Good News of Christmas: TIME! (Sermon Audio)
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Good News of Christmas: TIME! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the December 3, 2023 sermon, “Good News of Christmas: TIME”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Luke 1:1-25

“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”
Galatians 4:4-5 (NIV)

Today I continued a series from the gospel of Luke as we gaze deeply into God’s Word to find the good news of Jesus shared with us by Luke the physician.  Throughout the month of December we will continue our Good News series with a look at The Good News of Christmas as found in the first tow chapters of Luke.  Luke makes it clear that his goal in writing is to set forth an orderly account of the story of Jesus.  In the fullness of time God sent His Son to be the fulfillment of His law and prophecies.  While many had grown tired, and some had even quit looking, Luke records for us the good news that the time had come and that announcement first makes its way to a couple who needed to hear the good news of time!  As we consider the Christmas story, we find the good news of  . . .

  • Trust: — (Luke 1:1-7)

    • When things don’t happen according to our timetable, our doubt can grow to the point where we eventually lose hope in the desired outcome ever taking place.  In our text, Zechariah and Elizabeth lived at a time when people had become skeptical concerning the promised Messiah and they had also lived to an old age without having any children.  While there were likely many claiming God had forgotten them, they remained steadfast in their trust of Him no matter what.  Our trust in God isn’t about experiencing everything we want when we want it, rather it is believing that God knows best and we learn to trust in His plan and timing.  The good news of trust says that I will believe God even when I don’t understand.

  • Incense: — (Luke 1:8-12; Revelation 5:8, 8:3-4))

    • It was a privilege and special responsibility to be chosen as a priest of God to burn incense before the Lord in His temple.  It was in this fullness of time that Zechariah was chosen by God through the casting of lots so the he would carry out the task of going before the altar of the Lord to burn incense.  When you consider the altar of the Lord was a place of sacrifice where the blood of bulls and goats was brought in to temporarily pay the penalty for the people’s sin, the burning of incense by God’s direction was meant to make the offering a sweet aroma before the Lord.  In the book of Revelation we find that the incense being offered to God is the prayers of God’s people.  Even in our text, as Zechariah is burning the incense before the Lord, it is taking place in tandem with the prayers of the people who were outside worshiping God.  The good news of incense says that my prayers carry a sweet aroma before God which is pleasing to Him.

  • Meaning: — (Luke 1:13-17)

    • As Zechariah is fulfilling His responsibility before the Lord, an angel comes and stands before him to announce that his prayers had been heard.  I suspect that if an angel would appear to any one of us announcing that our prayers had been heard, we would want some clarity as to what exactly was meant.  For Zechariah, the first level of meaning to having his prayers heard was that he and Elizabeth would have a son even in their old age.  But I suspect that Zechariah, as one who was considered by God to be upright and blameless, had been praying for much more than a son.  In fact, the angel goes on to say that the meaning of this birth announcement was that this child would be the one to prepare the way for the Lord.  The good news for us is that each of us have meaning and value because we were knit together in our mother’s womb and called into being by God.  The good news of meaning says that God knows what He is doing and He knows when He is doing it so that His work in us and through us always has purpose.

  • Encouragement: — (Luke 1:18-25)

    • Because God operates on a timetable that we generally don’t understand, we must rely on Him for the encouragement necessary to continually live with the faith He desires to find in us.  Zechariah had doubts and was made to be unable to speak as a sign to him that God was indeed in the midst of this.  While the silence may not sound very encouraging to us, when Elizabeth became pregnant the silence of Zechariah was a continual reminder that God was in the midst of this.  When we live with a focus on what God is doing, it is our sharing of that with others that encourages both us and them.  Especially when the working of God comes at a time we least expect, we discover His faithfulness in helping our trust and obedience be an encouragement to others.  The good news of encouragement is that God desires to use each one of us in ways that not only build us up individually, but also in ways that builds up and encourages the body of Christ.

Today, what will you do with the good news of TIME?

