Lake Merced Church of Christ

In the beginning of Acts 3, Peter and John encounter a beggar at the temple in Jerusalem. What happens next will change the beggar’s life and teach us about faith, trust, and prayer.

Jesus' death and resurrection are the greatest events of all time. Believers are blessed by these events beyond what they fully know. Even still, the greatest work of Jesus on our behalf continues. This very hour, He is taking our prayers and confessions to the Father. At any moment, He will return to take us to be with Him forever!

Jesus is the center of our lives. His teachings are both light and life. His power as the Son of God and sacrifice as the Lamb of God secured what we needed the most. His resurrection secured life throughout all Eternity.

Understanding Jesus is essential to our faith. It is not enough to only believe He existed. One must believe who He is to have life through Him. Today, we will look closely at Jesus as both human and divine.

Joseph of Arimathea is mentioned in all four Gospel accounts, but a cursory reading reveals just brief details. Today, we’ll take a closer look a Joseph and see how his life was affected by the life and death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sunday’s message by John Mulligan was on “God’s nature and character - The God of the Bible”, part 2. The lesson is taken from Psalm 139:1-14. 1) God has three transcendent powers: He is omnipotent (all powerful). He is omniscient (all knowing). He is omnipresent (always present). With these characteristics, He knows and understands us as no one else can. He is our greatest comfort. 2) God consists of three personal beings: God the Father, God, the Son, God, the Holy Spirit. All three of these are with us, and available to us, all the time. 3) God has three challenging characteristics: He is immortal; He has always been here. He is invisible; though we can’t see Him, His fingerprints are everywhere we look. He is light; in Him is no darkness. John 1:4-5 reads, “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it”. 4) Finally, God has many deeply personal attributes - attributes which He wants us to take on ourselves to share with others. Some of these are compassion, grace, patience, being good, being just, and, of course, love. Jeremiah 9:23-24 says it all beautifully: "This is what the Lord says: 'Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the Lord." God loves to show us His light even when we don’t deserve it. Let us strive to do the same with others in our lives, as we share His light and His love.

John Mulligan’s message on Sunday was the first of several lessons on understanding your God, starting with “God’s Existence and Rule.” John’s first point is that Evidence for God is Inescapable. Romans 1:20 tells us: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” As John said, the concept of a big bang, an explosion, creating our world and our universe is illogical. Explosions don’t create life - they create disorder and chaos. The next point is that the Evidence Points to an Engaged and Benevolent God. When Paul spoke to the unbelieving Jews in Iconium (Acts 14:15-18) he said, “We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them… He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” The beauty of God’s creation is all around us, always. God created all this for us because of His great love. The third point: Our Creator God has the Right to Rule His World. He didn’t toss it into our hands to do with as we will. We have an obligation to Him. Acts 17:230-31 reads, “...now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” God commands us to repent; this is our challenge and obligation. Finally, Our God Will Hold Humanity Accountable. Romans 2:6-7 clearly tells us, “God will repay each person according to what they have done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.” Humanity is on a collision course with Judgment. God will ask each of us, “What did you do for Me?” If we understand and honor our place in His world, He will reward us beyond our imagination.

Jay Mijares gave us a lesson called “The Sound of His Voice”, taken from John 20:11-18, when Mary went to the tomb, desperate to find the body of Jesus. These are the lessons learned at the empty tomb. (1) Mary had a single-minded devotion and stayed focused exclusively on God. (2) The angels were sent specifically to Mary (angels that Peter and John had not seen.) (3) Jesus’ true sheep know His voice. Deep in her grief, when Jesus spoke to her, she didn’t recognize him until he called her by name. Then she called him “Rabboni”, a title higher than rabbi, confirming her allegiance and love. (4) Jesus’ relationships with everyone changed after His resurrection. Our relationship with Jesus, with the Holy Spirit, is stronger than a physical presence. This is why Jesus said to Mary, v.17, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Further in that verse we read, “Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” All believers belong to the same family - the family that was created by Jesus’ resurrection. Jay left us with three questions to ponder: Are you lingering outside a spiritually empty tomb today? That is, are you focused on earthly things that do not feed your spirit? Are you seeking a whom or a what? Are we seeking things, or seeking a powerful relationship with our Savior? Do you recognize your Shepherd’s voice when he calls? Sheep have to listen for their shepherd’s voice, over all the other noise that is happening. We, too, must actively listen for our name to be spoken so that we can follow our Good Shepherd’s voice.

