individual. Our demons reveal a deeper and more pervasive bondage that runs through all our community and culture.

Jesus doesn’t seemed surprised that there is a legion of demons this poor man is burdened with. And perhaps that is why he sends them into the pigs. He wants to validate and illustrate the reality of this individual’s story. Here Jesus uncovers the demons of the community surrounding this now liberated soul. They cannot celebrate his freedom. They are more concerned about their pigs than their people. They more concerned about what the Gospel might do to damage their economy than what it will do to better their humanity. Some people jump for joy and shout when they are healed by Jesus. But this man sits quietly, fully clothed, and in his right mind. The miracle is that the storm of evil is over. His captivity has ended. He is a healed and liberated man!

But Jesus is not done liberating captives—he is not done delivering those in bondage. Jesus has a plan to deliver a whole community—it is simple—but it is powerful. “Return to your home,” Jesus says, “and declare how much God has done for you.”  “And [the Gerasene man] went away, proclaiming through the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.” What kinds of things would he say?

“I was naked and Jesus clothed me. I was outcast and he brought me in. I was rejected and he accepted me. I was in bondage and he set me free. I was running around wildly and now I am at peace.”

God has infused power in our stories. God promises to do great things through telling our history. What kinds of things can we say?

“I was naked in my sin and brokenness and Christ’s clothed me with the robe of his righteousness. I was outcast and he brought me in. I was an orphan and the Father accepted and adopted me. I was in bondage to the things of this world and he set me free. I was running around aimlessly and self-destructively and he gave me peace and life.”

Or we can say,

“I learned to name my demons, let go of my shame and guilt, and receive the forgiveness of Christ. I found my true family among God’s people after feeling like a misfit for so many years. I no longer am a slave to my cravings. I no longer find my life meaningless. I have found freedom in the Gospel.”

Dear Christian, go home. Go to your family and friends. Declare how much God has done for you. We should take up Jesus’ challenge as our own. Today, just tell one small story to your friends and family about what God has done for you.
It will remind them and you why the Gospel matters. It will reveal how God still works miracles in the lives of his people. It will show that God’s Word is relevant today, yesterday, and forever. And you, like the Gerasene man, will be a instrument of Jesus’ almighty power.

“Joy Comes in the Morning” (Psalm 30)

Psalm 30

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Pastor Tom Johnson, June 5, 2016

David had plans drawn up for the temple. He provided cedar, stone, and gold (1 Chron 28). He had everything prepared to build a glorious temple. But he would not build it. When the time came, all his son Solomon had to do was give the word. David also gave a song for the temple—Psalm 30. When the temple would be dedicated, God’s people would sing, “Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name!” The temple gates are open. David wants everyone to enter and praise and give thanks to God.

If we feel helpless or sick, David gives us a song, “O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.” If we have escaped death and the clutches of evil, David gives us a song, “O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol, you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.” If we are afraid that God will punish us for our sins, David gives us a song, “For his anger is but for a moment, but his favor is for a lifetime.” God’s grace is a million times greater than his judgment. No matter where we’re coming from—no matter how we feel, God wants our worship. He wants us to encounter the true and living God who meets us in our difficulties. God is there in our troubles. He is with us in all our trials and troubles.

But sometimes it is hard to see that. And because our spiritual journey is a walk by faith and not by sight, we may find excuses from withholding our prayers and songs. We may become complacent or think that we cannot offer up our problems to God. Because we are not sure he sees, hears or listens. It can be difficult to worship and keep our eyes on Jesus through difficult times. We wonder where God is in the midst of our questions and trials. We wonder where God’s blessing is in the midst of suffering. There can be a prolonged sadness—an extended period of grief—a cloud of depression that does not seem to want to lift. We are up late at night worried about what the new day may bring—overwhelmed with negative thoughts—unable to see how things can work out for the better. “Weeping may spend the night.” It’s a deep sadness that may weigh us down as we try to sleep at night. Perhaps it is a burden or anxiety that haunts us until twilight. We may not see the end of soaking our pillow with our tears.

Years ago, I shared this psalm with one of my homebound members. From memory, she recited a poem: “God hath not promised skies always blue, Flower strewn pathways all our lives through; God hath not promised sun without rain, Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.” This was a poem that her grandmother had up on her wall. Her grandmother would have her read this periodically to remember that “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). “Weeping may spend the night…”

“ …but joy comes in the morning.” God will not let us whither away in loneliness. He will not abandon us in darkness. The light will break through. Just as the sun will rise again. Joy will return in the morning. “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear.” David points out the silver lining on the thunderclouds. He points to the faint light at the end of the tunnel. And as a friend of mine likes to say, “The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train.” David points to the hint of dawn on the cold, dark horizon.

At the end of Revelation, Jesus gives the same assurance of his presence: “I am the root of David, the bright morning star” (Rev 22:16). Jesus is the bright morning star. Every time you are up early and see Venus shining brightly in the horizon, take comfort! God has written the gospel in the twilight sky. Jesus has risen out of the darkness. He is our forerunner in the sky. That bright planet’s light is the assurance and promise of a new day. When the morning star rises, the new day will follow. The sun will shine on us.

“Weeping may spend for the night, but joy will come in the morning.” And this “joy” is not the same thing as “happiness.” It is a spiritual comfort. It is a supernatural contentment that God has provided for all of our needs. It is a peace that surpasses human understanding. It is confident faith in a good and gracious God and that he is with us and will not give me more than we can handle. It is faith in Jesus Christ who is the light shining in the darkness. It is confidence in Jesus who is the dawn of creation and the light of the world. Shame over our sin, grief over death, and feeling alone may linger for a while but its power has been broken. Christ has died. Christ has risen. We are forgiven. We have eternal life.

“God hath not promised skies always blue, Flower strewn pathways all our lives through; God hath not promised sun without rain, Joy without sorrow, peace without Pain.” Grandma’s poem goes on: “But God hath promised strength for the day, Rest for the labor, light for the way, Grace for the trials, help from above, Unfailing sympathy, undying love.”

“Weeping may spend the night, but joy will come in the morning.”