“Living as a Prophet”
Brimfield Faith UMC / February 5, 2012
2 Kings 2:9-15
LEGACIES
My paternal grandmother passed away at the age of 87 on Wednesday this week. She was one of those people in my life. I don’t recall many spiritual conversations with her throughout my life. But she was one of those people who exuded the joy of the Lord and prayed. She was a devote Methodist and I have a feeling my calling to ministry and the United Methodist Church. A few years back, she gave me this small little book from my Great-Great-Great Grandpa Lewis. It is The Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church from 1847. I didn’t know if for a longtime but Methodism is in my blood. Her body had been failing her for the last couple of years.
She got to meet her only living great-grandson, Caleb this past October. It was a joyous occasion for everyone and one that I will cherish. While her death came as no surprise, her absence on this earth will still be felt. I imagine her rejoicing in heaven with the saints of God. [I also picture her meeting her other great-grandson Jude.] I know that she is [they are] looking down and praying for me, my family and my ministry. I find comfort in that as a true blessing from God.
Everyone has a person in their lives that were formational to their development and to their faith. Whether it was a grandparent, parent, pastor, or someone else, they were integral in us arriving in our current place of faith. We primarily receive blessings from the Lord through people in our lives.
ELISHA
In 2 Kings, we see the model of mentor and disciple. Elijah has been a great prophet who repeatedly stood against the corrupt rulers of his day. He faces off with the prophets of Baal and runs from Jezebel for his life. He does incredible miracles. He predicts droughts and calls the rain forth. He raises a boy from the dead. Elijah is the first prophet to perform such amazing miracles since the time of Moses. Instead of focusing directly on the life of Elijah I want to talk about the passing of the prophetic mantle from Elijah to his disciple Elisha. In 1 Kings 19:19, Elijah upon the prompting of the Lord threw his mantle (his special coat) over the shoulders of Elisha. Immediately, Elisha leaves his work in the field and follows Elijah as his disciple. A close relationship develops and sets up Elisha to receive the blessings and anointing of God.
In 2 Kings 2, we get to see the passing of the mantle and the anointing of a great prophet. As Elijah prepares to be taken up to heaven, he asks Elijah, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” Both of them know the difficulty of this request but they proceed forward with a plan to have the double share passed on to Elisha. As the two are walking, Elisha is the only one to witness the chariot of fire whisk Elijah into heaven. This is the sign that Elisha has received the double portion. He proceeds to go and do even greater miracles than Elijah did.
BLESSINGS
To receive any blessing you need to ask. Elijah first asks what Elisha wants and then Elisha states exactly for what he wants. This reflects words of Jesus in Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.” Very little is ever received without asking or positioning yourselves to receive a blessing. I believe in taking the initiative and asking boldly are biblical principles that leads to blessings.
Over the past year, I have learned to take people up on their offers to help. I don’t pretend to be self-sufficient in the ways I used to be. If you are looking to obtain blessings begin by asking and then position yourself to receive the blessing. Elisha provides a model for what blessings from God to ask for. Therefore, I want to suggest three specific things to ask for that will position you to receive blessings from the Lord.
#1. Ask for the blessing of the Presence of God.
We cannot live into the blessings and favor of God unless we are intimately acquainted with the Presence of God, the Holy Spirit. Elisha knew this to be true. When Elijah throws his mantle on Elisha, Elisha first asks if he can go and give his parents a kiss goodbye. Elijah is kind of miffed by the suggestion. Instead, Elisha takes the yoke of wood, creates a fire, slaughters the oxen he is using to plow the field and offers them as a burnt offering to the Lord. Elisha realizes he has an opportunity to be around the greatest prophet in hundreds of years and he doesn’t want to miss the opportunity. Can you imagine his parents reaction when they find a pile of ashes, the plow and oxen are missing and their son gone? It must have been devastating but Elisha understood the blessings that he was about to receive.
Every blessing begins with a relationship with the Lord. If we want heavenly blessings, position yourself around people that are familiar with the presence of God. The people we spend time with have a great influence on us than we might ever realize. So if you are asking for a mentor, find someone who lives a godly life and lives a life that you desire to emulate. I try to associate myself around these types of people. I have intentional sought out pastors that I respect, that have been effective in their ministries and that live holy lives. This is the type of person that I want to be. Find these people in your own life, stick close by them, and learn from them.
The priestly blessing from Moses captures the importance of the presence of God. “The LORD bless you and keep you; 25the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).
#2. Ask for the blessing of the Power of God.
