Don't You Know?
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Don’t You know
Don’t You know
Welcome
introduction here
NDCW Update
I want to thank Seth for doing such a good job this morning. He always does a good job. This morning, however, I know he did an especially good job because he took about half of my lesson for this evening. So either great minds think alike or you’re just as crazy as me, take your pick! I think we will actually compliment each other well.
I’m willing to guess that i’m not the only one who has ever uttered the words, “How many times do I have to tell you?” Anyone else? I’ve said that and I would assume that at least a couple of you have done so as well. Have you ever gotten an animal and told your kids that they were responsible for feeding it. Did you have to remind them? I hope you did because if not, that animal probably died.
Why do we say something like that? Well, it’s because we have told someone something and they are acting in a way that seems as if they’ve never heard this before. The Bible does that sometimes as well. There are some different ways in which we see this. Sometimes we read “Have you not heard” or “Don’t you know?” This isn’t talking about something that the reader or listener haven’t ever heard or doesn’t understand, but instead that they aren’t living out.
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Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
This prophecy of Isaiah was written to those in captivity. Isaiah at the end of chapter 40 tells of the time coming soon when the people of Jerusalem will be taken into captivity and will suffer. These words are written to those people and we see it come true in the Book of Daniel. The people of Jerusalem are taken into Babylonian captivity around 600 BC and will be there until the time of Nehemiah. It would have been very easy for those people to think that God didn’t care for the anymore. God was foretelling these events 150 years before they would come to pass and even when he is predicting the pain and suffering that is going to be incurred by the Israelites because of their own decisions but also promising he will take care of them.
If we had time to read through the book of Daniel or at least the first few chapters we would see God keeping his promise here. If we remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into the furnace in , we know that God spared them because they were so faithful to God that they wouldn’t bow before the king. King Nebuchadnezzar had a massive statue made to himself and issued a royal decree that everyone would have to worship it (meaning him) as a God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused, however.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
I can imagine for the people who were in captivity, it would have felt like they were all alone. Forced out of your own home, taken away from everything you’ve ever known and not allowed to worship God. Separated from your friends and family and forced to serve a foreign king.
Today, we aren’t facing anywhere close to as extreme situations but I wonder if we remember the words of Isaiah, which are just as true today as they were when they were written some 2,800 years ago. “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.”
Do we live as though this is the truth? You see, we can be a lot like kids and even though we know something we don’t live as if it’s true.
God is everlasting. He exists outside of time because time is something that he created. He existed before the earth and he will exist forever after the earth. He created everything. The universe is massive, beyond any kind of comprehension. God made all of it. We are the most technologically advanced as we have been in history and it would take us 225 trillion years to reach the edge of the known universe from our present location. God created that! We cannot even begin to fathom the mind of God.
We could go on and on with the wonder of the world that God has created but what does that mean for us? It means that even though we may be experiencing difficulties, God is more powerful than any problems we have. Remember, God is writing this for the people who are going to be held as captives of the Babylonian government. If God can care for them, he can care for us.
God cares for us when we loser our jobs. God cares for us when we lose someone we love. God is in control no matter who the President is or whatever the city council decides. No matter what situation you can think of, God is in control and we have the promise that he will see us through the end.
God has it under control. Even if we feel like things are out of control, sometimes we need to be reminded that God can handle whatever issues we face and we have the Bible to remind us. From David against Goliath, Daniel in the Lion’s den, and Paul and Silas in a Philippi prison, the Bible is full of accounts of God taking care of his people when it seemed like all was lost.
Sometimes we just need to be reminded of this fact. God really is in control and can help us through any difficulties. We aren’t alone. Not only are we not alone, the creator of the entire universe wants to have a relationship with us and care for us through eternity.
Because of this, our lives should be different. We have a different outlook on every day. We can easily get into a rut and just continue on with our everyday lives without thinking about anything bigger than what’s right in front of us. It’s not that we actively seek to ignore God’s word but that we just let other things come up and over time, they take us farther away.
Sometimes we just need to slow down and remember that God is in control. We need to slow down and remember that the supreme creator of the universe is on our side. We know it, are we living like it?
That’s not all we need to be reminded of from time to time.
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
Now, the “Stone” that is talked about here is Jesus. He is referring to himself. But to get the larger context, we need to go back a few verses. .
“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey.
“When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce.
“The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third.
“Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them.
“But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
“But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’
“They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
“Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?”
