Gracepointe Church (Dover, OH)
Gracepointe Church (Dover, OH)
Lessons from Noah's Ark | James Kline
Have you ever stumbled upon a truth so powerful it redefined your very existence? Join us as we navigate the profound narratives of Matthew's gospel, examining the transformative parables of hidden treasures and precious pearls. Our exploration delves into the richness of scripture, from the Spirit's renewal to the awe-inspiring events of Matthew 27. The crucifixion isn't just ancient history—it's the cornerstone of a purposeful life, a theme we examine through personal reflection and biblical teachings. In a world brimming with distractions, we contemplate the true 'pearls' worth seeking and the enduring assurance found in Hebrews 13:5.
Wisdom is our beacon in the tempest of life, a truth illuminated within the pages of Proverbs. This episode serves as your compass to divine understanding, setting sail from the comforting shores of God's unyielding presence to the story of Noah's Ark—a narrative of salvation and shared humanity. Through personal stories, we unveil the common threads that bind us, the strength derived from faith, and the righteous paths worth treading. Philippians 4:13 emerges not just as a verse, but as a lifeline, reinforcing Christ's empowering embrace in our everyday struggles.
As we conclude our spiritual odyssey, the mission of the seventy-two becomes a mirror, reflecting our own call to live out faith daily. We're inspired by the steadfastness of the snail aboard Noah's Ark, a metaphor for the impact of consistent faith over fleeting spectacle. The episode culminates with intimate principles I've woven into life's tapestry—affectionately dubbed the 'James Klein rules'—teachings that guide us through life's complexities, anchored by the love of family and the light of faith. I leave you with a prayer for blessings and protection, inviting you to join me in acknowledging the undiminished beauty and goodness that frame our existence.
I'd like to greet everyone in Jesus' name this morning. I can certainly second the thought that it has been a very special morning here to worship. This song is very meaningful. I was especially blessed with this thought of the Spirit of the Living God falling afresh on us. You know God comes to us fresh every day and I'm grateful for that. So to share with you what God has laid on my heart over the past weeks, you don't have to turn to it, but I'm going to turn to Matthew, chapter 13.
Speaker 1:And this is kind of the chapter of the parables and I'm not going to go through all of them. It is definitely worthwhile reading, but I'd like to read the parable of the hidden treasure. Read the parable of the hidden treasure. And again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which a man found and hid and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and he buys that field. And then also in the next verse, he says Again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls which, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Read it again. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls which, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and he bought it. So my question to me this morning especially, and to all of you, is what is your pearl of great value? It can be so many things, and so many things get in the way of what our focus and what our pearl really should be. So I would invite you now to turn to Matthew in chapter 27. Chapter, but beginning to read in verse 45.
Speaker 1:Now, from the sixth hour until the ninth hour, there was darkness over all the land, and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying Eli, eli, lama sakthani. That is my God. My God, why have you forsaken me? Some of those who stood there when they heard that, said this man is calling for Elijah. Immediately, one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, offering it to him to drink. The rest said Let him alone, let us see if Elijah will come to save him. And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom and the earth quaked and the rocks were split and the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the graves. After his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
Speaker 1:Now there's a great many very deep things involved in this very short reading, but just imagine, if we could be there, what momentous happenings took place and what it would have been like in the bright sunshine of day where the earth became totally dark. That in itself would make us wonder right now if it went as black as midnight right now, I'm sure all of us would leave the building and this went on for three hours. And it's interesting to me that, as Randy was sharing going through Exodus but the plagues of in the childrenagues in the land of Egypt, that there was darkness for three days. But here, when this Passover had been fulfilled, there was darkness for three hours and there was a massive earthquake to the extent that rocks were rent apart and split open. And probably the most marvelous thing of all to me is how the graves were opened and saints were seen walking around in the holy city, and I know that many of us have loved ones in heaven today. And how would we think if we would be outside? We would see those graves burst open and they'd rise up and walk around. I believe that probably we too would have said truly, this was the Son of God. So there were marvelous things going on for six hours one Friday, and because of those things that took place and what took place the following Sunday morning that glorious resurrection we have peace and we have found our pearl Six hours one Friday.
