The Commitment to Live for Righteousness Releases the Flow of God's Power in Our Lives!

The sermon today will be about a minute.

In this series of sermons, I wanted to look at the major portions, the three major portions, of the Passover service. Last week we took a look at the foot washing, although we didn't really talk specifically about foot washing. We talked about humility. And the message last week dealt with how humility brings to bear powerful healing for the Christian. We talked about the kinds of healing, not just physical healing, but certainly spiritual healing, emotional, mental healing, that comes about as you and I learn the trait of humility. Today we want to take a look at the bread portion of the Passover service. And in two weeks, not next week, but the week after, we'll be looking at the wine portion. But today we want to take a look at the bread portion of the service and what that means. There's a few scriptures I want to read before I give you my theme statement. Let's take a look at John 6.

Incidentally, we will not be here at this location for Passover. First time in, I don't know, how many years. This room is booked. The social hall is booked. The commons is booked. We simply can't use this location for Passover. We tried to get the Georgian in there in Grashit in 13. There were issues with that. We couldn't use that. So, Mr. Ellis has found a couple of places. We've not gotten them booked yet. We're hopeful. But please be praying that we're able to get something. Because if not, then we're going to have to default. Where probably half of you would go to Flint and half of you would come to Ann Arbor, which I don't want to default to. But this late in the game, that may be what we have to do. But we're hopeful and your prayers will go a long way. The two places that Don Ellis looked at are very promising and they looked like it was where they wanted to work with us. So, just be praying about that. But on Passover evening, no matter where we are at, we'll be going through John 6. Likely it will turn over to verse 35. John 6, verse 35. And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. Gary Wreckerly was talking about the commitment we have at baptism, the commitment we have to Jesus Christ. And certainly that's going to be a theme that we're going to look at today in the sermon. Jesus Christ said, I am the bread of life. When you and I are at Passover service, we'll be handed a little tray with little pieces of unleavened bread. And we'll be each taking a little piece of that unleavened bread. We'll be eating that unleavened bread. As Mr. Wreckerly correctly pointed out, that is symbolic of something. It is symbolic of our wanting to live as Christ lived.

To commit ourselves to live a way of life, that Christ lived. To dedicate ourselves to live that way. And when we do that, something really powerful happens to us. Remember last week, I made mention that the three sermons I'm giving that will prepare us for the Passover are sermons I'm intending to be very positive. Last week we looked at the healing effect of humility. Today we're going to look at the power that comes through God's Spirit into us. As we dedicate ourselves, as we commit ourselves to God's way of life. Christ said He's the bread. But let's look at a couple other scriptures before I give you my theme statement. Over here in 1 Peter 2, and again this is another scripture I'll be reading with you here. I'll be here with you this year for Passover. Here in 1 Peter 2, starting in verse 21, 1 Peter 2, 21.

For through this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leading us an example that we should follow His steps. Now we quote this on so many occasions, and we use this as a general principle, and it's good that we do. We want to follow Christ's example in all things. But explicitly, what this verse, the set of verses is about, is how we are to follow Christ's example when we're suffering, when life is not treating us well, because we're not going the way we designed them to go.

We're going to follow Christ's example, verse 22. Christ who committed no sin, nor was the seat found in His mouth, who when He was reviled did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. Jesus Christ the bread was committed. He was committed to living a life of righteousness. Verse 24, who Himself bore our sins in His own body in the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness. We, too, are to be dedicated. We, too, are to be committed to a life, to the example of the bread.

Now, one other scripture I want to read before I give you my theme statement for today's sermon is over here in Matthew 3. Mr. Werkley was talking about baptism. Let's take a look at Jesus Christ's baptism. Matthew 3, verses 15-17, Matthew 3.15 But Jesus answered and said to Him, permitted, He's talking to John the Baptist, He asked John to baptize Him, verse 15, But Jesus answered and said to Him, Permitted to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.

And Christ is committed. Christ is dedicated to the righteousness of God. Then, says John, baptize Him. And when He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove alighting upon Him. Have you ever thought about this verse? Have you ever thought, well, did Jesus Christ not have the Spirit of God prior to this? Well, of course, that's ridiculous. Jesus Christ was God in the flesh. So what is the deal here with this dove descending from heaven and alighting upon Jesus the Christ?

What's happening here? Why is this taking place? Jesus Christ was God in the flesh. He already had the Spirit of God. So was this for the benefit of Jesus Christ? Or was this for the benefit of John the Baptist? Was this for the benefit of anybody else who would have been standing by? Is this for our benefit today, for us to understand that when we follow the example of Jesus Christ, and we dedicate ourselves to that example in living as He lived, we dedicate ourselves to fulfill all righteousness when we're baptized, that when we're baptized, God does give us His Spirit.

Jesus Christ is right here as setting us an example. You want My Spirit? You must be baptized. When you're baptized, you've repented, you're baptized, you accept Christ as your Savior, God's Spirit comes down to you. Verse 17, And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, My beloved Son. Why is He beloved? He's beloved because He fulfills the righteousness of God.

He lives a certain way of life. This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Well pleased because God the Father sees the dedication, the commitment, the love of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ walking in the grace of God. And that very much pleases God the Father. So today, my theme is this. The commitment to live for righteousness releases the flow of God's power in our lives. The commitment to live for righteousness releases the flow of God's power in our lives.

