Numbers 3:4: This is a test…

Presented to Nipawin Corps, 01 March 2009,

By Captain Michael Ramsay

Numbers Quiz (answers at bottom):

1. Complete the patterns:
a) 2,4,6,8,10,

b) 1,2,4,8

c) 1,2,3,5,7,13,

d) O,T,T,F,F,S,S,

2. Did you know that Numbers have gender? – Some are male and some are female. For instance 4,5,6,7 could be called one gender – they’re rational numbers. And other numbers (root 2, Pi 3:14) are irrational numbers…you decide which is which (-:

Today we are talking about a different kind of Numbers. We are talking about the book of Numbers (Greek: Arithmoi, Latin: Numeri Hebrew: seper misparim) I am not convinced that this is necessarily the most appealing name for a book of the Bible. The title seems about as interesting as a book named, ‘Yellow Pages’ or even, ‘Principles of Arithmetic.’ Now in Hebrew this book is not always referred to in this way. It sometimes referred to as wayedabber which means “And [YHWH] spoke [to Moses]” It is called wayedabber for the same reason that Genesis is called Genesis: wayedabber is the first word of the book. More descriptively still the book is regularly referred to as bemidbar in Hebrew, which means ‘in the desert’ and ‘in the desert’ is exactly where the events of this book take place.[1] The book of Numbers covers the whole time that Israel spent walking around the desert between Egypt and the Promised Land (Cf. Num 1:1).

Now this is interesting. Irvin was taking the bus down to Saskatoon a lot recently – praise the Lord that that is over for bit. How long did it take to travel from Saskatoon by bus? (3-4 hours). Now, Israel borders Egypt and the trip to the Promised Land from the Red Sea is probably not even as far as the trip to Saskatoon. Anybody know how long it took the Israelites to get to the Promised Land from Egypt? - 40 years. You think your bus rides took a long time. These guys had a lot more stops en route; they were walking; they didn’t take the most direct route and when they finally did get there God told them to go away and come back later (Numbers 14:30-31). It took them a while.

Today, we thought would be a good day to begin our study of Numbers for a couple of reasons. One is that - for those of us who are reading through the Bible together (following the plan on the handout at the back of the sanctuary) - we are reading through Numbers right now. And two, because of what day it is in the Christian calendar. Does anyone know what day it is today in the Church Calendar? It is the first Sunday of Lent and the theme of Lent is retreating into the desert with Christ so I thought it would be a good time to look at the part in the Bible that covers OT Israel’s 40 years following God around the desert.

Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflecting and taking stock. It originated in the earliest days of the Church as a time of preparation for Easter, when people rededicated themselves and new believers were instructed in Christianity. [2] By observing the forty days of Lent, we imitate Jesus’ forty days’ withdrawal into the wilderness, which does have some significant parallels to Israel’s forty years of preparation in the desert.

Now the thing about preparation is that it is not always the most fun time but it is necessary. It is chopping all the vegetables for dinner. It is like heading off to high school or university before you start your job. It may not be fun but you won’t do so well in University Calculus, if you never passed a Math test in Grade 11 or 12.

Speaking of tests – I don’t have another one for you but I do have a couple of comics about them from Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes: Calvin is a six year-old boy who plays pretend a lot. In the first comic, he is in class and instead of concentrating on the test he is supposed to be writing, he is pretending he’s Spaceman Spiff, in his spacecraft…

Calvin - if you followed the strip at all you know – he knows lots about lots of things particularly for a six year-old. He is special but he never does so well in school because he is never prepared and he doesn’t pass the tests.

Ed Wallace was on the front page of the Nipawin Journal just recently. He just won 3 medals, including a gold medal, in snowshoeing at the Special Olympics. He passed the test. He worked really hard. In the process, I think he even broke 3 pairs of snowshoes from all the practicing. We had a big congratulatory lunch for him the other week at the Evergreen Centre. It was good and this victory wouldn’t be celebrated at all without all the preparation, all the training, and all the testing he had to go through beforehand.

Israel, in the desert, had a test that was a little more serious than this even. The results of which is a message of the book of Numbers. The generation that failed to pass into the Promised Land is passing on what they learned to the next generation. This relates directly to the test that Jesus was involved in immediately after his baptism - in his forty days in the desert. One significant difference however was that Jesus passed his test in the desert. But the Israelites, like Calvin, even though they were special, even though they were chosen, the Israelites failed their test and as a result of their failure, a whole generation (save Caleb and Joshua) perished in the wilderness (Num 14:20-43). All of these children of Israel died. This is a message of Numbers.

In our text today we have two of Aaron’s own children that died. His oldest two sons died. Numbers 3:3,4: “Those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. Nadab and Abihu, however, fell dead before the LORD when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no sons; so only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron” (Num 3:3,4; cf. Lev.10:1).

