Posted on by Cheryl Norman

Waiting on Jesus

Pastor Sherry’s message for December 3, 2023

Scriptures: Isa 64:1-9; Ps 80:1-7, 17-19; 1 Cor 1:3-9; Mk 13:24-37

Waiting is difficult, isn’t it? Think of all the times you’ve had to wait…

1. Would you get the job you just interviewed for?

2. What about the results of that medical test or scan you just underwent?

3. Did that person you fell in love with also love you back—remember the agony of that wait?

4. Would your child get into the college or internship of their choice?

5. Would your house sell? Would the sellers of the house you want accept your offer?

6. How about that last month of pregnancy? Would that baby ever make an entrance?

7. What about waiting on a grant to come through or a check in the mail?

8. How about those hostages of Hamas, waiting to be set free, or their families, dying to know how they are?

9. Remember being a kid and having to wait for Christmas morning to finally arrive?

Most of us hate to wait. We wring our hands. We pace the floor. We lose sleep. We grumble and groan and complain. We engage in what addiction counselors are now calling “BEEPS” Behaviors, Experiences, Events, People, and/or Substances that help us self-medicate or suffocate our anxiety as we wait.

(Ed Khouri, Restarting, Life Model Works, 2010, p.32.)

If we’re really smart, we pray and ask God to help us wait, so that we can learn what He means for us to learn during this time; so that we may develop the spiritual fruit of patience.

Today is the first Sunday of Advent—a time of great anticipation as we wait upon the arrival of Jesus.

A. In Isaiah 64:1-7, the prophet reminds us both that God controls the entire universe and that our condition as humans is that of unclean sinners (vv.5-7). Verses 1-2 constitute a cry, a plea for God to come down to earth, to defeat Israel’s enemies (and ours), and to make things right.

Isaiah recalls times God did intervene on the behalf of Israel doing (v.3)—…awesome things that we did not expect. He also reminds them and us, (vv.4-5)—Since ancient times, no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God beside You, who acts on behalf of those who wait [there it is, wait] for Him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. In other words, we can and should call upon God for help when we are troubled or anxious, when we are worn out with waiting. Isaiah assures us God will respond!

But notice, the prophet attaches this caveat: God rescues those who do the right thing, who remember to do as God would have us do.

I have told you before that I had some difficulty and fear around selling my house when I was leaving seminary. I had listed it in September of 2001, but then 9/11 took place and no one in SW Pennsylvania was buying or selling homes. By January 21, 2002, I had completed my degree but still had no buyers for my home. Worse yet, I had no job and no money. I was sick with a cold and would awaken all through the night whenever I became too congested to breathe. I would take something then return to bed, begging God in prayer to sell my house. Finally, at about 4am, I asked the Lord if I were doing something or not doing something that served as an impediment to Him taking action. I heard Him say, in my spirit, that I had not surrendered to being a lead pastor. He was of course right. I had thought to assist someone, as my gifts are in teaching and counseling, not in administration or leadership. I immediately agreed to surrender to His will, got up at 8:00am, and sent off letters to 4 small parishes in North Florida (I wanted to go home and I wanted a church small enough so I could know everyone’s names.) I put those letters in the mail at 10:30am on January 22nd. My realtor called at 11am with a couple interested in my house. They came at 5:00pm that day and signed a contract by 8:30pm. Additionally, I needed to close on February 7th as my next mortgage payment was due on the 8th and I knew I would be unable to pay it. My Jewish realtor said there wasn’t enough time to make that happen, but I replied that she did not know my Jesus. Sure enough, we closed on my house on the 7th, thanks be to God! I learned from this that God sometimes waits for us to change before He moves on our behalf. We have to be willing to ask if our wills are blocking His will and take action to rectify that.

Finally, Isaiah reminds us in this passage that we are like clay in the great Potter’s hands. We want to conform to His will. We want to allow Him to mold and shape us into the image of our best selves. When we wait upon God to act, God is working on our character, transforming us more and more into the image and likeness of Jesus. We may hate to wait, but God uses that time to do a work in us.

B. Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19, is both a prayer for God to relieve the peoples’ suffering—especially after an attack by brutal enemies—and a plea for God to lead them again. The psalmist, Asaph, a contemporary of King David, appeals to God as our shepherd king as He is enthroned in heaven. He is asking God to move on behalf of His people. In the desert wanderings, the ark and the cloud would move out for the days’ march. This signified that God was their leader. When camped, three tribes situated themselves to the north of the ark, three to the east, three to the west, and three to the south, with God at their center. When they moved, however, the tribe of Benjamin, along with the half-tribes of Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh (remember, Benjamin and Joseph were Jacob’s two favorite sons), would past like the Red Sea, allow the Ark to lead them, then follow directly behind. Then the other 9 tribes would all fall in behind them as well.

Asaph asks for God’s favor (v.3)—Restore us, O God: Make Your face shine upon us, that we may be saved (This is repeated 3 times). This is a poetic way of saying, smile at us. Demonstrate on your face that you enjoy being with us. Picture how people hold an infant and smile as they talk baby-talk to the new little one. Our faces often “shine upon” or look with great favor upon babies when we talk to them.

He also uses the images of eating and drinking tears to describe how much Israel has suffered. Some biblical experts believe there is no nation ever that has suffered to the degree that Israel has—and survived. (J. Vernon McGee, Commentary on Psalms, Chapters 42-89, Thomas Nelson, 1991, p.5.) According to Paul, as he writes in Romans 11, the Jews have suffered because they rejected Jesus as the Messiah when He walked among them. However, when “the time of the Gentiles” is over–or after the Church is raptured–and when the Great Tribulation begins, there will be a huge harvest of God’s original chosen people, as they finally recognize Jesus Christ as their Messiah.

Indeed, verse 17 predicts that Messiah, Jesus, will be standing at God’s right hand and will come (2nd Coming) to save them. We are to await that great day with hope and faith.

C. In 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Paul refers to Jesus Christ a total of 5 times in 7 verses. The season of Advent calls upon us to be a waiting people. Who or what are we waiting for? Paul asserts it is Jesus, the end all and be all of our lives. And Paul assures us He will impart to us grace with which to await His 2nd Coming.