You know, this year I want to make sure that, like I said last week, we don't want our examination for Passover to be like the Bataan Death March. We're examining ourselves, we're chewing ourselves out, we're just so upset, we're so angry. Well, you know, it's good for us to examine ourselves, it's good for us to realize we're sinners, it's good for us to realize we've got weaknesses, but it's just as good for us to realize, we must realize after that exam...

What's the point of the examination? Not for us to be wallowing the fact that we've got all these sins, but the fact that God has provided for us. That through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, through the grace of God, we've got forgiveness. And as we commit ourselves, as we dedicate ourselves to the bread, the tremendous power is there for us as Christians, to do what we need to be doing as Christians. So just as humility helps in the healing process, dedicating ourselves to God's righteousness, living the way God wants us to live, the way Jesus Christ wants us to live, releases a tremendous flow of power for us, and that's something that's very beautiful.

Now, let's turn over to 2 Corinthians 12, because this is basically the template for the sermon today.

This is the Genesis, if you will. This is where I began thinking about this idea. It's said in verses that I've read so many times, you've thought about so many times. 2 Corinthians 12. 2 Corinthians 12, verse 9 and 10. Now, as you're aware, the Apostle Paul had some sort of a thorn in the flesh. God was giving that to him to humble him three times. It says here, verse 8, concerning this thing, I plead with the Lord three times. He pleaded. He was a faithful man. He persevered in those prayers. He was consistent. And through all of that, God said no. So don't think because God is saying no to you that you don't have faith. Don't think because God is saying no to some of your prayers that you're not close to God. As we talked about last week, we had the lady that went to Jesus Christ. She had the demon-possessed daughter. She said, Jesus, would you please help my daughter? And he just looked at her and walked away. Didn't even say anything to her. But in the end, Jesus Christ healed her daughter. Jesus Christ had a game plan for her. Jesus Christ has a game plan here for Paul. Part of that game plan was not healing him. It was not going to take him out of the trouble he was in. But notice what it said here, verse 9. And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you. My grace can handle anything you throw at me. My grace can handle anything you have in your life. I don't care how big, how small. My grace will take care of it. My grace will see you through the dark hours. I'm not going to take away the dark hours, but my grace will see you through them. My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, most gladly, notice he wasn't down in the dumps. He wasn't just cursing the night. Therefore, most gladly, I would rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Brethren, there is a beautiful concept here. I really didn't understand that until I was doing the study on this set of verses, really digging deeply, looking at the various original language texts I have.

In verse 9 here, this idea of rest. You are aware that in the Old Testament, the power of God, the Spirit of God, would come to rest on the tabernacle. A tremendous amount of power, God's power, would come to rest on the tabernacle. Well, our bodies are the temple of God's Holy Spirit. Paul says here, he wanted the power of Christ to come and rest.

Just as God's Spirit rested on the tabernacle, God's Spirit will rest on you. He will give you rest, he will give you encouragement, he will give you comfort, he will help you through the dark times. If we are dedicating ourselves, if we are committing ourselves to live an unleavened life, and to me this is a beautiful concept, and this is why God didn't heal Paul. This may be why God doesn't answer some of the prayers that you've been beseeching God about, because he wants his power to rest upon you during the dark times, because it's during these dark times that you and I grow.

Now, verse 10 are the points of my sermon. Verse 10, Therefore I take pleasure in number one, infirmities, number two, reproaches, number three, in needs, number four, in persecutions, and number five, distresses.

For Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Now, I want to really tear this apart, because there's so much beauty here in what Paul is saying.

You know, the people there in Corinth were judging him, they were judging his ministry, and he said, well, look, you know, if I try to tell them all the things I've accomplished, that will go nowhere.

He said, but let me let them know what God has accomplished through me, a weak human being.

Let those be my credentials. Therefore, that's why Paul says, Therefore I would boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon him.

Brother, I think every one of us in this room wants to have the power of God resting upon us.

So, number one here is the flow of God's power will help us through the infirmities of life, the infirmities.

Now, as I took a look at what the Bible defines that word there in 2 Corinthians 10-12, it defines it as all kinds of suffering. It could be spiritual suffering, it could be physical suffering.

The power of Christ can overcome any weakness, any different type of infirmity that you and I face. And surely, everyone in this room faces infirmities.

Some of us have infirmities that are physical. You know, as time goes on, I'm only more aware of my physical infirmities. You know, my eyes, I know I need one operation on one of my eyes. I'm going to try to get it on both of my eyes. I've got a droopy eyelid, and because of that, the one eye I have, I can hardly focus. Everything's always a blur. I've got cataracts growing on both eyes. So at some point, I need an operation on both eyes. I've got the right knee, where it's almost bone on bone with my arthritis. I've got a left ear that hardly hears a thing. And of course, my middle name is Lucky.

Through all of that, all those things are about ready to fall off. But, you know, we all have the physical things, but we all have spiritual things as well. We all have our feet of clay. We all have our lumps of clay. We all have our weaknesses. We all have got our things we must overcome. We've got our spiritual infirmities. And so, we want the power of God to rest upon us. And it will rest upon us if we are dedicated and committed to an unleavened lifestyle.

Let's take a look at one example of the physical over here in Philippians 2.

Philippians 2, starting in verse 25.

The man Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus.