Just as the whole generation who left Egypt will die in their sins before they can enter the Promised Land (except Joshua and Caleb), two of Aaron’s children including his first-born son die here before the LORD.

Ronald Allen comments on this passage about their death: “‘Unauthorized fire’ translates a Hebrew expression that is seemingly deliberately obscure, as though the narrator finds the very concept to be distasteful... The essential issue here is that Nadab and Abihu were using fire that the Lord had not commanded (Lev 10:1). The pain of the account is strengthened by its brevity and mystery. We are left at a loss to explain their motivation, just as we do not know the precise form of their error. Were they rebellious or presumptuous? Were they careless or ignorant? Or was their sin some combination of these and other things? Because of the prohibition of wine and beer among the priests in their priestly service in Leviticus 10:8-11, it may be inferred that these sons of Aaron had committed their offense against God while in a drunken state.”[3] But we do not know.

Whatever their sin – and we can only guess the specifics of it – the Lord chose him for a special task: Aaron’s oldest son, Nadab, was assumed heir to the High priesthood. He fell short and he fell dead. This should be a warning to us. How do we come before the LORD? Are we ever rebellious or presumptuous, careless or ignorant or do we ever possess a combination of these in worship? Are we? Are we worshiping as we sing? Are we worshiping as we listen to the Scriptures and the sermon? Are we worshiping as we pray together? Are we? How are we doing on our tests here on earth? Are we able to pass the test and enter our promised rest (Cf. Heb 4)?

I am reminded of an American prosperity gospel radio and televangelist who went on the air and told the world that they should give him a million dollars. He hid up in a tower awaiting the deadline. HHHis tower was struck with a lightning bolt.[4] In our text today, Aaron’s firstborn son did not come before the Lord properly and he was struck and killed - possibly by a lightning bolt.

There is more. Numbers 3:13. God says, “‘for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether man or animal. They are to be mine. I am the LORD.’”

You remember that don’t you? The Exodus. Pharaoh is given many opportunities and much warning through the plagues to do as God commands him. Time and time again he is reminded to just listen to God and let His people go but Pharaoh’s heart is hardened and he doesn’t do it. His disobedience costs him the life of his firstborn son (Exodus 4:22-23, 12:12). His disobedience costs him the life of all the firstborn – people and animals - in Egypt and his disobedience, 3:13 records, costs the Israelites the life of their firstborn.

This is important. The firstborn is the one through whom people often choose to transfer their inheritance. Susan reminded me the other week that as recently as the Middle Ages people would often pass the bulk of their inheritance down through their oldest son and dedicate their second son to God by educating him and sending him into the priesthood. This has contributed to some interesting events in history.

The Salvation Army comes to us through William Booth and before him John Wesley and John Wesley was an Anglican Priest. Do you know the story about how the Anglican Church (The Church of England) was founded? It was founded under King Henry VIII. King Henry VIII was a second born son, not a firstborn son. He was not expected to ascend the throne; He was not expecting the inheritance; he was not trained to be a king. He was trained to enter the priesthood. There were accompanying political reasons but God still did use this admittedly imperfect person on the throne after He had trained him in theology rather than politics and through him, He founded the Church of England. This is a part of our heritage. We – both our denomination and our country actually – were founded by God through a second son dedicated to the Lord because the first son one passed away.

In Numbers here it records that the High Priesthood, which it was anticipated would pass down through Aaron’s oldest son Nadab, instead passed down through another son, at least until the reign of David. Nadab, Aaron’s oldest, died in his sin and had no son to inherit the promised position.

The whole generation, whose actions are recorded in the book of Numbers, also passes away in the wilderness because they refuse to follow YHWH into the promise but rather try to achieve it on their own. Numbers is their passing on what they have learned to their children. Numbers is their passing on what they have learned to us.

Now we know that it is not only Aaron who gave up his firstborn son. We spoke of how Pharaoh and all of Egypt gave up their firstborn. We know that God demands the firstborn sons of all of Israel and as a sort of foreshadowing of this, of course, we know that God demanded that Abraham be prepared to sacrifice his son, Israel’s father (Gen 22). And God himself sacrificed his only begotten. God sacrificed his only directly sired son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16). And as Jesus himself is God, God himself died so that we may live (Cf. Gen 15:7-21).[5]

Lent is the time when we prepare for Good Friday where we remember His sacrifice and Easter where we celebrate His victory. It is only through this sacrifice that we have the victory in Jesus. And because we have it no one needs to die. The tragedy is of course, that like Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons. Some of us choose to not serve God fully and some of us though we are chosen may not take our responsibilities seriously and perish at the foot of the altar. Some people, like this generation of Israelites, instead of following God into our promised rest will try to obtain it on their own and, as a result, die trying.

