It Is True!!! Matt 1:18-25 New International Version (NIV)

It Is True!!!

Matt 1:18-25 NIV

 

Purpose:            Know that the real and permanent fulfillment just and only comes from God.

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about^[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet^[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[c] because he will save his people from their sins.”

²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[d] (which means “God with us”).

²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

²⁵ But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 1:18 Or The origin of Jesus the Messiah was like this
2. Matthew 1:19 Or was a righteous man and
3. Matthew 1:21 Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the Lord saves.
4. Matthew 1:23 Isaiah 7:14

This is the Word of God,

for the people of God.

Praise be to God,

Amen.

It Is True!!!

Matt 1:18-25 NIV

 

Purpose:            Know that the real and permanent fulfillment just and only comes from God.

Outline

I.       Introduction

II.      Our own goals versus God's goals and real lasting fulfillment

III.    Explanation of the text

IV.    Real and committed love toward God shows in obedience to His    Will.

V.      Conclusion[s]

VI.    Prayer

 

It Is True!!!

Matt 1:18-25 NIV

 

 

Purpose:            Know that the real and permanent fulfillment just and only comes from God.

 

 

        What does give meaning to a human life??? What does give meaning to our lives??? Have you ever pondered about this question??? The answer can be so broad. The answer depends of the person's values and beliefs. In my case, to have a meaningful life is equal to how many of my life goals I have reached. I have discovered that my goals are very significant in my life, because they mirror my inner self with my good, my bad, and my ugly.

        Since, I have memory, I really enjoy making plans for my future. I like to plan. I like to dream. And, I like to accomplish them, give a sense, a feeling of fulfillment. It is true. I usually spent a lot one time and effort thinking and planning the future. For example, I wanted to have a business, my own business. One day, I had the opportunity to start selling clothes with my older sister. We were very successful and we made a lot of money, until people started being behind in their payments. We couldn't afford to give credit for more than one month. A lot of our clients took more than one month to pay us for the product. So, we went out of market.

        Have you carefully and cautiously planned your goals in life??? Many, many times, we have planned for our lives, for our future, for the lives of our children, and their future and here comes God and He just changes everything. It seems like God messes up our already and well thought plans. Very often, we have reached the point that with words or just with our body language says to Him, "No, God. You don't understand that I spent a great amount of time thinking, planning, and deciding. And, now I am moving toward my goals in life. I cannot approach life in other way God. I cannot hear You. I cannot understand You," It is true. We react and act in this way toward God!!! We resist the Will of God for our lives.

        Once, we have though, we have decided, and we have planned our goals nothing stops us. We keep pushing ourselves and fighting toward our goals, and even suffering in order to reach them. Actually, we have a mental or written secret list of goals:

1) good gob, check it

2) a car with purple leather interior and pink outside, check it

3) a brick nice house, ranch style with nice neighbors and a cat waiting for        me in the front porch

4) a good retirement account because I want to live well

[Climax of the sermon]

        The goals in our lists seem like they are escalating in difficulty. Have you noticed that each goal in our lists leads to a major one???  you know why our goals escalate??? Because the fulfillment that they give us is NOT permanent and enough. It is true!!!

        Do we think that Joseph didn't have personal goals for his life??? Human nature has not change or has changed so little. Surely, Joseph had personal goals for his life. I am sure that he also had goals for his marriage with Mary. Joseph had dreams, plans, important and meaningful things for him that he wanted to accomplish!!! Joseph was not just sitting and waiting to be married with Mary.

        We all love to make our own goals, to make our own plans, to have our own dreams. But, surprise, here comes God telling Joseph what is going to be his major and main goal in life, take Mary as a wife and become the earthly father of Jesus Christ!!!

        In some sense and at one point, Joseph, a very good man, had to be frustrated, disoriented, and confused. Even if you are a very good person, you still human. I am pretty sure that Joseph was even upset, very upset. Just think for a moment, (1) his wife according to Jewish Law was pregnant already and not for him; (2) his goals in life just vanish, disappear, go away; (3) now, he has a very specific and clear goal in his life, a goal that he didn't choose.

        On the other hand, Joseph knew the meaning of real love. Have you ever thought how to love another person, how to love well, how to love God??? Because God knows how to love us, and the main point here is to know how to love well God. One thing for sure is that we are imperfect and our human tendency is to be selfish. Actually, God has been very clear through the entire Bible. In the case of Joseph for sure, he knew very well the Hebrew Scripture. It was there that Joseph understood that love for God means obedience to His Will and commandments. Love equals surrender obedience. Love that is able to replace one's own goals and dreams for God's goals and dreams.