The background here in Philippians 2 is that the Apostle Paul is in prison. The church in Philippi knows he's in prison. They really want to encourage him. The church in Philippi had a tremendous passion and love for the Apostle Paul. They couldn't afford every one of them to just pack up and go over to Rome, where he was in prison, and spend time with him. So they elected. They asked. They touched on the shoulder one of their number, one of the members there in the church in Philippi, and said, Would you please go and be our delegate? Go over to Paul in prison and do what you can to encourage him. Let him know we love him. We're there for him. We're praying for him. And so they chose this man, Epiphyditis, to go. Now, understand something. This Epiphyditis had to have courage in doing this, as he made the commitment to go and visit the Apostle Paul. By doing so, he could have been construed as being guilty by association. Well, maybe he had something to do with what Paul was guilty of. He's of that radical sect called the Christians. We were once upon a time called a real radical bunch. We were out there in the wing. And so here's a man who could have been thought of as being guilty. He could have been thrown in jail right alongside of Paul. He didn't care about that. He wanted to go to the Apostle Paul and minister with him. When he was in Rome, he contracted some kind of illness that almost killed him.

Now, you and I probably have known people over the years who have come into the church, and things have not gone their way, because things have not gone their way. They say, hey, look, I go to church, I go to Sabbath service, I go to the Holy Days, I send them my tithe, my offering, and where are all these blessings everyone's always talking about? And they're not here. And sometimes people leave. They get offended. They think life should be treating them better. Epiphyditis just was not that kind of person. He got better. The Apostle Paul decided to send them back home. So with that as background, let's take a look here. Philippians 2, verse 25. I considered it necessary to send to you Epiphyditis, my brother, my fellow worker, my fellow soldier, but you're a messenger and the one who ministered to my need. Paul realizes this is going back to the church in Philippi.

Paul doesn't want Epiphyditis to go back home and for his service to Paul to be viewed as a failure, because he's not still with Paul. So Paul says a number of very fine things about this man. He says, he's my brother. He's my brother in the faith. We share common beliefs. We share our Savior. We share the church. We share our passion for the gospel. We certainly share God's Holy Spirit, which makes us brothers. He says, I am a fellow worker in getting out the word, in getting out the gospel. You know, Epiphyditis may have brought communication back and forth between Paul and the people there in Philippi. Not only fellow worker, but fellow soldier. They've taken some battles. They've taken some scars. They've been in the heat of battle together. He says, but your messenger, he did what you asked him to do, and the one who ministered to my need. Notice here, this idea about need. Paul had a need. Verse 26, since he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. So here's a man who shows you the depth of his conversion, the depth of his character. He wanted to serve the Apostle Paul, but he really was grieved. When people found out he was about ready to die, he didn't want people to be grieving for him. He wanted people to be praying for Paul. I'm sure he coveted their prayers for him as well. But he didn't want the focus on him. Verse 27 Paul says, For indeed he was sick almost unto death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Paul was sorrowful because he couldn't be out there with the brethren. He couldn't be out there doing the work the way he wanted to do the work. He couldn't be out there visiting and conducting the ministry the way he would love to. And that made him sorrowful, but certainly if this man would have died, they would have made him sorrowful too. They would have been grief upon grief, or sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore, verse 28, I have sent him more eagerly, that when you see him again, he may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. So Paul makes the point, saying, look, he is not asked to come back on his own. I am sending him home. He was a success. I want you to view him as a success. Don't think that his service toward me wasn't successful because it was. I appreciated it. Verse 29, Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness. Rejoice that he is coming back to you, and hold such men in esteem for a selfless service. Because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me. What was lacking in their service toward him was they simply couldn't all pack up lock, stock, and barrel and go visit Paul. They loved him. They wrote to him. They sent a messenger to encourage him. But this man faced some physical infirmity. But the power of God rested upon this dedicated servant. The power of God rested upon this man who was committed. And he did a wonderful work for the Apostle Paul.

You may be sickly. You may not have the health you would like to have. You may have all sorts of issues physically. But that doesn't mean God can't work through you. God can work through anybody. I mean, you can have people like Helen Keller, not in the church. But look at the tremendous example she's been. I think she was five or six years of age when she lost her sight and lost her hearing.

But look at the remarkable life that woman lived. With the handicap she had. How much more us, when we have the power of God resting upon us, can we have that power just going through and helping us to achieve and to do the work of God like Epithophodontus did? Now let's take a look at somebody who had a spiritual weakness. And we can all relate to this because we've all got spiritual weaknesses. We want to take a look at Peter. Let's take a look at John 13, the chapter that deals with the foot washing. John 13.

Let's take a look at some weakness here. We've read this portion last week, but we want to read it again. John 13. Then he came to Simon Peter, and Peter said to him, Lord, are you washing my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, what I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will know after this. Peter only had a certain level of understanding. He would have more after the day of Pentecost, and God's Holy Spirit being then in him. Peter said to him, you shall never wash my feet. And Jesus answered him, if I don't wash you, you have no part with me. As I said last week, this is not just about dirty feet. It's not like Jesus Christ is standing at the gates of the kingdom of God and saying, this one has got dirty feet. Throw him out. Throw him back. No, this had to do with a spiritual issue. That is, he was weak. We drop down to verse 21. When Jesus had said these things, he was troubled in spirit and testified and said, most assuredly I say to you, one of you will betray me. Of course, we go through even more of the section here. Then the disciples looked at one another perplexed about whom he spoke. Another was leaning on Jesus bosom, one of the disciples whom he loved, referring to John. Simon Peter therefore motioned him to ask who it was and whom he spoke. Peter was more than interested. He really wanted to know. Surely it wasn't him. We know that from what we see here in verse 37. Peter said to him, Lord, why can't I not follow you? I will lay down my life for your sake. And Jesus answered him, will you lay down your life for my sake? Most assuredly I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied me three times. Peter had a spiritual weakness. A spiritual weakness. And yet comes the day of Pentecost, comes God's Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is no longer working with Peter, but now in Peter. And as we see him from Acts 2 onward, we see a man who is truly dedicated, truly committed, and we see a man for whom the power of God was able to flow. Flow through his weaknesses to deal with the issues that he had to live with. Let's look over to Acts 5. Acts 5.

