​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday, June 13, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“Taking God’s Grace for Granted!”
Acts 5:1-11
 
As we continue our study in the book of Acts, we hit this morning the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts chapter 5.  The story of Ananias and Sapphira seems out of place at the beginning of Acts.  If you were to read through the first four chapters of Acts, Luke has been telling us about so many great things which the disciples of Jesus were enabled to do after the ascension of the Lord. 
 
So far it has been a narrative which tells us about the power of the Holy Spirit in the apostles’ lives, the strong bond and fellowship among the followers of Jesus, their powerful prayer life, their bold witness, and the phenomenal growth of the early Church.  Acts 4:33 summarizes everything up until our Scripture this morning when it says, “With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.”  It’s a picture of a wonderful community of God’s people. 
 
Then we get to the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11 and we feel as if we are in a different world.  We were up there on the mountaintop, but now we get to the lowest valley.  The deaths of Ananias and Sapphira do not seem to fit with the narrative just before the text and after it.  Why does Luke interrupt his account with this depressing story?   Before I offer a couple remarks about this sad story, I would like to briefly say something about this couple, Ananias and Sapphira.
 
Who were Ananias and Sapphira?
Who were they?  This is a Greek couple, which means they’re not Jewish.  They are probably new to the Christian faith.  It’s possible they were part of the 120 disciples in Acts 1:15. It’s also possible that they heard the wind when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles during Pentecost and became Christians.  Maybe they saw the man who was crippled get healed.  In any case, they are relatively new Christians.  Ananias is a Greek name that means, “God is merciful.”  Sapphira literally means “the beautiful lady.”
 
Seeing the example of so many good Christians and being captivated by the growth and interest in the Church, Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, wanted a part of the action.  So they sold a parcel of land but decided to handle the money very differently than others did.  Instead of giving one hundred percent of the money to the Church, they kept part of it for themselves. 
 
Probably coveting power and prestige in the Church, they “agreed together”, they conspired, to lead the Apostle Peter and others to believe they donated the entire sum.  We have to know that Ananias and Sapphira owned their property; they were free to do with it as they saw fit (Acts 5:4).  Nobody actually asked them or forced them to sell their property.  It was their decision to do so.  For conspiring to lie as they did, they were struck dead.
 
So the question we need to ask ourselves this morning is: Why does Luke interrupt his account with this depressing and sad story?  Why does Luke bring us from the mountaintop to the deep valley?  I think there is so much we can learn from this story but let me briefly share two lessons today.
 
First: A Warning Against Living Counterfeit Christianity
At the heart of the story of Ananias and Sapphira is a strong warning against living counterfeit Christian lives!  On the outside, Ananias and Sapphira look just like another church member named Barnabas that Luke introduces at the end of Acts chapter 4.  Barnabas had just sold his property and brought the money to the apostles, and to the casual observer, Ananias and Sapphira were doing the same thing.
 
Luke introduces these two stories back-to-back to show us there is the genuine and authentic, but there is also the fake and the counterfeit.  That’s why Acts 5:1 starts this way, “But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property.”  Deep in the heart of Ananias and Sapphira lingered a love of money and a desire for people’s praise and approval, so they conspired together to present a portion of their money while passing it off as the entire amount.  Friends, there is a huge difference between the real and the fake, the authentic and the counterfeit.  The first lesson we get to see here is a warning against living counterfeit Christianity.
 
Second: An Awareness of God’s Holiness
But there is a second lesson that we need to remember here.  The story of Ananias and Sapphira invites us to seriously consider God’s holiness.  It seems that Ananias and Sapphira didn’t take God’s holiness seriously.  We are supposed to approach God and to worship Him with reverence, awe and respect, because He is holy.  Our God is like no other.  That’s the exact opposite of what Ananias and Sapphira did.  In their worship they lie and test God.  They underestimate God’s holiness.  In other words, they took God’s grace for granted.
 
Ananias and Sapphira may have known that truth, the truth of God’s holiness, but they certainly weren’t living it.  Their attitude and deeds testified to that.  Ananias and Sapphira looked good on the outside, but they were rotting on the inside.
 
Friends, the warning against living counterfeit Christianity and our awareness of God’s holiness ought to invite us today to examine our lives and search our hearts.  In Acts 5:5, Luke tells us that “great fear seized all who heard of it.”  In fact, later, in Acts 5:11, we also read that “great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.”  Heart searching is the proper response as we reflect on Ananias and Sapphira’s story.  King David prayed those great words in Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.  See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”  Amen. 

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday, June 6, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“Companions of Jesus!!”
Acts 4:12-22
 
As we continue our summer sermon series in the book of Acts, our journey this morning takes us to Acts chapter 4.  Peter and John have just healed a crippled man at the Temple in Acts 3:1-10.  As a result, a large crowd gathered around them at Solomon’s Colonnade where Peter began to preach.  Peter seized the moment to preach the gospel message in such a powerful and compelling way.
 
While the book of Acts records powerful sermons, amazing miracles, and explosive church growth, it also reminds us that we are in the midst of a spiritual war.  For whenever believers seek to impact their culture, whenever the gospel is preached with power, and people’s lives are changed, the enemy stirs up fierce opposition.  And we’re going to see the situation get pretty nasty for the apostles in Acts chapter 4.
 
In Acts 4 verses 1-4, we find that Peter is interrupted right in the middle of his sermon. Luke tells us that, “The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.  They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.  They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.  But many of those who heard the word believed; and they numbered about five thousand.”
 
