Standing in Grace

Be Perfect?!

2012-01-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

In our continuing sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount, we have worked our way through Jesus’ discourse on the law of Moses, and concluded Sunday’s message with the closing words posed by Jesus in Matthew 5:48 --

“But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. “

After a lengthy discourse in which Jesus addressed not only the outward letter of the law, but also the evil intents and inclinations of our hearts, the reader finally arrives at verse 48 with a self-condemning heart, understanding that perfect righteousness is far beyond the flesh’s own doing. If His prior words set the bar out of our immediate reach, then the summation command, “Be perfect,” places the bar completely out of the bounds of the universe itself.

Impossible to attain. Yet, there it is.

So, how does one become perfect? Let’s look at two means by which perfection is NOT attained:

Human effort does not make one perfect.

Galatians 3:3 - "How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?"

(for the best commentary on this verse, read the entire book of Galatians; Paul articulates the futility of human effort)
The law does not make one perfect.

Hebrews 10:1 - “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.”

Hebrews 7:19 - "For the law never made anything perfect."

(again, for the best commentary, nothing beats the Bible itself; the book of Hebrews speaks to this subject at length)

'Perfection' comes from God alone.

Romans 12:2 - "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
Colossians 4:12 - "Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God."
Hebrews 10:14 - "For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy."
James 1:2-4 - "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."
James 1:21-25 - "So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. 22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it."

Perfection is a process. We will never be perfect in this life time, yet He works perfection in us as we yield to Him; just as we can never become righteous by our own efforts, yet “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).”

By God’s standards, nobody could ever achieve perfection, or even be qualified to receive salvation. It is impossible.

Jesus’ disciples increasingly understood this truth, culminating in the question, “Then who in the world can be saved?”

“Humanly speaking, it is impossible,” Jesus responded. “But with God everything is possible (Matthew 19:26).”

Want to be perfect? Then don’t hide your weaknesses, but boast in them, for God says, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9a).”

Love In Christ,
Pastor Joe

Stress! Crisis!

2012-01-25T17:49:00.001-08:00

Did I get your attention? I titled this post as such because I am currently working my way through week three of my final term of college before I graduate in June with my Bachelor’s Degree in Behavioral Science. Having long since completed my core requirements, as well as the courses for my major, I’ve been able to finish out my last two terms with electives.

Last term, I chose “Dynamics of Family Relationships” and “Managing Conflict.” This time, I’m taking “Stress: Its Effect on the Family” and “Crisis Intervention.” While these four certainly lend value to my overall major, they’ve proven to be very relevant to my life over the past five months. I love how God repeatedly has led me to take classes that He knew would have direct application to the circumstances I’d be in when I took them.

My extended family is currently walking through some challenging medical/aging issues which I will refrain from going into here. Having said that, each one of us within our family system has been faced with extended stressors and a looming feeling of borderline crisis.

This is where our walk with Jesus comes in to stark clarity. It’s easy to profess faith, hope, peace, and joy in Him when all is going well; yet, when the storms of life come raging, we tend to lose our bearings, and default to ‘crisis mode.’

I’m reminded of a story in Luke 8:

One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.
The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”
The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”

It’s an inescapable fact of life that storms will arise. In the middle of life’s crises, though, remember…

He’s in the boat with us.

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27)
“For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.’” (Hebrews 13:5b)
“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)

“Jesus said ‘In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) – (Thanks, Kevin!)

Love In Christ,
Pastor Joe

I Obey the Law

2012-01-21T20:33:00.001-08:00

Over the past couple of weeks at church, we have been making our way through the Sermon on the Mount. We began with the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12), followed by a study on being ‘salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16).’ Just this evening, I finished preparing for tomorrow’s sermon on Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus’ mission statement regarding the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets.

This particular passage of the Sermon on the Mount is deeply personal to me, as it has been a subject that has been “in my face” for a long time. The exact circumstances as to how and why I came to dive headfirst into the topic are unimportant; what is important is that I wanted to make sure that when the time came to touch upon this topic from the pulpit, that I did so with as much of an objective understanding of the Scriptures regarding law as possible.

One of the biggest misconceptions that people have about those of us who hold to the Gospel of grace as being superior to the law of Moses is that we are then ‘lawless.’ Such talk implies that, believing ourselves no longer bound to obedience to the law, we consider God’s grace as a ‘license to sin’.

