Seeing Jesus in Your Routine. Luke 24:13-32

From the Anchor sermon "Feeling Far From God" preached by Pastor Ryan Alsheimer. Communion message by Pastor Kaler Carpenter.

The beauty of this story is that Christ and His presence was with the two disciples throughout the entire journey...

even when they didn’t realize it.

Often times, we may feel far away from God, or like He doesn’t care when we’re discouraged. But, the whole time, 

He is walking beside us, encouraging us, speaking truth into our lives.

In the midst of trials and tribulations, our prayer should be, “Lord, give us eyes to see that you truly are with us.”

Now, in this story and even in those special moments when God reveals Himself to us, it is the Holy Spirit performing the supernatural work of “opening our eyes,” to the reality of Jesus Christ and his resurrection power. That said, on a practical level,

God is one to use the ordinary and the familiar, in order to reveal to us the love of Christ in supernatural ways.

In the case of the two disciples, this revelation was experienced through “the breaking of bread.” In this text, when it says, “ He took bread and broke it”, it refers to sharing a common meal--an ordinary meal where one person takes an ordinary loaf and divides it to be passed out. 

Thinking back to the disciples’ time spent walking with Jesus, they likely enjoyed dozens, if not hundreds of meals with their Master. At the start of each meal, Jesus, as is customary for rabbis, “took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.”

Each one of these meals, though ordinary, was made special to these men because they shared a table with Jesus and enjoyed his presence.

At this inn located outside Emmaus, the Holy Spirit used the very moment of Jesus breaking the bread (in the exact same way that he’s done so with them many times before) to bring their hearts back to the past times when Christ was with them, and then, reveal to them that

the very same Jesus is with them now

in their time of extreme discouragement. 

Friends, “Why does this church break bread every week?” If we do it at every worship service, wouldn’t that make a special sacrement, ordinary? I love how Pastor Don once answered this question, with a question. He said, “Why doesn’t your church break bread every week?”

You see, there’s value to finding Christ in a familiar routine.

• By coming to church regularly and fellowshipping with the saints,
• by reading the same scriptures over and over again,
• and by coming to the table and remembering the death and resurrection of Jesus, 

ESPECIALLY when you feel far away from God, 

you are, in effect, creating a space in the midst of your ordinary routing where you’re inviting the Holy Spirit to supernaturally work in your heart to remind you that God’s love is, indeed, oh so real. 

So, when we come to the table tonight, bring your burdens and your doubts, and come with an open mind and an open heart. I pray that, 

when you participate in this familiar act, your spiritual eyes will be opened, and your own hearts will, like the disciples’, “burn within” with the reality of His resurrection.

It’s a reality that encompasses every aspect of the human experience,

the good times, 

and even the bad.

Does Jesus' Divine Foreknowledge Take Away From His Sacrifice? Philippians 1:27-2:11

From the Anchor sermon series "Rejoice." Message "Joy in Unity and Humility" preached by Pastor Ryan Alsheimer. Communion message by Pastor Kaler Carpenter.

I love this passage because it gives a unique perspective on the motives of Jesus ("the mind of Jesus Christ", Phil. 2:5). We see here that in Jesus’ life, ministry, and even in his decision to leave behind the glories of Heaven to take on human flesh with its struggles,

all of it was entirely motivated by humility, obedience, love, joy, and sacrifice. 

Given the nature of Jesus’ sacrifice and the horrors he put himself through on our behalf, understanding Jesus’ motivation makes his sacrifice even more remarkable. And, I’m not just talking about the work He did on the cross.

Jesus’ obedient sacrifice also includes a spiritual judgement that’s hard to fully comprehend.

This idea of motivation and sacrifice came to light recently in a conversation I had with a dear friend who identifies as a skeptic. He said to me:

“Since Jesus was also God and he knew ahead of time about his resurrection, doesn’t that take away from his sacrifice?"

It’s an intriguing question because it implies that, in light of Jesus’ divine foreknowledge, him “being obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Phil 2:8),” wasn’t difficult. And, if that’s the case, then:

• What makes Jesus’ sacrifice more praiseworthy than say a soldier on the battlefield laying down his life for others? 
• Or, what’s the difference between Jesus’ sacrifice and the sacrifice of Aaron Feis (Fise), the High School football coach in Parkland, Florida who gave his life by shielding students with his own body from the shooter’s bullets?