Peter and John’s boldness in proclaiming the gospel is something that we cannot miss in Acts chapter 4.  They had Peter and John brought up before the elders, the teachers of the law, the Sadducees, Annas, the High Priest, Caiaphas, and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”  With courage Peter answered, “Know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed … Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.” Wow!
 
I was struck by many statements in Acts chapter 4, but one in particular captured my heart.  It’s the words of Luke in Acts 4:13, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus.”  The Jewish leaders were astonished by the boldness of Peter and John.  They weren’t impressed with their background.  They had no formal religious training.  It wasn’t in their education.  It wasn’t in their credentials.  They had none.  It was in the Spirit-filled boldness that was born out of knowing Jesus.  When the religious leaders considered all the facts, they came to one simple conclusion: Peter and John had been with Jesus.
 
Our companionship with Jesus … walking closely and faithfully with Him ~ That’s what makes the whole difference.  No fact is more important for our consideration today than that one; especially, all around us, we see signs of the diminishing impact of Christianity on our culture.  We wonder why Christians have lost our influence in society.  I think this verse offers us a very clear answer.  The early Christians turned the world upside down because they had a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. That single fact explains the boldness of the first generation of believers who took the gospel from Jerusalem across the Roman Empire. I think the story of Peter and John in Acts 4 challenges us today in at least two ways:
 
First: You Can Be around Jesus and Yet not Be with Him
“They were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus.”  It was more than just knowledge.  It was more than a few prayers.  It was more than religion as a hobby.  It was something that produced a dynamic power that transformed ordinary people into bold witnesses for Christ.
 
I think our temptation today is that we can be “around” but not “with.”  It is dangerous to be around Jesus and not be with Jesus.  There is a difference between being around Jesus and being with Jesus.  There is a difference between being around Christians and being with Jesus.  There is a difference between being around Christian events and being with Jesus.  There is a difference between being around the church and being with Jesus.  The disciples had been “with” Jesus and knew Him intimately and that changed everything.  Even their enemies could see the difference Christ had made in their lives. 
 
Second: Our Lives Should Carry the Aroma of Heaven
The lives of these disciples carried the aroma of Christ.  “They recognized them as companions of Jesus.”  In 2 Corinthians 2:15, Paul wrote these words to the Corinthians, “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”  Those who truly follow Christ, will always have the aroma of heaven.
 
Many years ago, I had a parishioner whose life carried that aroma of Christ.  I remember a comment someone made about him as he said, “Whenever he entered the room, I felt a little closer to heaven.”  Over the years, I have known a few people like that in my life; people who carried the aroma of Christ.  Those people draw you closer to the Lord whether they are talking or listening, laughing or crying, standing or sitting, following or leading because they carry the aroma of heaven.
 
Friends, Christians don’t become Christ-like by accident.  We become Christ-like when we become “companions of Jesus.”  We do not become like Christ merely by self-effort.  Without the Holy Spirit, we will stay exactly as we are.  Christian life is a journey, so keep going and keep following.  We are not there yet, but we are on the way.  This is our challenge.  This is our calling. And this is our prayer today.  May Christ be seen in us.  May the Holy Spirit fill us with grace and truth.  May the whole world know by the way we live that we have been with Jesus; we are companions of Jesus.”  Amen.

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday, May 30, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“Our True Need!”
Isaiah 35:3-6; Acts 3:1-10
 
We all have needs.  Deep down in your heart there is something that you think your life will be much happier if you get hold of it.  Some of us would identify money as our need.  We need a job, or a raise, or help paying off our debt, or mortgage, car payment, or medical bills.  We would identify our need as financial. 
 
Others would identify relationships as their need.  They may be having marriage problems or family issues.  They may have a problem with a parent, a sibling, or a coworker that they don’t know how to fix.  They may need reconciliation or another try or to feel loved and accepted.  In this case, we would identify our need as relational. 
 
Some people would identify time as their need.  We’re just too busy with our schedules, our jobs, our kids’ sports, and many activities.  We don’t have enough time to get things done.  If only we had more time, everything would be easier.  Those people would identify time as their need.  I’m sure we can easily identify so many other needs—medical needs, emotional needs, and social needs.  
 
Today we kick off a new sermon series from the book of Acts.  Acts gives us a glimpse of the early Church’s life.  It also offers a detailed account of the challenges the early followers of Jesus had to face; where they found strength and how they were able to share the good news of Jesus with their friends and neighbors.  Through our summer months, we will be featuring some of the key passages in Acts and highlighting some of the wonderful lessons for our life today.
 
As we open our Scripture lessons this morning, we encounter a God who truly cares for the needs of His people.  Peter and John, two of Christ’s disciples, are going to the temple for a 3:00 pm prayer meeting, and as they’re walking into the temple compound, they encounter a man who has never walked.  He was born lame and has had to depend on the generosity of others his entire life, to be transported to the temple, maybe to get into his bed, eat, and go to the bathroom.  As we reflect on the story of this lame man today, please allow me to underscore two things:
 
First: We Underestimate our Need
The first thing that we see in our story is a person whose need was great.  His need was obvious.  His need was enormous.  Yet, for our surprise, the lame man actually underestimates his need and so do we oftentimes.  The lame man didn’t ask the apostles for healing.  He didn’t have a clear perception of his need.  Instead, he asks them for money.  “If I can just have more money, it will solve all my problems, or at least most of them.”  Have you ever told yourself that?  This man became so locked into a way of thinking he couldn’t imagine what God might do.  You and I also can become so locked in a way of thinking we can’t imagine what God can do. 
 
