God Our Father--by Linden Malki

How often to we look at a baby and comment something like "he's the spittin' image of his daddy!"   And of course, we all got our DNA from our fathers, mothers, and their fathers and mothers going all the way back to God's initial  creation of mankind in His own image.  So we do carry the image of our Father God in every cell of our bodies.
  I find it interesting that we find very few references to God as our Father in the Old Testament.  The two references I could find (Isaiah 9 and Psalm 89) have a Messianic context.  Where we do find God described as our Father is in the teachings of Jesus and the writings of Paul.  We see God as Father in two ways: one is as the Father of the Son, Jesus, and other as His followers as children of God,  the Father.  In the Sermon on the Mount, (Matthew 5-7) Jesus continually speaks of "your Father...", and tells us to pray to "Our Father...".   The God that Jesus describes is not a remote, impersonal power out there somewhere, but a Person,  who relates to us as a Father, and whom Jesus also continually calls " My Father." 
Paul, in writing to the churches he mentored,  begins each of his letters with a reference to "God our Father."  This relationship is tenderly described in Romans 8:15: For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 
We see a wide range of fatherly or unfatherly behavior in this world. There are fathers who do a good job of the calling to raise a child "in the way he should go",  and some who are missing in action.  We can look at God as the source of wisdom  for the fathers in our lives; finding the Godly mix of standards and tenderness, and for the strength to carry through on it in good times and not so good times.  In the long run, we all have a loving father available: the Psalmist praises God as  "A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation."

GOD WITH US--by Linden Malki

"Gott Mit Uns" has been used on German Army insignia for at least 400 years; and was also on insignia of Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus in the Thirty Years War of the early 1600's. It goes back to the late Roman Empire logo "Nobiscum Deus" (God With Us).  During World War I, it became common for British soldiers who spotted this logo would add their own , irreverent answer: We got mittens, too!

I think this response is more than simply a flippant bilingual play on words. I see it as a recognition that nobody has a monopoly on God's presence.  Unfortunately, in the history of the last four

thousand years, there have been times when God was seen as a supporting player to man's ambitions. 

Yes, there are times when God is very much with us.  But tragically, too many times there have been conflicts where both sides believe in God, and both believe that their side of the conflict is the Godly one.  Sometimes one side is mistaken, sometimes both are off the true center.  We have to be very careful!

When Moses came back from Mt Sinai with the instructions for the Ark, the people needed an illustration of their calling to be a nation saved and dedicated to God. Unfortunately, it became almost a “magic” talisman, to the point of in First Samuel 4, they got the idea of picking up the Ark from Shiloh, to take into battle—and Eli’s corrupt sons gave it to them. The battle, and the Ark, were lost to the Philistines. Finally recovered at the time of David, they discovered that it could be a dangerous thing. There is the story of the first attempt to bring it back, in a cart, that led to Uzzah touching it and being killed by the attempt. One tends to think of a “zap” from above, but I wonder if it was probably something inherent in the Ark itself—and the people of that day believed that God Himself lived there, so it would have made sense to have the power come from it. It was placed in the Holy of Holies in the Temple when it was dedicated, and disappeared at some point in the last days of the Kingdom of Judah.  It was time for the people to realize that God was not localized in a box. There are several theories of what happened to it; it may have been taken by the Babylonians; there are mentions that indicate that the priests of the day may have hidden it either under the Temple or somewhere outside the country. The Ethiopians believe that they have it, in a church under guard, and they have processions on holidays where replicas of tablets are carried. The “Last Word” is in Revelation, where it is seen in the Throne Room with God.

The Jews learned that God was with them, wherever they were.  We know that as well.  But we sometimes still use the idea of God’s Presence as our own property.  The question is not whether God is with us—He is with all who know Him—but are we with God?  Do we recognize and follow Him wherever we are?

Walled In or Walled Out? by Linden Malki

Most of us have never lived in a walled city.  We do, though, fence or wall our living spaces.   Why  do we do this?

