November 7, 2023 — Does the Bible Say?

Does The Bible Say You Can Catch Fish With Coins in Their Mouths?

“When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?” He said, “Yes, he does.” And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first, asking, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their children or from others?” When Peter said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the children are free. However, so that we do not give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me.” Matthew 17:24-27

Recently I attended a fishing trip with a couple of friends. We flew into a small fishing camp in Quebec. We spent seven days of fishing and fishing, and fishing. The fish we were after were not small fish — we were looking to catch some Northern Pike, Walleye, and Fall fish. Catching many of these fish takes some real knowledge of their habits and their appetites. You usually have to spend some time and have some knowledge if you plan to catch a fish that is worthy of a picture to show to your friends back home. But just imagine if you boated a fish — took it back to the local cleaning station — cut it open and found a roll of one hundred dollar bills in its stomach. I believe this would really catch your attention.

Consider the power of Christ in obtaining the money from the fish’s mouth. Either He put it there (which is a miracle in and of itself) or Jesus knew it was there because, well, Jesus knows everything. In either case, this is evidence that Jesus is Lord of all. He chose to take the money out of a fish’s mouth, even though he could have received it from any of a multitude of sources — and fishermen from all over the world envy his luck. Even though the coins amounted to just enough to pay the tax for Jesus and Peter, don’t you think commanding a bag of money in the mouth of a large fish would have made a more significant impact?

Perhaps there is a lesson in this odd story. Perhaps Jesus is teaching us to be content to have just enough for our current needs — and not to constantly strive for too much. We are to trust G-d, even if we have to live from hand-to-mouth. If we have enough for today, “let tomorrow worry about itself.”

Look, if I happen to catch a fish whose stomach contains a roll of bills (American, not Canadian) I will certainly thank the Lord for the bounty given to me. But I am constantly reminded that striving for an abundance of money or goods or property is nowhere comparable to the abundance of love, mercy and Grace that G-d gives to me every day through Jesus Christ. And my friends, that is no “fish story”.

Pastor Dave

November 6, 2023 – Does the Bible Say…?

 Does The Bible Say Eutychus Died From a Boring Sermon?

“On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul was holding a discussion with them; since he intended to leave the next day, he continued speaking until midnight. There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were meeting. A young man named Eutychus, who was sitting in the window, began to sink off into a deep sleep while Paul talked still longer. Overcome by sleep, he fell to the ground three floors below and was picked up dead.” Acts 20:7-9 

I have always been concerned that my preaching could have negative results on the health of certain people. At the end of a worship service during my internship years, I was confronted by a parishioner who believed that my sermon was misleading and inappropriate. At another church one of my parishioners would fall asleep as soon as I began my sermon. Sermons are one of the last enduring rights of free speech that we all participate in each and every Sunday. Sermons are a powerful opportunity for the word of G-d to reach people – and because they are individualized by each pastor standing in a pulpit or free-wheeling in the Nave, that power has enormous potential. It has enormous potential to inspire, to provoke, to enthrall and…….to bore.

Eutychus was listening to Paul preach one day, and for some reason he thought the best seat in the house was in the open window sill on the third floor. Paul was on a roll, preaching the word of G-d with power and persistence. In fact, he was so empowered with the spirit he just kept preaching, and preaching, and preaching. And while he continued to preach on and on about the workings of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, Eutychus grew more and more tired. Finally he fell asleep – so asleep that he relaxed and did the unthinkable – he fell out the window, three stories to his death. It was a tragedy.

But all was not lost. “…Paul went down, and bending over him took him in his arms, and said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” Then Paul went upstairs, and after he had broken bread and eaten, he continued to converse with them until dawn; then he left. Meanwhile they had taken the boy away alive and were not a little comforted.” Acts 20:10-12

The raising of Eutychus is one of the great miracles attributed to Paul. But Paul does not linger over the miracle. He returns upstairs to break bread with the people, and then he moves on. But Paul was not one to sit still long — unless he was in prison. But with the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul performs another miracle, and keeps moving on toward his own death.

Pastor Dave