I BELIEVE --- AMEN

Well, we’ve made it! We have made it to September, and we have made it to the end of The Apostles’ Creed—I think this was a 12-week series and we still have our finale next week! The Apostles’ Creed was written around 140 A.D. as a baptismal confession. (Speaking of baptisms, I received a call this past week from a woman who wants to be baptized with her granddaughter. This woman wants to stand and proclaim her faith and join the communion of the saints.)

Join with me as we read The Apostles’ Creed. I would like to do it a little differently today. I would like to add the word “AMEN” at the end of each line….

The Apostles’ Creed

1. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; --- AMEN!

2. and in Jesus Christ, His only (begotten) Son, our Lord; --- AMEN!

3. who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, --- AMEN!

4. suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; --- AMEN!

He descended into hell; --- AMEN!

5. the third day he rose again from the dead; --- AMEN!

6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; --- AMEN!

7. from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. --- AMEN!

8. I believe in the Holy Ghost, --- AMEN!

9. the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, --- AMEN!

10. the forgiveness of sins, --- AMEN!

11. the resurrection of the body, --- AMEN!

12. and the life everlasting. Amen --- AMEN!.[i]

So What? After a dozen weeks, what is it that you believe about God your Father in Heaven? What is it that you believe about God the Son, your Savior who came from heaven and died for you? What do you believe about the person and work of the Holy Spirit? What do you believe about the Holy universal, all-embracing catholic church? What do you believe about the communion of the saints? What do you believe about the forgiveness of sins? Do you know that you are forgiven? Do you know that we are to forgive just as Christ has forgiven us? What do you believe about the resurrection of the body? What do you believe about the life everlasting?

It is my hope that after spending the entire summer, 12 very hot weeks, that your faith has been strengthened and that you know what you believe and why you believe it. It is my prayer that as we begin to finish the series, that you can, and will, stand and say, “YES and AMEN.”

So What? What does the word “AMEN” mean? The word “AMEN” is used by the Jewish people, Christians, and Muslims. The word “AMEN’ is used in a variety of languages, and it may be the most widely known word in the entire world. Our next-door neighbors are Korean. Each morning, I go out early to do my reading and spend time in prayer. So does my neighbor. We don’t speak the same language, but I can understand my neighbor. As he prays, all I hear over and over again is … amen, amen, amen, amen, amen and amen. Every morning, about 6 am, he prays AMEN for 15 -20 minutes.

Point 1 for today is: “AMEN” is a word that is one of the most widely known words in all the world. Point 2 is: What does AMEN mean? In the Hebrew language the word means “so it is” or “let it be,” derived from a verb meaning “to be firm or sure, to be reliable, to believe in or to trust.” In the thirty times that “AMEN” appears in the Old Testament it precedes a statement and the people are saying that they believe, put their trust, they know what was said is reliable and firm. The significance of using “AMEN’ was that the people were saying that they had just adopted what was said as their very own. They are saying, “We can take what was just said to the bank. What was just said is as solid as rock foundation. What was just said is reliable and we can trust it with our life.” AMEN?

After Sunday worship, a young boy who liked a young girl said to her, "That was a good sermon this morning." Doubting that he had really listened she said, "How would you know?" The boy replied, "Your grandfather amened the pastor 21 times." Well, guess what? This has been a good sermon, too, because you have amened the message 12 times so far.

Our Scripture readings for today come from the Gospel of Matthew and from the last book of the Bible called Revelation.

Before we go to the Words of life, let us come before the giver of life in prayer. “Lord, God of all creation, we come this morning to say “AMEN’ to your Words of life found here in our scriptures. May Your Words of life be a solid foundation for us, a firm and reliable foundation that will withstand the storms of life. Amen and Amen”

Matthew 7:24-29

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.[ii]

The Gospel words we just heard were when Jesus had finished the Sermon on the Mount and had just given His new disciples a detailed “to do” list. Jesus had just laid down all of His great and vital principles for life (Matthew chapters 5-7) and Jesus is now applying the final word of truth: AMEN. I would say this section is the “So What” part of Jesus’ message. Jesus is confronting His followers with the two possibilities they will face in life: Will they be wise or will they be foolish? Will they build on the solid rock or will they build on sinking sand?

The other day I received an email with instructions for the foolish:

On a Duraflame fireplace log: "Caution—Risk of Fire."

On a Batman costume: "Warning: Cape does not enable user to fly."

On a bottle of hair coloring: "Do not use as an ice cream topping."

On a cardboard sun-shield for a car: "Do not drive with sun shield in place."

On a portable stroller: "Caution: Remove infant before folding for storage."[iii]

Warnings about being wise or foolish are found all over. The two men in Jesus’ house story have the same desire--they long to build a house. They each wanted the same thing, they thought about the same thing, and they were interested in the same thing. There’s really no difference between the two at the beginning of the story.

In 1174 the Italian architect Bonnano Pisano began work on what would become his most famous project: A separately standing bell tower for the Cathedral of the city of Pisa. The tower was to be eight-stories and 185-feet tall. There was just one "little" problem: builders quickly discovered that the soil was much softer than they had anticipated, and the foundation was far too shallow to adequately hold the structure! And sure enough, before long the whole structure began to tilt... and it continued to tilt... until finally the architect and the builders realized that nothing could be done to make the Leaning Tower of Pisa straight again. It took 176 years to build the Tower of Pisa--during this time many things were done to try to compensate for the "tilt." The foundation was shored up; the upper levels were built at an angle to make the top of the tower look straight. Nothing worked. The tower has stood for over 800 years, but it leans 18 feet away from where it should be. Experts say that one day it will fall--all because it wasn’t built on the right foundation. Have you ever been up in the St. Louis arch? If you’ve gone up on a windy day—you can feel the arch sway 18”. Looks solid, but is it?

