'SEIZE THE DAY'
By
Rev. Juliet Schimpf
Rev. Juliet Schimpf is the Minister of
First Baptist Church in Perth, Ontario:
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LINK to CFRA broadcast of
Sunday, November 17th, 2013)
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Broadcast
Notes:
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THE JESUS MODEL:
'Dealing With Discouragement'
BE ENCOURAGED: YOU TOO CAN WALK ON WATER!
Matthew
14 Jesus Walks on the Water
·
22Immediately Jesus made the disciples
get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed
the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went
up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but the boat was already a
considerable distancea from
land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25During the fourth watch of the night
Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on
the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in
fear. 27But
Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied,
“tell me to come to you on the water.” 29“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked
on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was
afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31Immediately Jesus reached out his
hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he
said, “why did
you doubt?” 32And when they climbed into the boat,
the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat
worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” 34When they had crossed over, they
landed at Gennesaret. 35And when the men of that place
recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought
all their sick to him 36and begged him to let the sick just
touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.
·
Jesus’ disciples are
in a boat.
·
Middle of night.
·
Jesus comes walking
out to Him on water.
·
Peter gets out of the
boat and starts walking on water towards to Jesus.
·
think it’s a ghost!!!
·
What is Peter
thinking? Why does He think He can walk
on water?
·
story makes more
sense if we understand background:
o
Jesus is Jewish rabbi
o
disciples are Jewish
o
living in a 1st
century Jewish world
o
Jewish people in
Galillee believed God spoke to Moses and gave Him the first 5 books—THE
TORAH
o
Torah was focus of
educational system
o
most Jewish
boys/girls went to school around age of 5/6; held in local synagogue; taught
Torah
o
1st level: Bate Sephar—lasted until child was 10 years old
o
in bate sephar, most
kids would learn Torah by heart
o
genesis, exodus,
Leviticus, numbers, deuteronomy MEMORIZED
o
then, age 10, most
kids would learn a family trade—apprenticing; manage a business
o
next level: Bathe
Talmood—would memorize the rest of Hebrew Scriptures (Genesis through
Malachi)
o
end of age 15—best of
best of best—continue on to next level of education: Bathe
Midrash
o
go to rabbi and apply
to rabbi to become that rabbi’s disciples
o
we think of disciple
as “knows what disciple knows”
o
but it really means
“do what the disciple does”
o
one rabbi: one interpretation; another rabbi: another interpretation
o
a rabbi’s set of
interpretations was that rabbi’s “YOKE”
o
went and applied to a
rabbi; take that rabbi’s YOKE upon you to know what the rabbi knows to do what
the rabbi does to be like the rabbi
o
“Rabbi, I want to
become one of your disciples.”..
o
Rabbi then grills
you: questions about torah….
o
Rabbi: “Does this kid have what it takes?”
o
Rabbi might say, “You
don’t cut it; learn an apprentice.”
o
Rabbi might also
say—if student cuts it—“Come, follow me!”
o
age 15/16 leave
family; leave friends; leave synagogue; leave village; leave whole life; follow
rabbi and devote life to following him
o
saying developed,
“May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi.”—followed so closely!
· Most Rabbis begin
their teaching around age of 30
· Jesus, around age of
30, walking down shore, along Sea of Galilee
·
comes across Peter
and Andrew
·
they’re fishermen
·
they’re not following
another Rabbi
·
they’re not ‘the best
of the best’—they didn’t make the cut
·
Jesus calls them to
follow him
·
at once they dropped
their nets and followed Christ—Why?
·
rabbis were the most
respected people of society
COMING
BACK TO THE STORM….
·
boat full of
anybodies
·
they’re terrified
·
Peter says, “If it’s
you, Jesus, tell me to come to you…”
·
why did Peter say
this? because he’s a disciple….
·
Peter has devoted his
whole life/oriented his whole life to
being like the
rabbi.
·
Peter begins to walk
on water, and then begins to sink….
·
Jesus: “You of little faith….why did you doubt….”
·
we think Peter doubts
Jesus: but Jesus isn’t sinking….
·
who does Peter
doubt? he doubts himself
·
Peter doubts that he
can be like his rabbi
·
Jesus wouldn’t have
called Peter if he didn’t think he could be like him
·
the rabbi doesn’t
choose you unless he thinks you can do what he does
BE ENCOURAGED:
GOD CALLED ORDINARY FISHERMEN
·
MARK
1: The Calling of the
First Disciples
14After
John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of
God. 15“The
time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” 16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of
Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for
they were fishermen.17“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make
you fishers of men.” 18At
once they left their nets and followed him.
19When he had gone a little farther, he
saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20Without delay he called them, and
they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
·
Jesus said to Peter
and Andrew, “You can be like me! You can
do like I do.”
