First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ August 2, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 3:11; Colossians 3:1-4
 
Today we continue working our way through the book of Ecclesiastes.  Over the last few weeks, I’ve received several encouraging e-mails, text messages, phone calls, as well as in person comments from church members and those who follow the live streaming, each saying that Ecclesiastes is helping them to live well amidst the storm of this pandemic.  I am grateful to God for that.  As I have said before, Ecclesiastes has so much to say to the 21st century American Christians.  Written almost three thousand years ago, Ecclesiastes is relevant today as it was back then.
 
We are in chapter three and last Sunday we had the chance to look at Ecclesiastes 3:1-8., one of the best-known passages in the entire book.  “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven,” says the Preacher in chapter 3:1.  Ecclesiastes 3 challenges us to consider two important things: (1) to recognize the different seasons of life and to make the most out of every season; (2) to simply acknowledge our limitations.  We said that we, humans, don’t control the seasons of life; God does.
 
I don’t want to wrap up our reflections on Ecclesiastes 3 without getting the chance to look at verse 11.  It’s an important verse.  It says, “God has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”  God has set eternity in the human heart.  What a profound statement!  We are made for eternity.  This morning I would like to unfold this statement, then I will offer one suggestion that I think will help us keep eternity at the center of our lives.
 
First: What is at Stake?
What does the Preacher mean when he says that God “set eternity in the human heart”?  It simply means that every human soul has a God-given awareness that there’s “something more” than this world.  In His love, God gives a particular blessing to each person and that blessing is an awareness of eternity.
 
In other words, there is within every one of us a God-shaped vacuum that only God can fill. People try to fill that space with so much stuff.  Sometimes we try to fill it with good things like relationships, work, art, music, and so many other things.  Sometimes we try to fill it with bad things like drugs or alcohol or other things that do us harm.  The truth of the matter is that you will never going to fill that vacuum with something else, because it is a God-shaped vacuum and only God can fill that empty space within you.
 
Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430 AD), a remarkable 4th century North African theologian once said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.” (Augustine, Confessions, Book 1, Chapter 1).  He also said, “You have put salt in our mouths, O Lord, that we may thirst for you.”
 
This is the paradox of our humanity.  We are creatures of time, we have a beginning and we have an end; we get born and one day we die.  The paradox here is that death is not the end because God set eternity in our hearts.  Yes, we are prone to wander off God’s way, but no matter how messy we get, God keeps calling to come back to Him and we keep wrestling with this calling until we surrender and make a room for Him in our lives.
 
God has set eternity in the human heart.  Are you looking for something you just can’t find?  If you’re not looking for it in God, then you are looking in all the wrong places.  Only God can satisfy.  This world in its present form is passing away.  It’s temporary.  It’s transitory.  We know there must be more to this life.  Why?  Because God has put a longing for heaven within every human heart.
 
God has set eternity in the human heart, yet, we are told, “no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”  In other words, in our fallen state, we sense there ought to be something more than this world but can’t discern what it is.  So we wander and wander.  But the good news is that our God is a God who has revealed Himself to us; and through that revelation, with the ultimate revelation being His coming to earth in the Person of Christ, we can understand what we need to understand regarding eternity.  In other words, God has provided the way to enjoy this life eternal, and that leads me to my second and last thought for today.
 
Second: Set Your Heart on Things Above
God has planted the seed of eternity in our hearts, He put that awareness, and it is our responsibility to nourish it.  In Colossians chapter 3 the Apostle Paul exhorts the Church in Colossae to set their hearts and minds on things above.  It’s a deliberate and intentional decision we make.  It doesn’t just happen by itself.  By default, we are drawn toward the things of this world.  This is why Colossians 3:2 says to “set” our minds on things above.  We are so distracted by the things of this world and we need a lot of effort to stay on track.   
 
 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.  It’s not that easy to set our hearts on things above.
 
Setting our hearts and minds on things above doesn’t mean we detach ourselves from our responsibilities and obligations in this world.  At the end of the day, we are still on earth and we have to take care of lots of business.  Rather, it means to live with eternity in mind.  It’s gaining a whole new perspective in life; to see our life as God sees it; to see what God sees vanity as vanity and what God sees enduring and trustworthy as enduring and trustworthy.
 
Friends, God has set eternity in our hearts.  There is within every one of us a God-shaped vacuum that only God can fill.  And because heaven is our destination, we shouldn’t get comfortable here on earth.  Enjoy God’s good gifts while you are here, but remember – you are a citizen of heaven, and heaven is your true home.  This world in its present form is passing away.  The longings we feel in this life, that unsatisfaction, all point to God.  We are pilgrims on a journey.  This place is like a rental.  Yes you make yourself somewhat comfortable in a rental property, but you’re not going to invest everything you’ve in a place that is not yours.  Earth is not our true home, so don’t get too comfortable here.  Enjoy God’s good gifts, but invest in heaven.  You’re made for eternity.  Amen!

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ July 26, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 3:1-11; Ephesians 5:15-16
 
The story is told of a farmer in a Midwestern state who had a strong dislike for Christians and churches.  As he plowed his field on Sunday mornings, he would shake his fist at the church folk driving by on their way to worship.  October came and went, and the farmer had his best crop ever.  When the harvest was complete, he placed an advertisement in the local newspaper which belittled and made fun of the Christians for their faith in God.  This was the message in the newspaper, “Faith in God must not mean much if someone like me can prosper.”  The response from the Christians in the community was quiet and polite.  In the same newspaper was this comment: “God doesn’t always settle His accounts in October.”  For everything there is a season for sure.
 
As you may remember, this summer I am preaching through the book of Ecclesiastes.  We are in the third chapter this morning.  Ecclesiastes chapter three is probably the best-known passage in the entire book.  It’s a poetic masterpiece.  I think it has so much to teach us, so this morning we will ponder its wisdom as it relates to our lives.  As we do so, let me offer two reminders from Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
 
First: Recognize the Seasons of Life
Ecclesiastes chapter 3 states its main point in verse 1: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”  The Preacher then gives 14 examples in pairs that cover every area of life.
 