This lame man thinks he needs silver and gold.  He thought what he needed the most were shelter and food.  But Peter and John looked at him and said man, you don’t know what the Lord got in store for you today!  Listen to these words from Acts 3:6-7, “But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.”  And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.”  Our need is bigger than food and shelter.  May we never underestimate our need.  But there is a second truth we see in our story today and it has to do with the source of our true satisfaction.
 
Second: Only God Can Satisfy our True Need
The lame man thought he needed silver and gold, but God knows our true need.  Peter and John knew the lame man needed God Himself.  He needs God to reach down into his life and touch him and that’s what we need.  The apostles knew only God can satisfy our true need.  Neither silver nor gold can satisfy our true need.  God always has greater things for us.
 
The lame man received God’s healing.  I like how Luke describes this man’s response in Acts 3:8, “Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.”  A whole new world unfolds before him; from that moment on, this man lived his life with new perspectives. 
 
He jumps up and begins telling everyone how good God is!  He has encountered the life–giving power of God.  When God meets our needs, let’s tell others.  When God keeps providing for you month after month even though the budget is tight, tell others.  When God gives you peace in the midst of loss, tell others.  When God is there for you at your darkest moment, tell others!  We think our need is one thing, money, relationship, time, health, but in reality, our need is so much bigger.  We need God Himself.  
 
Friends, I think the question we should ask now is where do we go from here?  I would suggest, especially as we embark on this new journey together in the book of Acts, I would suggest examining our hearts this week.  What would you identify as your biggest need right now?  What’s taking up your mental energy?  If you were to imagine what God sees as your biggest need, what do you think God would identify? 
 
As you wrestle with these questions, may we always remember that our true need is more of God in our lives not more of the stuff of this world.  May we always remember that only God can satisfy the deep desires of our hearts.  When we do so, the Prophet Isaiah reminds us in Isaiah 35:5-6, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.”  In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen!

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Pentecost Sunday, May 23, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“A Pentecost People!”
Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:1-13
 
It was a warm spring day in Jerusalem.  It’s about 9:00 am Jerusalem time.  Everyone was excited about the Feast of Weeks.  They called it Shavuot, or Pentecost.  The Feast commemorates the giving of the Law.  They counted the days down with anticipation.  From Passover to the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mt Sinai — exactly 7 weeks, 50 days.  And so from all over the Mediterranean basin and beyond, Jews who had scattered descended upon Jerusalem for a 2 day celebration.
 
Though it seemed a very normal and typical celebration day in Jerusalem, it turned out to be an awesome day.  The world didn’t know what the Lord had in store for His people.  On Pentecost, God did something surprising, something these Jewish pilgrims could not have expected.  Now, the 120 followers of Jesus gathered praying in the Upper Room knew what Jesus had said before His ascension.  Just before He ascended to heaven, the Lord had promised: “In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5).  But the visitors to Jerusalem knew nothing of Jesus’ promise.
 
When the wind blew, when the Holy Spirit descended, when the fire lit over the heads of the 120, when they heard them speaking their languages, miraculously empowered by God, the crowds were amazed.  Some thought they were drunk, even though it was only 9 a.m.!
 
Pentecost – today is Pentecost Sunday.  It’s the day on the Christian Calendar when churches around the world commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church.  Pentecost sometimes is overlooked.  It may seem less important than Christmas (the Festival of the Incarnation) or Easter (the Festival of the Resurrection).  Yet Pentecost is foundational for our faith, especially for our life together as the Church, the People of God.  As we think about Pentecost today and consider Acts chapter 2, I would like to offer two lessons from Pentecost:
 
First: We Really Need the Holy Spirit
We can’t understand what happened in Acts chapter 2 unless we know something about Joel chapter 2.  When some people in the crowd at Pentecost accused the 120 of celebrating Shavuot a little too much, Peter stood before a crowd of Jews and appealed to the Jewish prophet, Joel.  Joel had prophesied what God would do on the day of Pentecost.  In his sermon to mostly Jewish audience in Acts 2:17, Peter quotes the words of Joel 2:28, “After that, I will pour out my spirit upon everyone; your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.” 
 
God promised that one day He will pour out His Spirit upon His people.  His generosity in Christ will be shown to everyone.  He will permanently dwell among us.  The Old Testament saints longed for this day.
 
The first lesson we need to remember on this Pentecost Sunday is that we really need the Holy Spirit.  We need the companionship of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus knew that following Him in the world is not easy.  The task ahead of the disciples was not easy.  There was no way that the Church in its own power was up to the job.  They absolutely had to receive God’s power; the power of the Holy Spirit.
 
One of my favorite African American Spirituals is “Give Me Jesus!”  The earliest known version of “Give Me Jesus” was published in 1845 by the Rev. Jacob Knapp, a Baptist minister from New York.  It goes like this: (1) “In the morning, when I rise … Give me Jesus.  Give me Jesus … You can have all this world … But give me Jesus.  (2) And when I am alone … Oh, and when I am alone … Give me Jesus … You can have all this world … But give me Jesus.  (3) And when I come to die … Oh, and when I come to die.  Give me Jesus … You can have all this world … But give me Jesus.”  God’s presence is what we need the most.
 
Friends, if on that day long ago, the followers of Jesus really needed the Holy Spirit, then hear this: We really need the Holy Spirit today!  We simply cannot follow Jesus closely or serve Him faithfully if we operate in our own weakness. 
 
Second: We Really Need Each Other
But there is a second lesson we are reminded of on Pentecost.  Not only do we really need the Holy Spirit, but we also need each other.  It should strike us that Jesus could have sent the Holy Spirit on each of the 120 followers individually when they were praying at home alone.  Instead, the Holy Spirit fell when the disciples were in the Upper Room praying together.  There is something about joining forces that moves spiritual mountains.
 