They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”
Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,
‘The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the chief corner stone;
This came about from the Lord,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“ ‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey.
“When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce.
“The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third.
“Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them.
“But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
“But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’
“They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
“Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?”
They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”
Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,
‘The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the chief corner stone;
This came about from the Lord,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
This is often called (and perhaps you have this title in your Bible) the “Parable of the Tenants.” There are some tenants who are supposed to care for a vineyard while the master is away and then the master is ready to collect his fruit at the end of the season. Who are the servants here? They would be the prophets that God sent throughout history all the way up to John the Baptist. (cf. ) How did they treat the son?
Tomorrow is Memorial Day. It is a day of remembrance for those who have given their lives in defense of our country. This morning, Seth give a good overview of Memorial Day. I especially liked his recounting of Cpl. Dunham. I actually lived in his barracks (named after his death) and did the same job as him. Of course, it is appropriate for us to remember their sacrifice and honor it. We enjoy many different freedoms today because of their sacrifice.
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Christ came and died for us
If we consider the sacrifice of those who’ve served our nation, it should cause us to reflect on our lives and the way in which we honor that sacrifice. I mean no dishonor here but truly that sacrifice is not equal to that of Jesus’ on the cross. The sacrifice of men and women in uniform is incredible and affords us the ability to live the lives we have today. Christ’s sacrifice gave us the ability to have eternal life.
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
There are several pieces to unpack here. First, Jesus gave his life. It wasn’t taken from him but he willingly gave his life for us. This is something that comes up several times in John’s gospel. I think it’s because of what Seth talked about this morning, it was personal to him. The “apostle whom Jesus loved” thought about Jesus’ sacrifice regularly when he was writing his gospel.
Second, The Father has given all authority to Christ. Remember what we just talked about with God the Father? He is the creator of the universe and all powerful. Jesus was given authority by God. Remember when the soldiers were mocking Christ on the Cross saying take yourself down. He could have! But he chose to sacrifice himself for the flock.
Third, the flock knows their shepherd’s voice. This is a real thing. Shepherds will gather together at night to allow for safety in numbers. In the morning when they are taking their sheep different places, they will go out and call their sheep to them. The sheep know the voice of their master.
Christ died for us. not because he had to or was forced to. He could have had glory or riches. he could have had all the things that people strive for their entire lives. That kind of sacrifice should cause a change.
I didn’t know Cpl. Dunham but I’ve known others who have given their life. It isn’t something that I think about once a year but really all the time. I think about them when i’m playing with my kids or just enjoying life. I think about them very often and it does give me a different perspective on life. I’m very appreciative that i’m here and can life a free life in America with my family. Knowing them and making it personal like Seth said this morning gives me an entirely different appreciation for life and freedom.
What about Christ’s sacrifice? This morning we sang the song “We saw thee not” and it’s a great song. But just because we didn’t experience life alongside of Christ in the flesh doesn’t mean he didn’t personally die for me. How long can we go without needing to be reminded of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
We shouldn’t be able to go a week without thinking about the sacrifice that Christ gave for us. It should come up when we are with our kids that we want the same salvation for them. It should come up when we have conflict at work that Christ died to save us all. That will change how we act. It’s not a phony sales pitch but rather love for those who even are acting unlovable because Christ did the same thing for us.
This week, let’s slow down and remember that Christ came and died for us. Treat people the way that Christ treated you when you were lost in sin and he died for you. He died for our sins and that should make us change our lives.
Paul would write in :
Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
Our lives are not our own and we have have the responsibility to act in such a way. Don’t be involved in the things of the world. Give God the glory and live in a way that shows that we don’t need to be reminded of this.
Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
Our lives are not our own
Conclusion
Conclusion
Content
Let’s live our lives in a way that says we know these things that we’ve talked about tonight. God is more powerful than our problems. Christ died to cleanse us from sin and, because of that, our lives are not our own.
Let’s live our lives in a way that says we know these things that we’ve talked about tonight
1. Let’s live our lives in a way that says we know these things that we’ve talked about tonight.
But that is only the case if you’ve already given your life to God. Only if you’ve already become a Christian is that true along with the promises given to us by God. Back to where we started, Isaiah 40.
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:
Remember Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s response to King Nebuchadnezzar? Even if you kill us, we won’t bow. Why? Because they didn’t need to be reminded about the promise that God would care for them. If you are a Christian, then you have the promise of eternal life.
Are you a Christian tonight? Baptism
Repentance