D. Finally, in our Gospel lesson (Mark 13:24-37) we are reminded, as we wait, of Jesus’ 2nd Coming. At the Incarnation, Jesus’ 1st Coming, God broke into human history, as a flesh and blood infant person. He came to preach, teach, heal, encourage, and to demonstrate to us God’s great saving love for us. When He comes again, it will be as the Great King of the Universe, and as a conquering military hero, to judge all the people of the earth. He will liberate all of the Christ-followers who are left from the effects of a fallen world.

His 2nd arrival will follow what the news media will probably proclaim as great heavenly catastrophes and climate change calamities: The sun and the moon will no longer give off light (the light source will be God the Father and Jesus). The stars will fall and planets will change their orbits. Non-believers will be horrified, terrified of what is to come. But Jesus will have already gathered to Himself the Church in the Rapture, and will at that time, then gather in those who have come to believe in Him through the Great Tribulation. Christ’s warning to us is clear: We are to be ready for when this happens…this afternoon or tonight, next month or next year. We don’t know the hour or the day, but while we wait, we need to get ready.

We hate to wait, so what can we do to help us wait with grace and peace? First it helps to understand that waiting can reveal to us our true motives. Are we committed enough to take some time. Or, are we so “me focused” that we are impatient and won’t postpone gratification?

Second, waiting builds the spiritual fruit of patience. The old saw goes, “Don’t pray for patience. If you do, God will put you in a situation that requires that you develop it.” God will and does answer that prayer, but you may wish He had taught you that virtue another way.

Third, waiting builds anticipation, so that we better appreciate those things that did not come to us immediately.

Fourth, waiting builds intimacy with and dependence upon God. Remember that waiting is the crucible of the saints! Back before pills were packaged, pharmacists used a mortal and pestle to pulverize substances into powder form, then sold the compounds they created in little bags. We are like those substances, with God grinding out our impurities as we wait. We are not alone in having to wait. In fact, waiting is a grand Biblical tradition: Abraham waited 25 years for Isaac; (his descendants waited 440 years to inherit the Land). Jacob, his grandson, worked for Laban 21 years before returning to “the Land” as Israel. Joseph was a slave in Egypt in Potipher’s house for 7 years, then in prison for another 7 before being raised second only to Pharaoh. Moses waited 40 years in Egypt, then another 40 years as a shepherd in Midian, before he led the nation of Israel out of bondage. King David was anointed by Samuel, then waited 20 years to become king. Jesus was 30 before beginning His ministry.

As I have said before, waiting molds and shapes our character. God uses it to train us to trust and to persevere. God uses the time to burn off or grind down our impurities (impatience, anxiousness, bad temper, Beeps). God uses it to make us dependent upon Himself. The result, if we wait and trust, is fantastic! The prophet Isaiah wrote in 40:31—Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not be faint.

We have a God who keeps His promises! Let us wait upon Him and His timing with grace and in faith. In this season of Advent, let’s not grow anxious or impatient. But, instead, let’s trust in God’s goodness and loving kindness towards us, and in His perfect timing!

©️2023 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams

Posted on by Cheryl Norman

Our God Will Provide

Pastor Sherry’s message for July 2, 2023

Scriptures: Gen 22:1-14; Ps 13; Rom 6:11-23; Matt 10:40-42

Human beings appear to be programmed to love narrative—i.e., stories. It’s how our God has made us. As an experienced teacher, I know that people often remember a story before they will remember the point, theme, doctrine, concept, or theory. For instance, when I taught U.S. History in high school, I told the kids that when Grover Cleveland was running for president, the press learned he had had a child out of wedlock. The newspapers read, “Ma, Ma, where’s my Pa?” in an attempt to embarrass him. His supporters then printed, “Gone to the White House, ha, ha, ha!” To this day, even I don’t remember much about President Grover Cleveland other than this story.

I once had a recovering addict at a residential treatment center ask me why I taught them psychological principles of recovery by using so many story illustrations. He was impatient with this approach and just wanted me to get to the point. He was saying in effect, “Please just lay out the concept,” or “Just the facts, Ma’m.” I patiently explained that my goal was to have him remember the concepts I was presenting once he went back into his home environment—and he was more likely to do so if these concepts were wrapped in examples from other people’s lives.

This is why the Bible contains story after story of the people of God. Our God knew their stories would help us to remember many of the important biblical principles. This is also why Jesus taught in parables, memorable stories with often surprising twists.

Today our passages offer 2 readings comprised of doctrine and two with stories that illustrate those doctrines:

A. Paul is masterful at setting forth Christian doctrine. In Romans 6:11-23, Paul wants us to understand that if we are joined to Christ (through baptism, through our profession of faith), we are now dead to sin. Does it mean we never sin again? Oh, if only! What it means is that we probably will sin again but we can overcome our sinfulness through (1) our faith in Jesus and (2) with the help of the Holy Spirit. Paul personifies sin as a master. He asserts that whatever we do, we serve someone or something—perhaps even making ourselves king of our life. He says we can serve sin or we can serve Jesus—those are our only two choices. Christians should not attempt to do both. First, it makes us hypocrites; second, it leads us back into the enslavement we escaped through Jesus’ rescue. He says (1) we start with faith in Christ. Then (2) we have to refuse to let sin reign in our lives; and, finally, (3) we present ourselves to God. These are each three acts of the will, decisions we make with our mind. He wants us to recognize that—on our own–we cannot live out the Christian life. We have to allow God to live it through us. So, overcoming sin is an act of faith. As Bishop N.T. Wright rewords Paul, “Our limbs and organs, and for that matter our mind, memory, imagination, emotions and will, are to be put at the disposal not of sin, but of God.” (Paul for Everyone, Romans: Part One, Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.109.)