What is striking about Acts 2 is that it begins with togetherness and it ends with togetherness.  Acts 2:42 speaks of shared teaching, shared meals, shared prayers, even shared possessions. The Holy Spirit united their hearts in singleness of purpose and mission.  Simply put, we cannot accomplish individually the mission God that God has given us.
 
A few weeks ago, I pointed out that community is at the heart of Jesus movement and we should make it our priority to unite ourselves with the Body of Christ.  Faith, I said, is a journey and it’s not meant to be traveled alone.  Community is extremely important.  We get fed in this community.  We are protected in this community.  We are safer in this community.  We reach our potential in the church community.  We love and we are loved in this community.  We exercise our spiritual gifts in this community.  We get blessed and we become a blessing to others in this community.
 
Friends, we have been called to be a Pentecostal people.  Of course, I am not referring to a certain denomination, rather, I am calling all of us today to demonstrate a Pentecostal spirit; to live as Pentecostal people; that is to recognize our daily need and dependency on the Holy Spirit.  The good thing is that we do this in community.  We lean on the wisdom of the body of Christ.  We journey together.  We follow together.  The power of God the Holy Spirit and the power of being part of the community of Christ are two ways that capture the spirit of Pentecost.  On these two important elements rise or fall our witness in the world.  In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen!

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday, May 16, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“He Ascended into Heaven: Why It Still Matters Today?”
Acts 1:6-11
 
A little boy asked his Dad, “Dad, did Grandpa make you go to Sunday school when you were my age?”  His father said, “He sure did, son. We went every Sunday.”  The boy said sadly, “Well, I bet it won’t do me any good either.”  The lesson is simple: It is not enough to just go to church. We must apply the Bible to our everyday lives.  Faith is useless if it doesn’t shape our actions.  Faith is dead if it doesn’t transform our lives.
 
This past Thursday was the fortieth day after Easter which means it was “Ascension Day.”  It is the day which marks the ascension of Christ into heaven.  Though often overlooked, the ascension is so central to our faith.  It’s a vital part of the whole Christian narrative.  That’s why it is mentioned in Scriptures in so many places.  No wonder that the early Christian creeds such as the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed clearly emphasized the ascension of Jesus.  So I want to take some time this morning to reflect on the ascension of Christ and what it means for us today.
 
You might wonder: “Why does the ascension matter?  I know it matters that Jesus died on the cross, and I know it matters that Jesus rose from the dead, but why does it matter that Jesus ascended into heaven?”  Why does Christ’s ascension matter?  What does the ascension mean for us today?  This morning I would like to briefly share with you a couple short observations on why the ascension matters to us today.  The first thought will address the ascension and the paradox of Christ’s presence and absence; and the second will look at need to balance between our longing for Christ’s return and the task before us today.
 
First: The Paradox of Christ’s Presence and Absence
It must’ve felt so wired not to have Jesus around.  For 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus presented Himself to the disciples and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive.  Now He is gone.  He went back to heaven.  
 
The disciples must’ve wrestled with the paradox of Christ’s presence and absence.  It’s true that He is with them always to the very end of the age, but He is not physically present.  He is not visible, yet He is there.  They cannot see Him, but they can talk to Him all the time.  Likewise, while we cannot sometimes sense the presence of Christ, we know He is not absent.  Christ is always present though sometimes He is hidden.
 
This paradox deepens the Trinitarian theology, meaning, and mystery of the sacraments. Christ is present in the sacraments in ways like no other events.  For example, though we don’t touch Him, though our eyes don’t get to see Him, in Communion, at the Lord’s Table, He nourishes us with His life by the Spirit.  He is present in all the ups and downs of life, but He also works in hidden, unusual, and mysterious ways.
 
The ascension captures the paradox of the Lord’s presence and absence.  Though presently seated at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven crowned with glory and honor (Hebrews 1:3, 2-5-9), “we do not see everything in subjection to him.”  The ascension reminds us that Christ’s reign is “already” but “not yet.”  The ascension reminds us that our God is both hidden and revealed; present though He may seem absent; quiet sometimes, though we shouldn’t doubt His presence; at the right hand of God in heaven, yet, His nearness is real.
 
Second: The Balance between Today and TomorrowThe ascension keeps us balanced between our longing for Christ’s return and fulfilling our tasks here on earth.  At Jesus’s ascension, in Acts 1:11, the two angels declared: “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”  The ascension creates a longing for Jesus’s return.  It keeps us attached to heaven.  Our lives should be lived in the light and hope of Christ’s Second Coming. 
 
But as we long and wait for Christ’s return, we should not stay idle.  Rather, we should do what God has called us to do.  The ascension is a reminder of that balance.  I like how Luke in the book of Acts concludes the ministry of Jesus with the ascension.  He also launches the ministry of the church with the ascension.  The ministry of the church is the extension of what Jesus began to do and teach. The disciples are to live this balance between their longing for Christ’s future return and the present task ahead of them. 
 
