fbpx

Category: Christian Life

Posted on

The Grace of Giving Generously

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” Now may He who supplies seed to the Sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:6-15 NKJV)

Giving because God gave is the greatest expression of our faith, love, and gratitude toward God. In giving, we reflect the generous heart of our Creator, who has given us the greatest gift of all: His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The passage before us is often used in a sermon to promote tithing in the church.

Most people understand tithing as a demanded duty rather than a voluntary expression of gratitude and worship to our most Holy God.

In my younger days, I delivered papers for three local newspaper outlets, mowed lawns in the summer, and shoveled snow from driveways every winter – this was how I earned money. When the holidays came around, it became my greatest joy to spend the money I made on gifts for the people I loved – especially my mom. My mom was a generous woman. She went out of her way to make birthdays and holidays special for our family. My mom deserved to be showered with gifts. She did so much to care for us all. But during the holidays, it was not her worthiness that drove me with joy to find the best gift for her – it was my love. She did not demand my gift, nor did my dad insist that I have one for her – I did it from a happy and generous heart of love and appreciation for her.

In my mind, our giving to God ought to be just as sincere, voluntary, generous, and joyful as that of a loving child for his or her parents.

The Grace of Giving

(2 Cor. 8:2,7) “Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality…But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also.”

The church in Macedonia was a general term for an association of three churches in the region: The Berean church, the church at Philippi, and the church at Thessalonica. Their “trial of affliction” was the persecution that they were suffering for faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Despite their hardship and “deep poverty,” the believers in this region joyfully expressed the grace of God through their own generous gift of grace to a group of people whom they had never met.

The Corinthian church along with the other gentile churches which Paul had established throughout the Graeco-Roman empire were made aware of the needs of the church at Jerusalem by the apostle. “The ministering to the saints” (2 Cor. 9:1) referred to a collection Paul had commanded in (1 Cor. 16:1-4) to be set aside in every church (in Galatia, Macedonia, and Corinth) on the Lord’s day and dispensed annually for (Romans 15:26) “the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem.”

Paul’s concern in the first five verses about the readiness of the offering at Corinth serves as a reminder that we too should always be ready and willing to give.

Generosity Begins in the Heart

(vv.6-7) “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

In (v.6-7) Paul seems to be drawing from (Prov. 11:24-26) to appeal to the Corinthians:

“There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself. The people will curse him who withholds grain, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.”

Paul and the writer of Proverbs used agricultural terms to say that “the size of the harvest corresponds to the scope of the sowing.”  Another way to put it positively is this: sow a blessing, reap a blessing. Consider these words from (Deut.15:7, 10-11):

“If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother…you shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand.  For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore, I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’”

It is worth noting that with the words “so let each one give,” Paul sets an expectation for those who have received grace from the Lord to give. While this is a command, Paul tempers it by saying, “as he purposes in his heart.” This phrase might be better communicated as: “let each one give as he is CONVICTED in his heart.” Paul’s intention was for the believers in Corinth to experience blessings through their generosity (Prov. 19:17; 22:9); blessings “which would not occur if they gave reluctantly or under compulsion because God loves a cheerful giver.”[i] Like our obedience to every other command of Jesus, giving must be a volitional response to God’s grace and command. The phrase “for God loves a cheerful giver” certainly suggests that good works done in Jesus’ name please God (Matt. 5:16, Acts 20:35), but it seems more accurate to associate generosity with one of the identifying traits of the Christian.

The Blessings of Giving: The Giver is Blessed with More to Give

(vv.8-11a) “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” Now may He who supplies seed to the Sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality.”

You have no doubt heard the expression “you can’t outgive God.” For clarity, the phrase should read, “you can’t outgive God’s SUPPLY.” Generous giving is derived from the grace of God, who makes His gracious supply of all needed things super-abound toward us so that every generous giver would super-abound for every good work or charitable deed.

Consider the giving of the poor widow of whom Jesus took note in (Mark 12:41-44), she put into the offering all that she had. Likewise, the widow of Zarephath who having only (1 Kings 17:12) “a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar” made a cake from it for the prophet Elijah believing the promise He spoke from the Lord (v.14): “The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.” Both of these women believed that God’s grace would supply their need because they held His gifts with an open hand. Paul taught as much to the church at Philippi when he wrote (Phil. 4:19): “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” As that congregation continued to generously give to the needs of others, Paul was confident, as he was in Corinth, that God would graciously “fill them up again.” Not only does God bless the giver with more to give in (v.9) but Paul’s invocation in (v.10) entreats God to “multiply the seed which these believers have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.” That phrase implies that material seed – like these shoe boxes, may reap a spiritual harvest. Such is the goal of all giving in the church – whether a tithe or a grace-gift, whether an act of kindness, a word of encouragement, or a moment of vulnerability as you bear witness to another person about the gift of God available to all through the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Blessings of Giving: Needs are Met and God is Glorified

(vv.11b-15) “…while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

Paul had a dual motive in taking up the “collection for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.” On the one hand he says in (v. 11b) that it supplies the needs of the saints, and with his words in (v.10) the needs of potential saints as well but on the other hand, the “administration of this service” was to validate and serve as proof (v.13) to the Jewish believers at Jerusalem of Paul’s God given ministry to the Gentiles and to their conversion and confession of faith in the Lord Jesus.

The gratitude which generous giving produces is profound.