In the Bible, Jesus speaks to such heroic sacrifices and the motives behind them. He says in John 15:

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” 

Paul provides us with further insight into this and Jesus’ motives in Romans 5:

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Ultimately, what makes Jesus’ sacrifice unique and his motives so remarkable, is HOW Jesus’ death saves us.

More frightening than bullets, and even worse the crucifixion itself, the unique death that Jesus willing signed up for (out of obedience and humility), involved taking on the full wrath of God’s judgement for the sins of the world, for you, and for me, and for the Father’s glory (Phil. 2:11).

This atoning sacrifice is at the heart of the Gospel message, and Paul again gives us insight into Jesus’ motives when he says in 2 Corinthians:

“For He (God) made him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  

Therefore, when we come to this table and remember WHAT Jesus did on the cross for us-- suffering a death designed to maximize suffering--also take time to remember and honor Jesus’ motives--WHY he journeyed to the cross in the first place. Motives that, keep in mind, were a part of Jesus’ nature even before he came to the manager as a baby, on a mission to redeem His lost people. Romans 5:9 Paul says:

“that (more than Christ dying for us) having now been justified by His blood we shall be saved from wrath through Him… (v.11) And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

So come church, and rejoice!

Seeing Sacrifice in Salvation. Philippians 1:6

From the Anchor sermon series "Rejoice." Message "Joy from Grace" preached by Pastor Ryan Alsheimer. Communion message by Pastor Kaler Carpenter.

Growing up in church, I’ve seen this verse often shared when someone's discouraged, like if plans don't work out or if ministry is difficult. And while this Bible verse certainly encourages during a hard time, for the fellow saints Paul was writing to in the church of Philippi, they understood this promise to be mean more.

For Paul's original Roman audience (and for us today), this promise is about salvation and sacrifice.

You see, Paul is a master missionary, and as such, he regularly borrows from the customs and rituals of the culture he’s ministering to, in order to teach truths about the Gospel.

In this passage, the language used by Paul points to a religious sacrifice commonly performed in ceremonies across the Roman empire, like the Roman colony of Philippi. And when Paul uses the Greek words for “to begin” (enarchesthai) and for “to complete” (epitelein), he is pointing to the technical terms denoting the beginning and the ending of this well-known sacrifice.

NT commentator William Barclay explains this ritual. He says that the following sacrificial actions were called “the beginning”, or enarchesthai: 

A torch was lit from the fire on the altar and then dipped into a bowl of water to cleanse the water with its sacred flame; and with the purified water the victim and the people were sprinkled to make them holy and clean. Then followed what was known as the sacred silence, in which the worshiper was meant to make his prayers to his god. Finally, a basket of barley was brought, and some grains were scattered on the victim, and on the ground.

And the word used by the Greeks for completing this entire ritual is the same Greek word used by Paul, epitelein, “to complete.” 

Therefore, Paul is communicating that the life of every Christian is a prepared sacrifice to be offered to Jesus Christ. 

And, it’s a sacrificial work that’s God’s already begun. It’s the same imagery Paul uses in Rom. 12:1 when he instructs the Roman Christians to “present their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” 

For followers of Christ, the completion of this sacrifice and our salvation happens on the day of Jesus Christ, i.e., when the King of Kings physically returns and we stand before him, face to face.

On this day, we will be duty bound to present to the King a mark of our love and loyalty.

And on this day, the only gift that Jesus Christ will desire from us, is ourselves.

So then, we are called to live lives that are worthy to be offered to King Jesus. This is such a high calling that it can’t be achieved by our good works. Only the grace of God can enable you to be a living sacrifice that’s holy and acceptable to God, and this grace can only be obtained through the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf, by having is body broken and his feet and hands nailed to a wooden cross.

Therefore, when we come to this table, we are remembering what Jesus did, and we are presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice before the living God.

And as we partake in the bread and the juice, we’re reminded that, us being found acceptable before a holy God, is only possible because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

It’s not about how good we are, or what we do or don’t do.

Instead, it’s all about Jesus Christ and what he did.

That’s the Gospel, and that’s the Good News we declare when we come forward. So, stand, and if this describes the good work that God has begun in you, then come to this table.

Hope Found in the Manger, the Cross, and the Crown. Titus 2:11-14

From the Anchor Christmas Eve communion message "Someday at Christmas."

What makes this passage so fitting for Christmas Eve is that the three main points of the Gospel are clearly seen:

The Manger (v. 11). For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 
The Cross (v. 14). Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us.
The Crown (v. 13). Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

With the Gospel, it’s Jesus’ death on the cross that gives meaning to his birth in a manger, and it’s the life that Jesus lived and his victory over sin and death that redeems us with new life, and gives us a blessed hope.  