There was a time that you were born; there will also be a time that you will die.  There are times that you plant a tree; there are times that you have to chop a tree down because it’s grown old and no longer bears fruit.  There’s a time that soldiers are at war shooting each other; there’s a time when peace is declared, and former enemies stand together at the cenotaph in remembrance.  There’s a time to build a building; there’s a time when you take down the building in order to make something new.  There are times to weep, and times to laugh.  To cry at the wrong time is just as bad as laughing at the wrong time.  There’s a time to accumulate possessions; then there’s a time to give things away because they are no longer needed.
 
What the Preacher is saying in Ecclesiastes 3 is simple, yet profound: recognize the seasons of life.  When we do so, we will evaluate, reorganize, and reorder our lives.  You will allow some new things to be born in your life, and let other things die.  You will be able to recognize whether this is a time to plant, labor under the scorching sun, or just a time to wait for the harvest.  Is it a time to break down or a time to build up?  Is it a time to keep silence or a time to speak up? 
 
The process of reorganizing our lives is transformative.  Most likely, you will have to give up some stuff in your life to make room for other things that are more valuable and beneficial.  You will look at the things that your heart adore, and you will either love them more or stop loving them at all.  You will have to reevaluate what you do, and you will come up with either yes, this is so central to my life, this what makes my life meaningful, or no, this is just time consuming but has no value to it.  Life is to a great extent all about timing; it’s about doing the right thing in the right season.  
 
Second: Acknowledge Your Limitation
Ecclesiastes chapter 3 offers another truth that is for some people may sound very uncomfortable one, but for me, it’s very comforting.  This truth is that we humans don’t control the seasons of life; God does.  You may notice that most of the things, of life activities, the Preacher has listed in Eccles9astes 3 are things we have no control over, but God does.  As I said, this could be a troubling reality to a lot of people today, but for us, Christians, it should be a comforting one.
 
We believe in God’s providence.  Nothing can happen to us by chance.  This great truth ought to cause all of God's children to shout “Hallelujah!”  We believe in a God who is wise, who sees the end from the beginning, who is never caught by surprise.  We believe in a God who is powerful, who is Almighty, to cause all things to work together for the good of those who love Him.
 
We’re not in control, the Preacher says, but God is.  He is the King of time, and He does everything just at the right time.  God is always right on time; He’s never too early and He’s never too late. This is very good news for us, especially given the ever-changing circumstances of life.  God is in control of the times, and he’s always on time.  
 
Our work, our choices, our decisions, therefore, need to flow within the timing of God.  We need to stop trying to force our will on life and instead, learn to live within the timing of God.  In other words, we need to learn some humility.  A lot of our stress comes from trying to get control of what is beyond our control.  Once we know that it is God's timing that matters most, we can rest in this truth. Then we become more faithful, more gracious, more generous, and more responsive to the movement of God in our lives.  That’s why Ecclesiastes 3:11 states, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
 
The peace of God comes to those who learn to live within the beauty of God's timing.  Jesus lived and died with great sensitivity to what he called “His hour.”  “My hour has not yet come,” ~ a phrase that Jesus repeated several times in the gospels to indicate His submission and obedience to God’s timing.
 
Friends, we are creatures of time who were made for eternity. Yes, we are mortal and trapped in time, yet, we know there’s more. We are made to ask the bigger questions of life. We want to understand and find the meaning, to discern God’s purpose for our lives, and wrestle with it to make it happen.  That’s what the Preacher is saying in Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” 
 
Life isn’t random.  God is in control.  This saves a lot of worry.  Philip Melanchton (1497-1560 AD) was a dear friend with Martin Luther (1483-1546 AD).  Melanchton would occasionally worry a bit too much about the situation in Germany.  Luther chided him, saying, “Let Philip cease to rule the world.  It is none of our work to steer the course of providence, or direct its motions, but to submit quietly to Him who does.”  It’s liberating to know we’re not in control.  There is a king who reigns, and we are to honor Him in all the seasons of life.  So whatever season you are living right now, make the most out of it.  “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16.  Amen.

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ July 19, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11; Matthew 7:24-27
 
I read a story about a rich American businessman who was vacationing in Mexico.  While vacationing in Mexico, the wealthy man was disturbed to find a fisherman just sitting lazily beside his boat.  “Why aren’t you out there fishing?” the wealthy man asked.  “Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” said the fisherman. “Why don't you catch more fish than you need?” the rich man asked again.  “What would I do with them?”  “You could earn more money,” came the impatient reply, “and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish.  You could purchase better nets, catch even more fish, and make more money.  Soon you’d have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.”  The fisherman asked, “Then what would I do?”  “You could sit down and enjoy life,” said the wealthy man.  “What do you think I'm doing right now?” the fisherman replied with a big smile on his face.
 
If you’re to examine your life today, how would you describe it?  Are you happy?  Are you satisfied?  What is the one thing that will finally make you satisfied?  When will you finally be happy and satisfied?  I think one of human beings’ biggest tragedies is that so many people live under the false hope of “I will be happy if I achieved this or if I acquired that.  Every one of us has some-thing or some set of circumstances in the back of our mind that we anticipate will make us happy.  We assume that once we achieved this, once we have accomplished that, then we will be satisfied and finally be happy!
 
Because we operate with this mentality, we keep working harder and harder to make more money, climb the corporate ladder, pursue new relationships, with the hope that someday, we finally find satisfaction and happiness.  Where can true happiness be found?  How can someone live a satisfied and fulfilled life?
 
Well, I don’t think we have to reinvent the wheel.  In the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon had tried it all and he gave us his conclusion at least a couple times in the first chapter.  In Ecclesiastes 1:2, the Preacher said, “Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities!  All is vanity.”  This conclusion is clarified in chapter 1:14 as Solomon says, “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
 
Wisdom is Not Satisfying
Solomon tried it all.  The first chapter revealed Solomon as he looked for the meaning of life in wisdom, in gaining more and more knowledge.  Knowledge didn’t satisfy the hunger of his heart.  In Ecclesiastes 1:18, he said, “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.”  Although wisdom is better than folly, it is ultimately unsatisfying.
 
Solomon elaborates more on this in chapter two and he compares wisdom to light and folly to darkness in 2:13. Wisdom helps us understand the world around us, but turning on the light does not change the room itself.  Of course, it’s nice to have the light on, but turning on the light will not change how messy the room might be.  Solomon is just frustrated with the limitations of knowledge.
 