On Easter Sunday, Michael Rankins gave us a lesson on faith in the post-resurrection world, “Blessed are Those Who Have NOT Seen and Yet Have Believed.” Part of the lesson was taken from John 20:24-31. In this scripture, Thomas tells the disciples that unless he sees the nail marks in Jesus’ hands, he will not believe. Thomas gets a bad rap for this, but was he being unreasonable? Would YOU believe it without proof? Jesus did not rebuke Thomas for his doubts; he wanted Thomas to have what he needed to believe. In John 20:29, Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." This reminds us of II Corin. 5:7, “We live by faith, not by sight.” In Colossians 2:11-13, we’re told “When you were dead in your sins… God made you alive with Christ.” Today, we celebrate Jesus’ rising and we are raised along with him by the same power. Further in Colossians 3:1-4, we are encouraged to “... set your hearts [and] minds on things above, not on earthly things…When Christ appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” What do we do instead of those earthly things? Look to Colossians 3:12-17. We are compassionate, kind, gentle and patient. We bear with one another and forgive them. We don’t keep lists of wrongs against us. We have peaceful hearts and don’t react in anger. And we do all this with gratitude. Finally, we remember that faith without deeds cannot save us. James 2;14-17 tells us that “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” The truth is, even demons believe. They have faith, but they won’t act on it. The resurrection of Jesus the Christ is the single most important event in world history. Michael’s challenge to us: If you believe that Jesus is risen, and you have been raised with him, go out and live life in him!

Sunday we heard the last of three lessons on understanding the Bible from John Mulligan: “Understanding Your Bible’s Influence - What the Bible Will Be.” John gave us 3 points to ponder about the Bible’s evolution. 1) The Word of God Did Not Start as a Book and will Not End as a Book: In our early histories, stories were passed along vocally, later some were carved in stone, later still we wrote on parchments and scrolls, and finally the Bible was published in book form. Now we even have it digitally. Consider Hebrews 4:12. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” God’s Word is always alive. It is never limited by the form it takes. The Bible’s truths are constant, regardless of how they are communicated. 2) The Word of God is Much More than a Book: It is the living, ever-enduring Word of God. The power of the message is there whether we read it in book form, or if we listen to a recording, or if we view it on our phone. In fact, digital forms can ensure even deeper preservation. This preservation is God at work, keeping his message available to us. 3) The Word of God is in the Best Position to Not Only Survive but Thrive: The Bible is the most recognizable book in the world. It’s also a controversial book, but controversy can be good, stimulating and refreshing our understanding of it. We shouldn’t become complacent about God’s Word. It will thrive - the book may go away but never the Word. Why do we read and re-read the Bible? Because it deals with our human condition. Our relationships and emotions about others - love; greed; envy; joy; fear; trust - can all be clarified by reading the Bible. It is always relevant, regardless of the times, and regardless of the form it takes. Let us heed God’s Word and be responsive to His teachings.

John Mulligan’s sermon on Sunday was on understanding the Bible, specifically, “What the Bible Is” and embracing the right approaches to it. The lesson is from Revelation 22:1-5. As John said, the Bible is a great story - in fact, a Never Ending Story. The bible’s story calls for repeated readings. We will rarely read a book more than once, and if we do, we’re not likely to learn more from it. The Bible, however, gives us new insight with every reading. Its lessons will continue as long as humanity continues. The Bible is full of True Stories Told Well. John 20:31 says that “... these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Jesus did many things that are not in the Bible; these selected accounts were chosen to keep us focused on the most important messages. Any details that were left out, we’ll learn about in Heaven - or realize that they were irrelevant. The Bible holds the Message of a Supernatural Storyteller. II Peter 1:20-21 says it all: “...no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” The Bible has A Message touching Every Time Period. Every story told in the Bible teaches us now, just as it taught our ancestors, and as it will for generations to come. The Bible’s messages continue to resonate in our lives. Where else can we go for such answers, for such hope and encouragement? Continue to read the Bible and let the healing continue.

