1 Samuel 12, Worship the King!

1 Samuel 11:15 says, “So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.” And, do you recall how this celebration came after the great victory against the Ammonites led by Saul?

They got it now. God had granted them what they had been longing after, what they had been asking for a king to call their own just like other nations had. When Saul led the charge against the Ammonites and won a great victory against them, perhaps they through how lucky, fortunate, blessed to have such a king. They were standing at the important turning points in their history. The rise of Saul as king over Israel marked the end of the era of Judges and the beginning of the monarchy, a nation under a king.

Things were seemingly unfolding just the way they had imagined. All seemed to be well with just the good reasons for celebration! They felt secure under this new management. They had high hopes for this new system, a strong and courageous king to lead them to the winning battles, a king to protect them from the threats and the powerful forces of other nations. Life felt good to them.

This moment of great celebration and certainty for having their own capable king was the backdrop for 1 Samuel 12 our today’s passage. I would like you to consider this question; when you feel good about life because you got what you wanted, is everything really well? Jeremiah 17:9-10 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the LORD searches the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.”

What we will see in 1 Samuel 12 is God searching the heart and examining the mind of Israelites through Samuel, to unveil what was really in their hearts. God does this because he is after raising you to worship him with passion and faithfulness.

1. Samuel a servant of God in integrity and faithfulness

Before Samuel engaged the heart and the mind of Israelites to search and examine them, Samuel sought to establish his integrity as their leader thus far. He had been their leader from his youth until now, an old man. Although his sons were infamous and disgraced for their dishonest gain, accepting bribes, and perverting justice, Samuel was a man beyond reproach, blameless unlike them. So, Samuel called them in verse 3, “Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed”, Saul. People testified in verse 4, “You have not cheated or oppressed us… You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.” He was a man of impeccable character.

2. God saved you so you can worship him.

From verse 6 to 12, having established his faithfulness and blameless, he confronted the Israelites with the facts of God’s faithfulness and righteousness in the history to make worshipers out of unbelievers.

The greatest historical moment in Israel was the Exodus. God appointed Moses and Aaron to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. What was God’s purpose to bring them out of Egypt? Exodus 3:12 says, “When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” They were brought out of Egypt to Mount Sinai, and then later given the Promised Land; they were saved and they were given the spiritual blessings so that they could worship the LORD their creator, their holy king, as his holy people, to draw all men to their God.

But, what defined them was not worship, but forgetting. Verse 9 says, “They forgot the LORD their God,” that is they didn’t remember their God. What is God to do when his people forsake him, when his people don’t remember how he saved them so they could worship him freely and passionately? He gave them into the hands of their enemies.

We are saved to worship God; but when we don’t worship God, God leaves us in the hands of the devil until we cry out to God. When the Israelites cried out to God for help, he sent the judges like Jeru-Baal, Barak, Jephthah and even Samuel to deliver them out of the hands of the enemies in order that they would worship their God again.

But, when Nahash king of Ammonites moved against them, all they wanted was to have a king over them, even though the LORD their God was their King, verse 12. When they got fearful of the Ammonites, they didn’t remember their God who delivered them out of Egypt to worship him. They forgot their true King who alone could deliver them.

3. Worship God in fear!

We can see that the Israelites were asking for a king for all the wrong reasons. Then, why did God grant them a king? God had bigger plan for the Israelites. His plan was spelled out in verse 14 and 15; “If you fear the LORD and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God-good! But if you do not obey the LORD, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.”

God is always at work to bring us to true worship. He gave them a king not for the reason they were asking for, but for the purpose of bringing the whole nation to worship God; the king was to lead them to worship!

There are two aspect of what it means to fear God. God honoring fear is when people find themselves in awe in who God is and what he have done and still does. But, for people who live in rebellion and disobedience, fear of God means having God’s hand against them.

In verse 16-17, we see God demonstrating his power through Samuel to rouse the fear of God in the hearts of the Israelites. It was wheat harvest season which meant normally it was a dry season. Samuel said, “Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call upon the LORD to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil things you did in the eyes of the LORD when you asked for a king.”