In Ecclesiastes chapter 2, Solomon examined and tried various avenues in the pursuit of the meaning of life and in his pursuit of happiness.  Ecclesiastes chapter 2 highlights at least three of them:
 
First: The Pursuit of Pleasure (2:1-3)
In Ecclesiastes 2:1 we read, “I said to myself, “Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But again, this also was vanity.”  Solomon tried every pleasure.  It didn’t work.  Humans always live with the thought that getting the next thing would do it.  We think that getting more would do it, but unfortunately, it doesn’t.  Solomon says to us today, “Don't think that the next thing will do it; don't think that the more will do it, because I had the next thing and I had the more, and it didn't do it.”  Be aware of the false promises of pleasure.
 
Second: The Pursuit of Projects (2:4-7)
Listen to Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 2:4-7, “I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself; I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees.  I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.  I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house; I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.”
 
There is of course some satisfaction in designing and building things.  But what happens when the task is completed?  We are left unsatisfied or with little satisfaction.  No matter how magnificent our projects might look, they don’t fill the emptiness of our lives.  You may notice that everything Solomon lists in the plural, houses, gardens, vineyards, parks, etc.  His building and landscape projects were great projects.  1 Kings 7:1 tells us it took him thirteen years to build his own palace. 
 
But there is an important thing to notice here.  It actually seems odd that in his list of all his building projects he does not mention the biggest, most historically significant thing he built – the Temple in Jerusalem.  The account in 1 Kings tells us it took him seven years to build the Temple.  Do you know why?  Because whatever investment we make in the Kingdom of God isn’t vanity.  It’s not in vain.  It has some eternal value.  That’s why the temple is not listed here.  The Temple was built for the glory of God – the palace was built for the glory of Solomon.
 
Third: The Pursuits of Possessions and Prominence (2:8-11)
From the pursuit of wisdom, pleasure, and projects, Solomon moved on to the pursuits of possessions and prominence.   This is Solomon’s own account of his possessions and prominence in Ecclesiastes 2:8-11, “I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of the provinces … I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem.  Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure.”  We read about Solomon’s incredible wealth in 1 Kings 10:14-29.  But in verse 11, Solomon again concludes, “ Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”  In other words, Solomon built his castles in the sand.
 
So where can true happiness be found?  The easy and challenging answer is that true happiness is found in doing life God’s way.  I love the words of Psalm 119:35, “Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.”  It doesn’t say, “Give me a nice house in a nice neighborhood, for that is where my happiness is found.”  Neither does it say, “Give me good health, for that is where my happiness is found,” nor “Give me a family without dysfunction, for that is where my happiness is found.”  Nope. Happiness is found when we do life God’s way; when we seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness.  To God alone be the glory now and forever more.  Amen

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ July 12, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18; John 4:13-14
 
Alexander the Great (356 BC – 323 BC), was the King of the ancient Greek Kingdom of Macedon, and one of the great warriors the world has ever known.  He led many military campaigns and by the age of 30 years old, he ruled over one of the largest empires ever, stretching from Greece to India.
 
While returning home after one of his successful military campaigns, Alexander the Great fell ill in Babylon.  While he was on his death bed, he thought of the vast empire he has built and the might of his military machine.  Alexander the Great went into depression, realizing nothing was worth it; even after an extremely successful life, he could not avoid death.
 
Knowing that his days on earth are short, Alexander the Great called his loyal generals and made three last wishes before dying.  “I have three last wishes, please carry them out, for soon I will depart,” Alexander said.  My first wish is that my doctors should alone carry my coffin.  My second wish is that the path towards my grave shall be strewn with gold, silver and all the precious possessions in my treasury, while my body is being brought to be buried.  My third and last wish is that both my hands shall be kept dangling out of my coffin.
 
Though the generals wondered at the king’s strange wishes, no one dared to question or ask him the reason for these three wishes.  One of Alexander’s favorite generals after kissing his hand and pressing it to his heart said, “Your Majesty, we assure you that all your wishes will be fulfilled. But could you please enlighten us on why you make such strange wishes?”
 
At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: “I would like the world to know of these three fundamentals: I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure anybody.  Doctors are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death.  My second wish to strew gold, silver and other precious stones on the way to the graveyard is to let the people know that though I spent all my life accumulating riches, not even a grain of gold will come with me when I leave this world. I want people to understand that it is a sheer waste of time, energy, and peace of mind when one yearns to be rich.  With my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I want people to know that I came empty handed into this world and likewise will go empty handed from this world.”
 
This morning we continue our summer sermon series on the book of Ecclesiastes.  Last week we said that Ecclesiastes is written by King Solomon as Ecclesiastes 1:1 states, “The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.”   The title of the book in Hebrew is “Qoheleth.” It is the same Hebrew word that is translated “teacher” or “preacher” or “leader” in chapter 1:1, so the book is actually a long sermon delivered by King Solomon.
 
The language of Ecclesiastes may suggest that the author was a pessimist or someone who is worn out and has given up on life, but I truly believe the words of Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes are the words of someone who has searched and examined life and came to a conclusion.  His conclusion, his thesis, is Ecclesiastes 1:2: “Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities!  All is vanity.”  The word “vanity” is found 38 times in Ecclesiastes.  In our Scripture reading today, Solomon clarifies his thesis and he states in Ecclesiastes 1:14, “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
 
So what is at stake in Ecclesiastes 1:12-18?  If life is “meaningless and a chasing after the wind”, as Solomon says, should we quit our daily activities and other obligations?  Are we endorsing epicurean lifestyle ~ those who pursue pleasure as the chief aim of life ~ “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we must die" philosophy”?  Absolutely not.  I think Solomon is calling us to be mindful of two things:
 
First: Lamenting the Futility of Life
I think what Solomon is doing here is that he is lamenting the futility of life.  Ecclesiastes could be read as a song of lament.  The Preacher laments the fact that everything is transitory, ephemeral and elusive, just beyond our grasp, resistant to our control, here today and gone tomorrow.  Everything is ultimately worthless.  Life, the Preacher says, feels like chasing after the wind, trying to catch something that cannot be caught.
 
