Sunday Morning IBC. 6/16/2013. John 7:10-24.

Teaching on John 7.  John 7:10-24
Pastor Gary Takahashi.

John 7:10 But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret. 11 So the Jews were seeking Him at the feast and were saying, “Where is He?” 12 There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.” 13 Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach. 15 The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?” 16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

19 “Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all marvel. 22 For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

Jesus traveled alone to the feast. 

People didn't speak of Jesus aloud for fear of the Jewish leaders. (Wanting to kill Jesus).

Yet while Jesus traveled in secret, He taught to the crowds in public demonstrating that Jesus was fully obedient to the Father's will... not dependent on what was safe or dangerous in respects to the religious leaders. 

v.17 If you follow God's will, commit your life to it.

Dependence is the way to God's will. Faith is a requirement for Spiritual Intelligence. Understanding the will of God is the reward of faith.

v.18 Jesus' main purpose is to seek the glory of the Father.

"Pick up your Mat"

The Pharisees were not so much amazed that a miracle had occurred, but rather complained that Sabbath law was broken.

What happens when 2 laws are conflicting?

Example: 8th day circumcision and the Keeping of the Sabbath. 

What happens when the 8th day falls on the Sabbath? 

A: The Rabbi's have determined the priorities of these laws. The importance of the 8th day overrides the command to not work on the Sabbath.

v.23 Jesus emphasizes that he made the "entire man" well. He's forgiven of sins and healed of his sickness.

Possible Application (since this issue hits close to home): Just because a mom works doesn't mean that the family is living in sin. It's possible that the mom can take care of the home as well as a job. Get all the facts. Don't judge the lives of others too quickly.

Sunday Morning IBC. 6/9/2013. Luke 5.

Luke 5:12-16. Messiah's Power to Cleanse.

Pastor Nam Park.

Luke 5:12 While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 13 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 15 But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.

Jesus has the power to cleanse. He is also WILLING to do so.
This man had a full and desperate need for cleansing since he was "covered" in leprosy.

Leprosy, aka Hansen's Disease, can be spread by touch or by breath. It is a decreasing of the nervous system. The person then becomes unable to feel pain.

He went face down in the dirt, begging Jesus to forgive him. He acknowledges that Jesus is fully capable to heal. Yet (in Greek) suggests that Jesus might not be willing to perform the healing. 
- Are you willing? (focus)
- I KNOW you can heal. (fact)

Jesus didn't have to heal him. He recognized Jesus' ability but didn't impose his desires to be healed upon the Savior. There is humility in the format of his asking, similar to a request made by method of a prayer.

Background: Lepers had to live outside the camp and if anyone came near, they needed to shout: "unclean." They were separated from family and friends and only lived with other lepers. They lived similar to dead men, away from society.
- If a leper could chose to be blind or even lame, instead of leprous  they would take the swap in an instant because at least they would be able to be with family and friends.

"Although the leper was not more sinful than others... he had the misfortune of being on the outside what everyone else already was on the inside; utterly sinful" (paraphrased quote).

In order to heal him, Jesus touched him. Jesus didn't have to touch him, but this action demonstrated His love and compassion. The healing was also immediate. The complete appearance of this man was restored back to normal. 

Jesus instructs the man to tell NO ONE. The reason was possibly that it was the right process for him to be restored into society. This was an 8-day process.  A testimony to the priesthood as well that Messianic times were upon them. 
Luke 7:20 When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’” 21 At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind. 22 And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Yet the healing Jesus repeatedly did was not the main focus, it was the PREACHING OF GOD's WORD.  What is more amazing is that a person that was once dead in his transgressions could be saved/completely cleansed. That is the greater miracle.

Jesus also didn't have His head swell. Afterwards, He finds time alone to pray. Good prayer is a difficult discipline, yet important. Seek to find private strength from God the Father.

The deeper issue is not whether we have the health/blessing of this life, but whether the things in this life point us to the Savior.

Turn to the Lord. The only one with the compassion, the ABILITY, and the WILLINGNESS to cleanse us.

Sunday Morning IBC. 6/2/2013. Luke 5.

Luke 5:1-11. How the Lord Calls Fishermen.
Pastor Nam Park.