This, of course, is foolishness. As Paul wrote in Romans 6:15 - "Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!"

I won’t go into a discourse on law here, other than to say that the tension between law and grace was significant even in the 1st century church. One cannot read many passages of the New Testament without encountering the contentious topic again and again. There are many books, articles, websites, commentaries, etc. written on the subject, but the Bible speaks best for itself. If you’re interested in learning more what the law controversy is all about, I encourage you to start with Acts 15, Romans, and Galatians.

I’ll close with one short verse that speaks my heart so concise, yet so eloquently:

"But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ." – 1 Corinthians 9:21b

Love In Christ,
Pastor Joe

“Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus”

2012-01-16T11:58:00.001-08:00

I recently watched this video that has been making the rounds on the Internet, and thought that I’d share it here.

“Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus”

“See because religion says do, Jesus says done
Religion says slave, Jesus says son
Religion puts you in bondage, while Jesus sets you free
Religion makes you blind, but Jesus makes you see
And that's why religion and Jesus are two different clans
Religion is man searching for God, Christianity is God searching for man
Which is why salvation is freely mine, and forgiveness is my own
Not based on my merits but Jesus's obedience alone
Because he took the crown of thorns, and the blood dripped down his face
He took what we all deserved, I guess that's why you call it grace
And while being murdered he yelled
"Father forgive them they know not what they do."
Because when he was dangling on that cross, he was thinking of you
And he absorbed all of your sin, and buried it in the tomb
Which is why I'm kneeling at the cross, saying come on there's room
So for religion, no I hate it, in fact I literally resent it
Because when Jesus said it is finished, I believe he meant it”
~ Jefferson Bethke,
”Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus”

What is true Biblical religion?

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." - James 1:27

A Quote on Preaching

2012-01-07T21:24:00.001-08:00

“Simplicity in expression is of utmost importance. The teacher should speak so that even children and people who cannot read may be able to understand him, as far as the natural mind can comprehend the things of God. Every congregation has people of various educational and social backgrounds. The expounder of the truth of God speaks for God and for eternity. It is unlikely that he will benefit the hearers unless he uses plain speech.” - George Muller

On Blessings

2012-01-07T20:46:00.001-08:00

I just finished working on tomorrow’s sermon, the start of a series of yet-to-be-determined length on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Like other passages of scripture, I’ve read these words at least dozens of times before, yet, as always seems to be the case when I’m digging in, the words come alive again in a fresh and relevant way.

Working my way through the eight blessings that Jesus began his famous sermon with, I was encouraged to see just how ‘blessed’ and ‘persecution’ paint a beautiful picture of the work that He was yet to do on the cross. Because of His finished work, we have been blessed with the privilege of sharing in the proclamation of the Good News, that He has made us right with God.

Right with God! Not on our own merits, not by anything that we could ever say or do, but only by complete faith and trust in Jesus. It is no wonder that this message is so offensive to others. Our world system is, and has always been, merit-based. So, to proclaim that the ultimate outcomes – justification, righteousness, peace with God – are not at all based upon our individual merits, but freely bestowed on us by our spiritual poverty, by our humility, by the mercy we show others, is an offense to those who maintain that we must work to gain God’s favor and love. It is to say that all of their external works are for nothing. The true work of godliness is internal.

Jesus’ blessings conclude with “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.”

Be happy?! Yes! Consider the words of the apostle Paul:

"Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39)

Yes, persecution will come, but blessed are you when it does, for God is working out something far greater than our momentary troubles would belie, something of eternal worth and value.

Someone once wrote, “There is no oil, if olives are not squeezed. No wine, if grapes are not pressed. No perfume, if flowers are not crushed.” Although this is not scripture, but a quote from an unknown source, it bears an eternal truth.

As it is written, “our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).”

Perspectives on Creation

2012-01-06T18:30:00.001-08:00

“He counts the stars and calls them all by name.”
~ Psalm 147:4

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.”
~ Psalm 19:1-4

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?”
~ Psalm 8:3-4

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.”
~ Psalm 139:13-16

Technology in the Pulpit?