Life under the sun is full of futility and frustration.  I am sure you’ve experienced some of life’s futility and lamented this reality.  You just want to be all set financially, but something always goes wrong, or there’s always car trouble or another bill to be paid.  You just want to have a close friend, but you can’t find one, or when you find one, they always move away or drift away.  You just want to be healthy, but every day you experience in one way or another the decline of your body.  You just want to be the person God created you to be, but the more you try the more you fail.  You want the church to be a fulfilling community, but you just can’t seem to experience that.  We want to see justice in this world, but the suffering and injustice we see is out of control and there is no end in sight.  Trying to keep things under control and to be satisfied is like chasing the wind.  We lament the futility of life.
 
Second: Only God Can Fill our Deepest Void
Like chasing the wind, human effort is futile.  Not that nothing we do matters, but the “net profit” is not to be found in human effort.  It doesn’t matter what kind of effort or how much effort we pour our lives into, Solomon says that no human effort in and of itself can possibly fill our deepest void. 
 
Solomon says that every kind of activity that people invest their lives on is just vanity.  It’s chasing the wind.  In John 4:13-14, Jesus said these great words to the Samaritan woman, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
 
Friends, apart from God, human’s ongoing pursuit of money, success, joy, wisdom is never satisfied and never satisfying.  In his Confessions, Augustine of Hippo (354 AD – 430 AD) prayed “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in you.” 
 
Only in Jesus Christ do we find the rest our hearts have always longed for.  Only in Jesus do we hear the promise: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” Matthew 11:28-30.  Ecclesiastes calls us to have more of Jesus and less of the world.  It leaves us hungry for the grace of Christ.  It’s only His grace that makes our work and efforts valuable.  Our actions and efforts gain their true value when eternity in mind; when they are done for the glory of God and the expansion of His Kingdom.  Amen!

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ July 5, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 1:1-11; Mark 8:37-38
 
This morning we are kicking off a new sermon series looking at some key passages in the Book of Ecclesiastes.  During the months of July and August, we will be walking though Ecclesiastes with our eyes open on one major thought: what are the ingredients of a life well lived?  Is it even possible to live such a life?  Every day is a gift from the Lord, and we want to make it count.  The good news is it’s never too late to turn your live around.
 
I truly believe the book of Ecclesiastes has so much to say to us today.  In fact, Ecclesiastes wrestles with some of the most fundamental questions of life; questions like: What’s the point of life?  What are we pursing?  Where do we go to find wisdom, meaning, and purpose?  What is the point of all our accomplishments?  Where is our hope when life is met with failure or even simple toil and boredom?  Can we find satisfaction in life?  These are fundamental questions that can’t be ignored.
 
The book of Ecclesiastes helps us ask real questions.  The questions being asked in Ecclesiastes are not hypothetical or philosophical questions; they are real life questions.  We have to be in a place where we can be realistic about our experiences in this life.  We should never be afraid to ask difficult questions.  In fact, the book of Ecclesiastes invites us to wrestle with our doubts until we find the true meaning and purpose of life.
 
This morning, we will be looking at the first eleven verses of Ecclesiastes chapter one which give us a fair introduction of the major theme we will encounter through the book.  Today, we will just scratch the surface of this wonderful yet neglected book.  But before we do that, I will say a brief word about the author.
 
Who Wrote Ecclesiastes?
The book begins with an identification of the author.  Ecclesiastes 1:1 states, “The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.”  While there are a few theories regarding the authorship of Ecclesiastes, I think Ecclesiastes 1:1 leaves no room for any speculation, rather, it makes it very clear that the author of the book is King Solomon.  “The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.”   
 
The title of the Book in Hebrew is “Qoheleth.” It is the same Hebrew word that is translated “teacher” or “preacher” in chapter 1:1.  So, where did we get the word “Ecclesiastes”?  Ecclesiastes is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word “Qoheleth”, used in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament.  In the New Testament, Ecclesia, is used as a title for God’s assembled people—the church.  Ecclesiastes literally means the “Leader, Teacher, or Preacher” of the assembly.  The book, therefore, is a long sermon that we will spend these two months exploring its deep meaning and relevant implications on our lives today.
 
Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity
So, what does the Preacher have to say to us?  “Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities!  All is vanity” Ecclesiastes 1:2. In this opening statement, the Preacher states his thesis.  It is a thesis he will draw out throughout the book.  The primary key word is repeated 5 times in this verse, “Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities!  All is vanity.”
 
The word translated “vanity” is found 38 times in Ecclesiastes. It has a broad range of usage, but literally, it means “vapor” or “breath.”  It’s your breath that appears on a window if you get up real close and deeply exhale.  It’s only there for a second or two.  The Preacher is comparing everything in life to that breath that quickly disappears.
 
What does the Preacher mean by these words?  Well, the language of Ecclesiastes has led commentators to take widely differing views with regards to the overall meaning of the book, some arguing that the writer is an agnostic, others that he is a pessimist in his view of life; for some, it seemed that the author had given up on life.  He was desperate and hopeless.
 
Needless to say, King Solomon was neither an agnostic nor a pessimist; rather, Solomon wants us to say that, without the LORD, the world, ourselves and all our hopes, dreams and ambitions as they truly are, futile, pointless, and ultimately meaningless and purposeless.  His hope is that, rather than driving us to despair, this revelation of truth, this reality check, this wake-up call would cause us to earnestly and faithfully seek the Lord. 
 
As I said earlier, Ecclesiastes is a long sermon, and Solomon makes us wait until the final chapter to give us the answer for life’s tough question and give us the solution of our brokenness.  Ecclesiastes 12:13 states, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone.”  Solomon wouldn’t disagree with the words of Jesus in Mark 8:36-37, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?  Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”
 
In other words, King Solomon would say to us today, should you feel the weight of sin, should you feel the brokenness of creation, look to Him and submit to the ONE who stands outside creation as immutable, glorious and wise.  Ecclesiastes points us to find meaning, purpose, and value in our relationship with the Lord and in a God-centered life. 
 
So, as we wrestle with the difficult questions of life, be ready not to actually receive answers, but to rest in what is true, right and good about God.  When things get messy and we get frustrated, let’s hold onto the promises of the One who said He will make everything new.  Let’s remember that His words are trustworthy and true.
 