 In many parts of the world, and through many centuries, cities were defined by their walls.   Jerusalem has had a whole series of walls in its history.  We first see it at the time of Abraham,  with a mention of Melchizedek, King of Salem. We don't know anything else about the city itself, except at this time, it had a priest king that knew God. 

 When the Israelites came back to the land, it was a fortified city of a tribe known as Jebusites.  It was not conquered until King David saw it as a good central location for the capital of a unified federation of tribes, as it was not part of any tribe's territory.   David and then his son Solomon expanded the city and its walls.  Over three thousand years, it has been attacked 52 times, besieged 23 times, captured and recaptured 44 times, and destroyed at least twice. 

The walls were destroyed by Babylonians in 586BC, rebuilt under Nehemiah in 445BC. Those walls were enlarged and rebuilt several times, but destroyed again by the Romans in 70AD.  Rebuilt as a Christian city under Constantine, it was taken by Persians in 614, Muslims in 637, Crusaders in 1099, and by Saladin in 1187. In 1219,  his successor had what was left of the walls removed, so that the city would have no value as a fortress to possible returning Crusaders. (Interesting thought: vulnerability as a defense!)   After the Ottoman Turks took the city in 1517, they rebuilt the walls that stand today. 

The most cherished piece of wall in Jerusalem is not the city wall, but the last remaining wall of the First Century Herodian Temple area, on the west side of the Temple complex. The original wall is made of cut limestone blocks, 2 to 8 tons each.  Smaller courses have been added later, during the Arab rule and later Turkish period.  It is said that the Roman soldiers who demolished Jerusalem left this wall to demonstrate the size of the walls they destroyed.  It is revered to this day as a connection with the last Temple, whose place today is occupied by Moslem shrines.

Walls can work both ways.  They can make attacks more difficult (but not impossible);  they can make a siege possible, isolating those inside from help and sustenance. They can be conquered by stealth, as in the stories of Troy,  and King David's midnight invasion of Jerusalem.  Our last century also had a famous Wall--but the Berlin Wall was not built to repel invaders, but to imprison its residents. When it fell, it was not attacked from the outside, but from the inside.  There are still a few places in the world where there are walls of guards and wire isolating people from the outside world.  

Walls are not always visible. We often construct walls in our minds,  that keep things out, or keep things in.  Sometimes walls can be very comfortable, helping us avoid hard questions, or keeping us safe. Some of our walls are uncomfortable, keeping us from things that might be good for us.  Walls can be a trap. Walls can be an invitation to an attack. Finding the right walls is one of the challenges we face in our lives.  Nehemiah's walls could be locked against outsiders; the story of Ruth was retold in that period as a reminder that outsiders are not always dangerous; they can be a healthy addition to our community, and we are called to reach out of our comfort zone.

Going Back--by Linden Malki

I once read an historian's description of Moses as the luckiest revolutionary leader in history: he had 40 years and a handy desert to turn a motley group of clueless slaves into a nation of people who had grown up self-sufficient.  Not only that, but the handy desert just happened to be one he knew how to live in. Without his 40 years with Jethro, Moses would not have been able to cope with the scope of what God was doing.  Nothing less drastic than Moses' temper tantrum would have gotten him out of  the comfortable life he had been living. God gave Moses those years with a great mentor and friend, in a place he never would have dreamed of living on his own.   And Moses did it--under the orders and strength of God. The  people learned, and raised a generation that had seen the power of God (even though sometimes we wonder how much they understood). They were still the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but with a different attitude.