Jay Mijares spoke to us about “When Good and Evil Collide”, taken from Luke 8:26-39, a dramatic story about demonic possession. Jesus met a man from Gerasa who had not been a believer before. Now, demons possessed him and he lived in the tombs and wore no clothes. The demons in him, however, recognized Jesus, and knew that God would be their judge, so they begged Jesus not to torment them. They were terrified because they were irredeemable, knowing they couldn’t accept salvation. Jesus allowed them to leave the man and enter a herd of pigs, and the pigs threw themselves into the lake and drowned. This miracle brought the man peace and salvation, but the act terrified the townspeople and they asked Jesus to leave. The man begged to go with Jesus, but Jesus told him to stay and tell people how much Jesus did for him. There are 4 lessons from the tombs of Gerasa: • Despite our best efforts, spiritual warfare is an unavoidable reality. The demons are out there and they can find us in our weak moments. • Despite their best efforts, evil spirits are still under the sovereignty and judgment of the One True God. • In the presence of a great miracle, the Gerasenes were still spiritually blind.They couldn’t face the facts that they saw. • The natural response to Jesus saving us is to forsake all we have and follow Him. Jay gave us 3 Questions to Ask at the Sea of Galilee: Does the knowledge that Jesus is God: (1) Remind you of who you are in Christ? Do we glorify God with our compassion and mercy? Do we let him reshape us into who we’re meant to be? (2) Make you think about what you value the most? Jesus valued the shunned man. Who and what we value is how God will see us. (3) Inspire you to share the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ? We are all commanded to minister to all who need it. God knows how to use us if we’ll allow Him to lead us. What has God done for you? Go out and share that story with others.

John Mulligan’s lesson on Sunday was on Understanding Your Bible’s Influence: 3 Lessons on the Way the Bible Works. The first lesson is knowing what the Bible is NOT. The Bible is not myth or legend. The Bible is full of eyewitness accounts with specific dates, which myths lack. The Bible is not old or irrelevant. Rather, it is timeless. It is the only book that countless other books have been written about. If it weren’t full of truths, it would never have passed the test of time. Regardless of your situation, there is something in the Bible that is relevant to it. The Bible is not a rule book. Much more than the ten commandments, the Bible is one well-told, factual story based on historical narratives. Additionally, it has biographies, proverbs, letters, poetry and more. Each book has its own unique take on situations for us to explore and learn from. The Bible is not an owner’s manual. It’s much more than a reference book to look at “when you need it.” We need to engage with our Bibles daily. It is the heart of our lives. The Bible is not a self-help book. Self-help books tell us what we want to hear. The Bible, like a good friend, tells us the truth about ourselves. Psalm 119:105 reads, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” There will be other lessons about the Bible IS and what the Bible WILL BE. For now, let us understand what the Bible is not. Once we eliminate any wrong assumptions about the Bible, we can truly enjoy the rich benefits this timeless and unique book will bring us.

On Sunday, John Mulligan continued his lesson on “No Wasted Years - No Meaningless Days.” This lesson, taken from 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, is on the third step of becoming the person you were meant to be: Refinement. This is about loving people God’s Way. Everything with God Centers on Love. Countless scripture verses focus on love and Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. This particular passage is a very popular one, not just amongst Christians. Many people may not understand the implications - that it will take some sacrifice for us to love as God loves. It’s not easy. Biblical love is about doing what you must do, even when you don’t want to do it. The qualities listed in 1 Corin. 13:4-8 give us specific guidelines about Christian love: “Love is patient.” Patient love hangs in through difficult people and situations. God is patient with us; we must be patient, too. “Love is kind.” Act in a way that blesses people. Hold back hurtful words. Use discipline to speak kindly. “It does not envy.” We may admire others’ position or their possessions, but we don’t dwell on them, or resent them for their good fortune. “It does not boast.” We don’t brag about our actions or successes, and we certainly don’t inflate or exaggerate what we’ve done. “It is not proud.” We admit when we’ve done wrong. We own up to our mistakes. If we have sinned we admit it, sooner rather than later. “It does not dishonor others.” We don’t embarrass others or take advantage of them. “It is not self-seeking.” We don’t use others to enhance our own lives. “It is not easily angered.” Don’t be a powder keg that people tiptoe around. Know how to manage your anger. “It keeps no record of wrongs.” Have a short memory. If something irritates you, let it go; don’t keep it to use as a weapon later. “Love does not delight in evil…” We don’t spread or seek out gossip. We don’t take joy in someone’s misfortunes. “...but rejoices with the truth.” Be joyful in the truth, in facts. Listen for the good stuff and rejoice in those. “It always protects…” Don’t hurt someone with unkind words; defend them instead. “...always trusts…” We are confident in others; we let them prove themselves. Don’t hold things against people. “... always hopes…” We look for the best in situations and don’t define people by their past. “...always perseveres…” We don’t give up on situations or people -- not that we accept abuse from them -- but we accept the reality of the present. “Love never fails.” That’s clear enough. Love, strong Christian love, always works. We’ll know we’ve done the right things if we’ve followed these guidelines for love. And just maybe, someone will see us doing our part, and be inspired to do the same.