Yes, “all is vanity” when it’s done away from the Lord and when eternity is not in mind, but the apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”  Amen.

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ June 28, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor

Revelation 21:1-5
This morning we come to our final lesson in our study of the Apostles’ Creed.  For the past two millennia, this Creed, this ancient confession and expression of Christian belief, has served as an instrument for instructing Christians in the basics of Biblical faith.  Today we will be looking at the final statement the Creed makes, “I believe in the life everlasting.”   
 
Today’s affirmation is very comforting because when we say, “I believe in the life everlasting,” we proclaim our belief in life after death – in an eternity that exists outside of our world and our time.  It’s so comforting to know that when our journey here on earth comes to an end, it continues in heaven; when this chapter is over, another beautiful chapter that has no end begins.
 
Life Everlasting in the Teaching of Jesus
Life everlasting, Zōēn Aiōnion (in Greek ζωὴν αἰώνιον), was an integral part of the teaching of Jesus Christ.  In John 10:10, Jesus summarizes and captures the heart of His mission when He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
 
Jesus invited His audience to choose life over death when He said in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
 
Addressing the Samaritan woman, whose life was so far from eternal life, Jesus said in John 4:14, “But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
 
Life everlasting was an integral part of the teaching of Jesus because, my friends, it will be miserable to miss it.  Jesus never watered down the truth that at the end of our journey here on earth, humans will have one of two final destinations: heaven or hell; the resurrection of life or the resurrection of condemnation as Jesus said in John 5:28-29.
 
The topic of life everlasting is a very broad one and it is very hard to cover it in one sermon, so for the sake of our time, I want to narrow it down to three questions: What, When, and How.  What is life eternal?  When does it begin? And, how do we receive it?
 
First: What is Life Eternal?
Many people wonder what heaven will be like.  Will the streets be paved with gold?  Will there be mountains and streams?  Will there be beaches and waterfalls?  Will there be trees and animals? 
 
We have to know that heaven is beyond our comprehension.  Our minds cannot comprehend the reality of life eternal, because it is beyond our experience and beyond our capacity to understand.  All we really know is that it will be a glorious life!
 
The one most important thing I want us to know today is when the Bible speaks about eternal life, its emphases neither the place nor the quality of life in heaven. Yes, heaven is a real place, but it is not the place that really matters.
 
Yes, in heaven we will experience life in its fulness because everything will be just perfect and complete.  Our joy will be complete.  Our peace will be complete.  Our existence will be complete.  Our faith will be complete.  Our love will be complete.  God’s presence will be complete.  Our fellowship with the Lord and with each other will be complete.  We will have an intimate relationship with God.  We will no longer have times when God seems far away.  We will lack nothing.  Our loved ones will be there, along with many others whom we will love and enjoy just as much! 
 
It’s true, as John says in Revelation chapter 21, that there will be no more sickness, suffering, or death. No more pain, no more getting old and frail, no losing our memory and abilities.  But there is something even greater about life everlasting.  It’s the fact that we will be living in the presence of the Most High.  Revelation 21:3 says, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
 
Second: When Does Life Eternal Begin?
We look at the wholeness of everlasting life and we wonder, can we begin to taste some of it now?  According to John 5: 24, life eternal is simply knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  In John 5:24, Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me HAS ETERNAL LIFE and will not be judged, but HAS CROSSED OVER from death to life.” 
 
Everlasting life begins the moment we welcome Jesus into our lives, surrender our lives to Him, and it reaches its completion when we fully dwell in God’s presence.  From that moment on, we will live a life with eternity in mind. 
 
Needless to say, if eternal life begins for us today, it will definitely bring changes to our lives.  Basically, the life of Jesus will take over, changing how we think, feel, and act.  We won’t have to do that entirely on our own; the Spirit of Jesus will transform us, as we turn our life over to Jesus.
 
Third: How Do We Receive Eternal Life?
Eternal life is a gift.  Romans 6:23 reminds us that “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  It is a gift available immediately to all who surrender their lives to Christ – it is a gift that is available to all, no matter how many laps we may be down, no matter of our past failures; it’s a gift that immediately puts us across the finish line.  “Whoever has the Son,” John 5:12 says “has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
 
Friends, as we wrap up this series of messages on the Apostles’ Creed, I want to invite you to examine your heart.  Do you know without a doubt that you are going to heaven?  Do you know without a doubt that you have personally asked Jesus to forgive your sins and to come into your life as Lord and Savior?  If not, then I want you to get that assurance before you leave today.  In 1873, Fanny Crosby wrote these great words:
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
 
Friends, may this be your song today and every day until we see Jesus face to face.  Yes, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but there is a way out through the redemption of Christ.  “I believe in the life everlasting.”  Amen.
 

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ June 21st, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ephesians 1:1-8
 
One great benefit of studying the Apostles’ Creed is connecting ourselves to what all Christians everywhere have always believed.  In so doing, we remind ourselves that despite our ever-changing social circumstances, Christian faith is not ours to redefine.  Being deeply rooted in “the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3) is essential to the live and ministry of God’s people.
 
We’re almost finished with our journey through the Apostle’s Creed, only a couple short phrases left, and along the way we have encountered some of the most profound, uplifting, and life-changing truth.
 
Today, we get to affirm our belief in the forgiveness of sins.  “I believe in the forgiveness of sins,” the Apostles’ Creed affirms.  It seems to me at first glance that “the forgiveness of sins” seems to be in the wrong place.  Shouldn’t it be in one of the first two sections?  Doesn't it better describe the world of the Father Almighty or Jesus Christ?  Aren’t they the one who handle forgiveness?   
 
Instead the affirmation of the forgiveness of sins comes near the end in the section about the Holy Spirit’s work in the context of the Christian community.  And its placement here means two things.  First, it means that those of us who recite these words are part of the church because we are forgiven.  We are a forgiven community.  We are sinners saved by God’s grace.  We declare the forgiveness of sins because without such forgiveness, we would not be here, we would not be confessing this faith, we would not be part of this company. 
 