Getting to the core of the real Jesus causes people to think of Jesus as JUST a great teacher. Emphasis on the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. 
William Templeton (Arch Bishop of Canterbury) insightfully said, "Why anyone should have troubled to crucify the Christ of Liberal Protestantism has always been a mystery"

The reality of who Jesus Christ is, speaks to everything to you and your eternal destiny.
Who and what Jesus Christ is. And when faced with who and what Jesus Christ is, how do we respond? Here, the Lord is calling ALL to become fishermen, through ONE single fisherman.
The knowledge of Jesus Christ should lead us to the worship of Jesus Christ. 
If it doesn't, it doesn't make any sense.
To know and to worship Jesus rightly and to draw/help others to do the same.
Our knowledge of Christ says EVERYTHING about us.

Luke 5 Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; 2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. 4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” 11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

1. It's about Teaching.
2. It's about Fishing: Literally fishing.
3. It's about Following.

The people were crowding and pressing upon Jesus because He was preaching words that seem to come from God. The Word "sourced" from God.
John 49 For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50 I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”

The primary ministry Jesus had was to preach God's Word. The miracles that were done merely verified His ministry; accentuating that Jesus was worth being heard.

Lake Gennesaret (only Luke uses this name) = The Sea of Galilee = The Sea of Tiberiah (gospel of John)

They fished, usually at night.

Luke 5:4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon (specifically Peter), “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets (collectively for everyone) for a catch.”

- Simon is a representative for them all. Simon, a professional fisherman was willing to yield his fishing expertise to a carpenter. He had a willingness to obey.

This miracle sounds cool, but ranks rather low (on Pastor Nam's list) in comparison to healing a man that was blind from birth or raising a person from the dead. Yet, for Simon Peter [He was called PETER at moments of Christ-centered clarity], he is overwhelmed and falls face down in a pile of fish.

It is personal. And Peter senses the nearness of God in it. The weight of unworthiness settles upon His soul.

Job 42:5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;

But now my eye sees You;

6 Therefore I retract,

And I repent in dust and ashes.”

The reality of who God is humbles us. We are undone. No pride, no hubris. The just and right thing at that moment seems that Jesus shouldn't be associated with a sinful man like me. Peter recognized it would be right for Jesus to leave.

Luke 18:13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 
- the ONE sinner.

The other disciples might have shared in the amazement but also in the dismay (that the Lord shouldn't be near them).

There was a fear that Jesus might leave them. Yet even though Simon Peter feels his unworthiness, Jesus promises him a ministry. Jesus turns sinners into servants.
Acts 4 and 5 recount the many people that came to know Christ through them.

They abandoned everything to follow HIM (leaving everything, they decided to follow ONE) <- This is the summary of becoming a Christian. 
This is what happens when you meet the Son of God, He catches you alive and He employs you to catch others. 

They weren't very influential men, they were fishermen.
The most important thing about ability, is AVAILABILITY. 
God's not calling geniuses, He's calling normal people. 

"Teaching the Changed Lives" - by Dr. Hendricks.
Dr. Hendricks came to faith through a faithful man, named Walt. Walt was a Sunday School teacher that played marbles every Sunday with a group of boys, won all their marbles and challenged them to follow Christ. Out of 13 men, 11 became full-time ministers. Walt had a 6th grade education. Dr. Hendricks couldn't remember what was taught, but he could tell you everything about the man. Walt invested in him. 
God uses sinners like us, to call others.

Living it: Spend time with others. Believers and non-believers alike. Be available.

Sunday Morning IBC. 5/26/2013. Luke 4.

Luke 4:38-44. The Authority of Jesus' Words.
Pastor Nam Park.

Jesus is more than sufficient to render for our need for salvation. And no other angelic or earthly power can compare to the infinite power of God. How did the Lord create the world? In sweat and tears? A: No, He spoke a word and it was done.

Luke 4:38 Then He got up and left the synagogue, and entered Simon’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him to help her. 39 And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately got up and waited on them.

40 While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them. 41 Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.

42 When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. 43 But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.”

44 So He kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

The term "high fever" suggests that it was no normal fever. In addition, they ask Jesus for help and not the local doctor. Jesus didn't cure the sniffles but the people that sought Him looked for last-chance cures.

1. He simply speaks to heal.

2. The results are instantaneous.

3. Done completely.

Luke 4:39 And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately got up and waited on them.

- She didn't need additional time to heal. The healing was complete and the evidence was that she got up and waited on them.

Jesus has compassion.

Luke 4:40 While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them. 

