Good morning and happy Saturday. We have made it to the last weekend in February. Amazing how time flies whether you are having fun or not.
On Thursday morning, I was at a hospital early in the morning to perform the monthly cleaning of the IV rooms. It was cold and snow was blowing around, neither of which I enjoy a great deal. When I got inside their building, I was thankful that the coffee machine was working. A grabbed a semi-delicious cup of expresso and sat down in a chair to wait for the pharmacist to arrive. As I sat there sipping my hot drink and wondering what the temperature was in Cabo, a sign on the wall caught my attention. Almost directly across the hall from me was a sign that said “DO NOT push this button.” When I sat down with my coffee, I had no intention of finding a button to push. But now, being made aware that a button existed and that it was prohibited to push it, well, I was curious. The button was white and blended in with the wall rather well. I am not sure I would have noticed that there was a button there if the sign wasn’t posted above it directing me not to push it. As I sat there, I began to wonder what the button was for. Why would you mount a button on a wall if no one is supposed to push it? Why didn’t they put a plastic cover over it like I am going to do with the temp stats at church so people will quit setting the temperature to over 70 degrees? I sat there and sipped my expresso and wondered what would happen if someone were to push the button? (Asking for a friend obviously). As I examined the button more closely (without pushing it), I noticed a brand name on the cover plate. That is when I surmised that it had to do with the maglock on the double doors. There was another sensor nearby that is supposed to open the door when you walk past it. However, if the maglock is set, it won’t open. Now that I had a working thesis, I thought it was wise to test it out. I looked around to make sure no one was around, and I pressed the button. Immediately, the alarm went off and security came to see what was going on. No, actually I was satisfied with having figured out what it was for, and I left it alone just like I was supposed to. However, it is interesting when you see a sign like that you may want to do the opposite of what it says just to see what happens. Such is our sin nature. Deep down inside, many of us just don’t like to be told what to do. It started in the garden of Eden, and it continues to this very day. God’s Word has many, many instructions for us to follow. And yet, we often are fooled into thinking that we know better how to live our lives. God places authority over us in a variety of ways – family, government, work, school and even in church. Sometimes, if we are not careful, we ignore these and do what we think is best. Speaking from experience, and God’s Word is replete with examples, that doesn’t always work out so well.
1Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. 3 But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “In fact, God knows that whenyou eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Genesis 3:1-6)
9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else,
and incurable—who can understand it? 10 I, the Lord, examine the mind,
I test the heartto give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve. (Jeremiah 17:9-10)
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through him and for him.
17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.
18 He is also the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
so that he might come to have first place in everything. (Colossians 1:15-18)
1First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time. (1 Timothy 2:1-6)
From our neighborhoods to the nations,
Pastor Larry
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