This is typical of revolutions.  Change happens in stages; the first one is the questioning of the situation at hand. When i was involved in debate in high school and college, the first part of a formal debate was : "Is there a need for change?" The second part is a discussion of what changes are needed, appropriate and practical. The first part is often obvious--the Israelites were in a bad situation.  Similarly,  in our own revolution, being ruled by a distant goverment that saw their own advantage  led to a determination to take charge of our own affairs.  We don't usually think of the fact that the Revolutionary War ended in 1781, and the Constitution was adopted in 1789. The Articles of Confederation were a stopgap answer to an immediate need, but it wasn't long before the problems became apparent. The original purpose of the Constitutional Convention  was a revision  of those Articles; it soon became obvious that they needed to start over, knowing some of the pitfalls, and to draft something new.  France took a little longer: their Revolution began in 1789, the first attempt at defining a new order was the First Republic of 1792, and they are now living under their Fifth Republic, established in 1958.  The original Russian Revolution was in May of 1917, and was overturned by the Bolshevik Revolution of October 1789, which led to the USSR. This was dissolved in 1991, and we are still watching its death throes today; some of the pieces are doing very well and some are not.  You could trace similar patterns in many parts of the world; there is a constant tension in human societies between anarchy and repression; isolation and expansionism.

In February of 2003, we noted that we were celebrating the end of 40 months of worshiping and working without our Sanctuary.  . I remember our 75th Anniversary commemoration in 2000, out in the courtyard. Our speaker was Rev. Mark Lambert from Transformation Ministries, our regional association. He mentioned that churches, like societies and people, go through generational changes, and that the average church goes through a transformation at about 80 years. In 2005, our 80 year point included a name change and the unveiling of a new sign out front, as well as the first steps into cell ministry.  By 2010, the stresses of dealing with the aftermath of the rebuild and the financial difficulties of the school, and the stresses of a new DNA of ministry, led us to regroup in another place. Now with 90 years coming up this fall, we are coming "back"--circumstances and a lot of prayer are leading us back to Sierra Way--but not to the "same place." Most of our leadership, like Moses, are familiar with where we are going; some of our church family are looking at something new.  No matter how familiar it may seem to some of us, we know "you can't go home again." God isn't an escape from hard things; but He is the source of strength, vision and wisdom to cope with them.
By 2010, the stresses of dealing with the aftermath of the rebuild, and the financial difficulties of the school, led us to regroup in another place.  Now circumstances and a lot of prayer are leading us back to Sierra Way--but not to the "same place." Most of our leadership, like Moses, are familiar with where we are going; some of our church family are looking at something new.  No matter how familiar it may seem to some of us, we know "you can't go home again." God isn't an escape from hard things; but He is the source of strength and wisdom to cope with them.

WHO, ME?? - by Linden Malki

Hey you, Noah!  Who, me? Yes, you. I've got a job for you.  Who, me? Yes, you. I want you to build a boat.
What's a "boat"? It's like a box that floats on water.
 Why?  There's going to lots and lots of water coming.
Why? Because the world is full of people who are doing bad stuff and not Listening to Me.Why me?  Because you are a righteous man, and I appreciate that. In fact, you're the only one I can trust.
We know the rest of the story...

Abram! O, Abram!Who, me?  Yes. you. It's time to move on out.Move where? To the land I have for you; where you will be a great nation!Who, me? I have no children, and no prospect of any. Don't worry about it; that will change. I can take care of that. 
We know the rest of this story, as well.

Moses! Moses!
Here I am!  Take off your shoes and keep your distance. This is holy ground!  I am the God of your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.(Moses turns away) I can't look!  I know what's going in Egypt, and it has to stop. And You are going go to Pharoah and get them out.
Who, me?  Yes, you. and I will be with you.
And who are you? What's your Name? I AM WHO I AM.  Go, tell the Israelites that it's time to get out.
We know this story, too!

