Sermon: The Best Way or The Yardstick
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by Chris Cumming
We are in the Lord’s Supper/Days of Unleavened Bread time of year …a time when
we begin examining ourselves.
Question: How do you examine yourself? What tools do you use? Who do you go to?
Maybe we should be asking ourselves: What is the Passover/Lord’s Supper all about? Who IS our Passover?
Well, we know that the answer to that question don’t we? It is Jesus Christ.
Christ is our Passover.
He is the only human that could die for our sins. He was the only one qualified.
Shouldn’t He be that against which we examine ourselves?
My purpose today is to show you that the best way to prepare for the Passover is to examine yourself against Christ.
Examine yourself against Christ.
What I want to do is look at a number of things about Christ that we can look at and use as a measurement in examining ourselves before Passover.
Let us begin with the Christ Elements…
1) Christ Had a Plan.
John 18:37
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
John 4:34
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
1 Timothy 1:15
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
John 10:10-11
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Romans 14:9
For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
Christ had a plan……….He is still working that plan…We are a part of that plan.
What is your plan?
Is it written down?
How will you implement it?
2) Christ Formed a Team
Matthew 4:18-22
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
Matthew 9:9
And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
Luke 8:1
And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
Christ has called us. He put us together.
Feast Team…Web Team…Raffle Team…Condo Team…Bible Study Team and all the individual two-on-two counseling and encouragement teams you form through fellowship.
3) He Was Bold.
Matthew 21:12-13
12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Luke 11:42-44
42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
What could you do if you were as bold as Christ?
Proverbs 28:1
The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
Ephesians 3:12
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
4) He Worked Through His Fears.
Jesus was afraid at times in His life. He talked about his fears to his team.
He wrestled with his fears to the point of sweating blood in the garden.
Without fear, Jesus could not have been an example to us.
Luke 22:41-44
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
John 18:3-11
3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
Susan Jeffers, Ph. D. has written a book called Feel the Fear…and Do It Anyway.
She tells us that we will probably always have to deal with fear.
If we wait for our fears to disappear before we start, we will never even begin.
Christ went to Jerusalem…think about it.
He announced His identity.
He felt the fear……..and did it anyway. There are two verses that I am sure that crossed His mind.
Psalm 118:6
The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
What fears are keeping you from your goals?
5) He Gave His Followers Vision.
Matthew 4:19
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
John 4:13
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no vision, the people perish.
Studies show that people will work harder and longer on projects when they understand the overall significance of their individual contributor.
--Experiment----2 groups of Boeing workers. There was an experiment done at the Boeing Company where they took two groups of Boeing workers. The would work on identical projects. One was to get day-by-day instructions only. The other group was given a briefing that took in the entire scope of the project from inception to finished product. They were shown complete plans and artist’s renditions of the product when fully assembled. Each group was monitored for efficiency, moral and quality of work done. The fully informed group; the one with vision, far outscored the other group.
6) He Forgave People.
Christ is the ultimate symbol of forgiveness.
Matthew 18:21-22
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against
me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until
seventy times seven.
Luke 23:34
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they
parted his raiment, and cast lots.
Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
What situations or opportunities have you had to forgive lately?
Who has forgiven you?
What is your feeling toward them now?
7) Christ Empowered Women.
Throughout history women have not always been treated or valued as they should have been.
Christ was not that way. He empowered women.
His first appearance after his death was to a woman whose mission was to go and convince the more doubtful males.
Turn to Matthew 28 and verse 1
Matthew 28:1-11
1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.
John 20 talks about Thomas who needed proof that it was Jesus. No record of women needing this.
It was women who supported Christ with their money.
Luke 8:3
And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
It was a woman that tried to convince her husband Pilate to stay out of the trial of Jesus
Matthew 27:19-20
19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.
20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
Men who fail to acknowledge and enlist feminine energy often suffer for their arrogance as Pilate did.
Why one woman comedienne theorized that perhaps the reason the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years was because Moses wouldn’t give Miriam the map.
What of the women of our group [past and present]?
Tracy Wright—Sabbath School for Seattle in the 90’s
Marian Nichols and Penny St. George—Literature Request Processing
Joan Cumming—EA Website
Marian Hansen—Instrumental in finding meeting locations for the Seattle Church
Virginia Koon and Lois Chapman—Proof readers
Irene Sparks—Holds Eastside together and opens her home to countless Sabbath and Holy Day meetings.
Anita Fain began the Seattle Fellowship Group that eventually became a chartered church.
Lois Chapman—mentor to ministers and serving on the ICG Board
Mary Dean—the matriarch of
the Seattle group in the 90’s.
Susan Lewis—heading up the News Department for the Web Site Office.
Susan Samuel in Trinidad--who takes care of our church down there.
Laurie Wilson—who organizes the raffle at Lake Tahoe Feast when we have them.
Lavinia Barkhouse—co-host the Port Williams church in Nova Scotia
8) He Kept Urging His Followers On.
Jesus kept urging people on.
John 5:8-9
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
John 11:43
And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
Matthew 14:26-29
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
In what ways do you encourage your brothers to try harder, do more, and be the best they can be?
From whom do you receive your encouragement?
9) He Served Them.
John 13:4-5
4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
John 13:15-17
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
Romans 12:10-11
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.
Notice that verse, “with brotherly love”. This is the greatest element of Christ.
This is our foremost unit of measurement as we prepare for the Passover/Lord’s Supper and proceed through the Days of Unleavened Bread.
Notice what the Bible says about Christ as He took his last Passover…
John 13:1
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
These are just a small handful of the elements of Jesus Christ against which we can examine ourselves.
So take these seven days of Unleavened Bread and examine yourself and as you do
Remember
2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye
not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you.
The
Yardstick
Or
The Best Way
A sermon given by Chris
Cumming in Seattle on 28 March 1998
and Yakima on 7 April 2012