Lent is a time of repentance. It is a time to learn from those who have gone before us. It is a time to turn from our sins and (repent) turn back towards God, knowing that as we do we will enter His promise. In that spirit today, I would ask that we all quieten our hearts and let the Lord reveal to us any acts that we need to repent of and to come and lay them at the altar here so that we can enter into this Lenten season with clean hearts, clean minds, and in all holiness.

Let us pray…


http://www.sheepspeak.com/
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Answers to quiz: a) 12, 14, 16 (even numbers) b) 16, 32, 64 (multiply previous number by 2)c) 17, 19, 23 (prime numbers) d) E,N,T (eight starts with E, nine starts with N, ten starts with T)

[1] Cf. Ronald B. Allen. The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM: Numbers/Introduction to Numbers/Background of Numbers, Book Version: 4.0.2 and Thomas B. Dozeman 'The Book of Numbers' in NIB II (Nashville: Abingdon, 1998) 3-5.
[2]Cf. http://www.kencollins.com/holy-04.htm
[3] Ronald B. Allen, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Numbers/Exposition of Numbers/I. The Experience of the First Generation in the Desert (1:1-25:18)/A. The Preparation for the Triumphal March to the Promised Land (1:1-10:36)/1. Setting apart the people (1:1-10:10)/a. The census of the first generation (1:1-4:49)/(3) The placement and the numbers of the Levites and firstborn of Israel (3:1-51)/(a) The family of Aaron and Moses (3:1-4), Book Version: 4.0.2
[4] Cf.http://www.viahotelstulsa.com/popups2/about/about.asp
[5] Cf. Michael Ramsay, Genesis 15:7-21: When God is Bound. Journal of Aggressive Christianity, Issue 52, December 2007 – January 2008, p. 5-10.Avail. On-line: http://www.sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsay_JAC.htm#Covenant%20-%20When%20God%20is%20Bound

John 21:15-23: We’re Back!

Presented to TSA Warehouse Mission and Corps 614, 19 February 2017
Presented to Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 07 April 2013,
Presented to Nipawin Corps, 21 February 2009,
Presented to Weston Corps, May 2006.
By Captain Michael Ramsay

This is the originally published text; to view the Toronto version, click here:  http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2017/02/john-2113-23-welcome-back-feed-my-sheep.html

Have you ever walked into a room and known that you are in trouble right away. You come home: “honey, I’m home….” and there is no answer. You walk into the livingroom and there she is just sitting on the couch, arms crossed, looking straight into your eyes and she starts asking questions…Not me…

I can remember one Friday night when I am sixteen, I need to borrow my parents car and I am allowed on one condition – that I bring my along little sister, Lorinda – she is fifteen. If I can be trusted with the car then I can take my sister with me. This is bad enough but what makes this even worse is that she has a curfew, which I don’t, so I have to stop whatever I am doing and bring her home by 10:00.

I take her down to the local hangout where I meet all my friends and tell her to just to find something to do and not bother me until it is time to go. This works well because, believe it or not, she didn’t really want to spend all Friday night with her big brother either – go figure- so this thing might just work out after all. Now as the evening progresses, things are turning out rather nicely for me actually. You see, tonight my friends and I meet some new friends… We start to get know each other. There is a party later that night that the group of us are planning to attend – there is just one problem – we have to get my sister home by 10. Now as my friends and I are behind the building my sister shows up and says, “it’s time to go” and - she is not alone. She has gone off and found herself a boyfriend! And this boyfriend is actually a friend of mine – so I have an idea…

He can bring Lorinda home! There are, however, a couple of hmmm…details to overcome: 1) my sister isn’t really allowed to date just yet and 2) this boy, Tony, will be bringing her home on his motorcycle (actually I think it was probably more like a motorized scooter!). These won’t go over so well with my mom, so I come up with a plan: I tell Tony that he can take her home but to make sure that he parks around the corner from our house so my that mom won’t see them when she looks out the window and I tell Lorinda to tell mom that she got a ride home from Melody – a nice girl from the church group – which was, um, actually where we were both supposed to be tonight, now that I think about it; so…

Tony gets her home all right but rather than around the corner like I told him to he parks down the street, in plain view, and under a streetlight and he decides to give her a good night kiss. And then Lorinda has a cigarette as she walks the rest of the way home where my mom is watching this whole scene from the window. Lorinda walks in the door and mom asks, “How did you get home?”

“Melody…” up oh…

Fast forward a couple of hours - I come home. All the lights are on and mom, who is usually in bed by now, is waiting for me at the front door… “How did Lorinda get home? How did Lorinda home? Who took Lorinda home?” I hear her question - I just don’t answer. I am caught. I know it. I can tell. I betrayed my mom’s trust and now I am being asked these questions over and over again.

‘Do you love me?’ is the question the newly resurrected Jesus asks Peter over and over again. Looking back at our text, John 21:15-23, Peter must feel just about the same way that I did. “Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me?” As is recorded in John 18, Peter, himself, had not a totally dissimilar experience to mine. Jesus trusted him. Peter said he would stand by Jesus and he did not and now he is in need of restoration. He betrayed His confidence.