When God demonstrated his power, the fear of God gripped the hearts of the Israelites; the fear of God had a purifying effect on them, helping them deal with their own sins. Verse 19, they said to Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”

When the fear of the Lord gripped their hearts, they became afraid. So Samuel replied in verse 20, “Don’t be afraid.” The fear of God can make people be afraid of God and be paralyzed. But, this is not what God intends. His intension is that all who fear him turn to him. The true fear of God helps us not to turn away from the LORD. It helps us to serve the LORD with all our hearts. Transforming-fear of God helps us turn away from the useless idols.

4. Cultivate the heart of worship!

What we as God’s people need is to cultivate the heart of worship! Let me point out the practical steps you can take that will help you to cultivate the heart of worship!

• Prayer

Samuel said in verse 23, “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you.” Wow, have you considered this? When we don’t pray for each other we are sinning against the LORD. As God’s people, we are commanded to pray for each other’s spiritual health. What amazes me is Samuel’s burden to pray for people who rejected him as their leader. Instead of licking a wounded pride, he prayed humbly for their spiritual wellbeing.

• God’s word

Samuel said in verse 23, “And I will teach you the way that is good and right.” The heart of worship knows the way that is good and right. The heart of worship avoids the evil way. If you want to cultivate the heart of worship, recommit to daily reading and mediating in God’s word.

• Fear the LORD

Samuel said in verse 24, “be sure to fear the LORD.” And, verse 25, “Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”

Jesus said in Luke 12:5-7, “But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Our Lord alone has the power to control the final destiny. At the end of the road, each of us will have to stand before God and give account to our motives and actions. Consider in fear when we persist in doing evil, God’s hand will be against us; consider what happened when God actively opposed his rebellious and disobedient people.

Consider and reconsider in fear how without Jesus Christ, we would all be thrown into hell. Consider in hear how God is intimately aware of all our motives and actions. Consider in awe how with Jesus Christ, we become really important to God; in Christ we matter to God.

• Serve faithfully

Samuel said again in verse 24, “Serve him faithfully with all your heart.” To cultivate the heart of worship, you need to find ways to serve God with all your heart. This Friday, I was mopping off the floors of our church with Mike. I noticed how the edges where the floor tiles meet the walls were really dirty. I mopped the edges as hard as I could to clean the dirty spots. As I was doing that God helped me to pray this prayer… “Lord, cleanse me all my dirty spots!” In serving, God touched my heart.

You cannot cultivate the heart of worship without finding yourself in serving. If you don’t know where to serve, come and ask me. I could sit down with you and explore the ways you can serve Jesus in our church. Or, go and ask those who seem to do everything. They might be able to give you ideas on how you can serve.

When God searches your heart and examine your mind what does he find?

Do you worship your king?

1 Samuel 11, What gets you angry?

Here is a story about anger by Maggie Scarg in New York Times Magazine.

A lady once came to Billy Sunday and tried to rationalize her angry outbursts. “There’s nothing wrong with losing my temper,”

She said. “I blow up, and then it’s all over.”

“So does a shotgun,” Sunday replied, “and look at the damage it leaves behind!”

Getting angry can sometimes be like leaping into a wonderfully responsive sports car, gunning the motor, taking off at high speed and then discovering the brakes are out of order.

And, here is a story about a woodpecker and Ralph Milton who got angry at the bird.

One morning Ralph woke up at five o’clock to a noise that sounded like someone repairing boilers on his roof. Still in his pajamas, he went into the back yard to investigate. He found a woodpecker on the TV antenna, “pounding its little brains out on the metal pole.”

Angry at the little creature who ruined his sleep, Ralph picked up a rock and threw it. The rock sailed over the house, and he heard a distant crash as it hit the car. In utter disgust, Ralph took a vicious kick at a clod of dirt, only to remember -- too late -- that he was still in his bare feet.

