February 22, 2009

Lesson: Galatians 3.25-4.7

Sermon Title: Legacy

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INTRODUCTION

  1. Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 references the transfiguration, especially in verse 6.

3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. 6For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, (2 Corinthians 4:3-6, NRSVA).

    1. The light of the knowledge of the glory of God.

    2. This glory in seen in the face and form of Jesus.

  1. Mark in Mark 9:2-9 records the entire event.

9:2Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. 4And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5Then Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!" 8Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. 9As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead, (Mark 9:2-9, NRSVA).

    1. Jesus charged Peter, James and John not to speak of this event until after the resurrection.

    2. It will be at that time that the glory of Christ will be fully revealed in all its splendor.

    3. The disciples then will begin to understand what Jesus is all about.

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MAIN BODY:

  1. This is illustrated by an old story called, The Bird Cage

There once was a man named George Thomas, preacher in a small New England town.

One Easter Sunday morning he came to the Church carrying a rusty, bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit.

Eyebrows were raised and, as if in response, Preacher Thomas began to speak..."I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright.

I stopped the lad and asked, "What you got there, son?"

"Just some old birds," came the reply.

"What are you gonna do with them?" I asked.

"Take 'em home and have fun with 'em," he answered. "I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time."

"But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do?"

"Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll take 'em to them."

The preacher was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?"

"Huh?? !!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing. They ain't even pretty!"

"How much?" the preacher asked again.

The boy sized up the preacher as if he were crazy and said, "$10?"

The preacher reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone.

The preacher picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free.

Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the preacher began to tell this story.

One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. "Yes, sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!"

"What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked.

Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"

"And what will you do when you get done with them?" Jesus asked.

"Oh, I'll kill 'em," Satan glared proudly.

"How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked.

"Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don't want those people!!"

"How much?" He asked again.

Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your blood, tears and your life."

Jesus said, "DONE!"

Then He paid the price.

The preacher picked up the cage and he walked from the pulpit.

    1. We were in the cage.

    2. There was no way out.

      1. We were no better than slaves.

      2. We were under guardians and trustees until the date that was set by the father.

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  1. That time arrived.

    1. When the fullness of time had come.

      1. God sent his son,

      2. Born of a woman

      3. Born under the law

    2. Jesus came along and paid the price.

      1. so that we might receive adoption as children.

        1. He paid the price for our redemption.

        2. He paid the price for our freedom.

        3. He paid the price for our adoption.

      2. Because we are children of our heavenly father

        1. We are through God an heir.

        2. We have an inheritance.

  2. We also have a legacy.

    1. He paid the price for our legacy.

    2. Through him we are heirs of a great legacy.

    3. Why would some people want to stay in the cage?

      1. It appears to be attractive!

      2. It appears to be exciting!

      3. It appears to be fun!

"If you obey all of the rules, you miss all of the fun." --Katherine Hepburn.

        1. Fun is breaking the rules.

        2. Breaking the rules can be dangerous.

      1. It is also deadly!

      2. It is an illusion!

Morty the producer dies and goes to purgatory. The agent behind the counter says "So Morty, what's it gonna be Heaven or Hell?" Morty asks, "What's the difference?" Sid says "Take a look at the monitor over here."

Morty goes to the monitor and sees scenes of heaven where people are quietly floating on clouds and playing harps in serene bliss. Morty turns to Sid and says "Well that's nice. Pretty boring but nice. What's Hell like?"

Sid tells him to look at the other monitor. Morty does and sees scenes of young people having sex and dancing and smoking and drinking and laughing and singing and generally having a great time.

"This is great!" says Morty. "I think I'll try Hell." Sid directs him to the elevator and instructs him to push the down arrow. Morty does so and waits for the elevator to take him to hell.

When the car stops at hell the doors spring open. Morty looks around from the elevator doorway and is shocked at what he sees. Everywhere are people burning in agony, screaming in pain, drowning and suffering. There are laughing demons with pitchforks piercing their skin. Its horrible, disgusting. Morty presses the up button and goes right back to Sid."

"What is this!? Hell is nothing like you showed me on the monitor! It was awful down there!"

Sid says, "You mean that monitor?"

"Yes," says Morty.

"Oh, well, that was just the pilot."

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CONCLUSION:

  1. Our legacy is real and available.

    1. First of all it is Jesus that is our legacy.

    2. Secondly it is all that Jesus offers us that is contained in the legacy.

      1. It is real.

      2. It is land.

      3. It is a place in a new world, with a new world order.

      4. It is all that one could dream or hope for.

  2. We also have a legacy to leave to those who follow us.

    1. Will it be positive and strong?

    2. Will is be comforting and encouraging?

    3. Will it be truthful,. Even in the face of ridicule or danger?

Gary Thomas in "Wise Christians Clip Obituaries" tells the story of then Vice-president George H. W. Bush at the funeral of Leonid Brezhnev.

On November 15, 1982, Vice President, George H. W. Bush represented the Untied States at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev's widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev's wife performed an act of great courage and hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience ever committed: she reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband's chest.

There, in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong. She hoped that there was another life, and that the life was best represented by Jesus who died on the cross, and that the same Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband."

  1. Do we have any doubts about the legacy that Jesus has left us?

    1. Put you doubts to rest.

    2. It will be as he announced it will be.

    3. Hopefully it will be as we have lived and spoken it to those who follow us.

Amen!

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