“And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not my will, but Yours be done.’”
Luke 2:41-42
If you are an authentic Sand Mountain Alabamian, you have a place in your heart for “The Andy Griffith Show.” In one memorable episode, Sheriff Andy Taylor’s son, Opie, is walking to elementary school one morning when he rounds a familiar building downtown only to face a familiar bully, about his age, who is threatening to give Opie a punch in the face if he does not hand over the nickel he’s been given to pay for his milk at lunchtime that day. So, what does Opie do? He hands his nickel over to the bully out of fear of being punched in the face!
The next morning Opie stops off at the courthouse and asks his “Pa” if he might have two nickels that morning in case he loses one. But after hearing this request, Deputy Barney Fife decides to carry out his familiar sleuth work and secretly observes the bully in action. After reporting to Sheriff Taylor what has happened, Andy decides to have a talk with his son about the importance of standing up for what is right even when you’re afraid of what may happen.
The next morning Opie’s off for school and we see Andy and Barney pacing the floor, wondering what will happen. Later that afternoon, in bursts Opie complete with a big shiner around one of eyes and a big smile on his face! And in response to his Pa’s comment about the black eye, Opie says, “Yea, Pa, isn’t one of the best one’s you’ve ever seen?” And we know that after that day, the bully was not only defeated once and for all, but Opie would be able to keep all that belonged to him, from that day forward!
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Christ, the Son of God won the battle for the cross and for His own now and forever! For it was in the garden, Satan the Chief Antagonist to the will God pressed in hard, but it was also in that place of prayer Jesus stood strong in His will to obey the Father and go to the cross! But there something else we must not miss!
Have you ever been afraid to talk honestly with God in prayer? “Lord, I’m weak, I don’t know if I can do this?” “Lord, I’m afraid; if there is any other way, could you choose that way for me instead of this one?” Notice, before Jesus prayed, “yet not my will, but Yours be done” he prayed, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me.” In Mark’s account of the Garden of Gethsemane, he includes Jesus’ praying, “everything is possible for you (Father).”
Pete Greig says, “Still holding onto God’s power…[Jesus] appears to go off script by continuing with, “take this cup from me.” He adds, “It is hard to overstate the extent to which these five words, at the heart of Christ’s prayer in Gethsemane, have given permission to people ever since to pray imperfectly, honestly, and even improperly at times of tribulation.” Be honest with God. He loves and understands your prayer!
Pastor Louie
Sand Mountain Sermonette 43
Mark 14:72; Luke 22:31-32; Mark 14:70; John 21:15-17
Sand Mountain Sermonette 43
“You’re from Alabama!”
“Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, ‘Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.’ And he began to weep.” Mark 14:72
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen you brothers.” Luke 22:31-32
Although I visited Disneyland with my mom and her mom when I was a toddler, I had never set foot on the grounds of Disney World in Orlando, Florida, until my wife Nancy, took me there many years ago. I will never forget that day. We were standing in a long line awaiting to purchase our tickets when a lady who was directly behind us and in line with her husband kindly interrupted our conversation. Amazingly the first words out of her mouth to me were, “You’re from Alabama, aren’t you?” To which I responded, “Yes mam, I’m from Albertville, Alabama.” And then, I asked her, “Where are you from?” And she said, “Canada!” I couldn’t believe it! A lady from Canada detected my distinct accent right off the bat!
Peter followed at a distance as Jesus was brought for examination before Caiaphas the High Priest and the Jewish Supreme Court called the Sanhedrin. In the meantime, he positioned himself alongside some of the servants and the soldiers who were warming themselves by a charcoal fire in the courtyard of the high priest. And while there, Peter denied that he knew and followed Jesus three times! Addressing Peter’s third denial, Mark 14:70 reads, “…And after a little while, the bystanders were again saying to Peter, ‘Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean too.” In other words, there was no denying Peter’s Galilean dialect of Aramaic that was very distinct in its pronunciation differences to other dialects, as noted in the Ryrie NASB Study Bible.
There’s no doubt about it! As surely as our verbal accent gives us away, our sin nature which keeps us from God is most evident! And yet, the same Christ who would die on a cross for Peter and for you and for me, told Peter in the upper room that He would be praying for him before Peter would deny Him for He knew of the work of the enemy! And you know what? The Bible says Jesus restored Peter to service by His grace, forgiveness, and love (See John 21:15-17). Peter had a heart that yearned true repentance when that old rooster crowed the second time!
Yes! The Bible declares you are forgiven in Christ for there are no roosters in God’s Museum. The blood of Christ and the grace of God triumphs denial every time! Live free and at peace in the Lord, Alabamian, or whoever you are! Repent, return, and receive God’s blessings in Jesus! God loves you!