Encouragement and Prayer: Faithful To Strangers! (12/1/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Faithful To Strangers! (12/1/23)

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This is the audio from the December 1, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“’Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’”
Luke 19:17 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will be about being faithful.  I know of no greater pursuit in life than to live in such a way that when my time on earth is complete I hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”  It seems as if every day we are faced with one test or another regarding our decision to be faithful.  Being faithful requires a commitment beyond all others because it demands that we don’t give up.   Pray that you would grow each day as you seek to be faithful in the things that matter to God.

“Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you.”
3 John 1:5 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you examine how faithful you are even in the “little things” of life.  Pray that you would be faithful in doing what God has called you to do for others regardless of how well you know them.  Pray that you would know the joy of doing good for strangers — perhaps even “entertaining angels unaware”.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Faithful In Testimony! (11/30/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Faithful In Testimony! (11/30/23)

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This is the audio from the November 30, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“’Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’”
Luke 19:17 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will be about being faithful.  I know of no greater pursuit in life than to live in such a way that when my time on earth is complete I hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”  It seems as if every day we are faced with one test or another regarding our decision to be faithful.  Being faithful requires a commitment beyond all others because it demands that we don’t give up.   Pray that you would grow each day as you seek to be faithful in the things that matter to God.

“Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future.”
Hebrews 3:5 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you examine how faithful you are even in the “little things” of life.  Pray that you would be faithful regarding your testimony of God’s work in your life.  Pray that you would faithfully speak not only of the things God has done in your life, but also of the things He has promised to do.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Faithful In Service! (11/29/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Faithful In Service! (11/29/23)

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This is the audio from the November 29, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“’Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’”
Luke 19:17 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will be about being faithful.  I know of no greater pursuit in life than to live in such a way that when my time on earth is complete I hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”  It seems as if every day we are faced with one test or another regarding our decision to be faithful.  Being faithful requires a commitment beyond all others because it demands that we don’t give up.   Pray that you would grow each day as you seek to be faithful in the things that matter to God.

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.”
1 Timothy 1:12 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you examine how faithful you are even in the “little things” of life.  Pray that you would seek God for the strength required to be faithful in serving.  Pray that you would grasp the importance of being chosen by God to be one of His faithful servants.  Pray that you would serve faithfully.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Faithful In Trust! (11/28/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Faithful In Trust! (11/28/23)

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This is the audio from the November 28, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“’Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’”
Luke 19:17 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will be about being faithful.  I know of no greater pursuit in life than to live in such a way that when my time on earth is complete I hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”  It seems as if every day we are faced with one test or another regarding our decision to be faithful.  Being faithful requires a commitment beyond all others because it demands that we don’t give up.   Pray that you would grow each day as you seek to be faithful in the things that matter to God.

“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
1 Corinthians 4:2 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you examine how faithful you are even in the “little things” of life.  Pray that you would live in such a way that others trust you because you have been proven faithful.  Pray that you would remain steadfast in your trust of God because He has been proven faithful.  Pray that you would be faithful with the trust God has shown to you.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Encouragement and Prayer: Faithful In Prayer! (11/27/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Faithful In Prayer! (11/27/23)

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This is the audio from the November 27, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“’Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’”
Luke 19:17 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will be about being faithful.  I know of no greater pursuit in life than to live in such a way that when my time on earth is complete I hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”  It seems as if every day we are faced with one test or another regarding our decision to be faithful.  Being faithful requires a commitment beyond all others because it demands that we don’t give up.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you examine how faithful you are even in the “little things” of life.  Pray that you would grow each day as you seek to be faithful in the things that matter to God.  Pray that you would look forward to the happiness that comes from being faithful, even if the journey toward that happiness seems long and difficult.  Pray that you would pay attention to the areas in your life that where faithfulness often seems elusive.  Pray for the courage to be faithful in all things — whether large or small.  Pray that you would know the joy of hearing Jesus say, “Well done!”.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Romans 12:11 (NIV)

Ask God to help you develop a lifestyle of prayer that keeps you from giving up.  Ask God to help you know how to pray in times of hope and in times of affliction — and in all times in between.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom

Good News: An Upward MOVE! (Sermon Audio)
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Good News: An Upward MOVE! (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the November 26, 2023 sermon, “Good News: An Upward MOVE”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Luke 19:1-27

“’Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’”
Luke 19:17 (NIV)

Today I continued a series from the gospel of Luke as we gaze deeply into God’s Word to find the good news of Jesus shared with us by Luke the physician.  As we continue gazing into the gospel of Luke, we find the story of a man who desperately wanted to see Jesus and a parable Jesus told in response to His statement of purpose.  What began as an upward move by Zacchaeus simply so he could get a better view quickly became instruction on how we can make an upward move that leads to eternal life.  When we realize we are part of the lost which the Son of Man came to seek and to save, we turn to God with an upward . . .