Speaker 1:My question to you is what are you going to do with those six hours that took place and what does it mean to you? Is that just some abstract history that we read and it goes over our head and we pay no attention and we live life as we did before? Or are we going to recognize the fact that we're stakes driven into the rock of that Golgotha Hill, called the place of the skull, that we can still tie our rope to? And it has affirmed several things that I would like for you to have note of, and one of the first anchor points is simply the fact that your life is not futile, no matter how pointless it sometimes might seem. God has put all of us here for a purpose, to accomplish His will. You know, when God, through Jesus, stormed hell's gates and was victorious, we now can experience a life of peace.
Speaker 1:I was so blessed with the theme of our worship service just peace. It's there for us. Another anchor point is that we can take comfort in is that our failures are not necessarily fatal. That's this marvelous and wonderful grace of God where we can pick ourselves up and we can ask for forgiveness and we can move on. And probably the most glorious of all is that our death is not final. You know, those graves are going to be opened up.
Speaker 1:So what are we willing to sell to claim this pearl? After we think of what Jesus had done for us, you know it deserves our all. We think of what Jesus had done for us. You know it deserves our all. This is not something that we should approach casually and just think well, jesus did it all and we just kind of a la-di-da go through life. No, my thoughts go to Hebrews once again. No, my thoughts go to Hebrews once again, chapter 11, I believe it's in verse 6, where he says that those who withdraw near to God must believe that he exists and that he is a rewarder of those that earnestly seek him. You know our half-best is not going to be good enough.
Speaker 1:But as we claim that pearl, as we live with Jesus and as we desire and as we strive to become one with him and to walk more closely with him, he has that ability To take our very common deeds, our very common experiences, and turn them into something that is absolutely uncommon. I guess in a way, you could say that he did that on the cross for sure, that he did that on the cross for sure, because death by crucifixion was not an uncommon thing in that time. And yet what Jesus accomplished there was not only uncommon, it was the most extraordinary and the most marvelous event In all the thousands of years Of human history. And yet he cares enough for us To dwell within us and to walk with us Wow. But I would like now To kind of move on and we understand that this pearl of great price that we are to sell everything for is Jesus and Him crucified and resurrected. But there are other little nuggets or pearls of wisdom that I would like to share, maybe for the week ahead or for your life ahead, and that have really meant something to me, that I would like to share, maybe for the week ahead or for your life ahead, and that have really meant something to me.
Speaker 1:Hebrews 13,. In verse 5, he says Let your conduct be without covetousness, be content with such things as you have, for he himself said I will never leave you or forsake you. Someone, get me a glass of water, please. You know, there's times in our lives when it feels like we're alone and it feels like we'd give everything we'd have just for a friend. Well, I would invite you to know Jesus, not only as your Savior, but as your friend. I'm always so blessed.
Speaker 1:I don't have the lyrics in front of me, but there's a song called Jesus, strong and Kind. Thank you, john. It's become one of my favorite songs. John, it's become one of my favorite songs, and one of the passages is that Jesus said that if I thirst, I should come to him. And it says that Jesus said that if I fear, I should come to him. So we have someone that we can go to when we're afraid, whatever our need might be. But what I like best is it said that Jesus said that if I'm lost, he will come to me. I like that. So Jesus is our friend. That's a pearl of great price. And then wisdom is another pearl of great price.
Speaker 1:In Proverbs we read that a lot, not even sure which chapter, but it says that, my son, if you receive my words and treasure my commands within you so that you incline your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding, yes, if you cry out for discernment and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver and search for her as hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom. From his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield for those who walk uprightly. He guards the paths of justice and preserves the way of his saints. He guards the paths of justice and preserves the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. And you know there's a great difference between wisdom and knowledge.
Speaker 1:And so often in my life I have sought knowledge and haven't had the wisdom to properly apply and to understand. I'm thankful for Philippians, chapter 4 and verse 13, where he says I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me and all of us at times need strengthening and all of us at times need strengthening and moving on. Another set of pearls that I have found, and I've been really intrigued with this, is I came across this saying or poster, and it says that everything I need to know I learned on Noah's Ark and I thought that was really interesting. But there's a lot of really good life principles involved here and it sounds a little flippant but it really resonated with me. And the first one is simply don't miss the boat. There's a lot of things in life where we might miss the boat and we can survive and we can move on.