Incidentally, this is where AA has come up with its 12 steps. I believe the anonymous founders of AA were a Catholic and a Lutheran, both of whom seemed to know Scripture. AA asserts that we have to have faith in a higher power, God, who is able to free us from our sin patterns/our addictions. We must also realize we cannot be overcomers on our own—we are only overcomers by the blood of the Lamb. AA adds making amends (asking forgiveness and being reconciled, if possible) to anyone we have harmed. Then we serve God and others, as “servants of Christ.” In the 12th step, we agree to become a sponsor to help others, as we have been helped, on their journey out of addiction.

B. This doctrinal position is demonstrated in our Old Testament story of the obedient behavior of Abraham (Genesis 22:1-14). In this 7th and last appearance of God to Abraham, this pillar of faith is put to an extreme test: God tells him to prepare to sacrifice his long-awaited “Child of Promise,” Isaac. We tend to think of Isaac still as a child at this point, but Biblical scholars now believe he was much older, perhaps even as old as 33 (Jesus’ age when He went to the cross).

Listen to God’s instructions in verse 2 Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about. Again, scholars believe this mountain would later be named the temple mount in Jerusalem, also known as Mt. Zion.

Verse 3 Early the next morning Abraham go up and saddled his donkey. Notice, Abraham’s obedience to God was immediate. He cut wood for the burnt offering; then he, Isaac, and 2 male servants set out. They traveled for 3 days before they saw the mountain God had directed him to in the distance. What was Abraham thinking during that journey? Did he even sleep the night before? He certainly had sufficient faith in God to even begin the trip. How many of us would have said, “No thanks, Lord. I believe I have a better idea”? How many of us would have felt justified in disobeying God? But Abraham was not going to rebel against God. The writer to the Hebrews later states (Hebrews 11:19) Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from the dead. No, instead of rebelling, Abraham trusted in God to care for Isaac, the descendants of whom were to form a mighty nation. He obediently complied, offering himself and his son to the Lord. This is pretty amazing, isn’t it?!

Notice too that Isaac questioned what was happening (vv.7-8) Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and the wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. Isaac questioned, but he continued onward. He trusted his father and he trusted God. No wonder he is repeatedly included among the patriarchs of our faith, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! He was a man of deep faith in God. In this sense, Isaac is also a Christ-like figure (he foreshadows Jesus):

(1) Just as Jesus carried His wooden cross on His shoulders, Isaac carried the wood for the impending sacrifice on his.

(2) Abraham was prepared to offer his only and beloved son—just as Father God later did with Jesus—but at the last minute God provided a ram, a male sheep. A full grown sheep took Isaac’s place for the sin offering; while Jesus, the Lamb of God, became our sin offering.

(3) Finally, we see that Abraham renames that place (v.14) So Abraham called that place, “The Lord will provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” (One of the names of God is Jehovah Jirah, which means God, our provider.) Later in the Biblical narrative, Jesus did become the substitutionary replacement for all of us on that same mountain. A road and a wall would have been erected between Golgotha and the Temple by then, but the mountain ridge is Mt. Moriah. Again, the Lord will provide Jehovah Jireh, our provider.

C. Jesus provides the doctrine in our Gospel lesson (Matthew 10:40-42). It’s a very brief passage which marks the conclusion of Jesus’ instructions to the 12 before they go out on their first mission-trip. He is warning them that though they will heal people, raise others from the dead, preach the Good News, and cast out demons, they need to expect also to be rejected. But He reassures them if anyone rejects them, they are actually rejecting Jesus, the One Who sent them. This work of bringing people to Jesus is of the utmost importance and they will be rewarded. But they are to remember that they represent Jesus and that they should not allow anything—not even fear—to come between them and Him.

D. This realization—this trust—is true of King David in Psalm 13

This psalm is a fervent prayer for rescue. David, though anointed king, is being pursued by the jealous King Saul. Saul and his troops sought to kill David for around 14-15 years. David knows his life is at risk. He’s weary and downcast. But, nevertheless, He looks to God in prayer (v.13) But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. Like Abraham, David put all his faith in God, despite His negative circumstances.

These are our godly examples: Abraham, Isaac, and David. Their obedience to God proves their trust in Him. We too need to trust in our God, in His goodness and loving kindness towards us. We too need to focus on obeying the Lord, remembering that this side of heaven, we will not be able to be sinless, but—that when we sin—we can ask God’s forgiveness, and we ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to avoid these same sins in the future.

Their stories help us to see how to live out our faith. They help us to remember Biblical principles/points of doctrine. They help us remember to put God first in our lives. These stories help remind us that when we do put Him first, our God will provide for us. Thanks be to God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

©️2023 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams

Posted on by Cheryl Norman

He Messes with our Messes

Pastor Sherry’s message for 2/25/23


Scriptures: Gen 21:8-21; Ps 86:1-10, 16-17; Ro 6:1-11; Matt 10:24-39


Beth Moore is a fabulous Bible teacher. Over the years, I have taken part in probably well over a dozen of her Bible studies. I recommend her to you. She is a life-long Baptist who has recently become an Anglican. In one of her studies, she made the statement that, “God loves to mess with our messes.” Let me illustrate this with a story from the early ministry of Tony Campolo.

He was a sociology professor who challenged his students, one day, to think about what Jesus might have said to a prostitute. He was hoping to get to evangelize them, quoting from such passages as John 4 and John 8. He wanted to demonstrate that Jesus was compassionate and merciful—much more so than the leaders of any other world religion.

He was stopped in his tracks, however, when a Jewish student in his class spoke up saying, “Jesus never met a prostitute.” The student continued to reiterate his perspective whenever Professor Campolo tried to resume his agenda, asserting, “Professor, you didn’t hear me. I said that Jesus never met a prostitute.” When Campolo persisted despite the young man’s argument, the student then said rather forcefully, “You’re not listening to what I am saying. I am saying that Jesus never met a prostitute. Do you think that when He looked at Mary Magdalene He saw a prostitute? Do you think He saw whores when He looked at women like her? Doc, listen to me! Jesus never met a prostitute!”

This silenced Professor Campolo. He realized he, a Christian, was being taken to school by a Jewish student who seemed to understand Jesus better than he had. (Illustration provided by The Rev Fred Demaray from AHA: The God Moment that Changes Everything, by Kyle Idelman, David C. Cook, 2014.)