2012-01-04T20:06:00.001-08:00

Today, while catching up on some of the blogs and forums I follow, I read an interesting thread.

The initial post was titled “playbook in church” (‘playbook’ being the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet):

“spotted! my pastor at church uses his playbook as his bible during his sermon. im not sure if he is using notes or the bible app , either way playbook has made it to the pulpit. AMEN”

I had to smile, as I’ve been using my HP TouchPad religiously (pun intended) on Sunday mornings ever since I received it a few months ago. I’ve even used it in a wedding ceremony. I’ve found it to be a great ministerial help, so much so that I’m sure I’ll blog about it at some point. As it stands, I can’t imagine going back to paper notes.

Having said that, I want to share one of the comments someone posted to that thread. Bear in mind, virtually all of the replies (135 at last count) were overwhelmingly positive.

“Using a tablet in church seems a little over the top, even for pastors. Seriously, I doubt that God is amused...”

I’m wondering why the author of this comment feels this way. Thoughts, anyone?

Shake Off the Dust

2012-01-03T17:41:00.001-08:00

Here are a few scriptures that have spoken measures to me in recent weeks; verses that have been especially cathartic as I’ve been striving to put the past behind me, and to freely move into the next chapter of my life:

"Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them." - 2 Timothy 2:14

"Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants." - 2 Timothy 2:23-26

"Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time. If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them. For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them." - Titus 3:9-11

There are times when it is important to defend the faith (Jude 1:3), but there is also a time to shake off the dust and to move on (Matthew 10:14).

This is where I am in my journey, as I begin a new year.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all,

Pastor Joe

My Pastoral Resolutions

2012-01-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

I resolve to be a man of constant joy, prayer, and thanksgiving (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
I resolve to love my wife as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25), and to manage my own family and household well (1 Timothy 3:4).
I resolve to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2).
I resolve to do my best to present myself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15-16).
I resolve to preach the word of God, to be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not, to patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage the people with good teaching (2 Timothy 4:2).
I resolve to guard myself and God’s people. I will feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed me as pastor (Acts 20:28).
I resolve to care for the flock that God has entrusted to me; to watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what I will get out of it, but because I am eager to serve God; to not lord it over the people assigned to my care, but lead you by my own good example (1 Peter 5:2-3).
I resolve to use the spiritual gifts that God has entrusted to me with to serve you (1 Peter 4:10), to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility value others above myself, not looking to my own interests but to the interest of others (Philippians 2:3-4), and to be the servant of all (Mark 9:35).
I resolve to rejoice with those who rejoice, to mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15), and to share in your burdens (Galatians 6:2).
I resolve to strive to forget the past and to look forward to what lies ahead, to press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us (Philippians 3:13-14).

A Few Verses on Truth

2011-12-26T16:54:00.000-08:00

"I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit" - Romans 9:1

"Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God." - 2 Corinthians 4:1-2

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." - 2 Timothy 2:15

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." - 1 Corinthians 13:6

They Gave Him a Manger for A Cradle…

2011-12-23T07:30:00.001-08:00

‎"They gave him a manger for a cradle,
a carpenter's bench for a pulpit,
thorns for a crown, and a cross for a throne.
He took them and made them the very glory of his career."
~ W.E. Orchard

For the Glory of God

2011-12-21T19:12:00.001-08:00

I've heard much ado as of late about how Christians shouldn't do this or celebrate that because of the ties to paganism.

Instead of cowering behind a fear of being corrupted by paganism and risking incurring God’s wrath, it’s important to see this issue in the light of the New Covenant given to us through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross.

Jesus said, "If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that." (Matthew 5:27 NIV) Should we then not show kindness at all, because we don't want to be associated with paganism?

Reread the passage -- Jesus isn't telling us not to do what the pagans do, but to live our lives in such a way that brings honor to Him, that if people found out we were Christians, they wouldn't be surprised at all. No, we are not to call ourselves Christians, yet continue to live sinful, worldly lives. Instead, we are to “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:12)

Don't just be kind only to your friends, but be kind also to strangers, even to your enemies. Live your life with a heart of love, not love merely reserved for those who love us, but for all, unconditionally and radically.

Likewise, don't not celebrate Christmas because it's "pagan." Don't only celebrate it on December 25th. Celebrate it every day in the way you act, talk, live!