The recipients of the grace of giving pray down God’s blessing on those who had generously and sacrificially given for their needs (v.14). More importantly, since it is God who is ministering through the giver, super-abundant thanksgivings are lifted up to God. The final, celebratory phrase of (v.15) simply declares that no man has dived to the depths of the fullness of God’ grace – the half has yet to be told! “One cannot read these two chapters of Pauls’ second letter to Corinth without gaining a new attitude toward giving. In the Christian life, there is no such thing as “material” and “spiritual.” All that we have comes from God, and all that we have must be used for spiritual ends. Paul teaches that giving is not a burden but a blessing. He shows us that true Christian giving enriches the life and opens the fountains of God’s blessings. Giving is a grace (8:1, 6–7, 9, 19; 9:8 and 14), and the Christian who understands something of grace will understand how to give.”[ii]

[i] Beal, M. S. (2016). Corinth. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.

[ii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (p. 501). Victor Books.

Posted on

A Reflection on Thanksgiving

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”  (Philippians 4:8–9)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! This morning, I’d like to share a brief reflection on thanksgiving.

When I think about gratitude – when I think about being thankful, I always find myself thinking of the converse of thankfulness as well because we are naturally prone to complain.  Being thankful or unthankful seems to depend on what our minds are focused on.  If we focus on what we lack, we’re going to be ungrateful. If we focus on what we have, we’re going to be grateful. That’s why I think Paul is on to something with that statement that he made to the Philippian church quoted above.  If there is anything praiseworthy, think on – “meditate (reflect) on these things.” In fact, he goes further. He says, “whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, lovely, and of good report – meditate on these things.”

Today, you may come to the Thanksgiving table with many grievances. I dare say all of us can think of some things to complain about. And yet, for the cancer patient who has come into remission – I’m sure that gratitude rather than complaint fills their heart today; they would give thanks for their recovery. For many of us today, layoffs have either come or are on our horizon and even with pay increases, its been hard to make ends meet. The state of the economy has wreaked havoc on us; focusing on these things however will not lead to our gratitude, but to complaint.  However, when we focus on the fact that we still have a home, we still have a family, we still have a job, and above all believer: we are still recipients of the grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ, then we have SO MUCH to be grateful for. I know how easy it is to fall into the trap of ingratitude; however, while humbling, I don’t think that pointing to the fact that others may have it worse than you is the best way to inspire a heart of gratitude. It is true, it is always true that someone else has it worse than you or I but there must be something more that drives our gratitude than the fact that we have it better than the other guy. 

As I write, I wonder if you and I, under the poorest and saddest of circumstances could be grateful If all we had in this life was a relationship with Jesus – would that be enough? Would you agree that if we have Jesus, we always have something for which to be grateful to God about?

Paul himself said a few verses later in the above passage: (v.11) “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.” He learned how to be content with a little or a lot; in either case he was grateful because Jesus was enough.  Frankly, many Christ followers could take a lesson from Paul on what it is to be grateful simply because what we have begins with Jesus: Eternal life, salvation, grace mercy, forgiveness; if Jesus isn’t enough, we’ll always be complaining. I know this too, that nothing in this world can truly satisfy – whatever you have of it, you’re always going to want more of. It’s difficult to be thankful when you’re always chasing after more. So, as we sit down to our Thanksgiving meal, whatever it might be, however much or however little, is there something you can be thankful for today?

One parting thought: Our gratitude should be our life song. We praise God from a heart of gratitude; we obey God from a heart of gratitude; we serve God from a heart of gratitude, and we love God from a heart of gratitude; not just on Thanksgiving; not just one day a year or every Sunday – gratitude is to be the pattern of our lives, our hearts song. Our life song. I’m grateful for the God who saved and is always patient with me. What are you grateful for today?

Happy Thanksgiving.

Posted on

Identifying Our Enemies – Consider the Heart

““You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43–48)

Who is my enemy? That is the question of the day right; or is it? For people, identifying our enemy is simple as evaluating a person’s intentions toward us. If a person is running toward you with a gun or knife, he is your enemy right? Well, maybe; their intent depends on how they are holding the weapon and what they are saying too. They may be running past you and away from an attacking enemy; on the other hand, they may be pointing the gun or knife at you as they are running toward you – usually, it’s not hard to ascertain their intent. An invading army is a more obvious enemy while a sinister group of leaders may veil their true intent to harm you with deceptive words and promises. If they intend to harm our peace, our families, our livelihoods or our future we usually deem them to be enemies.

But are they really?

In the quoted section of His sermon on the mount, Jesus pointed the listener to a problem not in the scriptures but in the way the listener interprets them. When we read the Bible context is important, often people pull verses out of the context into which they’ve been nested and develop a doctrine, belief or principal which is not biblical; but the local context is not always the only one to consider. For example, Jesus begins this teaching with a quote from (Lev.19:18), “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord;” and contrasts it with another quote from Moses in (Deut. 23:3-6) where the Israelites were commanded to never seek the peace or prosperity of the Ammonites or Moabites because of the way they treated them as they journeyed through the wilderness away from Egypt and towards the land of promise. The people apparently interpreted those commands to mean love those who agree with you or are like you in terms of national and religious identity and hate or despise those who do not. In (v.46-47) Jesus makes it clear to His audience (then and now) that it is no great act of love to love those who love you rather, to truly offer neighborly love, love those who curse, hate, use, persecute and despise you.

That’s what Jesus did!

Lately, I have been struggling with the question of how to handle my perceived enemies maybe you have been struggling similarly. To be honest, my eyes and ears inform me that I live in a world void of justice, sense, decency, morality – void of everything but hope in Jesus. The world seems to have declared the right to be wrong and the wrong to be right or, put another way – good to be evil and evil to be good. Trust me, I could list my grievances here and chances are that many of you would see it the same as I do but to do so would only fan the flame without arriving at an answer to my question: who is my (our) enemy?