The Jewish student makes the point that Jesus didn’t share our mistaken perceptions or attitudes. Instead, He offered grace, He offered mercy. He sees beyond our habitual behaviors to the heart of each of us. He loves us as we are, but also loves us too much to leave us that way. He wants to change our mistaken perceptions and attitudes. He wants to change our sinful behaviors. I believe, along with Beth Moore, that our God loves to mess with our messes—if we let Him! Let’s examine what our Scripture passages today tell us about our Lord’s ability to redeem what we have messed up.

In our OT lesson, (Genesis 21:8-21), we find God acting, in a surprising way, to fix a big mess that Sarah and Abraham had created. Remember, God had promised a child/an heir (so, a boy) to Abraham and Sarah, when Abe was 75 and Sarah 65. Back in Genesis 12:1, God had promised I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you. This assumed a large extended family; this assumed a son, but no son had come. Later, when Abraham is about 78 or so, and his son had not appeared as yet, the Promise was reiterated by God in Genesis 15:4. Abraham feared his estate would go to his manager, Eliazer, as was the custom. But God reassured him, saying This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir. Even later, when still there is no heir, Sarah came up with a “bright idea:” I’ve got an Egyptian servant girl. Sleep with her and her child will be your heir.” Abraham was about 85. Hagar was to be a surrogate for Sarah. Today they might visit a sperm bank and be artificially inseminated with am anonymous stranger’s DNA, but they did what was available to them at the time. Though not very clinical, Abraham copulates with her, and Hagar bears Ishmael for them.

As you can imagine, problems then arise between Sarah and Hagar:
Hagar apparently acts like the one of greater status, bragging over being the “baby-mama,” while the infertile Sarah does a slow, jealous burn. This is a mess! They’ve created a mess! Sarah’s bright idea leads to the kinds of unanticipated problems that plague many blended families today. Some years back (preceding seminary), I worked as a middle school counselor for a year. I was walking a troubled 8th grade boy back to class when he said to me, “See that girl over there. She used to be my sister.” I wondered how that could be. I knew his father and mother were divorced. He lived with dad because mother, a nurse, had a drug problem and had lost custody. Dad, however, would move his current girl-friend into their house—often with her children—and these new kids would become his “brothers” and “sisters” for a time. When dad and girl-friend inevitably broke up, the woman and her kids would move away, and this boy would lose his new siblings. In Abraham’s day, as in ours, it was very difficult to blend families of children from different parents.

Nevertheless, as we read last week, God finally acted when Abraham was 100 and Sarah, 90! Sarah conceived Isaac, carried him to term, and they were thrilled! But, YIKES! Ishmael is the first born (maybe as old as 14-15 by then). One day, Sarah overhears him mocking her small son. Having had her fill of Hagar’s bragging and now Ishmael’s contempt, she demands that Abraham drive them away. She may have feared that Ishmael would later kill Isaac in order to inherit; or, as a least one scholar has suggested, she may have read into Ishmael’s remarks a threat to sexually abuse his half-brother, Isaac. She certainly doesn’t trust that he will carefully guard his rival, the Heir. Like a mama bear, she wants Ishmael away from her cub. She convinces a broken-hearted Abraham to run both mother and son off.

Now before we get to what happens to mother and son in the desert, let’s check out a meaningful set of comparisons: Remembering that the Old Testament always points to Jesus, I feel a need to point out to you 9 similarities between the births of Isaac and that of Jesus:


(1) Both were promised. 25 years earlier, God had told Abraham that He would give a son to Abe and Sarah. We are told in Scripture, 750 years before Jesus was born, (Isa 7:14) The Virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel [God with us].


(2) With both births, there is a long interval between promise and fulfillment: 25 years for Isaac; more like 1,000 years for Jesus, going back to God’s promise to King David in Psalm 89:29 I will establish His line forever, His throne as long as the heavens endure.


(3) The people involved are incredulous when they hear the birth announcements, as they seemed impossible. Genesis 18:12 tells us So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my husband is old, will I now have this pleasure?” Dr. Luke shares in Luke 1:34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” Mary is confused, but humbly concurs. She responds to the angel, “I am the Lord’s servant….May it be to me as you have said.”


(4) Both sons were named before they were born. Remember, Sarah laughed Isaac means he laughs. In Matthew 1:21, the angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream 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. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.


(5) Both births occurred at God’s appointed time. We are told in Genesis 21:2 that Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Similarly, Paul states in Galatians 4:4 But when the time had fully come, God sent His son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those under the Law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.


(6) Both births were miraculous–Isaac’s because of the ages of his parents; Jesus, because of Mary’s virginal state.


(7) Both sons brought particular joy to their fathers. Abraham and Sarah both laughed and were delighted with Isaac’s birth. God the Father put His stamp of approval on Jesus at His baptism in Matthew 3:17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.”


(8) Both were obedient to their fathers, even unto death.
Isaac was about 18 (some say he was as old as 33) when Abraham had him lay upon the altar, prepared to sacrifice him to God’s will. Jesus was 33 years old when He obeyed the Father and submitted to the Cross.


(9) Finally, the miraculous birth of Isaac is a picture of, or a metaphor for the resurrection of Jesus: In Romans 4:19, Paul tells us Without weakening in his faith, he [Abe] faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about 100 years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. As with resurrection, out of death comes life! And, in today’s epistle to the Romans (6:1-11), Paul wants us to understand that since we are “in Christ,” and Christ was resurrected from the dead, we will be too. In verse 4 (Peterson, the Message, p.2041) Paul insists That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father….Then, in verse 8 he adds Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the Cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin’s every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in His life-saving resurrection.

Thank you, God, for covering us with Jesus’ righteousness in baptism. Thank you, Jesus, that You see us not as we are but as we were meant to be.Thank you, Jesus, that You redeem and resolve the messes we make through our ignorance or our willfulness.

