First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street Blackwood, NJ 08012 Sermon Notes (Sunday, June 26, 2022) Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor “Jesus Rejected at His Hometown of Nazareth!” Luke 4:16-30 A couple Sundays ago, we embarked on a journey together to study some of the key places that Jesus visited during His earthly life; places such as Cana of Galilee, Nazareth, Capernaum, Bethany, Bethesda, Mount of Olives, Jericho, Samaria, Caesarea Philippi and many more places. In those places, Jesus performed miracles, restored, hope, gave peace, brought wholeness, and showed God’s mercy and grace like no other Rabbi. As we explore those places and reflect on the events took place in there, I hope we will get a fresh glimpse of the awesomeness and greatness of our God. A couple Sundays ago, we covered Christ’s visit to a wedding in Cana of Galilee where He stepped in to supply a need. At Cana of Galilee, we have come to learn two great lessons: (1) We all need Jesus. In our best we need His presence. (2) Jesus always offers us the best, the superior. In our life here on earth, we get to see a glimpse of the best that Christ offers though we wouldn’t experience it in full until we get to our Father’s House. This morning we get to visit Jesus’ hometown, Nazareth. Nazareth was a beautiful small town in lower Galilee. It’s also the birthplace of Mary and Joseph. In Nazareth, Jesus spent His childhood and most of His adult life. I am sure that the people of Nazareth got to hear firsthand the story of the birth of Christ. They must’ve heard what happened in Bethlehem that night. I am sure that the people of Nazareth saw Jesus and his family in the synagogue every Sabbath. They must’ve seen young Yeshua around town. In short, Jesus wasn’t a stranger to Nazareth. Yet, the story of Nazareth is a sad story. The gospel accounts tell us that Jesus was rejected in Nazareth. Though they knew Him almost all His life, the people of Nazareth showed no interest in the man nor His message. The gospel of Matthew 13:58 tells us that Jesus “Did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” After hearing Him preach, our Scripture this morning from Luke chapter 4:29 tells us, “They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff.” How could this happen? They knew He was authentic. How come they couldn’t see the love, the grace, and the mercy of God in His words and actions? How could we be so blinded? Two observations that I would like to underscore as we consider Christ’s visit to His hometown of Nazareth: First: Nazareth Missed Its Opportunity The sad truth of our story today is that Christ can be right in front of our face, and we still miss Him. For centuries, Israel longed for God’s visitation, they longed for the birth of the Messiah, and when it finally happened, they missed it. The history of the nation of Israel evolved around the coming of the Messiah, and when God fulfilled His promises, they failed to be a part of it. We could be in the middle of it and yet miss it all. How could this happen? Their pride and ignorance blinded them. The people of Nazareth saw the awesomeness of God before their own eyes, still missed it. In another visit to Nazareth, the gospel of Mark tells us these words in Mark 6:2-3, “When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.” Yes, Jesus seemed a normal guy walking down the streets of Nazareth. He dressed as a normal Jew and ate what normal people ate. It’s in the normalcy of our lives and even through the hometown preacher that Christ comes to us; speaks to us words of mercy and grace, words of peace and comfort. He walks alongside each one of us in this journey we call life so may we never miss His presence. Second: Nazareth Lack of Faith While Nazareth failed to have faith and to recognize God’s visitation, others did. Jesus gives the people of Nazareth two examples of people who showed faith and eventually their faith was rewarded. The first example is the example of the widow of Zarephath found in 1 Kings 17 and the second example is the example of Naaman found in 2 Kings 5. Both the widow of Zarephath and Naaman were Gentiles. They were not Jews. Yet they showed great faith. The widow believed that God would provide for her needs, and He indeed did. Naaman, the commander of the army of Aram believed that the God of Israel can heal his leprosery and God did. The folk of Nazareth missed out on a blessing because of their lack of faith and we could fall into the same trap. Friends, today we have the choice to either be like the people of Nazareth or like the widow of Zarephath and like Naaman. We either show faith or disbelief; loyalty and commitment or rejection and stubbornness. In the last hundred years, the landscape of the Christian faith has changed so much. Today, what used to be “Christian nations or regions”, including our own country, have largely rejected Jesus Christ but that doesn’t mean the Spirit has stopped working or Christianity has stopped growing. The Spirit is still bringing life, light and liberty to millions in Asia, Africa South America, and so many other places around the world – as they receive Christ and enter His kingdom. In the face of doubt and unbelief, may we have the faith of the widow at Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian. In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
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First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street Blackwood, NJ 08012 Sermon Notes (Father’s Day ~ Sunday, June 19, 2022) Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor “Yet you, LORD, are our Father!” Isaiah 64:1-9 Isaiah chapter 64 is a prayer to God to come down and deliver His people from their troubles. Isaiah was praying for God’s mercy and grace to be shown to the nation of Israel even in the land of captivity, the land of their exile, in Babylon. “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,” prayed the Prophet Isaiah 64:1. There have been sometimes in our lives when we cry the same cry. “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, Lord God.” I truly believe that our times today are not better off Isaiah’s. We are captivated and exiled in our own land. We worship the idols of our times. We feel and see the pressure of today’s culture. We are tired and ready to give up. Isaiah reminds us today to seek the Lord more earnestly; to pour our hearts before Him; to have confidence in our God and to always remember His faithfulness. Why should we be confident