Speaker 1:And, like I said earlier, our mistakes aren't necessarily fatal. But it would be the greatest shame on earth if we missed the boat of Jesus' salvation. Oh, what a shame that would be. In Mark 8, verses 34-38, when he had called the people to himself with his disciples also, he said to them Whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me, for whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel will save it, for what will it profit a man if he gained the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him, the son of man, will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with his holy angels. Pretty simple, isn't it? You know, god gives us the opportunity to speak life into people around us, and he does that for everyone in here, in his own time and in his own way. Seize the moments and don't miss the boat. It is a privilege to share about what Jesus has done for us, for the difference that he's made in my life, and if we do that, then we won't miss the boat.
Speaker 1:The second point is that we need to remember that all of us are in the same boat Romans 3, verses 23 and 24. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. See, we're all alike. It doesn't matter where we come from, what our station in life is, whether we're exalted or lowly, but all of us have sinned and all of us desperately need a Savior, and we all desperately need the infilling of that Holy Spirit to guide us through the day and the weeks and the months, however long we have on this earth, through the day and the weeks and the months, however long we have on this earth. So when we have the temptation of feeling a little high and mighty, let's remember we're all in this together.
Speaker 1:I've got to share a little story that happened in Indianapolis in the show and I was out and kind of in the aisle and meeting and greeting people and I saw this apparition coming our way and I can truly tell you I have never in my life seen the likes. If you could imagine platform heels this high eyelashes, an inch long, with a spray-on, tie-dyed jumpsuit, then you would start to grasp and you just wonder what in the world? My wife wouldn't even go into our bedroom that way, much less come out of it. It was a sight for sore eyes, I'm telling you. It made your eyes sore and it just reminded me of back in my younger days, which is about the time of the creation, probably to some of you young people. But there was this thing called glam rock and these glam rockers would dress up in outfits like this. It just reminded me of it. But that poor woman had a soul. I shouldn't say had, she has a soul and there. But for the grace of God, go I, grace of God, go I.
Speaker 1:The third point that I'd like to make is plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark, and I've always wondered about that. What did Noah think when God came to him and he said I'm going to destroy the world and I want you to build a boat. And, mind you, this wasn't just any little dugout canoe, this was a vessel that was a third the size of the Titanic. So if God is to do what God directs, in Proverbs 29 and verse 18, it says when there is no prophetic vision, the people cast off restraint. But blessed is he who keeps the law. I actually like the King James Version better, where he just says simply that where there is no vision, the people perish. You know, if we don't have a vision and a blueprint in our minds of what we need to accomplish and where we want to go and where we want to spend eternity, we are definitely going to achieve our vision, which is not having any at all. But if we can be disciplined and we can plan ahead, then God is faithful.
Speaker 1:The fourth one, and I have done this with such tremendous vigor that there's now about a lot more shape to me than there should be. But it says stay in shape. When you're 600 years old, god might ask you to do something really big. So I have kept up my strength rather well, but I wish there was a little less of me, because round is not the shape I would really aspire to be. But you know, stay mentally and stay spiritually in shape, be disciplined, read the Word of God. If we want Him to direct us, we're going to need His help to do some of the things that he would have us accomplish. And while I doubt that God is ever going to ask me to build an ark, but you know, maybe there's one person, one person in this world that God wants me to speak to and to speak life into, and I have to stay diligent and stay prepared and stay focused so I can answer the bell when he calls Doesn't happen by accident.
Speaker 1:I had a neighbor who was a wonderful inspiration and an example for me and he had been ordained a preacher in the Amish church and then later he left, he was excommunicated, but his whole life was a life of mission work and of reaching out, and what blessed me more than anything else was how it was just flowing out of him. It wasn't put on or it wasn't just a sham, but every conversation he had a way of just inserting Jesus and what he had meant to him and what he had done. That's what I want to be just flowing out. It can't be contrived. You have to spend time in the Word of God and let it come and let it flow. You know, if we want to go and upgrade people and we want to do it with our knowledge and our head, we're just going to turn people off. But if we can do it out of the wellspring of Jesus living within us and flowing out from us, lives can be touched.
Speaker 1:The fifth one that I find so important this may be my favorite, but it says don't listen to critics, just get on with the job. There's always going to be naysayers. No matter what you want to accomplish, how worthwhile the goal, how noble the calling, there's always someone who's going to be a critic. They don't believe it. They're going to say they're just putting on airs. And I would point to you I'm not going to read the whole chapter and I probably should, because there's so much in it for us, but it's in Nehemiah in chapter 4. And I'm sure you all know the story.