Now, let’s go back to God’s care of Hagar and Ishmael (and of Abe): God assures Abraham that a great nation will come from Ishmael. Abe may never see him again, but God tells him that Ishmael will live and prosper/become a great nation. This had to have been hard on Abe, but it also beats sending your son off to war and not knowing if he will survive; or having him die in a car wreck, a drive by shooting, or some incurable disease.

Abe sends the two away with as much food and water as they can carry. Eventually, they run out of water. Hagar knows they will soon die. She places a weakened Ishmael at some distance from her so she will not have to observe his death. Both Hagar and Ishmael—nonbelievers, despite having lived with Abraham for years–are crying, and an angel calls to her, What’s the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid. God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation [now Hagar knows his destiny]. Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy as he grew up [for all intents and purposes, he had no father but the Lord]. The Lord provides water. The Lord provides protection from wild animals and hostile drifters. Later, Hagar finds him an Egyptian bride, but God, his heavenly father, makes him into a great nation. Ishmaelites became known as nomads in Sinai and on Paran (present day Iran). They later blended with the kin of Esau, grandson of Abraham through Isaac, to become the Arabs.

We serve a God Who loves to mess with our messes! Our God plans for events (and people) waaaaay in advance. He knows ahead of time what will happen to us. He provides a way for us to survive and to thrive—if we look to Him.
He also redeems our sins/our misguided solutions/our messes:
There is no doubt that God did not approve of Abraham and Sarah’s “plan B.” Sarah’s impatience led to the birth of the Arab peoples, who have always been antagonistic to God’s chosen people, the Jews. Nevertheless, when Abe and Sarah created a mess, God took care of Ishmael. God loves to mess with our messes! My experience is that He often redeems our thoughtlessness, our mistakes, if we only think to ask. I have found that if I am running late and worry I will be demonstrating to another that I don’t value their time, I ask God to intervene, and they end up being late too. As with the Tony Campolo story, Jesus sees us as we are and can be, not as our behavior indicates.

Finally, our God loves us as we are, but also loves us too much to leave us that way. So, be aware: He will mess with your mess!

©️2023 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams

Posted on by Cheryl Norman

The Imprecatory Psalms

Pastor Sherry’s message for April 30, 2023

Scriptures: Acts 2:42-47; Ps 137; 1 Peter 2:19-25; Jn 10:1-10

I. Chuck Swindoll relates the following humorous stories (The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart, Word Publishing,1998, p.493):

A man went to see his physician about some strange symptoms he was having. The doctor examined him and then told him that he had rabies. Immediately the guy set about writing a list. Thinking the man was writing his will, the doc hastened to inform him that he would not be dying because there is a successful treatment. The man then told the doctor he knew rabies wasn’t fatal but that he was making a list of all the people he wanted to bite.

In the 2nd story, a newborn is held up by her feet and smacked on the fanny to get her to breathe. Instead of crying, the baby girl screams angrily, “I want an attorney!”

Both of these stories are about the very human desire for revenge when we perceive we’ve been wronged. Our Cancel Culture today demands retribution and deliberately sets out to ruin whoever and whatever they target. We know this is not the perspective of our God. As far back as Genesis 50:19, we have the example of Joseph forgiving his brothers for having sold him into bondage. In Proverbs 20:22, Solomon, in his wisdom writes Do Not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ Wait for the Lord, and He will deliver you. Nor was revenge ever advocated by Jesus.

Remember, Jesus forgave His murderers from the Cross. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:43-44), Jesus taught You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, ’Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you….’ In Romans 12:14, the Apostle Paul exhorts us to Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. He continues in verses 17 and 19: Do not repay anyone evil for evil….Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.

So then, we might ask, “What’s with the so called, ‘Imprecatory Psalms’?” These are a group of 10-14 Psalms that invoke or call down curses on enemies. They are a plea for God to avenge the psalmist for serious wrongs done to him or her.

1. Psalm 5:10 (a Psalm of David) says (Peterson’s The Message, p.915 Pile on the guilt, God! Let their so-called wisdom wreck them. Kick them out! They’ve had their chance.

2. Psalm 35:4-8 (another David psalm, MSG, p.952) When those thugs try to knife me in the back, make them look foolish. Frustrate all those who are plotting my downfall. Make them like cinders in a high wind, with God’s angel working the bellows. Make their road lightless and mud-slick, with God’s angel on their tails. Out of sheer cussedness they set a trap to catch me; for no good reason they dug a ditch to stop me. Surprise them with Your ambush—catch them in the very trap they set, the disaster they planned for me.

3. Our psalm today is another particularly bloodthirsty example (Psalm 137:7-9, MSG, p.1079-1080) God, remember those Edomites, and remember the ruin of Jerusalem, that day they yelled out, “Wreck it, smash it to bits!” And you, Babylonians—ravagers! A reward to whoever gets back at you for all you’ve done to us; Yes a reward to the one who grabs your babies and smashes their heads on the rocks! Yikes! These examples seem extreme, don’t they? Human enough, but not very Christian; and not much different from what our culture advocates today.

Let’s consider then why God has allowed them a place in the canon [the standard or tenets] of Scripture:

1. First, they are not just emotionally hot and irrational expressions of unchecked temper. They are instead passionate, emphatic requests for divine justice. Since they are included in the Bible, you can even make a case that they are divinely inspired.

2. Second, in Deuteronomy 27 and 28, the Israelites call down blessings upon their nation for godly behavior and curses upon their nation for idolatry and other serious offenses against God. They thereby pronounced imprecations upon themselves–and their children, in advance–for abandoning God’s commands. No wonder the Jewish people have had such a hard time of it over the ages!

3. Most of the imprecatory psalms were written by King David. They are not really calls for personal vengeance, but rather requests for God’s justice. David was a mighty and a successful military general. However, he also demonstrated remarkable restraint. He spared King Saul’s life several times when he could have easily slain him. He did not exact revenge on Nabal or Shimei (who both disrespected him), nor even on his beloved son Absalom who led an insurrection (palace coup) against him. In each case, he asked God to vindicate him, but was not personally vindictive.