The difference between the foolish man and the wise man is that the foolish man does not take the time to listen to others. The foolish man does not investigate all of the possibilities of how the building should be built. The foolish man does not look at the directions or ask for advice, he just puts it up.

We are told a little more of the Sermon on the Mount story in Luke’s account in chapter six. Luke tells us that the wise man dug down deep and laid his foundation on rock, not on sinking sand. The difference between the two builders is that the wise man desired to build on a solid foundation.

Revelation 3:14-22

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”[iv]

As in all the letters, Christ introduces himself in a very significant way. His opening description forms the key to what the church needs. "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of God's creation.” Apparently, the Lord Jesus wanted this church to see him in this role. He was, first and foremost, the “AMEN.” We are familiar with this word. We say it when we close a prayer or when we want to express our agreement with a meaningful statement. But AMEN is also a word that Jesus used frequently. In many of the modern versions of the Gospels, Jesus begins many of His statements with the words “Truly, truly, I say unto you.” The King James Version renders it, “Verily, Verily.” In the actual Greek language, the words are “Amen, Amen.” Whenever you hear Jesus saying Verily, or truly or amen—stop—and mark that verse! Jesus is saying something extremely important. The meaning of the Greek word for “amen” is “truth.” The word “Amen” is a word which was used to affirm and to guarantee a statement as absolutely true and absolutely trustworthy. Jesus is the truth and is absolutely trustworthy. Jesus is the faithful and true witness and the source of the creation of God. Jesus is telling His followers that they can go to the bank on what He is saying.

This opening description is important: “to the church at Laodicea”, you see, this church was neither hot nor cold. The image of them being lukewarm is also a reference as to how they received their water. The city of Laodicea had to have their water brought to them by an aqueduct from the hot springs of the city of Hierapolis, six miles away. By the time the water arrived from Hierapolis it was lukewarm, neither hot nor cold. The church in Laodicea was exactly like their water: lukewarm. Jesus knew what their problem was. They had no commitment.

So What?

We are out of time today. We are going to celebrate communion in just a few minutes. I would like to come back to the passage next week and look at the “Amens” in the Book of Revelation. I would like for us to reflect on verse twenty for a minute; and then we will come back to it next week. “I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.” Did you hear it? Jesus will enter in! Jesus the great “AMEN” says so. "If you open the door I will enter in and remain with you. We will eat together and be together." It is a beautiful picture of Christ permanently dwelling with you. He will move in to live with you. The actual word for “eat” is the Greek word “deipneo” which refers to the evening meal or supper. Supper was the main meal of the day. Breakfast was a slice of dry bread dipped in wine. Lunch was seldom eaten at home. But supper was the time to sit down and fellowship in the home after the work of the day was done. Supper meant a time of intimacy and relationship, sharing and fellowship--it was called communion. It was not a mere courtesy visit that Christ is promising here. He desires to come in and sit down and spend a long time in communion with us. Have you been to Europe? I was shocked that “dinner” last for hours and hours! Five or more courses are served and there you sit! This is what I’m talking about: the place of Christ is at our table, a table filled with intimacy, sharing and communion. Jesus patiently stands at the door and knocks; his plea is that we would hear and open the door so that He could take his place at the table.

In the first century, when a young Jewish man reached marrying age and his family selected an appropriate wife for him, the young man and his father would meet the young woman and her father to negotiate the “bride price,” the cost of replacing a daughter. The price was usually very high, sometimes equivalent to the price of a new home. When negotiations were complete, the custom was for the young man’s father to pour a cup of wine and hand it to his son. His son would turn to the young woman, lift the cup and hold it out to her saying “This cup is a new covenant in my blood, which I offer to you.” In other words, “I love you, and I give you my life. Will you marry me?”

The young woman had a choice. She could take the cup and return it and say no. Or she could answer without saying a word --- by drinking the cup. In essence she was saying, “I accept your life and I give you mine.”

On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus and His disciples sat together celebrating Passover—the remembrance of the Israelites deliverance from Egypt. The disciples knew the liturgy very well, they had all celebrated the Passover all of their lives. But when it came time to drink the third cup of wine, the cup of redemption, Jesus lifted the cup. The disciples expected to hear the traditional Passover thanks--still used today: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, for giving us the fruit of the vine.” But instead of the traditional blessing Jesus offered them something they did not expect. Jesus said, “This cup is a new covenant in my blood, which I offer to you.” In essence Jesus was saying, “I love you, I give you my life.” Just as the disciples had to make a decision to take or pass the cup—so do we. May today be a time of holy communion in which we accept Christ’s life and give Him ours.

Until next week when we close with our final AMEN to the Apostles’ Creed….

“Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.” Revelation 3:20

Let us pray …

The Seed Christian Fellowship

Rancho Cucamonga, California 91701

www.theseedchristianfellowship.com

September 1, 2019

Pastor Dave Peters

[i] Historic Creeds and Confessions. (1997). (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Lexham Press.

[ii] The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Mt 7:24–29). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

[iii] Preaching Today, Submitted by Amy Simpson, Wheaton, Illinois

[iv] The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Re 3:14–22). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

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