Birth As a Symbol (10/15/2023)

Good morning, everybody. It's always an honor to get to do this. It's even better when it's a nice small forgiving crowd. So I am grateful for that and for everybody that's here. Yeah, well, we'll see about the forgiving part Pop pop is here.

So I guess I should have thought that he's gonna He's gonna let me have it later. Well the last time I was up here. I was actually Letting you guys all know that we were expecting A son and today I get to actually introduce him.

He's back there. He's sleeping hard right now, but Under a cape, but this is Jack's first Sunday. So that is very special and Looking forward to many more with him with us here. Let's see here my My topic for today is pretty specific we'll get to that in a second, but I would be a little bit remiss if I didn't share a couple of thoughts with you guys just about a Lot of what's transpired over the last well a little more than a week at this point.

Of course, it was a week ago yesterday that That that invasion of Israel took place and it's been Really something to track nothing like this has happened in my lifetime I guess since 9 -11, of course, I was like six years old when that happened.

And so aside from the memory of getting out of my mom's Bathtub and going into my dad's study and seeing it on the TV. I remember that really well I don't remember a lot of what it was actually like to you know, be around for a tragedy on that scale.

And so this is somewhat new to me personally again just in terms of the actual scale of the thing and It's been pretty devastating to watch. I'm not going to comment on it a lot because I don't I don't know.

I would be inadequate to do so. I will leave a lot of the commentary on what's happening to dad when he gets back, but You know one really odd Aspect of all this for me and this may seem a little bit out of left field, but it has been eye-opening to me in regard to Just how much?

Your view of the end times Alters your worldview and how you perceive world events and your reaction to it. We don't we haven't talked about this particular Subject a whole lot in this church mainly because of where we are in the Bible Belt.

And because of the fact that it hasn't been Necessarily a very pervasive thing I would say even across the board in the United States for many decades. But I actually mentioned it not that long ago in Sunday school and that is this kind of resurgence of the post millennial Eschatology or view of the end times which is very different from the view that we hold at this church and The reason I bring it up is because one thing I've realized and again going back to what I just said a second ago Your your view of the end times drastically alters the way you view the world.

You're literally your your worldview and One of You know a feature that is baked in to the the post millennial view.

Is a.

Kind of a form of apathy being apathetic toward things that happen Around the world to other countries and it doesn't exclude it. Yeah, that does not exclude even Israel.

Which.

You know is a little bit hard for us to relate to but it has been made abundantly clear over this past week tracking a lot of Commentary on the app formerly known as Twitter. There's been some really interesting things across the board whether it be in the evangelical realm or the political realm.

Whether it be the very conservative side of that evangelical realm or the progressive side. And you know, I have seen some really crazy things from the post millennial view. People that subscribe to the post millennial view In regard to what they think about what's happening right now and again, it's a very apathetic approach at best I can't even really think of how I would word.

The other side of it, I think there are some very.

Prideful.

Kind of underlying feelings to their view of what's happening to Israel right now. And it's really really something else again. It's something we can't necessarily relate to because with the end times view that we hold We know that God has a tremendous plan for ethnic Israel.

You know, I was actually praying about it quite a bit the past couple of days. It would be kind of fun to take a look at Romans 11 today. Dave actually referenced it coincidentally in Sunday school because it speaks to this exact thing.

That is the natural branches being broken off the wild branches being grafted in. That is the Gentiles. It's the church. But there's a warning to the to the wild branches and that is to not boast that they have been grafted in.

That's exactly what comes out of the post millennial view the Christian nationalist view and it's really really been disheartening To see that and the only reason I mention it here is because I want us to realize again How important we talk about the end times a lot in this church?

We have for many years my lifetime and sometimes it can seem really.

A.

Bit of a grind, you know to talk about that subject to go through the the books that speak to it especially especially the Old Testament prophets, but it's really important and In fleshing it out and coming to you know, the most biblical Eschatology that we can is going to drastically change our worldview and again, that is something brand new to me that has been a big realization this past week and seeing a lot of the commentary from that particular side of.

The.

Evangelical world again, and I thought I would note that of course the other side of it is the very progressive stance, which Would would be expected I suppose but it's disheartening. You know nonetheless whether it be memorial equivalences, I've seen a lot of.

A.

Lot of commentary in regard to you know why this is happening from that side. You know, it's simply blood for blood. The these people have been under persecution and under quote-unquote occupation for 75 years and they're just.

They're just trying to level the playing field.

Well.

It's not blood for blood by any means first of all. There's the entire Geneva Convention that has been breached. Grave breaches of the Geneva Convention. In fact as we speak the terrorist group is launching rockets from densely populated areas of civilians, which is a breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention into Intentionally into densely populated areas with civilians in regard to their target.

