March 22, 2015 Sermon- Humble- Pastor Mike Rosensteel

March 22, 2015
Humble

What comes to your mind when you think of the Pharisees - especially around Easter? You think they were the ones who wrongfully accused Jesus and had Him put to death.

But if you really think and read about them, they were the religious people of that day. They read and studied the Word of God. They knew the importance of living exactly what the Word said. They lived by the Law. They believed Messiah was coming, they looked for Him. The problem was He was right before their eyes and they missed Him.

Saul, who later became Paul, was a Pharisee:

Acts 26:5b that according to the strictest party of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. 

Philippians 3:5b - 6 a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.

The Pharisees knew and lived by the Law. The purpose of the Law was to reveal to man what was right and wrong in the eyes of God. Without that knowledge man just lived the way he wanted to - without the knowledge of God.

Think about it, why did God send Jonah to Nineveh:

Jonah 4:11 Should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot distinguish between their right and their left,

They didn't know right from wrong. That is what the Law reveals.
When Jesus came, He didn’t do away with the Law, He came to fulfill the Law. If you read the scripture He actually raised the bar.

Just like raising the bar when it comes to the pole vault in a track meet. The competitors keep jumping until the bar is too high for all of them. Even if there is just one person left, the bar keeps being raised until ultimately he too will fail.

Matthew 5:21 - 22 "You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Fool!' will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, 'You moron!' will be subject to hellfire.

Matthew 5:27 – 28 "You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The true purpose of the Law was to show us that, without God’s grace, we cannot be pleasing to God. The Pharisees used the Law to raise themselves up, to get the respect of others, to convince themselves that they and only they were OK – that was pride.

What the Law doesn't reveal is God's grace. That is why God sent His son and there He was right in front of the Pharisees and they missed Him.

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus this question:

Matthew 22:36 - 40 "Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands."

This morning I want us to understand the importance God puts on humbling ourselves before others and what it looks like in practice.

In John chapter 13 Jesus is with His disciples celebrating the Passover supper. He starts with washing His disciples feet.

John 13:12 - 17 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His robe, He reclined again and said to them, "Do you know what I have done for you? You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you. "I assure you: A slave is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Jesus tells them that one of them will betray Him
Jesus tells them that it is time for Him to go away:

John 13:33 "Children, I am with you a little while longer. You will look for Me, and just as I told the Jews, 'Where I am going you cannot come,' so now I tell you.

Then Jesus gives them a new command, the most important command in the life of the Christian, the most important command in building the kingdom of God, the most important command in representing Christ:

John 13:34 - 35 "I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Jesus continues through chapter 16 reassuring the disciples that He is the Son of God and tells them how they are to live their lives after He is gone. Then in chapter 17 Jesus prays for His disciples:

John 17:1 Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said: Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son so that the Son may glorify You,

Read that heartfelt prayer! Then in verse 17 Jesus includes us in His prayer:

John 17:20 I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in Me through their message.

All those things that He prayed for His disciples, He also prayed for us. He prays for our unity - why?

John 17:21 May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me.

This is the main way that Satan has attacked the churches down through the years.

A ship weighed anchor at a remote island. Upon arriving at the shore, the crew were met by a shipwreck survivor. He said, I'm so glad you're here? I've been alone on this island for over 10 years!

They asked, If you're all alone on the island why are there 3 huts?

The survivor said, Oh. Well, I live in one, and go to church in another.

What about the third hut? they asked.

That's where I used to go to church!

Satan finds many ways to destroy the church. If he can disrupt our unity - he has won.

Disunity comes from pride.

Listen to Paul as he writes to the church at Corinth. He had just visited the church which he had started some time before. You would think that a church started by Paul would have to be the perfect church. But it wasn’t; some thought their job in the church was more important than others. Some were committing sinful acts that Paul says that even the Gentiles wouldn’t do. Some were comparing their gifts. Some were questioning Paul’s leadership. Paul writes that these folks didn’t even know these were sinful problems because of their pride.

1Corinthians 3:1- 3 Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were not yet able to receive it. In fact, you are still not able, because you are still fleshly. For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not fleshly and living like ordinary people?

Paul cautions them in as far as the work that is being done by those in the church that God is the one who evaluates our works.