Speaker 1:But there was Tobias and Senballat were two naysayers and they didn't like to see these walls resurrecting under Nehemiah's direction. And they said you think you're going to be able to do that out of those burned up stones? And Tobias, I think, said yeah, I said a fox could go up and just push against it. The whole thing will fall down. See, they were very critical and Nehemiah had a plan and he had a vision and he had a calling. And they built that wall with a sword in one hand. I imagine that I've done some mason work in my time, plenty to know that it's not my calling in life, but I can't imagine doing that with a sword in one hand. In fact, if you look at some of the rows of bricks that I've laid, you'd think I should have had four or five rather than two, not less. But they were focused, they were determined to do the job and they did it at whatever cost to themselves that it might have incurred. And they had half of their workforce with standing guards, with bows and arrows and shields and coats of mail, and the other half were working one-handed. But you know, it is much better to work for the glory of God one-handed and be focused and determined than it is to be fully capable and not have a plan or a vision. So if God's calling you to do something special and you feel that that calling is from God, ignore the white noise, ignore the clutter and just get on with the job.
Speaker 1:The sixth one and this is another really, really important one, and it's simply to build your future on high ground. Don't settle for the mosquito-ridden swamp that this world has to offer, but set your focus and your sights on high ground and get that foundation dug. Your focus and your sights on high ground and get that foundation dug. In Hebrews 11, verses 8 through 10, it says by faith, abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance, and he went out not knowing where he was going. And he went out not knowing where he was going by faith. He went to live in the land of promise as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise, for he was looking forward to that city that has foundations whose designer and builder is God. Can you imagine, as we're going about our daily task, kim, let's say you're measuring a kitchen and you're going to install a beautiful countertop, which I know? You've done a lot, and all of a sudden God speaks to you and he says you know? He said you go home and you tell Monik and you tell Kenzie and Logan and Nevin and the whole family that get your suitcases packed, we're out. And Monica would say well, where are we going? What will we do? And he says never mind. I wonder what that conversation was like. They were humans just like us, and yet they packed their bags and they moved.
Speaker 1:And another example in the bible of one of these old heroes of faith that had set his sights on higher ground is moses in in the same chapter, hebrew 11, verses 23 through 27. By faith, moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents because they saw that the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king's edict. By faith, moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the sons of Pharaoh's daughters, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith, he left Egypt not being afraid of the anger of the king. By faith, he left Egypt not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. Wow, how could we do that? How could we endure the things that befall us and come in our path, as though we're seeing God every moment of the day? Moses is one of my favorite characters in the whole Bible, and I've never necessarily been in a situation of living in a king's palace, but he had every convenience and every luxury known to man, and probably a few we haven't dreamed up of, and he was willing to leave that all behind and go out into a desert and keep sheep for 40 years. Why? Because he had built his future on high ground. Moving on to the seventh one is, for safety's sake, travel in pairs, and I feel like I can especially relate to that. I've been happily married for almost 36 years, but this is for those who are in an unmarried state as well. We never have to be alone, and there is safety in numbers In Luke 10, verses 1-5,.
Speaker 1:After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way. Behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves, carry no money bag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say Peace to this house. And there again, let's just spend a few minutes thinking about this. Now I know if Matthew would send me out on a sales trip with no purse, I would probably be pretty hesitant to go. But here they went out, two by two. But what struck me? And I had read this how many times in my life? But it said that they went where Jesus was about to come or where Jesus was going. He sent these out with purpose, he didn't send them out randomly, and I had never picked up on that.
Speaker 1:Well, how does that relate to us? Do we really believe and grasp that Jesus is coming? And where is he not coming? I can't think of anywhere where Jesus is not coming back. But I believe with the bottom of my heart that, while I don't understand the mechanics of how all this is going to work, that every corner of this earth is going to see him coming down from the clouds with a shout, with the voice of a trump and of the archangel Everywhere. So we have no excuse to say, well, we shouldn't go witness to them because Jesus hasn't been there. Yes, but he's coming Two by two.
