I cannot believe that it is almost July already. That means that the year is a little more than half over. Where did the time go? I suspect it just got ate up in the general busyness of life. I had the opportunity to hear a lecture this year from two people on how indulging in a hobby improved their job performance by keeping them physically and mentally sharp. As I sat there listening on family sailing trips from LA to Oahu and extreme running and mountaineering I thought about hobbies that I have let go and made a mental note to indulge one of these days. I finally had the opportunity to do so with my family and even though it was a bit nerve wracking-wow I had forgotten how much fun it was. I have to do this more often! Even God rested on the Sabbath after His creative efforts perhaps to enjoy His creation. We seem to be so busy going here, there and everywhere or doing this and that, pausing from our everyday lives to rest, reflect and recharge seems to get lost somewhere along the way. There is something to be said for recharging mentally and physically. A side benefit might be that we would even “see” the opportunities for Christ we’re missing because we are burned out on the day to day of living.
So how about spiritually? Do we keep our spiritual batteries fully charged at all times? Christ often went out apart from the crowds and seemingly even the disciples to rest and recharge. It was away from the general busyness and distractions of life that Christ went to hear God’s voice. Did the time away allow Christ to refocus His mind, will and being on doing God’s business? Did the time spent in singular fellowship with God allow Christ to more easily pick out God’s voice when other voices got really loud? As Christ was fully human as well as fully God I think Christ had the same need for fellowship with God that we have. I think perhaps we allow ourselves to get so distracted by just living that we shortchange our relationship with God and end up ultimately shortchanging ourselves. How many of us have ever heard the voice of God? Do we ever get away from life long enough to hear His voice? Have we spent enough time alone with God that we can pick out His voice from the din of competing voices? Have we spent enough time reading and studying God’s word, internalizing it in our very being, so that when other ideas come up we can know whether they are of God or even God honoring? Have we lost our focus on what God wants us to do with our lives, whatever that may be? How much richer and fuller would our lives be if we spent more time with God and a little less with whatever captivates or distracts us from Him the most? Some people seem to have the ability to spend great quantities of time in prayer and study. Sometimes I look at them and get overwhelmed or feel guilty because they seem to be better than me. Do you? We have to remember that what we do is between God and us, not for public show or consumption but to build our relationship with Him. It takes whatever time it takes be it a short or long. David talked a lot about meditating in the Psalms-actively contemplating God’s word, actively fellowshipping with God. His meditation was not a passive emptying but an active filling. The Bible tells us that Christ is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. That makes Him better than our best friend. So how many of us would repeatedly and continuously neglect talking to our best friend, spending time with our best friend, or reading the letter/email that our best friend wrote to us because we were just too busy?
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Questions always questions
Are we governed by the tyranny of the immediate or do we realize that our decisions can have eternal consequences? For example, do we take a job that would cause us to violate our faith because we need to pay the bills? In what order should we put family, work, God? Do we neglect our family for church work? Do we neglect our family or God because of daily work? Do we focus on the things of earth instead of heavenly things? Do we need the deadwood pruned out of our lives by the Master Gardener so that we are more fruitful? Perhaps that trial we were able to avoid would have strengthened our faith for a later time or would have given us the wisdom to help strengthen another.
Do we ignore the call of God on our lives because it doesn’t fit with what we want to do, doesn’t seem possible, or involves great sacrifice? Moses most certainly did not want to lead the people out of Egypt or approach Pharaoh and yet God gave Moses what he needed to be successful in what God commissioned him to do. Jonah tried to run away from his call and look where that got him! Jim Elliot and others went to the Auca Indians as missionaries, some were killed by the Auca, and yet through their deaths many Auca came to Christ.
Do we keep our Sunday lives separate from every other aspect of our lives? One of the great things about the Reformation was that Luther realized all work was holy work not just that which was done by the priests, monks and nuns. So whatever job we do is holy work and our faith should permeate every facet of our lives. Our decisions on things we do, even the seemingly trivial, should be made through the lens of our faith. Do activities such as reading books, listening to music, watching movies, surfing the ‘Net lead us closer to God or further away? Perhaps one is an area of weakness and the others are not but are we discerning enough to know what is and isn’t lawful for us individually? Are we willing to forgo something we enjoy because it might cause a brother or sister in Christ to stumble?
Are we unwilling to submit to the authority of God and His Word because we might have to go against our culture and society? Are we loving people into a Christless eternity because we don’t want to offend them? God has reasons for His rules and constraints even though we may not understand why. As an example, there is a really long list of rashes in Leviticus for which people were to present themselves to the priest. Sometimes quarantine was indicated and sometimes not. The big disease they were worried about-leprosy; highly communicable and still very deadly without treatment. In some countries leper colonies still exist. Maybe the other rashes were things like chickenpox, scarlet fever, meningitis, and measles: also potentially deadly even in 21st century America. When the priest quarantined an individual with a rash until they recovered or died, the rest of the community was protected from more than just leprosy.
Finally, how would our answers differ if we were fully committed followers of Christ, in total submission to Him?
Do we ignore the call of God on our lives because it doesn’t fit with what we want to do, doesn’t seem possible, or involves great sacrifice? Moses most certainly did not want to lead the people out of Egypt or approach Pharaoh and yet God gave Moses what he needed to be successful in what God commissioned him to do. Jonah tried to run away from his call and look where that got him! Jim Elliot and others went to the Auca Indians as missionaries, some were killed by the Auca, and yet through their deaths many Auca came to Christ.
Do we keep our Sunday lives separate from every other aspect of our lives? One of the great things about the Reformation was that Luther realized all work was holy work not just that which was done by the priests, monks and nuns. So whatever job we do is holy work and our faith should permeate every facet of our lives. Our decisions on things we do, even the seemingly trivial, should be made through the lens of our faith. Do activities such as reading books, listening to music, watching movies, surfing the ‘Net lead us closer to God or further away? Perhaps one is an area of weakness and the others are not but are we discerning enough to know what is and isn’t lawful for us individually? Are we willing to forgo something we enjoy because it might cause a brother or sister in Christ to stumble?
Are we unwilling to submit to the authority of God and His Word because we might have to go against our culture and society? Are we loving people into a Christless eternity because we don’t want to offend them? God has reasons for His rules and constraints even though we may not understand why. As an example, there is a really long list of rashes in Leviticus for which people were to present themselves to the priest. Sometimes quarantine was indicated and sometimes not. The big disease they were worried about-leprosy; highly communicable and still very deadly without treatment. In some countries leper colonies still exist. Maybe the other rashes were things like chickenpox, scarlet fever, meningitis, and measles: also potentially deadly even in 21st century America. When the priest quarantined an individual with a rash until they recovered or died, the rest of the community was protected from more than just leprosy.
Finally, how would our answers differ if we were fully committed followers of Christ, in total submission to Him?
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Inspiration and Salvation
“All Scripture is Godbreathed” and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3: 16-17). So what do we mean when we talk about the scripture being God breathed or inspired, and why does it matter? Historically, the teaching and understanding of scriptural inspiration was that the Bible was the very word of God and truth on matters both spiritual and non-spiritual. In other words, not only is the Bible truth in matters of morality and philosophy, where the Bible touches on and discusses matters such as science, history and geography, it is 100% truth; reliable and accurate. During the Enlightenment, many started holding on to the idea that truth could only be known if it could be tested and confirmed with direct observation. No longer could truth be known in matters of philosophy or morality and discussions of these areas were confined to matters of personal opinion or preference. Inspiration of scripture has come to mean many different things to different theologians based on the prevailing winds of the culture. Some hold the scripture to be only partially inspired, and some claim that some parts are more inspired than others. Problem being, none can agree on which parts are or aren’t inspired, or more inspired.
So what. Not everyone has to believe what we believe right? Well that is where inspiration comes into play. Consider the matter of sin and salvation. We are in the season of when we reflect on Christ’s death, burial, and His resurrection. The Bible clearly states all of us have sinned (Rom. 3:23, 5:12), our good deeds are as filthy rags (Is. 64:6), the payment of our sins is both physical and spiritual death (Rom. 6:23), Christ is the only Way to God (Jo. 14:6, Acts 4:12), Hell is a real place (Ps. 9:17, Matt. 5:22, 29-30, 23:33, Lk. 16:23, Acts 2:27, 31, 1Pet.2:4), and that the end result of our sin is eternal separation from God with punishment, except for the cross of Christ and faith in Him (Ps. 9:17, Rev. 20:11-15, Rom. 8:1). Yet even amongst evangelical Christians, these doctrines, which are clearly in Scripture, are not believed. Too exclusive? What gives us the right to force our beliefs on other people? A loving God would never condemn people to Hell. Without believing in the full inspiration of scripture, we can then question the very words of God and make them mean what we want. Isn’t that what Adam and Eve did? “Did God really say,” was the question they were asked by the serpent. So now we have leaders teaching things like Universalism; all people are eventually saved because God is a God of love. All religious roads lead to God; if this is true why send Christ to die in the first place? All that suffering on His part becomes totally unnecessary. If there is no place of eternal punishment and separation, then perhaps those who don’t believe only cease to exist. From what, then, do we escape by believing in Christ, and what hope or benefit do we gain? Most atheists would be quite content to cease to exist and live their lives in the here and now with no sense of accountability “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” If we truly believe the Bible to be the very words of God, and hold that it is truth for all, are we not more compelled to go out and spread the good news of Easter-God loves you and sent His very best that you might be reconciled to Him and dwell with Him forever, escaping eternal punishment. Christ has died and risen again. Alleluia!
