There is Always Enough in God's Kingdom

Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.” - 2 Kings 4:1‭-‬7 ESV

Rev. Ryan Egli

Elisha demonstrates the Kingdom to those who are in difficult situations. 

US Christians, in a poll by the Washington Post, were twice as likely to believe that poverty came from lack of individual effort. Why is this? Poverty comes from a intricate web of causes. 

A cry for help

A widow and her sons are in financial trouble because the husband, the provider has died. He was one of these sons of the prophets who backed Elijah & Elisha against the prophets of Baal. Because he had died, there was a creditor coming to take her sons into slavery. How did widows and the fatherless pay off their debts? Slavery was the norm in those times. In Deuteronomy, God warns that Israel was to care for the fatherless and widows. This widow's tribe was supposed to be cared for by her tribe. But during this time, the kingdom was so divided that this family was falling between the cracks. Elisha replies to her by asking two questions. What does she want from him? And what does she have? She has a little oil. Elisha does not assume that she has nothing to bring to the table.

Kingdom community

Elisha sends her back to her community. She is told to ask them for jars. This is perhaps a nod to the brokenness in the community of Israel. God's Kingdom is not a political kingdom. Others said that the liberation of oppressed people was the kingdom. Another mistake is to think that the church is the kingdom. Yet another overly spiritualized the kingdom as something to come when Jesus returns. These are all mistakes. The kingdom is God's reign over God's people in God's place. The church already exists, but the kingdom is still becoming. It is task of the church to bring the invisible kingdom into visibility. 

Kingdom of plenty

The widow gathers the largest vessels she can find. The widow takes this small vessel and pours it into the larger vessels. This miracle is the pouring of oil from a small vessel to many larger vessels. Elisha isn't even there. She goes to tell the prophet what had happened. He tells her to sell this oil to provide for her and her sons into the future. This is an echo of Elijah and the widow at Mizpah. But not only that, this also points forward to Jesus. The miracle of the bread and the small fish feeding thousands. But not only feeding the thousands but twelve basketfuls left over. What does it mean? God's Kingdom always has enough. 

If you are a Christian, I challenge you to make visible the invisible kingdom. To find the widow, the fatherless and meet them where they are. To ask good questions and do good for them.

Peace

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. - Isaiah 40:1‭-‬11 ESV

Rev. Ryan Egli

Hope for exiles

Do you feel like the outsider in different areas of your life? Are you a racial minority where you live? Are you the odd one out because of your faith, at your job or school? This is the situation of the southern kingdom of Judah.

The prophet Isaiah is speaking to this kingdom that has gone into exile. Israel has been carried off into foreign lands. They have seen friends and family murdered. God gives them hope.

Divine intervention is on the way

The exiles are to take comfort in knowing that God is coming to intervene. The reason for exile isn't just bad luck, but rather because of their sin. The sins are four categories: forgotten God, ritual making of worship, corruption of their society, and looking to other nations for salvation. God was going to intervene and save them. The passage calls for people to prepare for the coming King. They need to make the path level, remove boulders for the road... So the king can come straight in. This calls to us as well. We are to prepare our lives for the coming King. But instead of the first coming, we should prepare for Jesus' second coming.

We, people, are mist

Our lives are short. The word of God lasts forever. We are but mist. Jesus is the word of God made flesh. The word will never pass away. We need to remember that the Bible means God, the Lord of the universe, wants to meet with us there. Reading or not reading does not save. But reading the Bible with faith is good. Read when you can. Maybe not large chunks, maybe small pieces to meditate upon. In the morning or the evening as it suits you. In quiet or lively places. We have the Holy Spirit to help guide and comprehend the word. 

Hopeful Perseverance

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, "Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you." Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. - Isaiah 35:1‭-‬10 ESV

Justin Kim

Hope for the weary

The promise is given from God that He shall redeem the land. In the previous chapters, the prophet Isaiah warns Israel against trusting in other nations rather than God. This chapter is juxtaposed against that and speaks of how life can be found in trusting in God. In God, there is life, healing, and salvation. We are called to place our how in God and He will heal, revive, and save. This isn't just for the first day we place our faith in God, but for everyday Christian living. This is the foundation of what it means to be a Christian. He will come and save, not just the first time, but day after day. Jesus isn't just our savior, but we must also acknowledge Him as Lord over our lives. It's isn't just about celebrating Jesus as savior, but also living day to day with Jesus as Lord. Jesus isn't just a ticket to heaven, he is also about saving us from ourselves, from our self reliance.