“In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.” - Romans 14:5-9

“For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it? So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” - 1 Corinthians 10:29b-31

What “pagan” customs should we stay away from?

“For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” - 1 Peter 4:3-6 NIV

“Israel failed to destroy the nations in the land, as the Lord had commanded them. Instead, they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs. They worshiped their idols, which led to their downfall. They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters. By sacrificing them to the idols of Canaan, they polluted the land with murder. They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was adultery in the Lord’s sight.” - Psalm 106:34-39

Jesus said, “It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth… the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.” (Matthew 15:11,18-19)

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God!

Thanksgiving Questions

2011-11-15T14:59:00.001-08:00

“May you be filled with joy,always thanking the Father.” ~ Colossians 1:11b-12a

A question for you:

Do you celebrate Thanksgiving?

If you are like most Americans, the answer is a resounding ‘yes!’ Of course, there are many reasons we observe the holiday, and I don’t even need to touch upon them. Everyone has their own unique reasons for celebrating, their own traditions, their own food preferences, their own memories, and on and on.

But what I really want to know is:

What do YOU mean by Thanksgiving?

For Christians, the question is simple. I’ve often wondered, though, what the word means to those who don’t have faith, who don’t believe in a Creator. It’s understood that we all things in our life to be thankful of, but the very word ‘thanksgiving’ requires a recipient.
As you gather with your loved ones to celebrate Thanksgiving, and to enjoy the food, fun, family, and friendship that characterize the day, ask yourself these two questions:

What am I thankful for today? And Who is deserving of my gratitude?

Even if you are a non-believer, I challenge you to take a moment to reflect upon these things.
The Bible says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17),” “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life inChrist Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23),” and “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).”
God loves us so much that His gifts to us are not conditional on our acknowledgement of Him, but are freely given long before we even cast an eye in His direction. Reflect upon the blessings in your life, and give careful consideration to where they may have originated.
Give thanks to the Lord!

Give Me Jesus

2011-11-11T17:01:00.001-08:00

Give Me Jesus–Jeremy Camp

“Yes, everything else is
worthless when compared
with the infinite value of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
For his sake I have discarded
everything else,
counting it all as garbage,
so that I could gain Christ.”
~ Philippians 3:8

The Law of Christ

2011-11-09T16:48:00.001-08:00

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”
~ Galatians 6:2

What is the law of Christ?

Matthew 22:36-40 relates a conversation between a Pharisee and Jesus:

““Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.””

Elsewhere, in Matthew 7:12, Jesus spoke of the heart and intent behind the law of Moses – the proverbial “Golden Rule.”

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”

In Romans 13:8-10, Paul elaborates further on how Christ’s commandment to love others fulfills the law of Moses.

“Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.”

Returning to Galatians 5:13-15, Paul reiterates this point:

"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another."

Freedom from the law of Moses is not a license to sin, of course, but that’s a topic for another post.

The Gospel of grace is beautiful in its elegant simplicity.

Love God, love others.

No Favoritism

2011-08-09T16:01:00.001-07:00

From the blog “Ministry Matters”:

“The American church has a “dirty little secret”: thousands of special needs families have been made to feel like Old Testament lepers—forbidden from entering the temple to worship God with their brethren.”

http://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/1415/welcoming-special-needs-families

James 2:1-4 (NLT) says, "My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?"

While this passage speaks about discriminating based upon appearances, it's an illustration about favoritism in general. I understand that the church mentioned in this article seeks "to offer a distraction free environment for all our guests," but at what expense? Rather than making this a church policy, churches should be be modeling the Biblical mandate of "no favoritism."

The church, after all, is the Body of Christ, and each person has a place, regardless of “ability.” 1 Corinthians 12 tells us that, not only can’t one part of the body tell another that they are not needed, “some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.” Jesus also spoke on the topic in His discourse on the final judgment in Matthew 25:31-46.

“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

Finally, I am reminded of Matthew 19:13-15:

One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.
But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.

God does not show favoritism (Romans 2:11), but accepts all who come to Him equally. Shouldn’t we, then, as the Body of Christ do likewise?

Creation Calls… Are You Listening?

2011-08-07T16:52:00.001-07:00

The Church in the Cloud?