So what. Not everyone has to believe what we believe right? Well that is where inspiration comes into play. Consider the matter of sin and salvation. We are in the season of when we reflect on Christ’s death, burial, and His resurrection. The Bible clearly states all of us have sinned (Rom. 3:23, 5:12), our good deeds are as filthy rags (Is. 64:6), the payment of our sins is both physical and spiritual death (Rom. 6:23), Christ is the only Way to God (Jo. 14:6, Acts 4:12), Hell is a real place (Ps. 9:17, Matt. 5:22, 29-30, 23:33, Lk. 16:23, Acts 2:27, 31, 1Pet.2:4), and that the end result of our sin is eternal separation from God with punishment, except for the cross of Christ and faith in Him (Ps. 9:17, Rev. 20:11-15, Rom. 8:1). Yet even amongst evangelical Christians, these doctrines, which are clearly in Scripture, are not believed. Too exclusive? What gives us the right to force our beliefs on other people? A loving God would never condemn people to Hell. Without believing in the full inspiration of scripture, we can then question the very words of God and make them mean what we want. Isn’t that what Adam and Eve did? “Did God really say,” was the question they were asked by the serpent. So now we have leaders teaching things like Universalism; all people are eventually saved because God is a God of love. All religious roads lead to God; if this is true why send Christ to die in the first place? All that suffering on His part becomes totally unnecessary. If there is no place of eternal punishment and separation, then perhaps those who don’t believe only cease to exist. From what, then, do we escape by believing in Christ, and what hope or benefit do we gain? Most atheists would be quite content to cease to exist and live their lives in the here and now with no sense of accountability “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” If we truly believe the Bible to be the very words of God, and hold that it is truth for all, are we not more compelled to go out and spread the good news of Easter-God loves you and sent His very best that you might be reconciled to Him and dwell with Him forever, escaping eternal punishment. Christ has died and risen again. Alleluia!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Playing church or radical, transforming faith
I had a pretty vivid imagination as a kid and let’s pretend was a favorite game. I would pretend to be and do all sorts of things. I have noticed however as I have gotten older that we adults still play let’s pretend but our pretending is more subtle and about different things than when we were kids. One of the places that we unfortunately may pretend whether knowingly or not is church. Are we just “playing church”? I have been thinking about this for a long time and sometimes a series of sermons or a good book helps focus the thoughts enough to put them down on paper.
Some claim that Hitler and the Nazi’s were a Christian movement. While there is no doubt that Hitler and his minions claimed many things to many people to gain political power, they are most definitely NOT a Christian movement. So where were the German Christians in that era? The book Bonheoffer by Eric Metaxas has been a fascinating read. In reading about this man and his times, I have learned that one of the reasons that the German Christian community fell under the Nazi spell is that many of them were just playing church. Even a few who were not playing church failed to fully realize the evil they were dealing with until it was much too late. Years before many pastors apparently decided the Bible was not the inspired word of God and in matters of doctrine little compromises soon became big compromises. They failed to teach their congregations sound doctrine and how to apply the Word of God to their everyday lives. Consequently, many of the people thought that they were ok with God because they had been baptized as infants but in reality they had never personally sought out Christ for forgiveness of sins. Confirmation became a rite of passage rather like getting a driver’s license or getting married-it was just something one did. In short, they were playing church. Church and faith were Sunday things not all week things. Faith was a private matter and shouldn’t have any impact in the public sphere of one’s life unless politically expedient or popular. Faith that permeated and ordered one’s life was considered radical. Sound familiar at all? Bonheoffer had a radical faith, which lead him to radical places, and he paid the ultimate price.
So some questions for all of us to ponder about playing church. Faith is the starting point to stop playing church. If The Faith is not your own, until you make it your own you can never truly be a follower of Christ. We should each examine our hearts and know the answer to “Is Christ my personal Savior and have I made a conscious decision to follow Christ”? Or do we think we have some sort of free pass to God because our parents are Christians? Because of baptism, dedication, confirmation, being raised in the church, church membership, belonging to a certain denomination? Our nationality? Our own perceived lack of sin or our own perceived morality? If we can answer, “Yes, my faith is my own and it is a personal faith”, are we able to give an accounting of our faith to those outside the church? The scripture doesn’t suggest that we be able to defend our faith it commands us to be able to defend our faith. So we need to know what we believe, why we believe it and why it is important. Then our faith should permeate our lives much the way the odor of fresh baked bread makes an entire house smell so amazing! Thankfully at our church we have a Pastor who is teaching us the Truth. We have others who are also teaching the Truth as well. But becoming a follower of Christ is not something we can relegate to one hour a week on Sunday morning or even two hours on Sunday morning and one hour on Wednesday night. We are to search out and study the scriptures ourselves. We are to talk to God frequently and not just to ask for stuff. Following Christ is not a passive thing it is an active, sometimes hard thing. Following Christ can end up being a daily and sometimes hourly thing. So are we just playing church or do we have a radical, transforming faith?
Some claim that Hitler and the Nazi’s were a Christian movement. While there is no doubt that Hitler and his minions claimed many things to many people to gain political power, they are most definitely NOT a Christian movement. So where were the German Christians in that era? The book Bonheoffer by Eric Metaxas has been a fascinating read. In reading about this man and his times, I have learned that one of the reasons that the German Christian community fell under the Nazi spell is that many of them were just playing church. Even a few who were not playing church failed to fully realize the evil they were dealing with until it was much too late. Years before many pastors apparently decided the Bible was not the inspired word of God and in matters of doctrine little compromises soon became big compromises. They failed to teach their congregations sound doctrine and how to apply the Word of God to their everyday lives. Consequently, many of the people thought that they were ok with God because they had been baptized as infants but in reality they had never personally sought out Christ for forgiveness of sins. Confirmation became a rite of passage rather like getting a driver’s license or getting married-it was just something one did. In short, they were playing church. Church and faith were Sunday things not all week things. Faith was a private matter and shouldn’t have any impact in the public sphere of one’s life unless politically expedient or popular. Faith that permeated and ordered one’s life was considered radical. Sound familiar at all? Bonheoffer had a radical faith, which lead him to radical places, and he paid the ultimate price.
So some questions for all of us to ponder about playing church. Faith is the starting point to stop playing church. If The Faith is not your own, until you make it your own you can never truly be a follower of Christ. We should each examine our hearts and know the answer to “Is Christ my personal Savior and have I made a conscious decision to follow Christ”? Or do we think we have some sort of free pass to God because our parents are Christians? Because of baptism, dedication, confirmation, being raised in the church, church membership, belonging to a certain denomination? Our nationality? Our own perceived lack of sin or our own perceived morality? If we can answer, “Yes, my faith is my own and it is a personal faith”, are we able to give an accounting of our faith to those outside the church? The scripture doesn’t suggest that we be able to defend our faith it commands us to be able to defend our faith. So we need to know what we believe, why we believe it and why it is important. Then our faith should permeate our lives much the way the odor of fresh baked bread makes an entire house smell so amazing! Thankfully at our church we have a Pastor who is teaching us the Truth. We have others who are also teaching the Truth as well. But becoming a follower of Christ is not something we can relegate to one hour a week on Sunday morning or even two hours on Sunday morning and one hour on Wednesday night. We are to search out and study the scriptures ourselves. We are to talk to God frequently and not just to ask for stuff. Following Christ is not a passive thing it is an active, sometimes hard thing. Following Christ can end up being a daily and sometimes hourly thing. So are we just playing church or do we have a radical, transforming faith?
Thursday, January 13, 2011
What the world needs..
One’s worldview should be able to answer the question of where we come from, what is wrong with the world and how to fix the problem. A Christian worldview would answer the questions with Creation, the Fall and Redemption. Despite what some prominent national leaders might say, doctrine is vitally important and there are good reasons why certain doctrines are considered fundamental to Biblical faith. These doctrines build on each other to form a coherent, interconnecting whole. As Ravi Zacharias says “What I believe in my heart must make sense in my mind”. If you re-imagine your doctrine don’t be surprised if things fall apart. Consider Creation. Evolutionists would have us believe that all happened by random chance, that our actions and emotions are just by-products of our genetic code. Life ultimately is meaningless. Love, compassion and other emotions then become fanciful illusion. What you do to others really matters not. The Creation story however provides a framework for understanding our relationship to both God and others. We are not just random products of our genetic code. We have meaning because God created us. Since God is Creator, we are then accountable to Him for our actions and how we live our lives. Since God created us in His own image we have emotion, free will, the need for relationships.
The Fall is important because it tells us what is wrong with our world today. No other worldview adequately explains what is wrong with the world. When Adam and Eve sinned, death, sin, and evil entered into the world. After recent events, I still find it difficult to believe that evil is unrecognized as evil. The concept of sin is apparently so two centuries ago. Paul in 2 Timothy 3 gives a running list of what people are like when society starts becoming godless-lovers of self and money, ungrateful, unholy, unforgiving, unloving of others and God, out of control, lovers of sin and pleasure. Sound familiar? So what is the answer? What the world needs now is Love!
Redemption-God so loved that He gave. Want to know what God is doing when terrible evil rears its ugly head? Weeping on His throne. He gave us the solution to the problem of the Fall. He loved us so much that He sent his Son, while we were enemies, in the fullness of time, to die for us, to redeem us and to restore us. If there was no fall, we don’t need God’s solution. By and large the world has rejected both the problem and the solution. How much more should be required of God to fix the problem when He has given His best? We are Christ’s representatives to a world who wants a different solution based on man’s ideas. Christ told us that our love for others would be our defining characteristic. Paul tells us we are to have the mind of Christ and be transformed into His image. The early Christians allowed God’s full work in their lives, showed Christ's sacrificial love to others, and turned the world upside down. What would our world look like if we did the same?
The Fall is important because it tells us what is wrong with our world today. No other worldview adequately explains what is wrong with the world. When Adam and Eve sinned, death, sin, and evil entered into the world. After recent events, I still find it difficult to believe that evil is unrecognized as evil. The concept of sin is apparently so two centuries ago. Paul in 2 Timothy 3 gives a running list of what people are like when society starts becoming godless-lovers of self and money, ungrateful, unholy, unforgiving, unloving of others and God, out of control, lovers of sin and pleasure. Sound familiar? So what is the answer? What the world needs now is Love!