1Corinthians 3:10 – 15 According to God's grace that was given to me, as a skilled master builder I have laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it, because no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid--that is, Jesus Christ.

If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one's work will become obvious, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one's work. If anyone's work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved; yet it will be like an escape through fire. 

1Corinthians 4:5 Therefore don't judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.

1Corinthians 4:6b - 7 The purpose is that none of you will be inflated with pride in favor of one person over another. For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn't receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn't received it?

Paul says that sin within the body should cause godly grief, but instead the immature church was full of pride:

1Corinthians 5:2 And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief so that he who has committed this act might be removed from among you.

Paul addresses their conflict over their gifts in this way:
1Corinthians 12:4 – 12 Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different activities, but the same God is active in everyone and everything. A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial: to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits, to another, different kinds of languages, to another, interpretation of languages. But one and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each one as He wills. For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body--so also is Christ.

Paul tells them in chapter 13 that because of their pride they forgot their love:

1Corinthians 13:1 – 3 If I speak the languages of men and of angels, but do not have love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so that I can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Paul then gives a very stern warning about pride:

1Corinthians 4:14, 18 – 21 I'm not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children.

Now some are inflated with pride, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk but the power of those who are inflated with pride. For the kingdom of God is not in talk but in power. What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?
Paul gives this strong warning but in his second letter he says this:

2Corinthians 7:9 – 10 Now I am rejoicing, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn't experience any loss from us. For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death.
Paul was able to rejoice because there was repentance. The church was changed. The people had humbled themselves and their unity was restored.

The key to unity is humility.

James 4:6 But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

How does being humble look? Paul says it this way:

Philippians 2:3 - 4 Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Why is unity and humility important? Jesus put it this way:

John 17:21 May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me. 

In the book The Barbarian Way, Erwin McManus writes this:

When Tigers Unite

Although the force of one person fully committed to God is tremendous, it pales in comparison to the force of God's people moving together. One barbarian wandering through civilization can be discarded as nothing more than an oddity. But when members of the barbarian tribe line up across the battlefield, side by side, something amazing begins to happen. Dark kingdoms tremble; the dungeons and prisons that hold men, women, and children captive crumble; prison doors open; chains unlock; and multitudes come to freedom. Whenever the barbarians of Christ pass through civilization, the oppressed and forgotten are soon found dancing in the streets.

When an opponent beheads one barbarian, he better be prepared for we will return in force. We fight violence with peace, hatred with love, and oppression with servanthood. While never violating our uniqueness, we move together, united in heart and soul. Our greatness is unleashed in the context of community. When we move together, God is most perfectly revealed in us.

George Hunter in The Celtic Way of Evangelism describes one reason why the Roman civilization was able to advance its empire, but the Celtic tribes were not. He uses an analogy given to him by a zoologist: A tiger will defeat a lion in battle; but 5 lions will defeat 5 tigers because the lions fight together and the tigers do not, so the 5 lions take on one tiger at a time. Each Celtic tribe was a formidable tiger in battle, greatly respected and feared. The Romans, with legendary strength in organization and coordination, were the lions in the lengthy series of battles against specific tribes to incrementally expand their empire.

From the first moment I read that, I recognized the dilemma. Barbarians are far more tiger than lion. I am convinced the old adage is true, at least in this case, that a tiger can never change its stripes. More that, we do not want to domesticate the tiger. We don't even want the tiger to try to become more like the lion. But imagine what it would be like if tigers could learn how to move together, if tigers would choose to stand side by side and engage in battle as one tribe.

Again the Scriptures describe the movement of the church as an unstoppable force. The expansion of God's invisible kingdom is the result of those of us who are passionate followers of Jesus Christ moving together united in heart, mind, and spirit.

In Matthew 11:12 Jesus says this:

Matthew 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence, and the violent have been seizing it by force.

This is Jesus' call for tigers to move together, not for our untamed faith to be domesticated.

What does Peter say our enemy is like?

1Peter 5:8 Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.

How can we show the world our unity?

Colossians 3:12 – 14 Therefore, God's chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so also you must forgive. Above all, put on love--the perfect bond of unity.

1John 4:19 - 21 We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother he has seen cannot love the God he has not seen. And we have this command from Him: The one who loves God must also love his brother.

John 17:21 May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me.

How will the world know that you are a follower of Jesus Christ?