Second, it’s a reminder of the ongoing work and ministry of the Holy Spirit.  John 16:8 says, “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”  Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the church is the community of those who have experienced – and continue experiencing – the forgiveness of sins.  Forgiveness seems to be a trademark of the church.
 
Whenever Christians declare, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins,” we testify – to ourselves and to the world – that our faith is in a God who is both willing and able to forgive us when we mess up.  We basically declare that our God is a God will never give up on His elect.  We testify that our God is the God of new beginnings.  The Prophet Isaiah says these great things in Isaiah 43:18-19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
 
In order to understand the richness of this statement, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins,” we need to underscore two important concepts here; the concept of sin and the concept of forgiveness.  So, real quick, what is sin?  What is forgiveness?
 
First: What is Sin?
The word “sin” in the New Testament Greek is “ἁμάρτημα” “hamartia.”  The Greek word hamartia literally means “to miss the mark.”  In other words, sin is not doing things the way they ought to be done.  In His infallible Word, God tells us how things ought to be done.  And sin is when we decide, “I’ve got a better idea–my way.”  That’s the essence of sin; deciding that though God has said to do it this way, I’m going to do it my way which is better.  Sin is rejecting God’s way for our own way.
 
Sin is missing the mark.  It is missing the whole purpose of life, the whole reason for being here on earth.  In Romans 3:23, the Apostle Paul reminds us that, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  No one is exempt.  “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us,” says 1 John 1:8.
 
Theologians often speak of two different kinds of sins: sins of commission and sins of omission.  Both kinds of sin are equally wicked in God’s eyes.  Sins of commission are sins that we commit by doing something we shouldn’t do.  This kind of sin is easily recognizable.  It is something like worshiping other God’s, cheating, killing, lying, manipulating, etc.  It’s something someone did that they shouldn’t have done.
 
As you might have guessed, sins of omission are sins we commit by not doing something we should do.  James 4:17 says, “Anyone who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin.”  These are the opportunities God gives us to grow up in our faith, to be more like Christ, to take our discipleship seriously, and to impact the lives of those around us. When we waste these opportunities, we commit the sin of omission.
 
Second: What is Forgiveness?
“I believe in the forgiveness of sins.”  The word translated “forgiveness” in the New Testament writings means, “to let go, to release.”  Originally, it was a legal term used to describe the release of debtors from the debts. 
 
God’s forgiveness is a gift.  You don’t deserve it, you don’t earn it, you just receive it as a gift.  God in His mercy forgives our sins because of Jesus.  We are forgiven because Jesus took our sin upon Himself, bore our punishment, and paid the full price.  All of God’s wrath against our sin was poured out on Jesus, who absorbed it on our behalf.  He died to pay our moral debt and forgive us. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace,” says Paul in Ephesians 1:8.
 
A sinner in God’s eyes is bankrupt.  When we come to Christ, accept what he has done on our behalf, the righteousness of Christ, the victory of Christ over sin, is accredited to us.  Christ’s death “canceled out the certificate of debt.”
 
Friends, this is exciting news.  It’s glorious news.  In 1776, the British Anglican hymn writer Augustus Toplady wrote the great hymn, Rock of Ages Cleft for Me, and he captured the essence of our affirmation today.  In this third stanza he said:
 
Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die. 
 
“I believe in the forgiveness of sins.”  Amen!

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ June 7th, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 

Revelation 7:9-12
There is incredible power in believing.  Have you ever pondered what difference faith or believing can make in your life?  Have you every pondered what impact believing in a loving, caring, and personal God might have on your life? 
There is strength in believing.  Listen to these words from Romans 4:20 speaking of Father Abraham’s faith, “He did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but found strength in faith (He grew strong in his faith, his faith filled him with power) and gave glory to God.”  The Message puts it this way, “He didn’t tiptoe around God’s promise asking cautiously skeptical questions.  He plunged into the promise and came up strong.” 
The story of the Bible, from cover to cover, is the story of believing and finding strength, energy, vitality, comfort, and peace in believing.  No wonder that countless generations through the centuries have found assurance and encouragement in the words of the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe…”
Over the past few weeks, we have been looking at the Apostles’ Creed, the creed of all creeds, as someone said.  We very much covered the major Christian doctrines the creed affirms.  We talked about our faith in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  Today is Trinity Sunday, and as you can tell, the Apostles’ Creed is a very Trinitarian creed.
This morning we get to that phrase of the creed where it states, “I believe in the holy catholic church.”  As you can tell, the focus of this line is the church, what we do right now.  What does the Apostles’ Creed teach us about the church?  I think this is a timely message.  More than any other institution, the church of Jesus Christ has always been attacked and misunderstood.
I assume since you are joining us for worship today or will be watching this service later on, you have some interest in what this church thing is all about.  So whether you grew up in Church or just exploring it now, I am inviting you this morning to seriously revisit your ecclesiology, your understanding of the church.  What does it mean to affirm and declare today, “I believe in the holy catholic church”?  To help us get the proper focus, let’s begin with the word “church.” 
What Is the Church?
Often times we hear people say, “I like Jesus, but I don’t care for the church”; or something like, “I believe in God, but I don’t believe in the church.” “I’m spiritual, but I’m not religious so I don’t go to church.  I can worship God on the golf course.  That’s my church.  I believe in my own way.  I don’t need to go to church and have someone tell me what to believe.”   “The church is just after my money.” “I hate the organized church.”  What is the church?
 
In the New Testament, the word translated “Church” is “Ekklesia”, which combine two Greek words, the prefix “ek”, meaning “out of” and the verb “Kaleo” meaning “to call.”  The word ekklesia is found 116 times in the New Testament writings.  Ekklesia, therefore, means those people who have been called out of the world by God to join together as followers of Jesus Christ.  So a church is a “called-out assembly of believers.”  The word “church” in the New Testament never refers to a building.  It always refers to people, to living stones. 
 
One profound thing to notice here is the church, the ekklesia, in God’s sight is ONE.  When Jesus said, “I will build my church,” he used the singular, not the plural—"churches.” Jesus promised to build one church and one church only. There is only one true ekklesia—the assembly of those who have been called out of the world to follow Christ.
 