Redemption-God so loved that He gave. Want to know what God is doing when terrible evil rears its ugly head? Weeping on His throne. He gave us the solution to the problem of the Fall. He loved us so much that He sent his Son, while we were enemies, in the fullness of time, to die for us, to redeem us and to restore us. If there was no fall, we don’t need God’s solution. By and large the world has rejected both the problem and the solution. How much more should be required of God to fix the problem when He has given His best? We are Christ’s representatives to a world who wants a different solution based on man’s ideas. Christ told us that our love for others would be our defining characteristic. Paul tells us we are to have the mind of Christ and be transformed into His image. The early Christians allowed God’s full work in their lives, showed Christ's sacrificial love to others, and turned the world upside down. What would our world look like if we did the same?
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Happy New Year
The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time, purpose and season for everything (Ecc 3:1). So now we have arrived at the time and season of reflection. What was 2010 like for you? Was this last year all you thought it would be? At the end of 2010, is your life what you thought it would be like at the start of 2010? Did your life change over this last year in ways you never imagined? Some thoughts as we look out at the new year of 2011.
God is in control. While our lives may or may not have turned out this last year as we anticipated, nothing that happened this last year was a surprise to God. In this time of economic, political and societal uncertainty, God is still on the throne and He still reigns. I’ve read the end of the story and He wins. There is nothing that will happen in this coming year that is going to catch God off guard. God knew before the foundation of the world that we would need a Savior and that Savior came when the time was right ( 1 Pe 1:20, Gal 4:4). He knows us before we are even born and the number of our days ( Ps 139:14-16). He watches over us and knows our coming in and our going out (Ps 121). He has plans to prosper us, for good and not for harm (Jer 29:11). He knows that humanity is fragile (Ps 103:14-16) and will not allow us to be tempted beyond that which we are able to bear (1 Cor 10:13). That is not to say that the coming year is going to be necessarily easy and painless. For some, this year is going to bring testing, pain, and change. Others will have a year of joy and blessings and the rest of us will experience the extremes of life and everything in between! God is able to deliver and He will be faithful to the very end. Even if we feel like God has abandoned us-He has not.
God meets us where we are in life. David was an adulterer and murderer, Manasseh was an apostate king and the worst king Judah ever had, Peter for a time was faithless, John the Baptist and Thomas both had a period of doubting, Paul was a murderer and God met each one of these people where they were at that time in their lives. He didn’t expect them to change before He met them, which is great news for us. BUT and it’s a big one-while it is true that God met them where they were and will meet us where we are, He expected them and will expect us to change. Each one of those men did change their lives. Just because God meets us where we are in our lives does not mean He approves of where we are in our lives. God meeting us where we are is not an excuse to stay where we are. In fact we are not to stay where we are when He meets us but we are to move forward and to be transformed into the image of Christ. We are like Paul to strive toward the mark of the high calling of God, running our races to win the victor’s crown. In this coming year, remember we have the peace of Christ within us and we need not be fearful or afraid.
God is in control. While our lives may or may not have turned out this last year as we anticipated, nothing that happened this last year was a surprise to God. In this time of economic, political and societal uncertainty, God is still on the throne and He still reigns. I’ve read the end of the story and He wins. There is nothing that will happen in this coming year that is going to catch God off guard. God knew before the foundation of the world that we would need a Savior and that Savior came when the time was right ( 1 Pe 1:20, Gal 4:4). He knows us before we are even born and the number of our days ( Ps 139:14-16). He watches over us and knows our coming in and our going out (Ps 121). He has plans to prosper us, for good and not for harm (Jer 29:11). He knows that humanity is fragile (Ps 103:14-16) and will not allow us to be tempted beyond that which we are able to bear (1 Cor 10:13). That is not to say that the coming year is going to be necessarily easy and painless. For some, this year is going to bring testing, pain, and change. Others will have a year of joy and blessings and the rest of us will experience the extremes of life and everything in between! God is able to deliver and He will be faithful to the very end. Even if we feel like God has abandoned us-He has not.
God meets us where we are in life. David was an adulterer and murderer, Manasseh was an apostate king and the worst king Judah ever had, Peter for a time was faithless, John the Baptist and Thomas both had a period of doubting, Paul was a murderer and God met each one of these people where they were at that time in their lives. He didn’t expect them to change before He met them, which is great news for us. BUT and it’s a big one-while it is true that God met them where they were and will meet us where we are, He expected them and will expect us to change. Each one of those men did change their lives. Just because God meets us where we are in our lives does not mean He approves of where we are in our lives. God meeting us where we are is not an excuse to stay where we are. In fact we are not to stay where we are when He meets us but we are to move forward and to be transformed into the image of Christ. We are like Paul to strive toward the mark of the high calling of God, running our races to win the victor’s crown. In this coming year, remember we have the peace of Christ within us and we need not be fearful or afraid.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Behold a virgin shall conceive.....
I love Christmas. It is my absolute favorite time of the year. The music, the decorations, the gifts but as I get older it is the Christmas story that I love the most. Joseph was told that Mary would give birth to a Son who would save His people from their sins that the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 “Behold a virgin shall conceive and shall bear a son” would be fulfilled. But do you know why the virgin birth is an essential doctrine? Some have claimed that believing in the virgin birth of Christ is optional, that ultimately the manner of Christ’s birth is irrelevant. Prophecy simply put is history written in advance and is a promise from God that certain things will come to pass. If God does not keep one of His promises how can we trust Him to keep any of His promises? The promise of a Messiah born of a virgin therefore has direct implications on God’s trustworthiness. Some have claimed that the word virgin is better-translated young woman. Consider though that this was to be a sign from God; so what would be so special about any young woman of marriageable age conceiving and bearing a son? Not much. Now a virgin conceiving and bearing a son-that would be a remarkable sign indeed and would directly point to the intervention of God in human affairs and history. So how else does the virgin birth matter?
God’s promise to David that a descendant of his would sit on the throne of David forever (2 Sam 7:16) is invalid without a virgin birth. God cursed the kingly line of David through Solomon. The sins of the final king were so great that God said no descendant of his would ever sit on the throne of David-ever. (Jer 22:5,30) So how can Messiah be a descendant of David and sit on the throne forever? Problem solved with the virgin birth, as through Mary, Christ is a real physical descendant of David but not of the cursed line. As the direct descendant in the kingly line of David at the time of Christ’s birth, Joseph should have been king. So depending on which commentator one reads, the right to rule on the throne of David is given to Christ by virtue of being the adopted son of Joseph. Alternatively God can make king whomever He wills to be king provided that king is of the line of David. The virgin birth allows God to keep His promise to David.
Isaiah 53 makes it very clear that Messiah was to suffer and die for the sins of all. The sin and guilt offerings of the Mosaic covenant had to be spotless animals, without blemish or they were ineligible to be used as sacrifices. So a human redeemer would also have to be without spot or blemish, in other words sinless, or the sacrifice would be unacceptable to God. So how does one get a sinless man? Messiah would obviously have to be human in order for humans to be redeemed but He would also have to be sinless which the Bible makes pretty clear is something that is only true of God. A God-Man is only possible by a virgin birth-two human parents are never going to result in this combination. Ultimately, there is no salvation without the virgin birth and the message of the New Testament is rather senseless if a virgin did not conceive and bear a Son.
All in all there are about 100 prophecies concerning the First Coming of Christ that were literally and exactly fulfilled. These prophecies were written hundreds and even thousands of years before the birth of Christ. The fulfillment of these prophecies assures us that we can indeed trust God to keep His promises. The exact, literal fulfillment of those prophecies also has implications for other prophecies yet to be fulfilled. If you would like to read more on the prophecies that were fulfilled with the First Coming of Christ, Messianic Christology by Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum from Ariel Ministries is one of the best resources that I have read on this subject.
God’s promise to David that a descendant of his would sit on the throne of David forever (2 Sam 7:16) is invalid without a virgin birth. God cursed the kingly line of David through Solomon. The sins of the final king were so great that God said no descendant of his would ever sit on the throne of David-ever. (Jer 22:5,30) So how can Messiah be a descendant of David and sit on the throne forever? Problem solved with the virgin birth, as through Mary, Christ is a real physical descendant of David but not of the cursed line. As the direct descendant in the kingly line of David at the time of Christ’s birth, Joseph should have been king. So depending on which commentator one reads, the right to rule on the throne of David is given to Christ by virtue of being the adopted son of Joseph. Alternatively God can make king whomever He wills to be king provided that king is of the line of David. The virgin birth allows God to keep His promise to David.
Isaiah 53 makes it very clear that Messiah was to suffer and die for the sins of all. The sin and guilt offerings of the Mosaic covenant had to be spotless animals, without blemish or they were ineligible to be used as sacrifices. So a human redeemer would also have to be without spot or blemish, in other words sinless, or the sacrifice would be unacceptable to God. So how does one get a sinless man? Messiah would obviously have to be human in order for humans to be redeemed but He would also have to be sinless which the Bible makes pretty clear is something that is only true of God. A God-Man is only possible by a virgin birth-two human parents are never going to result in this combination. Ultimately, there is no salvation without the virgin birth and the message of the New Testament is rather senseless if a virgin did not conceive and bear a Son.
All in all there are about 100 prophecies concerning the First Coming of Christ that were literally and exactly fulfilled. These prophecies were written hundreds and even thousands of years before the birth of Christ. The fulfillment of these prophecies assures us that we can indeed trust God to keep His promises. The exact, literal fulfillment of those prophecies also has implications for other prophecies yet to be fulfilled. If you would like to read more on the prophecies that were fulfilled with the First Coming of Christ, Messianic Christology by Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum from Ariel Ministries is one of the best resources that I have read on this subject.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Masterpieces or Cheap Trinkets?