That we live in unity and humility. That we live as Paul says:

"but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."

How are you living this morning?

March 15, 2015 Sermon- Courageous-Pastor Mike Rosensteel

March 15, 2015
Courageous!

Courage - the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous, mental or moral strength to go somewhere that is unknown, dangerous; to start to do something new or different that usually involves risk, perseverance; to withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

In the Bible we read about many who were courageous. God told Noah to build an ark to save their family and mankind. God told Abram to go - but didn't tell him where. God told many He would do certain things for them - but didn't tell them how.

In the book of Joshua, Joshua is given the overwhelming task of taking over the leadership role of the children of Israel. Moses had died, the Promised Land is ahead of them - his job is to lead this second generation of freed slaves to fight and conquer some of the world's most seasoned soldiers and armies. Do you think some of those words - to go somewhere that is unknown, dangerous, to start to do something new or different that usually involves risk, perseverance, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty, may have entered in the heart and mind of Joshua?

Joshua 1:1 - 9 After the death of Moses the LORD's servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, who had served Moses: "Moses My servant is dead. Now you and all the people prepare to cross over the Jordan to the land I am giving the Israelites. I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads, just as I promised Moses. Your territory will be from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great Euphrates River--all the land of the Hittites--and west to the Mediterranean Sea.

No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or forsake you. "Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance. Above all, be strong and very courageous to carefully observe the whole instruction My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go.

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night, so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. Haven't I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Put yourself in Joshua's shoes - how would you feel after God spoke to you like that? "Be strong and courageous, be strong and very courageous, haven't I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." In Joshua 1:3 God said "I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads". God already promised him the victory before any battle was fought.

God didn't tell Joshua how the battles would be won, He just simply told him to be strong and courageous - have faith - trust God. God didn't tell Joshua that he would walk around the walls of Jericho and they would fall down - He just told him to be strong and courageous. God didn't tell Joshua that during the battle over the Amorites that he would ask the sun to stand still so darkness wouldn't come till the battle was won - He just told him to be strong and courageous.

How would you like to go into any battle with the promise from God - already knowing the outcome? Would that confidence give you strength and courage and faith? Would that confidence take away all fear, would that faith and trust take away all fear?

2Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

1John 4:18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear,

Where do you find your confidence - is it in God or yourself or your circumstances?
Where do you find your strength - is it in God or yourself or your circumstances?
Where do you find your courage - is it in God or yourself or your circumstances?
Who do you put your faith in - is it in God or yourself or your circumstances?
Who do you put your trust in - is it in God or yourself or your circumstances?

We live in a world where Satan has deceived man in believing that everything revolves around us and what we have going on. The sad thing is this attitude has entered the church - yea even the Refuge.

Look again at God's promises to Joshua:

Joshua 1:5 - 6 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or forsake you. "Be strong and courageous

This promise was not for just Joshua look at the courage that God gives us through this promise:

Hebrews 13:5b - 6 He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you. Therefore, we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

Each of us can have that same courage - not through anything we do - but through everything He does.

Where do we find our courage?

God then adds instruction to Joshua not only who his courage comes from but also where it comes from:
Joshua 1:7 - 8 Above all, be strong and very courageous to carefully observe the whole instruction My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night, so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.

Read and be obedient to the Word of God - all of it! God didn't tell Joshua to pick and choose and believe what you want to. He didn’t tell him to add it as a nice ritual. He told Joshua to carefully observe the whole instruction, This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night, so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. God’s Word was to be his whole navigating system. Everything he did was to be a reflection of what was inside.

God didn't tell Joshua to pick and choose what is convenient and live the way you think: Do not turn from it to the right or the left. It wasn’t a possible choice. It was the whole deal. How does knowing and following the Word of God give courage? We can base our decisions by the truth of God.

How do you treat the Word of God? Do you believe it? Do you live by it? Do you even read it so you know what God says? Do you allow the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself through it?

Deuteronomy 4:29 But from there, you will search for the LORD your God, and you will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart and all your soul.

To live this Christian life the way God designed it, there is no room for you. If you want confidence, if you want strength, if you want courage, if you want faith, if you want trust; get rid of yourself.

Hebrews 3:6 But Christ was faithful as a Son over His household. And we are that household if we hold on to the courage and the confidence of our hope.