Hope fulfilled

God speaks about redemption and hope in Zion. The kingdom of God is here, but also not yet. The salvation of God is already here in Christ. We are saved and secure because of Jesus. Yet we are not in heaven, Jesus at his first coming is an inauguration of the kingdom of heaven. We should celebrate it, but we should also pray and wait eagerly for the full coming of heaven on earth. Thanksgiving has just passed. The best moment for me is isn't just the fully stacked plate of dinner, but rather that first "test" bite when the fresh turkey comes out and is getting cut into probs. The first bite reassures us that the coming full dinner will be great. So it is for the Christian, the taste we have of heaven will point to coming fullness of the kingdom. Do we remember this? Do we hunger for the coming fullness of heaven? Let us return to the promise of God and the fullness to come. Let us submit to the Lord everything and every area of our lives.

False hope and the real thing

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. - Colossians 2:8‭-‬15 ESV

Rev. Travis Drake

This is a letter written by Paul. It is written to a church in Collosi. This church is located in what is now modern day Turkey. It is to correct the church and bring them back to the real thing and away from the counterfeit/fake. In our world there are plenty of counterfeits. Many counterfeits to address our ills. How do we avoid spiritual fakes? How do we recognize them?

The Warning

Paul is trying to bring our awareness to something. It isn't a quiet word, but more like "Hey!" This is something that is coming and we need to be prepared. What is it? It is that we should beware of empty hopes and philosophies. These are lifestyles and philosophies that promise life, prosperity, and fulfillment. But they will not deliver on those promises. Paul is telling believers to watch out for these scams. The counterfeit hopes are coming to us. It isn't just a warning to the foolish or inattentive or unbeliever, but for us. We can stare at a spiritual forgery and invest into a scam that comes to nothing in the end.

The Counterfeit

Paul references aceticism and mysticism. The former is denying ourselves of pleasure and joys to make progress. Or the latter is looking for special hidden knowledge... Like looking for a prophecy from God for our lives. How does this happen? There are elements of the original of the truth. The counterfeit must speak to the fact that we are broken and we need something else. We need to do something more, work harder, and know more in order to be right. We desire fulfillment and there's nothing wrong with that, but we think we can fix it. We can fix ourselves.

The Remedy

Jesus is fulfillment. He is joy. He is the unfading, undying, glorious fullness. He is the healing we need. We need to stop trying. Instead of waiting for fulfillment, we need to consider that in Jesus, we have it; we have it all. Whatever dreams our hopes we have are still small, Jesus promises a fuller hope, a fuller dream. He wants more than just our small hopes for us. Jesus is circumcising our hearts. It isn't us doing this, it is Him. And it doesn't need our additional work, He's finished it.

Application

1. Come back to the Gospel (lean into the finished work of Jesus)

2. Find how we seek our false hopes (and lay them down)

Ain't nothing like the real thing - Marvin Gayle

https://youtu.be/Jz_D-greh8Q

Why should we prioritize reaching the unreached?

For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name." And again it is said, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him." And again Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope." May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, "Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand." This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. - Romans 15:8‭-‬24 ESV

Rev. S.Ewing

Why? God has a mission to reach all the people for his glory. So the church must prioritize the mission of God.

God has a mission to reach all people's for his glory and the church is called to the same mission

Paul was calling both Jews and gentiles to unity in the church. He tells them that they are both needed. First he speaks of how the word first came to the Jews. Then he calls for the fulfillment of the word in bringing the gentiles into God's family/kingdom. Paul speaks of the gentiles six times in six verses. He references the Old Testament which both gentiles and Jews use. Missions isn't a personal hobby. It comes from God. The bible is a missional book. So the church must be on mission as well. The verses speak of God subduing the nations and then calling them into worship. How? This is only possible by the sacrifice of Jesus. From rebels, to saved, to worshippers... This is the theme, this is our story. Not only just the gentiles, but also the Jews. It is the story of every Christian. God wants to win our hearts and receive our praise & worship. Missions isn't primarily about salvation, it is about God's glory. Salvation of people is important, but God's glory is ultimate.

We cannot go on missions on our own power. Going overseas is difficult. How then? We are first objects of God's mission before we are the means of God's mission. Worship and missions are married. They are not in conflict. Paul's worship is bringing more worshippers to God.

We must prioritize the unreached

The church must prioritize the unreached because God is on a mission for those who don't know him. Paul says that there are places where people don't know God and places with no foundation. What does that mean? It means places with no Christian witness. A foundation is coded language to mean a church. So places where there is no church. This is what we understand as unreached people. There is no one actively working for the resurrection of those people.