Friends, I pray that we recapture today the truth of Christ’s ascension and be filled with the renewing and empowering hope that comes from the message that Jesus is our ascended King, reigning in the Spirit with the authority of His loving Father.  Let us remember today that the ascended Lord is still present with us.  He is our friend and our Good shepherd.  Though He might seem to be hidden sometimes, His faithfulness endures forever, and His compassion continues to all generations.  Let us also remember that the ascension is a reminder to balance between our longing for Christ’s return and our calling today.  We live with the hope of Christ’s Second coming while finishing the work He has given us today.  In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday, May 9, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“Matthias: The Chosen Apostle!”
Acts 1:15-26
 
We continue this morning our reflections on the forty-day period between Christ’s resurrection and His ascension.  I believe this forty-day period is extremely important and it has so much to teach us today.  The question I asked a few weeks back: What did Jesus do?  What did He teach His disciples?  How did He spend His time?
 
Over these past few weeks, we have had the chance to unpack these questions and alongside the way, we have learned some very valuable lessons for our journey.  Thankfully, in the book of Acts chapter 1, Dr. Luke gives us some very helpful information about this forty-day period.  Let me very briefly remind you of some of the lessons we have learned so far and I will add a short one today.
 
First: Jesus Christ is Really AliveThe resurrection of Jesus is so central to the Christian faith.  It’s God’s way of accepting the sacrifice of Christ.  It’s the validation of Christ’s ministry and mission.  If Christ has not been raised from the dead, our faith is futile, and we are still in our sins.  Christ’s resurrection is a reminder that death is not the end.  Death doesn’t have the final word.  We will live beyond the grave.  The empty tomb is a reminder that our God is alive and He is present with us today and till the end of the age.  No wonder that Luke wrote in Acts 1:3 that Jesus, after His suffering, presented Himself alive to His disciples by many convincing proofs. 
Second: God’s Kingdom Must Be our Highest PriorityIn Acts 1:3 Luke tells us that during these forty days, Jesus spoke with His disciples about the kingdom of God.  God’s kingdom is God’s rule over our lives.  In the gospels, Jesus referred to the kingdom in one way or another about eighty times.  It was clearly the central theme of His teaching.  God’s kingdom, God’s work in the world, should be our highest priority.  As anyone else, followers of Jesus have their share of life; yet, we are human beings who have been transformed by God’s grace therefore we live with a different mindset.  God’s kingdom must be our highest priority.
Third: The Importance of Community
A third lesson that I underscored last week and that’s the importance of community.  In Acts 1:12-14, Luke tells us that during these forty days the disciples were TOGETHER.  Community is at the heart of Jesus movement.  If it’s so, we should not give up meeting together but encourage one another.  We shouldn’t forsake the assembly of believers.  Faith is a journey and it’s not meant to be traveled alone.   
 
Matthias: The New Apostle
As we get to the last part of Acts chapter 1, we see the disciples returning to Jerusalem after the ascension of Jesus on Mount Olivet.  They were about one hundred and twenty in number at the time.  Peter appeared to have become the leader of the group at this stage.  Peter stood up and said to the gathering that it was important for Judas Iscariot to be replaced in order to fulfill the scriptures where David said: “Let his habitation be desolate and his office let another take.”
 
According to Peter the person to be elected to replace Judas must have been with the group from the time of the baptism of Jesus, throughout His ministry to His resurrection.  Two people were nominated; Joseph also called Barsabbas and Matthias. The disciples prayed to God so that His choice may be made from among the two candidates.  They cast lots and Matthias was chosen to add to the eleven disciples that were left.  
 
So what do we take home from the story?  The story of Matthias’ election reminds us of two great lessons.  1. It’s not about our popularity, it’s all about our faithfulness. Luke tells us in Acts chapter 1 that the praying assembly of believers came up with two names: Joseph and Matthias.  We know nothing for sure about either one.  They were not as well-known as the rest of Christ’s disciples.  But the truth is God doesn’t care about our popularity; he looks at your heart.  We don’t know much about these candidates, yet God knows them very well.
 
But there is another great lesson that you and I can learn from the story of choosing Matthias.  2. When it comes to our calling, there is no such a thing as a small task.  If God calls you to do something, do it and follow where God leads.  The Bible tells us nothing about Matthias or what he did after he became the 12th apostle.  He’s never mentioned again. Some Christian traditions say Matthias planted the church in Cappadocia; others believe that Matthias preached the gospel of Jesus in Ethiopia and he planted the Ethiopian church.  Another tradition maintains that Matthias was stoned at Jerusalem by the Jews, and then beheaded.  The Bible doesn’t tell us what Matthias did, but we know he did what God called him to do.
 
Friends, like Matthias, we have been called by God to serve Him and serve others in His name.  It’s not about our popularity, but about our faithfulness to follow where God leads.  There is no “small” or “insignificant” task when it comes to God’s calling.  If God is calling you to do something, it means it’s significant and it’s extremely important. Today is Mother’s Day and we are here because of the faithfulness of a mom or a grand mom who took the time to pray with us or told us a story from the Bible or brought us week after week to Sunday School.  These things most likely seemed small or insignificant back them, but they brought us closer to Jesus.  “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last,” said Jesus in John 15:16.  Amen.
 

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 2, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“You Were Made for Community!”
Psalm 133; Acts 1:12-14
 
We’ve been looking at the forty-day period between Christ’s resurrection and His ascension into heaven.  It’s an important period in the life of the church of Jesus Christ, and yet, it’s least explored by most of us.  I believe there is so much we can learn from that time.
 
Last Sunday we pondered an important question: what did Jesus do during this forty-day period?  What did He talk about?  In the Book of Acts chapter 1, Luke seems to give us a glimpse of this important time.  In Acts 1:3, Luke says, “After his suffering Jesus presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.”  Last week I pointed out that during these forty days, Jesus wanted the disciples to have deep confidence and assurance of His resurrection.  Luke said, “Jesus presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs.”  There should be no place for any doubt.  He also wanted to make sure that God’s kingdom is His disciples’ highest priority … “appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.”
 