The blessing power of God is spiritual power. Elijah was the most powerful prophet and was able to amazing miracles because he was in touch with the power of God. Elisha recognizes that spiritual power is key to living in the blessings of God. In order to receive Elijah’s power he needed to have a relationship with Elijah. He wasn’t just a fan of Elijah, or he could not have received the double share that he asked for. In fact, there are other people around when Elijah is swept up by the chariot and they insist upon search the woods for Elijah. Elisha’s relationship allows him to receive the power God.
Spiritual power does not exist for the lone ranger. Elijah had a support system around him in Elisha and others. The same could be said for Elisha. Spiritual power is realized in the context of godly relationships. Godly relationships strengthen you for the journey and difficulties of life. We learn from Scripture that d “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven… if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven” (Matt. 18:18-20). To receive and keep the blessings of God we need both the power and protection of God. That comes through the filling the Holy Spirit and through the support of others other Spirit-filled people around us.
#3. Ask for the blessing of the Provision of God.
After the mantle has been passed to Elisha, his first miracle is one of provision. In 2 Kings 4, he multiplies the oil of a widow and her son in order to provide for their material needs. Blessings often come in the form of material wealth and provision. It is okay to pray for blessings both material and spiritual. Sometimes we shy away from praying for the material because we feel selfish or worldly. While there are certainly limits, I believe that God wants to bless us financially. With financial blessing, we can learn generosity, experience love and live out of abundance.
The provision of God also comes in the form of spiritual wisdom. When Solomon becomes the King of Israel, the Lord gives him one request, one blessing. Solomon asks for wisdom. God says he has chosen well. And the kingdom of Israel prospers because of his decision.
Spiritual wisdom unlocks the secrets of the Kingdom of heaven and the Kingdom of God. George Washington Carver, born a slave in 1864, followed the model of Solomon. He believed that science could unlock the secrets of the universe. He considered his laboratory “God’s little workshop.” First he asked God to reveal to him the secrets of the universe. God replied that those were too great, but he said that he would unlock the secrets of the peanut. Carver learned the secrets of the peanuts and discovered over 300 uses of the peanut. God longs to pour our material and spiritual provision to those who are bold enough to ask.
BLESS YOURSELF & GIVE THEM AWAY
As I touched on at the beginning, mentors and mature Christians are positioned well to pass on the blessings of God because they are living in those blessings. If we are positioned properly we can receive a double share from the Lord through those close to us. Mature Christians should be to make it possible for others to stand on the shoulders of those who will follow them. The goal of a mentor is to train the disciple to exceed their success.
Once you have begun to discover and receive the blessings of God, it is time to give them away. In order to give them away, you must know who to speak them over yourself. Once you have mastered that, you are positioned to mentor others and impart to them the blessings of God. Ultimately, God wants us to be like both Elisha and Elijah. We should strive to stand on the shoulders of our mentors and then create the opportunity for others to stand on our shoulders. That is the goal of receiving and giving the blessings of God.
To conclude, there are words and Scriptures of blessing on the backside of your sermon outline. I want you take a few minutes and write a blessing over yourself. Speak to the presence, the power, the protection and the provision of God. Speak to the vision you have of your life. Speak the words of the Lord. Then when you get home, take time this week to write a blessing for someone else. Send it in a card, an email, a Facebook post, or simply speak it. The blessings of the Lord unlock our destiny and our potential. It’s time to open the door.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Prophetic Words of Life
“Prophetic Words of Life”
Brimfield Faith UMC / February 5, 2012
Ezekiel 37:1-14
MLK
February is Black History Month or African-American History Month. It is a month in which we acknowledge and promote the history of African Americans through history. I think it continues to be important that we remember the important roles of African-Americans throughout our history. As recent as the 1960’s, there were laws enforcing segregation and racism. Slavery and racism is one of the greatest sins of the United States of America. It is one that we must continually strive to move past and overcome. Galatians 3:28, Paul reminds us, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”
In modern history, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been one of the greatest figures in the civil rights movement. Dr. King energized a people and a movement with his speeches and leadership. He paved the way for a world where equal means equal. Where you can sit anywhere you want. Where you can eat any where you want, walk anywhere you want. He paved the way for an African American man to be President of the United States. He undermined the status quo and helped us to shape a new radical alternative. Dr. King brought this country closer to reflecting heaven on earth. He did this not just as a man, but as a prophet from the Lord.
Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech is one of the most powerful in American history. It enabled people to picture a future that previously seemed unattainable. It energized. It amazed. It mobilized. It inspired. It moved. This is what prophets do.