- He didn't need to lay hands on them to cure them, but our Lord is compassionate. Laying hands has the resonance of "anointing." He laid a hand on them because maybe no one else was able to touch them for a long time.

John 11:35 Jesus wept.

- He wept because it is a sad thing to lose a brother. Compassion.

Jesus was unnecessarily personable.

"Son of God" = "the Christ"

Why did Jesus not want this revealed?

1. Maybe to forestall.

2. Maybe He didn't want the demons proclaiming it.

3. Maybe it wasn't the appropriate moment.

Yet by casting the demons out, Jesus validates His Authority.

And if He is to restore the world, He must have VICTORY over EVERYTHING. Power over the dark spirits included.

The people find Jesus. They are attracted to Him and want to appreciate Him.

Luke 4:42 When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. 43 But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.”

44 So He kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

They wanted to cage Him. But His PRIMARY PURPOSE was to preach. They wouldn't be able to prevent Him from leaving.

Luke also doesn't explain the term "Kingdom of God," suggesting that the term was common knowledge to the audience. So what would it mean? A: Literal. Physical. A Political Kingdom... associated with the throne of David. As well as the spiritual restoration of Eden: Where the Lion and the Lamb would be together; And children could place their hands in the Viper's nest; etc.

Where is the hand of the Omnipotent God most powerfully displayed? A: In the Salvation of Sinners. <---- Be astounded by this.

Living it: Unnecessarily Personable. Care for those who need it most. The non-popular. The unreached. In all churches, there are those on the fringes that don't get as much attention as the popular kids. Sigh. Popularity; it messes with your head.

Sunday Morning IBC. 5/19/2013. Luke 4.

Luke 4:31-37. The Power of Jesus' Words.
Pastor Nam Park.

Luke 4:31 And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath; 32 and they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Let us alone! What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm. 36 And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, “What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out.” 37 And the report about Him was spreading into every locality in the surrounding district.

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. - CS Lewis. The Screwtape Letters.

1. No existence of Devils. (Materialist).

2. Believing Demons overwhelmingly powerful. (Magician).

Jesus travels down to Capernaum (a valley) and the emphasis of his ministry was to simply to teach on the Sabbath, in the synagogues. The people were astonished with His message, because it was with Authority.

What gave His message Authority?

1. Jesus simply preached the scriptures.

http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid=22527

Once Harry Ironside was greeted by a visitor who said he had enjoyed the service, although he did not think Ironside was a great preacher. Ironside replied, "I know I'm not a great preacher. But what was it about my preaching that brought you to that conclusion" The man answered, "I understood everything you said" This was an unwitting confession of one of the reasons for Ironside's greatness. Jesus too, when he preached the Word, was clear and painfully direct in his application, as we see again and again in the Gospels. The conclusion in Capernaum was that "he taught them as one who had authority"

As Amy Carmichael, the great missionary, said, "If you have never been hurt by a word from God, it is probable that you have never heard God speak" The people were shocked, thunderstruck, sublimely hurt. Jesus' teaching was authoritative because he proclaimed God's Word clearly and with conviction. We ought to pray for such divine hurt'.

He preached the Scriptures with knowledge, clarity, and insight.
Jesus also gave a sense that God cared for those in trouble (through his message).

People are starving for the grandeur of God, and the vast majority do not know it. - John Piper.

2. Jesus demonstrated His authority over the demons.

These demons are personable beings, yet they believe and fear the reality of who God is.

Luke 4:34 “Let us alone! What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 
- The demons never lie about God and some have better theology than select Christians today.

Jesus didn't necessarily need to yell. He speaks, the demons obey.
Nam's paraphrase: "Can you be quiet? And, can you leave?"
Luke 4:35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm.

Why the demonic activity?
A: To demonstrate the authority of Jesus over sin, punishment, and evil. And if He has authority, then what He says about releasing the captives is true.

Luke 4:18 

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.

He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set free those who are oppressed,

19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

We can see the authority dripping off of Him.

Sunday Morning IBC. 5/12/2013. Luke 4.

Luke 4:22-30. Rejecting Jesus. (Part II).
Pastor Nam Park.

We assume that if we're decent people, we are more likely to end up in the Kingdom of Heaven. Those that reject Jesus, reject the fact that they need God's grace, because:
1. They find Him too familiar. 
2. They feel too privileged (sense of entitlement).
3. They are too invested (in worldly ventures).