Peter had a special relationship with Jesus; he was even one of the three that Jesus invited up the mountain with him for his last night in town. Jesus told Peter everything that would happen then Peter still denied even knowing Jesus 3 times in the High Priest’s courtyard… and then they led Jesus out to be crucified.

Now Jesus, who died, is sitting right here; Jesus, who was killed, has appeared to the disciples more than once; Jesus, who was denied by Peter, has just finished eating with them. Jesus, who, initially to Peter’s surprise came back to life, is sitting right in front of him asking him whether or not he actually loves him. No wonder, as it says is verse 17, Peter feels hurt. Who wouldn’t feel a little convicted, a little ashamed, a little embarrassed? You make a promise to stand by someone. He even calls you on it – “Peter, before the rooster crows YOU will deny me three times.”

“No, not me” says Peter “No, not me”…. well, three rooster crows later then Jesus is denied, crucified, died and now he is back from the dead staring Peter straight in the face and asking, “do you love me?” “Do you love me?”

Can you imagine? You just deny someone. He knows it. He’s killed. Then he comes back from the dead and is staring you right in the face and asking you, “do you love me?”

There is even more to it than that. Peter is the ‘Rock’ upon which Jesus is going to build His church (Matt. 16:18); he is one of the inner circle of apostles; He is sent out to proclaim the good news; he is supposed to be a leader. Now he has fallen. How can he be even a follower, if he doesn’t follow; led alone a leader, if he doesn’t lead. Peter is in need of restoration.

So then with all this probably racing around in Peter’s mind and more, Jesus not only asks him, “Do you love me?” Peter also might hear, in effect, “Prove it – feed my lambs, feed my sheep, feed my sheep;” “Prove it - take care of my followers – prove it, actually feed people -prove it.” Peter hears, “Do you love me? Do you love me?”

Peter, we can imagine, is so saddened that he does not answer, “Yes, I love you and I’ll do it.” Instead Jesus’ ‘Do you love me?’ only elicits “I like you…” Can you imagine?
“Do you love me?”
“I’m fond of you.”
“Do you love me?”
“I like you…I like you a lot.”
“But do you love me? Then feed my sheep…”

This is actually important. In the Greek it is recorded that Jesus is really asking Peter if he (agape) loves him but Peter at first is only answering “I (phillia) like you,” “or I’m fond of you.” This was probably not Peter saying in effect, I don’t love you, rather it is more like him responding, “I’m unworthy of loving you.”[1]

“Do you love me?” a runaway child asks her mom, in our world today, from a phone booth. She wants to come home. She needs to be restored to her place as a loved and cared for daughter.

“Do you love me?” the little boy asks his big brother coming back from fighting in a war. He needs his brother back.

“Do you love me?” a now grown child who suffered abuse in the residential schools, asks the churches? The church needs its family back; it needs to be restored.

“Do you love me?” the sister asks her brother who left her and their mom to live with his biological father. He needs to be restored as big brother.[2]

“Do you love me?” the six year-old asks her 15 year-old sister who has just returned from six months of Drug rehab[3]. The sister needs to be restored as big sister.

“Do you love me?” the estranged wife asks her recovering alcoholic husband as she returns to him. He needs to be restored as a husband.
“Do you love me?” Jesus is asking us. We are in need of restoration in our relationship.

Let me tell you a story about Alan, a friend of mine. He grows up in the church. He is almost always involved something up there. He reads his Bible all the time – everyday for years. He always prays. He never doubts that God has what is best in store for him. When others surrender, he perseveres. Even when his parents don’t want to get up to go to church, he gets himself up, gets dressed and walks all the way there by himself. He rises every morning at 6 am just to spend some time with God. He always has a Bible tucked away in his pocket somewhere so that he can read it or argue some point or another with his Christian and pre-Christian friends. God loves him and he loves God. Then Alan meets a girl.

She is a nice girl. He falls in love but…she is not quite on the same page as he is. As they grow more and more intimate, Alan drifts farther and farther apart from God. He slowly stops reading his Bible. First he just misses a day here or there, then a whole week, then –he moves in with her- he stops getting up early and talking to God; he stops listening to God. Then he stops hearing God; it is silent; it is silent. He is in need of restoration. But…“do you love me?” Jesus is still asking him.

Any parts of this story strike a chord with us? Is there anything separating us from God? We are in need of restoration. “Do you love me?” Jesus is still asking us. What have we done to remove ourselves from the will or presence of God? We are in need of restoration. “Do you love me?” Jesus is still asking us.