Uncontrolled anger, as Ralph leaned, can sometimes be its own reward.

C. Swindoll, Growing Strong, p. 332;

This morning, our focus will be on 1 Samuel 11:6, “When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he burned with anger.” I want you to ask yourself this morning, “What gets me angry?” as you consider how Saul deal with anger.

1. Saul kept silent.

In chapter 10:1-8, if you recall, Samuel anointed Saul privately with the sacred oil to be the first king over Israel. Samuel told Saul to expect three signs that would confirm his kingship. First two signs, to be told that his donkeys were found and his father began to worry about him and to be given two loaves of bread were private confirmations for Saul. The third sign, to be among the prophets in a procession and to prophesy with them when the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, was a public sign for the Israelites to confirm in their minds indeed Saul was God’s choice to be their king. In 10:9-13, we see the fulfillment of Samuel’s third prophesy over Saul.

The rest of chapter 10 is about how Saul was chosen to be the king of Israel by casting the lot. By casting the lot, out of all the tribes of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen, then Matri’s clan, and lastly Saul son of Kish was chosen. Now, lest you think this was a random exercise of luck, casting lots in Israel had nothing to do with chance, but everything to do with God’s will. Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.”

When the lot showed Saul was chosen to be the king, he was no where to be found. Now, simple yes and no answer couldn’t determine Saul’s where about. So, verse 22 says that “they inquired further of the LORD” by asking him, “Has the man come here yet?” The LORD answered them, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage.”

When Saul was brought out, he was the giant among them, a head taller than anyone. When the people saw Saul and heard Samuel, they accepted Saul as their king with overwhelming shout, “Long live the king!” in 10:24.

When Saul finally went home, it says in verse 26, he was “accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched.” You see the formation of the Secret Service here.

But, not all responded positively to God’s choice. Verse 27 shows that there were “some troublemakers” who said, “How can this fellow save us?” This was not a question of genuine concern, but disdainful rejection of Saul. This is why it says they “brought him no gifts.”

As a king chosen by God, overwhelmingly embraced by the great prophet and the majority of the people, you would think Saul would be angry at these troublemakers who despised him and publicly scorned him. But, all that we read in verse 27 is “But Saul kept silent.”

Proverbs 12:16 says “A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.” Proverbs 17:27, “A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.” Proverbs 19:11, “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.”

McKane says about this ability to overlook offense: “the ability to shrug off insults and the absence of a brooding hypersensitivity. It is the ability to deny to an adversary the pleasure of hearing a yelp of pain even when his words have inflicted wound, of making large allowances for human frailties and keeping the lines of communication open. It contains elements of toughness and self-discipline; it is the capacity to stifle a hot, emotional rejoinder and to sleep on an insult.”[1]

The fact that Saul kept silent over these men’s disdain and their public scorn, shows his ability to overlook offense. Instead of giving into a brooding hypersensitivity, he allowed human frailties with patience. And, by not overcoming with hot tempered anger and reaction, Saul didn’t burn the bridge of communication. Proverbs 12:18 says, “A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.” These trouble makers would have liked nothing better than to pick fights with Saul. But, Saul keeping his cool prevented the situation to go out of hand. His ability to sleep on an insult, this self-discipline was really the sign of a strong toughness and wisdom. Proverbs 16:32 says, “Better patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.” Proverbs 29:11, “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”

2. Saul was burning with anger.

A volatile situation developed in chapter 11. The king Nahash of Ammon “went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead” and demanded, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.”

Another translation, New Revised Standard Version, adds this background information after 10:27 that helps to clarify what was going on here; “Now Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had been grievously oppressing the Gadites and the Reubenites. He would gouge out the right eye of each of them and would not grant Israel a deliverer. No one was left of the Israelites across the Jordan whose right eye Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had not gouged out. But there were seven thousand men who had escaped from the Ammonites and had entered Jabesh-gilead.”[2]

To this threat, the elders of Jabesh asked for dispatchers to be sent out for someone to come to rescue them; if no one showed up, they would surrender to Nahash’s term. Perhaps, out of arrogant confidence, Nahash allowed the messengers to be dispatched. When people of Gibeah heard this, they wept aloud. Saul only learned of this situation when he returned from the fields.