        Joseph surrendered his own plans for his life as a husband and as a father. Now, he had to rise a very special boy, the Messiah. Joseph had to discipline Him, to show Him about life, and to love Him. I am sure that once in a while, he asked, God why me??? why me??? However, when we really love someone, when we deeply love someone, for who the person is, then we care for the person, we want to please, and we want to make the person happy. It was what happened to Joseph toward God. Joseph deeply loved God that he replaced his life goals for God's goals. Here we are talking of something really big. To exchange your plans for God's plans is not easy. In the beginning it is a sacrifice, sacrifice means to give up something that we want to obtain in order to help others. In this case, Joseph sacrifice his personal goals for the good of the Jewish community.

        When I was growing up, after I finished high school, I really did not want to keep studying. I didn't want to go to college. Wile every one of my classmates was looking for and applying to different colleges, I was killing the time going around and letting my dad assuming that I was seeking for a college to start my studies. My dad wanted me to go to college and get a degree. It was one of his main goals for each one of his children.

        Well, one day I was reading in the  living room of home, when my dad was just coming to the house after a long day of working. He left the house around 7:00 a.m. it was 8:30 p.m. I remembered he looked very tired. It was the first time that I realized how much he was doing for me and my family.

        Well, this night, I decided to start looking for a college to get in and star my studies. It was late on time, because the majority of the colleges I liked the dead line had passed already, but I got in one which was good enough to challenge me the next 4 1/2 years. For my surprise, I started enjoying college very soon. I started seeing the positive. The time passed so fast. I really enjoyed my college time, all these friends and the good times I had with them. When I was attending college, I was so happy, my life was full. The fulfillment of going to college has been with me since then. The fulfillment has not disappeared like in another cases. Also, years later, God used my degreed to save me time, here in America. was able to star very soon my seminary studies because I had my college degree already.

        Now, if I was able to be honestly happy and fulfill exchanging my goal for my father's goal. How much better is going to be if we exchange our earthly goals for the divine goals of God in our lives.

 

Let us pray,

Dear Father

        Thank You so much for let us know what Your goals are. Thank You so much for Your eternal and perfect love for us, Your church. Thank You so much for the example of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus Christ, who sacrifice his own goals in his life and took Yours. Help us to exchange our own goals for Yours, in this way we are going to show You that we really love You and find permanent and lasting fulfillment for our lives.

In Jesus Christ, we pray.

Amen.

It Shall not Pass Jn. 1:1-14 New International Version (NIV)

It Shall not Pass

John 1: 1-14 NIV

Purpose:          To find joy in the fact that God in Jesus is going to take care of us always

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

² He was with God in the beginning.

³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John.

⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.

⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

 ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Footnotes:

John 1:5 Or understood

This is the Word of God,

for the people of God.

Praise be to God.

Amen

It Shall not Pass

John 1: 1-14 NIV

Purpose:          To find joy in the fact that God in Jesus is going to take care of us always

Outline

I.       Introduction

II.      How can we find joy in hart experiences?

III.    Explanation of the text

IV.    Conclusion[s]

V.      Prayer

It Shall not Pass

John 1: 1-14 NIV

Purpose:          To find joy in the fact that God in Jesus is going to take care of us always

          Do you remember that the last week, I started the sermon with a question. Have you ever wondered about the meaning of your life??? And also this question is deeply connected with our fulfillment in our lives. Today, have you pondered about the suffering in your life??? Because suffering in any life is a reality and a lot of times, it is a mystery. I am talking not of the suffering as a result of our poor choices and even our ignorance. I am talking about the suffering that unconsciously or consciously we don't look for.   

          Of course, when I was a little girl, I remember that the nuns who took care of my education, always used to tell me that I have to very joyful when suffering comes to my life. Later, in my Catechesis class I heard the same!!! I was mad. I had trouble understanding these good women telling me that I had to be joyful in suffering. Later, I has very upset with God because of the suffering in my own life. As time passed, I was so confused for the suffering in the entire world, that I just decided to ignore it. If we decide to be blind or ignore an issue then we don't need an emotional, spiritual, and intellectual understanding of the issue.

          However, God didn't leave me alone. I was not at peace. Seriously, troubled me to understand and to apply this perception of joy when one of my classmates bullied me, or when other criticized me, or when I was very sick on my bed. Or when my mom died. Or when my dad had another heart attack. It just didn't make sense at all. Who in the healthy and well mind wants to be joyful in troubles!!! For sure, not me!!!