that the Lord is near? Why must we hold fast onto our hope? How to stay anchored and secured in times of distress? Why should we be assured that no matter how tough life gets, there is a God in heaven that we can count on? Isaiah 64 offers us two things upon which our confidence is built: First: The Faithfulness of God Part of our confidence is in knowing that our God is faithful. He is trustworthy. Part of our confidence is in knowing that the Lord has acted in the past. He has shown Himself to be a God we can trust, a God we can count on, one who is faithful to His promises to guard and keep and deliver His people. That’s how the prayer continues in Isaiah 64. Isaiah 64:3-4 state, “When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down; the mountains quaked at your presence. From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.” This is a prayer of remembrance, remembering the faithfulness of God and how God has acted in the past. The prophet Isaiah ponders the mighty deeds of old that the Lord did for Israel; the Exodus from Egypt and the awesome presence of the Lord at Mount Sinai and through their journey in the wilderness. “No eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.” It’s also interesting to notice that in all Isaiah 64, Isaiah refers to God as “Yahweh”. Yahweh is not one name of God’s many names in the Bible. It’s the God of the Covenant. He is the never changing God in an ever-changing world. “Yahweh” is an important name of God. He is the God of the Covenant. Second: The Fatherhood of God The second foundation for our confidence in this life is the fatherhood of God. Isaiah never said that we have earned God’s favor. He never said that we deserve God’s loving kindness and care. He never said that because we are faithful to the terms of our covenant with God, therefore God should be faithful too. Rather, Isaiah acknowledges the sin of His people. In verses 5-7, he says, “We sinned … we transgressed. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on your name or attempts to take hold of you, for you have hidden your face from us and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.” Isaiah, therefore, offers his plea based on the fatherhood of God to the nation of Israel. He says in Isaiah 64:8-9, “Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord, and do not remember iniquity forever. Now consider, we are all your people.” God’s Fatherhood should be greatest source of security and stability. It’s a great reminder that of the privilege of our immediate access to Him. The story is told of a Roman Emperor who was entering Rome after winning a major battle. Leading the victory procession, the emperor and his troops were received with shouts of joy and so much excitement. The streets were lined with cheering people. No one was allowed to join the procession but those who have participated in the battle. At one point on the triumphal route, there was a little platform where the queen and her family were sitting to watch the emperor go by in all the pride of his triumph. On the platform, sat also the emperor’s youngest son, a little boy. As the emperor came near, the little boy jumped off the platform, running towards the emperor’s chariot. “You can’t do that, boy,” a soldier shouted. “Don’t you know who that is in the chariot? That’s the emperor. You can’t run out to his chariot.” The little boy laughed as he said, “He may be your emperor, but he is my daddy.” That is exactly the way the Christian feels towards God. He is our Daddy. The might, and the majesty, and the power are the might, and the majesty, and the power of one whom Jesus taught us to call “Our Father.” Let us continually come into our Father’s presence. In the Name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit! Amen! First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street Blackwood, NJ 08012 Sermon Notes (Sunday, June 12, 2022) Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor “The Best is Yet to Come!” John 2:1-11 As we study the New Testament narrative of the life of Jesus, we come across a number of places that Jesus visited during His earthly life; places like Cana of Galilee, Nazareth, Capernaum, Bethany, Bethesda, Mount of Olives, Jericho, Samaria, Caesarea Philippi and many more places. In those places, Jesus performed miracles, restored, hope, gave peace, brought wholeness, and showed God’s mercy and grace like no other Rabbi. During this summer, I will be preaching on some of those key places that Jesus visited, reflect on the events took place there, and draw some lessons we can learn from them for our walk with the Lord today. In doing so, I hope we will get a fresh glimpse of the awesomeness and greatness of our God. This morning we start this summer sermon series by looking at Jesus at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. John tells us that the miracle of changing water into wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee is the first of many “signs” that Jesus did! As you may know, John’s gospel never used the word “miracle” in describing the miraculous acts of God through Jesus of Nazareth. Rather, he always uses “signs”. The thing about a “sign” is that it always points to something beyond itself. When Jesus does a miracle, there’s something more going on than just a power display. They point us to what Christ was going to bring about. John was intentional about picking some of those signs, some of those miracles that Jesus did and what they mean for us today. The story of the wedding at Cana is more than providing us with a glimpse of the marriage customs of the first century Israel/Palestine. Rather, I truly believe the story makes at least two profound statements: First: We All Need Jesus The first lesson we can draw from this sign is that we all need Jesus. Often times, people today think that they need Jesus when life gets tough; when there is grief, loss, loneliness, sickness, or uncertainty. The sign of the wedding at Cana reminds us that we need Jesus always. In our best we need Jesus! The “sign” took place in a wedding setting! We all know how long it takes to plan for a wedding. We spend hours and hours planning hoping that everything will be just right! In the same manner we plan for weddings, we also plan for our future. Yet, no matter how smart and precise and thorough we are, surprises come all the time. The bridegroom and his family never expected that they would run out of wine. This is one of the most embarrassing situations anyone could ever face especially on a