Acts 5.1 So the basic idea, as you surmise here, is that this man sold his property, and he brings money to the church, intimates that all the money that he got for the property he's bringing to the church, when that was not the case. Verse 4. While it remained, was it not your own? After it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? Why have you, and you have lied to men, you have not lied to men but to God? The man I is hearing his words fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. Peter did not cast a spell on Ananias. God took his life. But God took his life because God was wanting to make a point for the new fledgling church of God. And young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. About three hours later, his wife came in not knowing what had happened. Peter answered, Tell me whether you sold the land for so much? He said, Yes for so much. But Peter said, How is it that you have agreed together to test the spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will tell you out. Then immediately she fell down at his feet, breathed her last, and the young men came and found her dead and carried her out, and buried her by her husband. So great fear came upon all the church, and upon all who heard these things. Now again, Peter didn't cause these two people to die. God took their lives. But they were also lying to Peter. They were lying to the apostles. And God wanted to make a point. God is making a point here. Verse 12, And through the hands of the apostles, many signs and wonders were done among the people, and they were all one accord in Solomon's porch. So here you see a situation where you've got people who are looking now to Peter, not because of his infirmities, but they're looking to Peter because of his strengths. The power of God is resting upon this, and he's doing powerful things. Or along with the other apostles. Verse 14, Believers were increasingly added to the Lord in multitudes both of men and women, so they brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Now, did the shadow of Peter heal people? We don't know. The Bible doesn't explicitly say that this took place. But it was in people's mind. And you know, there is the thought that perception is reality. It was in people's mind that these men of God had tremendous power. They had tremendous power to flow through them because they were committed and dedicated to God. Now, it could well be that people were healed in this fashion. We don't know. The Bible doesn't show that people were, but they thought it would happen. The major point we are to take from this set of scriptures here, this particular verse, is that God was working very powerfully through these dedicated, committed men who are living the life in response to the bread. So you and I need to keep very much the same thing in mind as we think about our dedication to the things of God. Let's move on now to the next phrase Paul used there in 2 Corinthians 12 and verse 10. And that is, reproaches. Paul said he would take great comfort in the fact that God's power would flow to him while he was being reproached.

Reproaches is defined as ridicule, insult, slander, and rumor. You remember what we read earlier today in 1 Peter 2, where it says, where Christ was very vile but did not revile in return. There was no guile found in his mouth. Christ was dedicated to living righteously. The Apostle Paul was dedicated to living righteously. And he said that through the power of God that rested upon him, he would be able to properly deal with reproaches. Let's take a look at Mark 7 along these lines. Here in Mark 7 we see where the Pharisees, some of the scribes, came together having something to quarrel with Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ's disciples were not washing with the degree of diligence that the Pharisees thought they should be washing their hands with. And then Christ and the disciples were eating. The Pharisees said, well, you know, you are unclean because of that. You're eating with unwashed hands. And you're defiled, and so forth and so on. Christ wanted to make a point about where real defilement comes. Now, Christ's hands were sufficiently clean. Christ committed no sin, whether it be physical sin or spiritual sin. Christ was a perfect individual. He was very aware of proper health. His hands were perfectly clean enough to be eating. Notice what Christ says here in Mark 7, verse 14. When he called all the multitude to himself, he said to them, Hear me, everyone, and understand. There is nothing that enters a man from the outside which can defile him. But the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. So Christ says, let's be concerned about the spiritual aspect of things. Let's be concerned about the spiritual aspect of things. The new body was designed to take a certain amount of dirt and handle that. Not everybody can live in an antiseptic situation where everything is just totally pristine. With that as some background to this idea of being able to handle reproaches, let's go to Matthew 5. Here we've got the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, the bedrock teaching of Jesus Christ, the heart and core, the teaching of Christianity. Matthew 5, verse 11, Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Matthew 5, verse 12, Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. And you drop down. Now let's add to those two verses, verse 16. When people are reproaching you, when they are insulting you, ridiculing you, slandering you, making you the target of their rumors, notice what it says here in verse 16. Let your light so shine before men, as they are attacking you falsely with their tongues, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. The Apostle Paul knew this. He knew that even in reproaches, that could be turned around, and the power of God can rest in his life if he handled the reproaches, if he handled the ridicule, the insults, the slander, and the rumor. If he handled it properly, that could be turned around.

That could be turned around, and he could actually be a light before men. He can illuminate in the world of darkness. Brethren, our light is to not just shine for ourselves, our light is to shine for those around us. The darker the world, the more our light is visible. We don't want to cloist to ourselves, we don't want to just be around other lights, we want to be out there in the darkness, not to live in the way of darkness, but to set an example to those people who are in darkness, to illuminate. And as you and I are doing that, we are allowing the power of God to rest in us and help us to set an example to them. Now, there's a corollary scripture I want to bring to you. It's over here in James 5. Bear with me. I'm going to look at this as a principle, not the explicit wording here.

James 5.

James 5, verses 19 and 20.

Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Now, properly, we understand these two verses to represent, as James here is saying, if anyone among you... So, this is a Christian talking about other Christians. And we are our brother's keeper. And as we allow our light to shine, yes, it can shine to other lights. It can shine to other members of God's church. And as we do that, as we make a difference in their life, as the power rests upon us and flows from us to other people, it says, verse 20, let it be known that he who turns a sinner, you know, a fellow Christian, away from whatever the wrong activity is, the sinful activity is, turns from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. Now, that is our standard teaching on these two verses, and it is proper and correct. But I say there is another level here. And what I'm saying to us is that even in those people in the world, when you and I interface with those people in the world, they can understand and they will get some pieces of truth. And as it says there, if anyone among you wanders, you know, the whole world is wandering. But in your community, in your neighborhood, where you're working, where you interface with anybody who is not a brother or sister spiritually, they are still watching us. They are still learning from us. They can still have their lives changed and altered as a result of their interfacing with us. We have 15% of our income from the church. And this is pretty much the way it's been through all the years I've been associated with God's church. About 10-15% of our income comes from donors, comes from co-workers. People who are not a part of the church of God. A donor is somebody who contributes on an irregular basis every now and again. A co-worker is somebody who will contribute much more frequently.

But they are not members of the church.

And you've had letters read to you, and I've read many letters over the years myself. And I answer letters right now for the church. I get probably five or six e-mail letters every week to answer for people who are not in the church. And every time I get a letter, it's almost always, some comment is made in a letter. They'll ask a question, but some other comment is, I'm so happy to be able to look at your website. What you told us, what you're writing about marriage, has really helped my marriage.

What you're writing about raising children, that's really helped me. You're writing on this subject, you're writing on that subject. It really helped me. So in certain areas of their life, no, they're not coming to church, but in certain areas of their life, they've come to see parts of the truth of God. And as they've come to see parts of the truth of God, they amend their life to include that, and they're blessed for that.

They're blessed for that. So here you've got an example of an unbeliever being helped because of the light that you are exuding. The light that you are exuding. Even though in some of these same letters that I'm talking about, they'll thank us, the church, for these various pieces of literature, then they'll take us to task for something else.

But that's a Sabbath issue. You guys really are wrong. Here are some questions about that. Or these holy days. I really like what you're saying about prophecy, but you're really all wet when it comes to the rapture or whatever. They don't get everything, but they get something. So I think these two verses here are very appropriate. They're not going to have all their sins forgiven them, but if they start living a more Christian life in their marriage, if they start living a more Christian life as they raise their children, as they handle their finances or whatever it is, God's going to bless them for that.

And then maybe be in the world and be full of reproaches. In some ways, God's power can still rest upon us and turn these things around. 1 Peter 2. Notice what it says over here. 1 Peter 2. verse 12. 1 Peter 2. 12. Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, among the nonbelievers, that when they speak against you as evildoersOST, jars, as evildoers, they may, by your good works, because you are committed, because you are dedicated, You and I may be, through our life's example, preaching many sermons all the time to those around us.

You and I may never see the fruit of that. They may never even ask us a question. They just simply watch. They observe. But it says here that they will glorify God in a day of visitation. They have visitations in the return of Jesus Christ. We're talking about in the kingdom of God. So people will see your response to the negatives in your life, in this case reproaches.

And if we handle them properly, people will learn. And that will serve them in good stead when they're resurrected. If they live into the millennium or if they're resurrected into the Great Way of the throne judgment period of time. Either way, the power of God rests in us as we properly handle reproaches. Paul goes on now to the next item here in 2 Corinthians 12. And that is in necessities. Number three, the necessities. Necessities are defined as hardships, needs, deprivations, things like hunger and thirst, lacking of clothing and shelter, any kind of need. And Paul says even in need we can serve.

We don't have to have a big income. We don't have to have a lot of the goodies in life to be able to serve. We can serve as the needs hit us. We can allow the power of God to flow out from us. Matthew 6. Let's go back to the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 6. Verse 25. Matthew 6, 25.

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not the life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air. Jesus Christ is all red letter in my Bible. Look at the birds of the air. For they neither sow nor reap. They neither gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by wearing can add one cubit to his stature? So verse 27 is talking about an inappropriate response to the need in our life. Verse 28. So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither spin nor toil. And yet I say to you that even Solomon and all of his glory was not a raid like one of these. God knows how to take care of those in need.

Whether it be the loliest life forms that God dresses up in a beautiful way, or certainly us who are our inherit will be inheritors to the kingdom of God. Verse 30. Now if God so clothed the grass of the field which today is tomorrow's thrown into the oven, will you not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

So notice the connection here between our worry and faith, between understanding that God wants to help us in faith. Christ here is about to talk to them about their faith. He's going to show them that they need to trust in Him. He's God. And as I was thinking about this section of the sermon, another title for a different sermon, which I may use some that came to mind, and that is that trust is faith in action.

Trust is faith in action. They needed a trust. They needed to have faith in God and Jesus Christ. And when they do that, when they have necessities, then those necessities will be taken care of. Verse 31. Therefore, do not worry saying, What shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? What shall we wear? For all these things the unbelievers seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Your heavenly Father knows your needs.

But seek first the kingdom of God and what? Seek the kingdom of God and the bread. Seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow. For tomorrow, it will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. So here we're talking about looking at the necessities trusting in God the Father, trusting in Jesus Christ. That trust is faith in action. Philippians 4. The Apostle Paul speaks about this.