4. Additionally, imprecatory psalms are human prayers asking for God to carry out His divine promises. Notice Jesus says, in Matthew 7:23 that on Judgment Day, He will say to hypocrites who claim to love Him but don’t I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers. This is a prayer based on God’s promises to meet out His justice at the end of times. Furthermore, our God hates sin. Jesus expects the Father to address sin.

5. The motivation behind imprecatory psalms is zeal for justice and righteousness. It’s like the difference between gossip and truth: Gossip seeks to run a person down, to build up self at the expense of others. Truth-telling may be just as negative, but it describes what actually is going on. Both may look and sound the same, but the motives are different. The psalmist is not asking God to destroy an individual, but rather to address and heal the harm done.

6. Usually the imprecations are aimed at a group, a class of persons—Edomites or Babylonians–“the wicked,” or those who oppose God.

7. And often the call for divine judgment comes after many efforts have been made to get the hateful group to repent. Paul urges us to pray for those who persecute us (Romans 12:20, quoting Proverbs 25:21-22) If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head and the Lord will reward you. But he also says in 1 Corinthians 16:22 If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him. Come, oh Lord! In other words, by our grace-filled behavior, we may be able to transform an enemy into a believer; nonbelievers, however, have already condemned themselves.*

*(Ideas borrowed from Sam Storms at www.samstorms.org, April 28, 2023, article entitled, “Ten things you should know about the Imprecatory Psalms,” which I have collapsed to 7.)

8. Finally, I think they also provide a model for how we should respond to those who attack or harm us, verbally or otherwise: Rather than running down an enemy in person, or on line (which is so cowardly), or—in some cases–in the courts, we should present them to the Lord and pray for Him to respond to them with His just verdicts and judgments.

Now, let’s return to Psalm 137. What are the Israelites saying in this imprecatory psalm?

First, they have been captured and enslaved by the Babylonians. God allowed this to happen to the Northern Kingdom (by the Assyrians) in 722 and the Southern Kingdom (by the Babylonians) in 586. They were being disciplined by God for their idolatry. They had abandoned the Lord. They were living sinful lifestyles. God sent prophet after prophet to warn them, but they didn’t listen and repent.

So the Judeans find themselves in Babylon, most likely digging canals from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to irrigate this dry land. They are despondent and depressed. They see no reason to celebrate in song. The Babylonians, however, had heard that they worshipped their God with songs and psalms, and now torment them to sing again for their entertainment.

It is said that over 100,000 worshipers would sing together in the Temple during the high feast days. That must have been glorious! But these despondent captives cannot be persuaded to sing. They miss Jerusalem.

They miss their home.

Instead, they beg for God’s justice against the Edomites, descendants of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. Jacob went on to become the patriarch of the Israelites, while Esau’s descendants were Arabs from Edom. In other words, they were extended family members who rejoiced over Jerusalem’s fall. They also beg God’s justice against the the brutal Babylonian army who no doubt killed children too young to work, perhaps by bashing in their skulls on rocks. They would have also cut down the elderly and anyone with a handicapping infirmity.

The imprecatory psalms are a cry for God’s justice. Our God is able to do what we cannot. This is why we call upon the Lord to redress the problems with our greedy and corrupt leaders in Washington, DC. This is why we pray faithfully every Sunday for God to bring about a national turnaround in our government, our justice system, our communities, our schools, and in our families. We don’t call for the Lord to destroy those who are inspiring havoc and lawlessness in our country, but to change their hearts.

Come, Lord Jesus. Heal our land and heal our hearts!

©️2023 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams

Posted on by Cheryl Norman

Waiting for Christ’s Return

Pastor Sherry’s message for November 13, 2022

Scriptures: Isaiah 65:17-25; Isaiah 12; 2 Thess 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19

Does it seem to you that we are often called upon to wait? We wait to be called in at the doctor’s, the dentist’s, or the vet’s office and in lines at Walmart, the grocery story, and the airport. How about waiting on the final results of this year’s elections? Florida had 7.5 million votes tabulated mere hours after the polls closed. Why has it taken Las Vegas—a place known for skillfully counting cards and numbers—and Maricopa County (Phoenix), Arizona, days and days to tally theirs?

Often we may feel like the old guy in the following story:

A very old man lay dying in his bed. In death’s doorway, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookie wafting up the stairs. He gathered his remaining strength and lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom, and with even greater effort forced himself down the stairs, gripping the railing with both hands.With labored breath, he leaned against the door frame, gazing into the kitchen. Were it not for death’s agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven. There, spread out on waxed paper on the kitchen table were literally hundreds of his favorite chocolate chip cookies. Was it heaven? Or was it one final act of heroic love from his devoted wife, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man? Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself toward the table. The aged and withered hand, shaking, made its way to a cookie at the edge of the table, when he was suddenly smacked with a spatula by his wife. “Stay out of those,” she said. “They’re for the funeral. Source Unknown

That joke is awful! The wife certainly isn’t behaving like a Christian, is she? But it does bring home the point that we can wait with great expectation but be disappointed in the results. We might even wish we hadn’t gotten our hopes up.

However, Christ’s return will not disappoint those of us who love Him. It seems like it’s taking forever, and we wonder when it will happen. In 2 Peter 3:8-15a—Peter reminds us that God himself is patient. He calculates time differently than we do (vv.8-9)–>With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. A Smart aleck once read these words and went on to have a conversation with God that sounded like this:

“Lord – is it true that a thousand years for us is just like a minute to you?”

“Yes.”

“Then a million dollars to us must just be a penny to you.”

“Yes.”

“Lord, would you give me one of those pennies?”

“All right. Wait here a minute.”

(Source =Lifeway website; sermon by Rick Ezell on Wednesday, January 01, 2014)

Today’s Scripture passages all deal with either how to wait or signs to help us discern if the end is truly near.