This morning we continue to explore more of this period as we focus on how Christ deepened the disciples’ understanding of community.  Community was so central and so important to the movement of Jesus of Nazareth.  From day one, Jesus invited those whom He has called into a communal life where they can lean on each other, encourage each other, and be there for each other.  Yes, this community was not always perfect, yet, it was always central to the Jesus movement.
 
For three full years, Jesus invested most of His time forming and building this community.  He lived with His disciples.  He taught them.  They wrestled with the hard questions of life together.  He knew that this community will continue what He has started. 
 
   Needless to say, the crucifixion and death of Christ hit that community so hard.  It shattered this community.  After the death of Jesus, the disciples scattered and most of them went back to their previous lives.  But after the glorious news of Christ’s resurrection, this community is glued back together again.  In Acts 1:12-14 Luke speaks about this community.  This morning I would like to speak about the formation of this community and what does it mean to us today.
 
First: The Formation of this Community
In Acts 1:14, Luke tells us “All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.”  “Together” is a key word in here.
 
How did this happen?  These eleven disciples had distinct personalities and often struggled with one another.  On one occasion, James and John sneakily asked Jesus if they could be His right-hand men. This of course aggravated the other disciples.  And Simon the Zealot probably couldn’t stand being around Levi the tax collector seeing him as a traitor to his people.  I bet that most of the other disciples were probably jealous of Peter, James and John because Jesus always took them on special trips.  And think about the friction between Mary and Martha when Martha felt as if she did all the work and Mary received all the blessing from Jesus.  
 
Luke also makes a special note of the fact that the disciples were joined by some certain women as well as Jesus’ brothers; whether these were real brothers or cousins, it doesn’t really matter.  I find it interesting that during Jesus’ lifetime, his brothers didn’t believe that He was the Messiah (John 7:5).  Quite the opposite, they actually thought He was out of His mind (Mark 3:21-35).  The resurrection of Christ must’ve transformed the lives of James and Jude and made them go from being non-believers to becoming influential leaders in the early church both writing a book in the Bible.
 
What we witness in these forty days is the birth of a new community.  A community that prays together; dreams together; and works together.  They became like brothers and sisters, sure they still wrestled over issues from time to time but through prayer they had a bond that was stronger than any differences.  They realized they weren’t competitors; they were on the same team.  From this, we can draw one single implication.
 
Second: Don’t Go it Alone, You Were Made for Community
If community is at the heart of Jesus movement, we should make it our priority to unite ourselves with the Body of Christ.  Faith is a journey and it’s not meant to be traveled alone.  We live in a very individualistic and disconnected culture.  Yet individualism and doing life on our own is not part of God’s design.  After all, God is a community in Himself.  Existing for all of eternity past, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have enjoyed the love and fellowship of their perfect triune community.
 
Scripture is all about community.  We weren’t created to be independent, autonomous, or self-sufficient.  We were made to live in a humble, worshipful, and loving dependency upon God and in a loving and humble interdependency with others.  Yet, the foolishness of sin tells us that we have all that we need within ourselves. So we hold our struggles within, not taking advantage of the resources God has given us.
 
Friends, community is extremely important.  We get fed in this community.  We are protected in this community.  We are safer in this community.  We reach our potential in the church community.  We love and we are loved in this community.  We exercise our spiritual gifts in this community.  We get blessed and we become a blessing to others in this community.
 
Among the many lessons we’ve got to learn since the beginning of the pandemic, is the importance of the church community.  I hope we continue to value that.  I also hope that sometime soon everyone will feel safe to gather at the Lord’s House.  I think we can see some light at the end of that long and dark tunnel.  I was glad this week to read that the CDC announced this week that fully vaccinated people who wear masks can safely attend indoor events including worship services.  I personally cannot wait to see everyone back to worship because it’s so wonderful, it’s awesome to travel this journey of faith together.  “For there the Lord,” says David in Psalm 133:3, “bestows His blessing, even life forevermore.”  Amen.

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday, April 25, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“The Forty Days before Ascension!”
Acts 1:1-5

I have always been fascinated by and curious about the forty days between Christ’s resurrection and His ascension to heaven.  What was Jesus doing during these forty days?  What did Jesus talk about?  Did he talk about the weather, sports, the latest gossip from Rome?  What did He teach His disciples?  Did He emphasize certain things during this forty-day period?
 
You may be interested to know that Acts 1:3 is the only place that tells us that the period between the Resurrection and the Ascension was precisely 40 days.  For 33 years Jesus of Nazareth has made the earth His home.  Now the time draws near to leave.  We’re beyond the cross, past the suffering, the torture, the mocking, and even beyond the resurrection.  We’re in that mysterious forty-day period that we would like to know more about.
 
In order to get a glimpse of what Jesus did during these forty days, we will be turning to Luke 1:1-3, a key Scripture passage that sheds some light on the time between resurrection and ascension.  As you know, Luke wrote two books in the New Testament: the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts.  Luke addresses both books to unidentified reader called “Theophilus.”  “Theophilus θεόφιλος” is a Greek name that means “friend of God,” or “beloved of God.”  This could easily represent the actual name of an individual or perhaps referring to the Christian community as a community of those who have been loved by God.
 
During the forty-day period between Christ’s resurrection and ascension, Luke tells us Christ no longer speaks to thousands but now to only a few.  To them is entrusted the responsibility to take the message around the world. To them is given the Gospel–the good news–the best news in history.  Soon enough the incredible burden will fall on their shoulders alone.  If they fail, the Christian movement will disappear before it ever begins.  In human terms the future of the gospel is in their hands.
 