As much as we love our own traditions, the church is not a denomination.  Sometimes we speak of the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church, the Lutheran Church or the Catholic Church.  That’s a valid use of the English word “church,” but it’s not a meaning found in the New Testament.  Denominations are manmade organizations that allow groups of congregations to work together.  It’s not a bad concept, and it’s not wrong to be part of a denomination—but the New Testament doesn’t use the word church in this particular way.  In God’s sight, there is one ekklesia, one called out assembly of believers.
 
Jesus deliberately intended to form a continuing community of prayer, preaching, and mutual support.  The ekklesia, therefore, is neither a social club nor a political action committee.  It is by definition those called forth by the Son to be discipled by the Spirit for the purpose of living lives that bring glory and honor to the Father.  That is certainly the picture of the church painted in the New Testament.
 
The Church is Holy
“I believe in the holy catholic church.”  The adjective “holy” reinforces the truth that the church consists of those called out by God; to be holy is to be set apart by God for His service.  The church is holy not because of the individual merit of each of its members.  Rather, the church is holy in that it derives its life and substance from the Holy Spirit.
 
Jesus has called the ekklesia, His followers, to live a life worthy of the calling we received.  In other words, to experience every day what it means to be set apart by God for His service.  Sometimes we get it, other we don’t.  Sometimes we do it right, other times we stumble. 
 
The Church is Universal
“I believe in the holy catholic church.”  The Apostles’ Creed also confesses that the church is “catholic,” which simply means “universal.”  With all respect to our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Roman Catholic Church, the word “catholic” here doesn’t refer to a particular denomination.  Rather, it refers to the universal nature of the Church of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commanded us “to go and make disciples of all nations.”
 
Last week we celebrated Pentecost.  Acts chapter gives us a glimpse of the universal nature of the church where we find people literally from the four ends of the earth forming together a community, one body, the church of Jesus Christ.  In Revelation 7:9-10, the Apostle John spoke about the same idea when he wrote, “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.  And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
 
So as I conclude, this is what I want you to remember today, my friends.  Remember that in His grace, God has called you to be a part of His family.  You’re hand-picked by God.  Along with many others, from every nation, tribe, race, and language, you’re set aside by God to be His light where is darkness, to be His love where is hatred; to show compassion where rejection is found.  This is what the ekklesia has been doing for over 2,000 years.  I believe in the holy catholic church.  Amen.

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Pentecost Sunday ~ May 31st, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Acts 2:1-12 
Today is Pentecost Sunday.  Pentecost is not as well-known or as popular as Christmas and Easter, though it commemorates a watershed event in Christian history.  In many ways, Pentecost is the birthday of the church.  The English word “Pentecost” is a transliteration of the Greek word pentekostos, which means “fifty.”  Fifty days or seven weeks after the resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit was descended or poured out upon Christ’s first followers, thus empowering them for their mission and gathering them together as a church.
 
Today we remember and celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Someone rightly said that the Holy Spirit is the “Forgotten God.”  The Holy Spirit is the God we hardly know.  As you may’ve already noticed, since the beginning of this pandemic, I have delivered numerous sermons from the Apostles’ Creed.  As I said several times, it is one of the most profound creeds and the ancient of all creeds. 
 
The Apostles’ Creed could be easily divided into three main sections.  Each section deals with one Person of the Trinity.  The first section addresses our faith in God the Father Almighty; the second deals with the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity; and the third section deals with the Holy Spirit, stating simply, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.”
 
Two powerful lines in the Creed are devoted to God, and ten lines are devoted to Jesus Christ.  But as you can see, there is only one line, one phrase, devoted to the Holy Spirit, and that line is not very descriptive — “I believe in the Holy Spirit.”  Though short, this line is packed with truth you and I need today.
 
Any study of the Holy Spirit must begin with this fundamental question.  Who is the Holy Spirit?  So, let me say a few words about this, then I will very briefly share a single thought about the ministry of the Holy Spirit today and how it relates to our lives.
 
Who is the Holy Spirit?
Essential to a Biblical understanding of the Holy Spirit is recognizing the Spirit as a Person.  The Holy Spirit is the 3rd Person of the Trinity.  You may have heard the Holy Spirit referred to as an impersonal power or influence, as an “it.”  This is not true because the Holy Spirit is a person.  He is fully God.  To borrow a phrase from a later creed, He is co-equal, co-eternal to God the Father and God the Son.  He is equal in every way and has always been.  He is as important, as eternal, as powerful and as much a part of the Trinity as the Father and the Son are.
 
The Holy Spirit is God’s active presence in the world.  The first mention of the Holy Spirit is in Genesis 1:2. He is God’s agent of creation.  He hovered over the waters in the beginning.  He is the breath of the Almighty (Hebrew ruach elohim), and as such He is an agent in creation, the breath of God.  He demonstrates power and energy.  The Holy Spirit spoke things into existence, the whole world, the stars, everything visible and invisible. 
 
Not only is the Holy Spirit the agent of creation, He is the agent of the new creation in Christ.  In John chapter 3:5-6, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.  What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.”  Thus the Holy Spirit is the author of new birth.  The Holy Spirit is God’s active presence in the world.  It’s God showing up in a clear and tangible way, but also sometimes in a mysterious or even miraculous way.
 
“I believe in the Holy Spirit,” the Apostles’ Creed affirms.  What does this mean?  One profound way the work of the Holy Spirit is fundamental to our lives today.
 
First: The Holy Spirit is Our Helper
In John 16:7 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper “paracletos” will not come to you.  But if I go, I will send him to you.”  I know most of our English translations render “Paraclete” as Helper, Comforter, Advocate, or Counselor.  Yet, I feel this doesn’t really capture the depth and complexity of the Greek word.  The Greek word paracletos combines the verb “kaleo,” “to call,” with the proposition “para,” meaning “with, by, or beside.”  A Paraclete, therefore, is someone called alongside.
 
When I think of the Holy Spirit, this is how I primarily think of Him: my 911, and my 24/7 hotline.  The Holy Spirit is God with us, helping and empowering us to live a flourishing life that radiates the goodness of God.  I don’t know about you but I’m constantly aware of my need for divine help.  As my flesh fights for control, it’s the Spirit that steps in and helps me to be who God created me to be.
 