EZEKIEL
This is what the Prophet Ezekiel does in the Old Testament. In Ezekiel, we find the nation of Israel in a desperate place. Jerusalem, the city of God, has been destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. They have been exiled and have been completely demoralized. They are not simply a nation that has been demoralized or unfaithful to the Lord. They have been stripped of an identity. They have been crushed. They are dead. Ezekiel was a prophet when Israel had been destroyed by the Babylonians. He spoke to them both before and after the destruction and exile. His role was to speak hope and life into this broken people. Not exactly an enviable role to play.
In Ezekiel 37, we experience how Ezekiel, empowered by the Lord, is able to inspire the nation of Israel. Ezekiel is swept away by the Spirit of the Lord and set in a valley full of dry bones. He proceeds to have an intense vision from the Lord. The Lord asks Ezekiel, “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel responds, “O Lord God, you know.” With that response, the prophetic vision takes shape. It proceeds with Ezekiel prophesying to the bones. As he speaks, there is a rattling of the bones and they begin to come together. Then the sinews, the flesh and finally the skin. The valley is no longer dry bones but a valley full of bodies. The bodies are only lacking the breathe of God that brings life. Ezekiel prophesies to the newly formed bodies. The Spirit of God came for the four corners to bring this vast multitude to life.
Through this vision, the people of Israel have a visible and powerful image of how the Lord can restore them. They are the dry bones in the valley. They are lifeless and without hope. The word of Ezekiel demonstrates to the people there is indeed hope and life can be restored. And indeed he brought his word to fruition.
LIFE-GIVING WORDS
In this story, we experience the power of spoken word. Words spoken have the power to bring life or to bring death. Words, when peppered with the voice of Heaven, have the ability to restore faith, to restore hope, and to restore life. Ezekiel demonstrates the results from prophesying. Prophecy can be thought of as speaking life-giving words from the Lord. We can learn some important things about life-giving words and how to speak them from the Prophet. If we can activate these into our lives, we can bring hope and life to the world.
#1. Life-giving words evoke amazement
Ezekiel’s vision draws upon all of the senses. First, there is the spoken word. Then sounds overwhelm the ears as the bones rattle. Then the eyes are amazed by the flying of bones. The scene is compelling and fully engaging. When the story was told to people sitting around the campfire, no doubt there was an intensity, an excitement, a power in telling it. The vision shows them that they can again experience the fullness of life. The Lord uses this powerful and creative imagery to increase energy and evoke amazement in the people. Ezekiel’s vision would have been like watching a movie for the ancient Israelites. In the mind’s eye, the story begins to release creativity and imagination.
They are most effective when they are creative. The voice of heaven is most powerful when it overflows beyond the spoken word into other artistic mediums. The arts are a powerful way in which creative words bring amazement. Have you ever watched a movie and you got excited to do something as you watched it? Movies, songs, books, and other art forms have the ability to inspire and evoke the possibility of hope. They create an alternative reality, a picture of a better future. Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe is a powerful example of a prophetic book that changed a nation
The creativity of a life-giving word opens us up to world full of amazement. God wants our life-giving words to evoke amazement. Amazement awakes the senses. It transforms a dull and boring world into a world full of possibility. When the world has lost its wonderment, we lose energy, we lose hope. It is easy to give up when the world around us seems impossible. When a creativity word evokes amazement, it mobiles us. We find ourselves filled with an energy that we didn’t realize was there.
#2. Life-Giving words create energy.
Ezekiel’s prophesy brings dry bones together and reassembles dead bodies and then fills them with the breathe of God. They transform from a mass of bodies into a vast multitude of living, energized people. The vision shows the people of Israel that they will have the energy to be brought back together by the Lord. With the Holy Spirit, they will not grow faint or weary but will be strengthened and energized by the Lord to continue on.
We see that life-giving words bring energy to people. They are like 50 degree weather in February. This past week Caleb and Sienna were literally running laps around the house. There was pep in their step. There is something about beautiful, warm and sunny weather that energizes people. By the same token, gloomy, cold and icky weather can bring a person’s spirits down. Words can affect people in the same way. A negative word can bring people down, but a positive word
Hearing the voice of heaven brings energy to your spirit. We often have an internal voice that brings us down, that is critical, that is negative. I have always had sympathy for people who speak negatively and criticize others because I know if they speak those things outwardly the internal voice is even more negative. We need to release the negative voices and begin to listen to those positive, life-giving voices in our life. We need to accept compliments as compliments. We need to receive encouragements as encouragements. Don’t be the person who responds to the compliment, “You look nice today,” with “Oh, so I didn’t look good yesterday?” Don’t be that person!
The Lord wants to speak life into you and over you. He has a purpose and a plan for your life. You cannot and will not accomplish it if you are down, depressed and drained of energy. If you cannot and will not believe the voice of heaven, you will never be energized to do God’s work and to be made into His image. When you hear and speak words of life, can change your family, your workplace, your community and even beyond.
