The Lord looks at the heart

Preacher: Lincon Hardouin

Verses: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” 2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” 4 Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” 5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” 12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.

 I was reading a fascinating article some time ago about ‘first impressions’ – a part of the human life that every single person to ever exist has some level of experience in. Whether it is us who are making the assumptions or others making assumptions about us, the first impression is something that we can never escape. According to the study I read found in this article, the first impression is made within seconds. Some suggest that is as quick as a few milliseconds, others say that it takes about thirty seconds to form a first impression although, the most accepted and widely acknowledge estimate is that it takes only seven seconds – for most of us, that is not even enough time to introduce ourselves. It is seven seconds from the first time you see someone to forming your first impression on them.

We testify to what we know

Preacher: Lincon Hardouin

Verses: John 3:1-17

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus. Undoubtedly, this was no ordinary man, he was not a common member of society, he was not what we would call ‘an average Joe’. I am sure that Nicodemus enjoyed many of the privileges that came with being a high flyer, an influential member within his community, a leader of the Israelite people and not just any leader, but as John tells us, a member of the Jewish ruling council – that is a member of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was of course an assembly of seventy-one ‘elders’, also known as rabbis or as judges, appointed to sit as a tribunal with the role of acting as a political and judicial council headed by the high priest – in essence, they had the role of a Supreme Court. I would imagine that any single person found to be a member of the Sanhedrin would be well known, powerful, and influential and would be considered to be an all-round ‘good leader’.

 In the chapter before this one, Jesus makes a very clear statement, not only to the leaders of His time but also to all the people who had witnessed this statement when He walks into the temple, is disgusted and heartbroken by what He sees, clears it out and then, as John records in 2:16, says, “How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” I am certain that Nicodemus had witnessed this, or at the very least, had heard about the actions of Jesus. We also know that Nicodemus was well aware of the miraculous signs and wonders Jesus had performed while in Jerusalem, and so he seeks out Jesus under the cover of darkness, and it is in this moment that Nicodemus’ understanding of faith is challenged far beyond what I think even he, a well-educated, influential and well-respected man, expected.

Understanding the story

Preacher: Lincon Hardouin

Verses: Matthew 17:1-9 and 2 Peter 1:16-21

I want you to listen to the following quotes. Do you know where they come from?

 ·         “May the force be with you.” – Starwars

·         “No sacrifice, no victory.” – Transformers

·         “He huffed and he puffed...” – Three little pigs

·         "Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." – Alice in wonderland

When we think of these quotes, some from movies, some from books, we know them. We can easily recognize them because we know the stories and because we know them, we understand them. But let’s say we didn’t know the stories. Let’s say that this was the first time hearing these quotes, what understanding would we have if the quote itself was the only thing we knew? Would there be any understanding at all? Well the same principle applies when we look at scripture – looking at one single “quote” does not necessarily give us an understanding of the whole story, but understanding comes when we look at the whole story. This, I believe, is one of the most beautiful things about the transfiguration narrative – it is not simply one quotation but it points us to an understanding of, at least in part, the full story. Why do I say this?

"Now choose life..."

Preacher: Lincon Hardouin

Verses: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 and Psalm 119:1-8

Our passage this morning opens with a very simple, albeit, vitally important choice offered to the Israelite nation – it is the choice between life and prosperity or death and destruction – and in essence, this is Moses’ final appeal to the nation before his succession by Joshua in chapter 31 and his death, which is recalled in the final chapter of Deuteronomy (chapter 34). Preceding this text though, we see Moses announcing breath-taking blessings to an obedient Israel as well as blood-curdling curses to a disobedient and apostate Israel, all found in chapter 28 while, in chapters 29 and 30, we see highlighted, the terms of the renewal of the covenant which God made with His people while they were in Horeb as well as the covenant He has now made with them in Moab. And in the verses before our passage this morning, Moses makes one thing very clear, he says, “Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach… No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it (30:11-14).” In other words, the commandment of God do not exceed the human capacity to understand and perform them.