During the 40 days between the resurrection and His ascension into heaven, Jesus accomplished two important goals: He proved that he was alive.  He prepared them for the future.  We may sum the lessons from those days in two simple statements.
 
First: Jesus Christ is Really AliveLuke wrote to Theophilus these words in Acts 1:1-3, “1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” 
After his suffering Jesus presented himself alive to His disciples by many convincing proofs.  The phrase “convincing proofs” comes from a Greek word found only in Acts 1:3. This word means to present a case so logically compelling that it may be considered as completely proved. In a court of law this word referred to an argument so overwhelming that no other conclusion could possibly be considered.
 
What Luke is saying here is that the proof of the resurrection is certain and sure, unquestioned and beyond any doubt.  It is testimony that could stand up in any court of law–Jesus Christ actually rose from the dead.  I think we sometimes forget what an astounding claim this is. Our familiarity with the New Testament has dulled our senses to the enormity of what we believe.
 
All that we believe is wrapped up in the empty tomb.  In the words of Scottish New Testament scholar, William Barclay: “Jesus is still alive.  He is not the one who was; he is the one who is.”  Death is not the end.  Death doesn’t have the final word.  We will live beyond the grave.
 
Second: God’s Kingdom Must Be our Highest PriorityActs 1:3 tells us, “After his suffering Jesus presented himself alive to his disciples by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.”  “The kingdom of God” was the topic closest to Christ’s heart.  In the gospels, Jesus referred to the kingdom in one way or another about eighty times.  It was clearly the central theme of His teaching.   
With the coming of Christ, the kingdom of God came near because the King had come from heaven to the earth. “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” Jesus preached in Matthew 4:17.  Later in Luke 17:21, Jesus remarked that the kingdom of God is in your midst.
 
God’s kingdom is God’s rule over our lives; it’s a spiritual kingdom therefore it has no physical boundaries.  It includes people from every tribe, tongue, and nation.  The kingdom of God has come, and it keeps coming.  It’s the here and now but the not yet.  That’s why we pray “Your kingdom come.”  The kingdom comes each time we submit our hearts to the will of God. No wonder that Jesus encourages us in Matthew 6:33 to “seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
 
What does it mean to “seek God’s kingdom?”  To put it in simple terms, we all live in the kingdom of this world.  The “world” in this sense refers to the organized system that leaves God out.  Ever since the Fall, all of us have lived in a spiritually hostile environment where the values of the Bible are constantly at odds with the values of society at large.  And things aren’t getting better, they’re getting worse.
 
Seeking God’s kingdom means consciously rejecting the ways of the world and making room for God’s values in our lives.  It means choosing to follow in the steps of Jesus even when those steps lead to a cross.  It means using our resources to help others and grow God’s kingdom instead of storing up silver and gold.  It means living as if heaven is the goal of life—not a big salary and a happy retirement.  In short, seeking God’s kingdom means putting God first in everything.  Friends, as we remember these forty days between Christ’s resurrection and his ascension, let me ask you: Is Christ alive in us?  Is God’s kingdom our highest priority?  May God help us to be so.  Amen. 

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes (Sunday, April 11, 2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“A New Position, A New Reality, A New Focus!”
Psalm 119:33-37; Colossians 3:1-4
 
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is at the center of everything that we believe as Christians.  Without the sacrificial death of Jesus and His victorious resurrection, our faith is futile and we are still in our sins.  In his defense of the resurrection, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”  In this single event, Christ's life, ministry, and mission were validated.
 
The resurrection has always been so central to the Christian faith.  Therefore, Easter should not be understood as an annual celebration, rather, the church is supposed to remember and celebrate Christ’s resurrection every single week.  That’s why the Body of Christ, the church, gets together every Sunday.  That weekly gathering is meant to remind us that we are a resurrection people.
 
Now the important question is: what does it mean to live as a resurrection people?  What does it mean to be a resurrection people?  I believe Easter is a two-sided story.  It’s true that Easter is about Christ’s resurrection from the dead, but at the same time, it’s our resurrection too.  Christ had been raised and we also were raised with Him.  It’s a new position, a new reality, and a new focus.
 
Out of this new position, new reality, and new focus, the apostle Paul draws at least two important implications in Colossians chapter 3.  So on this Second Sunday of Easter, I would like to underscore two ways our lives should reflect the resurrection of Christ.
 
First: Seeking the Things that are Above
Writing to the believers in Colossi, Paul says, “So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”  For Paul, the resurrection was a turning point.  It was a turning point to the disciples of Jesus, and it should be to us.  Everything flows from this new reality.  Since we have already been “raised up with Christ, we are to seek the things that are above.  Paul uses the Greek word, “συνηγέρθητε” which literally means, “you’ve been co-resurrected; to raise together; to raise along with.”
 
The compass of our lives should point toward heaven.  So when we make decisions, major or minor, we should ask ourselves: do these things have eternal value?  Do they bring us closer to God?  Do they honor God?  Do they reflect our love to Christ?  Is God pleased with them?  In a culture that seems to be seeking everything but God, Christ’s followers are to seek the things of God.
 
What we seek speaks volumes about who we truly are.  The things that we pursue and chase after reveal our true identity.  No wonder that Jesus called His followers in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”  In Psalm 119:10 David says, “I seek you with all my heart.”  What are we seeking?  What are we striving for?  What is our passion in life?  What is the deep desire of your heart?  Seeking the things that are above will regulate the rhythm of our lives.
 