When you fully understand this Gospel story, you can’t help but see parallels and foreshadowing of the cross in the Christmas story.

As tragic as it sounds, you begin seeing clues in the nativity scene of Jesus essentially being “born crucified.” 

• Jesus was laid in a manger in Bethlehem. Likewise, he was laid in a tomb outside of Jerusalem.
• At the manger, Jesus is pictured with Joseph and Mary on each side. At the cross, Jesus is also flanked by two people, but they’re thieves. In both scenes, Mary looks upon Jesus.
• At the manger, baby Jesus is swaddled in a cloth, perhaps by Joseph. After Jesus’ death on the cross, his body is wrapped in a linen burial cloth by Joseph of Arimathea.  
• And the course wood of the manger and its placement outside, points to Jesus’ death on a wooden cross, which takes place outside where he was naked and exposed to the elements.

Yet, there’s more to this story than a baby being born to die. It’s only a 6 mile journey between the manger and the cross. This journey, is the story of Jesus’ incarnation. The journey of his obedient life is what brings salvation to all men, and his resurrection brings redemption to the world. 

David Henson, an Episcopal priest, says, "But it wasn’t his death and crucifixion that set things right in the world. Rather it was his incarnated life that shows us what a world set right might look like. It looks like the kingdom of God — the hungry fed, the wealthy and powerful doing violence for their own sake toppled with nonviolence and solidarity, the oppressed raised up, the outsider welcomed, the end of condemnation and guilt pressed upon us by religious elites, the end of a life absent of hope, full of death. It looks like shalom. Like Jubilee. Like life lived eternally."

I believe that this, is what blessed hope looks like (the crown). 

Therefore, when you come to this table, you are declaring that your expectation and your hope are found in the the coming of Jesus Christ.

In the same way that a royal visit by a king means that everything gets cleaned and decorated, having this blessed hope means living a life that’s pure and marked by good works, so that you are always prepared for the coming of the King of Kings.  

So tonight, may your journey from your seat to the table, be symbolic of your journey from the manger, to the cross, to your crown, and from death to new life. And may partaking in the juice and bread be a declaration that your hope is found in Jesus Christ.

 

What Does Faith that Overcomes the World Look Like? 1 John 5:1-5

I came across an old parable that I think nails this question. It goes back to a time before school buses and kids had to actually walk to school. The story goes like this:

A man once met a boy walking to school. The boy was carrying on his back a smaller boy who was clearly lame and unable to walk. The stranger asked the kid, “Do you carry him to school every day?” “Yes,” said the boy. “Why, that’s a heavy burden for you to carry,” said the stranger. “He’s not a burden,” said the boy, “He’s my brother.” 

For the older brother, love for his family turned the burden into no burden at all. 

As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are all loved by our Father and called to follow His commandments. His commandments are not a burden, but a privilege and an opportunity to show our love.  

For Jesus Christ, he was given the most burdensome command ever passed down from a Father to a Son--to lay down his life and atone for the sins of the world, for you and me. 
Jesus’ response to this burden:

“Why, my brothers and sisters are not a burden. But rather, obedience to this command is a privilege, it’s an opportunity to show love.”

This is why the Bible says that, for Jesus, the cross was a joy.

“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

This means that, for Jesus, breaking his body, being unfairly beaten, getting pieced by nails, spilling his blood... it was all a joy!

You know, it’s tempting to look at Jesus hanging on the cross and to feel sorry for him. But, the cross isn’t to be a pity party. While on the cross, I feel like Jesus would respond like the older brother, with love and say:

“It’s not a burden. This is for my brothers. This is for my sisters.”

Therefore, it’s because of what Jesus did, that we have victory over the evils of the world, and we can have communion with God.

When we come together as a family, we experience the presence of Christ in a unique way--a way that helps us to overcome.

You know, it’s been said that goodness is easier in the company of good people. When we come to this table, we come as together as a family--and therefore, our faith, “faith that overcomes the world,” is strengthened in Christ’ presence.

So tonight, come to the table, bring your burdens, your trials, your temptations and connect with each other, experience the love of Christ, and find the power to overcome.

From the Anchor sermon series "Blessed Assurance," Message: "Overcoming the World."

Evil is in the World, But We Know He Who is Greater

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

This promise in 1 John that gives us incredible peace (blessed assurance) in the midst of anything that we’ll ever encounter in this world.

And, as we’re all keenly aware, the world is broken. It is a jacked up, messed up place.