Are we as human beings masterpieces or cheap trinkets? This is a theme that underlies a lot of what is written by Nancy Pearcy in the book Total Truth. The answer has a great deal to do with what we believe about human origins, the fall, human redemption and restoration and should influence our interaction with others. Genesis 1:26-27 records the members of the Godhead talking and deciding to make man in their own image. So if we adhere to the Genesis account as Truth, we find that humans are far above animals because we are image bearers of God. Being an image bearer of God gives human beings value and dignity over and above the rest of creation. The Psalmist records in Ps 139:14 that he is fearfully and wonderfully made. The theory of evolution makes humanity just higher functioning animals and therefore takes away the intrinsic dignity and value of human beings. The Bible also records that sin and death entered the world due to one man (Rom 5:12). So we are still image bearers but marred and in need of redemption and restoration. If there was no fall, there is no need for a Savior or for the Holy Spirit.
So are we masterpieces or cheap trinkets? Well in addition to being image bearers of God, we should consider the price of our redemption and the effort involved in our restoration. Christ became man and He willingly died for us while we were enemies of God because God so loved. I recently read an article by a well known evangelist who proclaimed that we should be in awe that Christ died for us because we as fallen beings we have no worth or value to God. Wow, really? The Bible is pretty clear in a number of places that the punishment for sin is death. The fact that we deserve the punishment of death due to our fallen nature however does not somehow make us intrinsically worthless. The restoration of fine art masterpieces is a tedious, time consuming job that costs a great deal of money. The painting has to be analyzed as to whether it is a work worthy of such time, effort and expense. The paint has to be analyzed to see what kind of paint needs to be used. The picture needs to be x-rayed to see how many layers of paint are present. If there are centuries of grime, the picture needs to be meticulously and slowly cleaned inch by inch over a long period of time. The very brush strokes of the original artist need to be studied and imitated so that one cannot tell there was any work done at all. If the object in question is marble, one must match the color of the marble exactly so that the new is indistinguishable from the old. The replacement piece must be then be carved such that it seamlessly fits. How many of us would put that kind of effort, time and money into a cheap painting or a cheap trinket? Not many. Why then would we believe that God would pay the ultimate price for something less than a masterpiece? Our redemption and the start of our restoration come at a significant price. Our redemption was purchased with the blood of Christ. Just as the master art restorer meticulously cleans and touches up a painting over much time, matches the marble color exactly and crafts a piece to fit perfectly into the whole, so also the Spirit works on us after our redemption to restore us, transforming us into the image of Christ. We see through a glass darkly but someday when our restoration is complete we shall see as we are seen (1 Cor 13:12). So how should this affect our dealings with others? What did Jesus do? He did not honor or respect poor choices and sinful lifestyles, but He did look beyond the grime to see the masterpieces beneath waiting to be redeemed and restored. We need to correct where correction is needed but we also need to look beyond the grime of sin and treat other image bearers with gentleness, kindness, and love.
So are we masterpieces or cheap trinkets? Well in addition to being image bearers of God, we should consider the price of our redemption and the effort involved in our restoration. Christ became man and He willingly died for us while we were enemies of God because God so loved. I recently read an article by a well known evangelist who proclaimed that we should be in awe that Christ died for us because we as fallen beings we have no worth or value to God. Wow, really? The Bible is pretty clear in a number of places that the punishment for sin is death. The fact that we deserve the punishment of death due to our fallen nature however does not somehow make us intrinsically worthless. The restoration of fine art masterpieces is a tedious, time consuming job that costs a great deal of money. The painting has to be analyzed as to whether it is a work worthy of such time, effort and expense. The paint has to be analyzed to see what kind of paint needs to be used. The picture needs to be x-rayed to see how many layers of paint are present. If there are centuries of grime, the picture needs to be meticulously and slowly cleaned inch by inch over a long period of time. The very brush strokes of the original artist need to be studied and imitated so that one cannot tell there was any work done at all. If the object in question is marble, one must match the color of the marble exactly so that the new is indistinguishable from the old. The replacement piece must be then be carved such that it seamlessly fits. How many of us would put that kind of effort, time and money into a cheap painting or a cheap trinket? Not many. Why then would we believe that God would pay the ultimate price for something less than a masterpiece? Our redemption and the start of our restoration come at a significant price. Our redemption was purchased with the blood of Christ. Just as the master art restorer meticulously cleans and touches up a painting over much time, matches the marble color exactly and crafts a piece to fit perfectly into the whole, so also the Spirit works on us after our redemption to restore us, transforming us into the image of Christ. We see through a glass darkly but someday when our restoration is complete we shall see as we are seen (1 Cor 13:12). So how should this affect our dealings with others? What did Jesus do? He did not honor or respect poor choices and sinful lifestyles, but He did look beyond the grime to see the masterpieces beneath waiting to be redeemed and restored. We need to correct where correction is needed but we also need to look beyond the grime of sin and treat other image bearers with gentleness, kindness, and love.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Loyalty and Bondservants
What do loyalty and bondservants have to do with each other? More than you might think. So what is loyalty? In the purest sense of the word and after much research, loyalty is a steadfast allegiance to a thing, idea, or person even in the face of great personal cost. In Daniel 3 we find a great story of loyalty. King Nebuchadnezzar commanded that a golden replica of him be made. He then gathered the elites around the statue, commanded them to worship and pay homage to the statue, or die. Three Jews refused to bow down, even with a second chance. Their reply can be found in Daniel 3:16-18. Notice that they didn’t need time to consider their answer and they had faith that God could deliver them if He so chose. Their attitude was that even if God were to allow them to die, they would not bow down and worship the statue. There was no hesitation even with their punishment staring them right in the face because their loyalty to God was ingrained into their being before they faced the test. They maintained their loyalty to God by being devout, righteous Jews not only during the times they were blessed in exile but even in the hardships of exile as well. So also, we need to develop our loyalty to God by walking with Him, by being transformed by Him in the times of blessing so that in the times of testing we know the answers before the answers are needed.
A bondservant in the Old Testament might be the ultimate expression of loyalty. In Deuteronomy 15:12-17 we read that Hebrew men and women were allowed to sell themselves into slavery, perhaps to pay off debts they could not otherwise pay or perhaps just to have food and a place to live. They had to be released in the 7th year with gifts of food and animals from their master. However, they could choose to stay a slave but at great cost. If the slave refused to go, an awl was used to pierce an ear and pin the person to the door. They then became a willing slave for life to that master and his family! They would never and could never be a free man or woman ever again under any circumstances. How many of us would be willing slaves to anyone for 6 years let alone be a willing slave for life? For Paul (Rom 1:1), James (James 1:1), Peter (2 Peter 1:1), John (Rev 1:1) and Jude (Jude 1) the answer was easy. These men realized that Christ had paid a debt so great they were willing to be slaves for life in appreciation for what He had done. Three of these men were martyrs, and the Romans tried to kill one by boiling him in oil and when that failed, exiled him to forced labor while he was at an advanced age. Two were the earthly half-brothers of Christ, and yet they wouldn’t even claim kinship with Christ but considered themselves to be slaves for life to Christ because of the price He had paid for their redemption. In Philippians 2:7 Paul even describes Christ as a bondservant! If Christ can be described as a bondservant, who are we to imagine that we should not also be bondservants? So to whom are we loyal? Do we have a steadfast allegiance to God that is so ingrained in our being that when hardship and fierce tests come we will stand firm in the faith? Can we say with Paul, James, John, Peter and Jude that we are the willing life long slaves of Christ, giving up all our “rights”? Are we willing slaves to something or someone other than Christ? Are we trying to be slaves on our own terms with half-hearted loyalty to Christ? Wow, those are searching maybe even searing questions, but in view of our great salvation, the price paid, the debt we owe that can never be repaid what really should our answer be?
A bondservant in the Old Testament might be the ultimate expression of loyalty. In Deuteronomy 15:12-17 we read that Hebrew men and women were allowed to sell themselves into slavery, perhaps to pay off debts they could not otherwise pay or perhaps just to have food and a place to live. They had to be released in the 7th year with gifts of food and animals from their master. However, they could choose to stay a slave but at great cost. If the slave refused to go, an awl was used to pierce an ear and pin the person to the door. They then became a willing slave for life to that master and his family! They would never and could never be a free man or woman ever again under any circumstances. How many of us would be willing slaves to anyone for 6 years let alone be a willing slave for life? For Paul (Rom 1:1), James (James 1:1), Peter (2 Peter 1:1), John (Rev 1:1) and Jude (Jude 1) the answer was easy. These men realized that Christ had paid a debt so great they were willing to be slaves for life in appreciation for what He had done. Three of these men were martyrs, and the Romans tried to kill one by boiling him in oil and when that failed, exiled him to forced labor while he was at an advanced age. Two were the earthly half-brothers of Christ, and yet they wouldn’t even claim kinship with Christ but considered themselves to be slaves for life to Christ because of the price He had paid for their redemption. In Philippians 2:7 Paul even describes Christ as a bondservant! If Christ can be described as a bondservant, who are we to imagine that we should not also be bondservants? So to whom are we loyal? Do we have a steadfast allegiance to God that is so ingrained in our being that when hardship and fierce tests come we will stand firm in the faith? Can we say with Paul, James, John, Peter and Jude that we are the willing life long slaves of Christ, giving up all our “rights”? Are we willing slaves to something or someone other than Christ? Are we trying to be slaves on our own terms with half-hearted loyalty to Christ? Wow, those are searching maybe even searing questions, but in view of our great salvation, the price paid, the debt we owe that can never be repaid what really should our answer be?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Truth and Control
Something some of us have been pondering lately-How does Satan diminish the believer’s effectiveness in this world and how do we assist him in this? Two thoughts.