The best way to get to the answer is to consider the question from Jesus’ perspective and to get that, I would direct your attention to the words He spoke just before He was persecuted and killed – “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”” (John 12:31–32) Satan, is the one Jesus called “the ruler of this world.”

Satan is the great deceiver who darkens the minds of people like Judas which betrayed the Lord for worthless coin. Through His Son, God has “delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” (Colossians 1:13) As the apostle Paul made clear in (Ephesians 6:12): “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Taken with what we read in (Romans 5:10) “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life;” we get an understanding that the enemy of Christ was and is the prince of darkness.

Unpacking (Romans 5:10) we see that when we were literally hateful adversaries of Jesus Christ and captive servants of Satan (John 8:43-44) Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). Jesus died for people conducting themselves as His enemies. Why? Because He did not perceive people to be the enemy to be defeated rather, His war was against the enemy within us – the darkness of the deceiver and knowing that Jesus came to set the captive free should change the way we see those who are adversarial, hateful and worse to us.

The answer to a world full of people who seem to hate God, His word, His people and His church is to love them anyway – not to agree with their foibles or join them in those activities which oppose God; nor to compromise for the sake of our own peace or shrink back from our mission of preaching the gospel and discipling the believer. In order to be effective in evangelizing we must do what God did when He chose David to be king of Israel – “look upon the(ir) hearts.” (1 Sam. 16:7) It’s a common saying but we need to remember that every person is someone for whom Christ Jesus died and if we can see them for their need rather than for what they’ve done we have a chance of reaching them. Above all, we have a chance of sidestepping the bitterness which will no doubt fill our hearts if we let the iniquity abounding in the world today cause our hearts to grow cold (Matt. 24:12).

Posted on

Holy Intoxication

Summertime in South Texas is notoriously hot and humid, to compensate, residents of the region gravitate to anything cold and wet: a favorite watering hole, beach or ice cold beverage always hit the spot.

In my younger days, my go to used to be ice cold beer, wine-coolers and other alcoholic beverages. But it was so hot that (in my effort to stay cool) I would routinely drink too much too fast and end up drunk. Overtime (though I did not perceive myself as an alcoholic) I came under conviction about drinking alcohol at all. One Sunday, a day after the 4th of July, upon hearing the pastor preach about drunkenness, I came home and dumped it all: wine-coolers, beer, tequila, rum…..everything and to this day some 30 years later, never picked alcohol up again.

The pastor drilled down on this text:

“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit…” (Eph. 5:18)

Of course he also shared from Proverbs 20:1, 23:31; Romans 13:13 and 1 Cor. 5:11 but I have a purpose in sharing the focal passage above along with a portion of my testimony. There is a lesson to be learned in this verse concerning spiritual life and it revolves around the words “drunk” and “filled.”

My testimony identifies a commonality for us concerning drunkenness and it boils down to this: We pour alcohol down our throats and it’s effects begin to take hold, slowly changing us, loosening us up and ultimately, for a time taking control of us. The result is termed”dissipation” by Paul: That is, excessive or “riotous” behavior. The Apostle exhorts (literally commands), don’t live this way, suggesting that he was speaking of a lifestyle of drunkenness. Then, right on the heals of the prohibition he connects the dots saying, “But be filled with the Spirit.” In other words, become so immersed in the Spirit of God that His presence and power within you control your attitudes, actions, thoughts and words. Consider the disciples on the day of Pentecost for instance: the Spirit of God fell on and filled them to such a degree that the people thought they were drunk; a supposition which led to an opportunity for Peter to explain what had happened to them in (Acts 2:13-21) and to go on and preach to them the gospel as well.

A person can become spiritually intoxicated in much the same way as they get drunk; only rather than wine it’s the word of God that such a person consumes. Jesus said in (Matt. 5:6) “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Just as I chased cold drink to quench my thirst and refresh my body on a hot day one’s thirst for spiritual refreshment will lead them to immerse themselves in the Word of the Lord and avail themselves to the Spirit of God to such a degree that they become spiritually inebriated. In the best case, every word such a person would say, every action they take and attitude they express then would be informed by the word of God and His Spirit – they would be “holy, as I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16; Lev. 20:7)

I write this because I don’t know too many Christians if any who are as I described above and also because it’s not for lack of instruction that we are not. Just as drunkenness is a choice so too is holy intoxication, both the wine and the word are available to us for consumption, it is up to us to choose wisely and be filled with that which can make us more like Jesus.

Posted on

Patience’s Perfect Work

” My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:4-5)

To some, the words of James drop like a lead balloon. “Can he be serious?”, they say; their question loaded with emotional exasperation from what they’ve been through or what they are going through in this moment. Does he really mean to say that we are to rejoice in every trial and through every test or challenge of life?                                                  

Yes.

“How can I“, comes the reply. We all have a certain tolerance for circumstances beyond our control but there is a limit to what we can bear. What is your threshold? How much is too much – is so much that it changes your outlook and extinguishes your peace?

The problem of pain impacts us all but it’s really the object of our attention during those times and seasons of life that has the most profound impact in our life and the lives of those around us. Our biblical quote above is taken from a Christian, actually from one of the siblings of Jesus Christ. He did not always believe what his half-brother Jesus said or declared about Himself but one day that changed. His begins his exortation by assigning it to his audience and calls that audience, “my brethren.”