AN INVITATION
The prophet’s words of life must be filled with the Holy Spirit. It is the power of the Holy Spirit to releases creativity. It is the power of the Holy Spirit the evokes amazement. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that creates energy. The Holy Spirit is released when we speak words of life into our environment. They enable lives to be rebuilt and pulled back together.
We are left with a choice, an invitation from the Lord. Ezekiel vision begins with a question from the Lord. The question is an invitation to partner with the Lord. Ezekiel makes the choice to accept the invitation and brings hope to Israel. Likewise, Dr. King accepted the Lord’s invitation and mobilized a nation to work towards equality. God invites each of us to partner in his work.
You have a choice as to whether we will partner with God. You have a choice to step out in faith and speak life-giving words to ourselves, our neighbors, and our community. You can choose whether we will receive the Holy Spirit. You can choose whether we will listen to the voice of heaven. You can choose whether we will be amazed and energized. You have a choice.
Let’s pray.
Brimfield Faith UMC / February 5, 2012
Ezekiel 37:1-14
MLK
February is Black History Month or African-American History Month. It is a month in which we acknowledge and promote the history of African Americans through history. I think it continues to be important that we remember the important roles of African-Americans throughout our history. As recent as the 1960’s, there were laws enforcing segregation and racism. Slavery and racism is one of the greatest sins of the United States of America. It is one that we must continually strive to move past and overcome. Galatians 3:28, Paul reminds us, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”
In modern history, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been one of the greatest figures in the civil rights movement. Dr. King energized a people and a movement with his speeches and leadership. He paved the way for a world where equal means equal. Where you can sit anywhere you want. Where you can eat any where you want, walk anywhere you want. He paved the way for an African American man to be President of the United States. He undermined the status quo and helped us to shape a new radical alternative. Dr. King brought this country closer to reflecting heaven on earth. He did this not just as a man, but as a prophet from the Lord.
Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech is one of the most powerful in American history. It enabled people to picture a future that previously seemed unattainable. It energized. It amazed. It mobilized. It inspired. It moved. This is what prophets do.
EZEKIEL
This is what the Prophet Ezekiel does in the Old Testament. In Ezekiel, we find the nation of Israel in a desperate place. Jerusalem, the city of God, has been destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. They have been exiled and have been completely demoralized. They are not simply a nation that has been demoralized or unfaithful to the Lord. They have been stripped of an identity. They have been crushed. They are dead. Ezekiel was a prophet when Israel had been destroyed by the Babylonians. He spoke to them both before and after the destruction and exile. His role was to speak hope and life into this broken people. Not exactly an enviable role to play.
In Ezekiel 37, we experience how Ezekiel, empowered by the Lord, is able to inspire the nation of Israel. Ezekiel is swept away by the Spirit of the Lord and set in a valley full of dry bones. He proceeds to have an intense vision from the Lord. The Lord asks Ezekiel, “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel responds, “O Lord God, you know.” With that response, the prophetic vision takes shape. It proceeds with Ezekiel prophesying to the bones. As he speaks, there is a rattling of the bones and they begin to come together. Then the sinews, the flesh and finally the skin. The valley is no longer dry bones but a valley full of bodies. The bodies are only lacking the breathe of God that brings life. Ezekiel prophesies to the newly formed bodies. The Spirit of God came for the four corners to bring this vast multitude to life.
Through this vision, the people of Israel have a visible and powerful image of how the Lord can restore them. They are the dry bones in the valley. They are lifeless and without hope. The word of Ezekiel demonstrates to the people there is indeed hope and life can be restored. And indeed he brought his word to fruition.
LIFE-GIVING WORDS
In this story, we experience the power of spoken word. Words spoken have the power to bring life or to bring death. Words, when peppered with the voice of Heaven, have the ability to restore faith, to restore hope, and to restore life. Ezekiel demonstrates the results from prophesying. Prophecy can be thought of as speaking life-giving words from the Lord. We can learn some important things about life-giving words and how to speak them from the Prophet. If we can activate these into our lives, we can bring hope and life to the world.
#1. Life-giving words evoke amazement
Ezekiel’s vision draws upon all of the senses. First, there is the spoken word. Then sounds overwhelm the ears as the bones rattle. Then the eyes are amazed by the flying of bones. The scene is compelling and fully engaging. When the story was told to people sitting around the campfire, no doubt there was an intensity, an excitement, a power in telling it. The vision shows them that they can again experience the fullness of life. The Lord uses this powerful and creative imagery to increase energy and evoke amazement in the people. Ezekiel’s vision would have been like watching a movie for the ancient Israelites. In the mind’s eye, the story begins to release creativity and imagination.
