Christ Church Downtown Exhortation

Gen 1:2 “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” When we read this verse our modern minds are quick to picture an impersonal ethereal fog, the Spirit, floating over a dark and confused blob of water and rock. But what is really happening here is an amazing act of personal love. Interestingly enough Calvin translates this verse as “the Spirit cherished the waters.” In Deuteronomy 32 the same word is used to describe God as an eagle that broods, hovers, cherishes her young children. This is the Spirit of God actively loving this chaotic void. This is God displaying his character right from the start. In other words, when God sees something that’s out of order He doesn’t scoff and look away. No, he rushes in, and with love in His heart, He cleans up the mess. And He doesn’t begrudgingly put things in order, He does it with love. He did it with the earth we stand on, He did it when he re-created your heart, and He continues to do it everyday as we cry out to Him. Not only do we benefit from this work but we also have the privilege of reflecting God as we live day to day. When you as a father, walk into a messy house at the end of the day with a tired wife and crying babies, instead of being frustrated, it is an opportunity to brood upon your world with love as you put things in order. When you as a mother, are woken up for the third time in the night to wrestle a diaper onto an infant, it is an opportunity to love your child with the same love that was shown to you. As we all look around at the cultural confusion that surrounds us; sodomy, political chaos, bodily mutilation & envy; it is an opportunity to eagerly participate in the dance of creation as our God and Saviour makes all things new.

Jeremiah Jasso – June 2, 2024

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When it comes to the Christian arsenal, it is tempting to view prayer as a lesser weapon. Meaning we know it’s there and available but it’s not our first option. I mean why use the nerf gun of prayer when we have the bazooka of Christian hospitality? Hospitality is necessary, don’t misunderstand me, but we ought to view prayer as a powerful weapon. In Col 4:12 Paul describes prayer as “wrestling”, the word he uses here is associated with battle, war and agonizing effort. In other words, when you pray for your spouse, you aren’t merely sending good vibes, you are stepping into the arena and taking a flaming sword to the knees of powers and principalities. When you pray for your kids you aren’t merely diversifying your parenting portfolio, you are surrounding them with impenetrable walls. Like Jacob, when we pray we go to the mat with God Himself and fight for a blessing. With this in mind, to neglect your prayer life is nothing more than surrender. To neglect your prayer life is a refusal to engage the enemy and a failure to commune with God. It’s for this reason that it is important to prioritize prayer both personally and in our families. It’s been said that too much of a good thing is a bad thing, well not with prayer, the apostle tells us that we should “pray without ceasing.” So when someone tells you that they’ve been praying for you, instead of our reaction being akin to receiving socks for Christmas, our reaction should be one of deep gratitude. Instead of offering prayer only in dire circumstances, we should seek to offer prayers up for all people at all times knowing that the prayers of a righteous man availeth much. 

 Col 4:12 “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured in everything God wills.“

Jeremiah Jasso – May 26, 2024

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Trials have the unfortunate ability to completely knock you off of your feet. Trials are painful and that pain is to be expected, but the question is, what will you do when a trial knocks on your door? 1 Samuel starts off with the bleak scene of Hannah’s life. She’s struggling with infertility, she has been for a while, and not only that but she has the other woman that her husband married, likely because she’s infertile, tearing into that wound and pouring all the salt she can find on it just to spite her. She’s so affected by this trial that she can’t even eat. She is completely overwhelmed.

But what does she do about it? Well she doesn’t turn to witchcraft like Saul, she doesn’t run away like Elijah, or return revile for revile. No, instead she goes to the tabernacle, she runs to the presence of God and through tears she pours her heart out to the Lord. She lays out her complaints and her grief in prayer. 

And it’s not like everything got better for her right away. Matter of fact as she’s praying, the pastor on site, the priest, accuses her of being drunk. But Hannah remains faithful, she keeps her eyes on God. And out of this situation God hears her prayers and gives her a son who would bring revival to Israel. 

So when God gives you a trial. Follow the example of Hannah. When you get laid off from your job, take it to the Lord in prayer. When your car breaks down AGAIN, take it to the Lord in prayer. When you struggle with infertility, take it to the Lord in prayer. Replace the urge to panic with prayerful petitions, replace the desire to sulk with relentless hope. We are to cast our cares on Him and we do this because we know that He cares for us.

Jeremiah Jasso – April 7, 2024

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After David killed Goliath on behalf of the Israelites he rightfully began to gain notoriety and respect in the eyes of Israel. This was good because as we know, and as David knew, he was anointed to be king over Israel one day. 

But King Saul didn’t take kindly to this development. He first shows this by chucking a javelin at David. Not once but twice. David somehow escapes and then Saul decides to put him in harms way by putting him in the battlefield, hoping he would get killed. Finally, he sends David on what he thought was a suicide mission to go and kill 100 Phillistines in order to marry one of his daughters. All of this was happening to the one who was anointed to be king over Israel.

Now as David is being hunted, envied and preyed upon it would’ve been tempting for him to doubt the promise of God. David could’ve easily given into thoughts like “How can God’s promise that I’ll be king come true when Saul is trying to kill me?! You know maybe God didn’t mean it, maybe I misunderstood, or maybe God failed..” But David does none of that, instead he clings to the Lord and stays faithful.

And it’s only after all these things happen that we can see how all of Saul’s attacks backfired. Every single plot he threw at David only resulted in David gaining more respect and favor from the Lord. It ended with the Israelites singing that “Saul has slain his thousands, but David his ten thousands,”

See this is how God works. What we might see as failures and dead-end problems are really being used by God to accomplish what He wants to do. We may not see how or why but we know, by faith, that that’s the case. The trials and tribulations that plague us in no way invalidate what God has said He will do. That includes; political corruption, slanderous hit-pieces, trouble at work or with your business, & and struggling with infertility. God wants to bring reform. reconciliation, and fruitfulness. So take heart and refuse to sulk. For our God is a loving Father and He rewards faithfulness.

Jeremiah Jasso – January 21, 2024

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