wedding day. Where do we go when our supplies run dry? Where do we go when no energy whatsoever is left in us? What do we do when we feel that all doors are closed around us? What do we do when we feel the weight of our circumstances? Do we give up? Do we quit? Absolutely not. John would tell us to seek Jesus and ask for help. He got your back. Second: Jesus Offers us the Best Not only that Jesus gives us what we need, but He gives us the best. After performing this sign, in John 2:8-10, Jesus said to them: “Now draw some out, and take it to the person in charge of the banquet.” So they took it. When the person in charge tasted the water that had become wine and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), that person called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” What John is saying here is a simple yet a profound truth: the best is yet to come. When we’re younger, we look ahead, wanting to grow up because we believe the best days of our life are in front of us. But once we’ve grown older, we yearn for the past, wanting to be young again. But when we walk with God, whatever our age, the best is yet to come! Often times, Scriptures provide much assurance regarding that. Writing to the believers in Corinth who were so fascinated by the culture and civilization around them, Paul wrote, the Lord got something better for us. In 2 Corinthians 2:9-10, he says, “As it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him — these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.” We haven’t seen all that God has in store for us; the best indeed is yet to come… Even though we may be facing hardships or trying time in our life, we can take pleasure in knowing that one day in this life or the life to come with our Lord in heaven, we will get to know the best was yet to come. Friends, in Cana of Galilee, we get to remember that we need Christ. In our best we need Jesus. When everything seems to be just fine, it’s great to have Jesus on board. In Cana of Galilee, we also get to remember that when we ask Jesus to intervene, He gives us the best. Cana represents both humanity’s greatest need and God’s generosity and abundance. So, if and when you find yourself in Cana, remember not to throw away your confidence, because it will be richly rewarded. Friends, Christ continues to change water into wine. He continues to transform ordinary people to extraordinary followers. In the Name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit! Amen! First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street Blackwood, NJ 08012 Sermon Notes (Pentecost Sunday, June 05, 2022) Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor “When the Day of Pentecost Came!” 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 Shavuot – the Feast of Weeks (Deuteronomy 16:10; also known as the Feast of Harvest (Exodus 23:16). Later on, among the Jews that spoke Greek, the feast became known as penetkoste, which in Greek means “fiftieth.” The Feast commemorates the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. From Passover to the giving of the Ten Commandments — exactly 7 weeks, 50 days. Many Jews from all over the Mediterranean and beyond, would make the trip to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Harvest or penetkoste. Though it seemed a very normal and typical celebration day in Jerusalem, it turned out to be an awesome one. 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. On the day of Pentecost, the Lord fulfilled His promise by giving the Holy Spirit to the Church. So when the wind blew, when the Holy Spirit descended, when the fire lit over the heads of the 120, when those gathered in Jerusalem heard the disciples speaking their languages, miraculously empowered by God, the crowds were amazed. Today is Pentecost Sunday; a day that the church around the world sets aside to remember the giving of the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. Pentecost was a turning point to the early Church and it’s foundational for our faith today. As we think about the day of Pentecost, please allow me to underscore two lessons: First: We Do Need the Holy Spirit It’s been 10 days since Christ was taken up to heaven. It must’ve felt awful without having Jesus around. The disciples’ only comfort during this time of waiting was a promise that Jesus gave them. “If I go, I will send the Advocate to you”, says Jesus in John 16:7. This is not going to be a visit of God’s Spirit, it’s a dwelling. The Old Testament saints longed for this day. On Pentecost, God poured out His Spirit upon His people. His generosity in Christ was shown to everyone. That what the Prophet Joel foretold a few hundred years before Christ. Joel 2:28-29, states, “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. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days I will pour out my spirit.” In Acts 2:17, Peter quoted these words saying that they had been fulfilled today. The first lesson we need to remember on this Pentecost Sunday is that we really do need the Holy Spirit. We need the companionship of God in this journey we call life. Jesus knew that following Him in the world is not easy. There is no way we can manage life on our own. 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. Second: We Do Need Each Other But there is a second lesson we are reminded of on this Pentecost Sunday. Not only do we really need the Holy Spirit, but we also need each other; we need this community of believers. It should strike us that Jesus could have sent the Holy Spirit on each of the 120 followers individually when they were praying at their own homes. Instead, the Holy Spirit fell when the disciples were in the Upper Room praying together. There is something indescribable about being together. What is striking about Acts chapter 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. I have always said that faith 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 are reminded on this Pentecost Sunday of two amazing, uplifting, and transformative truth. First, we need the dwelling and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Don’t face your Goliath alone. You will not stand the battle. Let God be your refuge and strength. Second, we need each other. We need this body of believers. We journey together. We follow together. We rejoice together and we cry together. On these two important foundations, rise or fall our witness in the world. In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen! |
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