Luke 4:22 And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”
- They thought much of Jesus, but He was the familiar, "hometown" kid.

Then Jesus started to challenge those that felt "Privileged."

Luke 4:25 But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; 26 and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath,in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

- Elijah went to a Phoenician widow (from Sidon)... a foreigner.
- Elisha cleansed Naaman the Syrian... another foreigner. [[2 Kings 5:1-13]] 

Too Invested. 
When Nam talks to his Aunt about salvation, he sees her thinking: If what you're saying is true, then where have all my loved ones (who have passed) gone? Either the scriptures are true, or her own made-up theologies are true. Some are too invested in what they have believe in for so long.

Luke 4:28 And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; 29 and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, He went His way.
- The people were enraged. "Who does Jesus think He is???" Yet, Jesus spoke accurately of the inward condition of their heart. They wanted to kill Him. This was similar to "lynching-laws" of old times. Yet Jesus either by being physically-fit or by supernatural means managed to escape them.

Too familiar. (Loving church culture and treating Christ only as an appendage).
Too entitled. (I'm a pretty good person, compared to that other person.)
Too invested. (Hoping for things in the world over the hope of Jesus.)

What do they lose? Not something small. They lose eternal life, and not just that: the abundance of what life is supposed to be. Is this life sufficient for you?  A good job... a good family... a good hockey game?  You are just a tragedy away from weeping; from losing your life or loved ones. If your life is blessed, praise the Lord, but in this life, you will have tribulation.  The life you WANT is the hope that you find, that lasts unto eternity and can only be found in the forgiveness of sins, through Jesus Christ. That's His message. That's the message that we can't afford to reject.

Living it: There is amazement in the simplicity of the gospel. Meditate on it. Sinners are saved!

Sunday Morning IBC. May 5th, 2013. Luke 4.

Luke 4:14-30. Rejecting Jesus. (Part I).
Pastor Nam Park.

Jesus had a clear sense of His ministry, yet His home town rejected Him. He was too "ordinary." This serves as a warning: Jesus was rejected by those that should have known best.

Luke highlights that Jesus was praised for his teachings. His reputation was growing by leaps and bounds.

Luke 4:15 And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.

Luke 4:17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,

19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

They would have been familiar with these words Jesus read. Yet Jesus was selective. Jesus makes the assertion clear: that HE is exactly the ONE who the Spirit of the Lord is upon.

Isaiah 58:6 “Is this not the fast which I choose,

To loosen the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the bands of the yoke,
And to let the oppressed go free
And break every yoke?

Suspense builds as the people wait to hear what Jesus will comment on what He's just read.

Luke 4:21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 

They knew exactly what Jesus was claiming. Full understanding. They were astounded but a bit put off. Their response:

Luke 4:22 And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

An Excerpt from R.Kent Hughes_____________________________

A large prestigious British church had three mission churches under its care. On the first Sunday of each new year all the members of the mission churches would come to the parent church for a combined Communion service. In those mission churches, located in the slums of a major city, were some outstanding cases of conversions - thieves, burglars, and others. But all knelt as brothers and sisters side by side at the Communion rail. 

On one such occasion the pastor saw a former burglar kneeling beside a judge of the Supreme Court of England - the very judge who had sent him to jail where he had served seven years. After his release this burglar had been converted and became a Christian worker.

After service, the judge was walking out with the pastor and said to him, "Did you notice who was kneeling beside me at the Communion rail this morning?" The two walked along in silence for a few more moments, and then the judge said, "What a miracle of grace." The pastor nodded in agreement. "A marvelous miracle of grace indeed." The judge then inquired, "But to whom do you refer?" "The former convict," the pastor answered. The judge said, "I was not referring to him. I was thinking of myself." The minister, surprised, replied, "You were thinking of yourself? I don't understand."

"You see," the judge went on, "it is not surprising that the burglar received God's grace when he left jail. He had nothing but a history of crime behind him, and when he understood Jesus could be his Savior, he knew there was salvation and hope and joy for him. And he knew how much he needed that help. But look at me -- I was taught from earliest infancy to live as a gentleman, that my word was to be my bond, that I was to say my prayers, go to church, take Communion and so on. I went through Oxford, obtained my degrees, was called to the bar, and eventually became a judge. I was sure I was all I needed to be, through in fact i too was a sinner. Pastor, it was God's grace that drew me. It was God's grace that opened my heart to receive Christ. I'm the greater miracle."