We know these stories because there are so many of them.  Samuel, David, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, Daniel, and more. And then Jesus. He called individuals--Peter, James, John and the rest of that bunch.  Nicodemus, Zaccheus, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, Joseph of Aramathea. A thief on the next cross. His brothers James and Jude. And then hundreds and thousands of people--on hillsides, for lunch. By the seaside at Galilee. And Peter and the boys, on a street in Jerusalem.  And then Paul, and Paul in Ephesus, and Athens, and Philippi, and even Rome itself.  And Polycarp, and Nicolas, and Patrick; Boniface, and Martin of Tours. Francis, Wycliffe, Hus, Luther.Carey, Judson, Livingstone, Serra. Wesley. Newton and Wilberforce. Peter Marshall, Billy Graham, King.  And more, many many more,  some of whom influenced thousands, and some known only to a few--

And each of us. And very often, our first reaction is Who, me? And You want me to do WHAT?? And the answer usually is I'll show you, and I'll be with you.  A very wise man once said : We plan the way we want to live,    but only God makes us able to live it. (Proverbs 16:9 The Message)

To the Uttermost Parts of the Earth--by Linden Malki

We as a congregation are blessed to have as part of our family our friend and associate Michael Weiss. Michael  is a retired member of the US Army Chaplain Corps with extensive experience training military chaplains.  He was ordained to the pastorate by Northpoint, and we have the privilege of supporting  his mission and outreach expertise.  He has amazing connections with military chaplains in surprising places, including Africa an Eastern Europe. 
This last Sunday we were able to get an update on his recent opportunities in West Africa, including training pastors and encouraging their local ministries.  Several of these pastors will be mentored by our own Pastor Paul via the internet, with the Jumpstart disciple training materials. There are also needs of worship and meeting places,  and our church mission budget recently subsidized a roof on a new church building in Sierra Leone.  There are also needs for education in countries that do not have adequate schools for the demands of developing countries.
The generosity of our church family and friends are making it possible for Pastor Paul to attend a cell church conference in Ivory Coast in August with his friend and mentor Dr Ralph Neighbour Jr, the director of the Cell Church Doctor of Ministry that Paul recently completed. He is also going to be able to see first-hand what we are supporting in Sierra Leone with Michael.
I have been asked how interested people can financially support Michael's mission activities. Our church operating budget does include support for his ministries, and we are able to accept donations and forward them appropriately. In addition, over-and-above donations for  Michael  or additional support for Paul's Africa trip can be made through Northpoint, by tagging them for "Missions: Michael Weiss" or "Missions: Africa Conference" .  
More about Michael: http://ncflife.blogspot.com/2013_04_01_archive.html

Strong Mamas--by Linden Malki

It was originally Sarai's idea., but there were things she hadn't expected. It was apparently not unknown for a barren wife to produce an heir through a dependent surrogate.  There are legends that Hagar had been given to Abram when they were in Egypt, for just this eventuality.  She didn't act like a respectful underling, and Sarai wanted her gone, not only before Ishmael was born, but later, as Sarai (now Sarah) had had, through a miracle, her own  son Isaac.  Abraham went along with it; he head to deal with both moms, both fierce and protective.  Sometimes I wonder if it would have been possible for these brothers to have grown up together in peace, but we still live with the reality of this rivalry. 

We see another one, later.  Bathsheba was the last one of King David's eight wives. (I notice that when we read of polygamy in Scripture,  it is associated with trouble!)  When David was on his deathbed, his oldest surviving son Adonijah (son of wife #5) , set up coronation festival for himself in Hebron, his birthplace.  He did not invite Nathan the prophet and his half-brother Solomon.  Nathan went to Solomon's mother Bathsheba, who went to the King, and reminded him that he had told her that Solomon was to be his successor.  David abdicated in favor of Solomon; Bathsheba did try to do Adonijah a favor to smooth it over, but Solomon saw it as a threat.

Even Jesus had to deal with a pushy mama.  In Mark  11:.35, we read that James and John came to Jesus, asking for positions of prominence in the expected Kingdom.  In Matthew 19:20, we see their mother coming with Jesus with the request. We don't know if it was one occasion or two, but somehow it's not surprising that Mom had an interest. Jesus uses this request as a way of introducing a major teaching:  that His Kingdom is not about authority or precedence, but about service.  The Bible is amazingly honest about the people whose stories it tells; we see more feuds and power grabs than selfless service; just like the real world we live in--but Jesus came to change the world.  Which world do we want to live in?