Second: Setting our Minds on Things that are Above
Paul gives us another important implication of a life that has been raised with Christ.  In Colossians 3:2 Paul says, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”  This is an intentional and deliberate process.  By default, we are drawn toward the things of this world.  It’s only by God’s grace that we can have our minds set on things that are above.
 
Martin Luther, the 16th century German Protestant Reformer, once challenged one of his students by saying, “I’ll get you a new horse and carriage (wagon) if you can pray the Lord’s Prayer and concentrate on every phrase without losing your train of thought.”  “No problem,” the young man said.  After he had prayed the prayer, he, however, confessed to Martin Luther, “all I could think about was the horse and carriage (wagon).”  As much as he tried to concentrate and focus on the Lord’s Prayer, his mind was drawn elsewhere.  Setting our minds and hearts on things above is a deliberate and intentional focusing of our hearts and thoughts on what really matters.
 
Friends, this “seeking” and “setting” are not one-time actions.  They are not occasional acts, but they are continual and ongoing characteristics of the Christian life.  We are distracted people who definitely live in a very distracted culture.  That’s why I am saying these are continual marks of our faith journey.  We are prone to wonder, then God reminds us of our new position, our new reality, and our new focus. 
 
The resurrection of Christ calls Christ’s followers to a radical change.  Later in Colossians 3:9-10 Paul expressed the radical change by saying, “you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”  Last Sunday, we shouted our “Alleluias” as a response to the good news of Christ’s resurrection.  Christ is no longer physically present in our world.  It’s our responsibility to live a life worthy of our calling.  May the Lord turn our hearts to His decrees and not to selfish gain.  May the Lord turn our eyes from looking at vanities and give us life in His ways.  It’s our calling now to live as resurrection people.  In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Meditation Notes (Easter Sunday 11:00 a.m. ~ 04.04.2021)
Rev. Dr. Mouris Yousef, Pastor
 
“The Shortest Easter Sermon Ever!”
John 20:11-18
 
If you got excited this morning when you saw the worship bulletin and read my sermon title, “The Shortest Easter Sermon Ever”, I am sorry if I disappointed you today.  I didn’t mean that my sermon today will be the shortest Easter sermon you’ve ever heard, actually, I was refereeing to Mary Magdalene’s Easter sermon not mine. 
 
John tells us that after Mary Magdalene met with Jesus outside of the garden tomb, she was commissioned by the risen Christ to take the good news of Christ’s resurrection to the discouraged and confused disciples back in Galilee. In John 20:18, John tells us, “Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.”  
 
Mary Magdalene’s Easter sermon was a single phrase; only 5 words long: “I have seen the Lord.”  That’s it.  While my Easter Meditation this morning is not as short as Mary’s, but I promise to be brief and right to the point.  So I invite you now to rethink the Easter story with me.  What’s at the heart of the glorious news of Christ’s resurrection?  Two short observations:
 
First: Easter is More about Tomorrow than it is about Yesterday
I think one of our main problems as human beings is that sometimes we get so caught in what has been, that we miss the gifts right before us.  We get stuck on the past and look back more than forward.  But Easter’s grand gesture turns us to new life and a future fully alive.
 
The disciples of Jesus couldn’t recognize the risen Lord on that first Easter Sunday because their brains couldn’t get past the events of Good Friday.  Luke tells us in chapter 24 the story of two disciples of Christ who were so discouraged, upset and disappointed and they decided to go back to their hometown, Emmaus, about 7 miles from Jerusalem.  They were talking with each other about everything that had happened and as they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them; but they they didn’t recognizing Him.
 
Why?  Why did they fail to recognize the risen Lord immediately?  I truly believe the disciples of Emmaus failed to recognize Jesus because they were still living in the past.  Luke seems to be underscoring how on the very day that the heavens were celebrating, these two disciples were walking away with regret, disappointment, and sorrow.
 
This is not the only time in the New Testament that the disciples did not immediately recognize the resurrected Jesus.  John chapter 20 records for us that Mary Magdalene was weeping at the grave of Jesus when He appeared and asked her what was wrong.  Still in the depths of her grief she mistook Jesus for the gardener.  But then Jesus spoke her name, “Mary!”  It was a mystical moment of recognition and revelation.  Easter is more about tomorrow than it is about yesterday.
 
Second: Easter is about God’s Power Working behind the Scenes
One of our frustrations and disappointments as followers of Jesus is that we don’t always understand how God works in the world and in our lives to accomplish His purposes.  For the disciples of Jesus, the cross and the death of their Lord was a no-no.  They just couldn’t wrap their heads around the fact that the Messiah will be crucified.  On one occasion, Peter actually rebuked Jesus for saying that.  Listen to these words from Matthew 16:21-22, “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.  Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
 
The Prophet Isaiah reminds us that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are His ways our ways.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God’s ways higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts.  The resurrection of Jesus is a reminder that God is not silent.  He is not idle.  God always works even during those times when we fail to see Him working.  He is not absent.  He is always present.
 
So when you find yourself facing a situation where God seems absent and silent, remember that God is working behind the scenes.  Charles Spurgeon once said, “When we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”  We may be puzzled by our circumstances, but God has it all figured out.  The disciples thought the story of Jesus is over.  But Easter reminds us that there is more to the story.  God is still working.
 
Therefore, my friends, stand firm in your faith.  Rest in God while He is working behind the scenes.  Remain confident in the fact that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.  God is all powerful, all knowing and ever present.  The Lord is risen.  He is risen indeed.  Alleluia!