John Mulligan’s lesson on Sunday was a continuation of “No Wasted Years - No Meaningless Days. Being the Person You were Meant to Be.” There are 3 parts of Christian growth and purpose: Transition; Addition; and Refinement. This lesson, taken from II Peter 1:3-11, focuses on Addition: growing in character. (1) Our calling in life is to look like our Creator (vv. 3-4). We’re not performing miracles, of course, but we do try to build our character to reflect His qualities. We leave our past behind and live a Godly life, anticipating our blessed future with Him. (2) We pursue seven qualities which measure our progress (vv. 5-7). ~ Goodness: Caring, helping others, being selfless. ~ Knowledge: Not book knowledge, but knowledge of God’s Word, and taking time every day to study it. ~ Self-control: Being able to say no to Satan’s temptations. Staying out of certain areas, or staying away from certain people who could lead you away from a Godly life. Learning to de-escalate our anger - not saying something we’ll regret later. ~ Perseverance: Staying in it through the challenges. Staying faithful. Not giving up on the difficult people in your life. ~ Godliness: We sacrifice, share what we have, and we care for and love others, even our enemies. We make these efforts in all aspects of our lives. ~ Mutual affection: We can show this simply by making eye contact and listening, giving a warm handshake or a hug, even when someone is angry. ~ Love: Christian love isn’t about our FEELINGS. It means DOING the right thing for others. How and where do we show these qualities? At work. While driving or shopping. With family, neighbors, and friends - especially the strained relationships. In short, everywhere and with everyone. (3) Possessing these qualities confirms our place in Eternity (vv. 8-11). Those seven qualities aren’t suggestions. When our lives are consumed with good, we lock the doors to Satan. It won’t be easy, but we have a lifetime to work on becoming the person God created us to be. We’re in it for the long haul. Yes, we’ll likely stumble but, at the end, God will welcome us to His eternal kingdom.

Jay Mijares’ lesson on Sunday was on “Seeing Things as They Really Are”, taken from Revelation 3:14-21. The apostle John wrote this letter to the church at Laodicea. Their city was a prosperous one, rich from its textile and banking businesses. They specialized in a fine, black fabric and a medicinal salve, as well. However, their business successes made them blind to their spiritual failings. We can take 4 lessons from the Church of Laodecia. (1) They trusted the wrong type of wealth. In gathering material wealth they became complacent in their spiritual lives. Their faith was lukewarm; they had lost their zeal in their belief. Hence, the message to them (verse 18) “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” (2) They used human standards to measure their spiritual condition instead of God’s standards. God’s “gold” is true spiritual richness. Material wealth can’t buy you hope or peace and certainly not everlasting life. Fire burns out impurities in gold. Our struggles through difficult times, being tested under pressure, strengthens our faith. (3) God will only accept someone who is clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Laodecians couldn’t see their own sins, their weakness, their nakedness. Their healing salve could never cure their spiritual blindness. (4) The Laodecians turned a blind eye to who they really were. They could not see their own failings, but God loved them enough to warn them (v. 19-20) “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.” Jay left us with three questions to ask ourselves: - Has your zeal for Jesus been dulled by distractions? Some temptations can suck the joy out of life. Jesus wants us joyful and focused on his love. - What is one blind spot that you need to deal with today? It might be hobbies, traditions, or even jobs that are taking time away from your spiritual growth. - Will you let the Lord Jesus Christ in to dine with you? We might be afraid to let Jesus in. We know he will see us as we truly are, but honesty builds a strong relationship. And he does love us regardless of our flaws. Together we are stronger. Together we can look out for warning signs, temptations, and blind spots. We can overcome our weaknesses through our Lord Jesus Christ.