2011-07-15T19:46:00.001-07:00

I am always looking for ways to enhance our church's communication and sense of community between Sundays. My explorations and experimentations sometimes border on overkill, but for the most part, I don't think that anyone can say that they feel disconnected... except, possibly, for those who don't use the Internet. I'm working on that.

In the meantime, I wanted to share a great, thought-provoking blog post I discovered entitled, "The Church in the Cloud."

Here's an excerpt:

"What do you think might happen if the church adopted this “cloud” thing and consciously broke the connections that tie us to a physical location?

"What would it look like, for instance, if we learned to do community in the cloud? For one thing, we'd figure out how to be in each other's lives all the time, not just on Sundays when we all showed up at the same place. We'd find ways to be together, to pray together, to worship together, and to share each other's struggles. Our community would come from our being connected to each other through the work of God, through Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, and not attendance at the same event."

I encourage you to read the whole article, and to share your thoughts on it with me.

http://www.faithwebblog.com/2009/09/church-in-cloud.html

Pressing On

2011-04-04T11:17:00.001-07:00

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” – Phillipians 3:12-14

This past weekend was one of the best that I have had in a very long time. On Sunday, many friends and family joined us as we celebrated the dedication of our new church, Acres of Hope Christian Fellowship, and my official ordination as pastor. As I spoke these words from the book of Phillipians, I was again reminded of everything that the Lord has done in my life over the past year.

It has been a long journey, heartbreaking at times, but through it all, the Lord sustained me through the love, support, and edification of my family, friends, and co-workers in Christ. We all have had many opportunities to become stuck in the miry pits of discouragement and bitterness, yet each time any one of us found ourselves sinking, the Lord led us ever onward and upward.

Forgetting the past doesn’t negate our testimonies, nor our memories of the people and places that have comprised the stories of our lives; rather, it involves leaving behind the hurts and heartbreaks of our past, however recent or remote. We may carry our scars, our limps, our still raw wounds, but we “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

We may not have arrived yet, but we cast our cares on Him, lay aside the sins and burdens that so easily hinder us, and run the race with the complete freedom that is found in Jesus Christ.

Further Up and Further In

2011-01-01T14:28:00.001-08:00

"I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now...Come further up, come further in!" - Jewel The Unicorn in The Last Battle, C. S. Lewis

Readers of C. S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia" will recognize the reference to one of the last lines in the Narnia stories. I was first drawn to the books in my childhood, but over the years, as I have re-read them over and over, I am constantly amazed at the wealth of meaning and symbolism packed in to these seven all-too-short books.

Some scenes and lines have stuck out in my mind since way back when, though at the time, I didn't grasp the greater messages implied. Since then, I have greatly enjoyed revisiting the stories from time to time, simultaneously reliving the wonder and excitement I experienced back then, and also seeing the stories through my son's eyes. Most of all, as an adult, I have appreciated Lewis's expression of his faith in a fresh way that engages the imagination and challenges the spirit.

As a worship leader, the scene quoted above resonates with me. Here is a group of beings discovering the "real" Narnia for the first time, experiencing yet greater heights of joy with every passing moment. I find that same sense of the wonder of God's amazing love and grace in the book of Ephesians:

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

There are moments in my life, in the midst of the everyday living, where my spirit catches just a glimpse of these things, and I experience a clarity of thought and emotion, as if I have just awoken from a long dreamless sleep. My finite mind cannot comprehend of infinity and eternity, and yet, I love to spend time out under a canopy of stars, feeling awed at the evidence of a truth I cannot fully conceive of. And yet, I experience a strange joy to know that the stark reality of the universe and time without beginning or end has nothing to do with my understanding or acceptance. It just WAS, and IS, and will ALWAYS BE, and I am but a speck of dust in a split second of time. Strange, that such thoughts that should depress me instead bring me a sense of wonder and peace.

In the light of space and time, and the God who exists in both, I am nothing, yet the Bible says He knows my name, that He knew me before I was born, and that someday, I will live forever in His presence. I imagine that each moment will bring greater joy and wonder than the one before as we finally see Him face to face.

Today, live beyond the mundane. Lift your eyes beyond your circumstances. Lie back under a blanket of stars, and let the infinite speak to your finite mind. Dare to hope. Dare to believe.