         

          Until one day, I was getting ready for my formal job the company called BARCEL which was the leader company in snacks through the entire Latino America, not just Mexico. I was the secretary of the Human Resources while I was studying in college. Every day, I had to dress up, but this day was so special because it was my first important meeting with other high executives of the company, I wanted to escalate positions. When, I  walking in the main entrance of the building and one of my high hills  just broke. I was limping. When I was pouring my coffee, I found out that the meeting had moved to one hour earlier. It was taking place in the right moment someone in a hurry just pushed me and I poured out my coffee in my beige skirt. It seemed like I couldn't make it to the bathroom. Finally, you reach home after 50 minutes stuck in the traffic. And, the power is gone in the entire house. The food in the fridge is stinky and you are starving. You go to bed with an empty stomach and a headache and praying that tomorrow will be a better day.

          The reality is that some days, it seems that we are a magnet for a bad luck. And, God through the His Word, the Bible, is telling me that I have to be joyful!!! I challenged God and screamed  at him, telling Him, "Now!!! What!!! Do you want me to be joyful??? No!!! Sorry!!! I cannot do that. You have to show me how!!! I am tired of suffering and problems!!!"

          Here is John telling us that Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God. Actually, He was God Himself. Jesus Christ was so powerful that everything was created through Him. the entire world, you, and me. God is telling me that HE Is LIFE!!! And He shines through the darkness. Oh, God, some days, I cannot see the light. Some days, I cannot feel Your power. Some days, I believe that I have been defeated by the suffering and problems of the world!!! But, Jesus keeps telling me that if I believe in Him, then He is going to live, to dwell in me!!!

[Climax of the sermon]

          Here my dear ones, is when things start becoming complicated to understand, to accept, and to apply.

          Why things start becoming complicated??? Because, we are talking about character. Character is the way one thinks, feels, and behaves.[1] It is they way one and each one of us decides to live his/her life.

          Jesus knew that since the beginning, He was going to have troubles and suffering. When He was a baby, I am sure that sometimes Mary was busy and Jesus had to wait for food or change of diapers, or drinking His milk. When He had to learn how to walk, how to talk, how to behave. You know when we start learning is painful. We pump our heads when we are learning how to walk. He suffered rejection from His own people, even His family, they thought that He was crazy, when He started preaching about the Kingdom.

          The truth is that no one likes to suffer physical, emotional, or any kind of trouble including Jesus Christ. It is painful. Pain and suffering are not together in a common human understanding.

          Here is the key. We are not common humans. We are children of God. As a children of God, our common human understanding of joy cannot be apply into a divine levels. OUR JOY IS DIVINE NOT HUMAN.

          Our divine joy tells us that it shall not pass even with the most difficult and painful of troubles in our lives. And, you know why our joy is divine and shall not pass, because the Spirit of Jesus Christ who lives inside us, is telling us, is reminding us that no matter what we face, each one of us, we are going to be ok. The assurance of knowing that we are going to be ok, beside any problem, besides any tribulation, besides any suffering. Our Divine Joy inside us is something that It shall not pass. We have the totally assurance that we are going to be right.  

Let us pray,

Dear and Good Father

---

[1] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/character (Accessed on 12/18/2015).

Hi, Where Have You Been??

Hi, Where Have You Been???

            This entire week I have been praying, studying, and writing drafts for this meditation. God gave me the title early this week and that’s it!!! After really hard thinking, because I wanted to write something very big and special, something spectacular!!! I realized that for God every thought that is intended to please Him and help others is not a small thing. Actually, it has the character to be a spectacular writing in God’s eyes.

            So the meditation for the Christmas Eve Service came this morning as I was thanking God for the visit of Merida and Randal with Gus and Jasmine, their lovely dogs. How wonderful and meaningful it is to have and to count on friends that really care for us.

            My dad used to tell me, showing me his right hand, that if I can get 5 friends in my lifetime, five real and good friends, the kind of friends that are with us in the good, in the bad, and in the ugly of our lives, then I have been blessed.

            On the other hand, it is very difficult to be a present and caring friend, the kind of friend who is going to be with you 100% of the time and in every bad situation. I am not saying in good situations because to be present in good times is easy for any of us.  Realistically speaking, when we cannot be present with our friends, and we say, I cannot be there but I am in spirit with you, excuse me dear ones, but it doesn’t count. I cannot be in spirit in any other place because my spirit is inside my body. That is the plain reality. If I cannot be present with my friends in the bad then I cannot help. I cannot give them emotional support with my presence. I cannot hold their hand. I cannot offer my ear to listen and my shoulder to cry. Then honestly, it sounds like we are not very good friends.