Jesus is still asking Peter, back in our text, ‘do you love me?’– and more. There is an important progression here. It is not only Peter whose answers develop – remember the answers of “I’m fond of you” and “I like you” when Jesus asks him if he loves Him and it is only on the third time that he actually responds “I love you.” Well, Jesus’ questioning also develops. He starts out with, “do you love me then…. feed my lambs.” Next, do you love me, then…. take care of my sheep; then, “feed my sheep.” This is an important progression, it apparently moves from concentrating on a subset of the flock, to overseeing all the flock, to actually feeding the whole flock. The responsibility grows.[4] His responsibility grows.

At first Jesus also asks Peter if he loves him more than these – more than the other disciples[5]. This brings one’s mind back to his boast of a couple of chapters earlier in John 13:37 - as verified in Matthew 26:33 - where he claims that he will never leave Jesus. The threefold questioning recalls the criteria for a legal declaration[6]. Three times stated and then something is legal. This is not about apostolic succession,[7] however, Peter is not forsaken he is forgiven.

Jesus is restoring Peter; He does so in such a way as to leave no doubt. While, as we have looked at, the questions are not exactly the same, he is asked three times to confess Christ at his restoration like he denied Christ three times to put him in need of this restoration and later in Acts 10, actually, when he is told through a dream to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, he is told also three times. The triune God is building on the significance of threes.

This is exciting and Peter gets it. Finally, he understands. Peter is restored. After he confesses, (v. 17) “Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus lets him know about what is in store for the future. In verses 18 and 19 “Jesus [says], "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." 19 Jesus [says] this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he [says] to him, ‘Follow me!’”

The death. Peter gets to die for Jesus. He gets his martyrs’ crown. Now, while this may not necessarily sound so good to us– the person whom you denied and was killed comes back from the grave and tells you, you are going to die… And tradition has it that Peter was actually crucified on a cross, just as Jesus was, except that he was hanged upside down. To Peter, however, this is good news. It means he is back. He is back! Peter has been restored. His sin is forgiven, Jesus trusts him. He accepts the responsibility to ‘feed his sheep’ and this responsibility is actually clearly offered to us all.[8] As Peter himself exhorts us in 2 Peter 5:2-4, “Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

“Follow me!” He is back. “Follow me”, Jesus says to Peter. He is back and he is excited. So much so that Peter starts asking about others around, such as John, ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved,’ who was right there and also sat next to Jesus at the last supper, Peter asks (v. 21) “what about him?” Jesus answers, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me’ (v. 22). Peter is forgiven. “Follow me.” That’s what is important for Peter now – that he must follow Jesus. Jesus has provided a way for him to be forgiven, reinstated and Peter is restored.

“Follow me,” Jesus says, and “welcome back.” Welcome home. Welcome home, in our world today, to the girl who ran away from her mom. Jesus loves you and you are restored. Welcome home to the big brother who has returned. He is restored. Welcome back to the alienated denominations who ran the residential schools, you can be restored. Welcome back to the big sister who went on the drug binge. You are back. You are forgiven and you are restored to your responsibilities of big sister. Welcome back to the repentant, recovering alcoholic dad. Welcome back. You are forgiven; you are restored to your position as husband and dad. Welcome back! Jesus has restored you. Welcome back. All of us can be restored.

I, after not being allowed to use the car for a month or so, was eventually to be restored to being trusted again. My mom trusted me later even though I had lied to her and denied my responsibilities. She forgave me and I was restored.

Alan, my friend, the silence for him must have been as painful as the denial was for the disciple Peter. The girl he was involved with is now a follower of Jesus – and now she is his wife. They are married. They repented of their collective sins. Alan is reinstated and Alan is restored. He is restored to getting up early and meeting with people and telling everyone that he knows about Jesus – not to annoy anyone and I don’t think he does necessarily – but just because he loves Jesus. He doesn’t deny him or hide Jesus anymore and other people come to love Jesus through Alan AND his wife. Jesus loves them. God is faithful. They are restored and they are feeding his sheep.

Jesus loves us. Whatever we have done. He is here and he has forgiven us. We just need to accept that forgiveness and be restored and feed his sheep. There is lots of opportunity to live out our restoration: physically speaking, in our world, one in four children is in need of feeding - 5.6 million children under five die every year[9]. And as one Bloc MP said, in this county, ‘The problem of poverty is not God’s fault; it's man's, the resources are here. The economy is here. We just need to share what there already is.’[10] How do we feed these sheep? And as far as the all important spiritual feeding is concerned…everyday 150 000 people die. How many are well fed Christians? How many are going to see God on good terms? The Chief Shepherd has given each of us oversight of part of his flock. How many people in our flock are well fed?

We are invited to accept forgiveness. We are invited to feed Jesus sheep. We are invited to be restored. We are invited to show the way, the truth and the light. We are invited to accept that forgiveness as well. Jesus died on that cross for us and he is sitting, in effect, on the beach with you and me. He knows our hearts. He knows your heart. He knows and forgiveness is offered. We just need to accept that forgiveness, that restoration and that reconciliation and ‘feed his sheep.’ Feed his sheep. Look after the hungry. Feed his sheep. Look after the spiritually hungry. Feed his sheep. Take care of those in need. Feed his sheep. Don’t lose any of the flock of which he has given you oversight. Feed his sheep.