Are we deliberate, intentional students of God’s word? Paul commended the Bereans for searching the scriptures to see that what he had taught was indeed accurate and scriptural. We now have believers in many churches who don’t know why Christians believe what they believe, why they should believe certain doctrines, and then there are the cafeteria Christians who want to pick and choose what to believe according to what is “right” in the culture. There are many popular secular writers and some Christian leaders who claim all sorts of things are either scriptural or compatible with the Bible. But are they really? Paul was concerned that the Corinthians would follow another Jesus in addition to the Jesus he had preached and a gospel of a different kind such that their devotion to Christ would be compromised via their minds. (2 Cor 11:4) Do we hold up what is taught, what we read and hear that purports to be Christian or compatible with Christianity, to the Word of God? Are we sure that what is claimed to be scriptural and compatible with the Bible really is scriptural and compatible with the Bible? Can we tell the difference between the Truth of God versus the lies and the half-truths of Satan? If we aren’t grounded in the Truth of God’s word, becoming mature Christians, we can be tossed about and believe anything that comes along claiming to be compatible with Truth. (Eph 4:14) We can’t be effective for Christ if we aren’t grounded in His Truth.
Do we allow Satan to have strongholds in our lives or does Christ have full ownership of our lives? Ravi Zacharias relates a story he heard from his mentor as a young Christian that illustrates this. A man sought to buy all the land in a certain area. Despite many offers of much money, one man won’t sell his small piece of land right in the middle of all the other land purchased. Many offers are made and rejected. When friends come to visit, the first man shows them all he owns. As he shows them his property, the other man taunts and accuses-“Don’t let him tell you he owns everything because I still own this small area.” When we hold on to pieces of our old lives, old ways or old sins, Christ does not have full ownership of our lives. And if Christ does not have full ownership over all areas of our lives, Satan has ammunition with which to accuse us before God (Rev 12:10b) “I still control part of this one-this one is not completely yours”. When we fail to allow Christ complete ownership of our lives, we also allow Satan to have a stronghold from which to launch spiritual and sometimes physical attacks against us. Who doesn’t struggle with allowing God to have full control over all facets of their life at all times? Even the Apostle Paul struggled in his walk. (Rom 7:5) Like Paul, we need to be active in pursuing our faith and not passive. (Phil 3:13-14) To be more effective now and in the coming years, in a changing world, we must be grounded in God’s Truth and Christ must have full control of our lives.
Are we deliberate, intentional students of God’s word? Paul commended the Bereans for searching the scriptures to see that what he had taught was indeed accurate and scriptural. We now have believers in many churches who don’t know why Christians believe what they believe, why they should believe certain doctrines, and then there are the cafeteria Christians who want to pick and choose what to believe according to what is “right” in the culture. There are many popular secular writers and some Christian leaders who claim all sorts of things are either scriptural or compatible with the Bible. But are they really? Paul was concerned that the Corinthians would follow another Jesus in addition to the Jesus he had preached and a gospel of a different kind such that their devotion to Christ would be compromised via their minds. (2 Cor 11:4) Do we hold up what is taught, what we read and hear that purports to be Christian or compatible with Christianity, to the Word of God? Are we sure that what is claimed to be scriptural and compatible with the Bible really is scriptural and compatible with the Bible? Can we tell the difference between the Truth of God versus the lies and the half-truths of Satan? If we aren’t grounded in the Truth of God’s word, becoming mature Christians, we can be tossed about and believe anything that comes along claiming to be compatible with Truth. (Eph 4:14) We can’t be effective for Christ if we aren’t grounded in His Truth.
Do we allow Satan to have strongholds in our lives or does Christ have full ownership of our lives? Ravi Zacharias relates a story he heard from his mentor as a young Christian that illustrates this. A man sought to buy all the land in a certain area. Despite many offers of much money, one man won’t sell his small piece of land right in the middle of all the other land purchased. Many offers are made and rejected. When friends come to visit, the first man shows them all he owns. As he shows them his property, the other man taunts and accuses-“Don’t let him tell you he owns everything because I still own this small area.” When we hold on to pieces of our old lives, old ways or old sins, Christ does not have full ownership of our lives. And if Christ does not have full ownership over all areas of our lives, Satan has ammunition with which to accuse us before God (Rev 12:10b) “I still control part of this one-this one is not completely yours”. When we fail to allow Christ complete ownership of our lives, we also allow Satan to have a stronghold from which to launch spiritual and sometimes physical attacks against us. Who doesn’t struggle with allowing God to have full control over all facets of their life at all times? Even the Apostle Paul struggled in his walk. (Rom 7:5) Like Paul, we need to be active in pursuing our faith and not passive. (Phil 3:13-14) To be more effective now and in the coming years, in a changing world, we must be grounded in God’s Truth and Christ must have full control of our lives.
Monday, June 14, 2010
The Lesson of the Dying Thief
As Jesus hung on the cross dying, two “robbers” were crucified right along side of him. They weren’t really robbers in the sense that we think of robbers. They killed as well as robbed and today would have been in SuperMax because they were also revolutionaries against the State. They both mocked Jesus at the beginning. As time passed one had a change of heart. Oddly enough, this non-religious, non-righteous Jew had more faith and insight into what was going on that day than any of the religious leaders or even the disciples of Jesus. He recognized several things in the fading minutes of his life. One, unlike the religious leaders of his day, he recognized that Jesus was the Christ, the Jewish Messiah. Two, he recognized that Jesus was not dying for any sins that Jesus had committed and remembered that Messiah was to die for the sins of others. Also unlike the religious leaders of that day, he realized that Jesus was God with the power to forgive. Unlike the disciples, he understood that if Messiah was dying on the cross then a resurrection must happen because Messiah was to rule over all the earth on the throne of David. The man asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus came into His Kingdom. And what did Jesus do-He loved him and forgave him. He didn’t chastise the robber for failing to keep the Mosaic Law, for failing to believe in and honor God. He didn’t even chastise the man for breaking earthly law and ending up on a cross (which according to Jewish law made the man cursed.) He told the man-“Today you will be with me in Paradise”. The man didn’t have to wait until the Messianic Kingdom to be remembered by God, God would remember the man THAT day and the man would not go to hell but to Paradise. Then, when Messiah ruled from the throne of David, the man would enjoy the blessings of the Messianic Kingdom. The unworthy, murdering thief was forgiven at literally in the last moments of his life on earth, by Jesus, because of the man’s faith and God’s grace. Not only was he forgiven, he was welcomed with joy and love. God doesn’t care when we come to Him or what past baggage we bring, He is waiting with love and forgiveness even in our last moments of life. (Although waiting until the last moment could be quite risky).
I would venture to say that none of us are as bad as the thief, but none of us are worthy either-not even the deacons, the elders, or Pastor Ben-except for the grace of God. God’s unmerited favor is for everyone. He loves us with an everlasting love. The Bible says that God planned a way for redemption and salvation before the world was even created. However, we must actually do something with this grace-we have to accept it. We have to admit that we that we need forgiveness of our sins and believe that Christ died, was buried and rose again so that we could be restored to fellowship with God and our sins forgiven. God is waiting to give each of us His peace and His comfort while we live and then a home with Him for eternity.
I would venture to say that none of us are as bad as the thief, but none of us are worthy either-not even the deacons, the elders, or Pastor Ben-except for the grace of God. God’s unmerited favor is for everyone. He loves us with an everlasting love. The Bible says that God planned a way for redemption and salvation before the world was even created. However, we must actually do something with this grace-we have to accept it. We have to admit that we that we need forgiveness of our sins and believe that Christ died, was buried and rose again so that we could be restored to fellowship with God and our sins forgiven. God is waiting to give each of us His peace and His comfort while we live and then a home with Him for eternity.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Who is your God?
“You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3) “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”(Deuteronomy 6:5) “Where your heart is, there will your treasure be also.”(Luke 12:34) Who or what do we worship? Who or what has captured our hearts and holds pre-eminence there? Do we love God with every fiber of our beings to the point that all other feelings towards other things and people seem like hatred in comparison? Is God our treasure? Look at the people in our society and culture who worship, thirst after, and doggedly pursue fame, adulation, power, and wealth. For many of them scandal, broken lives, broken families, ill health and sometimes death follow once they have “arrived”. Many are never satisfied with what they have, always needing more. Happiness is always one more deal, a different spouse, or another pay off away. They look for something to fill a hole in their lives, never finding it. Many then lose what they have pursued with their whole being. Self and what feels good is ultimately their god.
Do we prize family, country, or work before God? Patriotism, love of family, care of family, working to support oneself and family are all good things but when put in place of God, they are just as wrong as those things less noble. They are certainly subtler than other idols. Does our family time take precedence over time with God? Are we too busy with work or family to come to His house to worship with others? Which means more, our citizenship in Heaven or the one here on earth? All of these things are good things and are not to be despised so long as they don’t take the place that rightfully belongs to God. That which gets put in place of God can ultimately lead us away from God. When we are led away from God we fail and fall easily. Wander too far and we can become useless to God, maybe even hindrance to God and his Kingdom program.
So what will you do about the gods in your life or is The God, the God of your life? Recently I read a mission letter from a man who is taking the Gospel of Christ to Benin. He noted that the people of God are diverse, precious, and everywhere God is raising up a people for His name. While worshiping in downtown Dallas amongst the spires of finance, he reflected on a recent trip to Benin remembering worshiping with new converts amongst the voodoo shrines they had pulled down and destroyed after coming to Christ. The gods of the west are subtler than those of Africa he said, but no less powerful. The gods of the west will someday fall just as the voodoo shrines have fallen in parts of Benin. But how will the western gods fall? Will they fall because we choose to tear them down and put God in His rightful place or will they come down because God has to tear them from us in order to bring us back to Him?
Do we prize family, country, or work before God? Patriotism, love of family, care of family, working to support oneself and family are all good things but when put in place of God, they are just as wrong as those things less noble. They are certainly subtler than other idols. Does our family time take precedence over time with God? Are we too busy with work or family to come to His house to worship with others? Which means more, our citizenship in Heaven or the one here on earth? All of these things are good things and are not to be despised so long as they don’t take the place that rightfully belongs to God. That which gets put in place of God can ultimately lead us away from God. When we are led away from God we fail and fall easily. Wander too far and we can become useless to God, maybe even hindrance to God and his Kingdom program.