His brethren is a reference not only to people who were but also to those who in these days also are believers in Jesus Christ. Now, the fact is that mankind is born to trouble as sparks fly upward (Job 5:7); in other words there are certain things that afflict believer and non-believer alike: cancer, sudden loss of a loved one or child, (sadly) divorce, loneliness, abandonment of one sort or another, grief in its various forms, economic hardship, layoff etc. But Christians the world over and for two millenia have also faced scorn, hatred, pressure and persecution from family, friends, coworkers, despots, national leaders and other religions just for believing in the name of Jesus and saying so both in word and action. In the midst of such trials of faith James tells believers to rejoice.

One reason for our joy should stem from the fact that every time our faith is put to the test and we patiently endure it our faith is strengthened. Just as a weight lifters strength is increased by adding more weight to the bar and repetitiously straining and lifting the weight, so a Christians faith is strengthened by every trial that does not kill him or her. Another reason for joy in these trials is that the goal of each is to mature us spiritually. Every successful test brings the Christian that much closer to the goal of being like Christ.

So our joy under pressure stems from the two things which our trials produce: endurance and Christian maturity. These are the perfect works of patience. But, when the trial is great, the pressure is high and the time is dragging on and on it helps to have our mind focused on Him who under great trial, anguish and suffering endured the cross and bore its shame (Heb. 12:2) for our souls sake. You see, in my mind, the only way to consider let alone endure any trial or test of faith with an attitude of joy is to focus on Him who went through all of that for us. Jesus is our Savior! Heaven is our home! These trials will come to an end but until then train your mind on a focal point beyond the pain: turn your eyes upon Jesus.

I like the hymn that reminds me of today’s verse: Andre Crouch’s ” Through it all;” part of that songs lyrics are the following words:

“I’ve had many tears and sorrows,
I’ve had questions for tomorrow,
there’s been times I didn’t know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consolation,
that my trials come to only make me strong.

“Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God.

“Through it all,
through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.”

A good way to end this short study I think…

Posted on

The Value of Discipleship

“And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:40–47, NKJV)

The early church was not the formalized and formatted organism that as time went on it became; in the beginning it was a very organic and “real” collection of believers who met at various places for the purpose of worshipping God.

Interestingly the “public” worship of the Lord took place at the gates of the temple and involved the preaching of the Gospel of Christ where many people flocked to sincerely worship a God they did not really know; in essence casting a Gospel net into a place where they were likely to catch the most fish – a tactic which was daily rewarded (according to v.47) with a daily “catch” of new believers; that doesn’t at all look like “church” as we know it today.

Today we expect the “fish” to come to us instead.

But what are people drawn to today? In many churches it is the small group, the discipleship group and Bible studies at various people’s homes that seem to attract the lost. In those settings they can see the church without her make-up; they see believers interacting, laughing, sharing, crying, praying and learning together – they see the church as it was meant to be.

In the early church discipleship wasn’t mandated and didn’t have to be “sold” to people. Note Luke’s description of the church in [v.42]:

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

Believers were hungry for the teaching of the Apostles – they wanted to hear about their experiences with Jesus, about His miracles – they hungered to know what the Lord said and taught.  I believe that in sharing these things the apostles could not help but to also share the character and nature of the Lord with the believers – the Apostles taught about a loving and gentle Savior and suffering Servant who gave up His life for the sake of the lost.

Before we paint too rosy a picture we must remember that the people who formed this new community of faith were still flesh and blood. They had things to overcome in their lives; even as they were coming to Christ they were being awakened by His Spirit to things in their lives that faith in Him would require them to “crucify” from their lives. If I could contemporize that community – some of them would be housewives whose husbands also spent the day away from them at their jobs or perhaps they were professional women of industry themselves; some of those men might be businessmen or blue collar workers; some might be truck drivers or salesmen; some might be soldiers spending months at a time away from all that they knew and loved.

The bottom line is this:  While each and every member of the community of faith (whether of the early church or our churches today) shares a set of core values, beliefs and experiences, each of us also has to figure out how to deal with bumps in the road specific to our individual duties or stations in life as the Word of God instructs.

What do we need when were apart from the community of faith doing that which we do day in and day out to provide for our families and to live our lives? What do we need when we are tempted to lash out in anger or shrink back in fear? What do we need when we cry out in frustration and despair? We need the Word of God and the help of His Spirit – most often that help takes the form of another believer walking with us – encouraging us, challenging us, exhorting us, praying with us; telling us that things we don’t necessarily want to hear but no less need to hear; someone to whom we can be accountable.

The Bible says in [prov. 27:17]:

“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

This is a powerful aphorism or maxim identifying the great benefit and value of having someone to walk beside us on our journey of faith and identifies one of the most personal settings for discipleship in the Bible.

Consider the first part of this analogy – how does iron sharpen iron?

I thought at first about the tools of a blacksmith – fire, hammer and anvil. For me the fire represents the trials and various situations of life; the hammer is our brother or sister in Christ which God the Father intends to use in the process of impacting our lives and the anvil is the Word of God – His expectations, commands and expressed will.  In our day to day life sometimes we are superheated by a situation – we are tempted to act or express an attitude that is contrary to God’s plan and our friend sees us or hears us and comes along side. God brings a passage to our friends mind and he begins to challenge our attitude with the word of God – he or she “speaks the truth to us in love;” as God tries to shape us into what He’d have us be or do in that situation.

Another way to see this is the way a knife used to be sharpened to carve the Thanksgiving Turkey (before the advent of electric knives): by file and blade. “It used to be common to see the host at a table sharpening the carving knife by drawing each side of the cutting edge against a hardened steel rod with fine ridges – iron sharpening iron. Sometimes it isn’t a temptation to evil or some other stress in your life but simply a misunderstanding of a particular Biblical principal that has you ‘mis-stepping’ in your Christian walk of faith. In such a situation, the “file”aka your spiritual companion might challenge you from their own understanding of the principal in question and in a sense sharpen your understanding through conversation and even criticism with regard to the subject.  