Let us pray: “dear God, we thank you for your example of the restoration of Peter. We thank you that restoration is available to us all. We confess the times that we have denied and not followed you. We confess that there are times that we have not fed your sheep. We love you and we pray that, as you enable, like Peter claimed, we will always follow you. Amen.”

Let us quieten our hearts and minds let us reflect on our own personal restoration. If we are still in a situation where you need to be reconciled to God and / or another believer; if our relationship is in need of repair; if we are in need of restoration, we can pray quietly where we are. Maybe you’ve never been restored. Maybe you have and are in need again. Maybe your flock needs to be fed. Maybe there are sheep with which the Lord has entrusted you, who are still in need of feeding. Maybe there are others in your life who need that restoration and your prayer. Jesus is here. He is offering to restore you to your right and future place with him. Jesus is here. Come and accept your restoration.

http://www.sheepspeak.com/

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[1] R.C.H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. John’s Gospel. (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1961), 1420
[2] “Statistics Canada indicates that ten percent of families with children are stepfamilies, and about a third of them include children from different unions. In the United States, it's estimated that stepfamilies may outnumber biological families by the year 2010.” Reader’s Digest Canada, “What do you think is the lasting impact for children of divorce?” n.p. [cited 25 03 2006]. On-line: http://www.readersdigest.ca/debate.html?a=v&di=116
[3] 28.6% of 15-17 year-old girls in Canada have reported illicit drug use. Michael Tjepkema, “Use of Cannabis and Other Illicit Drugs,” Statistics Canada Health Reports 15, no. 4. (2004): 47
[4] R.C.H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. John’s Gospel. (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1961), 1421.
[5] George R. Beasley-Murray, John. (WBC 36: Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1987), 405.
[6] George R. Beasley-Murray, p. 404.
[7] Gail R. O’day, John. (TNIB 9: Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 1996), 861.
[8] Gail R. O’day, p. 861.
[9] Unicef. “Progress for Children: a Report Card on Nutrition” Unite for Children, no. 4 (May, 2006)
[10] Christianweek.org. Cited 25 April 2006. No Pages. On-line: http://www.christianweek.org/stories/vol20/no02/record.htm
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Further Reading.

Beasley-Murray, George R. Word Biblical Commentary. Vol. 36. Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1987.
Earle, Ralf, Harvey J.S. Blaney and Charles S. Carter. The Wesleyan Bible Commentary: Matthew –Acts. Vol. 4. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1979.
Christianweek.org. Cited 25 April 2006. No Pages. On-line: http://www.christianweek.org/stories/vol20/no02/record.htm
Lenski, R.C.H. The Interpretation of St. John’s Gospel. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1961.
O’Day, Gail R. The New Interpreter’s Bible. Vol. 9. Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 1995.
Reader’s Digest Canada, “What do you think is the lasting impact for children of divorce?” Cited 25 April 2006. No pages. On-line: http://www.readersdigest.ca/debate.html?a=v&di=116
Tjepkema, Michael. “Use of Cannabis and Other Illicit Drugs,” Statistics Canada Health Report 15, no. 4. (2004): 43-47 Unicef. “Progress for Children: a Report Card on Nutrition” Unite for Children, no. 4 (May, 2006)
World Socialist Movement, ‘How Could We Feed the World.” Cited 15 Mar. 2006. No Pages. On-line: http://www.worldsocialism.org/wsm-pages/food.html

John 20:1-9: He’s Alive!

Presented to Swift Current Corps, 31 March 2013,
Presented to Nipawin Corps, 15 February 2009,
Presented to CFOT, 10 April 2006.
By Captain Michael Ramsay

This past week of course, some of us men were blessed enough to go to men’s camp. Men’s camp is always good. There is food and Bible study and food and games and food and prayer and then food and church services and food and then of course before you go to bed at night there are always snacks, just in case you happen to be hungry.

Another thing that we really enjoyed about men’s camp was a movie we saw – Fighting the Giants. It is really good and I recommend it to everyone actually but it got me thinking about some of the older movies I have seen. Have you ever seen any of those old black-and-white horror movies where technology isn’t quite what it is today and the monsters have all that disjointed movement and the white make-up starts to come off Count Dracula’s face or the Wolf Man just looks like a fellow who hasn’t shaved for a week? Some of my favourites are those old Frankenstein movies where the Doctor yells out “He’s alive!” He’s alive!!” It’s great.