  • Motivation: — (Luke 19:1-4)

    • When we set out in pursuit of a God, it generally doesn’t take long before we run into one obstacle or another.  For a man named Zacchaeus, one of the obstacles in seeing Jesus was his short stature.  Rather than allowing the obstacle to keep him from Jesus, Zacchaeus was motivated to climb upward just to get a glimpse of Jesus as He passed by.  When we live with an upward motivation, we live with an unwavering pursuit of Jesus that keeps us focused on the eternal goal.

  • Obedience: — (Luke 19:5-10)

    • Even with an upward motivation that helped Zacchaeus see Jesus, he was still left with a choice regarding his response to the encounter.  When Jesus stops at the very spot where Zacchaeus had climbed the tree and calls out for him to come down so that He can visit his house, a decision must be made regarding a willingness to obey.  We find that the response of Zacchaeus goes beyond simply climbing down the tree and taking Jesus home with him, he displays an upward focused response which seeks to excel in obedience to God’s Word in making things right with those he had cheated.  When we live with an upward obedience, we live with a deliberate decision to obey God’s Word in all things.

  • Value: — (Luke 19:11-13)

    • As the crowds mutter about the inappropriateness of Jesus spending time with Zacchaeus, Jesus responds with a parable which shows the value of being faithful with all that is entrusted to us by God.  The people were expecting the kingdom of God to show up at any moment and to look like they were imagining it — victorious over the Roman empire.  In their version, they were the heroes and people like Zacchaeus had no place in it.  As Jesus calls us to lift our gaze upward, He shows that our opinion of who ought to be in charge doesn’t excuse us from a faithful obedience to the One who is really in charge.  The stuff of this world only has real value as we use it for the sake of the King.  When we live with an upward value, we begin to store up treasure in heaven rather than investing in the things of this world.

  • Expression: — (Luke 19:14-17)

    • As the parable continues, we find that the subjects of the man who would be proclaimed king did not want him to rule over them.  Yet in the midst of such feelings, there were those who took what was given to them by the king and used it for the king’s benefit.  God doesn’t seek our approval to be King and He doesn’t need it.  In fact, even when we object through a life that seeks to serve self, God continues to entrust us with tangible and intangible gifts with a desire that our expressions of those gifts would glorify Him.  It is our upward motivation, obedience, and value which leads to the highest expression possible toward us — “Well done!”.  When we live with an upward expression, we insist on using the things of this world for the good of God’s kingdom with a goal of hearing Him say well done.

Today, how will you pursue God with an upward MOVE?

Encouragement and Prayer: Pray For Restoration! (11/22/23)
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Encouragement and Prayer: Pray For Restoration! (11/22/23)

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This is the audio from the November 22, 2023 live social media broadcast of encouragement and prayer by Impact Prayer Ministry’s director, Tom Lemler.

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
Luke 18:1 (NIV)

This week’s prayer emphasis will be about our need to pray!  I suspect one of the big reasons we need to seek God’s help in our prayer life is the instruction to “always pray”.  If God had said to simply pray when you feel like it or when it’s convenient, most of us could handle that.  But devoting ourselves to prayer is an entirely different task.  When we go to God about our prayer life, we open our self up to His instruction and guidance in the way we relate to Him.

“I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.”
Hebrews 13:19 (NIV)

As you pray this week, ask God to help you examine just how devoted to prayer you are.  Ask God to help you notice those who are distant and need to be restored.  Pray that you would not only be restored to God, but that you would seek God’s help in seeing people restored to one another.  Pray about specific individuals and situations in which you need to be restored.

You can find the live video feeds of these encouragement and prayer times on Impact Prayer Ministry’s Facebook page.

In prayer,
Tom