What the Lord requires

Preacher: Lincon Hardouin

Verses: Micah 6:1-8

When we look at this astounding, albeit somewhat harsh and critical, text from Micah chapter 6, what we are essentially looking are the beginning phases of a courtroom drama. The initial call, as I am sure we can all imagine, is one that would probably terrify anyone who hears it. Imagine standing before the Lord, knowing everything that we do about Him, about His plan for creation, about His purpose for each one of us, about His power, His authority, His might... imagine standing there, not as a spectator, not as a member of the jury, not as one called in to be a witness against another, but standing there as the accused, as the one who has broken the ‘law’, as the one who is the centre of this trial.  And in the Lord’s opening statement He utters these words to you, to allow you the time to prepare your defence as He brings charges against you. He says, “Stand up, plead your case before the mountains, let the hills hear what you have to say.”

Are we the foolish?

Preacher: Lincon Hardouin

Verses: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

The human mind is a fickle thing sometimes. We can be so convinced of something specific, so convicted of what we believe to be true, sometimes we can have that same conviction for most of our lives… we hold onto these convictions with everything that we have and at times, we will even fight to defend them tooth and nail. But then something happens, something that we don’t necessarily see coming, something that we don’t plan for, maybe a unique, different or unexpected experience, or maybe someone comes along with the most fine sounding argument and eloquent speech, and all of a sudden, we find that our convictions change. It may not always be an instantaneous change, sometimes it takes weeks, maybe months or even years, until we find ourselves facing some kind of division and disconnect.

 Our passage this morning highlights just one of the many concerns faced by Paul when it comes to the church in Corinth. Obviously, amongst other issues, what Paul was dealing with and what he addresses here in the very first chapter of this letter, was the issue of division within the church. This issue extended farther than a simple dispute over what colour the carpets should be, what type of music should be sung, whether there should be chairs as we have them now or whether we should stick to the classic pew look. No! This issue pierced the heart of what can only describe, in my opinion, as a fundamental to our faith.

The Word of the Lord

Preacher: Lincon Hardouin

Verses: Psalm 33:6-11 and Acts 10:34-43

One of the things I think every single Christian wishes for at least once during their faith journey, is to hear the voice of the Lord, to hear Him speaking to us, to know that His word is not just something far off or just words on paper. I believe that every single Christian has a deep desire to know that the Word of the Lord is real and that it is something powerful. Well let’s be honest here, how much more real and powerful can this book be? It is such a spectacular collection of historical, poetic, prophetic and basically all round profound writings ever.

I also believe that we all, at one point or another, have taken this profound book for granted. We have times, looked at this as simply words on paper, maybe not intentionally, but because we are not sure on how we should understand what it says, or we don’t understand how it applies to us or even how we, ourselves, should apply it. We sometimes look at the word of the Lord as simply being ancient documents… and while there are definitely things that we can value, things that we can take to heart, we still have this idea that scripture is something that was relevant for them, at that specific time and serving that specific purpose. I’m sure we have all experienced moments like this. But it is so vital that we understand exactly what we have in front of us, what a privilege it is to have it and the profound role it plays in our lives.

The Mystery of Grace

Preacher: Lincon Hardouin

Verses: Isaiah 60:1-6 and Ephesians 3:1-12

We speak about grace on a regular basis, often in everyday conversation… I for one, know that it is one thing I truly hope for, for all people. It is the deepest longing and desire of my heart that all peoples would come to know and experience God’s grace. It is something I speak about often, something I pray for daily, yet there is one question which seems to come up all the time… What is grace? I am sure that we all look at grace in many different ways, defining grace as something specific depending on our own interpretations of scripture, on how it has been defined by others for us or possibly, depending on our own personal experiences. Some of the definitions I have come across include: 

·         Grace is the unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification – Ephesians 2:6, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves. It is a gift of God.” or 1 Peter 5:10, “And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 

·         Grace is the equivalent of mercy or pardon from ones sins – Ephesians 1:7-8, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us.”