When you are feeling powerless or tired or like your failing at life, you can have confidence as a believer that you're not alone.  You can start each day knowing the Holy Spirit is there to help you.  He is the power that sustains, energizes, and keeps you on a holy path.
 
The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:26, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness.”  Reflecting on these words, American Theologian, Thomas Oden (1931-2016), wrote, “There is nothing too subtle or dense for the Spirit to penetrate or too sinful for the Spirit to cleanse or too weary for the Spirit to breathe life into again.  The Spirit strives with us, prays for us, groans with us.”[1]
 
Each time we confess and affirm, “I believe in the Holy Spirit”, we affirm our faith in the Paraclete, God’s personal and powerful presence in our lives today.  Friends, the ministry of the Holy Spirit today reminds us that our God is an active God.  He is still helping, comforting, counseling, guiding, empowering, and reminding us of the truth of God’s Word.  Friends, I don’t think our churches today need more attracting programs, or committees, or even better Ministers.  We may change all these, and still be just the same.  All we want is a fresh outpouring of the Spirit of God.  Psalm 104:30 says, “When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.”  So, come, Holy Spirit, come.  Amen.


[1] Thomas C. Oden, Life in the Spirit: Systematic Theology: vol. 3.  San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1994.

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ May 24, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Acts 1:1-14 
I love knowing where I’m going and what’s coming next.  It’s the way I’m wired.  And if it were left up to me, all of life would come with step-by-step instructions that lead directly through one season into another.  I like marked roads with signpost messages along the way.
 
Unfortunately, or may be fortunately, this is not the case in real life.  In real life, much of our life is spent in the “in-between” time.  Most of our time is spent in between the start and finish; in between one life event and the next; in between the accomplishment of goals and future dreams; in between our current reality and anticipated future; in between despair and hope; in between the now and the not yet.
 
No one likes being in the “in-between” time.  Yet, as God’s people, we are called to live a life of faith and faithfulness in the “in-between” times.  As followers of Christ today, we live in between Christ’s first coming and His Second coming in glory; between the wilderness and the Promised Land.
 
This week is a strange week in church liturgical calendar.  This past Thursday, May 21st, was Ascension Day.  Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday.  These ten days, between the Ascension of Christ and Pentecost, are very interesting to say the least.  In these ten days, the disciples of Jesus lived between the ups and downs.  One could say that they were a bit disoriented. 
 
I think the most important and challenging question to ask today is how should we live in the in-between times?  How should we live the pace between those two momentous events, between Christ ascending to heaven and the Holy Spirit descending on us?  This is a space of holy waiting, explicitly commanded by Christ in His last earthly words before His ascension.
 
Waiting is difficult.  How can we wait when so many things seem to demand action or response right away?  How long must we wait when we’re promised something wonderful?  In Acts chapter 1, Christ puts the waiting before the receiving.  He tells the disciples to wait, then says that they’ll receive the Holy Spirit.  Christ could’ve been more expedient, breathing on them with a “Receive the Holy Spirit” before leaving them.  But instead… He told them to wait.
 
God brings us into the waiting for specific reasons.  He wants time to minister to us in the waiting.  He wants to prepare us.  He wants to give us safety, unity and wholeness when we wait for Him. When the fire fills our hearts, we will be ready for this new call and direction because of the formation experienced while waiting.
 
So what do we do in this waiting?  What do we do in the in-between times?  What do we do when we get caught between Ascension and Pentecost?   In Acts chapter 1, the disciples of Jesus had nothing to do but wait.  What do we do when the God we’ve pinned all our hopes and dreams upon suddenly ups and leaves?  What do we do when all we have left is a promise?  What do we do when there’s nothing left to do but wait?  Perhaps how the disciples waited will give us some direction for our own times of waiting today.  Two short observations that I noticed as I read Luke’s account of their waiting in Acts 1.
 
First: Find Space for Remembering
Acts 1:12-13 reads, “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.  When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying.”
 
This is the Upper Room where that fateful and revolutionary Passover Feast—the first communion—took place.  There are memories here, lingering glimpses of Christ’s presence, desperately needed now in His absence.
 
In one corner is the basin and towels Jesus used to wash His disciples’ feet.  In the middle of the room found the pillows and low table where Jesus sat and broke the bread, “This is my body, broken for you” and where He lifted up the cup, “This is my Blood, the New Covenant.”  Memories of food, fellowship, and God’s presence.  They remember the late night after that meal full of conversation in the vineyard.  They remember Christ speaking words of promise and comfort to them. So here they wait, remembering Him in a space that evokes His presence.  When waiting, find these places of remembrance and sanctuary in your own life.  Those memories of God’s faithfulness and His unfailing love can give us strength and hope to wait.
 
Second: Wait with Community
As you wait, find space for remembering.  But there is another great thought that we also see in Acts 1.  We read these words in Acts 1:13-14, “Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.  They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”
 
Waiting can be lonely.  One of the best ways to wait is to wait with someone else; to wait with community.  Time shared is time halved.  After coming to the Upper Room, the apostles gathered with the other believers—all 120 of them. Together, with unity, they prayed.  What did they pray for?  Did they share memories of time spent with Jesus?  What was the emotion in those prayers in that room?  Waiting in prayerful community is so important.
 
Community helps us remember.  Community sustains us when we’re too tired to wait anymore.  When we’re waiting for tongues of flame, we might need someone else to look at those signs of God’s presence in and around us.  We can more easily discern through the eyes of community what God is doing in our lives.
 
Friends, with today’s celebration of the Seventh Sunday of Easter, we find ourselves get caught between the Ascension and Pentecost.  What sustains us in that time of waiting, in the in-between times?  Acts chapter one invites to, first, find a space for remembering.  This is where God’s unfailing promises are nurtured and celebrated.  Second, wait with community.  That’s why I value this Church Family.
 
These two elements are extremely important for living a life of faith in the in-between times.  Let’s rest and wait on the Lord during life’s pauses.  Knowing that whether life is in motion or seemingly stalled, God is with us, is so comforting and assuring.  God is guiding our steps at the start and the finish and everywhere in between.  God is our hope and our song, even in the in-between times and places – maybe especially there.  To Him be the glory, now and forever more.  Amen.