Have you read the book or watched the movie based on Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein? In the book, Dr. Frankenstein has assembled this new creation from corpses of criminals: one on his left, and one on his right side. The doctor really believes that the creature will live. He has faith. He is so emotional. There is still a lingering doubt when he goes about all his experiments - an unknown - but he has faith. It gets to the point though where all his faith is seemingly in vain; he’s done everything he can think of and it doesn’t work. Impossible – it seems - everything was for nothing.

I remember Grade 6 Math. - Speaking of impossible things that seem like they are for nothing - I didn’t get it. I always had to do my homework before I was allowed to play and it was that Grade 6 Math that got me –algebra – yuk! I always got that sinking feeling when I heard, “Do your math…” After it has been ½ an hour, I can see my friends playing outside and I don’t get it –my math- so I get really upset and feel like just throwing things…by the time I am finally finished my friends are gone – I missed my chance. They are gone

Do you ever get like that? You work at something: you tie up all your energy into it. You try, you ask for help, you believe but…you missed you chance…you’re friends have gone home. You’re powerless.

That brings us to John 20:1-9, imagine what it was like at the tomb. Mary’s coming to greet Peter and John it is that same sinking feeling; it must have been just like mom saying, “Boys, have you finished your homework? You can’t go play until your Math is done.” They’re struggling. They look and their friends are leaving. It is too late. He is gone. They rush as quickly as they can to the tomb…but he is gone.

It is difficult to believe. Can you imagine? They worked hard; they gave up their work and their life and for three years they pinned all their hopes on Jesus. He was supposed to be the Messiah who would deliver them and all Israel from the Romans. He was supposed to wield such power and authority that, as recorded in Mark 10:37, John and James fought over who would sit on his left and who would sit on his right when he came into the kingdom.

John even abandoned his father right in the middle of attending to the family business. They took a gamble. They took a massive gamble and now it looks as if all is lost. Jesus died. He died on the cross and now he is gone! Apparently grave robbers were not uncommon at this time. Actually they were quite common. The Romans had to even pass laws to prevent it so I don’t imagine that the disciples were too concerned that the soldiers were there; but they would be concerned that the body wasn’t. Did the soldiers move it to protect it? Did someone steal it? Did Jesus’ opponents take it and desecrate it? All these questions must be racing around in their heads.

As Luke 24:12 verifies, they run to the tomb when they first hear from Mary about the body. They don’t just walk. John outruns Peter. It is like they are racing. John gets to the tomb. He just stands there. Looking in, he isn’t recorded as saying anything. He just stands there. Peter catches up and bursts into the tomb. This moment seems terrible…really.

So much for this powerful Messiah…so much for even a rallying point…so much for everything. They pinned all their hopes on Jesus –his power and authority -and now those hopes must feel just as empty as the tomb…how could they believe he was going to deliver them from the Romans; how could they believe he was powerful enough to free them from their rulers;

Today, how can we believe he had the power to set the captives free? How can we believe when children still die? How can we believe in this powerful ‘prince of peace’ when there are still wars…and more than ever before? How can we believe in a God that seems powerless to stop people from starving? How can I believe in a God that would abandon me in my time of need? He is supposed to be here. So where is he? Where is he when my friend Eric dies in a helicopter crash en route to his own wedding? Where is he when my aunt (a minister) is beaten to death by an ‘addict’ in need of a fix? Where is he when a relative kills herself after a failed armed robbery attempt – leaving her lifeless body for her daughter to find? Where is he when my cousin dies, leaving her husband and two young girls behind? Where is he when I am struggling with my kids and family? Where is he when I want to pack it all up and just go home – where is he? How can I believe in this powerful God and resurrected Christ when all this is happening?

We have all heard the stories about predators who stalk children through the internet. We have all read in the papers these past few years that some people actually associate God’s name with things like ‘Iraq War’, ‘Abu Garib’, ‘Guatanamo’, ‘residential school abuse’… How can we believe? You know the divorce rate is the same inside the church –if not higher than– outside? Would you believe me if I said that there were more homosexual unions presided over by clergy than by secularists? Really. Where is he, this Jesus who was supposed to be powerful enough to defeat this sin and death? How can we possibly be expected to believe. Where is he? Where is he?

In the text, back at the tomb, where is he? Where is he? Peter rushes past John into the tomb. Do you see that? In the tomb… his clothes are still there? Why are they still there? Grave robbers would just take everything and go. The grave clothes are not disturbed; why aren’t they? Grave robbers don’t take great care of clothes. They would not have unwrapped the body…the Romans also would have just moved the whole body. Where are the footsteps leading up to the body? The burial cloth that had been around his head is actually folded up.

Then John understands. Sort of… - This is important as recorded in Deut. 19:15, a matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses - Here we have our two witnesses and John understands. He believes – and this is important – the word for belief in this context doesn’t just designate an understanding or an acknowledgement. It designates faith! John understands that Jesus is risen and he puts his faith in him. He believes - even if he doesn’t understand the full significance of it yet – he is empowered and quite possibly, even now, has a full faith in the power of the resurrection.