So what will you do about the gods in your life or is The God, the God of your life? Recently I read a mission letter from a man who is taking the Gospel of Christ to Benin. He noted that the people of God are diverse, precious, and everywhere God is raising up a people for His name. While worshiping in downtown Dallas amongst the spires of finance, he reflected on a recent trip to Benin remembering worshiping with new converts amongst the voodoo shrines they had pulled down and destroyed after coming to Christ. The gods of the west are subtler than those of Africa he said, but no less powerful. The gods of the west will someday fall just as the voodoo shrines have fallen in parts of Benin. But how will the western gods fall? Will they fall because we choose to tear them down and put God in His rightful place or will they come down because God has to tear them from us in order to bring us back to Him?
Friday, March 5, 2010
Behold the Man
Behold the man.
The first Adam.
Created in the image of God for companionship.
Created in perfection for the purpose of worshiping God.
See in the garden, he makes a decision, and falls into temptation.
In this garden sin, death, and despair enter into the world.
He is now afraid, spiritually dead.
Physical death in the future follows.
All who come after are tainted as well.
But a promise is given.
Behold The Man.
The last Adam.
Eternal God taking on flesh, come to earth to dwell.
Willing to suffer humiliation.
Born to die.
See His sinless life
The Lamb of God who will remove the stain of sin from us all.
Beaten for us, by His stripes we are healed.
He prays in a garden, submitting to God’s will.
He is stripped naked, crucified for all to see.
He bears God’s wrath in our place.
Laid in a borrowed tomb in a private garden
In this garden death is conquered.
O death where is thy sting and grave where is thy victory?
Life and hope enter the world in this garden.
A promise kept.
Two thousand years ago Pilate proclaimed-Behold The Man.
That call rings down through the ages today.
What will you do in this here and now?
With this Man Jesus, The Christ, The Way.
The first Adam.
Created in the image of God for companionship.
Created in perfection for the purpose of worshiping God.
See in the garden, he makes a decision, and falls into temptation.
In this garden sin, death, and despair enter into the world.
He is now afraid, spiritually dead.
Physical death in the future follows.
All who come after are tainted as well.
But a promise is given.
Behold The Man.
The last Adam.
Eternal God taking on flesh, come to earth to dwell.
Willing to suffer humiliation.
Born to die.
See His sinless life
The Lamb of God who will remove the stain of sin from us all.
Beaten for us, by His stripes we are healed.
He prays in a garden, submitting to God’s will.
He is stripped naked, crucified for all to see.
He bears God’s wrath in our place.
Laid in a borrowed tomb in a private garden
In this garden death is conquered.
O death where is thy sting and grave where is thy victory?
Life and hope enter the world in this garden.
A promise kept.
Two thousand years ago Pilate proclaimed-Behold The Man.
That call rings down through the ages today.
What will you do in this here and now?
With this Man Jesus, The Christ, The Way.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Doing the dishes
A friend recently wrote bemoaning her lack of ministry for God. She is older, has problems getting around and is losing her eyesight. She hasn’t been able to do as much as she used to in her church. She has been feeling rather useless. Yet one afternoon while washing dishes, enjoying a recent, rare snowfall, God spoke to her heart and she realized that her current call is…. to wash the dishes. You see her husband is not a Christian and in general has wanted little to do with the church despite their many years of marriage. Like most people they saw a great deal of their nest egg evaporate in the last couple of years. He has been very fearful, putting more trust in man than God. She prays daily for her husband’s salvation. She agonizes over it. Right now more than anything else in the world, she wants the salvation of her husband. She realizes that time is of the essence. She has come to realize that her ministry, her call at this time is to continue to be a faithful witness to her husband. Not very glamorous is it and not what she was expecting at this time in her life either.
Have you ever looked into the mirror or looked around at work or home and wondered, “How on earth did I end up in this situation at this time in my life?” or “This certainly isn’t how I pictured what my life would look at this time in my life.” Of course the choices that we make, both good and bad, are usually the largest influences on the course of our lives. However, sometimes people and events beyond our control shape our lives and therefore our call.
Esther’s life and call were definitely shaped by events beyond her control. Her people were taken captive years before she was born. She was an orphan raised by her cousin. She lived in a country hostile to her people. She was a great beauty, which got her noticed by the wrong people. Who thinks a devout Jewish girl would go willingly to the pagan King’s palace on the off chance she might end up as Queen when in reality she was more than likely to end up as just one of the girls in the Harem? While God is not mentioned by name in the book of Esther, His fingerprints are all over the book and all over Esther’s life. She does end up being Queen of all Persia. Do you ever think she wondered-why? Why am I here in this place the palace? Do you think she ever thought- I never pictured myself as queen of a pagan nation! Her life intersects with her call rather dramatically. A decree goes out to kill all the Jews. Her cousin Mordecai tells her the bad news. He asks her to intercede. She stalls. Mordecai reminds her that deliverance can come from another direction if need be but her position will not protect her and she will die with all the other Jews. He remarks, “Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Her call was to save her people at great personal risk. Saving a people is much more glamorous than doing the dishes but is it any more important than doing the dishes?
Have you ever looked around at other people in church and thought, “That person is so smart”, “Wow that person is so gifted”, “I wish God had called me to do something that amazing”. Paul told the Corinthians that there were different gifts but the same Spirit, different services but the same Lord. The human body he noted is made up of different parts, each part performing a different function, all parts equally needed and all contributing equally to the health and function of the body. No one part having more honor than another part. So too in the church he says, our gifts, talents, abilities and calls combine to make up the whole of the church with none being more special or more important than another. Each contributes to the health and function of the church. God blesses believers with a unique talent, ability, gift or call and then commands the believer to use them for His service, to further His Kingdom and to help make us one in Christ. So sometimes washing the dishes is a very important job.
Have you ever looked into the mirror or looked around at work or home and wondered, “How on earth did I end up in this situation at this time in my life?” or “This certainly isn’t how I pictured what my life would look at this time in my life.” Of course the choices that we make, both good and bad, are usually the largest influences on the course of our lives. However, sometimes people and events beyond our control shape our lives and therefore our call.
Esther’s life and call were definitely shaped by events beyond her control. Her people were taken captive years before she was born. She was an orphan raised by her cousin. She lived in a country hostile to her people. She was a great beauty, which got her noticed by the wrong people. Who thinks a devout Jewish girl would go willingly to the pagan King’s palace on the off chance she might end up as Queen when in reality she was more than likely to end up as just one of the girls in the Harem? While God is not mentioned by name in the book of Esther, His fingerprints are all over the book and all over Esther’s life. She does end up being Queen of all Persia. Do you ever think she wondered-why? Why am I here in this place the palace? Do you think she ever thought- I never pictured myself as queen of a pagan nation! Her life intersects with her call rather dramatically. A decree goes out to kill all the Jews. Her cousin Mordecai tells her the bad news. He asks her to intercede. She stalls. Mordecai reminds her that deliverance can come from another direction if need be but her position will not protect her and she will die with all the other Jews. He remarks, “Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Her call was to save her people at great personal risk. Saving a people is much more glamorous than doing the dishes but is it any more important than doing the dishes?
Have you ever looked around at other people in church and thought, “That person is so smart”, “Wow that person is so gifted”, “I wish God had called me to do something that amazing”. Paul told the Corinthians that there were different gifts but the same Spirit, different services but the same Lord. The human body he noted is made up of different parts, each part performing a different function, all parts equally needed and all contributing equally to the health and function of the body. No one part having more honor than another part. So too in the church he says, our gifts, talents, abilities and calls combine to make up the whole of the church with none being more special or more important than another. Each contributes to the health and function of the church. God blesses believers with a unique talent, ability, gift or call and then commands the believer to use them for His service, to further His Kingdom and to help make us one in Christ. So sometimes washing the dishes is a very important job.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Love
Love is in the air, la la la la, love is in the air. Isn’t it? Well, the month of February certainly has enough about romantic love, physical love, friendship love but what about true love? Paul told the Christians in Corinth that love was greater than faith and hope. Consider that circumcision, keeping the law, and ritualistic sacrifice defined the Old Covenant but Christ said that the New Covenant would be defined by love. Christ told his disciples that people would know they followed Christ because of their love for each other. He also told them that the entire law could be summed up into love God and your neighbor as yourself. So what is true love? The Apostle John gives us the definition of love in 1 John 3:16a and 1 John 4:9-10. God shows us the true meaning of love because He sent His Son to die so that we might live and Christ shows us the true meaning of love by willingly dying for us. So what does this tell us about the love we should be reflecting to those around us?
Love thinks and acts. God knew before the foundation of the world that he was going to have to send his Son to die for us-He had a plan in place for our redemption before He created anything and before sin even existed. God didn’t just think about a plan of redemption, He acted by sending Christ to die for our sin. Ruth and Orpah thought about their love for their mother in law Naomi and thought about returning to Israel with Naomi but only Ruth actually acted on her thoughts. Ruth left everything she knew to live in a strange land with strange customs in abject poverty. She didn’t know before she left that she would end up married to a wealthy man.
Love chooses and is sacrificial. God chose to send the very best for our redemption and Christ willingly chose to die. Not only did Christ willingly choose to die, He chose to die for his enemies. Paul notes in Romans 5 that even some unredeemed people might die for someone good, but who chooses to die for someone evil or an enemy? Jonathan chose to give opulent gifts to David and he chose to remain a faithful friend to David even though he knew David was going to be king instead of him. He chose to save David’s life nearly at the cost of his own. David remembered his promise to Jonathan and cared for Jonathan’s only remaining son who had nothing to offer David. The custom of the time in the surrounding countries was to kill all remaining relatives of the previous king so that no one could come after your throne. Not only did David not kill Mephibosheth, David brought him to live at the palace and restored the family lands to him. The startling thing is that Mephibosheth was a cripple and in that culture was completely valueless to everyone except David. He had value to David because of who he was-Jonathan’s son.