They are most effective when they are creative. The voice of heaven is most powerful when it overflows beyond the spoken word into other artistic mediums. The arts are a powerful way in which creative words bring amazement. Have you ever watched a movie and you got excited to do something as you watched it? Movies, songs, books, and other art forms have the ability to inspire and evoke the possibility of hope. They create an alternative reality, a picture of a better future. Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe is a powerful example of a prophetic book that changed a nation
The creativity of a life-giving word opens us up to world full of amazement. God wants our life-giving words to evoke amazement. Amazement awakes the senses. It transforms a dull and boring world into a world full of possibility. When the world has lost its wonderment, we lose energy, we lose hope. It is easy to give up when the world around us seems impossible. When a creativity word evokes amazement, it mobiles us. We find ourselves filled with an energy that we didn’t realize was there.
#2. Life-Giving words create energy.
Ezekiel’s prophesy brings dry bones together and reassembles dead bodies and then fills them with the breathe of God. They transform from a mass of bodies into a vast multitude of living, energized people. The vision shows the people of Israel that they will have the energy to be brought back together by the Lord. With the Holy Spirit, they will not grow faint or weary but will be strengthened and energized by the Lord to continue on.
We see that life-giving words bring energy to people. They are like 50 degree weather in February. This past week Caleb and Sienna were literally running laps around the house. There was pep in their step. There is something about beautiful, warm and sunny weather that energizes people. By the same token, gloomy, cold and icky weather can bring a person’s spirits down. Words can affect people in the same way. A negative word can bring people down, but a positive word
Hearing the voice of heaven brings energy to your spirit. We often have an internal voice that brings us down, that is critical, that is negative. I have always had sympathy for people who speak negatively and criticize others because I know if they speak those things outwardly the internal voice is even more negative. We need to release the negative voices and begin to listen to those positive, life-giving voices in our life. We need to accept compliments as compliments. We need to receive encouragements as encouragements. Don’t be the person who responds to the compliment, “You look nice today,” with “Oh, so I didn’t look good yesterday?” Don’t be that person!
The Lord wants to speak life into you and over you. He has a purpose and a plan for your life. You cannot and will not accomplish it if you are down, depressed and drained of energy. If you cannot and will not believe the voice of heaven, you will never be energized to do God’s work and to be made into His image. When you hear and speak words of life, can change your family, your workplace, your community and even beyond.
AN INVITATION
The prophet’s words of life must be filled with the Holy Spirit. It is the power of the Holy Spirit to releases creativity. It is the power of the Holy Spirit the evokes amazement. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that creates energy. The Holy Spirit is released when we speak words of life into our environment. They enable lives to be rebuilt and pulled back together.
We are left with a choice, an invitation from the Lord. Ezekiel vision begins with a question from the Lord. The question is an invitation to partner with the Lord. Ezekiel makes the choice to accept the invitation and brings hope to Israel. Likewise, Dr. King accepted the Lord’s invitation and mobilized a nation to work towards equality. God invites each of us to partner in his work.
You have a choice as to whether we will partner with God. You have a choice to step out in faith and speak life-giving words to ourselves, our neighbors, and our community. You can choose whether we will receive the Holy Spirit. You can choose whether we will listen to the voice of heaven. You can choose whether we will be amazed and energized. You have a choice.
Let’s pray.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Children Playing
“Children Playing”
Brimfield Faith UMC / January 29, 2012
Zechariah 8:3-8
THE WOES
I often get questions about how the Bible applies to our lives. There a great number of promises and blessings spoken all throughout the Scriptures. How do we know which were only for the people of the time and which are for us today? The prophets in the Old Testament spoke tremendous and powerful words of promise, hope and blessing to the people of their time. Throughout the Bible the Israelites found themselves under attack, oppressed, occupied, and exiled. They needed words the criticized the status quo, words of encouragement, words that energized them, words that broke through the numbness they experienced. They needed hope. Depending on how you count, there are at least 17 books in the Old Testament that are strictly prophetic books, including 12 minor prophets, referred to as such because they wrote short books. Over the next several weeks, I hope to explore the prophetic promises declared in the Old Testament and see how those declarations can apply to our lives.
To understand the promises and blessings of the prophets it is helpful to understand the men and women who made these declarations. The prophets were real people that spoke to real people caught in difficult situations. The prophetic book we are looking at this morning is Zechariah. Zechariah was the son of Berechiah son of Iddo speaking to a people ruled by Darius. The prophet’s role is frequently believed to simply be to predict the future. The role of the prophet is much more complex than that. The prophet’s role begins by criticizing the status quo in order to creatie an alternative reality rooted in heaven. That is accomplished by energizing and amazing the people towards that vision and that prophetic promise. The prophet gave people hope and brought people through difficulty into the promises of God.