Which is the second breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention? So all of the travesty aside that took place a week ago yesterday, they are actively as we speak Committing war crimes. It's not blood for blood, you know read any of the Quranic literature the Moodle water Hadith the that Muslims Subscribed to and teach on a weekly basis, you know.

Muslims in the West are Very different how they approach it, but it's it's universally accepted nonetheless. And the Muslims in the East view it very differently than those in the West. They look to that and they they act it out.

And what that means is the kinds of things that we saw a week ago yesterday. It has nothing to do with retribution of any sort of quote-unquote occupied land. And you again you can go read it for yourself and it is simply them living out the teachings that are right there baked into.

What they believe is what's going to get them into paradise and what they believe will usher in What we would call the day of the Lord and so. That kind of stuff drives me nuts. It's it's gross ignorance of really what's happening and I mean aside from that alone.

Where where was the ox where was the retribution of quote-unquote occupation? prior to the reestablishment of Israel. When when the Nazis committed genocide then where was the occupation that they were, you know.

Just acting out again in retribution leveling the playing field or had about 50 years before that. It is a spiritual battle. It's principalities and powers. It's a specific people that God still has unbelievable plans for.

That the devil is targeting and will always target. Has nothing to do with territory. And if it's not blatantly obvious then again it best it is a gross level of ignorance at worst. It is anti-semitism.

But regardless it is what it is go to Deuteronomy chapter 6 for a second. This is not our topic just yet. This is just something I wanted to look at in regard to everything that's transpiring. We of course still need to be praying for Israel as a nation all the people there all of the reservists that have been called in.

I saw an unbelievable video yesterday of dozens and dozens of American firefighters and EMTs Medical Other medical personnel that volunteered to fly into Israel and to pick up the slack in the areas of fighting fires and Helping out those that are injured because all of the Israeli firefighters and medics have been called to combat on the front lines.

And so we certainly need to keep praying for them. Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 4 Is an amazing verse and to this day it is something that's recited by the Jewish people. Every morning as a prayer and as a reminder for who they are and what their identity is.

It says here. Oh Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. One way you could read that and the way it actually is recited by them. Another way it could have been the translation could have been structured based on the Hebrew is here Oh Israel, the Lord is our God the Lord is.

One.

Now that's something that we can resonate with because we believe the same thing and we worship that same singular God. But what's really cool about it if you want to turn one more time with me to 1st Corinthians chapter 8.

We're gonna be.

We're gonna be turning a lot anyway today, so I'm just getting y 'all warmed up. Let's see here 1st Corinthians chapter 8 if I can get there myself.

Here we go.

The Apostle Paul expanded this very prayer this very verse That again is recited to this day by Jewish people around the world the Apostle Paul knowing it well not only recited it for us in the New Testament, but expanded it and Within the age of the church within the age of grace.

After Jesus is ascension and he says in verse 6 but to us one God the Father of Whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ. You can see how he expanded it further by whom are all things and we by him so we have If you want to call it our version the the Christian version of that same prayer and the prayer is called the shema and This is our version of it and we get to have the honor of reciting the same thing in regard to our position with our one God our one Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally go to Jeremiah chapter 23. And then after I read this we'll jump into the topic for today and I will Share with you guys why I wanted to recite those things both the shema from Deuteronomy 6 for that the Jewish people recite and Paul's expanded version of that in 1st Corinthians Jeremiah 23 and again, this is When you read this and then you hear a lot of what comes out of the post-millennial framework one of the major tenants being something called supersessionism or Replacement theology is what we would call it where they believe that Israel is Cursed and God has nothing to do with them anymore and that the church is Israel now.

Again, this comes back to Romans 11 do not boast, you know wild branches. Just because the natural branches were cut off and you were grafted in. I'm paraphrasing but We have a commandment not to boast about it.

And there's a reason why Jeremiah chapter 23 says woe be unto the pastors that Destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people.

Ye have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not visited them. Behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings sayeth the Lord. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries.

This is the part I want you to pay attention to. I will gather all of the flock out of all of the countries whether I have driven them and Will bring them again to their folds and they shall be fruitful and increase and I will set up Shepherds over them which shall feed them and they shall fear no more.

Nor me dismayed neither shall they. Yeah, neither shall they be lacking saith the Lord behold the days come saith the Lord that I will rise unto David raise unto David a righteous branch. Of course, we know who that is.

That is Jesus himself and a king also. Jesus shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth in His days. Judah shall be saved in Israel shall dwell safely. And this is the name whereby he shall be called the Lord our righteousness.