            But, God has a very good sense of care because He gave us Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came to this world to be our closest and our very best friend that we can get. We cannot get a better friend than Jesus. He always is going to give us a hand. He always is going to give us His shoulder to cry and His ear to listen to us. He always is going to carry us when life gets tough and we cannot bear any more bad luck or bad situations. He is always going to be with us no matter what. Jesus never fails because He is the only perfect God who decided to live inside us.

            My dear ones today, we celebrate the birth of the Only Good Friend who is going to be with us always until the end of the world. He has decided to come so close to us that He became one of us in order to show us how much He loves us and how much He cares for each one of us. Today, Jesus is very close to you. We can hear Him saying to each one of us, Hi, where have you been???  

Let us pray,

Caring and Loving Jesus

Thank You so much for coming to this broken world to show us that You are the Only Good Friend that we can count on always. Help us to accept it even if we don’t understand it. We want to open our hearts and our minds to Your Holy Presence.

In Your name, we pray. Amen.

It Is Important!!! Jn. 2:1-11 New International Version (NIV)

It Is Important!!!

John 2:1-11 NIV

Purpose:         Understand that for Jesus all our concerns are important. Never give                          up on prayer.

2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,

² and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

³ When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

⁴ “Woman,^[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

⁶ Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.^[b]

⁷ Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

⁸ Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so,

⁹ and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside

¹⁰ and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

¹¹ What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Footnotes:

1. John 2:4 The Greek for Woman does not denote any disrespect.
2. John 2:6 Or from about 75 to about 115 liters

This is the Word of God

For the people of God.

Praise be to God

Amen

It Is Important!!!

John 2:1-11 NIV

Purpose:         Understand that for Jesus all our concerns are important. Never give                          up on prayer.

Outline

I.       Introduction

II.      Tell the story of Jesus

III.    Conclusion[s]

IV.    Prayer

 

It Is Important!!!

John 2:1-11 NIV

Purpose:         Understand that for Jesus all our concerns are important for Him. We                        are never insignificant for Him.

          It is not surprising that we are living very busy lives. It seems like our lives are so busy that from the moment we weak up to the moment we place our head on the pillow is hurry, hurry, and more hurry. We are so busy to the point that it seems like we don't care for others and others don't care for us. I don't how many of you know that I go to the gym very early because if I don't go early then I am so busy through the day than it is very difficult for me to go to another hour. Well, I try to go around 4 a.m. people are always very nice and polite, even if we are half asleep, but this past week, I notice something that made me think. I was coming to the gym at the same time that other two people. Previously, in December I had being introduced to one of this persons, actually we have even talked sometimes for a little bit. Ok, this person nicely said to me, "Good morning, how are you doing?" I was ready to answered her "Oh, I am doing OK, what about you?" When suddenly, turned and started talking with another person. My answer was in the middle of my mind and my heart, when this person, I am sure totally unconsciously ignored me.

          Have you been in a similar situation? It feels horrible. I felt totally invisible. It was this feeling of not having a voice to be heart and a presence to be seeing. Or what about when in a our place of work there is someone who really gets on our nerves? And we have made even mental excuses that sounds something like, "I am trying, really trying but for some reason I cannot stand Charlie." And again, I want to believe that we unconsciously don't pay so much attention to this person and even sometimes we try to avoid it. It sounds terrible from a Christian pastor but the reality is that I have being guilty of doing it. I have not paid attention to this person and I have reduced it to a nothing because becomes invisible. Or what about when in the wrong moment, in the wrong place, with the wrong people, and with the wrong words, we have said something incorrect. In this precise moment one wants to disappear and become invisible. To become invisible is the same that not having value, to be worthy.

          Sadly, our society reinforces this kind of attitude toward the majority of us. We just need to reflect of what happened this past week with the lottery. In fact, when I was in the gas station in order to pay for my gas, the man in front of me spent, maybe 80.00 dollars in lottery tickets. I am not noisy, but when he was paying 80.00 dollars for the tickets, he wanted to be sure that the next person in line knew that he was buying lottery tickets. The great majority of the people were doing the same, buying lottery tickets. In everywhere it was the subject of the moment. The jackpot is having 1.6 billion dollars, have you bought a ticket already?