PROPHETIC PRINCIPLES
The specific promises spoken to the people by the prophet were intended for those people and to be fulfilled in the future, hopefully the near future. Yet, that doesn’t mean they don’t apply to us today. Specific prophetic promises may not directly pertain to us but that doesn’t mean we need to ignore them. Behind Biblical prophetic promises are principles that speak powerfully into our lives.
Let’s look at Zechariah 8 together. In verse 3 God says, “I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.” He goes on to describe a city full of peace where old men and women walk the streets with staff in hand and boys and girls will be playing. On an initial read, we might think that’s nice but it isn’t for me. Zechariah is speaking to specific people about a specific place. Nice sentiment but not for me. We could talk about the theology of the church and its relationship to the prophetic promises of the Old Testament, but I don’t want to put you to sleep. Instead, I want to you to see the prophetic principle behind the text. God longs for a city of peace for his people to reside.
When we find the principles the promises, we unlock our ability to reclaim the promises. These prophetic words are in many ways invitations for us to claim the principles. We can read a passage like this and say I want this for my life. I want this for my family. I want this for my church. I want this for my city. Therefore, Prophetic principles are meant to be reclaimed as promises and transformed into realities. That is the role of the prophet. That is the role of every Christian today.
CRITICISM
The process of fulfilling principles and reclaiming promises today begins by criticizing that which surrounds us. It means critiquing the status quo. It means breaking through the numbness of the masses. It strives to deprogram wrong ways of thinking. It exposes wrong for wrong, injustice for injustice, and oppression for oppression.
In Brimfield it might mean crying out against the meth problem ruining our young adults and running rampant in our motels. It might mean crying out against the lack of support for our school districts and library programs. It might mean waking people up to the gambling places invading every empty building in town. It gets upset about broken homes, divorce, and addiction. Instead of accepting the hopelessness of the world, Prophetic criticism crushes the perception that normal is normal.
Certain people are really good about crying out against the woes of society. I spoke just yesterday to another pastor who was fired up about another store being granted a license to sell beer and wine. He was crying out against the status quo. Every time something “evil” tries enters Brimfield, he is there to rally to the troops against it. While I agree on many of the issues that rile this pastor up, I only know him for what he is against. The prophet cannot only be known for what he is against.
ALTERNATIVE REALITY
An effective critique of society’s woes will awake the consciousness of the masses. Once the masses are awakened, we must energize people towards an alternative reality. The prophet must move people towards an alternative reality. The prophetic principle found in Zechariah is that God desires safe place and cities to exist in the world. God longs for pockets of people to exist in a chaotic world. Peace can be found internally. It can be nurtured in a family. It can be fostered in a community. It can be developed in a region. Zechariah’s prophetic promise for Jerusalem is peace. The prophetic principle for today is still peace.
Prophet cannot create these places by themselves. You cannot create peace on your own. You must mobilize others to work with you. We must work together if we are going to transform a community and transform the prophetic principles back into promise which can become realities. We look for assets in our church and our community to partner to create alternative realities. Those safe places. We must be creative in how we create these safe places.
Recently I have seen creative in our community to overcome difficulty that can help us create safe places. Two examples I have seen are in our community are our police department and are schools. Our police department has gained quite a reputation in the greater Cleveland area. We are regularly on the news for catching criminals that other departments haven’t been able to catch. They have a free tank and a free hummer because of Chief Oliver's creativity. They are working to create a safer community. They do this with two duty officers on shift at a time and a police station housed in an old auto shop. They carry the prophetic mantle to creating a better Brimfield. The question becomes, how can we, as the church, partner with them to reclaim even more of the promises of God for this city?
Another example is the Field School district. There is a lack of support financially due to failed levies. Please start voting yes on the levies, our entire futures are at stake. God’s heart is for our children to have safe and excellent places to be educated. The schools are working hard to fulfill this reality despite its obstacles. At Suffield Elementary, they have started a jump roping club before school. Over 100 kids come regularly with excitement to jump rope. One of the reasons this is so exciting is that PE has been drastically cut, almost completely out of the school curriculum. The schools ought to be fulfillments of prophetic promises of peace and yet many places we fail. The teachers at our schools are overcoming obstacles. How can we partner with the schools to make them refuges of peace in the community?