This is exciting. He’s alive! He’s alive… like when Dr. Frankenstein has assembled his creation. The doctor really believes that the creature will live. He has faith. And then the excitement! “He’s alive!” “He’s alive!” Can you imagine the even greater excitement as Jesus is raised from the dead? He’s alive… he’s alive.

John doesn’t necessarily fully (and Peter certainly doesn’t yet) understand but he believes. He doesn’t understand yet what that all means- or what it looks like. He doesn’t even comprehend the prophesies that this fulfils but he believes. He has seen the evidence – the strips, the rolled away stone, the folded burial cloth, the other first hand witnesses - and he believes. He believes in the power of the resurrection. He doesn’t know how but he believes he will set the captives free; he doesn’t yet know how but he believes …

He has conquered sin and death in our world today and we can believe. We can believe the evidence that he was resurrected; He has defeated sin. We can believe He has provided a way for children to live, who would otherwise die. We can believe in he is this powerful ‘Prince of Peace’ who has provided a means to end wars. As it is written in Isaiah 2 verse 4, "…nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more." We can believe in this God who by his power has made it so that people don’t need to starve – He has produced more than enough food for the entire world already. We can believe the evidence of the power of the death and the resurrection. We can believe he has defeated death. I believe in God who neither abandons nor forsakes me in my time of need; we can believe He never gives us more than we can bear. He is here. He is here. He is here! He has conquered and all we have to do is believe and follow.

Half a lifetime ago, I woke up on Sunday morning. I was broke and I didn’t have money for coffee. I found a dollar in my pocket. That was great except that the Lord said that this was His dollar. He wanted it. I didn’t really understand what was happening; however, He said it again and I believed him of course. I went to the local coffee shop before church as I always did and the whole time I kept fingering the coin in the pocket of my black leather jacket as people bought me coffee. I was waiting to see when God would ask for this dollar. He wasn’t giving me opportunity to spend it really and besides I knew it was His.

Anyway to make a long story short, my friends, some of whom weren’t saved yet followed me the church to see what God wanted the dollar for. The strange thing is – I don’t really remember to this day what it was for– but I remember the impact. He asked me to give it to someone and all my friends with me knew it. We knew it. We didn’t understand entirely but this is the resurrected power of the resurrected Christ. Now I still don’t understand entirely why He wanted this dollar or what it was used for but I truly believe that He used that dollar for His purpose. This was a witness to my pre-Christian friends who accompanied me to Sunday school that day from the coffee shop. I still don’t fully comprehend but we saw and we believed. Some of them are no longer pre-Christian. Some of them are now believe. We believe in this, we believe in the power of the resurrected Christ.

And you are invited to believe also -to believe fully in the power of God and the resurrected Jesus. He is not dead. He is alive and the evidence is there that we can really believe – not in only an historic event but in a real personal and powerful Jesus. One who was and is; one who has provided and continues to provide through the power of his death and resurrection; one who asks for coins or other things that we simply do not understand, one who asks that we have faith, that we trust, that we believe fully in him. Today believe…and follow.

Please bow in prayer with me: “Dear God, we believe in you. We believe that by your death and resurrection, you conquered sin and death and we are sorry for the times when we have not had that real life-changing belief in your power in my own life. Amen.”

This day as we quieten our hearts and minds, let us reflect on how our belief in the resurrected Lord is impacting our lives. He is doing powerful things in our lives, in our lives right now that we do not and may not ever understand. The Lord wants to use you to do His bidding. Now’s the time to believe, to really believe, not just in a theoretical Jesus but one who has risen from the dead and is asking you to follow him.


http://www.sheepspeak.com/
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Beasley-Murray, George R. Word Biblical Commentary. Vol. 36. Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1987.

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Earle, Ralf, Harvey J.S. Blaney and Charles S. Carter. The Wesleyan Bible Commentary: Matthew –Acts. Vol. 4. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1979.

Lenski, R.C.H. The Interpretation of St. John’s Gospel. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1961.

Matera, Frank J. John 20:1-18. Interpretation 43 no 4 (Oct 1989): 402-406.

Minear, Paul S. We don't know where, John 20:2. Interpretation 30 no 2 (Apr 1976): 125-139.

O’ Day, Gail R. The New Interpreter’s Bible. Vol. 9. Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 1995.

Project Ploughshares. Cited 16 Mar. 2006. No Pages. On-line: http://www.ploughshares.ca/

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United Nations World Food Programme, “WFP lauds Pope's commitment to humanitarianism.” Cited 16 Mar. 2006. No Pages. On-line: http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2039

World Socialist Movement, ‘How Could We Feed the World.” Cited 15 Mar. 2006. No Pages. On-line: http://www.worldsocialism.org/wsm-pages/food.html