Christ Insight

Based on: Genesis 6:17-18

I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.

In the early 1800s the British East India Company controlled much of what is now the country of India.  In 1857 many Hindus rebelled and threatened to kill as many of the English people as they could.  As the rebellion began one young child was separated from her parents. One man went to get her and put her on his horse.  They rode through the riots that had begun in the streets as the the little girl's rescuer defended her from people who wanted them both dead.  When they reached the girl's parents, the little girl was furious.  To her the trip was a disaster.  She had been forced away from her friend, held too tightly, and bounced around way to much.  Yet, by this disaster she was delivered from those who would have killed her.  Think about deliverance by disaster as we remember the flood at Noah's time and as we consider the disasters of our own life.

Based on: Mark 4:26-34

How many times have you prayed the Lord’s Prayer and said “Your kingdom come”?  But what is the kingdom of God and how does it come?  First, the kingdom of God is not a geographic location.  It is God ruling in the hearts of his people.  For example, when Elijah talked to God on Mount Sinai, Elijah claimed that he was the only believer left.  God told him that he had reserved 7,000 in Israel who had not worshiped the false god, Baal.  That was God's kingdom in the hearts of those 7,000 believers who only worshiped the true God.  Now, how does His kingdom come?  Or to ask the question another way, how does God’s kingdom grow?  Jesus tells us that the kingdom of God grows in ways that we don't understand and it grows to a size that we don't expect.

Based on: Genesis 3

Today we begin a journey through the Old Testament.  Throughout the summer months we will take a look at some of the  events that preceded the coming of our Savior.  We will notice that the Old Testament continually points us to Jesus Christ and we will watch as God works throughout history to bring us the Savior we need.

The first event to look at is Adam and Eve and their sin against God. What happened in the Garden of Eden effects all of us deeply.  It is the beginning of our need for a Savior.  We heard a portion of Genesis 3 in our first lesson for today.  For now let's hear about the events leading up to that reading – Genesis 3:1-7:

Based on: Acts 2:1-21

It was sometime between Noah and Abraham.  Many people had turned away from God.  They were more concerned about themselves than about God and so they planned to bring fame and glory to themselves instead of to God.   They started to build a city and a tall tower that would be the center of their great  civilization.  The tower would be a monument to their own power and ingenuity – a monument to their own ability to accomplish whatever they set out to accomplish.

God saw their arrogance and he went down to thwart their plans.  He made them speak different languages and when they could no longer communicate they could no longer work together.  The tower then became known as the tower of Babel.  It is a monument to the foolishness of thinking that you can control your own destiny.

Based on: 1 John 4:13-21

Was there ever a relationship that you were unsure of? Perhaps you just offended a friend and you didn’t know if you were still friends or if that person even wanted to see you again? Now just imagine the relationship Adam and Eve had with God before they sinned.  It was the closest relationship possible – God lived in them and they lived in God.  God blessed them with everything they needed and more, and God was pleased with everything they did.  Pleased, that is, until they ate the fruit God told them not to eat.  This action was a revolt against the God who gave them every good thing they could imagine.  They realized they had ruined their perfect relationship with God, and they were afraid.  They had no hope of restoring this relationship on their own.  Yet, in love God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to restore this relationship.  Now as a believer in Jesus Christ we have this close personal relationship with God.  God lives in us, and we live in God.  We know this is true by God's display of love and we can see this from our own display of love.

Based on: John 15:1-8

On Easter four weeks ago the front of our sanctuary was full of flowers.  Think about the beautiful symbolism.  On Easter we celebrate Christ taking back his life and the life he gives us.  It makes sense, doesn't it, to fill the front of our sanctuary with living things.  When we decorate the front of the church with flowers, you know that sometimes we use potted plants and sometimes we have flowers that have been cut from the plant and then arranged with other flowers.  Both are wonderful and both are given as an offering to our Savior.  Now, let me use those flowers as part of an illustration.  You know better than I do that once you cut part of the plant off from the rest of the plant, that part is going to die.  The potted plants are still whole and since the rest of the plant is still connected to the roots, they will continue to live as long as they are taken care of.  They are still connected to the roots that provided the nourishment they needed to live. 

As Christians we are just like those flowers.  We need to be connected to the rest of the plant to survive.  And we are – we are connected to the vine.  We are connected to the vine as a branch and we are connected to the vine to bear fruit.

Based on: Acts 4:22-32

Good morning Stanley, Dustin, Carlie, Andrew, Daniel, Mackenzie, and Mikyla!  You have finished two years of catechism instruction, two years learning about what Scripture says about God and how he has rescued us.  I must say that of all the classes that I have taken through two years of catechism instruction, yours is by far the best!  Let's just not tell anyone that so far yours is the only class that I have taken through two years of catechism.

Based on: Acts 4:8-12

Out of a burning bush God commissioned Moses and said, “I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”  Moses was concerned.  What if the Israelites ask who this God is who is sending him, “What is his name?”  The Lord responded, “I AM WHO I AM.”  Tell them “I AM” has sent you.

Based on: Acts 3:12-20

When you see someone sick or suffering have you ever thought, “If only I could put my hand on that person and say something like 'In the name of Jesus may this sickness leave you' and then the person would be whole again.  If only God would work a miracle through me!”  Have you ever thought something like that?  I have.

But it doesn't work that way, does it.  I don't have that gift.  I don't think any of you have that gift.  If you are disappointed because of that, if you think you are missing out, then let me remind you that you have been given a much greater gift.  God has given you the privilege and even the command to perform a far greater miracle.  Through us God performs the miracle of faith.  He has given us the means to do it.

Based on: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26

Have you ever visited any of the famous grave sites of the world?  The Taj Mahal is the resting place of a Muslim ruler and his wife.  The Pyramids contained Kings of Egypt.  Westminster Abbey in London holds the bodies of English nobles. Mohammed’s tomb is visited often because of its stone coffin and the bones which it contains. Arlington Cemetery in Washington, D.C., is the honored resting place of many brave Americans.

But today we visit in spirit a grave site that is different than all these.  As we view the garden tomb we see a grave site that is famous, not because of the person who is buried there, but famous and important precisely because of the one who is NOT buried there.  This garden tomb is empty.