THE REAL REALITY
I believe God has called Brimfield to be a place of refuge and peace. If that is going to happen, our church and the churches of Brimfield need to be on the leading. To be prophetic means we know the needs of our community and cry out against it. We support some great alternative realities: Boy Scouts, AA, the Food Cupboard, the youth group, the Kidz Program. We must continue to create these alternative realities. We need to self evaluate, to look from within, and to listen to the voice of God. Breaking out of the mindlessness the world teaches us and into God’s reality is difficult. It requires people to speak out, to cry out as the voice of God. The church’s role is to make creative safe places for people to live. Places of freedom. Places of purpose. Of love. Of acceptance. Of peace. Of joy. And not just in the church but in the community.
ALL Altnerative realities begin by hearing the voice of God. Know this... Prophecy is not dead. God is still calling people to be his mouth pieces. In fact, each of you is encouraged to seek the gift of prophecy.(1 Corinthians 14). Everyone has the ability to hear from Heaven and speak it to those who need to hear a word of hope, encouragement, strength and comfort. We each can create a place of refuge and alternative reality. This church has succeeded in that task and has miles to go. If we can continue to listen to God’s voice, heed the cries of the prophet and follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit, then we will continue to create radical alternatives. We will apply the principle and claim the promise of Zechariah 8 where we see peace reign in the city. Where people can walk safely in the streets and where children have safe places to play.
The redecoration and rededication of the nursery in memory of my son, Jude, is a prophetic fulfillment of Zechariah 8. It is creating a radical alternative in the church. A place where children are energized, safe and loved. I am eternally grateful for those financial gifts that made it possible and the gifts given every Sunday that make our call to bring the Kingdom of heaven down to earth. For me, the nursery is evidence that God is still speaking, that the Holy Spirit is still moving, and that hope is still alive. The prophets of old still have contemporary promises for us to claim today. I hope you see and hear that the prophetic voice of heaven is alive and active in this place.
Let’s pray.
Brimfield Faith UMC / January 29, 2012
Zechariah 8:3-8
THE WOES
I often get questions about how the Bible applies to our lives. There a great number of promises and blessings spoken all throughout the Scriptures. How do we know which were only for the people of the time and which are for us today? The prophets in the Old Testament spoke tremendous and powerful words of promise, hope and blessing to the people of their time. Throughout the Bible the Israelites found themselves under attack, oppressed, occupied, and exiled. They needed words the criticized the status quo, words of encouragement, words that energized them, words that broke through the numbness they experienced. They needed hope. Depending on how you count, there are at least 17 books in the Old Testament that are strictly prophetic books, including 12 minor prophets, referred to as such because they wrote short books. Over the next several weeks, I hope to explore the prophetic promises declared in the Old Testament and see how those declarations can apply to our lives.
To understand the promises and blessings of the prophets it is helpful to understand the men and women who made these declarations. The prophets were real people that spoke to real people caught in difficult situations. The prophetic book we are looking at this morning is Zechariah. Zechariah was the son of Berechiah son of Iddo speaking to a people ruled by Darius. The prophet’s role is frequently believed to simply be to predict the future. The role of the prophet is much more complex than that. The prophet’s role begins by criticizing the status quo in order to creatie an alternative reality rooted in heaven. That is accomplished by energizing and amazing the people towards that vision and that prophetic promise. The prophet gave people hope and brought people through difficulty into the promises of God.
PROPHETIC PRINCIPLES
The specific promises spoken to the people by the prophet were intended for those people and to be fulfilled in the future, hopefully the near future. Yet, that doesn’t mean they don’t apply to us today. Specific prophetic promises may not directly pertain to us but that doesn’t mean we need to ignore them. Behind Biblical prophetic promises are principles that speak powerfully into our lives.
Let’s look at Zechariah 8 together. In verse 3 God says, “I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.” He goes on to describe a city full of peace where old men and women walk the streets with staff in hand and boys and girls will be playing. On an initial read, we might think that’s nice but it isn’t for me. Zechariah is speaking to specific people about a specific place. Nice sentiment but not for me. We could talk about the theology of the church and its relationship to the prophetic promises of the Old Testament, but I don’t want to put you to sleep. Instead, I want to you to see the prophetic principle behind the text. God longs for a city of peace for his people to reside.
When we find the principles the promises, we unlock our ability to reclaim the promises. These prophetic words are in many ways invitations for us to claim the principles. We can read a passage like this and say I want this for my life. I want this for my family. I want this for my church. I want this for my city. Therefore, Prophetic principles are meant to be reclaimed as promises and transformed into realities. That is the role of the prophet. That is the role of every Christian today.
CRITICISM
The process of fulfilling principles and reclaiming promises today begins by criticizing that which surrounds us. It means critiquing the status quo. It means breaking through the numbness of the masses. It strives to deprogram wrong ways of thinking. It exposes wrong for wrong, injustice for injustice, and oppression for oppression.