Hebrews 10:35 So don't throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

2Corinthians 1:12 For this is our confidence: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with God-given sincerity and purity, not by fleshly wisdom but by God's grace. 

Then God gives Joshua a stern command:
Joshua 1:9 Haven't I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Just as God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous - not in himself but in God - He commands you also to be strong and courageous not in yourself but in God. When we do things His way we can have courage because:

Hebrews 13:5b He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.

No matter what we may have to go through in this life we have that promise, "I will never leave you or forsake you".

Remember the parable of the 2 sons and which son we are if we are followers of Jesus Christ? We are the son who repented and came back to the father who gave us the robe to wear - the best robe - we were given the right to enjoy the place of right standing with the father.

We were given the ring - we were given the power and authority to carry out the father's business.
We were given sandals to wear - in the Jewish household only the father and his sons had that right.

By His grace, we have everything we need to live a fruitful life, maybe not fruitful in the world’s eyes, but fruitful in God’s eyes. But fear is one of the major things that can hold us back. And if we are motivated by fear, we cannot be motivated by faith or love. What motivates you? What rules your life?

In the book of Mark, we find an example of fear in the disciples’ lives:

Mark 4:35 - 41 On that day, when evening had come, He told them, "Let's cross over to the other side of the sea." So they left the crowd and took Him along since He was already in the boat. And other boats were with Him. A fierce windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.

But He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him up and said to Him, "Teacher! Don't You care that we're going to die?" He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Silence! Be still!" The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Then He said to them, "Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?" And they were terrified and asked one another, "Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

This event took place early in Jesus's ministry. The disciples had already witnessed many people being healed. They had already witnessed God's power through Jesus when it came to the lives of others, but how would it affect them when the storm came to their lives? Many in this room are facing storms you have never encountered before. How are you facing them?

Mark 4:38 But He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him up and said to Him, "Teacher! Don't You care that we're going to die?"

I wonder how Jesus felt at this statement from those whom He chose to teach and would someday carry His message to others; "Teacher! Don't You care"?

The storms of life come and will come in our lives - how do you react? Jesus said He would never leave me or forsake me – so what is this storm all about? "Teacher! Don't You care"? Jesus don't you care? Jesus do you even know what I'm going through? How many have asked Jesus questions like that? How many have felt like that? Jesus responded this way:

Mark 4:39 – 40 He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Silence! Be still!" The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Then He said to them, "Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?"

Where is our faith when things don't go the way we think they should? Where is our courage when things don't go the way we think they should? "Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?"

Jeremiah 29:11 - 13 For I know the plans I have for you"--this is the LORD's declaration--"plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

God has a plan for you, He has had it long before you were ever born. Do you have the courage to trust Him with you entire life so He can fulfill that plan through you?

Will you be strong and courageous as God told Joshua?

God also told Joshua that he would prosper and succeed in whatever he did.

Some preach that verse that God will give you prosperity and success in the eyes of man. I see that promise that God will use you to bring prosperity and success in God's eyes.

The world might look and think or even say that you are wasting your life following God and doing His will – I don’t care what the world thinks.

Do you have courage to stand with God and live for Him and allow His purpose to work out through your life?

At the end of Joshua’s life, he gathered the Children of Israel together and gave this speech:

Joshua 24:13 – 15 I gave you a land you did not labor for, and cities you did not build, though you live in them; you are eating from vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.' "Therefore, fear the LORD and worship Him in sincerity and truth. Get rid of the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship the Lord. But if it doesn't please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today the one you will worship: the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord."

Ask yourself – Who am I worshiping right now? Who is Lord of my life?

Who or what is God in my life?

Everything is great until the storms of life come, that will show us who we place our faith and trust in.

Is it our job – what happens if we lose it? Is it our kids – what happens if they go astray? Is it our health – what happens if we lose it?

Our faith, our confidence, our trust, must be in God and the finished work of His Son Jesus Christ.

Where is your faith this morning?
Is your faith and courage in yourself?
Or is your faith and courage in Jesus Christ?

We need a change of heart this morning. We need a change of trust this morning. We need to repent of the life we have been living and totally give ourselves over to Him.

To live a Christian life this morning we need to have the courage that only Christ can give us. Do you need it? Do you want it? He has a plan for you that you could never imagine – do you have the courage to follow Him completely?