Evil is very real, and Satan preys upon the innocent--seeking to kill and destroy every human that bears the image of God.

But, He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

In America’s most recent mass shooting, evil showed itself by taking innocent life at a small church in Texas.

It’s a horrific tragedy that doesn’t make any sense. It’s tempting to react with fear, and even be angry at God. This past week, the world’s reaction to this particular tragedy has been anger--and this anger has been directed to those who have faith in God. To those who respond to tragedy, with prayer.

They mock the promise “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world,” saying that it can’t possibly be true as long as there is evil in the world.

You know what, there are a lot of promises in the Bible, and tomorrow isn’t one of them.

As long as we live in a fallen world, we are vulnerable to evil. Tragedy can befall this little church just like anywhere else. But, despite the reality of evil, we believe that God is greater, and therefore, we’re free from anger and fear, and we can take refuge in God by communing with Him, in prayer.    

Admittedly, the innocent dying at the hands of evil is painful and can’t be easily explained and. 

Yet, God identifies with our sorrows because He experienced the full brunt of this evil when his innocent Son, Jesus Christ, was murdered on a cross.

For the sake of our sins and BECAUSE the world has a problem with evil, God sent Jesus to redeem the world by subjecting him to the worst that Satan and evil could do.

Nails pierced his hands and feet. Thorns were pushed into his head. He was severely beaten and mocked, and he died a slow, agonizing death hanging from a cross. All this done to a man that was on a mission to heal a broken world.     

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 

This is not an empty promise.

Jesus overcame evil for all of us when he rose victoriously from the dead.

And now, the same power that raised Christ literally dwells “inside of us,” so that we too can overcome the world and all of its evil.

So tonight, if the world has made you angry, or sad, or if you’re hurting or offended, then come to the table, identify with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Tonight, seek out the powerful prayers of the saints, and find healing in a power that is greater “than he who is in the world.”

From the Anchor sermon series "Blessed Assurance," Message: "Test the Spirits."

What We Believe

The Bible

We believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God. To summarize the Bible, it is a special revelation of the character of God and His plan to redeem the world through Jesus Christ. The original writings were inerrant, infallible, and God breathed. God has purposed the Bible to be the final authority for faith and life, and He has overseen the events of history to piece together the canon (the 66 books) as we have it today. The revelation of the Bible is complete and no other teachings are to share in the same authority.

2Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13; Psalms 1:1-3; 1 Corinthians 14:37

The Triune God

We believe in one God who has revealed Himself in three eternally existing persons-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit co-eternal in being and in nature, co-equal in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfections.

Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2; John 1:1-4; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19

God the Father

We believe God the Father is uncreated, eternal in nature, unchanging, and the Creator of all things, both seen and unseen. He is omnipotent (He has all power and authority), omnipresent (fully present everywhere), and omniscient (all knowing). God is Holy (all good) and He is over all creation as well as involved personally in the lives of every person and all events. God reveals himself to every person through His creation and peoples’ consciences, and He has specially revealed Himself through His Word and His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus and the Holy Spirit share equally in these attributes, and are both in submission to God the Father.

Romans 1:20; Isaiah 6:3; Psalms 19:1-4; 90:2; 139:7-10; Revelation 1:8; Deuteronomy 10:14

Jesus Christ

We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, uncreated, eternal and co-equal with the Father. Being obedient to the Father, Jesus temporarily set aside His divine glory and fully took on human flesh, while at the same time remaining fully God. Jesus did this with the purpose of sacrificing his life as an act of final atonement for the sins of man, making forgiveness and citizenship into God’s Kingdom possible through belief and submission unto his Lordship.

Jesus was born of Mary, a virgin birth, conceived by the Holy Spirit. He spent his life ministering to people, preaching the Kingdom of God, fulfilling the Old Testament prophesies regarding the Jewish Messiah, and discipeling the believers who would make up His church.

He was crucified on a cross after being condemned by the Jewish and Roman authorities. After three days he rose bodily from the dead, appeared to his disciples and ascended into heaven where he is now exalted at the right hand of God.

Jesus currently ministers as our high priest before God as our representative, intercessor, and advocate.

Luke 1:35; Romans 3:22-26; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 7:25-26; Luke 24

The Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is a person of the God-head and as such, is co-equal with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that he is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption.

The Holy Spirit ministers to the church today, continuing the ministry of Jesus Christ. He empowers believers to minister the Gospel, and bestows spiritual gifts to the church for the purpose of edification and evangelism. These supernatural giftings and the personal experiences a believer has with the Holy Spirit are always consistent with the testimony of Scripture.