Finally love gives. There is a Christmas song (altered some what) whose lyrics express some closing thoughts
The Father gave the Son
The Son gave the Spirit
The Spirit gives us life so
We can give the Gift of love
When your life is full of Christ
then your life is full of love
You can give away the gift that began with God above
Just like ripples in the water the circles of our love extend
What was started with the Father is a Gift that has no end
Love thinks and acts. God knew before the foundation of the world that he was going to have to send his Son to die for us-He had a plan in place for our redemption before He created anything and before sin even existed. God didn’t just think about a plan of redemption, He acted by sending Christ to die for our sin. Ruth and Orpah thought about their love for their mother in law Naomi and thought about returning to Israel with Naomi but only Ruth actually acted on her thoughts. Ruth left everything she knew to live in a strange land with strange customs in abject poverty. She didn’t know before she left that she would end up married to a wealthy man.
Love chooses and is sacrificial. God chose to send the very best for our redemption and Christ willingly chose to die. Not only did Christ willingly choose to die, He chose to die for his enemies. Paul notes in Romans 5 that even some unredeemed people might die for someone good, but who chooses to die for someone evil or an enemy? Jonathan chose to give opulent gifts to David and he chose to remain a faithful friend to David even though he knew David was going to be king instead of him. He chose to save David’s life nearly at the cost of his own. David remembered his promise to Jonathan and cared for Jonathan’s only remaining son who had nothing to offer David. The custom of the time in the surrounding countries was to kill all remaining relatives of the previous king so that no one could come after your throne. Not only did David not kill Mephibosheth, David brought him to live at the palace and restored the family lands to him. The startling thing is that Mephibosheth was a cripple and in that culture was completely valueless to everyone except David. He had value to David because of who he was-Jonathan’s son.
Finally love gives. There is a Christmas song (altered some what) whose lyrics express some closing thoughts
The Father gave the Son
The Son gave the Spirit
The Spirit gives us life so
We can give the Gift of love
When your life is full of Christ
then your life is full of love
You can give away the gift that began with God above
Just like ripples in the water the circles of our love extend
What was started with the Father is a Gift that has no end
Monday, December 14, 2009
New Year's Resolutions anyone?
The first of the year has come again and once again many of us have probably made New Year’s Resolutions. We have a clean slate for the New Year. We can look back at the year just passing, consider both our failures and our successes, and then look forward to the New Year with what we hope to accomplish and change. The god Janus, for whom the month of January was named, was always depicted in Roman mythology as a two faced god; as one face looked back to the year that had passed, the other looked forward to the year that was coming. Thus, he could see the year that was past with all it's mistakes and errors but also could see the upcoming year which was unmarred. The Romans celebrated the New Year by giving gifts, asking forgiveness for wrongs committed during the previous year and made vows to do better in the New Year. Judaism celebrates its New Year in the fall with Rosh Hashanah. Rabbinic tradition holds that it is on this day in which the Book of Life is opened and God checks to see whose name is written therein from the previous year. The 10 days leading up to Yom Kippur, the Day of National Atonement, are to be spent reflecting on one’s life, repenting of one’s sins, asking others forgiveness with vows to do better in the following year so that one will be in better position with God on Yom Kippur. Some ancient cultures celebrated the New Year in the spring because that is when the natural world is reborn after the cold, deadness of winter.
So regardless of when celebrated, the start of the New Year seems to be associated with the concepts of spiritual rebirth, asking for forgiveness, and with vows or resolutions to do better. As Christians we undergo spiritual rebirth at the time of our salvation in Christ, becoming a new creation in Christ. As we reflect on the year that was and consider the year before us, rejoice that as new creations we have been reborn with a salvation that is unchanging and everlasting. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 NIV). “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.” (Luke 11:4 NIV) Seek the forgiveness of God and man at the start of this New Year. Do not start the New Year with the burdens of guilt, sin, and an unforgiving spirit. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Phil 4:13 NIV) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NV) So in his strength, this year resolve to do better.
So regardless of when celebrated, the start of the New Year seems to be associated with the concepts of spiritual rebirth, asking for forgiveness, and with vows or resolutions to do better. As Christians we undergo spiritual rebirth at the time of our salvation in Christ, becoming a new creation in Christ. As we reflect on the year that was and consider the year before us, rejoice that as new creations we have been reborn with a salvation that is unchanging and everlasting. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 NIV). “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.” (Luke 11:4 NIV) Seek the forgiveness of God and man at the start of this New Year. Do not start the New Year with the burdens of guilt, sin, and an unforgiving spirit. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Phil 4:13 NIV) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NV) So in his strength, this year resolve to do better.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Light and Salt
Christ told his disciples and by proxy us that we were to be salt and light to the world. I want to share a few thoughts on this.
On being light:
Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
We recently went to Carlsbad Caverns and one of the tours we went on has a spot in the cavern where they turn off all the lights. You are left in utter darkness. You can't even see the hand in front of your face. Then they ask that those who have lights on their cellphones turn there cellphones back on. You might be amazed and how much that particular section of cavern was lit up with roughly 40 or so cellphones on. How many of you have ever used you cellphone as a flashlight? Even one single cellphone does a fairly good job at providing some light. The lights that Christ talked about were small oil lamps which gave off sufficient light for the room. He wasn't talking about light houses or halogen spot lights. One single small light like our cellphones today provide a lot of light in the darkness and many grouped together provide much more light in the darkness. Just so we Christians are called to let our small individual lights shine forth in the darkness of our personal areas of influence; we aren't called individually to be halogen spotlights or even incandescent light bulbs although the church corporately is. I think sometimes Satan has us convinced both individually and corporately that our light is not sufficient to illuminate the darkness around us but he is wrong. The next time you have a doubt about your influence, think about your cellphone light and how effective it is in the darkness.
On being salt:
Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men."
Col 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. "
We are commanded to be salt. So what does salt do? Well if preserves that which it comes in contact with. It provides flavor. It can hurt in an open wound. Salt, especially that from the Dead Sea area, can soothe, rejuvenate and heal. I think sometimes we concentrate on the preservation aspect to the detriment of the other functions of salt. We are to help preserve our culture. How do we do that? By being transformed and having the same mind that was in Christ. We love the things of God more, we love what God loves and we hate what God hates. We essentially see the world as Christ sees the world. How can we preserve our culture if we don't call unholy that which God calls unholy? Are those who claim to be Christians deceiving themselves into thinking they are Christians when they don't call things unholy? Are the in fact saved but led astray by Satan?
Salt also give flavor. Job 6:6 "Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg? " How does that apply to our Christian walk? Our walk should be such that those around us desire to be Christians too. We should by our walk, consistency, and love make Christianity taste good. Psalm 34:8 "Taste and see that the Lord is good".
Unfortunately we must also realize that to be effective salt we are going to rub our culture the wrong way as well. We are pouring a substance into our society with all it's open wounds and defects that are really going to irritate at first. Salt can also work to cleanse and heal. When I had my ingrown toenails removed the doctor had me soak my feet twice a day in warm water, vinegar and salt. I have to tell you at first it was rather unpleasant but as time went on it was more soothing and kept the area clean and without infection. It also started to promote healing as well. An old wives remedy for healing was to go swimming in the ocean (something I wouldn't recommend though because we are discovering that there are some pretty bad bugs that grow in salt water these days). Also in other times people soaked in mineral baths to rejuvenate themselves physically. Most of my bath salts are made from salt from the Dead Sea. How many of you have soaked your tired feet in some sort of salt water to make them feel better? Our faith may irritate at first but later will provide soothing, rejuvenation, and healing for those around us both unsaved and those who are saved but not living as they should. So when Satan causes you to fear that you will overly irritate those around you be forewarned that is true BUT through a faithful witness and beyond the irritation lies healing.
Are we ready to be complete salt and light?
On being light:
Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
We recently went to Carlsbad Caverns and one of the tours we went on has a spot in the cavern where they turn off all the lights. You are left in utter darkness. You can't even see the hand in front of your face. Then they ask that those who have lights on their cellphones turn there cellphones back on. You might be amazed and how much that particular section of cavern was lit up with roughly 40 or so cellphones on. How many of you have ever used you cellphone as a flashlight? Even one single cellphone does a fairly good job at providing some light. The lights that Christ talked about were small oil lamps which gave off sufficient light for the room. He wasn't talking about light houses or halogen spot lights. One single small light like our cellphones today provide a lot of light in the darkness and many grouped together provide much more light in the darkness. Just so we Christians are called to let our small individual lights shine forth in the darkness of our personal areas of influence; we aren't called individually to be halogen spotlights or even incandescent light bulbs although the church corporately is. I think sometimes Satan has us convinced both individually and corporately that our light is not sufficient to illuminate the darkness around us but he is wrong. The next time you have a doubt about your influence, think about your cellphone light and how effective it is in the darkness.
On being salt:
Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men."
Col 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. "
We are commanded to be salt. So what does salt do? Well if preserves that which it comes in contact with. It provides flavor. It can hurt in an open wound. Salt, especially that from the Dead Sea area, can soothe, rejuvenate and heal. I think sometimes we concentrate on the preservation aspect to the detriment of the other functions of salt. We are to help preserve our culture. How do we do that? By being transformed and having the same mind that was in Christ. We love the things of God more, we love what God loves and we hate what God hates. We essentially see the world as Christ sees the world. How can we preserve our culture if we don't call unholy that which God calls unholy? Are those who claim to be Christians deceiving themselves into thinking they are Christians when they don't call things unholy? Are the in fact saved but led astray by Satan?
Salt also give flavor. Job 6:6 "Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg? " How does that apply to our Christian walk? Our walk should be such that those around us desire to be Christians too. We should by our walk, consistency, and love make Christianity taste good. Psalm 34:8 "Taste and see that the Lord is good".