This leads to 11:6, “When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he burned with anger.”

What got him angry? He was angry that people were weeping over the predicament of their fellow Israelites, but doing nothing about it. He was angry that the people of Jabesh, God’s people, were in such predicament. He was angry that people were not angry about this! He was angry that people were not calling out to God.

His holy burning anger would not be contained unless he acted upon it. He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces and sent each to the tribes of Israel with this message; “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Saul in his anger wasn’t sitting on the sideline. He wanted everyone to arm and to fight the Ammonites. Verse 7 says that “the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they turned out as one man.” This affirms that Saul’s anger and his action were stirred by God’s Spirit.

Your Father Loves You, by James Packer, (Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986), wrote about how Jesus was angry.

Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath and saw a man with a crippled hand. He knew that the Pharisees were watching to see what he would do, and he felt angry that they were only out to put him in the wrong. They did not care a scrap for the handicapped man, nor did they want to see the power and love of God brought to bear on him.

There were other instances where Jesus showed anger or sternness. He “sternly charged” the leper whom he had healed not to tell anyone about it (Mark 1:43) because he foresaw the problems of being pursued by a huge crowd of thoughtless people who were interested only in seeing miracles and not in his teaching. But the leper disobeyed and so made things very hard for Jesus.

Jesus showed anger again when the disciples tried to send away the mothers and their children (Mark 10:13-16). He was indignant and distressed at the way the disciples were thwarting his loving purposes and giving the impression that he did not have time for ordinary people.

He showed anger once more when he drove “out those who sold and those who bought in the temple” (Mark 11:15-17). God’s house of prayer was being made into a den of thieves and God was not being glorified -- hence Jesus’ angry words and deeds.

Finally, at Lazarus’ grave Jesus showed not just sympathy and deep distress for the mourners (John 11:33-35), but also a sense of angry outrage at the monstrosity of death in God’s world. This is the meaning of “deeply moved” in John 11:38.

Warfield wrote: “A man who cannot be angry, cannot be merciful.” James Packer comments, “The person who cannot be angry at things which thwart God’s purposes and God’s love toward people is living too far away from his fellow men ever to feel anything positive towards them.”

3. Saul speaks in conciliatory and forgiving tone.

When the Israelites won decisively against the Ammonites, they wanted to make examples out of anyone who opposed the kingship of Saul. So, they demanded those who questioned Saul’s rule with disdain and scorn be put to death. They were referring to those trouble makers in chapter 10 who despised and questioned Saul, “How can this fellow save us?” and publicly scorned him by not bringing any gifts to Saul when he was made king.

To this demand, Saul replied in verse 13, “No one shall be put to death today, for this day the LORD has rescued Israel.” What you see is the humility of Saul. Instead of taking the credit of the victory, Saul gave the full credit to the LORD. This day of victory was the day of celebration for the LORD’s deliverance. So, Saul spoke with conciliatory and forgiving tone not allowing those trouble makers from being put to death.

For Saul, God’s glory was more important for him than getting even with those who insulted him. His silence earlier was not the case of stuffing his anger and letting it brew in resentment and bitterness that would have kept him awake at night. Because if his silence meant this, he would have jumped on the opportunity to get rid of these trouble makers for good.

Applications

1. What gets you angry? Do you get angry because of your perceive injustice against yourself?

2. Ask God to get you all burn with anger when you see things that thwart God’s purposes and God’s love toward people

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[1] EBCOT, Proverbs 19:11 by McKane.

[2]The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1989 (1 Sa 10:27). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

1 Corinthians 15:58, Resurrection Life!

In the book titled, On the Anvil, Max Lucado wrote about Billie Sicard, a well-to do woman. She lived on the exclusive Sunset Island in Miami since 1937. She died in 1979, but her spirit had died in 1954. On the evening in 1954, her only reason to live left her; her twelve-year-old son, George, died of a brain tumor. After her husband left, her little George was her life. When he died in 1954, she resigned from life.