John 3:5-18; 16:5-15; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; 14:12, 26; Acts 1:5; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18;

The Church

We believe the church is universal (made up of all believers from every age), and local. The church is established by Jesus and he relates to the church similar to how a loving husband relates to his wife. Jesus is the head of the church, and as such He is actively involved in the churches ministry, including the establishment of a leadership structure with the offices prescribed in the New Testament, and discipline within the church; also, as the body of Christ, the church is to be Jesus’ representative on Earth until his physical return, this includes the responsibility of making Christ known.

The church is composed of those who believe in Christ, and offers believers a community for discipleship, prayer, worship, evangelism, and fellowship. Specific ministries to be administered by the church, which are prescribed by the Bible, are the Lord’s supper and water baptism. Participation in, and submission to a local church is an essential component of a believers faith.

Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:11-13; 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Acts 2:42-47; Matthew 18:15-20

Sin

We believe mankind and all of creation were originally created by God as good, man was made special in the likeness and image of God. Due to Adams sin, and because we are all descendants of Adam, every person is born with a sinful nature that separates them from God, who is holy and perfect in nature. This sin nature makes it impossible for a person to relate to God on a one’s own strength, will, and merits. The original sin was so severe that is also affected all of creation.

Genesis 1:26-27; 3:1-19; Romans 3:22-23; 5:12, 18-19; 8:8; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12; James 2:10-11

Salvation

We believe salvation is a gift from God, made available to every person, “whosever believes.” Each member of the Godhead has a part in a persons salvation. The Father predestined those who would be saved and sent Jesus his only Son, Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross to pay the price of salvation and intercedes to the Father on the believers behalf, and the Holy Spirit convicts a sinners heart of the truth and regenerates and baptizes them into the body of Christ upon belief in Jesus’ Lordship. Salvation is possible because the atonement sacrifice of Jesus’ blood satisfies the wrath of God, which is the penalty of sin from a Holy God. Receiving salvation justifies a believer before God, because now a person stands before God taking on the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Repentance of one’s own sins must take place before a person receives salvation. A persons decision to repent and believe, and God’s role of predestination, work miraculously and mysteriously together for salvation to take place.

Ephesians 1:4-7; John 1:12-13; 3:16-18; 1 Peter 1:18-21; Galatians 2:20; Acts 20:21; 2 Corinthians 7:10

Christian Living

We believe that after the event of salvation, the redeemed believer is kept by God’s power through the indwelling Holy Spirit, and thus the new believer has security and assurance in their salvation. This assurance stems from a persons new spiritual position found in Christ Jesus. A believer’s new standing before God should become ones new life identity and should therefore effect every attitude and decision one makes. This new identity should produce a life that looks completely different from a believer’s old life, as if one was born again. God is actively involved in the life of a believer, making salvation out to be a process. This process is called sanctification: where the Holy Spirit continually works in a persons life to shape them more and more into the image of Christ, up until the point of death where they will be free from the influences of sin.

A believer will still battle with sin and the flesh, and therefore must live a life of repentance, and submission to God. Concerning the hardships and struggles of life, God has promised to keep and never leave or forsake his children, and therefore a believer with authentic faith can endure all trials and temptations with God’s help. The believers responsibility therefore, is not to analyze the authenticity of everyone's salvation, but to instead live out their own faith by trusting God.

Christian living means always living in tension. This tension is found between the command to be called out from the world and live holy lives, and the command to go out and be a witness to the world in which one lives. Living out either extreme can produce a life of legalism, or a life that is subject to the desires of the flesh, both of these ways are contrary to the Gospel. Guidance on living out the tension of the Christian life within culture can be found in the church, in relationships with others who are also living the same tension, and the Bible.

Romans 8:1; 1 John 3:2; 1 Peter 1:22-23; John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:1,38-39; James 4:4

The Return

We believe Jesus has promised to physically return to earth to establish His kingdom, and His return is immanent. When Christ returns, He will come in great power and authority along with all of Heaven, and the believers will be physically transformed to take part in this new Kingdom. A universal resurrection of all people will take place, where people will stand judgment before Jesus, which will result in “every knee bowing” before the Lord; and sin, evil, and Satan will be eliminated, making possible a new creation with a new heaven and a new earth where Jesus will reign as King.

Psalms 72:8-14; Matthew 24:27-51; 1 Corinthians 15:23-28; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-5:4; Revelation 21-22