John Mulligan’s lesson was on “No Wasted Years, No Meaningless Days - Being the person you were meant to be.” Once we choose to follow God’s path, we can enjoy a new beginning where every day is full of meaning and opportunities. The lesson is taken from Ephesians 4:17-5:3. First: Leave the life you buried. Romans 6:3-4 asks, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” With baptism, we leave that old life for good; it’s meant to stay buried. Then: Embrace Who You Were Meant to Be (Eph. 4:23-24). God takes us just as we are and makes us new: “...to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness.” Take care, though, not to fall into self-righteousness. We must stay humble and grateful for God’s mercy. We then Exchange Bad Behaviors for the Opposite (Eph. 4:25-32). For each bad behavior we might fall into, there is a biblical alternative to aspire to. We can learn to address anger in healthy ways, rather than “letting the sun go down” on our anger. Rather than criticizing others, we look for the good in them. Even at our worst, we all have good in us. Finally, Model the Example You Have in God. Rid yourself of bitterness and malice. Eph. 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate… forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Remember, He loves us (Eph. 5:1) as dearly loved children. With His amazing love surrounding us, we can become new people - the people He meant us to be. What better kind of life could we possibly wish for?

Jay Mijares’ lesson on Sunday was about Praise in the Cave of Despair, taken from Psalm 34:1-10. The story is about David when he was on the run, trying to escape the soldiers who were hunting him down. We may not be running for our lives, but we all certainly have times of grief, confusion, fears, and even despair. These are the lessons we learned from the Cave of Despair: 1) Praising Yahweh God is a habitual daily activity -- not just during good times, but daily, regardless of our struggles. 2) A person who has experienced God’s grace will worship God with others. We are meant to share our faith with others. God’s love is too good not to share! 3) Yahweh God is the sole source of our protection and salvation. We know that if we turn away, if we leave His protection, there will be consequences. David knew this well, so in the depths of his despair, hiding in a cave, he turned to God for answers and God provided. 4) To taste the goodness of Yahweh God, you have to trust Him. Jay encouraged us to dive into a big portion to get to know God better. The more you taste, the more you’ll savor His goodness! Jay left us with three questions to ask when we’re in our own cave of despair: In difficult times, who do you minister to? We can start by ministering to ourselves, but then we need to offer support and encouragement to others. Are you earnestly seeking the God of the Bible? Sometimes we find we’re looking in the wrong place for answers. The answers are in God’s word in the bible. Have you tasted of the goodness of God? If you crave more, go back for seconds! He’ll never limit your portion. God will provide in times of need. His protection and mercy are there for the taking. Now, go share that feast with someone who hungers.

John Mulligan continued his lesson on “Timeless Truths - Building our hopes on things eternal.” These are truths rooted in our shared humanity - truths that haven’t changed since Adam and Eve. Nations come and go, but these truths have held true through it all. 1) God has paved your way with grace: Ephesians 2:4-5 tells us, “...because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” He does this for us, lovingly, in spite of our wrongdoings. He doesn’t give us what we deserve (His wrath), but loving grace. No probation or parole, no notarized statements are required. He simply spurs us forward with love. 2) … and He loved you in your darkest hours… a thousand different ways: There are myriad Scripture stories about people who suffered mightily. When Peter told Jesus, (Luke 22:33-34), “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.’ Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” Later, when Peter realizes that he has indeed done that, in Jesus’ presence, he went outside and wept bitterly. Peter’s pain at that moment must have been unbearable. But even when He knows we’ll fail Him, God will be there for us. God loves us in a thousand different ways - ways that we might not recognize as His handiwork. He might work through messengers, using different people or situations, or by providing unexpected blessings and protection. Summarizing the lessons over the last few weeks, let’s remember these timeless truths: God controls the world you see and walks you through it all. God searches the depths of your soul and loves you to the core. God has paved your way with grace and loved you in your darkest hours and in a thousand different ways. Whether our dark times are due to physical pain, grief, regrets, mental anguish, abandonment, or fear of what is to come, staying true to God is the only way through it.

John Mulligan continued his lesson on “Timeless Truths - Building our hopes on things eternal.” John’s first point was that God searches the depths of your soul. Absolutely no one knows us better than our Lord and Savior. Indeed, as we read in Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” God knows our hearts, what we value and what we don’t. He knows when we’re being authentic and when we’re putting on a pretense. He will “...reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve” (Jeremiah 17:10). As faithful servants, we WANT Him to search our hearts. We trust Him and we want Him to know us. The second point is that God loves us to the core. He loves us even when he sees things that break His heart. People will see us differently after some event, and certainly judge us, but God will never turn His back on us, despite anything. He will be there to intervene on our behalf and guide us back onto His righteous path. Romans 8:31 tells us, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Further, in Romans 8:38-39, we learn this fundamental message, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God looks to restore us, to never abandon us, to see us through to the end, and will keep us near to Him always. Our commitment is to allow Him to love us enough to correct us when we falter.