A. Paul has much to say in his letters to the Thessalonian church about recognizing and awaiting the End Times. In our passage from last week, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17, Paul is writing in about 52 or 53AD, just twenty years or so after Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Some in the church thought they were in the End Times due to the Roman persecution. They worried that Christ had already returned and they had missed Him. Paul declares they have not and tells them what should reassure them: First of all, there will be a huge, active falling away from Christ—international apostasy—out of which will arise, “the man of lawlessness” (the Anti-Christ). We are seeing this already in America. We are now a post-Christian nation, with many not even knowing who Jesus is and with others who couldn’t care less. They dabble in the occult, they look to horoscopes and mediums, they may even worship Satan, but they tend to have no interest in pursuing the Christian God.

But back to “the man of lawlessness.” He will become a dictator, taking military, political, and religious control of the world. The big key to his identity is that (v.4) —He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Right now, the Holy Spirit is holding him back/restraining him/preventing him from appearing. But when he arrives on the scene, he will mimic Jesus, claim to be Him, and perform counterfeit miracles based on Satan’s power. Right now, dictators come, ascend to power, fall and die. But the question to ask is, “Do they take over God’s temple and claim to be God?”—and— “Can they work miracles?” Nevertheless, take heart! Whatever he says or does, Jesus will overcome him.

What will help us stand firm until Jesus comes again is…

1.) Knowing Scripture so we can’t be fooled;

2.) Holding onto our faith, despite hard times;

3.) And prayer.

In today’s passage, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Paul gets after those believers who have stopped working as they wait. “No” he says! Look at his example: he worked as a tentmaker when he was among them. In verse 10, he is adamant—If a man [or woman] will not work, he [she] shall not eat.

So, how do we wait on Jesus’ Second Coming?

1.) Study Scripture, so we are aware of the signs.

2.) Hold onto our faith, no matter what happens in the culture.

3.) Pray.

4.) And work—even if we are retired (we can do acts of service and always pray for others).

B. Jesus, in Luke 21:5-19, forecasts some other signs that the end is coming. He predicts (v.8), first, there will be what He calls “false Christs,” false Messiahs. They will make claims that they are gods, but we must measure them against what we know of our One, True, Lord Jesus Christ. Also, they will bring with them indoctrination into false religions (perhaps like Progressive ideology, Critical Race Theory, and distortions of gender and sexuality, involving sex-change surgeries and hormonal therapies for children and the belief that men can have babies).

Next, He says we can look for wars, revolutions, and rumors of wars. It will be a time of turbulence all over the globe. These will precede the end, but are not the end itself. In verses 10-11, He describes worldwide chaos: Nations aligning with or fighting against each other; widespread earthquakes, famines, and plagues; fearful events and great signs from heaven—whatever those will be.

But even before these happenings arrive, Christ-followers will be persecuted. Even now, Christians are being raided and arrested by the FBI. The MyPillow®️ guy was stopped at a Hardee’s drive through and had his phone confiscated by FBI agents serving a subpoena. These violations of our civil rights will only increase. But Jesus assures us that we are not to worry about what to say when brought before judges or governmental officials. Instead of being horrified, we are to consider this our opportunity to witness to them. Instead of being tongue-tied or worried about what to say, Jesus assures us that He—through the power of the Holy Spirit–will give us the words to say, words that no one can dispute. We will become objects of hate to non-believers, perhaps including our family members and friends, but Jesus will protect us. He wants us to trust Him, despite whatever happens to us, including being martyred. This is a difficult truth to preach, but it is what Jesus predicted. May we have the courage and be strengthened to endure it if it comes to that.

C. Isaiah 65:17-25 reminds us of why we should stand firm in our faith, no matter what persecutions or trials we face in the End Times.

After Jesus defeats the forces of evil at Armageddon, God (v.17) will create new heavens and a new earth. If you read through Revelation, you can tell our world will be pretty beaten up by the time Jesus appears a 2nd time. We will probably need a new earth, at a minimum. God tells us, through His prophet (v.19) —The new Jerusalem will be delightful! God will be overjoyed with His people there; and they too will be very happy, with no weeping or crying. Premature death will be an event of the past (no cancers, illnesses, strokes, or heart-attacks). People will be able to enjoy the fruits of their labors (which assumes no warfare or taxes). All of God’s people will be blessed! God will answer our prayers before we even finish praying them. And all animals will become plant-eaters—no more carnivores devouring prey—and will be at peace with each other. Nonbelievers say it is certainly impossible for carnivores to become herbivores. However, if God created them, He can certainly alter their digestive systems and their food preferences.

Isaiah paints a great picture of what is to come while we wait for Christ’s return. But, like so many times in life, it appears to be going to get pretty rough for us before it eases up. I think of the three times I gave birth. Labor is truly hard work, but the birth at the end makes it all worth the travail. Our Lord promises us that it will smooth out and the end will be great!

The challenge for each of us is to hold on to our faith while we wait. In the meantime, we don’t want to get discouraged over political, economic, or social hardships. Instead we want to hold on to Jesus with both hands, trusting in Him no matter what comes. We want to be like Paul, who exhorted us (in Philippians 3:13-14) … straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Amen! May that be so for all of us!

©️2022 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams

Posted on by Cheryl Norman

Why the Wait?

Pastor Sherry’s message for October 30, 2022

Scriptures: Hab 1:1-4; 2:1-4; Ps 119:137-144; 2 Thess 1:1-4,11-12; Lk 19:1-10

Habakkuk is one of the Minor Prophets (a short book at the end of the Old Testament, only 3 chapters long) whose major theme is faith/believing/trusting in God. Habakkuk was a contemporary of Jeremiah and lived from approximately 640-570BC. Instead of writing warnings to sinful Israel to repent, he delivered a series of dialogues between himself and God. In our reading today, he asks God (Chapter1),

1.) Why is there so much violence and injustice?

2.) How come You tolerate wrong-doing, LORD?

3.) Why don’t You do something?!!

Then, in Chapter 2, he asks, Why would you use an unjust nation (Babylonia) to punish us? True, I get that we are sinners who deserve punishment; but why would You use them? They are worse than we are, and they aren’t even believers!