He certainly knew about privation and need. Philippians 4. Starting here in verse 11. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. The power of God, because this man was dedicated, because this man was committed, he had his needs. But because he was dedicated, because he was committed, he learned how to be content.

That's a spiritual strong point. I know how to be a based, verse 12. And I know how to abound. Everywhere and all things I have both learned to be full and to be hungry. Both to abound and to suffer need. God's Spirit was powerfully working in this man because of his dedication. And notice what's the cause of that dedication, verse 13. I can do all these things through the bread who strengthens me. I can do all these things through Christ who strengthens me.

It is through the bread that we have this power that flows, even during times of need. Because in times of need we realize what the real need is. The real need is always a spiritual need. Hebrews 11, the faith chapter. Here in Hebrews we certainly see people who were trusting in God, the Hall of Fame of Faith. They certainly had needs and the power of God rested upon them as they were committed to that power, to the power of God, to the power of Jesus Christ. Notice Hebrews 11, verses 37 and 38.

They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were slain with a sword, they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute. There's somebody who's got some real need. Being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world is not worthy. They wandered in deserts and in mountains and dens and caves of the earth. These people knew need, but because they knew need and knew the commitment they needed for their lives, their dedication, they were able to overcome. They found themselves in the Hall of Fame of Faith.

God's power flowed through them as they lived their lives. But you know there's a beautiful ending to this. Let's take a look at Matthew chapter 19. Matthew chapter 19, verse 29.

Talk about a promise for those who have suffered need in their life, who've had to go through some very hard times in their life to be Christians. Matthew 19, 29. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or fathers or mother or wife or children or lands for my namesake shall receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life. Doesn't get any better than that.

So when we commit our lives to righteousness, the power of God is released. Paul understood that.

He grew in faith. He grew in contentment. He grew in all the various fruits of God because he trusted in God. He committed his life to Jesus Christ. He committed his life to God the Father.

And the power of God rested upon him. Moving on to the fourth area that we see in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 10, where it talks about how the power of God will work in our lives, even during persecution. We're going to face more and more of that as time goes along. Persecution.

We have been spared a great deal of that up to this point in time. Some of us, some of you, have been persecuted maybe on the job. Maybe you've lost your job. Maybe you're not able to get a job because of Sabbath keeping or Holy Day observance or what have you. But none of us have been tortured. None of us have been burned at the stake or anything of that nature. We've not been thrown to wild animals and some of the other things that some of God's people have gone through, being cut in half and so on. But Paul talks about how even in the persecutions he faced, he was able to turn that around, allow the power of God to flow through him, because he was committed and dedicated to the bread.

No matter what you and I are going through, our dedication, our commitment to God the Father and Jesus Christ, our commitment to live like the bread lived, will allow us to overcome and to be the people God wants us to be. Let's go back to 2 Corinthians 11. This is the chapter just prior to what I'm using for the heart and core of the sermon today. We're using 2 Corinthians 12 as the heart and core, but let's go back just a little bit. One chapter prior to that.

2 Corinthians 11, verses 23 through 33.

2 Corinthians 11, verses 23 through 33.

Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more. And labor is more abundant. People, again, when Corinth were judging Paul, criticizing Paul, they were slandering him, they were misrepresenting, some people were misrepresenting him, so he had to live with this. So he was really astutely aware of how people would say things that were inappropriate about somebody.

And labor is more abundant and stripes above measure, and prisons more frequently and deaths from a juice. Five times I received 40 stripes minus one.

If you're a worker, you know, we read through this so quickly, but you've ever wondered what the deal with this is. Why 39 stripes? And where does this come from? Is this some Roman thing? Well, amazingly enough, if you were to look at Deuteronomy chapter 25, you would see God was the one who instituted this. If you sinned certain kinds of sins, you got 40 stripes, 40 lashes, and that could kill some people. And the way the Jews would do it is they would stand you up, and they would lash you on the front side of your body, then they'd turn to your run and lash you twice as many on the back side of your body.

You know, if some of you saw Mel Gibson's movie about the passion of Christ, which I saw was very hard to sit through, I never really thought about. And it's true, that's how they, how they scourge people. In the movie, that's how they showed Christ being scourged. They stood him up, and they whipped the front side of him, then they turned him over, and really went after him on the back side. But that's in the Bible. It's in Deuteronomy chapter 5. But why 30, why 40 minus 1 here?

40 stripes minus 1. Well, again, from the Jews, the Jews didn't want to break the Word of God.

They were concerned that they started going after people, that by giving 41 lashes, or 42. So they wanted to make sure they didn't go past 40. I'm sure if they were asking the guy there whipping, he could tell you what number they were on. Many people, though, died at 40. But here we've got Paul from the Jews five times. And remember something else. Paul is writing this in the mid-50s A.D. shortly after the days of Unleavened Bread. This is a snapshot as to what he had gone through to this point in his life. He's going to live another 12 or more years.

He's going to go through more hardship than this. This is just what he's gone up to to this point in his life. Now, you talk about persecutions. Five times he received these 39 stripes, which any one of those sessions could have killed him. He could have just left them so weak, he could have gone into shock, he could have gone into any number of things that have happened to him physically. Verse 25, three times I was beaten with rods. He was caned. Once I was stoned.

People think that may be why he suffered loss of vision. Maybe he got hit right in the face, did something to his eyes. Three times I was in a shipwreck. Now, this is a good point about this is a snapshot of where he was here because Acts 27 shows another time he was shipwrecked. So we know for these three times plus the time in Acts 27. Four times! He's in the deep.