"Come further up, come further in!"

Bystanders, Samaritans & Neighbors

2010-12-16T10:21:00.001-08:00

Those of you who have been following my Facebook posts likely know that I've been talking about the "Bystander Effect", in which people tend to think 'somebody else' will take care of an obvious problem, and consequently nobody does anything about it.

I had first hand opportunity to witness this yesterday. Driving home from picking up my son from school, I saw an SUV off the road, tilted at a 45 degree angle in a culvert. I stopped immediately to find that the driver, an 80+ year old woman, had hit a patch of black ice and lost control of her vehicle.

She was alright, but what was alarming to me is that she had said that at least three or four cars had gone by without stopping to see if she was okay. With the temperatures barely hovering above the single digits, and the road treacherously slick, I wondered how anybody could possibly NOT stop to see if they could help, no matter who was driving.

I was reminded of Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

This passage directly answers the question of “Who is my neighbor?” when we read of the two greatest commandments in Matthew 22:

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Are you prepared to help your neighbor?

Be the exception to the “Bystander Effect” rule. You may be the only person who makes the difference in the lives of others.

If Anyone Does Sin…

2010-12-08T18:08:00.001-08:00

As a Christian, I desperately want to be completely free from sin, to leave the old nature behind like a snake shedding its skin. Instead, as Paul wrote, I still find myself doing the things that I don’t want to do, and not doing the things that I want to do. We are familiar with the numerous sins listed in the Bible, of course. But what about the sins not listed?

“Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” ~ James 4:17

“Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.” ~ 1 Tim 1:19

I read that, and think, “Oh no, I’m doomed.” My conscience is regularly pricking at me, and more often than not, I find myself again weighed down by a sense of guilt over ill-timed words, impulsive actions, a whole myriad of real and imagined offenses against God and others. I stand condemned by self.
But then, I read:

“Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.” ~ 1 John 3:20-21

“My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” ~ 1 John 2:1-2

I cannot begin to tell you how priceless those verses have become to me. Rather than having to ask God’s forgiveness, and then spend hours trying to “feel” it, I am now able to stand on passages like the ones above in faith. Even though my heart may still not be in alignment with His word, to remember that God is greater than my feelings, that there is no condemnation in Him, and that if we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive them. Our feelings are not a reliable indicator of how forgiven or not we are.

This is part of the wonder of grace.

The Centrality of the Cross

2010-10-23T10:41:00.000-07:00

After one Sunday service, we gathered outside to dedicate the church’s new backlit cross in memory of a member of our church who went home to be with the Lord the previous winter. As I stood at the foot of the cross, appreciating the finished work of the hands that had put so much effort into designing and constructing it, I found a greater appreciation for the “finished work” of the original cross, the cross of Christ.

The cross stands as a powerful reminder of the core of our faith; it is the lynchpin of everything that defines us as Christians, and of who we are in Jesus Christ. I am reminded, every time that I look at the cross, that it is also a symbol of the two greatest commandments as Jesus instructed in Matthew 22:37-40:

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Our highest mandates are to love God and to love others, to continually live a life where our vertical relationship and our horizontal relationships intersect with each other. As Jesus articulated, everything else we are to do, or not to do, are wrapped up in the simplicity of these two commandments. Imagine how radically different our world would be if people truly endeavored to live their lives motivated entirely by such love.

Jesus never asked us to do something that He’s not willing or prepared to equip us to do. Throughout His life, and especially in His death, He not only put loving and obeying God and ministering to the needs of others above His own self-interest, He made them His own self-interest. The cross is where He showed the full extent of His purpose and passion.

Two thousand years later, the cross remains central to the message of the Gospel. Scripture admonishes us to be careful not to drift away from the centrality of the cross; instead, as the Apostle Paul wrote,

As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world died long ago, and the world’s interest in me is also long dead. It doesn’t make any difference now whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people. May God’s mercy and peace be upon all those who live by this principle. They are the new people of God. – Galatians 6:14-16

While it is important to balance our appreciation for the work done on the cross with the joyful hope given us in the resurrection, we must never lose sight of the greater meaning expressed in the cross. Let it be a daily reminder of how much God loves you, as well as how much He loves the rest of the world, and let us live accordingly.