March 8, 2015 Sermon- Unashamed -Pastor Mike Rosensteel

Unashamed

Tell story of woman in car and having 3 men approach - the car-stolen car!

Shame - a feeling of guilt, regret, embarrassment, dishonor, disgrace, or sadness that you have because you know you have done something wrong.

Where do we first read in the Bible about shame?

Genesis 2:25 Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame. 

But in Genesis 3 something happened - something changed:

Genesis 3:6 - 10 Then the woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid themselves from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. So the LORD God called out to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" And he said, "I heard You in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid." 

Before Adam and Eve sinned they were not ashamed of being naked - but afterwards the scripture says their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. Then God came on the scene and they were afraid and hid themselves - because the scripture says Adam said I was naked -but they were covered.

The English word shame originally meant - covering up.

Shame - something that makes us feel so vulnerable that we want to cover up and hide from God and other people.

Shame - something that God's grace can give us freedom from its disgrace so we as His followers can come out of hiding and stand unashamed before God and other people.

There is a disease that we read about in the Old and New Testaments - LEPROSY - even though we don't hear about it that much today, many people all over the world still suffer from this terrible disease.

Incurable by man, many believed God inflicted the curse of leprosy upon people for the sins they committed. In fact, those with leprosy were so despised and loathed that they were not allowed to live in any community with their own people. Among the sixty-one defilements of ancient Jewish laws, leprosy was second only to a dead body in seriousness. A leper wasn’t allowed to come within six feet of any other human, including his own family. The disease was considered so revolting that the leper wasn’t permitted to come within 150 feet of anyone when the wind was blowing. Lepers lived in a community with other lepers until they either got better or died. This was the only way the people knew to contain the spread of the contagious forms of leprosy.

In the book of Leviticus we read more on how a leper was to be treated:

Leviticus 13:45 - 46 "The leper is to have his clothes torn and his hair hanging loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!' He will remain unclean as long as he has the infection; he is unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp. 

Put yourself in a leper's shoes, you have an infection that starts as bumps on your skin that enlarge and spread over your body, then a loss of sensation with eventual paralysis, wasting of muscle, and production of deformities. To add insult to your disease scripture says you are to tear your clothes and let your hair hang loose, cover your mouth and if you see anyone you are to yell out Unclean, Unclean. Of course these regulations were written down because leprosy was and is so contagious that no one was to come in contact with anyone who had it. How do you think you would feel? How do you think you would look? This is a picture of shame.

In the Bible, the word leprosy is mentioned over 40 times. Leprosy was common in Bible times, and the many references to it were well understood by those who lived in unsanitary conditions. The main reason why leprosy is talked about so much in the Bible is that it is a graphic illustration of sin’s destructive power. In ancient Israel leprosy was a powerful object lesson of the debilitating influence of sin in a person’s life.

In the book of Mark, Jesus has an encounter with a leper:

Mark 1:40 Then a man who was a leper came to Him and, on his knees, begged Him: "If You are willing, You can make me clean." 

Shame can make us feel like a leper; we feel we are different from others, if people knew what I am really like, they wouldn't want to have anything to do with me, I am unlovable, I am dirty, I am alone, I am contaminated, I am messed up, I am unclean! Shame makes us want to cover up and hide.

You would think this leper would have approached Jesus and ask Him to heal him, but that is not what he asked. He asked to be made clean. Jesus look at me; this disease has made me dirty, look at me this disease has made me filthy in the eyes of others, look at me this disease has made me alone, look at me this disease has messed me up, Jesus look at me I am ashamed, I want to cover up and hide, Jesus can you make me clean?

Mark 1:41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched him. "I am willing," He told him. "Be made clean." 

I wonder what that touch felt like? A leper wasn't allowed to touch or be touched by anyone. I wonder how long it had been since he had been touched. 

That is what Jesus desires and longs to do to each and every one of us - touch us, make us clean, and take away our shame. Then an amazing thing happened:

Mark 1:42 Immediately the disease left him, and he was healed. 

His life changed. No longer bound by the effects of his old disease. He no longer had to live like he had lived. He no longer had to tell others that he was unclean. He no longer had to live in shame - he was healed!