And I'm sure that as he's bombing up and down there in the water, he's wondering, now what's swimming around me? You know, he never saw the movie Jaws. He wasn't listening for Jaws music anywhere. But, you know, he's in the deep. The night and the day he spent in the deep. I'm sure there were a lot of things that could go through your mind when you're experiencing something like that. In journeys often. When you think about journeys, think about the Good Samaritan.

It wasn't always the safest thing to travel back in those days. You could be waylaid by any number of people and be hurt. But in journeys often. They talk about all these various perils that he goes through. Perils of water. You know, there weren't too many bridges back in those days.

He could have been overcome with a swollen river, a flash flood. Any number of things could have happened. Perils of robbers. Again, think about the parable of the Good Samaritan. Perils of his own countrymen, Jews. Paul was, you know, for a long time, Paul was right in there with them. He was very zealous. And then when he became a Christian, he was number one on their hit list.

Perils from the heathen. You know, he had been scourged. He had been beaten. He had been astoned. The mobs were after him on a number of places. All these various perils that he went through. We see in verse 26. Many of those were persecutions, but Paul was able to survive that because the power of God was flowing through him. The power of God was resting upon him.

Verse 27. In weariness and toil. You know, he was a hard worker. He worked day and night. He preached the gospel. He would, you know, work at his trade if he wasn't able to secure tithes and offerings from the people. The man didn't take many vacations. In weariness and toil and sleeplessness often.

I think a number of us in this room can appreciate that. I can. If you found yourself in a situation where it wasn't a matter of a lack of faith, you know God is going to back you. You have faith in God and will take care of you. But you also realize that faith and works go hand in hand.

Here's the situation I'm facing. What is my end of the bargain? I know God's got his end of the bargain. I've got my end. What's my end? What am I supposed to be doing here? Sometimes you burn the midnight oil. You're laying in bed. Your eyes are staring straight at the ceiling. What am I supposed to be doing about this? God's going to help me. God's going to give me the help I need. But he's not going to tie my shoes for me. What do I have to do? I've known many a night where I go to bed. I lay there all night. I get up and shower and it's the next day. No sleep at all.

I've been to the place where I've often thought about taking sleeping pills. I've never done it.

I'm sure some of you have gone through some of the same things in life. Paul here understood that. In sleeplessness, often. In hunger and thirst and fasting is often. In cold and in nakedness. You know, he's not just saying things for effect. These aren't just sound bites.

Here's a man who knew bad weather and was shivering and cold.

And he didn't say, hey look, I didn't sign up for this. I'm supposed to be a preacher. I'm supposed to be standing in front of a group of people in a synagogue. It's supposed to be warm in there. And dry in there. I'm not supposed to be in the deep with the sharks. I'm not supposed to be worrying about or thinking about all these other things. Verse 28, besides the other things, that which comes to me daily, my deep concern for the churches.

It's interesting the original tongue here in verse 28 gives the impression that Paul was so concerned. He knew that false ministers were going to come in. He loved the brethren so much. He was concerned that people would be hurt spiritually. And the original has it that it was almost like a blanket was smothering him. He was so concerned. He had to commit this to God. But you know, we as human beings, we have our human frailties. And I'm not saying that Paul was worried, but I'm saying that Paul was concerned. He was deeply concerned. And it really got to him. It weighed on him. So here we see in a tremendous example of the Apostle Paul, who because of his dedication, because of his commitment, the power rested upon him to overcome all these things.

You and I have not gone through this. By comparison, our trials have been we've stubbed our toes compared to all this. Okay, let's move on to the last part, part number five here.

Paul talked about how the power of God would flow through him in distresses.

In distresses. How does the Bible define distress?

It's the picture of being cornered. Have you ever felt cornered? It's a picture of one who feels cornered in a situation where you can't escape, where there's no place to turn, where you're being forced to confront a situation that might destroy you and defeat you. Extreme pressure.

Those are pretty dire adjectives to describe that situation, aren't they?

Cornered, no place to turn, might be destroyed, extreme pressure. I would definitely say that's a person in distress. But Paul said even in these distressful situations, the power of God would rest upon him and he would overcome because of his commitment to live like the bread.

The greatest example that I was thinking about, and it's an old example, but we're going to still turn to it, is there in Exodus 14. Israel at the Red Sea. Wasn't it true that they were in a position where they were not going to be able to escape? I mean, just looking at it from a human perspective.

Wasn't it true that they had no place to turn?

God led them to the place where the mountain ranges was to the south and to the west of them.

They couldn't escape those directions. The Red Sea was to the east of them. From their viewpoint, they're not going to go there. And Pharaoh and his army was coming from the north. I mean, they literally were boxed in. Literally were boxed in. Extreme pressure. Exodus 14.

Speak to the children of Israel that they turn and camp before Piah Hireth between McDowell and the sea opposite Baal-Sippon. You shall camp before it by the sea. Now, again, God leads them there. Brethren, have you found yourself boxed in? Have you found yourself in a situation where you don't know which way to turn? Sometimes it's because of the way you think or the way I think. Sometimes it's because of our own circumstances, of our own making. Maybe a lack of wisdom, wrong choice selection. It could be that. Or it could be we are right where God wants us to be. We are right where God wants us to be because God wants to teach us some things and have us learn those things. Verse 3, For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are bewildered by the land, the wilderness has closed them in.