Until shed died in 1979, she left George’s toys, his room, his stuffs untouched for 25 years. When the house was sold after her death, little George’s Cub Scout uniform was still hanging in the downstairs coat closet. On the wall was a child’s sketch of a choo-choo train drawn in red crayon. She had never washed it off. His Mickey Mouse slippers sat in the corner of his bedroom. When her son died, Billie resigned from life and became a social recluse. She no longer cared any more. Her neglected, uncared house with the overgrown weeds and trees became the source of the ghost stories in town. She died in 1979, but she gave up living in 1954.

Lucado wrote, “Man must have something larger than death… or death takes man.” This is exactly what happened to Billie. The sorrow over her son’s death sunk her to the bottom where she saw no hope.

Compare this to last Monday night!

I rode with Pastor Hong, his wife and Adelaide and Eddie’s dad to be with Paul and Julie’s grandfather. He had been in coma for a while. With the doctor’s recommendation, the family made the difficult decision to discontinue the breathing machine to allow Mr. Kwan to die naturally. I arrived at the hospital around 10:45 pm. He was surrounded by his family members and the church members. For the next hour and half, we filled the room with God’s words, prayers and hymns. I remember well what Paul and Julie’s mom said to her dad before he took his last breath. “Dad, I am so proud of you.” When he took the last breath, there were heartfelt sorrows and cries in the room. But, they were not the kinds that paralyze you into the abyss of despair, hopeless, darkness as it did for Billie.

Listen to what John Piper wrote about his father’s own death on March 6, 2007.

I had slept a little since his last morphine shot at ten. One ear sleeping, one on the breathing. At 11:45, I awoke. The breaths were coming more frequently and were very shallow. I will not sleep again, I thought. For ten minutes, I prayed aloud into his left ear with Bible texts and pleadings to Jesus to come and take him. I had made this case before, and this time felt an unusual sense of partnership with Daddy as I pressed on the Lord to relieve this warrior of his burden.

I finished and lay down. Good. Thank you, Lord. It will not be long. And, grace upon grace, hundreds of prayers are being answered: He is not choking.

The gurgling that threatened to spill over and drown him in the afternoon had sunk deep, and now there was simple clear air, shorter and shorter. I listened from where I lay next to him on a foldout chair.

That’s it. I rose and waited. Will he breathe again? Nothing. Fifteen or twenty seconds, and then a gasp. I was told to expect these false endings. But it was not false. The gasp was the first of two. But no more breaths. I waited, watching. No facial expressions. His face had frozen in place hours before. One more jerk. That was all. Perhaps an eyebrow twitch a moment later. Nothing more.

I stroked his forehead and sang,

My gracious Master and My God

Assist me to proclaim

To spread through all the earth abroad

The honors of thy name.

Daddy, how many thousands awaited you because of your proclamation of the great gospel. You were faithful. You kept the faith, finished the race, fought the fight…

...I combed his hair. He always wore a tie. The indignities of death are many, but we tried to minimize them. Keep the covers straight. Pull the gown up around his neck so it looks like a sharp turtleneck. Tuck the gappy shoulder slits down behind so they don’t show. Use a wet washcloth to keep the secretions from crusting in the eyelashes. And by all means, keep his hair combed. So now I straightened his bedding and combed his hair and wiped his eyes and put the mouth moisturizer on his lips and tried to close his mouth. His mouth would not stay closed. It had been set in that position from hours and hours of strained breathing. But he was neat. A strong, dignified face.”

I am all the more convinced today that there is something beautiful, assuring, dignifying, and hopeful about the death of Christians. I couldn’t help but imagine the kind of death I will encounter. Will I be surrounded by my beloved families, friends who will be sad to see me leave, who will be proud of me, and who will rejoice and celebrate my eternal life in Jesus Christ? Will I hear God speak to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant?” More I think about death, my heart yearns for the dignified, holy and warm last moments.

