Sold Out (May 31)

A week or two ago, I was riding my bike along a trail, and seeing some vending machines, decided to stop for a drink. I had enough water to finish the ride, but it was getting warm and I thought I cold use some cold Gatorade or something. I hadn't noticed these vending machines before, but there they were, advertising their goods. I walked to the first one and noted that the drinks were $1.50. I dropped two dollars into the machine and they came straight out the coin return. Apparently the machine did not accept dollars. I dropped the dollars into the second machine and it took them, but then the display read, “Sold Out” when I pushed a selection button. I walked back to my bike and continued down the trail with no refreshment and short two dollars. It got me thinking about a few things. How many here today are sold out? How many times have I been sold out?

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Here are some other translations for the Greek words that were used for “comfort” and “edify”.

Comfort – call near, invite, comfort, give exhortation, pray

Edify – to be a house builder, construct, confirm, build up, embolden

We are called many times in the scripture to encourage one another. We are supposed to build each other up, help each other out, pray for each other, be there for each other, console each other, give comfort, share the word of God, and many other things to help each other out in life, both naturally and spiritually. You see, as Christians, we must care about each other. That's how the church works. It's one body. Its members look out for one another and share God's heart. Listen to this, let's read on:

1 Thessalonians 5:12-17

12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing.

You see, when I saw that vending machine, it was advertising something. It was offering products for sale. It was offering refreshment. But when I approached it, it had nothing to give. Now, you may remember another lesson that I shared about false advertising, where I had a box of something that I bought at the store and when I opened the box, it contained something else. I had related that to people that call themselves a Christian but are really something else inside. That's not really where I'm going with this lesson. You see, the vending machine advertised refreshing drinks. It really was a vending machine and really did sell the drinks that were advertised. Unfortunately, it was just empty. I could have come by the week before and there would have been drinks. I could go tomorrow and there would be drinks. But on that one day, there was nothing. The supply was used up. It needed to be restocked.

Now let's consider ourselves and the Holy Spirit. We just read some verses about encouraging each other and sharing the love of God with each other (whether comfort or exhortation). But if we don't spend our own time with God and allow Him to fill us with His Spirit and His Love, we won't have anything to give. If I come to you in need of encouragement, are you going to have anything to give? If you come to me needing to hear a call to come closer to God, am I going to have anything to give? Or will we be sold out?

I fear that all too often, it is hit or miss with me and with so many in the church. Maybe you will come to me today and I will comfort you and pray for you. Perhaps two weeks ago I had nothing to give. Well, that might seem perfectly fine to the person that received encouragement. But to the person that got nothing it will seem completely worthless. You see, when I approached that vending machine on my bike ride, I needed refreshment. I got nothing. That may have been the first time in five years that the machine was empty, but that didn't matter to me. What mattered on that day was that it was sold out. Christianity and serving God (and therefore also one another) is an every day thing. Are you sold out today? If I come to you tomorrow, will you have God's heart to share with me? I believe that if you are constantly seeking the Lord and being filled with His Spirit and His Love that you will always have that same Spirit and Love flowing from you to others. It won't matter what day it is, whether it's a good week or a bad week, or what time of day or night, when a friend comes in need of refreshment, you will always have an appropriate word from God's heart and a commitment to prayer. That's the kind of Christian I want to be. That's the kind of friend I want to be. If I were a vending machine, that's the way I would want to be: always offering much-needed refreshment—never sold out.

Calling Your Name (May 24)

I went back to the last place I'd known Him to be; Every promise He'd once spoken seemed only for me; I don't know just how it happened; But in the midst of all my pain; Softly sweetly I heard Jesus calling my name. Calling my name, calling my name; Never I'd heard it with such sweet refrain; Through the tears all darkness vanished; I'll never be the same; Since the morning I heard Jesus calling my name. “Touch me not 'til I've ascended to my Father,” said He; Go and tell all others fearful they've no need to be; Be not faithless but believing He's coming again; For I tell you that I've heard Him calling my name. ©2002 Carter Conlon Music. “Calling My Name.” Quiet Times. Carter Conlon.

John 20:14-16

14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

Mary had lost Jesus. He was dead and she was coming to anoint the body when she found the tomb empty. She didn't know where He was. Had someone moved the body for some reason? Had someone stolen the body? Did she suddenly become anxious? Did she worry? She asked the gardener if He moved it. I have to find Him. I am lost without Him. What am I going to do? Mary. She heard her name. She heard it like she had never heard it before. It was Him. It was Him!

