{"id":1099,"date":"2019-02-03T14:37:33","date_gmt":"2019-02-03T22:37:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/?p=1099"},"modified":"2019-02-03T14:45:35","modified_gmt":"2019-02-03T22:45:35","slug":"dont-be-afraid-stay-on-message","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/03\/dont-be-afraid-stay-on-message\/","title":{"rendered":"Don&#8217;t Be Afraid&#8211; Stay on Message!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><font color='black' size='2' face='arial'><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:WordDocument>   <w:View>Normal<\/w:View>   <w:Zoom>0<\/w:Zoom>   <w:TrackMoves\/>   <w:TrackFormatting\/>   <w:PunctuationKerning\/>   <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas\/>   <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false<\/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>   <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false<\/w:IgnoreMixedContent>   <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false<\/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>   <w:DoNotPromoteQF\/>   <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US<\/w:LidThemeOther>   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style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">February 3, 2019<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">Luke 4:120-32<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">Don\u2019t Be Afraid\u2014 Stay on Message!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;tab-stops:13.5pt .5in 2.5in 238.5pt 337.5pt\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">&#8220;Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>&#8220;Isn&#8217;t this Joseph&#8217;s son?&#8221; they asked.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Jesus said to them, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">&#8220;Surely you will quote this proverb to me:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>&#8216;Physician, heal yourself!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.\u2019 \u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>&#8220;I tell you the truth,\u201d<\/i> he continued, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">&#8220;no prophet is accepted in his hometown.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah&#8217;s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed\u2014only Naaman the Syrian.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(NIV1984)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">This has only happened to me once in 33 years.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I was in the middle of a mid-week Lenten sermon when one of the men in the congregation got up and left the sanctuary.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I wasn\u2019t sure if he needed to use the restroom or what, but when I saw him pacing back and forth in the narthex (the top half of the wall between the narthex and the sanctuary was glass) I knew something was up.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He eventually sat down in a chair and stayed there for the rest of the service.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">After the service was over and after I had greeted everyone at the door I went and asked him if everything was okay.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He said, \u201cNo!\u2019<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then he went on to ask me, \u201cDid you really mean to say in your sermon that babies are born sinful?\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I said \u201cYes, because that\u2019s what Scripture teaches.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Visibly upset he wanted to know where the Bible teaches that.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I reminded him of a number of passages (See for instance Gen 6:5; Gen 8:21; Psalm 14:2, 3; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-20) but when I saw that I was not making much progress, I reminded him of two things:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Baby Daniel who died when he was 3 \u00bd <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">months old <\/span><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">and Romans 6:23, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cFor the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The fact that death is the result of sin and the sad reality that babies die is clear evidence that babies are born sinful.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He had been in my Adult Confirmation Class long enough to know that he could ask the question, \u201cWhat does the Greek in Romans 6:23 say?\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I smiled and told him that I don\u2019t know the Greek off the top of my head, but if he came a little early to the next class I would have an answer for him.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">A few days later he did come early to class and I did have an answer for him.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I told him that in the original Greek of Romans 6:23 there is no verb.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Very literally it says, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cThe wages of sin\u2014 death; but the gift of God\u2014 eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then I told him that because there is no verb in the Greek when we translate into English we either need to add a verb (is) or we could simply put in an equals sign:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cThe wages of sin = death, but the gift of God = eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He looked at me and said, \u201cThat\u2019s just your interpretation.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The God I believe in would never say that babies are born sinful.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I won\u2019t be continuing with the classes.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>If that\u2019s what you\u2019re going to teach I no longer want to be a part of your congregation.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">The reason I share this with you today, my friends, is two-fold.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>First, there are those people who would say that instead of \u201closing\u201d a potential new member I should have left this an \u201cOpen Question\u201d which would allow him to believe that what he thinks is right.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Since Scripture is so clear on the teaching of Original Sin or Inherited Sin, I couldn\u2019t leave it an \u201cOpen Question.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The second reason I share this with you today is because it ties in very well with how I want us to approach our sermon text for today.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Our sermon theme for this morning is:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">Don\u2019t Be Afraid\u2014 Stay on Message!<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">Our text for today is a continuation of last Sunday\u2019s text (Luke 4:14-21).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Last week we saw that in this worship service in the synagogue at Nazareth Jesus deliberately chose one of the Messianic prophecies recorded in Isaiah (61:1,2) as His sermon text.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then He began His sermon by saying to God\u2019s people, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cToday this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>While the Holy Spirit does not record for us the rest of Jesus\u2019 sermon, He does record for us the peoples\u2019 reaction to Jesus\u2019 sermon.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That reaction began on a very positive note.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Luke tells us, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cAll spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>As I said last week, the people in this synagogue had never heard a sermon like this before!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Jesus undoubtedly explained to them how God\u2019s love and God\u2019s grace and God\u2019s mercy sent Him (Jesus) to do <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">for <\/b>God\u2019s people what they could <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not <\/b>do for themselves!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>How <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cgracious\u201d<\/i> it must have been to hear the Son of God Himself explain and expound that beautiful Messianic prophecy to God\u2019s people!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">Sadly, unbelief quickly overwhelmed the hearts and minds of the people in this synagogue.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cIsn\u2019t this Joseph\u2019s son?\u201d<\/i> they asked.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>\u201cIsn\u2019t this the same Jesus we watched grow up?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Isn\u2019t this the same Jesus who played with our children?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Isn\u2019t this the same Jesus who worked in the carpenter\u2019s shop with his father, Joseph?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">now <\/b>he wants us to believe that he is the fulfillment of this Messianic prophecy?\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Their human logic would not allow them to believe that this same Jesus whom they had known for 30 years, Joseph\u2019s son, is in fact the long-awaited Promised Messiah!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">As the true Son of God Jesus knew exactly what was going through their minds and hearts.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That\u2019s why Jesus proclaimed to them such a strong message of Law, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cSurely you will quote this proverb to me, \u2018Physician, heal yourself!