Speaker 1:And then number eight. This is my favorite, and if there's any question understood the validity of that, talk to Ina after the service. But it's that speed is not always an advantage. The snails were on the boat with the cheetahs. So sometimes it isn't the fastest runner, sometimes it isn't the most polished person, sometimes it isn't this eloquent speaker, but sometimes it's just this plodding, steady. Live your faith day by day, snail that actually gets the job done. Live your faith day by day, snail that actually gets the job done.
Speaker 1:And again, going to my go-to chapter amongst many, but this is in Hebrews, in chapter 12, verses 1 through 3, which is probably my favorite verse of all times. But he says Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that is set before us. And run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of God. So it isn't always doing the flashy and exciting things, it isn't always being noticed, it isn't receiving recognition or having a high office, but just living out our faith. And then the ninth one is when you're stressed, float a while.
Speaker 1:So I think some of us benefit from having a place where we can, as it were, not go and have a pity party, but just have a place of solitude and quiet, to where we can sense the presence of God. And the verse for that is in Philippians, chapter 4, verses 4 through 9. And I have this taped up on my office wall because it's something I need to be reminded of. But it says Rejoice in the Lord. Always. Again, I will say rejoice, let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatsoever is true, whatever is honorable and whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about those things when you have learned what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Practice these things and the God of peace will be with you. Back to this theme of peace. I'm so grateful that we can have peace, just the knowing that, regardless of what's happened, that God is faithful and that he has not ever broken one single promise. And God cannot break a promise because he is truth.
Speaker 1:Number 10 is another one I like, and that is remember the ark was built by amateurs and the Titanic was built by professionals, and I really like that, because I just do like to stick my thumb in my nose at professionals or people that think they're professional, but this is kind of like the snail it's sometimes when we're just out there doing our thing for the honor and glory of God. We don't have to have a PhD in theology and we don't have to have classes in public speaking. But we can just be. You can all do you, I can do me. We have to be genuine. And remember also that, regarding the Titanic, it was said that God himself couldn't sink her, and she is under many fathoms of water today, and the ark made it through to the end.
Speaker 1:But this is the verse that I chose to go with, that it's in Romans 12, verses 3 through 8. For, by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For, as in one body, we have many members and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members one of another, having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us. Let us use them If prophecy in proportion to our faith, if service in our serving. The one who teaches in his teaching, the one who exhorts in his exhortation, the one who contributes in generosity, the one who leads with zeal, the one who does acts of mercy with cheerfulness. Again, just practical pearls of how we're to live our everyday life. And then the 11th one is no matter the storm, when you're with God, there's always a rainbow waiting. When you're with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.
Speaker 1:And there's quite a few different passages of Scripture. I'm going to share another one of my favorites. That's in Isaiah 49.13. Where he says Sing for joy, o heavens, and exalt O earth, break forth O mountains into singing, for the Lord has comforted his people. Just another beautiful promise of him always being with us. And so those really did mean a lot to me.
Speaker 1:And then I found one that says there were 17 different lessons in the art and and I like to add these, and I don't have scripture references for it they says that two heads are better than one. And then I've also heard that said even if one's a cabbage head, but so it's all right to ask advice. Number eight on this one it's about floating, but it says if you can't fight or flee, then you float. And then 11, this is one that I really really like on this one and excuse me, but I'm an old farmer and still a farmer at heart but it says that when the doo-doo gets deep, start shoveling. So sometimes in life the doo-doo gets pretty deep and we can sit there and we can look at that mountain and we can feel sorry for ourselves, or we can roll up our sleeves and we can start shoveling. So I like that.
Speaker 1:And then the twelfth one on this list is it says stay below deck in the storm. So there's times when we don't have to stick our head out and get an egg-sized hail on our noggin, we can stay under the deck. And then it says here, if you have to start over, have a friend by your side, and I like that. And then the 15th and final one that I'll share with you is that the woodpeckers inside are often a bigger threat than the storm on the outside. So I thought that was kind of interesting on the outside. So I thought that was kind of interesting.
Speaker 1:But so that is kind of the James Klein version of rules to live by in our everyday life. And I'm just so grateful that I don't have to do it alone, that I can walk through life with my family and that I have Jesus who's guiding my boat. Let's pray, heavenly Father, I thank you so much for your goodness and for your love to us. Thank you for this beautiful day. We do appreciate the sunshine and we just give you the honor and glory. I pray that you would be with everyone here. Be with us as we depart from here and keep us in your care. We pray this in Jesus' name, amen.