I personally enjoy talking about the Lord and His Word – I enjoy studying it with others and listening to other preachers and speakers share their understanding of a passage; often I learn something or have my understanding of something enhanced. Sometimes it is just refreshing to know that I’m not alone in my understanding of certain biblical text, principal or doctrine and sometimes I reject the teaching out of hand as errant. In any case it is always good to be able to discuss – not debate but discuss the Word of God. I don’t get much of that these days but when I do I enjoy it.

In my own life as a Christian, over the years, I have grown but let me tell you where I grew most. it wasn’t in the preaching service, it was in the Sunday school, the discipleship and in the seminary classes where we could talk it out. I’m sure you’ll discover the same if you’ll allow yourself to be involved in the opportunities which many churches (not all but many) offer for such growth.

Max Lucado reminds his readers in a book titled “On the Anvil” what one translation of [2 Tim. 2:21 ] says; there we read, that God intends for each of us to be

“An instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”

Lucado added the following thought:

“Ah to be your instrument O God, like Paul to the Gentiles, like Philip to the eunuch, like Jesus to the world, to be your instrument. To be like a scalpel in the gentle hands of a surgeon, healing and mending. To be like the plow in the weathered hands of the farmer, sowing and tending. To be like a scythe in the sweeping hands of the reaper, gathering and using. To be an instrument for noble purposes. To be honed and tuned, in sync with your will, to be sensitive to your touch. This my God is my prayer, draw me from the fire, form me on your anvil, shape me with your hands, let me be your tool..”

To be discipled in the larger setting of the church, the intimacy of a mentoring relationships or in a small group of believers all have one goal and purpose – so that each of us would become a useful tool in the Master’s hands.

Posted on

Alive or Just Here – How Will You Live in 2022?

Jack London once wrote, “the proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.”

Think about those words for a moment.

What great thing was ever accomplished by those for whom the priority was to save their own skin? Consider for instance, Madame Currie who among other things, discovered radium and was a pioneer in the study of radioactive isotopes. Her efforts led ultimately to an illness which took her life but her discovery is still used today in the fight against cancer as an ingredient of Radon gas. Hers is one example if a life which was not wasted.

She epitomizes the phrase, “nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

As I write, I have another person in mind about whom it can be said that he lived and the life that he lived was not wasted. I read something about him yesterday on a marquee while travelling back from a day on the coast; the marquee read: “We use duct tape to fix everything – God used nails.” Of course the “man” the sign was referring to was Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God and points at the life of the God – man. Jesus has ALWAYS existed but not as a divine couch potato or otherwise uninvolved deity. He was born into the human race but existed before His birth; more than that He was born to die and He lived to set men free from their bondage to sin and eternal separation from God. He expended His 33 years of life for the sake of every human being. His life was not wasted and the life He lived, He lived unto God His Father. His life made an eternal difference.

London’s quote rings remarkably similar to something Jesus once said:

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24–26)

Jesus’ words here call us to a constant dying out to a way of life characterized by self-preservation at all costs and a coming alive to the will and purposes of God. In other words, He does not merely call those who follow Him to exist as Christians, He is calling them to live the life of a Christian. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs is full of what living like that can look like in the extreme. But even in the torment of the flames as some of those martyrs were burned for their faith in Jesus Christ, they looked, as Jesus did, to the joy that was set before them. As Jesus concluded His thoughts in that short passage He did so with a reminder that today’s choices carry eternal consequences.

As we enter into a New Year, it is important for each one of us to ask ourselves, “am I alive or just here?” Staring at our phones into the world of social media or watching the plethora of reality TV shows available on Netflix, YouTube, Prime or HGTV etc; are you spending more time watching others live their lives than you are living your own? Your answer will also cast light on the greater question of your life’s purpose. We have not been given life to merely be consumers of everything we see – we have been given life and especially spiritual life CHRISTIAN, to make a difference just like Jesus. Consider the words of Paul in light of his life in Christ:

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

The new life that believers have is to be lived in a new way and for a new reason. Through His Holy Spirit, Jesus indwells every believer and sits on the throne of control that we once occupied and now our purpose is His plan and the accomplishing of His will. Did Paul occasionally deviate from the plan or attempt to retake control of his life? Any time we sin in essence, we are attempting to retake control of our lives and thus the need of a constant or of a daily dying out to our self-will is necessary.

Looking back on 2021, how did you do? Did you draw nearer to God or drift away a little or a lot? Much like a leaf driven by the wind on a pond’s surface is always moving, you and I are never stationary in our life of faith, we are always either drawing nearer to or moving further away from God. Has your faith become stronger in the wake of all that this last year has thrown your way or has it faltered. I ask because before we move forward we ought to take stock of where we’ve been and the lessons we learned or still need to learn for tomorrow. I have learned some hard lessons this year and still have some things to learn – God is patient. Once more, Paul offers us something to think about even as we enter into 2022, we find them in (Philippians 3:12-15):

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.”

Pressing on is the mindset which Paul expects every Christ follower to have as they set their faces to what lay ahead of them. But I invite you even now while keeping your eternal hope set firmly in your minds eye, that is the hope (or confidence) of seeing and dwelling with Jesus for eternity to live each day, one at a time for the purposes of God. Each day is as clean a slate as a New Year is and just as unknowable nevertheless press on – the prize is yet before us and the souls of friends, family, coworkers, and strangers hang in the balance. Draw nearer, press on and press into Him who has made abundant life available to you.