We must use God's resources

Paul wants to go to Spain. Not Spain like today, there are no Christians there. Paul asks for help on his journey. What does that mean? In that day and age, it means to pave the way to send someone with them. It means to provide resources, maybe even send people to go with them, to be refreshed & encouraged for their journey. So let's summarize, it means material, financial, & spiritual support. We don't just send them and say bye. It means sending short term teams. It means sending long term missions team members. It means praying for them as the missionaries go thru hardship.

Pursued and Pursuing

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Philippians 3:12-4:1 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

A correction

Paul expounds on what he is teaching. That the gospel is that Jesus has done the good work and we cannot add to it. There are a group called the judaizers. They taught that people needed to not only follow Jesus but also follow the Jewish ceremonial law. That to be perfect one needed to be circumcized among other things. This was a different gospel. It was one of perfectionism. This was not the gospel of Jesus. Paul says that he was not complete in growing. Following the Jewish laws will not make one perfect. Paul is saying that he is humbled by knowing that he has so much more to go from what he has learned of Jesus and what he has learned about himself. He had grown downwards. Seeing how far down we are from the perfection that is Jesus makes us humble, patient, and gentle. This is the nature of true spiritual growth. 

A call

Justification is the idea that Jesus has paid the price for us and permanently altered the legal status of his followers. We are forgiven by God because of Jesus. But this should not lead to spiritual complacency. It should make us focus on moving forward and forgetting what is behind us. What does that mean? We are not to look at past failures. They have been confessed to God and He has forgiven us. Looking at these things can demotivate and drain us with an inordinate amount of guilty feelings. But past success can also have a similar effect. Looking at past growth can make us feel like we have arrived. Why run so hard? 

A word of comfort

A call to run harder from Paul during a time of COVID. What? We're tired. There's so many things. More things to do? Seriously pastor?! But maybe we aren't being called to add more... to do more... Maybe it is more of a perspective change. Maybe we should pursue Jesus in what we are already doing. How so? As an example, when getting out of bed is a gargantuan effort, let's pray, Lord won't you give me the strength to get up? So that in going thru this difficult season, we can give glory to God for getting us thru it. Whatever you are struggling with, take it to Jesus. There is a way to go thru difficult times being tired, being stressed, but there is also a way of going thru the same difficulties with resurrection power. 

Resiliency joy and hope

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also. I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Philippians 2:19‭-‬30 ESV

Rev. Travis Drake

How to deal when God doesn't give us what we want..

The excellence of Timothy

Paul tells of how he hopes to send Timothy because he has no one like Timothy. Paul gives the highest compliment to Timothy. Timothy is like a son in the gospel. Timothy pursued the good of others. He's the goat. But Timothy isn't being sent to them. Such disappointment. 

The faithful ordinariness of Epaphroditus

So Paul follows up and says he will send back Epaphroditus. This was one of their own. Paul was sending him back. Huh. The church knew him, they had sent him to help Paul. Paul elevates Epaphroditus as a minister. A worker in the gospel who they thought they knew. Paul commends the man they sent to him.

The necessity of sending Epaphroditus (not Timothy)

Epaphroditus is sent to them, not Timothy. The church doesn't need Timothy. They didn't need the greatness of Timothy. The church may have wanted the extraordinary, impressive Timothy. But really what they needed was the very ordinary, very familiar Epaphroditus. God often gives us not what we want, but what we need. We do not see what God sees. God doesn't give us the five star thing we want. He gives us the ordinary, mundane to minister to us.

Paul commends those very mundane things. We should look at those very ordinary servants in the gospel. He does not commend sin and failings, but he does say that earnest, familiar coworkers in the gospel deserve honor. The ordinary community group leader. The struggling worker in the gospel. Paul was a murderer, a gang leader, a persecutor of the church, he was a train wreck from the perspective of the church. So far from God. But Paul's life had been turned around. He was reformed by the Holy Spirit. 

What Epaphroditus reveals

God doesn't just use the extraordinary things. He uses the mundane. Yes, mundane people like you and I. What is special then? The Holy Spirit in the believer. It is not the skills, the personality, the looks, the talent. What makes us special is not gifted people but people who have been gifted by God with the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus did not come as Timothy. He came clothed as an Epaphroditus, so very ordinary. Jesus came as an ordinary looking guy. He did not have good looks. Jesus came here as a rural kid from nowhere that nobody knew about rather than a prince in a palace. Jesus came as a carpenter when the Jews were looking for a warrior or technocrat. He came with no powerful connections in the nation. 

Closing encouragements

Embrace the ordinary around us - if God does this with Jesus, then wouldn't it make sense that God does the same with other people in our lives. Don't get hung up waiting for the next great thing.