Therefore behold the days come saith the Lord that they shall no more say. The Lord liveth which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. Listen to this. This is amazing. Let me repeat that last part and think about what's being said here.

When those days come they shall no more say. They shall no more say the Lord liveth which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt but the Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country and From all countries whether I have driven them and they shall dwell in their own land as We know the Old Testament is just packed full of references to the Lord with a strong arm of bringing his people out of the.

But at this time and this of course is talking about the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom when Jesus comes back and Restores the Davidic throne and sits upon it himself. Brings all of his people back that are scattered across the whole world at that time.

They're not gonna say anymore This is the Lord that brought us out of Egypt. No at that time they will say this is the Lord that brought us back a scattered people all across the world From the north and from all other areas that he scattered them Back to their own land and at that time he will rule over them himself.

And so that is what the the current nation of Israel has to look forward to. They have a lot of nasty battles ahead of them. Many more to come no doubt. This is the beginning of a long long war in and of itself.

And I suspect one of many more to come in the future. And of course the world will never be the same after this this again, this is a Earth shattering event. I believe unlike any other since 9-eleven in regard to terrorist attacks.

And and how things need to be restructured and rethought about. Their goal is to 100 wipe out this Terrorist government of Hamas that is within the Gaza Strip when they do that. That will create a vacuum and the government will need to be replaced.

So there's a lot a lot of stuff around the corner. We need to be praying for them but someday this is what they have to look forward to and when that time comes and They entered this particular state that Jeremiah 23 is talking about at that time.

They will be reciting Paul's version of the Shema One God our Father in one Lord Jesus Christ, they'll be they'll be saying that with us All righty. Let's go to John chapter 3 and we will actually begin our topic.

All right.

Now I had a different lesson. Prepared. I've had a lesson prepared for months at this point just for the next time that dad needs to call in the fourth string and I need to come up here and. That particular topic I am excited to share with you guys eventually is just kind of a personal study that I had been doing myself.

Mainly related to kind of surviving the current culture. We find ourselves in. You got some of you may recall the series I did last year. While dad was out on peace and tribulation. And it's in some way an expansion of that though.

It does hit some different areas.

But.

Regardless of that again, I want I do want to get to that someday, but For today As you can imagine I've had some other things on my mind Since the arrival of our newest little one back there Jack Fisher.

In fact, I've had quite a few things on my mind since the moments prior to his arrival. And I want to share with you guys today, but some of those thoughts were.

And.

What is the kind of basis behind this topic? We're covering today now. I'll just say right off the bat. Initially the the the title for today's lesson is birth as a symbol and a lot of you guys may be thinking, you know, what are we going to get what am I going to get out of a Lesson on birth.

Well, hopefully by the end of it you guys will be edified by it and we'll find some application. I believe there will be some but nonetheless I wanted to share this. And share some of the thoughts I had recently because they were pretty impactful for me.

Birth as a symbol. It's kind of a boring title. I originally wanted to call it the birth of life. But then I realized that was a little redundant. Essentially saying the beginning of life of life. So I decided to to change it up a little bit but this is more practical in regard to the ideas that we're going to be fleshing out today and that is the things that birth symbolizes and so.

Before we actually look at our first passage.

I.

Want to.

Just tell you guys briefly about a little bit of my experience because this will set the Context and I apologize in advance if we go a little bit long today.

But.

I want to get it all out there. So first of all, obviously we have five kids now unbelievable blessing. People ask us all the time. I think people started asking us after number three after firm was born.

Are you done? And of course that is always a tough question to answer because it's really ultimately in the Lord's hands but and then of course that question is Came up again with number four came up has come up again with baby number five.

I will say if it's up to me the answer is no, we're not done. But again, it's not Necessarily in our hands it is in the Lord's hands. So we'll see what he has in store for us in the future. But five babies in and we have wrapped up quite the bit of experience in regard to births.

Gemma Was our first obviously and she was very conventional a very conventional birth. We had her actually in the same hospital that I was born in which was kind of a neat experience. But there were plenty of negatives to that experience as well.

We had a wonderful doctor, but he wasn't there. He was on an anniversary trip or something like that. So, you know that kind of set the tone on off the bat. We had a number of nurses that were not so Lovable, I'll just put it that way.

We had some good ones. We did have some good ones, but we had some bad ones as well that certainly make the experience Interesting, but we had her in the hospital and of course everything went great. Especially in hindsight, you know all things considered.