Happy New Year!

Posted on

Remembering the Unforgettable

    

It takes a special person to be a soldier – they leave everything behind to fight for others…they risk their very lives for the cause of freedom, hope and ultimately peace.  Memorial Day commemorates those who fought and fell paying the greatest price for freedom that anyone will ever pay – on this day we remember the sacrifice, we remember the blood.  We remember the faces and the lives of people who were not only prepared to give all for their country but who also did give all.

You know, when I think about it, those who paid the ultimate price for the freedom we enjoy as Americans are in certain ways much like Christ.  They left their homes like Jesus did, for a strange place. They traded their normal attire for a uniform – Jesus traded heavenly perfection for a human body. They gave their lives for a just cause: the deliverance of those in bondage – our troops delivered men from the bondage of men; Jesus delivered men from the bondage of sin; both paid the price of freedom with their lives. 

Y’all forgive me but Memorial Day commemorates the death of those who died to obtain and preserve the life, liberty and happiness of others.  It is honestly hard for me to say “Happy Memorial Day” because the joy that we now experience came at such a great price and it is the price that we must remember today.  Look at what is emphasized on Memorial Day weekend: great deals on new cars, building supplies, barbeque pits – great deals on all the makings of a great family picnic; we focus on summer vacation, graduation, some even focus on inebriation but in our celebration we forgot to remember who we have to thank for our liberation both as Americans and as Christians – fields of uniform monuments in our national cemeteries mark one group the other is marked by a single cross on a high hill just outside of Jerusalem called Golgotha and a single tomb no longer shut but wide open to reveal that it is empty;  the hero that it contained lives again and forevermore. 

Having said that, I’d like to spend some time considering the importance of milestones in our lives.

“And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ” Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever. ” (Joshua 4:1-7)

[v.6] “What do these Stones Mean to You…?”

     Forty years of wandering; forty years from the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea; forty years from their deliverance from the strong hand of bondage that they had been held by in Egypt by an even stronger hand; forty years of wandering until all those who were of a generation of doubt concerning God and His goodness had died; forty years to get to this moment in time.  And now, the people of God, a new generation, and a generation that had not doubted Him stood on the banks of the Jordan River standing for the first time in the land of promise.  The people had crossed over; [v.1] says “And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua” – the people did not cross over in boats, they did not cross over on a bridge; and they did not wade across the river as it was well out of its banks [see Josh.3:15-17] – the Bible says that they crossed on the river bottom:

“Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.”  (Joshua 3:17)

The moment the feet of the  priests bearing the ark of the covenant touched the flood swollen river it stopped flowing, piling up in a heap – God miraculously lead Israel into the land of promise on dry ground.  To commemorate the occasion God commanded that a representative of each of the twelve tribes of Israel return to the place where the priests stood, each was to take a stone from there which would be used to memorialize the event.  The memorial was to be a lasting reminder to future generations of their crossing of the Jordan into the Promised Land on dry ground. 

What did those stones mean? 

  1. The stones were a reminder that God is faithful.  The stones memorialized the faithfulness of God to keep His promises.  [Num. 14:28-31] “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised.
  2. The stones were a reminder that God had been and would be present.
  3. The stones were a reminder that God is mighty [see Josh. 4:24].
  4. The stones would be a source of encouragement to all people.  Set up in the next camp in which the people stayed; the camp at Gilgal [Josh. 4:20], the stones would serve as a source of hope during the difficult days ahead.  How?  Biblical history bears out that the Israelites faced many challenges during their journey – even in the context of topography, until now the people had wandered largely in the valleys of wilderness and in the desert, but now, after having crossed the flood swollen Jordan all that they could see past the plains of Jericho were the mountains of Canaan.  Their journey would be difficult but the memorial and others like erected throughout the land would serve to remind them during times of doubt and fear that, as David later wrote in [psl.60:12], “Through God we shall do valiantly.”  The monument would serve to remind them that [Rom.8:31] “If God is for us, who can be (who can stand) against us.” 

But there is something else to which these stones point not so much contextually, but rather by application; the Bible says that not only did the twelve men of Israel take up stones for the camp, but Joshua also returned to the place where the priests stood and there he erected a memorial [Josh. 4:9] which upon the final steps of the priests from the river would again be covered by the waters leaving them only evident to God; this he did before all of the people. 

What do those stones point to?

  1. Those stones marked the end of one journey…The stones in the river point to and mark not only the place where God met them and provided for the people; but it also marked the place where their old way of life ended – their life of wilderness wandering ended with that river crossing.
  2. …and the beginning of another journey.  The stones on the west side of the river, in the land of Promise, erected in Gilgal pointed to new life – a resurrection of sorts.
  3. Together these memorials point to what happens in a person’s life when they come to faith in Jesus, as illustrated by believers baptism: [Rom.6:3-8].  By the working of God through the blood of His Son and the power of His Spirit, the old sinful, carnal man dies and the new man in Christ lives.

A greater than these…What does the cross of Christ mean to you?

There is a greater memorial than the twelve stones in the Jordan and at Gilgal, and that memorial is the cross of Jesus Christ.  When a believer looks at the cross they should remember the place from which they were taken and the destiny they were bound to because of their sinful ways before they believed.  When a believer looks upon the cross he or she should remember all of the miracles of God that went into their redemption – the virgin birth of Christ, the terrible suffering of Christ, and again, the blood of Jesus.  Remember what God said in [Exod. 12:13], “When I see the blood…” today as then, the blood of Jesus reminds God of His promise to forgive.  The empty cross, not an occupied crucifix, but the plain, empty cross along with a totally vacant tomb remind us that Jesus is not dead – we serve a risen Savior! 

To me, the two strongest and most striking memorial icons on earth are the tomb stone and the cross of Jesus Christ… – one points to the expected end of every human ever born and the other to the only hope of eternal life with God:

  1. The tomb stone reminds each one of us that every one of us will eventually taste death [Heb. 9:27]; it reminds us of the brevity of life [James 4:14].
  2. The cross reminds us that death doesn’t have to have the last laugh. 
  3. It reminds us of the life given so that we might have everlasting life [John 3:16].
  4. It reminds us that our freedom and forgiveness came at a great cost [1 Cor. 6:20].
  5. It reminds us that even when times are their worst – the one who believes in the risen Savior is never without hope [John 16:33].
  6. [v.7] And like the stones at Gilgal, the cross stands as “a memorial to the children of Israel (and to the world) forever” – a testimony to the love of God, to the mercy of God, to the forgiveness of God, to the hope found in Jesus Christ, to God’s great grace; to the seriousness of sin and the price paid to redeem us from it.

The stones of memorial in our lives point to what God has done.

Finally, the stones of memorial in our lives point to what God has done.  God had led Israel through the wilderness and across both sea and river on dry ground; He had looked after their every need to get them where they were, and He has done the same for us – the cross being the greatest reminder of that fact in our lives and in our world today.  But not all stones of remembrance are made of rock:

  1. They may take the form of the Bible of a loved one, now gone on to be with the Lord – the lasting reminder of their love and faith toward God; holding it brings you added peace.
  2. It may take the form of a picture of your kids or spouse as they were or as they are.
  3. Your stone of remembrance might be the very child you hold in your arms.

Whatever your stone, it should remind you of the goodness of God, the grace of God, the mercy of God and of the faithfulness of God . It should remind you of the love of God and the extreme lengths that He went to in order to make redemption, forgiveness and eternal life possible for sinners like you and me.

The memorial stones of Joshua’s day were to remind the people of certain qualities of God, memorializing a great day of deliverance in their nations history; likewise the memorials to our fallen heroes are to remind us of the sacrifice of people who gave their lives, over a million strong from the beginning of our nation’s history till now, memorializing their commitment to God, country and family – remembering their sacrifice for the freedoms we hold dear. Above all, the most common memorial to Christ: His cross, reminds us that we are loved and that Christ went to great lengths to prove it, that there is hope for tomorrow, and life everlasting for all who will trust in His name. 

What do these stones mean to you?

Posted on

Only One Way

Nearly 20 years ago, my wife and I traveled to Corpus Christi Texas for a weekend stay. After checking into our hotel room near the waterfront we set out for the flagship store of our favorite burger joint – Whataburger. It was already dark when, after settling in that we set out to fill our bellies at what is known as a Texas tradition. The streets around the hotel were under construction that year (probably still are) and it wasn’t long till I found myself going the wrong way on a one-way street. Thankfully, I wasn’t stopped and cited by the city police and more importantly I did not have a life altering meeting with someone actually going the right way on that street. As you might imagine, I quickly found my way out of that mess and headed in the right direction all the while singing to my wife (who was a little put out by my cavalier and seemingly careless driving) the words to a very famous Frank Sinatra song, you guessed it, “I did it my way!”

Believe it or not, life in this world is a lot like the layout of most city’s streets which have been designed with regard to the flow of traffic into and out of the city. Just as there is a deliberate right way and a wrong way to navigate those streets there is a right way and a wrong way to navigate life and that way has been determined by someone with far greater authority in this world – God.

My motive for this article is not to point out the right and wrong associated so much with the life style choices you and I make (that is for another time) but to point the reader in the right direction with regards to a proper relationship with our Creator. This past week, I had a conversation with a man who asked the following question: “Which religion is right, just tell me which one’s Jesus or God is the right one and I will believe in Him.”  Perhaps part of the reason for his confusion is the simple fact that the church with its many doctrines and denominations have so muddied the waters that people on the outside don’t know which way is the right way; or perhaps too many in the church have stopped pointing out the right direction altogether. When was the last time someone invited you to church instead of to Jesus?

My answer to the man was simple and straight from the Bible, I quoted Jesus’ words as found in (John 14:6): “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” He responded, “Yeah, but which Jesus?” He meant (for example), the Jesus of the Mormons, the Jesus of the Jehovah Witnesses or the Jesus of Islam. Each of these faith groups view Jesus differently and from the perspective of the Bible, erroneously. It became clear however, from our conversation that this man’s concept of Christianity itself may be incorrect. Biblically speaking there is but one way to God and that way is through His Son Jesus Christ as the words in John 14:6 make clear and yet people attempt to come into that relationship or to gain the grace of God in other ways – they are in essence in pursuit of grace but traveling in the wrong direction on an established one-way street.

For instance, Paul the Apostle made it clear in (Romans 3:20) that “by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His (God’s) sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” To be justified is to be declared righteous or good by God Who has already decreed through His word that (Luke 18:19) “no man is good, no not one” and that in fact (Genesis 6:5) “the thoughts and intentions of a man’s heart are evil only always.” We become justified through faith in Jesus Christ Whose righteousness God exchanges with our sin; the Bible says in (1 Cor. 5:21):

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

This justification was made available through the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the cross and apart from faith in Him it is impossible to receive it (Romans 4:5):

“But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.”

The Bible clearly says, “By grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God NOT of works lest any man should boast…” (see Ephesians 2:8-10) yet today people try to earn the grace of God. They are in pursuit of grace through their “good works” but like my wife and I that night in Corpus Christi in pursuit of the world’s best burger they are going the wrong way on a one-way street to find that grace.

Not only does the Bible declare we cannot gain the grace of God and be saved by good works, it also states clearly that salvation is not a determination of our will (John 1:12-13):

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

This is in part where the man I was speaking to was stuck – salvation is not an act of our will alone. You might be thinking “Rich, what do you mean by that because it sounds like it contradicts the Bible?” There is a doctrine that teaches that man is so totally depraved that he would not nor could not ever choose to be saved. I agree and disagree with that position from Calvinistic theology. While I do agree that, like myself prior to my salvation, people do not care to know God let alone to be saved but are content to do whatever their flesh desires; I also believe that once the Spirit of God begins to intervene in a person’s life that mindset changes. Jesus said in (John 6:44):

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

That drawing comes through in two ways which work together, the Word of God – “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17) and the Spirit of God who “when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” (John 16:8) The reality is that once the word of God and the Spirit of God begin their work in one being drawn by God to Himself their hearts may be led (as the first inhabitants of the early church were) to a time of great anguish for their souls. You may remember the response of those who heard the gospel message preached by Peter on Pentecost: “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”” (Acts 2:37) It is at that moment, when a person sees themselves as God sees him or her that he or she may come to God by faith in His Son sent for their redemption and justification. Thus, it is God and not men who initiate the process by which they can be saved.

The man I was speaking to made one more comment that I think is important at this point in our thoughts, He said, “My problem is a comprehension problem” implying that he did not know what to think or how to choose. Having  addressed much of that statement already let me say that my response to his statement identifies what may in fact be the larger problem for those struggling with the one right way. The Bible declares the problem in (1 Cor. 2:14):

“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Too many people put the cart before the horse when it comes to things of eternal value. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God – but, what word? What word does the natural man need to hear first? Let me just put it like this, if any person is to come to God they need to hear about Jesus – why He came and what He did. Jesus Christ is THE WAY, the truth and the life! No man comes to the Father but by Him! They need to hear about the one way to life God’s way. They need to hear about the one way to eternal life – a way blazed and made possible by Jesus Christ who left heaven for our sakes.  They need to hear about Jesus Christ who taught, literally who showed mankind what God was like. They need to hear about Jesus Christ who suffered and was tortured not because of any wrong that He had done but to satisfy the wrath of God for the wrongs – the sins WE HAD DONE! They need to hear about Jesus Christ who died for their sins and three days later rose from the dead to live again making forgiveness and power over sin available to all who believe.

Many there are in this life living the lyrics to Sinatra’s song – their way; we are called to point men to the one right way that leads to everlasting life through the gospel of Christ and the examples of our lives – point the way…lead the way…help them find the one-way that leads to a relationship with Almighty God.

Posted on

Wake Up, Church! (Pt. 3) Return to Your First Works

The words of Jesus to the Ephesian church in (Rev. 2:4-5) needs to be heard by the church today:

“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”

The Ephesians had let their orthodoxy and legalism get in the way of the mission of God – have we? Just as marriages fail because the fighting over whose right outweighs fighting to save the relationship; speaking truth without love (Eph. 4:15) can get in the way of the point of the truth we are trying to communicate. The problem did not come upon the Ephesians suddenly but was a systemic leftover of their sinful nature rising up in them. As Paul was developing that church he wrote in (Eph. 4:31-5:1): “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ has forgiven you…walk in love, as Christ also has loved us.”

Look again at (Romans 13:11-14), Paul said that “the night “was far spent meaning the time of Jesus’ absence from us as well as of Satan’s work in this world was nearly finished. Whatever the conflict in our lives, it is ALWAYS darkest before the dawn. Its true, the final push whether in the boxing ring, on the field of competition, on the track or in military conflict is always the hardest. The enemy of God will fight hardest when his day is at hand and the Lord’s return is on the horizon; we therefore must be ready for the fight and as Paul said, “cast off the works of darkness.” Some of those works may be the complacency, apathy, indifference or misplaced zeal which control some believers today. Our lust, our desire to have things our way is dulling our senses and making us less that ready in these days to rescue the perishing. Paul says. “let us walk properly, as in the day – not in strife and envy.”

In a similar message spoken to the Colossian church Paul wrote:

“Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time….(Col. 4:5) adding in (Eph. 5:16) “because the days are evil.”

Redeem the time…how? Paul said it in (Phil. 2:5):

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…”

As we wrap it up today, I want us to consider the passion of Christ.

Jesus Christ left heaven to dwell among men. He minimized His glory and hid it within the frame of human flesh. He humbly allowed men to handle Him, talk to Him, question Him. He allowed their mistreatment against Him – their accusations, their attempts to harm Him and their mischaracterizations of who He was and why He had come. He allowed them to beat Him, literally ripping the flesh from His body – He did not fight back and as a sheep led to the slaughter so He opened not His mouth (Isaiah 53:7). He allowed them to spit on His face and tear out His beard. He allowed them to nail Him to a cross and raise Him up in their hatred, scorn and unbelief. He allowed this because His passion for the will of His Father and for those who would ever believe in Him was greater that His concern and passion for His own life.

Remembering that when Jesus did these things, we were all enemies of God (Romans 5:8,10) whom God nevertheless loved so much as to sent His Son to die for, His example serves as the best model for us today. His passion for you and for me outweighed His passion and zeal for Himself – He put aside every privilege and right belonging to Him as Creator of everything for us.

As we move forward church – let His example, His mindset change and become yours.

Verified by MonsterInsights