In Brimfield it might mean crying out against the meth problem ruining our young adults and running rampant in our motels. It might mean crying out against the lack of support for our school districts and library programs. It might mean waking people up to the gambling places invading every empty building in town. It gets upset about broken homes, divorce, and addiction. Instead of accepting the hopelessness of the world, Prophetic criticism crushes the perception that normal is normal.
Certain people are really good about crying out against the woes of society. I spoke just yesterday to another pastor who was fired up about another store being granted a license to sell beer and wine. He was crying out against the status quo. Every time something “evil” tries enters Brimfield, he is there to rally to the troops against it. While I agree on many of the issues that rile this pastor up, I only know him for what he is against. The prophet cannot only be known for what he is against.
ALTERNATIVE REALITY
An effective critique of society’s woes will awake the consciousness of the masses. Once the masses are awakened, we must energize people towards an alternative reality. The prophet must move people towards an alternative reality. The prophetic principle found in Zechariah is that God desires safe place and cities to exist in the world. God longs for pockets of people to exist in a chaotic world. Peace can be found internally. It can be nurtured in a family. It can be fostered in a community. It can be developed in a region. Zechariah’s prophetic promise for Jerusalem is peace. The prophetic principle for today is still peace.
Prophet cannot create these places by themselves. You cannot create peace on your own. You must mobilize others to work with you. We must work together if we are going to transform a community and transform the prophetic principles back into promise which can become realities. We look for assets in our church and our community to partner to create alternative realities. Those safe places. We must be creative in how we create these safe places.
Recently I have seen creative in our community to overcome difficulty that can help us create safe places. Two examples I have seen are in our community are our police department and are schools. Our police department has gained quite a reputation in the greater Cleveland area. We are regularly on the news for catching criminals that other departments haven’t been able to catch. They have a free tank and a free hummer because of Chief Oliver's creativity. They are working to create a safer community. They do this with two duty officers on shift at a time and a police station housed in an old auto shop. They carry the prophetic mantle to creating a better Brimfield. The question becomes, how can we, as the church, partner with them to reclaim even more of the promises of God for this city?
Another example is the Field School district. There is a lack of support financially due to failed levies. Please start voting yes on the levies, our entire futures are at stake. God’s heart is for our children to have safe and excellent places to be educated. The schools are working hard to fulfill this reality despite its obstacles. At Suffield Elementary, they have started a jump roping club before school. Over 100 kids come regularly with excitement to jump rope. One of the reasons this is so exciting is that PE has been drastically cut, almost completely out of the school curriculum. The schools ought to be fulfillments of prophetic promises of peace and yet many places we fail. The teachers at our schools are overcoming obstacles. How can we partner with the schools to make them refuges of peace in the community?
THE REAL REALITY
I believe God has called Brimfield to be a place of refuge and peace. If that is going to happen, our church and the churches of Brimfield need to be on the leading. To be prophetic means we know the needs of our community and cry out against it. We support some great alternative realities: Boy Scouts, AA, the Food Cupboard, the youth group, the Kidz Program. We must continue to create these alternative realities. We need to self evaluate, to look from within, and to listen to the voice of God. Breaking out of the mindlessness the world teaches us and into God’s reality is difficult. It requires people to speak out, to cry out as the voice of God. The church’s role is to make creative safe places for people to live. Places of freedom. Places of purpose. Of love. Of acceptance. Of peace. Of joy. And not just in the church but in the community.
ALL Altnerative realities begin by hearing the voice of God. Know this... Prophecy is not dead. God is still calling people to be his mouth pieces. In fact, each of you is encouraged to seek the gift of prophecy.(1 Corinthians 14). Everyone has the ability to hear from Heaven and speak it to those who need to hear a word of hope, encouragement, strength and comfort. We each can create a place of refuge and alternative reality. This church has succeeded in that task and has miles to go. If we can continue to listen to God’s voice, heed the cries of the prophet and follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit, then we will continue to create radical alternatives. We will apply the principle and claim the promise of Zechariah 8 where we see peace reign in the city. Where people can walk safely in the streets and where children have safe places to play.
The redecoration and rededication of the nursery in memory of my son, Jude, is a prophetic fulfillment of Zechariah 8. It is creating a radical alternative in the church. A place where children are energized, safe and loved. I am eternally grateful for those financial gifts that made it possible and the gifts given every Sunday that make our call to bring the Kingdom of heaven down to earth. For me, the nursery is evidence that God is still speaking, that the Holy Spirit is still moving, and that hope is still alive. The prophets of old still have contemporary promises for us to claim today. I hope you see and hear that the prophetic voice of heaven is alive and active in this place.
Let’s pray.
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