And that was that with Parker we wanted to change it up a little bit but I was still a little bit on the fence, you know. A lot of you guys may have heard of the concept of birth centers. And that has been a pretty popular thing going back for a while at this point but I was a little bit on the fence about it for a while and so what we decided to do is we're gonna have Parker in a hospital but with midwives rather than a doctor and so we actually went and and You know to the hospital for all of our prenatal things and it was for it was with certified nurse midwives.

That's what they're called. So they actually deliver in the hospital. It's you're still in the hospital room. You still have the nurses. It's the same thing except rather than doctor. It's midwives. So we did that with Parker and it went well.

It wasn't all that different honestly, but it was it certainly the prenatal aspect of it was nice and we learned some things and You know glad we did it but it came time to Fern. For Fern to come along.

I was like, okay Why don't we go ahead actually, of course Ashton did her due diligence found a couple of options for a birth center nearby Birth centers and we decided we'd go look at one. I'm like, alright, we'll take a look at it.

We'll see what we think but in my mind, of course, we're still we're hospital all the way through. Well the moment we walked in my life changed and I was like This is the place for sure. And of course since then our midwives Jocelyn and Bethany.

They they are the ones that delivered Fern and then Ada and now Jack and they are Our you know absolute heroes. They always will be at this point. But we did the birth center with Fern and it was absolutely wonderful.

Absolute game-changer. It was just fantastic with the same thing with Ada for Jack. We moved, you know, we recently moved into our new house and we decided this is something Ashton Ashton has wanted to do for a good while.

Again, I was on the fence. But this time for healthy births great experiences at the birth center with our last two with the same midwives would be using. I have a point to all this by the way I'm not just rambling on about our birth experiences.

Jack comes along and we said we're gonna have this baby at home we're gonna have a home birth and That's exactly what we did. And the reason I'm sharing it with you guys is because It it was such a surreal experience for me on the outside.

Yeah, you know looking in being the one to support Ashton as she is, you know doing all the hard work. And bringing Jack into this world.

I.

Would you know in my mind I'm sitting there helping her through contractions and we're in we labored all but 12 minutes by ourselves. Our midwife showed up 12 minutes before Jack was born, which was rather exciting.

It's better than if we were on the road and he'd been 12 minutes away, but anyway, the large majority of the time it flew by but it was a good couple hours or more of laboring and It was just the two of us and I was sitting there thinking man.

I know I this is a silly comparison. I know it's a silly comparison. But is this kind of what the patriarchs felt like in the Bible? Like, you know when a picture Abraham in a tent, you know with Isaac on the way the the promised son or even Jacob with all of his sons.

And you know anyone at that point in time, they were all home births, you know. They this is what they experienced. It was very intimate. They were right there and in many cases I'm sure were the very ones that Just did the whole thing.

I'm sure they had some midwives or some maidens or whatever that were there helping out, but just sitting there I couldn't help but think this is just amazing because there's no distractions and when you're in the comfort of your own home.

You can if this is I'm talking obviously from personal experience. I'm not saying That no one else could experience something like this in any other context. It's just for me. This is what did it like this is this is when these particular thoughts hit and I was you know.

There's no distractions. I was able to just really hone in on the moment. Of course. It was just really really special and so it got me thinking about a lot of things right then at that moment, but in In the weeks after as well.

So the significance of birth in General, it has certainly been on my mind and the many important things that it represents has as well. So today we're going to begin in John 3. I suppose you guys have already turned there and let's take a look at the passage.

That's gonna set the tone for the rest of the afternoon and we'll go from there. We'll start in verse 1. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him rabbi.

We know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him. Jesus answered and said in him verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again.

He cannot see the kingdom of God. Now Nicodemus saith unto him. How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born. Jesus answered verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the Spirit.

He cannot enter into the kingdom of God that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee. You must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth and now here's the sound thereof.

But can't not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth. So is everyone that is born of the Spirit. I'll go ahead and end it there. I was gonna go ahead and read all the way through verse 21. Of course, it's an unbelievably beautiful passage.

John 3 16 is right around the corner. But for the sake of time because I've already eaten up Far more than I intended to I'm gonna move forward from there. But those opening eight verses of John chapter 3 Are going to kind of set the foundation for today's topic now obviously for Jesus to compare our very salvation With physical birth there's something special there.

I mean we can get that and you know we could be done at this point and just take that for for what it is and understand that it is a perfect Analogy that Jesus uses of what it is like for our salvation experience.

And as if that analogy wasn't packed with meaning already. What I want to do today is spend some time this morning fleshing out as much meaning as we can. From what is already such a miracle and that is being that is, you know physical birth.