1. What makes a death of a Christian beautiful, assuring, dignified, and hopeful?

Apostle Paul says without Christ’s resurrection, our faith is futile and that those who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost and that we are to be pitted more than all men in 1 Corinthians 15:17-19. If death has the final say, then all is vain, all is without hope, nor meaning. But, the final say for Christian life is not death, but the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The final say over our lives is the creed, the rock solid confession of our faith in Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 says:

that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to the one abnormally born.

Just as Christ is raised from the dead, the Scripture teaches us that we too will be resurrected. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 speaks of this truth:

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

If you were there at Paul and Julie’s grandfather’s wake service, you will agree with me that it was as though Mr. Kwan was in deep sleep; he looked as though he was going to wake up in any moment. This is really the reality for Christians; the death doesn’t have the final say over Christians, the resurrection of Jesus does.

1 Corinthians 15:51-58 says:

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The reason the death of Christians is beautiful, assuring, dignified and hopeful is because the death doesn’t have the final say, but the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s the difference between the death of Billie and the death of Paul and Julie’s grandfather and John Piper’s father.

The resurrection makes Christian death beautiful, assuring, dignified and hopeful. But, does it make any real impact on our daily living?

2. How does the resurrection of Jesus Christ make impact on your daily living?

Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:7, “You must be born again.” Why do we need to be born again? Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 2:1, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit of who is now at work in those who are disobedient.”

Why do we need to be born again? It is because we were dead. Regardless of how active, vibrant, productive, seemingly full of life, fun, passionate a person may appear to be, without Christ, a person is dead.

Ephesians 2:3 says that this reality of death manifests itself in gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts all that are contrary to the ways of God. This happens because the spiritual death is the separation from God and the incapability to live in joyful submission to God’s reign.

Ephesians 2:4-6 says, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.”

Mercy is I quote, “God’s compassion for the helpless, issuing in action for their relief.”[1] We were all powerless and incapable to surrender our lives to God’s reign. But, in mercy, instead of writing us off as helpless, powerless, useless object to be discarded, God gave us the new life in his grace. The new life in Christ is the direct effect of the resurrection life of Jesus Christ. Another word, as Christians we live through the resurrection life of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said in John 4:34, “My food… is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” And, he said in John 5:19-20, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does.” John 5:30, “for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.” John 8:28, “When you have lifted the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” John 15:10, “…I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”

This is the very essence of the resurrection life of Jesus as the Son of God. His work was to do will of the Father. He spoke and did everything to please the Father. His obedience to Father’s will and commands was his expression of his devotion, love and affection for the Father.

What makes the death of Christians particularly meaningful, dignifying, honoring, and worthy is that the life of Christians is lived out in loving relationship with the Father, doing his will as Jesus did.

So, when we think of resurrection life of our Lord Jesus Christ and our life, we need to think of them in terms of the resurrection life of Jesus Christ enabling us to live a life of loving obedience to the Father here and now and forever.

After Apostle Paul passionately spoke about the victory through our resurrected Lord Jesus Christ that takes out the sting of death, he said this in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

This is not an optional call to some saintly holy people. To stand firm, to let nothing move you, to give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord is not an optional outcome for you; this is your destiny as God’s child. Your destiny is to live victoriously; your resurrection DNA in Christ is designed to mature you into joyful and passionate submission and love for the Father and for his work!

We need to pray for this end. We need to set our hope and expectation high. The resurrection life of our Lord Jesus demands nothing but the miraculous outcome, complete transformation, kingdom growth! So, we ought to pray for this end!