\u2019<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then Jesus went even farther, didn\u2019t He!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>He used two examples from their own history to remind them that when the descendants of Abraham reject the <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cgracious\u201d<\/i> words of the Lord, the Lord God turns to the Gentiles and shares His words of grace and mercy and forgiveness with them.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">The peoples\u2019 response to Jesus\u2019 strong message of Law was as negative as one can imagine.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Luke tells us, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cAll the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Was Jesus afraid as the people were screaming and shouting at Him?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Was Jesus afraid as they kept pushing and shoving Him closer and closer to the edge of that cliff?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Not at all!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Why?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Because as the Son of God Jesus knew that this was not the time nor the place nor the way that He was going to die.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(See also John 7:30; 8:20)<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>So as the Son of God Jesus <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cwalked right through the crowd and went on his way.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">Did this extremely negative response from the people of His own hometown result in Jesus changing the message He was proclaiming?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Not at all!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Luke tells us that after Jesus left Nazareth <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cHe went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">The application of this event to our hearts and to our lives today is not difficult.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Let\u2019s go back to the introduction I used this morning.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>There are times when we faithfully share the Truth of Scripture with someone and they have a very negative reaction.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>While in some countries Christians are literally killed for sharing the message of the Bible, here in our country the \u201cworst\u201d reaction we might receive is ridicule and rejection.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Should we stop talking about Jesus because we are afraid of being laughed at?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Should we stop talking about Jesus because we\u2019re afraid of losing someone\u2019s friendship?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>What if we simply change our message\u2014 especially when it comes to the parts of the Bible that we <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">know <\/b>our society roundly rejects today?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Changing our message so that it lines up with that the unbelieving world wants to believe, well, my friends, that is akin to being trapped in a whirlpool out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>One change will lead to another which will lead to another which will lead to another until there is little to nothing left of the message we have been given to proclaim!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">So what are we to do?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We follow the example Jesus gives to us here in our text.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We stay focused on our Savior (Pointing to the cross) and listen to Him as He says to us:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">Don\u2019t be afraid\u2014 stay on message!<\/i><\/b><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>What does this mean?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Let me highlight just three things.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">First, it means remembering that Jesus Himself has called us to be His <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cwitnesses\u201d<\/i> (Acts 1:8).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>As witnesses for Jesus we are to take the message that our Savior has given to us and share it <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">as<\/b> He has given it to us!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We cannot change the message Jesus has given to us because His message is Truth!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(Pointing to the cross)<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>His message is the message that <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">all <\/b>people <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">need <\/b>to hear whether they realize it or not.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>His message contains <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">both <\/b>Law <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">and <\/b>Gospel.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We need to show people the seriousness of their sin so that they can see the graciousness of their Savior.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Whenever we are faithfully sharing the message that Jesus has given to us we also need to remember these words of our Savior, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cHe who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me\u201d<\/i> (Luke 10:16).<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">Second we remember that as <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cwitnesses\u201d<\/i> we do not have the power or the responsibility of controlling how or when someone responds to the Truth we are faithfully sharing with them.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>There are two passages to remember in this regard.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Through His servant Isaiah the Lord tells us, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cAs the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that is yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it\u201d <\/i>(Isaiah 55:10, 11).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And in 1 Corinthians 3:6 the apostle Paul confesses, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cI planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I have known people who had the seed of the Gospel planted in their heart by a faithful Sunday school teacher when they were very young and then sixty or seventy years later that seed took root and bore fruit in their heart and in their life.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Faithfully do what God Himself has called you to do (which is to share the message of Jesus with others) and let God do what only God has the power to do.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">And finally, as you conscientiously strive to stay on message\u2014 don\u2019t be afraid!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The very same Jesus who had the power to walk right through this very angry crowd, a crowd that was bent on killing Him, has the power to protect us as well!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>As Jesus Himself tells us, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cIn this world you will have trouble.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But take heart!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I have overcome the world\u201d<\/i> (John 16:33).<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">Is there someone in your life with whom you have been faithfully sharing the message of Jesus (Pointing to the cross), but there doesn\u2019t seem to be any visible results?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Keep on sharing!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Is there someone in your life whom you have invited to come to church with you on numerous occasions, but they always seem to have a reason to say no?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Keep on inviting them!<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Is there someone about whom you have been praying that God will give you just the right opportunity and just the right words to say so that you can share the message of Jesus with them, but it just doesn\u2019t seem to be happening?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Keep on praying!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">They <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201ctook him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">Follow this example of your Savior:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">Don\u2019t be afraid\u2014 stay on message!<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">To God be the glory!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">Amen<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<p> <\/font><\/p>\n<div class=\"postie-attachments\">Download sermon audio ::  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Epiphany-4-02-03-19.mp3\">Epiphany-4-02-03-19.MP3<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany February 3, 2019 Luke 4:120-32 Don\u2019t Be Afraid\u2014 Stay on Message! &nbsp; Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.&nbsp; The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, &#8220;Today this scripture is fulfilled in your [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1099","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1099","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1099"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1099\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1099"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1099"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1099"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}