·
then James and John,
fishing with father—they were learning a family apprentice—they were not the
best of the best either
·
how old are
they? 15, 16, 20?
·
“unschooled
fishermen”
·
Jesus’ movement is
for everyone: young, peasants
·
JOHN 15 New International Version (©1984)
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
CONCLUSION
· We talk about
believing in God
·
but God believes in
us
·
He must believe in
us—He leaves the church in the hands of these anybodies and says, ”Go and make
disciples”
·
so Jesus really
believes that we can be like him
·
Jesus has faith in us
·
Jesus has faith that
we can follow him
·
may you believe in God;
but may you come to see that God believes in you
·
may you believe in Jesus;
but may you come to see that Jesus believes in you—to become like him: full of grace and truth
·
and may you become
covered in the dust of your rabbi
POEM: THE DEVIL’S TOOL
It was announced that the Devil was going out of business one day,
And all his tools were on sale, to everyone’s dismay.
On the night of the sale, there they were, all displayed,
All ugly indeed, on a table they laid.
All implements of evil, each one, with a price.
They were made for keeping Christians out of the coming Paradise.
But, apart from all the rest lay a harmless looking tool,
Anyone buying it would surely be a fool.
It was shaped like a wedge, and worn very badly,
Because it has been used over many years, gradually.
But, even so, it was priced much higher than the rest,
When the Devil was asked why, he said, “It is my Best.”
This tool is named DISCOURAGEMENT. “You see,
This tool is very valuable to me”.
“It has been more useful to me than all of the others.
I can use it on most of your Sisters and Brothers.”
“I can use it to get deep down into one’s mind.”
“DISCOURAGEMENT, a worse tool you’ll not find.”
“And you know,” said the Devil, with an expression of glee,
“Very few people know that it belongs to me!”
It hardly needs to be added, that tool was never sold.
The price was too high, one would think it was gold.
So, you faithful Witnesses, remember this then,
The Devil still owns it and will use it again.
If you trust in Jehovah, DISCOURAGEMENT you’ll foil.
It can’t get you down if you remain loyal.
It was announced that the Devil was going out of business one day,
And all his tools were on sale, to everyone’s dismay.
On the night of the sale, there they were, all displayed,
All ugly indeed, on a table they laid.
All implements of evil, each one, with a price.
They were made for keeping Christians out of the coming Paradise.
But, apart from all the rest lay a harmless looking tool,
Anyone buying it would surely be a fool.
It was shaped like a wedge, and worn very badly,
Because it has been used over many years, gradually.
But, even so, it was priced much higher than the rest,
When the Devil was asked why, he said, “It is my Best.”
This tool is named DISCOURAGEMENT. “You see,
This tool is very valuable to me”.
“It has been more useful to me than all of the others.
I can use it on most of your Sisters and Brothers.”
“I can use it to get deep down into one’s mind.”
“DISCOURAGEMENT, a worse tool you’ll not find.”
“And you know,” said the Devil, with an expression of glee,
“Very few people know that it belongs to me!”
It hardly needs to be added, that tool was never sold.
The price was too high, one would think it was gold.
So, you faithful Witnesses, remember this then,
The Devil still owns it and will use it again.
If you trust in Jehovah, DISCOURAGEMENT you’ll foil.
It can’t get you down if you remain loyal.
I want to encourage
you today, that just as Christ called those early disciples, the ‘B TEAM’, He is
calling us. He is calling YOU.
You can never mess up too badly. You can
never fall too short. Christ is calling you and wants to use you today.
Let’s pray together:
Our gracious Father, we thank you that, in the words of John 15, you
chose us. We did not choose you, but you chose us. And you appoint us to go and
bear fruit.
I pray for the listener who is feeling discouraged. I pray for the
listener who has lost faith, either in you, or perhaps even in themselves.
And I pray that they take encouragement from today’s message, that you
have faith in us …that you have faith in us and you have called us for such a
time as this to share you love, to share your truth, to be your disciple.
Lord, touch each listener, now: with fresh hope, with fresh courage, and
with fresh optimism; for optimism is the stuff of faith.
We will do our very best to be your disciple.
We love you, O’ Great Rabbi.
Amen
I would like to leave you with a saying
that developed over the centuries amongst Rabbis and disciples which had everything
to do with following closely. The saying was, “May you be covered in the dust of
your Rabbi.”
What this means is, may you walk so closely
to your Rabbi, that you, his disciple, will be covered in his dust.
My prayer, today, is that you will walk
so closely to your Rabbi, Jesus Christ, that you will be covered in His dust, the
dust of His presence, the dust of His Word, and the dust of His love.
God Bless you all!
Rev.
Juliet Schimpf
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To listen to
the above broadcast, click on the following link:
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