Pastor Louie
Sand Mountain Sermonette 44
Matthew 27:15,21,26; Romans 1:13
“Stock-Law Johnson”
“Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the multitude any one prisoner whom they wanted…But the governor answered and said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release for you?’ And they said, ‘Barabbas…Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he delivered him to be crucified.” Matthew 27:15,21,26
My mother used to tell me of the story of a Mr. and Mrs. Johnson who walk the streets of Guntersville, Alabama, along with their goats, many, many years ago. It should be noted that in that day there were various “livestock laws” that governed cities and areas throughout the country. Also, there was a railroad that ran through my hometown of Albertville, and right on into Guntersville located about ten miles away and down Highway 431 south. Now, it was not uncommon for the railroad to spray the grass around the tracks with a poisonous spray to keep the grass at bay. In addition, the railroad posted signs at strategic locations warning folks of the dangers of letting pets eat the grass and of keeping them off the railroad tracks.
One day, several of Mr. Johnson’s goats ate some of the sprayed grass near the tracks and died. Afterwards, someone told him of an old “stock law” for city of Guntersville and challenged Mr. Johnson to take the Railroad to court; which he did! Later, during the trial, the judged asked Mr. Johnson if he had read the warning sign posted near the site where his goats had eaten the grass. Mr. Johnson replied, “Yes, I did, but my goats can’t read!” And you may not believe it, but as sure as I’m typing these words on the computer, the Judge said, “Mr. Johnson, you’ve won your case!” And mother said from that day, Mr. Johnson was known as “Stock-Law” Johnson all over Marshall County!
The Bible tells us the true meaning of the cross was experienced first and first-hand by the notorious criminal and murderer by the name of Barabbas. The moment governor Pilate consented with the crowd’s desire to free the guilty Barabbas (as was the custom to release a prisoner according to the crowd’s wishes at Passover time), a most wonderful thing happened in the predetermined plan of God to reconcile sinners to Himself! In releasing Barabbas and sentencing the innocent Son of God to death on a cross at the same time; the whole world was privy to the reality of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the cross as full and sufficient payment for man’s sin against a holy, loving, and righteous God! But we, like Ol’ Barabbas and Mr. Johnson’s goats were ignorant of not having understood all the signs and fulfillment of the prophecies pointing us to the true Messiah who had come to deliver us from spiritual death and transfer us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of the light of the Son whom the Father loves (See Romans 1:13).
I’m not sure, but I doubt if Barabbas was even present at the crucifixion, but that doesn’t change the fact that our Savior died for Barabbas and criminals like you and me as well. He did so, to declare us “Not guilty, cleansed, and set- free!” Rejoice, Christian! Jesus has won the victory! Court, closed! Walk out of your cell!
Pastor Louie
Sand Mountain Sermonette 45
Luke 19:37-38; Luke 15:20
A Long Way from Home!
“As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting: ‘BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’” Luke 19:37-38
“So, he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20
My dad was invited to be one of several chaperones for the Albertville High School Senior Class of 1968 on their trip to Washington, D.C. I remember my dad’s being so excited about going on that trip and when he returned, he had a lot to tell his family.
For one thing, he brought back 8mm film of the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier along with other historic places in Washington, DC. But nothing prepared him for the afternoon the chaperones and Seniors went to the Cinerama theater to see the movie, “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Dad said, that near the end of the movie, one of the Albertville High School boys sitting next to him left to go the bathroom at the time when, on the screen, one of the astronauts is traveling in his space pod through what appears to be a tunnel of psychedelic lights.
When the boy returned, he whispered to my dad that in the bathroom he met a “hippie” and asked him if he understood what this movie was supposed to be about. The “hippie” responded, “Man, you’ve got to be on a trip to understand this movie.” And the little high school boy told my dad he said, “We are!” “We are!” “We’re all the way up here from Albertville, Alabama!”
Luke tells us in his gospel that Jesus came a long way from home! He left His rightful place in heaven beside His Father to come to earth to be born in the flesh with the sole purpose of riding into the city of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to receive the sin of humanity upon Himself upon the cross on Good Friday! Hardly the king the Jews were looking for but the very King, by God’s plan and Jesus’ humble submission, that both Jew and Gentile; that you and I, so desperately needed! Just ask the prodigal son of Luke Fifteen who, with his face down in a pig’s trough eating “yuk” with the pigs, “came to his senses” and returned to “The Prodigal’s Father” only to find him being received as if he had never left!
The cross of Christ reveals the heart of the heavenly Father! Jesus traveled a long way from home so you and I could come home to Father; accepted, reconciled, and restored: wearing God’s robe, ring, and shoes now and forever! Once lost, and now found! Praise the Lord!