Let’s focus on how God answers Habakkuk, because both the issues the prophet raises–and God’s responses–are very contemporary. To the question of why God permits evil, the LORD says, (v.5) Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. What could that be? In the short run, He is going to allow them to be chastised by/taken to “the Biblical woodshed” by being defeated and captured by the pagan Babylonians. This happened in 587BC. Jerusalem and the Temple were burned; the people who were not killed were chained and led off to Babylon as slaves. However, as the books Ezra and Nehemiah later attest, they were freed to return to the Land after 70 years of captivity. In the long run, however, it is a subtle prediction of the coming of Messiah. Jesus, God Himself coming to earth in human form, is indeed… something in your days that you would not believe. Jesus, Emmanuel—God with us–will be breaking into human history to both demonstrate God’s love for us and to save us from our sins.

To the question of why God uses sinful nations to punish His people—and bear in mind that we Christ-followers are His People, and that we do currently deserve punishment for a multitude of national and personal sins—the prophet says, (2:1) I will stand at my watch and station myself at the ramparts; I will look to see what He [God] will say to me. As a person of great faith, the prophet states essentially, “I don’t understand so I am going to wait on the LORD to make it clear to me.” Notice, he doesn’t say, “This is nuts! I’m just going to do what I need to do to take care of me and mine.” Instead, he waits in faith, trusting in God’s purposes for him and for us.

God does answer him: (2:2-3) …though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. What’s God mean by this? It is as though the Lord is saying, “Yes I am using a corrupt, immoral nation to discipline My People, but the day will come that I discipline them too.” Nebuchadnezzar was puffed up and arrogant. History reports that Babylon fell in 539 BC, overtaken by the Medes and the Persians. No nation lives outside God’s purview, not then and not now. The Lord truly is sovereign over all things. King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 8:11 When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong. People wrongly assume that God is not watching, that He doesn’t know what’s going on. When it looks like He is tolerating evil behavior, it’s not an invitation to continue to do wrong. He is instead giving a nation time to come to its senses and repent.

So what is Habakkuk saying to us today? I believe he is making at least four important points:

1. Our God is very aware of all the sinful behavior around us (ours and others’).

2. God’s judgment may not come speedily, but it does come eventually.

3. In the meantime, our Lord is exceedingly patient, not wanting anyone to perish. He gives us all plenty of time and multiple opportunities to come to Him in repentance. And don’t we love and appreciate that about Him!

4. When we don’t understand why God is doing what He is doing, we should follow the example of Habakkuk: Be a watchman or watchwoman, and Trust in the Lord; Pray; and Wait.

Now, let’s turn our focus to today’s Gospel lesson, Luke 19:1-10, a perfect example of why God often chooses to wait.

Jesus is headed toward Jerusalem to be crucified. He enters Jericho, a town 20 miles NE of Jerusalem. Just prior to entering the city, Jesus restores the sight of the blind man, Bartimaeus. Next, He is on the lookout for a notorious sinner, Zacchaeus. Always guided by the Father’s will, Jesus goes looking for this man. This is a divine appointment.

Zacchaeus (ironically his name means pure) is…

1. The Chief Tax Collector for the region— As I explained last week–in reference to the prayers of the Pharisee versus those of the tax collector—tax collectors were despised by their countrymen because they were perceived as Roman collaborators/sell-outs/traitors, as well as thieves. The Mishna, a Jewish commentary on God’s Law, pairs tax collectors with murderers and robbers.

2. He was also very rich because, in a pyramid system, he took a percentage of what every tax collector under his authority pocketed;

3. He was a man who had forsaken his religion in a quest for wealth;

4. Lastly, he was short in stature.

Zacchaeus learns Jesus is coming and wants to see Him (He appears to have a spiritual hunger, like the blind man, Bartimaeus). He runs ahead and climbs a sycamore-fig tree. This tree would have been between 30-40 feet high, with slick bark, and low, broad limbs that ran parallel to the ground. He could have viewed Jesus from that vantage point without being observed—or so he thought! Jesus, of course, knows he is there, stops, and calls to him to come down. Again, this is a divine appointment. Jesus’ mission has always been to reclaim the prodigals (Luke15:11-31—the Parable of the Prodigal Son), and to welcome the humble into God’s kingdom (Luke 18:9-14—the humble. praying tax collector of last week’s Gospel). Notice Jesus says to him, (v.5) Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today. Now I ask you, what’s with the must? Who can make Jesus do anything? Only God the Father has that kind of influence.

The people murmur….Jesus does not stay at the home of a Pharisee; nor does He appear to visit the most influential persons of the city. Instead he chooses to hang out with the most notorious and despised man there. The crowd considers him outside the possibility of redemption; but thank God Jesus does not write off any who are open to God. There appears to be a time lapse—we don’t know how long they conferred at Zach’s house. But Jesus (and His Father) recognized Zach’s spiritual bankruptcy. Jesus probably talked with Zacchaeus about our need for God and God’s willingness and ability to meet that need.

But whatever was said, Zacchaeus is transformed! He admits he has been robbing the poor and says he will give ½ of his wealth to make amends (compare this with the Rich Young Ruler who could not let go of his money to follow Jesus, Matthew 19:16-24). The Law required giving back what was taken and adding 20%. So a “fine” of 20% was considered generous. Zacchaeus is going to gift the poor with 50% of all he has. He also promises to give back 4 times what he defrauded others. He actually penalizes himself by meeting the standard expected of rustlers: In Exodus 22:1, if a person stole an ox, they had to replace it with 5 cows; if one sheep, 4 sheep were required. Zacchaeus demonstrates his new faith with his works (James 2:18). Jesus affirms his transformation by saying (v.9) Today salvation has come to this house….He also points out that Zacchaeus is a son of Abraham—no matter how bad a sinner; and that Jesus came (v.10) to seek and to save what was lost. (Remember the parables of Luke 15 one lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son, all of whom were located).

So why the Wait? Because God may be doing a new thing. So that sinners like Zacchaeus (and us) can be saved. So that we might fall in love with Jesus and desire to please Him. So that we become magnanimous, forgiving, and grace-filled toward Him and others. Thanks be to God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia! Alleluia!

©️2022 Rev. Dr. Sherry Adams