The wilderness is closed in. But notice verse 4. Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart so that he will pursue them. And I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all of his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. God loves them. God has a plan for them. God is going to say, Okay, no. Egyptians, you are going to die today. It's going to be uncomfortable for a little bit. You are going to die. Don't worry about that. I am going to resurrect you later. You are going to remember this. You are going to remember that you are backing the wrong gods. There is only one God.

And I am the one who killed you that day. I took your life that day. But I am also the one who just brought you back to life. Now, do I have your attention?

Yes, sir. Got our attention. Drop down to verse 10.

And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid. And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Much like the lady we talked about last Sabbath. She came to Jesus Christ. She brought her demon-possessed daughter. She was talking about her demon-possessed daughter.

Asked Christ to take care of the situation. He didn't even speak to her. He just turned away and walked away. She started walking after the disciples. They didn't want anything to do with it. They said, Jesus, would you please get rid of this lady? She is causing a scene here.

But she hung in there. And it wasn't that Christ didn't want to intercede. Christ did.

But he wanted to use this as a teaching tool for the woman. When all of a sudden, Christ said, what marvelous faith she has. And the demons were cast out of the daughter. Same thing here. God loves these Egyptians. God's got a plan. He's got a strategy for them. The strategy is to bring them up at another time and to teach them. Now, the strategy also is working with the children of Israel. Verse 10. You know, here they're crying out to God. God's not answering them.

Don't think because God's not answering a prayer that you're giving.

That he's not wanting to answer it. That he's not going to answer it. He's just not doing it at the time you're praying. Like that lady. She didn't get an answer right there and then. She had to hang in there in persistence. She had to literally pursue Jesus Christ. Show faith. Learn things. Learn that he wasn't just a man. You know, she called him son of David. He was more than just a son of David. He was God in the flesh. She had to come and see that. When she saw those things, that's when the healing took place. So there may be things in your life right now. You're going before God. Just like Paul did. You're besieging God. You're entreating God. You're pleading with God as Paul did. No answer. Because God has something else in mind for you. Now, the Israelites went the wrong way with this. Verse 11. Then they said to Moses, because there were no graves in Egypt, you have taken us away to die in the wilderness. Why have you so dealt with us to bring us out of Egypt? Is this not the word we told you in Egypt, saying, let us alone?

We might serve the Lord. They serve the Egyptians. It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than we should die in the wilderness. So, I mean, their prayers that God were, and their entreaties that God were very short-lived in terms, then it began to sour very quickly.

Then Moses said to the people, do not be afraid. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which you will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians, whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. Last year in a sermon during the Days of the Love of God. I may mention, don't just do something, stand there. Don't just do something, stand there.

There's a time in our life when we as Americans like to be people of action.

But there's a time we need to look around, take a good look at the situation we find ourselves in, and then, as we see here in verse 14, the Lord will fight for you when you shall uphold your peace. And the Lord said to Moses, why do you cry to me? Tell the children of Israel, go forward.

There's a time to stand still, to take a look at your surroundings, to really appreciate where you're at, to know the pros and the cons of what you're facing. And then there's a time, once you've done that, you've recalibrated your thinking, you've gotten to gear properly with God, you're in lockstep with God, then you move forward.

So there's a situation where there are some people in some real dire circumstances. They were in distress. God came through, despite their bad attitudes, God came through to help them, because they were His people. There are times we've got less than stellar attitudes, and God comes through to help us. Last scripture of the day we want to turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 10.

Excuse me, I've got something in my throat, it won't go up or down. It happened when we were talking about these Egyptians, maybe it's one of these frogs.

1 Corinthians chapter 10. Now here's a scripture that some people say just doesn't work.

Well, excuse me, this works just well, real fine. This scripture works, you know, it's fully operational, this scripture. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13. 2 Corinthians chapter 13. No temptation has overtaken you, except such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted by what you are able, but with the temptation also make you a way of escape that you may be able to bear it.

People read this verse and they think, well, God never removed that from me.

The verse doesn't say God's going to remove anything from you.

The verse says God will make you able to bear it.

Not necessarily escape. Now sometimes God will take things away, but this person doesn't say He's on or bound to take things away. He says it's going to make you be able to bear it. And the reason why I think some people think this scripture doesn't work and is not valid is because they go through these trials, these temptations, they are crushed by them. They say, well, where was God? Where was that way of escape?

They don't find their way of escape because they're too busy trying to take everything on their own shoulders.

The way of escape is to escape to God the Father and to Jesus Christ.

As so poetically said a number of times in the Psalms, to go under His wings, to go under His shelter. That is our escape. We escape to the Father, we escape to our elder brother, and then they give us the power to bear through the difficulty that we're able to bear through it. If God gives it to us, He doesn't give us things that are going to destroy us. God's that kind of a God. He gives us things that are going to help us to grow. So brethren, today we wanted to take a look at the second portion of the Passover service, which is the bread, Jesus Christ the bread, His life represented commitment, His life represented dedication. And we were showing through what the words of the Apostle Paul that if you and I dedicate ourselves, if we commit ourselves, to living the life that Christ lived, to being unleavened like Christ, then God's power will flow through us through these various negatives. God's power will flow through us during times of infirmity, during times of reproach, during times of necessity, during times of persecution, and during times of distress. Some of the worst things mankind can go through, but if we are dedicated and loyal, committed to God the Father and Jesus Christ, they will be there for us to help us through these difficult times.