          It seems like what the people were buying was not a lottery ticket, it was the dream, the illusion to become someone, someone special. Someone who people will know as the winner of the historical jack pot of 1.6 billion dollars. Someone worthy of being present and not invisible. People were paying to buy importance and presence through the lottery ticket. It seems like recognition is part of the universal needs that humanity needs to have.  Have you noticed that we take for granted people who honestly recognize our value as a Child of God and as another human being with potential, presence, and dignity? such as our spouse, our children, our church, our honest friends.

          Sadly, it seems like consciously or unconsciously, we still looking for importance and recognition outside of our God because He gives us more than enough He is a God of abundance. and our beloveds. Do we do not get enough importance and recognition from Jesus??? Recognition is being remembering and importance is being of value. But, we have to  be very careful where we try to find recognition and dignity.

          In fact, some people last week tried to find it in a lottery ticket. Other people have tried to find it in clothes. Some people spend so much time and money in their appearance. Other have tried to find in diets. These people live for their bodies like the stars in Hollywood. Other people have tried to find it through their credentials. They go and get degrees and make people call them by their titles such as Dr. Jones, who has a PhD in psychology. Please, don't take me wrong. I am not saying that hard studying in our lives is not important or keeping a healthy body is not important. Here, I am talking about personal attitudes and accountability and acceptance of what Jesus have given us, because we are people of importance for Him. Everything that concerns us, concerns Jesus. We are important for Him. Any of our prayers or conversation with Jesus is of little importance or invincible.

          Here, we have Jesus who is in a wedding at Cana with her mother, Mary, and His disciples. It is important to mention that there was a big issue for a wedding to run out of wine, because it was safer to drink wine that the water and the event was an important celebration. Also, the wine using in those times was not high at all in alcohol.

So, Jesus could say about the wine, that it was not His problem, and someone could say, "Yes Claudia but He was the Christ." But He was also a common man with a common free will. He easily could ignore it because the text is clear and it is telling us that it was not His time. He could wait. Jesus chose to give the wedding couple the status of recognition and human dignity even when they were aware of that!!!

Jesus really cares for us. He has not changed. He is still the same loving friend who makes us someone important and present. We don't have to buy the illusion with a lottery ticket of becoming important through money, or through diets, or through credentials. Here is the real miracle, we are already important for Him. This is the real miracle, that for Jesus any of us is NOT invisible or of less important. We, all and each one of us, can come to Him with our water jars empties and He will fill them to the top, to the brim with acceptance, dignity, and a real presence. 

Let us pray,

Dear and Good Father

Thank You so much because we are important and worthy for You. There is not a single person who is invisible for You. Forgive us when we feel invisible or unworthy, help us to acknowledge the real and important miracle is that all and each one of us is deeply and truly important for You. In Your name, we pray. Amen.

Why? Rom. 12:1-2;9-21 New International Version (NIV)

Why?

Rom 12: 1-2; 9-21 NIV

Purpose:         We can face anything in our lives, even the answer or not answer to                             our whys, if we have Christ within us.

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[c] Do not be conceited.

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.

¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[^d] says the Lord.

²⁰ On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”^[e]

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Footnotes:

1. Romans 12:6 Or the
2. Romans 12:8 Or to provide for others
3. Romans 12:16 Or willing to do menial work
4. Romans 12:19 Deut. 32:35
5. Romans 12:20 Prov. 25:21,22

This is the Word of God

for the people of God.

Praise be to God.

Amen.

Why?

Rom 12: 1-2; 9-21 NIV

Purpose:         We can face anything in our lives, even the answer or not answer to                             our whys, if we have Christ within us.

Outline

I.       Introduction

         

II.      Why our whys are important?

III.       The importance of a right thinking when we ask why such and      such. Right thinking just comes when the mind is placed on godly           issues.

IV.       Interpretation of the biblical text

V.      Conclusion[s]

VI.    CD  third song

Why?

Rom 12: 1-2; 9-21 NIV

Purpose:         We can face anything in our lives, even the answer or not answer to                             our whys, if we have Christ within us.

          Questions have been always very important for humanity. Through the answer of questions we have progressed and grown. For example, when Alexander Fleming in 1928, was trying to find an answer for the bacteria of the Staphylococcus, he discovered penicillin by accident.[1] Fleming was questioning, Why does the staphylococcus is killing so many people? Why these patients and no others? In this case, the answer for the question  Why for Alexander Fleming was so important that the answer brought healing for infections in that moment and in the years to come for so many. Other case was Henry Ford. When we developed the assembly line of mass production. I bet that Ford was thinking why just rich people can afford cars? Searching for his answer, Henry Ford reached to produce hundred of cars to the point that this product became accessible for common people not just for the rich.[2] Other person with why's in her mind was Ann Judson, who was the first American missionary woman who left United States.[3] Ann had the question why just being here if there is an outside world that needs Jesus?