John 11:39-44

39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. 40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Lazarus was dead. Dead people don't hear. They don't do much of anything. There was no life whatsoever in his body. In fact, Martha put it quite bluntly when she said, “He's been dead four days: he stinks!” Why would Jesus want to open the tomb with a stinky dead body inside? Lazarus had been dead for awhile. There was no chance of being alive. The body was full of decay. It was beginning to rot away. Lazarus. He heard his name. Everyone heard it. Jesus had called out his name. Never before had anyone ever heard such a call. The dead man heard Jesus call out his name and he came out to meet Him! He wasn't rotting or decaying: his body was now full of life...every bit of him full of life!

If you listen, you will hear Jesus calling out your name. [Insert name] come and meet me. Come out of death and into life. [Insert name] I have a place for you. I love you and want you to fellowship with me in my Father's house. [Insert name] I am right here. You were looking for me because you knew that I used to be in your life and you miss me. I miss you too; come let us walk together. [Insert name] I have a great job for you to do. I want you to serve me in my kingdom and you can do that by praying for your pastors and teachers, and by sharing your testimony with others. I heard Jesus calling my name. Since that day, I'll never be the same. You too can experience that glory when you hear Him call you. Listen. [Insert name].

Asking Answered Questions (May 17)

How often do you ask a question, the answer to which you already know? How often have you had to ask the question because, even though someone already answered it, you weren't paying attention and so you still didn't know?

Earlier this week, I was on a website to check on something, and there was a little poll box on the sidebar that was asking who will win the conference semifinals: Pittsburgh or Washington. The thing is, the series was already over and Pittsburgh had already won. I thought it was odd that they still had the poll up. In fact, several times in the past week or two, I've seen the same thing, where there is a poll asking about the possible outcomes of an event that is already over with. Now, I know that the polls had been up for awhile ahead of time and that the website person just hadn't yet gotten around to changing it yet, but it still got me to thinking about how often we ask answered questions.

Let's take a moment to think about why we ask answered questions. Go ahead and think of a few.

1. We already know the answer, but don't like it, and are hoping to hear something different.

2. We already got the answer, but weren't paying attention and missed it.

3. We don't believe the answer.

I'm sure that you can think of a few more possible reasons.

2 John 4-6

4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. 5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

Jeremiah 7:23-24

23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. 24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

Sometimes we ask God for guidance and more specifically what we should do in a certain situation. God answers us and we see what He calls us to do through His word and also through pastors and teachers. But then we continue to ask God what to do. Once He's given the answer, take it and obey! Do we continue to ask the answered question because we hope that the second time, God's desire will be different? Will He change His will? Speaking of that, are we even paying attention to His answer? Sometimes when we ask God a question, He makes us wait for awhile before He gives an answer. This time of waiting is rarely fun, since we want an answer now and we always feel that our situation is the most urgent. We should use that time of waiting to seek God and listen for His answer. I think often, we ask a question and if we don't hear a response immediately, we run off to do our own thing. When God gives us the answer, we aren't listening and don't hear it. When our own way fails and we have to ask God again and again, because we ignore His answer! Also, I think sometimes people don't believe the answer. I see people that say, “Well, how about I go my own way and we'll just see how it works out in the end.” We can look in the Bible and see how it works out in the end. God wins. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death and the gift of God eternal life. There's your answer: in the end, your way works out to death.

Let's not continually ask the answered questions. Let's be open to hear God's answer, receive it, and obey.

Listening to the Holy Spirit (May 10)

How many people do we know who proclaim to be saved but they have a dominate human spirit that has never come under the control of the Holy Spirit? When the Holy Spirit speaks and we listen with an intent to obey we are given supernatural power to walk it out. Hearing and not obeying results in an obstinate heart that keeps us locked into contentious situations. In life we will be challenged again and again to choose humility. God will always give us the victory when we submit to the Holy Spirit. It's time to end the battle!

Please listen to this message, delivered to Times Square Church on 4/21/09 by Neil Rhodes

http://media.tscnyc.org/mp3/20090421T1.mp3

It's Time to Let the Skunk Go (May 3)

This message is for all those who have continuous, unresolved issues in their heart which result in bitterness and resentment. There are offenses in our life, and instead of dealing with it we begin to flirt with it. It is time to drop the issue and let it go so the Holy Spirit can bring deliverance. Those who obey God's Word can have the Holy Spirit and the power to forgive every offense and betrayal. A truly wise person trusts and submits to the Holy Spirit with an obedient heart.

Please listen to this message, delivered to Times Square Church on 4/26/09 by Neil Rhodes

http://media.tscnyc.org/mp3/20090426S2.mp3