"He would know... that she is a sinner"

Preacher: Lincon Hardouin

Verses: Luke 7:36-50

This is of course the second Sunday in advent. It is such an amazing time of the year, a time for family, a time for friends, a time to celebrate. With Christmas around the corner, I’m sure the preparations are well underway. Focusing on the family traditions, putting up the Christmas tree, getting all the Christmas shopping done, wondering about and planning the meal for Christmas day… What a wonderful time right. And in the midst of all the joy and the celebration, the one thing that is so often overlooked in today’s society, one person that we think about but not as we should, is the person of Jesus. Jesus, who should be the central focus during, at the very least, this time of the year, is sometimes nothing more than a periphery character, someone we glance at over there, while we focus on what is going on here. 

And this is somewhat true of what Luke records in this passage. There are three characters he mentions, there is Simon the Pharisee, the unnamed woman and then there is Jesus at the very centre of this moment. Luke, in recording this incredibly beautiful passage, makes a very important comparison or distinction between these two people, Simon the Pharisee and the unnamed sinful woman. One being self-righteous, seeking to analyse and understand the person of Jesus in the most logical way possible, but cannot see Him for who he truly is nor what He has truly come to achieve, the other, humble, seeking simply to worship Him, to glorify Him, to be in His presence.

The Dangers of the Idle

Preacher: Lincon Hardouin

Verses: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

When we think of the idea or the concept of being “idle”, as Paul warns against, what is the first thought that comes to mind? For many of us, simply put, it is a sense of laziness, one’s ability to sit and do nothing for an extended period of time, to put off work, to shun and shy away from one’s responsibilities, to procrastinate not for the sake of making an informed decision, but simply because “we don’t feel like doing it”.

 How often do we encounter problems or get into situations where we look at what’s going on and we say, “Well, someone else will deal with that, I’m too tired, or I don’t have the time to do this, or I simply don’t have the energy.” I know that I am guilty of this. For example, I have noticed that there are times where the street lights in my road are not working. Instead of me picking up the phone and calling the relevant people to report the issue, I often think to myself, well someone else will probably report the problem so why should I bother. We become so dependent on other people, leaving it up to them because we don’t feel like doing it, or we feel like it’s not our problem. And this is not simply a present reality problem, a problem that we only face within our day to day routines. We at times take this to the extreme, even within our Christianity and our faith. Does this sound familiar, “Well God is sovereign over all things, He is in control, therefore, I am going to sit back and let Him deal with it. He will bring me exactly what I need, exactly when I need it and I don’t have to do a single thing”?

Month of Mission iv. What does a healthy Church look like?

Preacher: Lincon Hardouin

Verses: Ephesians 4:14-16 and Revelation 2:1-7

Paul Minear’s classic work “Images of the Church in the New Testament” refers to no less than ninety-six word pictures of the church.  We have already focused on Paul’s image of the church as a healthy body (Eph 4:7-16).  We will now highlight John’s emphasis on the church as loving community (1 John 4:7-9).  Paul spent three years at Ephesus grounding believers in the gospel.  Thereafter he wrote them a letter from prison in Rome in the early 60’s AD, prior to his martyrdom.  The apostle John remained in Jerusalem, moving to Ephesus shortly before the fall of Jerusalem and the desecration of the Temple.  The church at Ephesus under John served as a hub to reach the Roman province of Asia and he wrote his 3 letters there in the late 80’s.  They afford a fascinating insight to the situation which prevailed in Ephesus a generation after Paul’s ministry there in the early 50’s.

Repentance and Worship

Preacher: Lincon Hardouin

Verses: Joel 2:12-17

Joel 1:1-3, “The word of the Lord came to Joel, son of Pethuel. Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers? Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation.” And what was that word? What were they supposed to hear, to listen to? What were they supposed to tell? Well, quite simply, and based on the very first chapter of this prophetic book, a catastrophe, unlike anything that generation had seen, was coming, it was impending doom, absolute destruction that could not be avoided. There was a warning sent from the Lord to His people, telling them that there would be an invasion of locusts, not simply a naturally occurring phenomenon, but rather an invasion sent by the Lord Himself, and once this invasion was over… there would be nothing left except their own grief, their own sorrow… their joy would be exchanged for mourning. This was the Lord’s divine and just punishment for a nation, His very own people, called by His own name, because of their unfaithfulness toward Him and their failure in upholding His Law.