When we accept Christ into our heart we are no longer bound by the effects of sin. We no longer have to live like we use to. We no longer have to live in shame of our past - we are forgiven - we are healed.

If you are living in shame today, that is what Jesus wants to do for you this morning - touch you and remove your shame.

Where does shame come from?

For some shame comes from the things we have done or what others have done to us. 

In the book of John, Jesus has a meeting with the woman at the well:

John 4:6 - 7 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, worn out from His journey, sat down at the well. It was about sixth hour (Jewish time - noon). A woman of Samaria came to draw water. "Give Me a drink," Jesus said to her, 

This woman came to the well at the time because she knew no one else would be there - this was the hottest time of the day. Because of her lifestyle she was ashamed to come when everyone else was there. But on this day she had an encounter with Jesus: "Give Me a drink," Jesus said to her.

John 4:9 - 10 "How is it that You, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" she asked Him. For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. Jesus answered, "If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would ask Him, and He would give you living water." 

In the Greek, Jesus mainly said "If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would ask Him, and He would give you life." 

Jesus knew her lifestyle, He knew she felt she was different, He knew many didn't want to have anything to do with her, He knew she felt dirty, contaminated, messed up, He knew she felt unclean and just wanted to cover up and hide - He knew she was ashamed!

John 4:11 - 15 "Sir," said the woman, "You don't even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do You get this 'living water'? You aren't greater than our father Jacob, are You? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock." Jesus said, "Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again--ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life." "Sir," the woman said to Him, "give me this water so I won't get thirsty and come here to draw water." 

Jesus knew her heart - she was searching for something - had been all her life. She believed the lie that a relationship with a man was the answer, as do many today. Many fall for the lie that sexual gratification or drugs or alcohol or status or financial success or perfectionism or popularity are the answer. 

Then Jesus confronts her with her shame:

John 4:16 - 18 "Go call your husband," He told her, "and come back here." "I don't have a husband," she answered. "You have correctly said, 'I don't have a husband,'" Jesus said. "For you've had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true." 

This woman came to the realization in her life to what was causing her to live in shame and confronted the Master.

John 4:28 Then the woman left her water jar

Her life was changed, she came to the well ashamed, she left unashamed and shared with others what Christ had done for her.

How are some of the ways we try to cover up and hide? In the book "The Grace Course" we read this:

-Lying about your accomplishments or things in your past you're ashamed of.

-Pretending that everything is okay and that you are doing great when you know you're not.

-Blame-shifting by making everyone else appear to be the problem rather than you.

-Compromising moral or biblical values to fit in, so as to avoid the shame of rejection.

-Compensating for shameful deficiencies in one area by seeking to excel in others.

-Moralizing by preaching hard against ways you yourself have behaved and are ashamed of.

-Criticizing others harshly in order to make them appear inferior to you.

-Self-medication in order to blunt the sting and numb the pain of your own shame.

-Striving for perfection in your behavior or your looks to compensate for the painful belief that you fall far short of who you believe you should be.

But like Adam and Eve's fig leaves, these defense mechanisms don't work, they may provide temporary relief, even convincing us for a time that we are safe. But in the end, like all strategies of the flesh, they fail. God's way to remove disgrace is grace!

So what is God's remedy for shame?

2Corinthians 5:21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

Jesus took upon Himself our sin, He took upon Himself all our shortcomings, He took upon Himself all our failures, He took upon Himself all our dirt, He took upon Himself all our shame, He took upon Himself all our uncleanness, He took upon Himself our old nature, and completely destroyed and removed it.

Ezekiel says it this way:

Ezekiel 11:19 - 20 And I will give them one heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone from their bodies and give them a heart of flesh, so they may follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.

Peter says it this way:

2Peter 1:4 By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. 

Look how scripture describes your old self:

Ephesians 2:3 - 5 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 

2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. 

Romans 6:6 - 7 For we know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that sin's dominion over the body may be abolished, (Greek-destroyed, to vanish away) so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin's claims. 

Romans 6:11 - 14 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law but under grace. 

James 4:7 - 8 Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people! 

2Corinthians 4:2 Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting God's message, but commending ourselves to every person's conscience in God's sight by an open display of the truth. 

Because of what Christ did for each of us - His Grace - giving us what we don't deserve - we can live unashamed.

Romans 10:11 For the scripture says, Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed.