What I'm about to say is going to challenge a few hundred years of thinking and tradition. And so with that said, I am not stating this as final fact, more offering a thought based on the Bible. Sunday at Church the pastor reminded me that my job is to preach the Word, not tradition, but the Word. And so with that, let's look at this thought.
A few months ago a pastor friend posed a question on Facebook about the Bible saying we needed to confess our sins and ask God to forgive us from them in order to be saved. I didn't give it much thought at the time because it was something different than what I had been taught, and there was a lot of other stuff going on so I didn't dive into the Bible to look at it much. And then I forgot about it until a few weeks ago.
My wife and I were at a Jason Gray and Andrew Peterson concert, and as Andrew introduced one of his songs he shared his story of being saved by Jesus. His dad was a pastor and at the end of every service would ask if anyone wanted to enter into a relationship with Jesus. When a person would come froward He would lead them in a confession and then baptize them then and there. He shared about the time he went forward, was lead in confession. His dad lead him in a personalized form of Peter's words from Matthew 16.16, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
"I believe He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. My Lord and my Savior."
What if that is all it takes? In Romans 10.9-10 we are told, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."
As I look at the Gospels, I don't see people coming to Jesus seeking forgiveness of sins. I see people coming to Him for healing, believing that He was sent from God, and Jesus declaring that their sins were forgiven and that their faith had healed them. I see people who believed, came to Him, and were given more than they asked for. Their faith in Jesus' power to heal brought them forgiveness of sin.
The Bible says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved. Confess and believe. Acknowledge who Jesus is, and declare Him as the Lord and Savior of your life. According to the Bible this is all you have to do in order to be saved.
Now this does come with some stipulations, after making this confession you can't continue to live life as you did before. By declaring Jesus as your Lord, you have given Him ownership of your life, you have committed to live according to His standards. This declaration is a pledge of loyalty and allegiance. It is a declaration of surrender and submission.
"I believe He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. My Lord and my Savior." What if that statement is all that it takes? Does it change our thought process? How does it affect how perception of repentance? Does it change anything? Honestly, I think it simplifies a lot. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Declare Him as the Lord and ruler of your life. Acknowledge Him as the one who saves you.
I don't think God complicates something as crucial as Salvation. I believe it is as simple as a heart felt statement, "I believe He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. My Lord and my Savior."
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Abandoned by God
That's how I've felt, in some ways for most of the past year. Dead end ministry with no help, attacks from those within the Church, stuck in a very undesirable place to wait, and all of this with the silence of God. I felt like God didn't care, because if He did He'd at least give me something to go on. Instead things went from worse to impossible to hopeless. And we felt alone. I'd watch my wife cry and know there was nothing I could do to fix it, and that's about the most worthless I've ever felt.
I shared with a pastor friend how I felt like my wife and I were Sam and Frodo struggling up Mount Doom alone, while everyone else was enjoying life in the Shire. We have been very much alone through most of this, and that's made it even harder. People we thought would be there for us have been no where in sight. Some people who have been there haven't been able to do anything. Some offered help that we weren't able to accept. And all of it had left us asking God "Why?".
During this time I have made the statement, "I hate my life" more than a few times. I'm a 26 year old who is living in his parent's basement with his wife and dog. For a long time I hadn't been able to find any job, even with a college degree. I got turned down at Toys-R-Us during Christmas. I looked at Navy Chaplaincy, Hospital Chaplaincy, Hospice Chaplaincy, not to mention just about every Church staff position remotely related to my areas of giftedness. Most of the time I didn't even get a reply, and the times I did where "Thank you for applying, unfortunately we've decided to pursue other candidates."
We were stuck in the last place I wanted to be, with no way to get out, and no one to walk this stretch of road with us. My parent's house hasn't been a place where God and I have connected in recent years. It really doesn't feel like home anymore, because it isn't. I'm a guest here, sometimes I feel more like a stranger if I'm honest. And I wondered a lot why God would send me here, of all places, during this time when I needed Him most. But I've come to see that this is exactly where I needed to be.
My wife and I have both felt a calling on our lives to work with young people. One of my strongest passions is leading boys into manhood, showing what a man of God is, and helping them to become one. My wife shares the same passion for girls. As she sees them no realize their beauty, feel the need to conform and change themselves in order to be beautiful in the world's eyes, her heart breaks for them. I'm not sure where God is leading us to serve in that capacity, but we've started now in the one way we can.
I've mentioned my new blog, "Man of God", and shortly after I started that I felt like my wife needed to do something similar. I mentioned it to her, and she said she had been thinking the same thing. It was a few weeks, and conversations with various other people, later that "the true marks of a woman" was created. There are links to both blogs at the bottom of the page.
As I have began this aspect of ministering to boys and men, God has started to reveal why we're here, why this is exactly where I needed to be. All men carry a wound that has been aimed to take out there strength. For years I have tried, and failed, to identify mine, because I've been protecting the people who have wounded me. Because of that the wound could never heal. And so God had to bring me back to this place, in a situations where I had no one else to turn to, in order to bring about healing.
Looking back, I now see that God never abandoned me. He simply had to get me to the place where I was willing to let Him work. Unfortunately for me I'm stubborn and it took losing a lot to get to this point. A few weeks ago my wife and I were at a concert featuring Jason Gray and Andrew Peterson. We heard a song that night that hit us both. Jason got up and began to introduce the song, and then we listened to him sing:
The hurt that broke your heart
And left you trembling in the dark
Feeling lost and alone
Will tell you hope’s a lie
But what if every tear you cry
Will seed the ground where joy will grow
And nothing is wasted
Nothing is wasted
In the hands of our Redeemer
Nothing is wasted
It’s from the deepest wounds
That beauty finds a place to bloom
And you will see before the end
That every broken piece is
Gathered in the heart of Jesus
And what’s lost will be found again
And nothing is wasted
Nothing is wasted
In the hands of our Redeemer
Nothing is wasted
From the ruins
From the ashes
Beauty will rise
From the wreckage
From the darkness
Glory will shine
Nothing is wasted in the hands of God. Everything that He does is done out of His love for us. You may be in a similar situation, let me assure you, God has not abandoned you. In college I took a class on Job and Psalms, about the only thing I remember is my professor saying, "God's silence does not equal God's absence." God does not abandon His people.
The future still has no real direction. We are still waiting and I am still restless for a Church job, but I have started to find contentment in knowing that I will only ever be what God allows me to be. And for the first time in a long time, maybe ever, I can honestly say that I'm ok with that.
And at the same time I'm holding on to hope. Ephesians 3.20-21 says, "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." God will do more in my wife and I than we could ever ask or imagine. And because of that I have hope. And with that in mind I want to focus on the second part, "to Him be the glory". Matt Redman's "10,000 Reasons" has been on my mind, and that message:
The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
is what I want to be the declaration of my life. Whatever happens each day, I want to be singing His praise at the end of it. God is at work, nothing is wasted, God does not abandon His children. So may you be filled with hope, and may you give glory to God.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
I shared with a pastor friend how I felt like my wife and I were Sam and Frodo struggling up Mount Doom alone, while everyone else was enjoying life in the Shire. We have been very much alone through most of this, and that's made it even harder. People we thought would be there for us have been no where in sight. Some people who have been there haven't been able to do anything. Some offered help that we weren't able to accept. And all of it had left us asking God "Why?".
During this time I have made the statement, "I hate my life" more than a few times. I'm a 26 year old who is living in his parent's basement with his wife and dog. For a long time I hadn't been able to find any job, even with a college degree. I got turned down at Toys-R-Us during Christmas. I looked at Navy Chaplaincy, Hospital Chaplaincy, Hospice Chaplaincy, not to mention just about every Church staff position remotely related to my areas of giftedness. Most of the time I didn't even get a reply, and the times I did where "Thank you for applying, unfortunately we've decided to pursue other candidates."
We were stuck in the last place I wanted to be, with no way to get out, and no one to walk this stretch of road with us. My parent's house hasn't been a place where God and I have connected in recent years. It really doesn't feel like home anymore, because it isn't. I'm a guest here, sometimes I feel more like a stranger if I'm honest. And I wondered a lot why God would send me here, of all places, during this time when I needed Him most. But I've come to see that this is exactly where I needed to be.
My wife and I have both felt a calling on our lives to work with young people. One of my strongest passions is leading boys into manhood, showing what a man of God is, and helping them to become one. My wife shares the same passion for girls. As she sees them no realize their beauty, feel the need to conform and change themselves in order to be beautiful in the world's eyes, her heart breaks for them. I'm not sure where God is leading us to serve in that capacity, but we've started now in the one way we can.
I've mentioned my new blog, "Man of God", and shortly after I started that I felt like my wife needed to do something similar. I mentioned it to her, and she said she had been thinking the same thing. It was a few weeks, and conversations with various other people, later that "the true marks of a woman" was created. There are links to both blogs at the bottom of the page.
As I have began this aspect of ministering to boys and men, God has started to reveal why we're here, why this is exactly where I needed to be. All men carry a wound that has been aimed to take out there strength. For years I have tried, and failed, to identify mine, because I've been protecting the people who have wounded me. Because of that the wound could never heal. And so God had to bring me back to this place, in a situations where I had no one else to turn to, in order to bring about healing.
Looking back, I now see that God never abandoned me. He simply had to get me to the place where I was willing to let Him work. Unfortunately for me I'm stubborn and it took losing a lot to get to this point. A few weeks ago my wife and I were at a concert featuring Jason Gray and Andrew Peterson. We heard a song that night that hit us both. Jason got up and began to introduce the song, and then we listened to him sing:
The hurt that broke your heart
And left you trembling in the dark
Feeling lost and alone
Will tell you hope’s a lie
But what if every tear you cry
Will seed the ground where joy will grow
And nothing is wasted
Nothing is wasted
In the hands of our Redeemer
Nothing is wasted
It’s from the deepest wounds
That beauty finds a place to bloom
And you will see before the end
That every broken piece is
Gathered in the heart of Jesus
And what’s lost will be found again
And nothing is wasted
Nothing is wasted
In the hands of our Redeemer
Nothing is wasted
From the ruins
From the ashes
Beauty will rise
From the wreckage
From the darkness
Glory will shine
Nothing is wasted in the hands of God. Everything that He does is done out of His love for us. You may be in a similar situation, let me assure you, God has not abandoned you. In college I took a class on Job and Psalms, about the only thing I remember is my professor saying, "God's silence does not equal God's absence." God does not abandon His people.
The future still has no real direction. We are still waiting and I am still restless for a Church job, but I have started to find contentment in knowing that I will only ever be what God allows me to be. And for the first time in a long time, maybe ever, I can honestly say that I'm ok with that.
And at the same time I'm holding on to hope. Ephesians 3.20-21 says, "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." God will do more in my wife and I than we could ever ask or imagine. And because of that I have hope. And with that in mind I want to focus on the second part, "to Him be the glory". Matt Redman's "10,000 Reasons" has been on my mind, and that message:
The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
is what I want to be the declaration of my life. Whatever happens each day, I want to be singing His praise at the end of it. God is at work, nothing is wasted, God does not abandon His children. So may you be filled with hope, and may you give glory to God.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Thursday, April 4, 2013
The Bible on Church, 1 Timothy 3
"I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth." 1 Timothy 3.14-15
This is the final passage in the Bible where the word "Church" is used with instructions. This passage is one that I have written and taught on countless times before. And this section may be the most inclusive of all of the passages mentioned. I love this section of 1 Timothy because of its clarity and directness, and this is a fitting place to end this study.
Paul is writing here to Timothy, and chapter 3 of this first letter is focused on church leadership. Paul closes the section with the hope of coming to see him soon, but knowing his situation realized that journey could be delayed. So he has given these instructions so that one knows how to conduct himself, and then goes into some incredible instructions for the Church.
First we see that the Church of the living God, is the household of God. The Church is to be a family, not just a family, but God's family. Those who make it up are brothers and sisters because of Christ. God is the Father, the head of the family. He loves and disciplines; He comforts and corrects. God is the head of this family, He is the one who sets the standards and upholds them. God is the one who is given the praise and glory. He alone is worshiped.
The church of the living God uses a word in Greek that refers to a town assembly. In those days when town meetings were held an call would go out through the city inviting all members of the city to attend. The Church is a place where all are welcome. You do not have to be a believer, part of the family of God, to enter a Church service. And at the same time simply attending a Church service does not make you a member of the family of God. The Church is to be a place where all feel welcomed.
One of the things I hate about old Churches is how intimidating they are. I have been to some that I have been hesitant to enter. I don't think that is how Church should be. Yes, there is the sense that we are going there to worship God, which does mean humility and reverence, but the image I see here, and at Calvary, is God who comes and meets us in a way that welcomes us to Him.
Finally we have this phrase "the pillar and support of the truth." They may sound like the same thing, but to a first century reader they would have seen the difference instantly. A pillar was a display, it stood tall for all to see and was ornately decorated to stand out. The Church is to be a pillar of truth. It is to display truth for all to see, and the truth is to draw others to it.
A support is something that holds something up. It supports it and stands firmly beneath it. The Church is to uphold the truth. Not only do we display it but we live by it and hold up the standard of truth. It is something that we alone have, and it is something that we cannot afford to let fall. We must stand firmly upholding it and not backing down.
The world is to be drawn to the truth we display, because of the love we show as all are welcomed in. As we display the truth and support it people's lives are transformed by the Spirit of God, and they enter into His family as His sons and daughters. That is God's Church.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
This is the final passage in the Bible where the word "Church" is used with instructions. This passage is one that I have written and taught on countless times before. And this section may be the most inclusive of all of the passages mentioned. I love this section of 1 Timothy because of its clarity and directness, and this is a fitting place to end this study.
Paul is writing here to Timothy, and chapter 3 of this first letter is focused on church leadership. Paul closes the section with the hope of coming to see him soon, but knowing his situation realized that journey could be delayed. So he has given these instructions so that one knows how to conduct himself, and then goes into some incredible instructions for the Church.
First we see that the Church of the living God, is the household of God. The Church is to be a family, not just a family, but God's family. Those who make it up are brothers and sisters because of Christ. God is the Father, the head of the family. He loves and disciplines; He comforts and corrects. God is the head of this family, He is the one who sets the standards and upholds them. God is the one who is given the praise and glory. He alone is worshiped.
The church of the living God uses a word in Greek that refers to a town assembly. In those days when town meetings were held an call would go out through the city inviting all members of the city to attend. The Church is a place where all are welcome. You do not have to be a believer, part of the family of God, to enter a Church service. And at the same time simply attending a Church service does not make you a member of the family of God. The Church is to be a place where all feel welcomed.
One of the things I hate about old Churches is how intimidating they are. I have been to some that I have been hesitant to enter. I don't think that is how Church should be. Yes, there is the sense that we are going there to worship God, which does mean humility and reverence, but the image I see here, and at Calvary, is God who comes and meets us in a way that welcomes us to Him.
Finally we have this phrase "the pillar and support of the truth." They may sound like the same thing, but to a first century reader they would have seen the difference instantly. A pillar was a display, it stood tall for all to see and was ornately decorated to stand out. The Church is to be a pillar of truth. It is to display truth for all to see, and the truth is to draw others to it.
A support is something that holds something up. It supports it and stands firmly beneath it. The Church is to uphold the truth. Not only do we display it but we live by it and hold up the standard of truth. It is something that we alone have, and it is something that we cannot afford to let fall. We must stand firmly upholding it and not backing down.
The world is to be drawn to the truth we display, because of the love we show as all are welcomed in. As we display the truth and support it people's lives are transformed by the Spirit of God, and they enter into His family as His sons and daughters. That is God's Church.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
The Bible on Church, Colossians 1
"He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything." Colossians 1.18
"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions." Colossians 1.24
The Church is the body of Christ. Christ is the head, and verse 18 tells us that He is the beginning. The Church starts with Christ. He is the one who leads it, guides it, and instructs it. Christ is the standard that the Church is to follow. Christ is to be the focus of the Church, not Mary, but Christ.
In verse 24 Paul says, yet again, that he rejoices in his sufferings, doing his share on behalf of the body. Suffering is part of following Christ. We will suffer because Christ, the head suffered, and when the head suffers the whole body is affected. Paul rejoices, as we all should, because the suffering is done for Christ's sake, to make him more like Christ.
This thought just came to me, but when part of my body has been injured, I am constantly aware of it from that moment on. I had a wrestling accident about ten years ago where I had three of my teen broken. Every time I bite something I think about them. I have had other injuries (some self-inflicted stupidity ones) that have left scars I see daily. I wear glasses, something that wasn't a result of injury, but something that doesn't work as it should, and I am constantly aware of my poor vision.
When part of the body suffers the head is immediately aware of it. Nerves send messages to the brain to let it know that there is pain. The body of Christ works the same way. If you are part of the body of Christ, God knows your paid the moment it happens. The moment you feel pain, for any reason, God feels it with you. And the Church is to feel their pain as well. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12, the chapter on Spiritual gifts, "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it" (verse 26).
The Church is the body of Christ. All those who call are believers make up the body. Paul says we are individual members of it (1 Corinthians 12.27). Each member is essential, each member has a function that must be carried out. When one part suffers they whole body is to feel for them and support them. And when one part rejoices all are to rejoice with it. We are one body, with Christ unifying us and holding us all together.
We are the body of Christ, literally His hands and feet. So let us live as Christ leads. Let us look and be like Christ. We are His body, let's act like it.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions." Colossians 1.24
The Church is the body of Christ. Christ is the head, and verse 18 tells us that He is the beginning. The Church starts with Christ. He is the one who leads it, guides it, and instructs it. Christ is the standard that the Church is to follow. Christ is to be the focus of the Church, not Mary, but Christ.
In verse 24 Paul says, yet again, that he rejoices in his sufferings, doing his share on behalf of the body. Suffering is part of following Christ. We will suffer because Christ, the head suffered, and when the head suffers the whole body is affected. Paul rejoices, as we all should, because the suffering is done for Christ's sake, to make him more like Christ.
This thought just came to me, but when part of my body has been injured, I am constantly aware of it from that moment on. I had a wrestling accident about ten years ago where I had three of my teen broken. Every time I bite something I think about them. I have had other injuries (some self-inflicted stupidity ones) that have left scars I see daily. I wear glasses, something that wasn't a result of injury, but something that doesn't work as it should, and I am constantly aware of my poor vision.
When part of the body suffers the head is immediately aware of it. Nerves send messages to the brain to let it know that there is pain. The body of Christ works the same way. If you are part of the body of Christ, God knows your paid the moment it happens. The moment you feel pain, for any reason, God feels it with you. And the Church is to feel their pain as well. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12, the chapter on Spiritual gifts, "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it" (verse 26).
The Church is the body of Christ. All those who call are believers make up the body. Paul says we are individual members of it (1 Corinthians 12.27). Each member is essential, each member has a function that must be carried out. When one part suffers they whole body is to feel for them and support them. And when one part rejoices all are to rejoice with it. We are one body, with Christ unifying us and holding us all together.
We are the body of Christ, literally His hands and feet. So let us live as Christ leads. Let us look and be like Christ. We are His body, let's act like it.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Monday, April 1, 2013
The Bible on Church, Ephesians 5
As we pick back up with this study of the Bible on Church, current events may have a slight impact on this post simply due to the subject of the text. In my last post I talked about how posting different Bible verses doesn't help the discussion. In a society that has no real regard for God or His standards, the Bible is quickly thrown out when it comes to standards of holiness that infringe on our desires and lifestyles.
I am usually one who doesn't share my opinion unless it is asked for. I was very reluctant to start this blog three years ago for that very reason (I also didn't feel like I really had that much to say that was really worth saying, which is where the Blog name and URL came from). But for those who take the time and actually read these, it shows that you do care what I'm thinking and saying, and in a way you're asking for my opinion. All of that being said, I don't want to create more division, but I also am called to preach the truth in love. Not fully sure where this is going yet, so I don't know how much of a heads up this gives, but let's see where we end up.
Ephesians 5.22-31, is a passage that has been used in almost every wedding I have ever attended. It was used in my own and my mentor broke it down to two words, one for both my wife and I, to remember. My word was "cherish", and I believe her's was "honor" or something along those lines (I'm not positive because it wasn't mine to remember, but I know she could tell you). But more important than all of that is the idea that the Church is the bride of Christ.
The union that exists between a husband and wife is a mirror for the relationship that Christ desires with the Church, His bride. As a husband my job is to love, protect, and cherish my wife. I am captivated by her as she unveils her beauty. I am to lead her into a deeper relationship with Christ, and guide her in the paths of righteousness and holiness. It is my job to help her see who God is, a strong warrior who will fight for her, and who is captivated by her.
I am to love her as I love myself. That means I provide for her and take care of her. I build her up and encourage her, and again, I am captivated by her so that she can unveil her beauty. She is able to live to her fullest because I provide a foundation in God for her to stand upon. I am not God, nor am I taking His place in her life, but I am to help her see and be all that He created for her to be.
A wife is to honor her husband, and follow his leadership as he leads the family closer to Christ. Today, many women hate the idea of submission, of being led, and being guided. I have met so many, of different ages, that feel this way. This role of "being subject" as the test has it, is not saying to be a door mat that is walked all over. But it is saying to be subject to the Godly leadership of your husband, just as you would be to God. This can get complicated when the leadership isn't Godly, but I am not diving into that right now.
In a marriage relationship God has placed the man as the head, and it is the responsibility of the man to love his family as God does. It is the responsibility of the man to protect his family as God does. And it is the responsibility of the man to guide his family in righteous living.
And it is in this husband and wife marriage relationship that we see the relationship the Christ desires with the Church, His bride. Christ is the head, and He will love His Bride more passionately than anyone else ever could. He will protect her more fiercely than anyone else ever could. He will lead her into holiness, and cleanse her in order to present her righteous, in a way that nothing else ever could. And Christ will delight in her more than anyone else ever could. The Church is to submit to Christ, to honor Him, and follow Him. And the Church is to be one with Christ.
The primary purpose of marriage is not procreation, as has been the key argument in defense of traditional marriage. The primary purpose of marriage is the unity of two different people coming together as one, in a way the shows the relationship that Christ desires with each of us. Life giving power is a result of that union, just as the Church has new life because of Christ.
And in marriage a husband and wife are able to reflect the full character of God. I've said many times that men and women are different, that they bear different parts of the image of God. I am strong, and I have a warriors heart. I can stand up to opposition and I can defend what is right. My wife is gentle and kind. She is honestly the kindest person I have ever met. She has a heart for people that genuinely cares for them on a deep level. I'm rugged, she's sensitive (not in a negative way). We are different, and we bear different parts of the image of God.
When a man and woman come together and become one in marriage the two halves of the image of God come together again and are able to show what God is like to the world. You have the power of God and the nurturing side of God. You have His strength and His compassion. And it is only when the two halves come together that they can make a whole. And it is the full image of God that gives life.
In marriage we see the relationship that God desires with each of us. God desires to love me, comfort me, and nurture me in ways far greater than my wife ever could. And God desires to protect my wife and be captivated her in ways I could not ever do. God desires intimate unity with each of us. And to help us understand that He gave us marriage. To help us see who He is, and to see the relationship that He desires with each of us, God has given marriage to a man and a woman. That is what marriage is about.
I realize that sex happens outside of marriage, that children are born to unwed parents. This wasn't God's design either. The reason sex is for married people is to seal their unity, it is an intimacy that the two of the share with each other, and it is the thing that makes them one flesh. It is from this unity that children come from, and they are born to a mother and a father. They are born to a family unit that has both halves of the image of God together. This is why God gave sex to married couples, to create life, to be uniquely united together, and to delight in each other.
Anything outside of this violates God intentions. An extra marital affair breaks that unity of one flesh. Pre-marital fornication does the same thing. Both of these don't show God because it shows a limited unity, it is intimacy with no commitment. It is simply a search for pleasure. A homosexual relationship takes two of the same halves of God's image, and is unable to do what God created marriage to do. All of these violate God's design of marriage.
I'm not sure how to bring all of this back to the initial point of the Church as the Bride of Christ. This post has gone places I didn't expect it to go. God created us for intimate relationships with Him and each other, but the purpose of intimacy is to show the relationship that God desires with each of us. As a husband and wife marriage involves, love, commitment, honoring and cherishing, along with delight in each other, so God desires that with us. Love, commitment, honor, cherish, delight, these are His creations and part of the relationship He wants with each of us.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
I am usually one who doesn't share my opinion unless it is asked for. I was very reluctant to start this blog three years ago for that very reason (I also didn't feel like I really had that much to say that was really worth saying, which is where the Blog name and URL came from). But for those who take the time and actually read these, it shows that you do care what I'm thinking and saying, and in a way you're asking for my opinion. All of that being said, I don't want to create more division, but I also am called to preach the truth in love. Not fully sure where this is going yet, so I don't know how much of a heads up this gives, but let's see where we end up.
Ephesians 5.22-31, is a passage that has been used in almost every wedding I have ever attended. It was used in my own and my mentor broke it down to two words, one for both my wife and I, to remember. My word was "cherish", and I believe her's was "honor" or something along those lines (I'm not positive because it wasn't mine to remember, but I know she could tell you). But more important than all of that is the idea that the Church is the bride of Christ.
The union that exists between a husband and wife is a mirror for the relationship that Christ desires with the Church, His bride. As a husband my job is to love, protect, and cherish my wife. I am captivated by her as she unveils her beauty. I am to lead her into a deeper relationship with Christ, and guide her in the paths of righteousness and holiness. It is my job to help her see who God is, a strong warrior who will fight for her, and who is captivated by her.
I am to love her as I love myself. That means I provide for her and take care of her. I build her up and encourage her, and again, I am captivated by her so that she can unveil her beauty. She is able to live to her fullest because I provide a foundation in God for her to stand upon. I am not God, nor am I taking His place in her life, but I am to help her see and be all that He created for her to be.
A wife is to honor her husband, and follow his leadership as he leads the family closer to Christ. Today, many women hate the idea of submission, of being led, and being guided. I have met so many, of different ages, that feel this way. This role of "being subject" as the test has it, is not saying to be a door mat that is walked all over. But it is saying to be subject to the Godly leadership of your husband, just as you would be to God. This can get complicated when the leadership isn't Godly, but I am not diving into that right now.
In a marriage relationship God has placed the man as the head, and it is the responsibility of the man to love his family as God does. It is the responsibility of the man to protect his family as God does. And it is the responsibility of the man to guide his family in righteous living.
And it is in this husband and wife marriage relationship that we see the relationship the Christ desires with the Church, His bride. Christ is the head, and He will love His Bride more passionately than anyone else ever could. He will protect her more fiercely than anyone else ever could. He will lead her into holiness, and cleanse her in order to present her righteous, in a way that nothing else ever could. And Christ will delight in her more than anyone else ever could. The Church is to submit to Christ, to honor Him, and follow Him. And the Church is to be one with Christ.
The primary purpose of marriage is not procreation, as has been the key argument in defense of traditional marriage. The primary purpose of marriage is the unity of two different people coming together as one, in a way the shows the relationship that Christ desires with each of us. Life giving power is a result of that union, just as the Church has new life because of Christ.
And in marriage a husband and wife are able to reflect the full character of God. I've said many times that men and women are different, that they bear different parts of the image of God. I am strong, and I have a warriors heart. I can stand up to opposition and I can defend what is right. My wife is gentle and kind. She is honestly the kindest person I have ever met. She has a heart for people that genuinely cares for them on a deep level. I'm rugged, she's sensitive (not in a negative way). We are different, and we bear different parts of the image of God.
When a man and woman come together and become one in marriage the two halves of the image of God come together again and are able to show what God is like to the world. You have the power of God and the nurturing side of God. You have His strength and His compassion. And it is only when the two halves come together that they can make a whole. And it is the full image of God that gives life.
In marriage we see the relationship that God desires with each of us. God desires to love me, comfort me, and nurture me in ways far greater than my wife ever could. And God desires to protect my wife and be captivated her in ways I could not ever do. God desires intimate unity with each of us. And to help us understand that He gave us marriage. To help us see who He is, and to see the relationship that He desires with each of us, God has given marriage to a man and a woman. That is what marriage is about.
I realize that sex happens outside of marriage, that children are born to unwed parents. This wasn't God's design either. The reason sex is for married people is to seal their unity, it is an intimacy that the two of the share with each other, and it is the thing that makes them one flesh. It is from this unity that children come from, and they are born to a mother and a father. They are born to a family unit that has both halves of the image of God together. This is why God gave sex to married couples, to create life, to be uniquely united together, and to delight in each other.
Anything outside of this violates God intentions. An extra marital affair breaks that unity of one flesh. Pre-marital fornication does the same thing. Both of these don't show God because it shows a limited unity, it is intimacy with no commitment. It is simply a search for pleasure. A homosexual relationship takes two of the same halves of God's image, and is unable to do what God created marriage to do. All of these violate God's design of marriage.
I'm not sure how to bring all of this back to the initial point of the Church as the Bride of Christ. This post has gone places I didn't expect it to go. God created us for intimate relationships with Him and each other, but the purpose of intimacy is to show the relationship that God desires with each of us. As a husband and wife marriage involves, love, commitment, honoring and cherishing, along with delight in each other, so God desires that with us. Love, commitment, honor, cherish, delight, these are His creations and part of the relationship He wants with each of us.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Thursday, March 28, 2013
The Church's Response to Current Events
My plan for the last few days has been to keep my mouth shut. As I've seen pieces of news, Facebook picture changes, and listened to conversations I have not offered any opinion. But as I've listened I've felt a growing uneasiness and for the last few hours I have really had something on my heart. I'm still not sure what this is going to look like when it's done, but here we go.
What I have to say is to the Church. Nothing I can say will change the minds of politicians, or those who have a different opinion than I do. There are people who claim the same faith but think differently about the current gay marriage stance than I do. I've read different things over the last few days from both homosexual and heterosexual individuals. I've shared why I believe in traditional marriage in a private conversation with someone who has an opposing view. I've been surprised by some of the people I've seen promoting equality.
I'm not going to share why I believe what I believe, it won't change anyone's mind. And everyone who claims to be a Christian, neither will yours. What if instead of filling Facebook with pictures and Bible verses we focused all on doing something else? What if instead of adding to the noise, we became silent and took the conversation to another audience? What if we prayed?
What if every Christian decided to avoid Facebook tomorrow and invested all of that time in prayer? God has said, "and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
I'll be the first to admit that I have dropped the ball here. I haven't prayed for this as I should have been. But what if the people of God were to humble themselves by holding their tongues, and instead seek His face and pray? God has told us what will happen. He will hear our prayers, bring forgiveness and healing.
Right now the Church needs to pray. If you don't know where you stand on the issue then simply ask for God's will to be done. Maybe that's how all of us should pray regardless of our position. Let us unite in prayer and watch God bring forgiveness and healing.
Instead of adding to the fire, enlarging the division, and driving people away from the love of Christ, let us lift our voices in prayer to God. Who will join me?
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
What I have to say is to the Church. Nothing I can say will change the minds of politicians, or those who have a different opinion than I do. There are people who claim the same faith but think differently about the current gay marriage stance than I do. I've read different things over the last few days from both homosexual and heterosexual individuals. I've shared why I believe in traditional marriage in a private conversation with someone who has an opposing view. I've been surprised by some of the people I've seen promoting equality.
I'm not going to share why I believe what I believe, it won't change anyone's mind. And everyone who claims to be a Christian, neither will yours. What if instead of filling Facebook with pictures and Bible verses we focused all on doing something else? What if instead of adding to the noise, we became silent and took the conversation to another audience? What if we prayed?
What if every Christian decided to avoid Facebook tomorrow and invested all of that time in prayer? God has said, "and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
I'll be the first to admit that I have dropped the ball here. I haven't prayed for this as I should have been. But what if the people of God were to humble themselves by holding their tongues, and instead seek His face and pray? God has told us what will happen. He will hear our prayers, bring forgiveness and healing.
Right now the Church needs to pray. If you don't know where you stand on the issue then simply ask for God's will to be done. Maybe that's how all of us should pray regardless of our position. Let us unite in prayer and watch God bring forgiveness and healing.
Instead of adding to the fire, enlarging the division, and driving people away from the love of Christ, let us lift our voices in prayer to God. Who will join me?
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
The Bible on Church, Ephesians 3
My last paper has been turned in for class, a stressful week is over, and I'm finally getting back to this blog.
"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3.20-21
The message that we see here is one that comes as no surprise, the Church is to give glory to God. That is the ultimate purpose of the Church. If we look at Philippians 2.11 we see that giving glory to the Father is what Jesus does as every knee bows and every tongue confesses that He is Lord. The Church is to become like Christ, and that entails giving glory to the Father.
Why must God be given glory? Because He is worthy of it. We are told that He is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think by His power that is working within us. We cannot begin to grasp the full power and greatness of God, our finite human minds cannot take it all in. Just the work He has done already is more praise worthy than we can offer, and He is able to do far more than than.
The events we remember this week, Good Friday and Easter, and the relationship they opened to us. The gift of life, both now and eternal. The beauty of creation. And what about how God has provided? Some have received healing, others have found comfort, and still others have found help. God is worthy of glory.
If the Church fails to give glory to God, then the Church fails at it's primary mission. If the Church does not give glory to God, then why does it even exist? If we fail to do this, we fail at everything because it is only in this one thing that everything else is accomplished.
And the more we glorify God, the more He will give us a reason to. The more praise we offer to Him the more praise worthy He will reveal Himself to be. The more grateful we are to Him for what He has done, the more generous He will be. This is not the prosperity Gospel. I am not proclaiming a message of "God will make all your problems go away if you follow Him." My wife and I are currently experiencing things we wish would just disappear, but they aren't. Following God has not solved all of our problems, but God has provided for our needs, and He will continue to provide in ways that are more abundant than we could ask or think.
So with this, don't limit God by what you ask Him for, and don't limit the praise you give Him for what He has already done. The Church's primary objective is to give glory to God.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3.20-21
The message that we see here is one that comes as no surprise, the Church is to give glory to God. That is the ultimate purpose of the Church. If we look at Philippians 2.11 we see that giving glory to the Father is what Jesus does as every knee bows and every tongue confesses that He is Lord. The Church is to become like Christ, and that entails giving glory to the Father.
Why must God be given glory? Because He is worthy of it. We are told that He is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think by His power that is working within us. We cannot begin to grasp the full power and greatness of God, our finite human minds cannot take it all in. Just the work He has done already is more praise worthy than we can offer, and He is able to do far more than than.
The events we remember this week, Good Friday and Easter, and the relationship they opened to us. The gift of life, both now and eternal. The beauty of creation. And what about how God has provided? Some have received healing, others have found comfort, and still others have found help. God is worthy of glory.
If the Church fails to give glory to God, then the Church fails at it's primary mission. If the Church does not give glory to God, then why does it even exist? If we fail to do this, we fail at everything because it is only in this one thing that everything else is accomplished.
And the more we glorify God, the more He will give us a reason to. The more praise we offer to Him the more praise worthy He will reveal Himself to be. The more grateful we are to Him for what He has done, the more generous He will be. This is not the prosperity Gospel. I am not proclaiming a message of "God will make all your problems go away if you follow Him." My wife and I are currently experiencing things we wish would just disappear, but they aren't. Following God has not solved all of our problems, but God has provided for our needs, and He will continue to provide in ways that are more abundant than we could ask or think.
So with this, don't limit God by what you ask Him for, and don't limit the praise you give Him for what He has already done. The Church's primary objective is to give glory to God.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
The Bible on Church, 1 Corinthians 14
The heading for the second half of this chapter is "Instruction for the Church". But this chapter contains instructions about speaking in tongues, which I don't have any experience with, or much knowledge about (basically none outside of what the Bible says). There is also some instruction about the role of women in the Church, and if I'm honest I go back and forth of my thinking on that, so I'm not ready to put any thought out there yet on the issue. But in spite of all of that, there are still some things to pull out of this for the Church of today.
First those who make up the Church are to be mature in their thinking. Paul says in the previous chapter "When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things" (1 Corinthians 13.11). One of the biggest complaints I've heard about Christian's is that they are ignorant/uneducated. I've been a part of conversations between Christians and Atheists, and can you guess who makes more intelligent conversation? The most popular response that the Christian has is "Well this is what the Bible says, go read it." Everything comes back to that, there is no consideration of history or science, and there is no progress made.
I think part of it is that many Christian's don't know why they believe what they believe. And personally, at times I really do agree with the ignorant accusation that is made. Along with the ignorance comes close-mindedness and an unwillingness to listen. This is what Paul doesn't want to happen. As Christians we have to be educated. Our faith has to be rooted in something personal for us. As Christians we have to be willing to listen and discuss different opinions. And the thing is that when we know why we believe what we believe we don't have to be afraid to listen and discuss with someone who has a different opinion and belief than we do.
We need to be mature in our thinking, and infants in terms of evil. We are to be innocent as a new born baby. Not ignorant, but innocent. Those who make up the Church are to have nothing to do with evil. We are to be born again, and then live holy and righteous lives.
Second, the Church is to be a place of order, not chaos. This is where there is instruction about speaking in tongues and how it is to take place. This section ends with these words, "for God is not a God of confusion but of peace". The Church is not to be a chaotic confusing place. The Church is a place where people come to learn and worship God. In the Gospels Jesus drives people who are changing money and selling animals for sacrifice from the outer court of the Temple, in part, because it was interfering with the worship of the Gentiles who were there seeking God. If Church is chaotic with no order and full of confusion what happens to the person who comes seeking God for the first time?
Third, both items that I have addressed is so that the Church can be built up. In verse 26 it says, "Let all things be done for edification." Christians need to be mature in their thinking and infants in evil so that the Church can be built up. If we have no evil, (no hypocrisy) for people to bring up, they are left with holy and righteous Christlike followers of Jesus. If we are able to have an intelligent, well informed discussion, we can't be called ignorant and uneducated. And if there is order and structure in the Church, people who come seeking will be able to learn the truth about who God is.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
First those who make up the Church are to be mature in their thinking. Paul says in the previous chapter "When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things" (1 Corinthians 13.11). One of the biggest complaints I've heard about Christian's is that they are ignorant/uneducated. I've been a part of conversations between Christians and Atheists, and can you guess who makes more intelligent conversation? The most popular response that the Christian has is "Well this is what the Bible says, go read it." Everything comes back to that, there is no consideration of history or science, and there is no progress made.
I think part of it is that many Christian's don't know why they believe what they believe. And personally, at times I really do agree with the ignorant accusation that is made. Along with the ignorance comes close-mindedness and an unwillingness to listen. This is what Paul doesn't want to happen. As Christians we have to be educated. Our faith has to be rooted in something personal for us. As Christians we have to be willing to listen and discuss different opinions. And the thing is that when we know why we believe what we believe we don't have to be afraid to listen and discuss with someone who has a different opinion and belief than we do.
We need to be mature in our thinking, and infants in terms of evil. We are to be innocent as a new born baby. Not ignorant, but innocent. Those who make up the Church are to have nothing to do with evil. We are to be born again, and then live holy and righteous lives.
Second, the Church is to be a place of order, not chaos. This is where there is instruction about speaking in tongues and how it is to take place. This section ends with these words, "for God is not a God of confusion but of peace". The Church is not to be a chaotic confusing place. The Church is a place where people come to learn and worship God. In the Gospels Jesus drives people who are changing money and selling animals for sacrifice from the outer court of the Temple, in part, because it was interfering with the worship of the Gentiles who were there seeking God. If Church is chaotic with no order and full of confusion what happens to the person who comes seeking God for the first time?
Third, both items that I have addressed is so that the Church can be built up. In verse 26 it says, "Let all things be done for edification." Christians need to be mature in their thinking and infants in evil so that the Church can be built up. If we have no evil, (no hypocrisy) for people to bring up, they are left with holy and righteous Christlike followers of Jesus. If we are able to have an intelligent, well informed discussion, we can't be called ignorant and uneducated. And if there is order and structure in the Church, people who come seeking will be able to learn the truth about who God is.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Sunday, March 17, 2013
The Bible on Church, 1 Corinthians 12
It's been a hectic week. I'm trying to finish up the last few things for the class I did while in Israel. I found a temporary job at Home Depot in the garden department, which I'm loving and hating (hating because I'm getting a ton of ideas for a yard someday that I can't do anything about right now). I've been trying to work on my new blog, which has also suffered a little this past week. There has been some adjustments to the new schedule, and hopefully there are some big changes in the near future.
But this post has been on my mind all week, knowing I need to write it. This whole chapter is on Spiritual gifts, and their use in the Church. It's a topic that I've preached on trying to get people motivated to serve, but thus far hasn't been that effective. Everyone of us has at least one spiritual gift. Some have several and some have a few, some may only have one, but everyone has at least one. God doesn't put someone on earth with nothing to work with.
Each of us have different gifts, and each use our gifts, even if they are the same, differently. Because of that we need each other. This is why God never gives anyone all of them, if someone had them all they wouldn't need anyone else. Each gift is important and essential to the Church, and if someone decides not to use theirs the whole Church suffers. I won't say that the Kingdom is stalled, but it is effected.
When people refuse to use their gift, when they refuse to serve in their area of giftedness, they are denying their mission from God. When people hoard their gift to themselves they are refusing to take part in Kingdom work. This in an unfortunate act of disobedience. How many people haven't been reached because someone refused to use their gift?
I'm just kind of rambling, there is a lot that can be said about this topic and I'm just sort of letting my fingers fly over the key board. No one outlives their usefulness to God. No one uses up their spiritual gift. If you are still alive God still has a purpose for you. If you pour out your gift you will not run out, actually God may add additional gifts to you. In the Gospels Jesus told a parable about a man who went on a journey and entrusted his servants with various amounts of money. Those who used them increased what they had and the one who didn't gained nothing. In one account the one who doesn't use it has it taken from him and it is given to the one who has the most. " For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him" (Matthew 13.12).
You have a gift and it is essential to the work of the Kingdom. As long as you are breathing God has a purpose for you. The question is will you use what He has given you? Will you see the value in the gift, even if its just one, that He has given you and contribute it to the work of the Kingdom? Will you be part of the work of the Church and help the body be fully functional?
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
But this post has been on my mind all week, knowing I need to write it. This whole chapter is on Spiritual gifts, and their use in the Church. It's a topic that I've preached on trying to get people motivated to serve, but thus far hasn't been that effective. Everyone of us has at least one spiritual gift. Some have several and some have a few, some may only have one, but everyone has at least one. God doesn't put someone on earth with nothing to work with.
Each of us have different gifts, and each use our gifts, even if they are the same, differently. Because of that we need each other. This is why God never gives anyone all of them, if someone had them all they wouldn't need anyone else. Each gift is important and essential to the Church, and if someone decides not to use theirs the whole Church suffers. I won't say that the Kingdom is stalled, but it is effected.
When people refuse to use their gift, when they refuse to serve in their area of giftedness, they are denying their mission from God. When people hoard their gift to themselves they are refusing to take part in Kingdom work. This in an unfortunate act of disobedience. How many people haven't been reached because someone refused to use their gift?
I'm just kind of rambling, there is a lot that can be said about this topic and I'm just sort of letting my fingers fly over the key board. No one outlives their usefulness to God. No one uses up their spiritual gift. If you are still alive God still has a purpose for you. If you pour out your gift you will not run out, actually God may add additional gifts to you. In the Gospels Jesus told a parable about a man who went on a journey and entrusted his servants with various amounts of money. Those who used them increased what they had and the one who didn't gained nothing. In one account the one who doesn't use it has it taken from him and it is given to the one who has the most. " For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him" (Matthew 13.12).
You have a gift and it is essential to the work of the Kingdom. As long as you are breathing God has a purpose for you. The question is will you use what He has given you? Will you see the value in the gift, even if its just one, that He has given you and contribute it to the work of the Kingdom? Will you be part of the work of the Church and help the body be fully functional?
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
The Bible on Church, 1 Corinthians 5
As we move out of the book of Acts and into Paul's Epistles, the instructions get much more specific and in depth. Many of the Churches Paul wrote to were Churches He had been to and worked with. He had a personal relationship with the people of these churches. Because of this he was able to give more specific instructions and deal with more personal issues. And so with that let's look at Paul's instruction to the Church out of 1 Corinthians 5.
Verse 12 is where we find the word "church" in this chapter, but for this one we really have to look at the whole context of the chapter. The biggest thing to note with this chapter is that it is talking about dealing with sin in the life of someone who is part of the body of Christ. This isn't about condemning/judging the person who comes three times a year for Christmas, Easter, and for some special family event. This is about dealing with sinful behavior in the lives of Christians, pretty much to the situation Jesus mentions in Matthew 18.
Here Paul is addressing a sin of immorality that has taken place in the Corinthian church. But instead of dealing with the problem, it has been over looked, and the man in question has been allowed to continue both in sin and as an acting member of the church, even though his actions are publicly known. Paul says that the church must deal with this sin, they cannot ignore it. "Your boasting is not good. Do you knot know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened..." (1 Corinthians 5.6-7b).
Sin cannot be allowed to take place in the Church. When a member of the body of Christ, one who has proclaimed Christ as Lord and accepted Him as Savior, openly lives in violation to the standards of holiness set by God, that person must be dealt with. If sin, any sin, is given a foothold in the Church, it will work like a cancer through all of it. It will infect it, and kill it, and so it must be cut out. Again, this is exactly what Jesus said to do in Matthew 18, sin has no place among God's people, and it must be dealt with.
But again, this is in reference to those who are members of the Church, those who have decided to follow Jesus and live according to His standards. Paul says, "I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves" (1 Corinthians 5.9-13).
The expectations are different. Those in the Church are expected to know better, they are no longer ignorant. It is the job of the Church to teach Holiness and help those within the Church live holy lives. It is the job of the Church to reach out into the world with the love of Christ to bring others into it. And at the same time, the Church is to uphold Holiness. It must deal with sin in order to save the person who is sinning, to protect others in the Church, and to show the rest of the world that those within the Church are different.
Those who have become part of the Church, must live like it. This "organization" has its standards and rules, just like any other organization does. Ours are holiness and righteous living, not sinless perfection, but striving towards Christlikeness. Sin and immorality have no place in this pursuit, and are unacceptable for a member of the Church.
And Paul also says that we are not to judge those outside of the Church. We are not to condemn them or look down upon them. We aren't to hold them to our standards because they don't have the same standards, and constantly shoving them in their faces will not help. Instead we are to love them and reach out to them. We are to share with them the life, love, and fulfillment that is found in Christ. As they seek more about it we are to share and show what this life looks like. It is not our place to judge and convict them, that is the Spirit's job. And when someone enters the Church as a believer in Christ, we help them strive to become like Him, and lovingly hold them accountable to the standard of holiness.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Verse 12 is where we find the word "church" in this chapter, but for this one we really have to look at the whole context of the chapter. The biggest thing to note with this chapter is that it is talking about dealing with sin in the life of someone who is part of the body of Christ. This isn't about condemning/judging the person who comes three times a year for Christmas, Easter, and for some special family event. This is about dealing with sinful behavior in the lives of Christians, pretty much to the situation Jesus mentions in Matthew 18.
Here Paul is addressing a sin of immorality that has taken place in the Corinthian church. But instead of dealing with the problem, it has been over looked, and the man in question has been allowed to continue both in sin and as an acting member of the church, even though his actions are publicly known. Paul says that the church must deal with this sin, they cannot ignore it. "Your boasting is not good. Do you knot know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened..." (1 Corinthians 5.6-7b).
Sin cannot be allowed to take place in the Church. When a member of the body of Christ, one who has proclaimed Christ as Lord and accepted Him as Savior, openly lives in violation to the standards of holiness set by God, that person must be dealt with. If sin, any sin, is given a foothold in the Church, it will work like a cancer through all of it. It will infect it, and kill it, and so it must be cut out. Again, this is exactly what Jesus said to do in Matthew 18, sin has no place among God's people, and it must be dealt with.
But again, this is in reference to those who are members of the Church, those who have decided to follow Jesus and live according to His standards. Paul says, "I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves" (1 Corinthians 5.9-13).
The expectations are different. Those in the Church are expected to know better, they are no longer ignorant. It is the job of the Church to teach Holiness and help those within the Church live holy lives. It is the job of the Church to reach out into the world with the love of Christ to bring others into it. And at the same time, the Church is to uphold Holiness. It must deal with sin in order to save the person who is sinning, to protect others in the Church, and to show the rest of the world that those within the Church are different.
Those who have become part of the Church, must live like it. This "organization" has its standards and rules, just like any other organization does. Ours are holiness and righteous living, not sinless perfection, but striving towards Christlikeness. Sin and immorality have no place in this pursuit, and are unacceptable for a member of the Church.
And Paul also says that we are not to judge those outside of the Church. We are not to condemn them or look down upon them. We aren't to hold them to our standards because they don't have the same standards, and constantly shoving them in their faces will not help. Instead we are to love them and reach out to them. We are to share with them the life, love, and fulfillment that is found in Christ. As they seek more about it we are to share and show what this life looks like. It is not our place to judge and convict them, that is the Spirit's job. And when someone enters the Church as a believer in Christ, we help them strive to become like Him, and lovingly hold them accountable to the standard of holiness.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Sunday, March 3, 2013
The Bible on Church, Acts 20
"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." Acts 20.28
I almost skipped over this verse simply because at first it didn't seem to be saying anything new. It presents the same idea that the Church belongs to God that is seen in Matthew 16. But as I thought about it over the last few days this verse takes God's ownership to a new level. In Matthew Jesus says that He will build His Church. It gives the impression that He is building something new, which He is, but it stops there. He says it's His Church but here in Acts we are told why it is His.
He has purchased the Church with His own blood. Jesus died to secure ownership of His Church. This puts a whole new dynamic on those who make up the Church. This isn't something we enter into casually or half heartily because Jesus paid the steepest price possible. Entering the Church is a big deal, and I feel that over the last few decades we've watered it down to an emotional experience.
In Jerusalem on the south side of the Temple Mount there are the remains of the southern steps, the primary entry point into the Temple at the time Jesus walked the earth. The steps are built in a very unusual way, every other step is different. Some are short, and some are long, and they were intentionally built that way. Most stair cases are built so that each step is the same height and length, we get in a rhythm and just climb and descend them without thinking. I've heard that if one step is off, even by a couple of centimeters, from the rest you will stumble as you walk up or down them because that little difference throws off your rhythm.
The steps at the Temple were built that way on purpose, so that people couldn't casually enter the Temple when they went to worship, or casually leave when they had finished. It took time and a conscious effort, and that was the point. The worship of God is not to be done casually, but intentionally and resolutely. We shouldn't casually enter church on Sunday to worship, nor should we causally enter the Church as a believer in Christ.
Entering the Church as a member, not as part of a specific denomination, but as a believer in Christ, is a big deal. As I've been writing this the thought of marriage has hit me, the Church is referred to as the "Bride of Christ". At weddings I often hear something along the lines of, "The covenant of marriage that you are entering into is a life long commitment. Therefore it is not to undertaken casually or in-advisably." Marriage is a big deal, and a serous commitment. It isn't something you just wake up one day and decide to do. It takes time, a foundation, and a relationship for marriage to work. Why has becoming part of the bride of Christ been largely reduced to an emotional conversion?
Jesus said that we are to make disciples, not converts. We are to help people become followers of Christ with faith in Him to stand firm through every trial. A convert is in this for as long as this works. It's like the marriage ceremony that says, "We're together as long as our love lasts." But a disciple is in this til the end, "Til death do we part."
Entering the Church, shepherding the Church is serious job. We've seen how leadership isn't to be taken on quickly or rashly, but with prayer and fasting. Entering into the Church as a believer in Christ is an important decision. I want to make sure I am saying this right, it is a serious decision. Literally it is a decision of life or death. Entering a relationship with God means giving yourself fully to God, holding nothing back, and allowing Him to transform your life into Christlikeness. Christ paid the highest price for the Church, and to be part of it, we must pay an equally high price. But it is totally worth it. The benefits far out way the costs. It is the best decision I have ever made.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
I almost skipped over this verse simply because at first it didn't seem to be saying anything new. It presents the same idea that the Church belongs to God that is seen in Matthew 16. But as I thought about it over the last few days this verse takes God's ownership to a new level. In Matthew Jesus says that He will build His Church. It gives the impression that He is building something new, which He is, but it stops there. He says it's His Church but here in Acts we are told why it is His.
He has purchased the Church with His own blood. Jesus died to secure ownership of His Church. This puts a whole new dynamic on those who make up the Church. This isn't something we enter into casually or half heartily because Jesus paid the steepest price possible. Entering the Church is a big deal, and I feel that over the last few decades we've watered it down to an emotional experience.
In Jerusalem on the south side of the Temple Mount there are the remains of the southern steps, the primary entry point into the Temple at the time Jesus walked the earth. The steps are built in a very unusual way, every other step is different. Some are short, and some are long, and they were intentionally built that way. Most stair cases are built so that each step is the same height and length, we get in a rhythm and just climb and descend them without thinking. I've heard that if one step is off, even by a couple of centimeters, from the rest you will stumble as you walk up or down them because that little difference throws off your rhythm.
The steps at the Temple were built that way on purpose, so that people couldn't casually enter the Temple when they went to worship, or casually leave when they had finished. It took time and a conscious effort, and that was the point. The worship of God is not to be done casually, but intentionally and resolutely. We shouldn't casually enter church on Sunday to worship, nor should we causally enter the Church as a believer in Christ.
Entering the Church as a member, not as part of a specific denomination, but as a believer in Christ, is a big deal. As I've been writing this the thought of marriage has hit me, the Church is referred to as the "Bride of Christ". At weddings I often hear something along the lines of, "The covenant of marriage that you are entering into is a life long commitment. Therefore it is not to undertaken casually or in-advisably." Marriage is a big deal, and a serous commitment. It isn't something you just wake up one day and decide to do. It takes time, a foundation, and a relationship for marriage to work. Why has becoming part of the bride of Christ been largely reduced to an emotional conversion?
Jesus said that we are to make disciples, not converts. We are to help people become followers of Christ with faith in Him to stand firm through every trial. A convert is in this for as long as this works. It's like the marriage ceremony that says, "We're together as long as our love lasts." But a disciple is in this til the end, "Til death do we part."
Entering the Church, shepherding the Church is serious job. We've seen how leadership isn't to be taken on quickly or rashly, but with prayer and fasting. Entering into the Church as a believer in Christ is an important decision. I want to make sure I am saying this right, it is a serious decision. Literally it is a decision of life or death. Entering a relationship with God means giving yourself fully to God, holding nothing back, and allowing Him to transform your life into Christlikeness. Christ paid the highest price for the Church, and to be part of it, we must pay an equally high price. But it is totally worth it. The benefits far out way the costs. It is the best decision I have ever made.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The Bible on Church, Acts 15
"Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren. When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them." Acts 15.3-4
I thought about these verses all day yesterday, and honestly I was about to skip over them. Something had hit me when I first read them, and then I couldn't remember. But fortunately when I grabbed my computer today the insight returned, and I didn't pass over this instruction about Church. For this I am probably (more than likely) putting a twenty-first century spin on this, but I don't think the concept I'm about to share is too far from what these verses talk about.
The big words that hit me are "sent" and "received". One Church sends people, and another Church receives them. Here in this context they are sharing the work that God is doing in the Gentile world with the Jews. They are sharing what God is doing. They are being sent by one Church to proclaim what God is doing to another Church. I've seen this today, most often it happens when missionaries are trying to raise support to continue their mission. It's important that we do this because it gets us thinking about the world, and the Church beyond our personal sanctuary.
But I want to take this a step farther, giving it a little more practical application for today. What if the Church would send and receive people today? What if larger churches were to help small churches? Having pastored a small church I know full well the struggles and hardships that are there. No money, no volunteers, and no life. It's like fighting an uphill battle while dragging a boulder behind you. But what if the little church didn't have to do this on their own? What if a bigger church came along side of them, and cut the boulder off?
If I ever have the opportunity to pastor a larger church I want to do something about this. I want to do something to help. I know how impossible these situations are. I know the discouragement and defeat that these pastors feel daily. I know the hits they take, and how alone they can feel. And I don't want to see a young pastor, full of passion and potential, be eaten by a church.
If I ever pastor a church that has resources I want to use them to build the Church. I want to come along side the pastor of the church who needs a hand and offer it. If they need musicians, I'll try to help with that. If they need help with an event, I'll try to help them with that. Sending people who are gifted in the areas they need, to serve and build the Kingdom. This is an opportunity to work across denominational lines. We don't even need to bring doctrine into question for this. Simply focus on the core truths that Jesus is the way, and that all is done so that God may be glorified.
I hear the questions already, "What if these people who are sent leave my church for that one?" Does it really matter? Why do we act like it's a competition? Honestly, I hate the numbers game the Church loves to play. We've made it too much about the numbers, and we have to get away from that. Paul said, "Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice." (Philippians 1.12-18).
Paul was solely focused on God being glorified and the Kingdom being built. He didn't care who did it or why, so long as Christ was proclaimed and people grew into Christlikeness. We have to have this attitude. We must rejoice when God does something great in a church, even if it isn't the one that we are at. It's all God's Church anyway, so who cares what happens so long as it is proclaiming the truth and growing. God can do whatever He wants, wherever He wants. It is our job to praise Him and give Him our best. It is our job to use the gifts He has given us for works in His service.
The Church needs to send and receive so that we can give more glory to God. It's His Church, not ours.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
I thought about these verses all day yesterday, and honestly I was about to skip over them. Something had hit me when I first read them, and then I couldn't remember. But fortunately when I grabbed my computer today the insight returned, and I didn't pass over this instruction about Church. For this I am probably (more than likely) putting a twenty-first century spin on this, but I don't think the concept I'm about to share is too far from what these verses talk about.
The big words that hit me are "sent" and "received". One Church sends people, and another Church receives them. Here in this context they are sharing the work that God is doing in the Gentile world with the Jews. They are sharing what God is doing. They are being sent by one Church to proclaim what God is doing to another Church. I've seen this today, most often it happens when missionaries are trying to raise support to continue their mission. It's important that we do this because it gets us thinking about the world, and the Church beyond our personal sanctuary.
But I want to take this a step farther, giving it a little more practical application for today. What if the Church would send and receive people today? What if larger churches were to help small churches? Having pastored a small church I know full well the struggles and hardships that are there. No money, no volunteers, and no life. It's like fighting an uphill battle while dragging a boulder behind you. But what if the little church didn't have to do this on their own? What if a bigger church came along side of them, and cut the boulder off?
If I ever have the opportunity to pastor a larger church I want to do something about this. I want to do something to help. I know how impossible these situations are. I know the discouragement and defeat that these pastors feel daily. I know the hits they take, and how alone they can feel. And I don't want to see a young pastor, full of passion and potential, be eaten by a church.
If I ever pastor a church that has resources I want to use them to build the Church. I want to come along side the pastor of the church who needs a hand and offer it. If they need musicians, I'll try to help with that. If they need help with an event, I'll try to help them with that. Sending people who are gifted in the areas they need, to serve and build the Kingdom. This is an opportunity to work across denominational lines. We don't even need to bring doctrine into question for this. Simply focus on the core truths that Jesus is the way, and that all is done so that God may be glorified.
I hear the questions already, "What if these people who are sent leave my church for that one?" Does it really matter? Why do we act like it's a competition? Honestly, I hate the numbers game the Church loves to play. We've made it too much about the numbers, and we have to get away from that. Paul said, "Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice." (Philippians 1.12-18).
Paul was solely focused on God being glorified and the Kingdom being built. He didn't care who did it or why, so long as Christ was proclaimed and people grew into Christlikeness. We have to have this attitude. We must rejoice when God does something great in a church, even if it isn't the one that we are at. It's all God's Church anyway, so who cares what happens so long as it is proclaiming the truth and growing. God can do whatever He wants, wherever He wants. It is our job to praise Him and give Him our best. It is our job to use the gifts He has given us for works in His service.
The Church needs to send and receive so that we can give more glory to God. It's His Church, not ours.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Saturday, February 23, 2013
The Bible on Church, Acts 14b
"When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles." Acts 14.27
The Church is a place where we not only learn about God, but we tell others of what He is doing. Back in the day I remember a large part of Sunday night church was given to testimonies. I remember one service was nothing but testimonies. But as I grew up and was at different churches I began to notice two things, one that testimonies started to be few and far between, and two that when I did hear a testimony I had usually heard it countless times before.
I know that the larger a church gets the harder it is to do things spontaneously, or without screening. In a church of 2,500 people with several services time is an issue. But also, you never know what someone might get up and say. Something meant to focus people on God as they prepare to enter worship could turn into a very big problem if someone takes the opportunity of an open mic and starts bashing people.
Then there is the person in a small church that still has testimonies every Sunday. This person has been a faithful attendant for the last 50 years, and never misses an opportunity to thank God for saving them at a VBS back in 1967. Every week it's the same testimony. Never anything new, its as if God stopped working in their life that day back in 1967. I'm not trying to minimize the fact of salvation, but are you telling me that in the last 50 years that's the only thing you want to testify that God has done? What does that say about God? What does that say about you?
When I was pastoring a small church I felt the leading of the Spirit to start the testimony part back up. It was the first thing that took place Sunday morning to help focus us on God as we began the service. And I instituted a rule, it had to be from the last 7 days. I wanted people to be looking for God now, to see what He was doing in their lives and in the world today. It had mixed results, but overall I think it worked well.
If anyone is reading this wondering how to do it in a large church setting my suggestion is to have an email system. Have the people be able to send in a testimony/praise report each week, and then have a powerpoint (or whatever is being used now)at the beginning of the service that moves through them as people are entering.
It is crucial that we report on all of the good things that God is doing. Hearing about how He provided for financial needs, how He brought healing to sickness, or how He spoke through difficult situations, is a big part of how we encourage each other in the Church and the world.
My mentor once said, "In Christianity we do a lot of reminding people of what they already know." I'll be the first one to testify to that. The last year of my life has been difficult and full of change. And in that time many well wishing people have constantly hit me with different promises of Scripture. Honestly, most of the it was the last thing I wanted to hear. (If you are one of those people who did that, please do not be offended or upset. I greatly appreciate your encouragement and support). But when I hear things like that my mind often goes to James 2.15-16, "If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,' and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?"
Many times I feel like a lot of it is just words that Christians throw out there. But hearing a story of someone who has been in a similar situation, hearing about there faithfulness, and about God's provision in their life, that is what really encourages me. This is why testimonies are so crucial, they tell the true story of how God is still at work in the lives of His people.
(Again, I do not intend for any of the previous statements to be offensive. I am not trying to downplay the sincerity or concern that is behind the reminder of God's promises, or the encouragement and hope they are intended to give. Please do not read it that way. If that is what God has laid on your heart to share, continue to do it.)
With all of that being said, I need to share the most recent workings of God in my life. Since August I have been unemployed, not having any success in finding a job of any kind. My wife and I have actually had to move in with my parent's to avoid being homeless. Every door that I have knocked on has been shut in my face. The financial issues have been really frustrating, as has not being able to be on our own and support my wife.
Thursday we got a piece of mail from a hospital down where we used to live. It was a bill for over $700 from a visit my wife had back in September. Back in September it would have been a struggle to pay, but it was honestly impossible for us to pay it now. I wasn't worried, worst case my parent's would loan us the money to pay it, but it was just an added frustration that we didn't need right now. Hearing your wife cry and knowing there is nothing you can do to fix it is one of the worst things I've ever experienced.
She called the hospital and left a message, asking if there was anything they would be able to do. The next morning they called back. I wasn't present for the conversation, but at the end my wife was crying again, but they were good tears. She said that the hospital was going to take care of the entire bill. We have the invoice, and we're keeping it forever, because we crossed of the amount owed and wrote "God" on it.
He also did two other things yesterday, but at the moment I can't share either of them. Yesterday was a three miracle day. God is still at work. He didn't stop when the last page of Revelation was written. He didn't stop at the end of a VBS in 1967. God is still at work today. What has He done in your life?
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
The Church is a place where we not only learn about God, but we tell others of what He is doing. Back in the day I remember a large part of Sunday night church was given to testimonies. I remember one service was nothing but testimonies. But as I grew up and was at different churches I began to notice two things, one that testimonies started to be few and far between, and two that when I did hear a testimony I had usually heard it countless times before.
I know that the larger a church gets the harder it is to do things spontaneously, or without screening. In a church of 2,500 people with several services time is an issue. But also, you never know what someone might get up and say. Something meant to focus people on God as they prepare to enter worship could turn into a very big problem if someone takes the opportunity of an open mic and starts bashing people.
Then there is the person in a small church that still has testimonies every Sunday. This person has been a faithful attendant for the last 50 years, and never misses an opportunity to thank God for saving them at a VBS back in 1967. Every week it's the same testimony. Never anything new, its as if God stopped working in their life that day back in 1967. I'm not trying to minimize the fact of salvation, but are you telling me that in the last 50 years that's the only thing you want to testify that God has done? What does that say about God? What does that say about you?
When I was pastoring a small church I felt the leading of the Spirit to start the testimony part back up. It was the first thing that took place Sunday morning to help focus us on God as we began the service. And I instituted a rule, it had to be from the last 7 days. I wanted people to be looking for God now, to see what He was doing in their lives and in the world today. It had mixed results, but overall I think it worked well.
If anyone is reading this wondering how to do it in a large church setting my suggestion is to have an email system. Have the people be able to send in a testimony/praise report each week, and then have a powerpoint (or whatever is being used now)at the beginning of the service that moves through them as people are entering.
It is crucial that we report on all of the good things that God is doing. Hearing about how He provided for financial needs, how He brought healing to sickness, or how He spoke through difficult situations, is a big part of how we encourage each other in the Church and the world.
My mentor once said, "In Christianity we do a lot of reminding people of what they already know." I'll be the first one to testify to that. The last year of my life has been difficult and full of change. And in that time many well wishing people have constantly hit me with different promises of Scripture. Honestly, most of the it was the last thing I wanted to hear. (If you are one of those people who did that, please do not be offended or upset. I greatly appreciate your encouragement and support). But when I hear things like that my mind often goes to James 2.15-16, "If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,' and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?"
Many times I feel like a lot of it is just words that Christians throw out there. But hearing a story of someone who has been in a similar situation, hearing about there faithfulness, and about God's provision in their life, that is what really encourages me. This is why testimonies are so crucial, they tell the true story of how God is still at work in the lives of His people.
(Again, I do not intend for any of the previous statements to be offensive. I am not trying to downplay the sincerity or concern that is behind the reminder of God's promises, or the encouragement and hope they are intended to give. Please do not read it that way. If that is what God has laid on your heart to share, continue to do it.)
With all of that being said, I need to share the most recent workings of God in my life. Since August I have been unemployed, not having any success in finding a job of any kind. My wife and I have actually had to move in with my parent's to avoid being homeless. Every door that I have knocked on has been shut in my face. The financial issues have been really frustrating, as has not being able to be on our own and support my wife.
Thursday we got a piece of mail from a hospital down where we used to live. It was a bill for over $700 from a visit my wife had back in September. Back in September it would have been a struggle to pay, but it was honestly impossible for us to pay it now. I wasn't worried, worst case my parent's would loan us the money to pay it, but it was just an added frustration that we didn't need right now. Hearing your wife cry and knowing there is nothing you can do to fix it is one of the worst things I've ever experienced.
She called the hospital and left a message, asking if there was anything they would be able to do. The next morning they called back. I wasn't present for the conversation, but at the end my wife was crying again, but they were good tears. She said that the hospital was going to take care of the entire bill. We have the invoice, and we're keeping it forever, because we crossed of the amount owed and wrote "God" on it.
He also did two other things yesterday, but at the moment I can't share either of them. Yesterday was a three miracle day. God is still at work. He didn't stop when the last page of Revelation was written. He didn't stop at the end of a VBS in 1967. God is still at work today. What has He done in your life?
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Friday, February 22, 2013
The Bible on Church, Acts 14a
Acts 14 contains two verses that tell us about the Church. We'll look at each verse individually since they pertain to different aspects. The first has to do with Church leadership. "When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed." Acts 14.23
The Church, as with any other organization, needs leadership. There need to be people that are God centered, Christ focused, and Spirit led to give vision, offer teaching, and equip the body for service. People need leadership, without it there is no order or unity or guidance. Without leadership, or with bad leadership, there is a risk of false teaching and being mislead. Leadership is essential for believers to become like Christ.
But leadership is not something to be taken on lightly, and leadership is not to be given causally. Paul told Timothy, "Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily" (1 Timothy 5.22a). In 1 Timothy 3 Paul gives a list of qualifications that Church leaders must meet. Ministry in the Church of God is a serious undertaking that has great accountability. And because of this Church leadership, above all else, is not be rushed into or taken on half heartily.
We are told in Acts that elders are to be appointed in every church, but it is only after they have been selected through a process of prayer and fasting. Appointing leadership is not a casual process either. It is to be seriously undergone because by selecting a Church leader you are selecting a spiritual head. You are selecting a person who is going to guide you into Christlikeness and help prepare you to serve in the building of the Kingdom.
It's important to note that it says "elders", not elder. This could be used because it says, "every church", but I think the plural is important. I think every church needs leaders. I think there needs to be a team, and therefore accountability. I know that John Eldredge and his ministry, Ransomed Heart, had three men leading it who made all of their decisions together in prayer. If prayer is important in selecting leadership, why would it be any less important for leaders in power? Along with that, ministry is too big for anyone person to undertake alone. There need to be several leaders, with various strengths and passions working together to build the Kingdom.
Once the Church has prayed, fasted, and appointed their leaders, then are to commend them to the Lord. They are to present them to God, they are to entrust them to God, and they are to lift them up continuously to God. Pray doesn't stop once the leader is selected. Prayer must continue for the leaders as they minister to the people. Leaders need the prayers and support of those they lead.
So Church, don't pull names out of a hat when you select your nest pastor. Pastors don't put someone in a ministry role just because it needs to be filled and someone volunteered for the job. Remember that those who put leaders into power share in the responsibility for how they used that power. Don't take any part of leadership lightly. When the Church has strong, Godly leaders, who are supported by committed, Godly followers, watch and see how the Kingdom advances.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
The Church, as with any other organization, needs leadership. There need to be people that are God centered, Christ focused, and Spirit led to give vision, offer teaching, and equip the body for service. People need leadership, without it there is no order or unity or guidance. Without leadership, or with bad leadership, there is a risk of false teaching and being mislead. Leadership is essential for believers to become like Christ.
But leadership is not something to be taken on lightly, and leadership is not to be given causally. Paul told Timothy, "Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily" (1 Timothy 5.22a). In 1 Timothy 3 Paul gives a list of qualifications that Church leaders must meet. Ministry in the Church of God is a serious undertaking that has great accountability. And because of this Church leadership, above all else, is not be rushed into or taken on half heartily.
We are told in Acts that elders are to be appointed in every church, but it is only after they have been selected through a process of prayer and fasting. Appointing leadership is not a casual process either. It is to be seriously undergone because by selecting a Church leader you are selecting a spiritual head. You are selecting a person who is going to guide you into Christlikeness and help prepare you to serve in the building of the Kingdom.
It's important to note that it says "elders", not elder. This could be used because it says, "every church", but I think the plural is important. I think every church needs leaders. I think there needs to be a team, and therefore accountability. I know that John Eldredge and his ministry, Ransomed Heart, had three men leading it who made all of their decisions together in prayer. If prayer is important in selecting leadership, why would it be any less important for leaders in power? Along with that, ministry is too big for anyone person to undertake alone. There need to be several leaders, with various strengths and passions working together to build the Kingdom.
Once the Church has prayed, fasted, and appointed their leaders, then are to commend them to the Lord. They are to present them to God, they are to entrust them to God, and they are to lift them up continuously to God. Pray doesn't stop once the leader is selected. Prayer must continue for the leaders as they minister to the people. Leaders need the prayers and support of those they lead.
So Church, don't pull names out of a hat when you select your nest pastor. Pastors don't put someone in a ministry role just because it needs to be filled and someone volunteered for the job. Remember that those who put leaders into power share in the responsibility for how they used that power. Don't take any part of leadership lightly. When the Church has strong, Godly leaders, who are supported by committed, Godly followers, watch and see how the Kingdom advances.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
The Bible on Church, Acts 12
It's been a few days, I didn't plan on these posts being this far apart when I started. Yesterday I started a project that has been on my heart and mind for over a year now. One of my biggest desires is to do men's ministry in some capacity. I feel that this is one of the greatest needs today and it's something that has been on my heart a lot recently. And yesterday my ministry took on a new aspect. I've started another blog focused solely on ministering to men. I'm have been working on getting that set up and so didn't get around to posting on here.
This blog will still be active and I'll still be posting regularly. This one is more general, whatever hits me in something I read, see, or hear, as I'm trying to help build the Kingdom and make others more like Christ. The new blog "Man of God..." is much more specific, focused on men and what God says a man is, and helping all of us become Men of God. That's an update, now back to the Church.
"So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God." Acts 12.5
This one shouldn't come as a shock, but the Church is to be a place of fervent prayer. But do you want to know something sad, I have met more resistance to prayer in the Church than to anything else (I'm not kidding). I'm not a fan of Sunday night church when it is identical to Sunday morning. Today most Sunday night services are identical in format to the morning, but have about a fifth of the people (if they are lucky), and they are all people who were there Sunday morning. I'm all for it if it's reaching new people, but it's not. Instead it's done because it's always been done.
Such was the case in the last church I pastored. Sunday night church was what happened every Sunday night, three songs were sung, an offering was taken, and then a sermon was preached. During the initial interview I told the Church board that I would want to change that, and they said they would be in agreement. I know that change needs to take place slowly, and so I didn't try to change it completely the first month. The first night I said that I wanted to be more prayer focused, and so instead of a sermon there was a short study leaving plenty of time to pray. People didn't like it.
About a year later there were issues at church. The District Superintendents came in and one of the things they suggested was devoting Sunday nights to prayer for the next month. Because it was someone older the church was all for it, and so the month of May was devoted to prayer. Nothing really happened, and so I decided that Sunday night was going to be a continued time of prayer. The first Sunday in June the half dozen people came and when I said we were praying the response was "I thought we were done with that?!" Yeah that was said about prayer in church, and we wonder why the Church in America is dying.
Acts 12.5 says that the Church was in fervent prayer to God for Peter's release. Did you know that fervent means, "1. having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm 2. hot; burning; glowing." It's one of those words I've heard a ton but never knew what it meant. Prayer is not supposed to be a simple transitional gap filler so the music leader can get back on stage to lead a closing chorus. It isn't supposed to be a simple repeated phrase before meals. It isn't supposed to be a repeated rhyme before bed. Prayer is to be real. It is to have feeling behind it. It is to be intense, and hot like a fire. Prayer is to be consuming.
I'm not saying that a short simple prayer to God for help isn't genuine. Nor am I saying that a simple thank you before a meal is not heart felt gratitude. But what I am saying is that we don't pray like the early Church, and thus we don't see the hand of God like they did. Acts 12 tells the story of Peter's miraculous escape from prison, why? Because the Church prayed.
If the Church wants to see God move like He did in the Bible, we must pray like the believers in the Bible prayed. Their prayers were intense because they expected to see God move. They prayed not simply hoping God would answer them, but believing that He would. Go to 1 Kings 18 and read Elijah's prayer on top of Mt. Carmel, does it sound like any prayer you've heard before? What would happen if we prayed like that?
If we did, we would see the hand of God move in ways we never thought possible. Lives would be transformed, life would fill the dead spirits of many. Love would abound in people's hearts. We would see the Kingdom come on earth as it already is in Heaven. If the Church prayed fervently, God's will would be done, and the world would be turned upside down. It begins with prayer. I've heard the statement, "God only acts in answer to prayer" and honestly I believe it. The places where nothing is happening, are the places where no one is praying.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
This blog will still be active and I'll still be posting regularly. This one is more general, whatever hits me in something I read, see, or hear, as I'm trying to help build the Kingdom and make others more like Christ. The new blog "Man of God..." is much more specific, focused on men and what God says a man is, and helping all of us become Men of God. That's an update, now back to the Church.
"So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God." Acts 12.5
This one shouldn't come as a shock, but the Church is to be a place of fervent prayer. But do you want to know something sad, I have met more resistance to prayer in the Church than to anything else (I'm not kidding). I'm not a fan of Sunday night church when it is identical to Sunday morning. Today most Sunday night services are identical in format to the morning, but have about a fifth of the people (if they are lucky), and they are all people who were there Sunday morning. I'm all for it if it's reaching new people, but it's not. Instead it's done because it's always been done.
Such was the case in the last church I pastored. Sunday night church was what happened every Sunday night, three songs were sung, an offering was taken, and then a sermon was preached. During the initial interview I told the Church board that I would want to change that, and they said they would be in agreement. I know that change needs to take place slowly, and so I didn't try to change it completely the first month. The first night I said that I wanted to be more prayer focused, and so instead of a sermon there was a short study leaving plenty of time to pray. People didn't like it.
About a year later there were issues at church. The District Superintendents came in and one of the things they suggested was devoting Sunday nights to prayer for the next month. Because it was someone older the church was all for it, and so the month of May was devoted to prayer. Nothing really happened, and so I decided that Sunday night was going to be a continued time of prayer. The first Sunday in June the half dozen people came and when I said we were praying the response was "I thought we were done with that?!" Yeah that was said about prayer in church, and we wonder why the Church in America is dying.
Acts 12.5 says that the Church was in fervent prayer to God for Peter's release. Did you know that fervent means, "1. having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm 2. hot; burning; glowing." It's one of those words I've heard a ton but never knew what it meant. Prayer is not supposed to be a simple transitional gap filler so the music leader can get back on stage to lead a closing chorus. It isn't supposed to be a simple repeated phrase before meals. It isn't supposed to be a repeated rhyme before bed. Prayer is to be real. It is to have feeling behind it. It is to be intense, and hot like a fire. Prayer is to be consuming.
I'm not saying that a short simple prayer to God for help isn't genuine. Nor am I saying that a simple thank you before a meal is not heart felt gratitude. But what I am saying is that we don't pray like the early Church, and thus we don't see the hand of God like they did. Acts 12 tells the story of Peter's miraculous escape from prison, why? Because the Church prayed.
If the Church wants to see God move like He did in the Bible, we must pray like the believers in the Bible prayed. Their prayers were intense because they expected to see God move. They prayed not simply hoping God would answer them, but believing that He would. Go to 1 Kings 18 and read Elijah's prayer on top of Mt. Carmel, does it sound like any prayer you've heard before? What would happen if we prayed like that?
If we did, we would see the hand of God move in ways we never thought possible. Lives would be transformed, life would fill the dead spirits of many. Love would abound in people's hearts. We would see the Kingdom come on earth as it already is in Heaven. If the Church prayed fervently, God's will would be done, and the world would be turned upside down. It begins with prayer. I've heard the statement, "God only acts in answer to prayer" and honestly I believe it. The places where nothing is happening, are the places where no one is praying.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Friday, February 15, 2013
The Bible on Church, Acts 11
"and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." Acts 11.26
The Church is to be a place of teaching. Over a year ago I was in a conversation with a man who was very musically inclined. He had at one point lead music for a church, but as we talked he seemed to put too much emphasis on music in a church service. He said, "Why can't we just sing for the whole time, and that could be the blessing?" I kept my mouth shut because I knew nothing I could say would do any good, but music doesn't due what a Biblically rooted, Spirit empowered sermon will.
Think back the fear of the Lord comments from the last post, how many songs teach you about the fear of the Lord? How many make you feel it? I can't think of a single one. Pretty much every song I've ever heard in Church falls under one of these categories: Feel good, '90's hand raise chorus, Reflective prayer, or Tear jerker. I'm not trying to take anything away from music as a part of worship. I think it's an essential element that helps us connect with part of God. But looking at the songs we sing, they only connect to part of God.
Some of my favorite songs do tell us who God is (I think Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin do a phenomenal job with this), but music cannot replace the sermon. The Church is a place where teaching is essential. We must learn about who God is, and in that learn to fear Him and find comfort in the Spirit. We must learn what the Bible says, which many people today don't know even the simplest things (last week was the Student Week Championships on Jeopardy, and the three smartest high schoolers in the competition didn't know a single answer in the Biblical Quotes category). We must learn who Christ is, what He is like, and how to become like Him. I've yet to hear a song that does all of that.
Did you know that the word pastor is only found once in the Bible? Ephesians 4.11, "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,". That's it, the only mention in the whole Bible. That verse is followed by the Biblical job description of a pastor/teacher, "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4.12-13) Pastors are to teach so that the saints, those in the Church, are equipped to serve so that the Church, the body of Christ, can be built up. These works of service lead to the unity of faith and knowledge of Jesus as Savior and Lord, so that we may be mature and Christ like. (My mind is going to 1 John 2.12-14, but it's a different thought line so I'm putting this here so I remember it.)
Paul continues in verses 14-16, "As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." We teach to equip, so that the teaching can be passed on. We teach to equip so that all are able to use their gifts in the service of God. We teach to equip so that love is presented.
The Church is a place of teaching. It is an essential element that we cannot cast aside for the sake of more music. It is something we cannot water down to "tickle the ears" of people so as not to offend them. Here in Acts 11.26 we are told that it is in Antioch where the followers were first called Christians. They were taught about Christ, they were taught to live like Him, and they were given the title "Little Christ" because they followed the teaching they had received.
Today are we worthy of that same title? Does the teaching in the Church share who Christ is and challenge and instruct the people on how to become like Him? Over the years a lot of what I've heard hasn't done that. A lot of what I've heard has been simple, shallow, feel good about your life, sermons. The Church must be a place of solid, Biblically rooted teaching. We as pastors must take up our calling and equip the saints to serve so that the Church may be built up, and full of mature Christlike Christians. For this to happen we must teach.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
The Church is to be a place of teaching. Over a year ago I was in a conversation with a man who was very musically inclined. He had at one point lead music for a church, but as we talked he seemed to put too much emphasis on music in a church service. He said, "Why can't we just sing for the whole time, and that could be the blessing?" I kept my mouth shut because I knew nothing I could say would do any good, but music doesn't due what a Biblically rooted, Spirit empowered sermon will.
Think back the fear of the Lord comments from the last post, how many songs teach you about the fear of the Lord? How many make you feel it? I can't think of a single one. Pretty much every song I've ever heard in Church falls under one of these categories: Feel good, '90's hand raise chorus, Reflective prayer, or Tear jerker. I'm not trying to take anything away from music as a part of worship. I think it's an essential element that helps us connect with part of God. But looking at the songs we sing, they only connect to part of God.
Some of my favorite songs do tell us who God is (I think Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin do a phenomenal job with this), but music cannot replace the sermon. The Church is a place where teaching is essential. We must learn about who God is, and in that learn to fear Him and find comfort in the Spirit. We must learn what the Bible says, which many people today don't know even the simplest things (last week was the Student Week Championships on Jeopardy, and the three smartest high schoolers in the competition didn't know a single answer in the Biblical Quotes category). We must learn who Christ is, what He is like, and how to become like Him. I've yet to hear a song that does all of that.
Did you know that the word pastor is only found once in the Bible? Ephesians 4.11, "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,". That's it, the only mention in the whole Bible. That verse is followed by the Biblical job description of a pastor/teacher, "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4.12-13) Pastors are to teach so that the saints, those in the Church, are equipped to serve so that the Church, the body of Christ, can be built up. These works of service lead to the unity of faith and knowledge of Jesus as Savior and Lord, so that we may be mature and Christ like. (My mind is going to 1 John 2.12-14, but it's a different thought line so I'm putting this here so I remember it.)
Paul continues in verses 14-16, "As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." We teach to equip, so that the teaching can be passed on. We teach to equip so that all are able to use their gifts in the service of God. We teach to equip so that love is presented.
The Church is a place of teaching. It is an essential element that we cannot cast aside for the sake of more music. It is something we cannot water down to "tickle the ears" of people so as not to offend them. Here in Acts 11.26 we are told that it is in Antioch where the followers were first called Christians. They were taught about Christ, they were taught to live like Him, and they were given the title "Little Christ" because they followed the teaching they had received.
Today are we worthy of that same title? Does the teaching in the Church share who Christ is and challenge and instruct the people on how to become like Him? Over the years a lot of what I've heard hasn't done that. A lot of what I've heard has been simple, shallow, feel good about your life, sermons. The Church must be a place of solid, Biblically rooted teaching. We as pastors must take up our calling and equip the saints to serve so that the Church may be built up, and full of mature Christlike Christians. For this to happen we must teach.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
The Bible on Church, Acts 9
"So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase." Acts 9.31 really makes me wish I had my journal from the trip so I could see what hit me when I first read it. But right now its on my professor's desk being graded, so we're going to work off of what hits me now.
The first thing we see is that the church enjoyed peace. I've written on peace before, you can read about in the Fruit of the Spirit section I've done. I think this is something missing from a lot of churches today. My mentor's cousin (I believe) was a pastor, and he had a heart attack and died during a board meeting. Another pastor friend's doctor told him to take a month off due to his high stress levels. When I was a youth pastor in Michigan I would wake up with chest pains. This isn't the picture I get from Acts 9.31.
It says that the Church was being built up. Again, I've seen a lot of this not happening too. Many churches aren't growing. Some are sitting stagnant, and some are declining (really both of these situations are on the decline). But I don't think this is simply talking about physical growth, but the building up of people. After all that's why the church exists. But today we have gossip that tears people down and cliches which cut people out, in the church. We have people who are angry and bitter over changes that happen, and they don't fail to make their voices heard even if it's silently. How does any of this defeat the gates of Hell?
The reason for the above attitudes and situations is because there is no fear of the Lord in today church. This verse in Acts 9 leads me to believe that it was a central part of the first church, so why have we lost this? I think part of it is that we've watered it down considerable. How many of us have heard a sermon where the pastor is reading a verse that contains the words "fear of God" and when he gets there pauses and says, "Now let me clarify, when I read this I don't mean fear, it's more of an awe, or a respect." Every hand is raised. Recently on a bus in Jordan I had this conversation. An college student hit me with the fear as respect thing, and my response is, "Read Exodus 19 and 20 and tell me that those people's reaction was respect. Read Isaiah 6 and tell me Isaiah's reaction is awe."
They are terrified, so terrified that they don't even want to talk with God, they beg Moses to be their intercessor. The fear of the Lord is legitimate fear. I think that's the only reaction that we can have when we come face to face with that power and holiness. In that moment we will see just how weak and unworthy we are. We're told in Psalm 111.10 that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." In Isaiah 44.6-7 God tells us about Himself, "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me. ‘Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; yes, let him recount it to Me in order, from the time that I established the ancient nation. And let them declare to them the things that are coming and the events that are going to take place." It's only when we fear Him that we can begin to understand who God is and what God's will is. And it was this attitude that the first church lived with.
But they lived with more than the fear of the Lord, they also had the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 44.8 begins, "Do not tremble and do not be afraid;". The Spirit helps us to see that God loves us, that God desires a relationship with us. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are empowered to live life in a manner pleasing and acceptable to God. But since the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, we can only begin to know the comfort of the Holy Spirit when we first know the fear of the Lord.
(Bits of the last three paragraphs come from Francis Chan's dvd "Fear God" from the Basic series).
Peace comes form the comfort of the Spirit that is possible only when we have the fear of the Lord. And when that happens the Church will increase because those who make it are built up. When we fear the Lord we won't tear down His Church, we won't gossip about others in the body, and we won't exclude those who aren't like us. The fear of the Lord fills us with humility and the comfort of the Spirit enables us to love as He loves. It is in love that the Church is built up, and when the Church is built up, the gates of Hell cannot withstand the assault.
If we want to be God's Church, we must understand and realize the fear of the Lord. I think this may be the thing that is missing most from the Church today. And once we have that, God will be able to show us more of who He is through His Holy Spirit.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
The first thing we see is that the church enjoyed peace. I've written on peace before, you can read about in the Fruit of the Spirit section I've done. I think this is something missing from a lot of churches today. My mentor's cousin (I believe) was a pastor, and he had a heart attack and died during a board meeting. Another pastor friend's doctor told him to take a month off due to his high stress levels. When I was a youth pastor in Michigan I would wake up with chest pains. This isn't the picture I get from Acts 9.31.
It says that the Church was being built up. Again, I've seen a lot of this not happening too. Many churches aren't growing. Some are sitting stagnant, and some are declining (really both of these situations are on the decline). But I don't think this is simply talking about physical growth, but the building up of people. After all that's why the church exists. But today we have gossip that tears people down and cliches which cut people out, in the church. We have people who are angry and bitter over changes that happen, and they don't fail to make their voices heard even if it's silently. How does any of this defeat the gates of Hell?
The reason for the above attitudes and situations is because there is no fear of the Lord in today church. This verse in Acts 9 leads me to believe that it was a central part of the first church, so why have we lost this? I think part of it is that we've watered it down considerable. How many of us have heard a sermon where the pastor is reading a verse that contains the words "fear of God" and when he gets there pauses and says, "Now let me clarify, when I read this I don't mean fear, it's more of an awe, or a respect." Every hand is raised. Recently on a bus in Jordan I had this conversation. An college student hit me with the fear as respect thing, and my response is, "Read Exodus 19 and 20 and tell me that those people's reaction was respect. Read Isaiah 6 and tell me Isaiah's reaction is awe."
They are terrified, so terrified that they don't even want to talk with God, they beg Moses to be their intercessor. The fear of the Lord is legitimate fear. I think that's the only reaction that we can have when we come face to face with that power and holiness. In that moment we will see just how weak and unworthy we are. We're told in Psalm 111.10 that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." In Isaiah 44.6-7 God tells us about Himself, "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me. ‘Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; yes, let him recount it to Me in order, from the time that I established the ancient nation. And let them declare to them the things that are coming and the events that are going to take place." It's only when we fear Him that we can begin to understand who God is and what God's will is. And it was this attitude that the first church lived with.
But they lived with more than the fear of the Lord, they also had the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 44.8 begins, "Do not tremble and do not be afraid;". The Spirit helps us to see that God loves us, that God desires a relationship with us. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are empowered to live life in a manner pleasing and acceptable to God. But since the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, we can only begin to know the comfort of the Holy Spirit when we first know the fear of the Lord.
(Bits of the last three paragraphs come from Francis Chan's dvd "Fear God" from the Basic series).
Peace comes form the comfort of the Spirit that is possible only when we have the fear of the Lord. And when that happens the Church will increase because those who make it are built up. When we fear the Lord we won't tear down His Church, we won't gossip about others in the body, and we won't exclude those who aren't like us. The fear of the Lord fills us with humility and the comfort of the Spirit enables us to love as He loves. It is in love that the Church is built up, and when the Church is built up, the gates of Hell cannot withstand the assault.
If we want to be God's Church, we must understand and realize the fear of the Lord. I think this may be the thing that is missing most from the Church today. And once we have that, God will be able to show us more of who He is through His Holy Spirit.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
The Bible on Church, Matthew 18
We were at the Jordan River preparing to do a baptism service, I was a baptizer. It was a surreal experience, that I can't put words to. One of my professors led the service and another was baptizing with me. Just before we entered the water, the group sang a chorus, "I have decided to follow Jesus". It's a simple chorus,
I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
No turning back
No turning back
As the second verse began my fellow baptizer turned to me and said, "What a terrible chorus, we're a community." It took me a minute to realize what she was talking about but then the words of the second verse hit me and I got what she was saying,
Though none go with me still I will follow
Though none go with me still I will follow
Though none go with me still I will follow
No turning back
No turning back
The idea of following Jesus alone is one that is foreign to Scripture. Francis Chan said, "As I studied the scriptures I realized that God doesn't want me to do this by myself. That's why He made church the Church." This thing called Christianity is not a one man show. It isn't a solo mission. We are group, a whole army that works together. Back in my Church History class the professor said, "The Church goes to heaven as a group, and takes you with it."
Yes, there will be times when you might be the only one you know who is following Jesus. In countries where Christianity is illegal, and where your family and friends will excommunicate you it is very likely that you might be alone. But again, that is why God created the Church. The Church is to be a family, as we'll see specifically in 1 Timothy 3. Families are there to offer support and encouragement. Families are there to teach and instruct. But families also offer discipline and correction, and the Church is to do that as well.
The last record we have of Jesus using the word Church is found in Matthew 18.15-17, "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."
We see two things here, first that the Church is to uphold righteousness. Sin must be dealt with, and sin cannot be permitted to roam freely among the Church. In the Church we find accountability. As we learn to live life as a Christ follower we have others, who are farther in the journey, to help us along the way. Sometimes helping involves correction.
Jesus gives us an order for how this process is to be handled. First one on one. If you are aware of the sin of a fellow believer go to them, talk to them about your concerns. Don't tell everyone in the church, don't announce it as a "prayer request" go and talk to them. Share with them about how the action is unlike Christ and unbecoming of His followers. If they listen you have won your brother back. If that doesn't work, take one or two more with you. Take others who are fellow followers, and together talk to the person. And if at this point no change occurs, then the Church must deal with it, and it is at this point if they refuse they must be let go.
Second, we see the importance of relationships in the Church. Correction without a relationship leads to rebellion. If correction isn't given from a basis of love it does nothing but build walls. Relationships give you the right to talk, it's something that must be earned. Get to know the believers around you, learn about them, and then if there is something that needs to be addressed you can come to them as a friend, as someone who really cares. The Church is a family, and it needs to act like one.
Third, we see that no one is forced to join the Church, or be apart of it. As with any organization there are rules or standards that must be kept. If you join a sport you must play by the rules or not participate. There is a lifestyle standard for being part of the Church. If people don't want to live by that standard then we let them go. We love them, we are there for them, but we don't drag them to a service. We don't force them to be there. If they leave we wish them well. Jesus didn't force anyone to follow Him, when people didn't want to follow the truth He presented He let them go.
The Church is God's Church, and as such we must live by His standards of holiness and righteousness. We must help each other to live as Jesus demonstrated. When sin is present we deal with it from the friendship relationship that has been built. And when people refuse to live by the standard we let them go, not in anger or hostility, but in love so that sin is not given a foothold in the Church.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
No turning back
No turning back
As the second verse began my fellow baptizer turned to me and said, "What a terrible chorus, we're a community." It took me a minute to realize what she was talking about but then the words of the second verse hit me and I got what she was saying,
Though none go with me still I will follow
Though none go with me still I will follow
Though none go with me still I will follow
No turning back
No turning back
The idea of following Jesus alone is one that is foreign to Scripture. Francis Chan said, "As I studied the scriptures I realized that God doesn't want me to do this by myself. That's why He made church the Church." This thing called Christianity is not a one man show. It isn't a solo mission. We are group, a whole army that works together. Back in my Church History class the professor said, "The Church goes to heaven as a group, and takes you with it."
Yes, there will be times when you might be the only one you know who is following Jesus. In countries where Christianity is illegal, and where your family and friends will excommunicate you it is very likely that you might be alone. But again, that is why God created the Church. The Church is to be a family, as we'll see specifically in 1 Timothy 3. Families are there to offer support and encouragement. Families are there to teach and instruct. But families also offer discipline and correction, and the Church is to do that as well.
The last record we have of Jesus using the word Church is found in Matthew 18.15-17, "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."
We see two things here, first that the Church is to uphold righteousness. Sin must be dealt with, and sin cannot be permitted to roam freely among the Church. In the Church we find accountability. As we learn to live life as a Christ follower we have others, who are farther in the journey, to help us along the way. Sometimes helping involves correction.
Jesus gives us an order for how this process is to be handled. First one on one. If you are aware of the sin of a fellow believer go to them, talk to them about your concerns. Don't tell everyone in the church, don't announce it as a "prayer request" go and talk to them. Share with them about how the action is unlike Christ and unbecoming of His followers. If they listen you have won your brother back. If that doesn't work, take one or two more with you. Take others who are fellow followers, and together talk to the person. And if at this point no change occurs, then the Church must deal with it, and it is at this point if they refuse they must be let go.
Second, we see the importance of relationships in the Church. Correction without a relationship leads to rebellion. If correction isn't given from a basis of love it does nothing but build walls. Relationships give you the right to talk, it's something that must be earned. Get to know the believers around you, learn about them, and then if there is something that needs to be addressed you can come to them as a friend, as someone who really cares. The Church is a family, and it needs to act like one.
Third, we see that no one is forced to join the Church, or be apart of it. As with any organization there are rules or standards that must be kept. If you join a sport you must play by the rules or not participate. There is a lifestyle standard for being part of the Church. If people don't want to live by that standard then we let them go. We love them, we are there for them, but we don't drag them to a service. We don't force them to be there. If they leave we wish them well. Jesus didn't force anyone to follow Him, when people didn't want to follow the truth He presented He let them go.
The Church is God's Church, and as such we must live by His standards of holiness and righteousness. We must help each other to live as Jesus demonstrated. When sin is present we deal with it from the friendship relationship that has been built. And when people refuse to live by the standard we let them go, not in anger or hostility, but in love so that sin is not given a foothold in the Church.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
What does the Bible say about Church?
I started this post about two months ago, and it was a lot more negative than it should have been. After some time to think reflect, and begin looking at the Bible I'm finally diving into this. My goal was to look at this during my time in Israel. While I did get to look at some of the passages, the trip ended up being a lot more busy than I expected. While my study is not done it's time to begin sharing what I've found. I believe this message is crucial for today.
In the Bible the word "Church" appears 112 times (NASB), only two of them come from the mouth of Jesus. Several references talk about a group of believers in a specific location but don't give us any instruction on what the Church is to be, in these next few blogs I won't be looking at these. However, these stories do tell us about God doing great things in the lives of the believers who made up the first century church. Things we haven't seen in hundreds, maybe thousands, of years. Some don't believe it's possible for those things to happen today, that God has changed, or that the people then were "Better" followers of Jesus than we could ever be. But God doesn't change, and those early believers were just people like us. So the problem must be with us.
Today the Church would rather be comfortable than consecrated, tradition than transformed, secure than serving, and right than righteous. We've made church too much about US and not anywhere near about God. Today I saw on Facebook a status from someone talking about how they have their dreams and they won't stop until they achieve them because that is what life's about. I believe they are preparing for ministry, which gives me pause. This isn't about us, it's not about you or me, it's about God. And I believe the reason we don't see the things that the early church did because we are too focused on us. We've made this about us. In 2013 is Church really about God? We say it is, we put on a good show, but at the end of the day is it really? From what I've seen I don't think so.
Part of me wonders how it happened. How did something that Jesus Himself prepared and the Holy Spirit began get so far from what God intended it to be? It's because we've lost sight of who Jesus really is, what He really said, and we've denied the power of the Holy Spirit to help us live as He did. Because of that His Church looks very little, if anything, like He originally intended it to. And so with that let's look at what the Bible says about the Church.
Again, the word "Church" appears only in the New Testament and then only 112 times. The first time we see it is in Matthew 16.18, and it comes from the mouth of Jesus, "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." Right away we see something crucial, Jesus claims ownership of the Church. He says quite clearly, "I will build My church;". One of my biggest pet peeves is when I listen to pastors talk about "My church". Pay attention the next time and you'll hear it.
It's human nature to take ownership of things we do and accomplish. It's probably something that's said without even thinking twice about it. I know I've said it just out of habit. But it's not my church, it's the church I have the opportunity to serve at. The Church belongs to Christ, and as His possession I think it should look like how He intended for it to look. (Let me clarify, I've heard several pastors, whom I love, respect, and trust use the phrase "my church" in the context of "this is where God has placed me to serve". They in no way claim ownership over it, but others, ministers and laity, use it in the possessive sense believing it is their's and they have the final say in what it does and looks like.) The Church belongs to Christ, it is His Church. He is the head, and all who make it up will be held accountable to Him for the part they play in it.
A few weeks ago I was in Caesarea Philippi, Jesus was in the area when he said this, possibly in the very spot where I was. That night we talked about this verse. My professor pointed something out that I hadn't thought of before. In Matthew 16 Jesus says "the gates of Hades will not overpower it." My professor said how he used to think of the church as being stationary and surviving an attack from the gates of hell, the same image I had. But then he pointed out how gates don't move, they are stationary. Actually the gate post is the strongest part of a fence or wall. The gates of hell are not on the attack but on the defensive.
The Church is to storm the gates of hell, and destroy them. Casting Crowns has a song that says,
What if the armies of the Lord
Picked up and dusted off their swords
Vowed to set the captives free
And not let Satan have one more
What if the church for heaven's sake
Finally stepped up to the plate
Took and stand upon God's promise
And stormed hell's rusty gates
That is what we are supposed to be, an army that is equipped and on the move against Satan and hell. We aren't to wait passively by and sit comfortably in our pews, but to be preparing and working to rescue souls. A church the is rooted in Christ will be victorious, hell itself will not overpower it.
The Church is to be an army that is constantly before God. Those lyrics come from a song entitled, "What if His People Prayed?" The early Church believed that we had to be an army that would constantly besiege God's throne in prayer. It realized that without Him they could do nothing, that they were nothing. And somehow we've lost that. Somewhere along the way we become focused on us, we took ownership of a building, built a fortress, and have just tried to survive. And you know what? We are wrong.
It's time for the Church to pick up and sharpen our swords. It's time for us to get back in shape and ready for battle. It is time for us move up to the front lines and storm the gates of hell. It is time for the Church to be the Church of Christ.
This is the first thing the Bible tells us about the Church. This is our primary instruction. The Church is Christ's, and we are to be on the move.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
In the Bible the word "Church" appears 112 times (NASB), only two of them come from the mouth of Jesus. Several references talk about a group of believers in a specific location but don't give us any instruction on what the Church is to be, in these next few blogs I won't be looking at these. However, these stories do tell us about God doing great things in the lives of the believers who made up the first century church. Things we haven't seen in hundreds, maybe thousands, of years. Some don't believe it's possible for those things to happen today, that God has changed, or that the people then were "Better" followers of Jesus than we could ever be. But God doesn't change, and those early believers were just people like us. So the problem must be with us.
Today the Church would rather be comfortable than consecrated, tradition than transformed, secure than serving, and right than righteous. We've made church too much about US and not anywhere near about God. Today I saw on Facebook a status from someone talking about how they have their dreams and they won't stop until they achieve them because that is what life's about. I believe they are preparing for ministry, which gives me pause. This isn't about us, it's not about you or me, it's about God. And I believe the reason we don't see the things that the early church did because we are too focused on us. We've made this about us. In 2013 is Church really about God? We say it is, we put on a good show, but at the end of the day is it really? From what I've seen I don't think so.
Part of me wonders how it happened. How did something that Jesus Himself prepared and the Holy Spirit began get so far from what God intended it to be? It's because we've lost sight of who Jesus really is, what He really said, and we've denied the power of the Holy Spirit to help us live as He did. Because of that His Church looks very little, if anything, like He originally intended it to. And so with that let's look at what the Bible says about the Church.
Again, the word "Church" appears only in the New Testament and then only 112 times. The first time we see it is in Matthew 16.18, and it comes from the mouth of Jesus, "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." Right away we see something crucial, Jesus claims ownership of the Church. He says quite clearly, "I will build My church;". One of my biggest pet peeves is when I listen to pastors talk about "My church". Pay attention the next time and you'll hear it.
It's human nature to take ownership of things we do and accomplish. It's probably something that's said without even thinking twice about it. I know I've said it just out of habit. But it's not my church, it's the church I have the opportunity to serve at. The Church belongs to Christ, and as His possession I think it should look like how He intended for it to look. (Let me clarify, I've heard several pastors, whom I love, respect, and trust use the phrase "my church" in the context of "this is where God has placed me to serve". They in no way claim ownership over it, but others, ministers and laity, use it in the possessive sense believing it is their's and they have the final say in what it does and looks like.) The Church belongs to Christ, it is His Church. He is the head, and all who make it up will be held accountable to Him for the part they play in it.
A few weeks ago I was in Caesarea Philippi, Jesus was in the area when he said this, possibly in the very spot where I was. That night we talked about this verse. My professor pointed something out that I hadn't thought of before. In Matthew 16 Jesus says "the gates of Hades will not overpower it." My professor said how he used to think of the church as being stationary and surviving an attack from the gates of hell, the same image I had. But then he pointed out how gates don't move, they are stationary. Actually the gate post is the strongest part of a fence or wall. The gates of hell are not on the attack but on the defensive.
The Church is to storm the gates of hell, and destroy them. Casting Crowns has a song that says,
What if the armies of the Lord
Picked up and dusted off their swords
Vowed to set the captives free
And not let Satan have one more
What if the church for heaven's sake
Finally stepped up to the plate
Took and stand upon God's promise
And stormed hell's rusty gates
That is what we are supposed to be, an army that is equipped and on the move against Satan and hell. We aren't to wait passively by and sit comfortably in our pews, but to be preparing and working to rescue souls. A church the is rooted in Christ will be victorious, hell itself will not overpower it.
The Church is to be an army that is constantly before God. Those lyrics come from a song entitled, "What if His People Prayed?" The early Church believed that we had to be an army that would constantly besiege God's throne in prayer. It realized that without Him they could do nothing, that they were nothing. And somehow we've lost that. Somewhere along the way we become focused on us, we took ownership of a building, built a fortress, and have just tried to survive. And you know what? We are wrong.
It's time for the Church to pick up and sharpen our swords. It's time for us to get back in shape and ready for battle. It is time for us move up to the front lines and storm the gates of hell. It is time for the Church to be the Church of Christ.
This is the first thing the Bible tells us about the Church. This is our primary instruction. The Church is Christ's, and we are to be on the move.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Monday, February 4, 2013
One Day
That's the title of track 3 on Mark Schultz's most recent album. I actually can't find the lyrics online which is a shock, and the CD is out in my car which is covered in snow so at the moment I'm not going to get it. My wife and I have been listening to it since it's the only CD in the car, but honestly I haven't been paying attention to most of it. I love Mark Schultz but this is one of my least favorite of his albums, except for track 3.
Several hours have passed since I wrote that first paragraph. I learned how to make apple sauce from my grandmother, walked Rosie with my wife, and since I have driven got the CD case out of my car. As I said track 3 is the only one I've really paid any attention to, and even then it's only really one phrase that has stood out to me.
The lame will walk
The blind will see
The prisoners will be set free
And hope will rise as shadows disappear
And all that's lost
We'll find again
Death will die and tears will end
And we will come alive and truly live
Incredible lyrics, but the phrase that caught my attention is "Death will die". It sends chills through my body when I hear it. One day death will die and be no more. The thing that all men face, that respects no one, will finally meet itself and end. One day death will die.
That promise has led to some of the most rewarding moments of ministry for me. Sitting at the hospital holding a wife's hand as she's told her husband of 62 years might not make it through the night. Talking with a man dying of Lou Gehrig's disease and sharing with him the promises made to the faithful. Those are the moments when people really need you as a pastor. Those are the times when you do your greatest ministry. You are with people as they prepare to meet God.
My first funeral was easy because I knew the faith of the man. I knew that as I was giving his eulogy he was kneeling at the feet of Christ. His arms and legs had the mobility back that Lou Gehrig's disease had robbed for his final months on earth. He had died, but death was not victorious.
All men faith death, it's part of life, but death is not infinite. One day death too will die, and be no more. And this is the message that Christ has given us to share. Through Christ death has been defeated, and in Him eternal life is possible. Death will die, and those in Christ will live forever in His presence.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Several hours have passed since I wrote that first paragraph. I learned how to make apple sauce from my grandmother, walked Rosie with my wife, and since I have driven got the CD case out of my car. As I said track 3 is the only one I've really paid any attention to, and even then it's only really one phrase that has stood out to me.
The lame will walk
The blind will see
The prisoners will be set free
And hope will rise as shadows disappear
And all that's lost
We'll find again
Death will die and tears will end
And we will come alive and truly live
Incredible lyrics, but the phrase that caught my attention is "Death will die". It sends chills through my body when I hear it. One day death will die and be no more. The thing that all men face, that respects no one, will finally meet itself and end. One day death will die.
That promise has led to some of the most rewarding moments of ministry for me. Sitting at the hospital holding a wife's hand as she's told her husband of 62 years might not make it through the night. Talking with a man dying of Lou Gehrig's disease and sharing with him the promises made to the faithful. Those are the moments when people really need you as a pastor. Those are the times when you do your greatest ministry. You are with people as they prepare to meet God.
My first funeral was easy because I knew the faith of the man. I knew that as I was giving his eulogy he was kneeling at the feet of Christ. His arms and legs had the mobility back that Lou Gehrig's disease had robbed for his final months on earth. He had died, but death was not victorious.
All men faith death, it's part of life, but death is not infinite. One day death too will die, and be no more. And this is the message that Christ has given us to share. Through Christ death has been defeated, and in Him eternal life is possible. Death will die, and those in Christ will live forever in His presence.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Friday, January 25, 2013
There and Back, Again
Yeah I stole that from the Hobbit, but in terms of Israel I've been there and now I'm back again. My wife and I spent twelve days exploring parts of Israel and Jordan. We walked the land of the Bible, including in an ancient sewer. We visited Petra and walked the same path Harrison Ford rode to find the Holy Grail, I had no such encounter with a Crusader knight. And we spent time in the places of Jesus' final hours.
I'm still largely processing the trip, and I'm still adjusting back to Eastern Standard time (I've woken up at 3:30 am the last two nights). My appetite is coming back, for some reason the last few days I didn't each much. I've begun to get the last few things turned in, and for now most of what I have left to do is the stuff that I need to reflect on.
Two things have really been on my mind. In Jordan we got to take in the view from Mt. Nebo. The one downside is that it was winter. In the summer you can take in the view of Israel from the Dead Sea in the south to the Sea of Galilee in the north. And according to Deuteronomy you should be able see all the way to the Mediterranean in the west. Jerusalem, Jericho, and Bethlehem are all supposed to be clearly visible. Due to the winter haze we couldn't even see the Jordan River, and could just make out the norther tip of the Dead Sea. Disappointing yes, but as I thought about it I really shouldn't be envious of the view Moses got. I've been in the land twice now, which is two more times that he has.
I'm sure Moses would gladly have traded the view for my brief time in the Promised Land. But Mt. Nebo holds an important lesson. Moses' greatest ministry came AFTER he knew his dream would not come true. It is from the plains of Moab and the slopes of Nebo that Moses gives Israel the book of Deuteronomy, and the most sacred section of Scripture for the Jews. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (6.4-5).
Moses could have become bitter when God told him he would not be leading the people into the Promised Land. He could have lead silently and let them try and figure out who God is and how He wanted them to live on their own, but he doesn't. Instead Moses continues to pour himself fully into his leadership. And even on the edge of the land when most of us would be most jealous, he gives them perhaps the most important teaching ever. God is one, love God will all your being. Jesus Himself later said that this is the first and greatest commandment.
The lesson we learn is service to God is more important that personal dreams. Moses wanted to enter the land, and if anyone had earned it, it was him. He put up with a bunch of stubborn babies who constantly complained and insisted on going back to Egypt. He put up with it for 40 years, and even defended them before God. And yet in this we also see that no leader, no matter how great, escapes accountability with God. Moses chose to serve God and lead His people to the very end, even though his service ended on the east bank of the Jordan.
In Moses' position would you become bitter or better? I feel that most of us are bitter already. Things haven't worked out as we planned, and though we may put up a facade that we're faithful and ok with it, inwardly it tears us up and eats at us. Yeah I've been there, in some ways I'm there right now. I want to be better, I want to continue to serve, but right now I don't really seem to have anyone to lead. My days are spent alone with my dog. It's one of those situations in life that doesn't make any sense and you wonder what the point is.
Don't really have anything else to say on that yet, one of the things I need to reflect on some more.
Second thing came near the end of the trip. The crucifixion happened in one of two locations. Traditionally, the location is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but I'm a believer in Gordon's Calvary and the Garden Tomb. This trip my thoughts were given some more evidence. The Garden Tomb is a tomb that has been cut out of the rock face. It wasn't a cave that was converted into a tomb, but I learned this time that the tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was a cave. Why does this matter? Matthew 27.60 says, "his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock." Mark also has the phrase, "a tomb cut out of rock." So with that in mind I believe that it was the second site. Ultimately place doesn't matter, it's all about the event.
Gordon's Calvary is an old quarry that has what looks like a skull in the face of the rock. It was a place of execution outside the city gates on the road to Damascus. And I believe that this is the location of the crucifixion of Jesus. It was here at the foot of the hill along the road that Jesus was nailed to a cross to die for the sins of the world.
In Exodus 19.17, we are told, "Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain." The people are told not to come up the mountain, and God's glory on the mountain terrifies the people so they don't even want to try to. The people are at the foot of the mountain and God is on top. The people waiver in their commitment to God for generations, and then one day God comes down from the mountain.
In the Judean countryside Jesus is born as a baby in Bethlehem. He comes as a human and for the first time people see God as approachable. He sets an example of how to live life and shows us what God is like. But there is still a problem, people are separated from God by sin still. And so Jesus does what has to happen to bring us back into a relationship with God. He goes to the foot of the mountain, and lays down on a cross allowing himself to be nailed to it, and dies in our place. That is who God is.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
I'm still largely processing the trip, and I'm still adjusting back to Eastern Standard time (I've woken up at 3:30 am the last two nights). My appetite is coming back, for some reason the last few days I didn't each much. I've begun to get the last few things turned in, and for now most of what I have left to do is the stuff that I need to reflect on.
Two things have really been on my mind. In Jordan we got to take in the view from Mt. Nebo. The one downside is that it was winter. In the summer you can take in the view of Israel from the Dead Sea in the south to the Sea of Galilee in the north. And according to Deuteronomy you should be able see all the way to the Mediterranean in the west. Jerusalem, Jericho, and Bethlehem are all supposed to be clearly visible. Due to the winter haze we couldn't even see the Jordan River, and could just make out the norther tip of the Dead Sea. Disappointing yes, but as I thought about it I really shouldn't be envious of the view Moses got. I've been in the land twice now, which is two more times that he has.
I'm sure Moses would gladly have traded the view for my brief time in the Promised Land. But Mt. Nebo holds an important lesson. Moses' greatest ministry came AFTER he knew his dream would not come true. It is from the plains of Moab and the slopes of Nebo that Moses gives Israel the book of Deuteronomy, and the most sacred section of Scripture for the Jews. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (6.4-5).
Moses could have become bitter when God told him he would not be leading the people into the Promised Land. He could have lead silently and let them try and figure out who God is and how He wanted them to live on their own, but he doesn't. Instead Moses continues to pour himself fully into his leadership. And even on the edge of the land when most of us would be most jealous, he gives them perhaps the most important teaching ever. God is one, love God will all your being. Jesus Himself later said that this is the first and greatest commandment.
The lesson we learn is service to God is more important that personal dreams. Moses wanted to enter the land, and if anyone had earned it, it was him. He put up with a bunch of stubborn babies who constantly complained and insisted on going back to Egypt. He put up with it for 40 years, and even defended them before God. And yet in this we also see that no leader, no matter how great, escapes accountability with God. Moses chose to serve God and lead His people to the very end, even though his service ended on the east bank of the Jordan.
In Moses' position would you become bitter or better? I feel that most of us are bitter already. Things haven't worked out as we planned, and though we may put up a facade that we're faithful and ok with it, inwardly it tears us up and eats at us. Yeah I've been there, in some ways I'm there right now. I want to be better, I want to continue to serve, but right now I don't really seem to have anyone to lead. My days are spent alone with my dog. It's one of those situations in life that doesn't make any sense and you wonder what the point is.
Don't really have anything else to say on that yet, one of the things I need to reflect on some more.
Second thing came near the end of the trip. The crucifixion happened in one of two locations. Traditionally, the location is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but I'm a believer in Gordon's Calvary and the Garden Tomb. This trip my thoughts were given some more evidence. The Garden Tomb is a tomb that has been cut out of the rock face. It wasn't a cave that was converted into a tomb, but I learned this time that the tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was a cave. Why does this matter? Matthew 27.60 says, "his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock." Mark also has the phrase, "a tomb cut out of rock." So with that in mind I believe that it was the second site. Ultimately place doesn't matter, it's all about the event.
Gordon's Calvary is an old quarry that has what looks like a skull in the face of the rock. It was a place of execution outside the city gates on the road to Damascus. And I believe that this is the location of the crucifixion of Jesus. It was here at the foot of the hill along the road that Jesus was nailed to a cross to die for the sins of the world.
In Exodus 19.17, we are told, "Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain." The people are told not to come up the mountain, and God's glory on the mountain terrifies the people so they don't even want to try to. The people are at the foot of the mountain and God is on top. The people waiver in their commitment to God for generations, and then one day God comes down from the mountain.
In the Judean countryside Jesus is born as a baby in Bethlehem. He comes as a human and for the first time people see God as approachable. He sets an example of how to live life and shows us what God is like. But there is still a problem, people are separated from God by sin still. And so Jesus does what has to happen to bring us back into a relationship with God. He goes to the foot of the mountain, and lays down on a cross allowing himself to be nailed to it, and dies in our place. That is who God is.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Going Back
So I've been pretty quiet for a few a while. Not much is going on in my life. Still have no job, don't really have any ministry prospects, and really want to be out on my own again. I feel like the life has been sucked out of me and that I have a ton of potential that is just being wasted. I want something to do, I want somewhere to minister where I can be used to do something, and contribute to something worth doing.
Don't know why that all came out, guess I just needed to vent some of that. Anyway, tomorrow begins a journey that I have been waiting for for almost four years, I finally get to go back to Israel. Bags are packed and I'm just waiting for my wife to get home before we head down to Mt. Vernon. This will be our first vacation since our honeymoon, and a much needed escape from life for both of us.
As I've lived the past year I've done a lot of thinking and examining, particularly in regards to the Church. I've noticed some issues, and at times it makes me really angry. I initially started this post a few weeks ago as I was doing some work for the class I'm taking in combination with this trip. At first it was pretty harsh and negative, and typing it out helped me not post all of the thoughts I had and instead to begin to look at the Bible and what it said about the Church.
Today the Church would rather be comfortable than consecrated, traditional than transformed, secure than serving, and right than righteous. We've made church too much about US and not anywhere near about God. My biggest issue with the Church is the same as Gandhi’s. "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christian's, they are so unlike your Christ." In my twenty-six years of life, and the decade or so that I've really been aware of it, that's what I've seen to be true of the Church.
Part of me wonders how it happened. How did something that Jesus Himself prepared and the Holy Spirit began get so far from what God intended it to be? It's because we've lost sight of who Jesus really is, what He really said, and we've denied the power of the Holy Spirit to help us live as He did. Because of that His Church looks very little, if anything, like He originally intended it to. And so with that I think I'm going to take a slightly different approach to this. Let's look at what the Bible says about the Church.
During this trip, as I'm growing closer to my wife, meeting God in new ways, and walking in the footsteps of Christ, my goal is to do just that, look at what the Bible says about the Church. Once I get back I'll be sharing my findings in one way or another, possibly here, it might be the next sermon series I do if that chance ever comes. But for now I will simply ask for your prayers.
Pray for safety as we travel to and throughout the land of Israel. Pray for good weather. Pray for real encounters with God, and the wisdom to hear what He is saying. And pray for guidance as I seek His intention and design of the Church.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Don't know why that all came out, guess I just needed to vent some of that. Anyway, tomorrow begins a journey that I have been waiting for for almost four years, I finally get to go back to Israel. Bags are packed and I'm just waiting for my wife to get home before we head down to Mt. Vernon. This will be our first vacation since our honeymoon, and a much needed escape from life for both of us.
As I've lived the past year I've done a lot of thinking and examining, particularly in regards to the Church. I've noticed some issues, and at times it makes me really angry. I initially started this post a few weeks ago as I was doing some work for the class I'm taking in combination with this trip. At first it was pretty harsh and negative, and typing it out helped me not post all of the thoughts I had and instead to begin to look at the Bible and what it said about the Church.
Today the Church would rather be comfortable than consecrated, traditional than transformed, secure than serving, and right than righteous. We've made church too much about US and not anywhere near about God. My biggest issue with the Church is the same as Gandhi’s. "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christian's, they are so unlike your Christ." In my twenty-six years of life, and the decade or so that I've really been aware of it, that's what I've seen to be true of the Church.
Part of me wonders how it happened. How did something that Jesus Himself prepared and the Holy Spirit began get so far from what God intended it to be? It's because we've lost sight of who Jesus really is, what He really said, and we've denied the power of the Holy Spirit to help us live as He did. Because of that His Church looks very little, if anything, like He originally intended it to. And so with that I think I'm going to take a slightly different approach to this. Let's look at what the Bible says about the Church.
During this trip, as I'm growing closer to my wife, meeting God in new ways, and walking in the footsteps of Christ, my goal is to do just that, look at what the Bible says about the Church. Once I get back I'll be sharing my findings in one way or another, possibly here, it might be the next sermon series I do if that chance ever comes. But for now I will simply ask for your prayers.
Pray for safety as we travel to and throughout the land of Israel. Pray for good weather. Pray for real encounters with God, and the wisdom to hear what He is saying. And pray for guidance as I seek His intention and design of the Church.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
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