          This past Tuesday when I was with some of our ladies in the Bible Study, they asked me if I would preach about the world why, why as a question. I answered them yes. However, I told them that it was going to be a challenge for all of us.

          It is a real challenge for two main reasons. First, to try to understand human affairs, in this case why in our lives, is challenging because we have to deal with our mind and our feelings. Most people don't want to talk or to hear about themselves. Second, in order to get to the bottom of the subject we have to open our Pandora boxes, our inner-selves. The majority of us, we gladly choose to postpone the conversation for later or for never, and we just deviate the subject. 

          On the other hand, God wants us to heal, to grow, and to become a whole and healthy individuals who can help Him in this broken world.

          So, as I have said in other sermons and other times, it is interesting to know how our human mind functions. In fact, it is a mystery that the discipline of Psychology deals with theories, no facts, and in the science field, the human mind has not totally been understood. However, we can resolve a lot of our life puzzles through our spiritual healing and our spiritual healing starts with our mind!!!

          Here, we have the Apostle Paul telling us how to deal with our why's in life. He is giving us a very practical recipe that we can summarize in two steps:

1)       Offer to God our bodies as a living sacrifice. Our mind is part of our body. When we give God our mind, we are going to give Him instantly our feelings and our actions

2)      Renew our minds. That means in order to renew our minds, we have to remove our impractical, toxic, and stressful thoughts, the thoughts that we are stuck with and it seems that they do not have an answer, they have to replace them for other thoughts. These thoughts have to be thoughts that are according to God's will. But, for us who needs more clarity, what thoughts are according to God's Will? Interesting enough, the thoughts that are according to God's Will are the thoughts that have to be related with His business, not just our business. We have to redirect our attention. Instead of thinking in our concerns, then we need to think in God's concerns.

[Climax of the sermon]

          Sure enough, God has telling us over and over, seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33). What things are going to be given to us? what we shall eat or clothe or a place to live or if something is happening to one of our beloveds. In short, God is going to take care of our business, if we take care of His business first.

          Here is the turning point and when things can turn difficult for us, because in order to redirect our attention we have to change our why's for how's. Because when we redirect our why's for how's, then we are asking God no for an explanation or a reason, the answer maybe come in the future. Through our how's we are asking God for actions, and action plan. For example, why am I sick God? turn into how can I live better with this disease?; why the economy is so bad? into how can I do well in this economy?; why is there such injustice in the world? into how can I help with justice in my life and surroundings? In this way, we are telling God, ok, dear Father, give me the directions of what to do. In this precise moment, we are focusing in the solution instead of the problem. It is the moment when our thinking turns from worrying to doing. Here, it is when we turn our thinking from wrong to right. Therefore, godly thoughts comes when we turn our why's in to how's. This is what Paul is telling us in this Letter to the Romans.

The importance of a right thinking when we ask why such and such. Right thinking just comes when the mind is placed on godly issues.

why am I sick? why does the economy is so bad? why is there injustice in the world? why is my sister or my brother mean to me? change for how, here in our minds, how can I live better with my disease? how can I do well in this economy? how can I help with injustice?

          My dear ones, the more we change our why's for how's, the more we are becoming as Jesus Christ was. The more we change our why's for how's, the more we are able NOT to worry for our future. The more we change our why's for how's, the more we are able to understand our present and live in permanent peace and joy. And the more we change our why's for how's, the more we are able to understand our mind, ourselves, and our feelings and be grateful to God.

Listen to the CD third song.

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[1] http://www.wisegeek.org/how-was-penicillin-discovered-and-developed.htm (Accessed on 1/6/2016).

[2]https://www.bing.com/search?q=how%20did%20Henry%20Ford%20discover%20the%208V%3F%20&qs=n&form=QBRE&pq=how%20did%20henry%20ford%20discover%20the%208v%3F%20&sc=0-25&sp=-1&sk=&cvid=9BC5E76F0709480EB0D57A124AB524E5 (Accessed on 1/7/2016).

[3] http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1801-1900/ann-judson-1st-american-woman-missionary-11630365.html (Accessed on 1/7/2016).