Are you worried about your future? Who will I marry, where I will go for college, what will I study, what kinds of job will I have, will I make enough money, will I be recognized? Jesus says, “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

Are you tired and burdened? Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

Are you searching for something will make your life worth living for or to die for? Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” Jesus is saying to you, “Don’t waste your time; the true cause worth to live and to die for is not found any where else, but in God.” For Jesus, doing the will of Father was the cause worth to live and to die for. This is what we ought to aim for! (Matthew 13:44)

Church, are you discouraged because you are not growing, because you don’t see us growing as church? Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Thought it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”

Church, we need to set our eyes on the kingdom growth. The kingdom growth is nothing but miraculous. If we look with the eyes of human, we see a small, insignificant gathering of people. But, when God sees us, you and I, our church, he sees a mustard seed with the exponential, nothing short of miraculous growth waiting to happen. That is our DNA; we are made for the kingdom growth! And, we need to alter, adjust our prayer life, actions accordingly. God’s will is to make us a large tree where people can come and experience the rest and the healing under the shade of God’s love, where people can be nourished and nurtured into maturity with the spiritual food and spiritual fellowship, where people can be equipped to minister for the kingdom cause to live and to die for. (Matthew 13:31-32)

Let me share with you what I have been praying for our church. I want our gathering to be where we experience joy, fun, excitement and passion. I want our time together to be so fun, meaningful, and exciting that no parties in this world can top our time together. I want our fellowship, our time together to be where we are strengthened with the joy of the LORD. I want our gathering to be truly a place where we meet God and enter into joyful fellowship with God and with each other. I want our time together to be when God shows up and do great things. I want our gathering, our church to be where we are quipped with passion and knowledge in order to go out and be effective and powerful witness to the resurrection life of Jesus. I want my life, your life to count every moment at school, at work, with families, with friends, alone or together. I want us to live intentionally and purposely. I want us to live for what really matters, what’s really important, what will last!

Is this too much to hope for and ask? If we take seriously the resurrection life of Jesus Christ demanding nothing short of miraculous transformation and growth for us, no!

Applications

I want to show you a clip that captures our Father’s heart so well. It is by the father and son team, Dick and Rick Hoyt. Rick was born in 1962 as a spastic quadriplegic, cerebral palsy, non-speaking person because the umbilical cord coiled around his neck and cut off oxygen to his brain. His parents, Dick and Judy were told that there would be no hope for their child’s development. When Rick was eight months old, they were told by the doctors they should put him away. But, they were determined to raise Rick as “normally” as possible and put him through public school.

Although Rick couldn’t communicate or move normally, his mind was sharp. With the help of Tufts University engineers, Rick was able to communicate with the computer. His first “spoken” words were “Go Bruins.” The Boston Bruins were in the Stanley Cup finals that season; Rick has been following the hockey games along with everyone else. They learned that Rick loved sports then.

In 1975, Rick told his father he wanted to participate in a five-mile benefit run for a local lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident. Dick pushed his son Rick in his wheelchair and finished next to last. That night, Dick remembers, “Rick told us he just don’t feel handicapped when we were competing.”

Together, they ran marathons; and soon they were in triathlon with a newly built bike to carry Rick in front and a boat tied to Dick’s waist as he swam.

The video clip is from one of the triathlons they have finished with the back ground music titled, “Redeemer” by Nicole C. Mullen. The song goes like this:

Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning

Who told the ocean you can only come this far?

Who showed the moon where to hide 'til evening

Whose words alone can catch a falling star?

Well I know my Redeemer lives

I know my Redeemer lives

All of creation testify

This life within me cries

I know my Redeemer lives

The very same God that spins things in orbit

He runs to the weary, the worn and the weak

And the same gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken

They conquered death to bring me victory

Now I know my Redeemer lives

I know my Redemer lives

Let all creation testify

Let this life wihtin me cry

I know my Redeemer, He lives

To take away my shame

And He lives forever I'll proclaim

That the payment for my sin

Was the precious life He gave

But now He's alive

And there's an empty grave.

And I know my Redeemer, He lives

I know my Redeemer lives

Let all creation testify

This life within me cries

I know my Redeemer lives

What I want you to pay attention are the incredible bond between the father and his child and their joy together as they finish the race. It illustrates our relationship with heavenly Father made possible by the resurrection life of Jesus Christ.