And in what it means physically as well as already what we've gathered spiritually so I have a couple of sections here and I want to go through a few different sections in discussing the significance of labor of birth of What comes after the baby is born?

But in order to get some context for this particular topic as biblically as possible we have to start where the Bible starts, of course and That is birth is a consequence of sin. The consequences of Eve's sin we're going to be going much deeper than that but again, we have to start where the Bible starts so You can turn here if you want Genesis chapter 3 verse 14 again.

We're gonna be turning to a number of places. So feel free to turn as much as you would like. Genesis chapter 3 verse 14 says in the Lord God said unto the serpent. Because thou has done this thou art cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field upon thy belly.

Shalt thou go in dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. This is right on the other side of Adam and Eve playing the blame game. Adam blames Eve he blames the serpent. The serpent is now cursed but then look at verse 15 and I will put enmity between thee.

Talking about the serpent and the woman and between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise the thy head and now shalt bruise his heel. Now, of course, this is the first revelation that we receive in regard to plans.

I'm sorry God's plan of redemptive history. Right there in verse 15, but it continues in verse 16. It says unto the woman He said I will greatly multiply by sorrow and thy conception in Sorrow thou shalt bring forth children and thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee.

So when we think about childbirth right off the bat In the pain and the travail Associated with it. This may be what comes to mind first in regard to what the Bible has to say about it. This particular passage.

It is the the first mention of birth. It's the first time it's talked about. It obviously is very significant in regard to the way It is first mentioned, you know brought into God's revelation as I said and While Eve was to be the mother of all living.

That's what her name means. She was also to bring forth that life through multiplied sorrow as a consequence of her sin. And that is certainly an important piece to all this however. The Lord did not limit childbirth to be nothing more than a consequence.

So that's the part that I want us to hone in on quite a bit because yes, this is where the Bible starts. But it's not where God Ended it. It's not where he left off this particular physical thing and what it and what it represents.

It's not that it's he didn't limit it to a consequence. That may seem obvious given how important being fruitful and multiplying is to God and we know that Procreation and childbirth. It's a necessary piece to that commandment.

But the depth of what God ordained for childbirth to picture or to symbolize which again is really what our topic is about today is the main focus of what we're going to be covering and How much deeper he goes beyond the consequence?

For starters Eve was not going to be the only one who bore this sorrow is a consequence of sin and the Sorrow that's pictured in childbirth. So let's turn one more time over to Romans chapter 8 for just a second and In Romans chapter 8 we learned something pretty spectacular again, this is still in the realm of This being a consequence of the sin that Adam and Eve You know partook in and it's wrapped closely with Eve's consequence of sorrow and childbirth.

But again, it goes beyond just that look at verse 14 of Chapter 8 here. It says for as many as are led by the Spirit of God They are the sons of God for ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear.

But ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit That we are the children of God and if children then heirs heirs of God in joint heirs with Christ if so Oh if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together.

Notice how this is obviously a wonderful passage in regard to opening up our minds to the reality of our sonship in Christ getting to be heirs with him being able to cry Abba father ourselves, but suffering is baked in there, it's it's a it's a Necessary reality to our sonship in him, of course as we know is because of the suffering that he went through but Look at where it goes in verse 18 for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory Which shall be revealed in us now just think about that for a second.

So a little bit off topic but think about The wonderful reality that that is we're gonna suffer it's guaranteed it is a necessary reality in regard to our position in Christ and Again, you think about the suffering that the nation of Israel is experiencing right now knowing that someday all of Israel will be saved.

Right now they're suffering however. For us that are in Christ as we speak right this second. That suffering Paul says is to not be compared with the glory which will be revealed in us. It's going to be so much better.

The glory is going to Just to going to eclipse the Suffering to such a degree that it's incomprehensible to us in this life someday. We'll know though verse 19 says for the earnest expectation of the creation.

The KJV renders it creature here, but I'm just gonna read the literal Term for the earnest expectation of the creation. Waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God for the creation. The creation itself was made subject to vanity not willingly.

But by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope. Because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption Into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now those words travaileth groaneth the pain it is in the realm of Childbirth the creation itself that was cursed and it was put in in any form of disorder after the fall of man.

It groans in travails in pain waiting for the future glory that is to come. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now and not only they but ourselves. Also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit even we ourselves groan within ourselves.

Waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body for we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth. Why doth yet he hope for? But if we hope for that which we see not then do we with patience wait for it so much that we can unpack there.

Absolutely beautiful picture. But the point being is that the creation itself and even we ourselves. Due to the nature of the fall the corruption that came with it. There is a there's a groaning. There's a travailing as if a woman a woman in childbirth or in labor preparing for childbirth.