Unfortunately we must also realize that to be effective salt we are going to rub our culture the wrong way as well. We are pouring a substance into our society with all it's open wounds and defects that are really going to irritate at first. Salt can also work to cleanse and heal. When I had my ingrown toenails removed the doctor had me soak my feet twice a day in warm water, vinegar and salt. I have to tell you at first it was rather unpleasant but as time went on it was more soothing and kept the area clean and without infection. It also started to promote healing as well. An old wives remedy for healing was to go swimming in the ocean (something I wouldn't recommend though because we are discovering that there are some pretty bad bugs that grow in salt water these days). Also in other times people soaked in mineral baths to rejuvenate themselves physically. Most of my bath salts are made from salt from the Dead Sea. How many of you have soaked your tired feet in some sort of salt water to make them feel better? Our faith may irritate at first but later will provide soothing, rejuvenation, and healing for those around us both unsaved and those who are saved but not living as they should. So when Satan causes you to fear that you will overly irritate those around you be forewarned that is true BUT through a faithful witness and beyond the irritation lies healing.
Are we ready to be complete salt and light?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Faith and Holiness
2Pe 1:2-9
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self‑control; and to self‑control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing
measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
From Spurgeon
We must have faith, for this is the foundation; we must have holiness of life, for this is the superstructure. Of what service is the mere foundation of a building to a man in the day of tempest? Can he hide himself therein? He wants a house to cover him, as well as a foundation for that house. Even so we need the superstructure of spiritual life if we would have comfort in the day of doubt. But seek not a holy life without faith, for that would be to erect a house which can afford no permanent shelter, because it has no foundation on a rock.
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self‑control; and to self‑control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing
measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
From Spurgeon
We must have faith, for this is the foundation; we must have holiness of life, for this is the superstructure. Of what service is the mere foundation of a building to a man in the day of tempest? Can he hide himself therein? He wants a house to cover him, as well as a foundation for that house. Even so we need the superstructure of spiritual life if we would have comfort in the day of doubt. But seek not a holy life without faith, for that would be to erect a house which can afford no permanent shelter, because it has no foundation on a rock.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Cultural relevancy
Part of the impetus of the emerging church movement is the criticism that the church isn't culturally relevant and people, particularly the young aren't interested in the church as it stands today. So what's the problem? The emergent folks say that the church isn't culturally relevant since that's what people are saying so we have to make the church culturally relevant. But is that really what the problem is? And has God ever been culturally relevant?
After spending some time thinking about whether God has ever been culturally relevant, I have to say the answer is no-God has never been culturally relevant. I would submit that a culturally relevant God would not have cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden, destroyed the world with a flood saving only a family of 8 and some animals, causing mankind to disperse at the Tower of Babel, destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, punished the children of Israel and Moses for their unbelief, punished the nations of Israel and Judah with captivity to name a few. Furthermore, why would a culturally relevant God feel the need to sacrifice His only Son to provide a means by where humanity could be restored to fellowship with Him? That should tell us something about humanity's culture throughout the ages-it's wrong and an anathema to God and He punishes people and nations for their culture. So why would we think that making the gospel of Christ culturally relevant to our time today would be acceptable to God? When Christ interacted with religious leaders, tax collectors and prostitutes he did indeed met them where they were but He challenged and in some cases changed their culture. He didn't make them better prostitutes and tax collectors and religious leaders. For that matter, Christ meets each of us where we are, it is only our notions of being better than others or not quite as bad that prevents us from seeing that in God's eyes we are all equally evil and in need of salvation. Romans 3:10 says that none are righteous. Society might say that one person is better than another is but God does not. He is not a respecter of persons (Romans 2:11) nor does He pay any attention to our social status, ethnicity or gender (Gal 3:28). When people truly meet up with Christ their culture is changed to His culture-not the other way around.
So this gets to the heart of the first question. Is it really that the church is not culturally relevant? As with many things there is always a kernel of truth that Satan finds and twists. I would agree that in some cases the church buildings have become enclaves to be away from the world. We do sometimes seem to spend an awful lot of time saying "Thou shalt not" instead of "Thou shalt do". So from that perspective most of us are probably guilty as charged.
We have forgotten that our primary purpose is to preach the Good news of Christ (Acts 1:8) to the four corners of the earth and you can't do that sitting in your warm comfy pew and you might actually have to associate with people out side your social strata who do things most of us would condemn or might make us feel uncomfortable. Some of us lack joy and it shows. We judge people by our first impressions and on their outsides without considering what they need on the inside. We also might be guilty of not ministering enough to the actual physical needs of those around us while preaching the good news but for the most part I think this one is lame. I think that more good has been done for the physical needs of people in Christ's name while preaching the good news than not. The Salvation Army, the old Catholic hospitals & mission hospitals come to mind. We want people to change up front and be like us before we fellowship with them. We seem to forget that change happens AFTER someone meets Christ not before. Besides, are any of us perfect in our faith and walk? Do we not all have weakness and temptations that cause us grief?
But, the seeker sensitive folks, those who say we have to make the church culturally relevant have forgotten something- We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and hearts (Romans 12:2), conforming not to the world but conforming to the image of Christ (Romans 12:2 and 8:30). That to me means we should be engaging our culture where it is and changing our culture not the other way around.
I Peter 2:9 reads "But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:"
2 Corinthians 6:17-18 says Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Both mean to me that we are to be different from our world. Actually the whole of 1 Peter 2 is amazing to read in light of what is happening today to make the church relevant and what we are do to, be and look like.
People want absolutes. People are looking for truth and they are looking for certainty. They may say they don't believe in absolutes, truth or certainty but I think they do want it or hope that it exists. God is a God of absolutes. We are created in His image. We crave spiritual fulfillment and fellowship-it's encoded into us. People don't really want wishy-washy or may be.
If the church has failed in its mission I would submit the reasons are multifactorial but mostly because we're trying to be culturally relevant and not too different.
Cries of exclusivity abound-that only our way is the right way. So then we try to be politically correct and agree. We forget that Christ claimed to be the only way to God, John 14:6. Is Christianity exclusive-you bet. Don't apologize for or try to be politically correct about Christ's claims.
Folks today seem to think that just because something is widely done, admired, or culturally acceptable, that the behavior must be ok. Problem is that scripture frequently takes a different view. God is unchanging so it follows that His opinions of what is right and what is wrong must also be unchanging. (Hebrews 13:8) So instead of changing us we try to change the message, we try not to be offensive especially when dealing with sin and sinners because we don't want to offend, we want to be liked by everyone. When we call parts of our culture wrong and sinful according to that which is written in scripture (sexual sins coming to mind) the general populace is going to be offended and they won't like us much. Christ took the religious leaders of his day to task more than any other group (man what does that mean for us, consider that). He called them whited tombs full of dead men's bones (Matthew 23:27), an evil and adulterous generation (Matthew 12:39), a generation of vipers (Matthew 3:7) none of which sound politically correct to me. Keep in mind the religious leaders of the day were the ones that delivered Christ up to be crucified. Have we forgotten Christ's own words in John 15:18-20- "“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also." Why would we think that our message would or should be popular? Christ's message wasn't all that popular when He proclaimed it Himself. In fact, His message got Him killed. Today's leaders and Christians want to focus on God being a God of love forgetting that God is also a Holy God and hates sin. We need to find a balance here people. Yes God is a God of love and that has been forgotten by some in the past but now we've gone the other way and completely abandoned the concept of a Holy God to whom sin is an anathema, needing to be punished.
My bottom line take on the emergent church is that their priorities are out of place. John F Kennedy Jr said "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country". We seem as a society to have this backward wanting more to know what our country can do for us than the other way around. I think that this attitude has permeated the spiritual as well. We no longer want to know what we can do for God but what is He going to do for us?
My solution is that we as individual Christians need to have a different culture, the culture of God. Galatians 5:22-25 I think says it best- "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." We need to have a different culture than the world around us and then be faithful to that culture. We need to keep our priorities straight.
My goal-to be transformed, conformed, separate and exhibit the Fruit if the Spirit. I won't be popular but I will be found faithful.
After spending some time thinking about whether God has ever been culturally relevant, I have to say the answer is no-God has never been culturally relevant. I would submit that a culturally relevant God would not have cast Adam and Eve out of the Garden, destroyed the world with a flood saving only a family of 8 and some animals, causing mankind to disperse at the Tower of Babel, destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, punished the children of Israel and Moses for their unbelief, punished the nations of Israel and Judah with captivity to name a few. Furthermore, why would a culturally relevant God feel the need to sacrifice His only Son to provide a means by where humanity could be restored to fellowship with Him? That should tell us something about humanity's culture throughout the ages-it's wrong and an anathema to God and He punishes people and nations for their culture. So why would we think that making the gospel of Christ culturally relevant to our time today would be acceptable to God? When Christ interacted with religious leaders, tax collectors and prostitutes he did indeed met them where they were but He challenged and in some cases changed their culture. He didn't make them better prostitutes and tax collectors and religious leaders. For that matter, Christ meets each of us where we are, it is only our notions of being better than others or not quite as bad that prevents us from seeing that in God's eyes we are all equally evil and in need of salvation. Romans 3:10 says that none are righteous. Society might say that one person is better than another is but God does not. He is not a respecter of persons (Romans 2:11) nor does He pay any attention to our social status, ethnicity or gender (Gal 3:28). When people truly meet up with Christ their culture is changed to His culture-not the other way around.
So this gets to the heart of the first question. Is it really that the church is not culturally relevant? As with many things there is always a kernel of truth that Satan finds and twists. I would agree that in some cases the church buildings have become enclaves to be away from the world. We do sometimes seem to spend an awful lot of time saying "Thou shalt not" instead of "Thou shalt do". So from that perspective most of us are probably guilty as charged.
We have forgotten that our primary purpose is to preach the Good news of Christ (Acts 1:8) to the four corners of the earth and you can't do that sitting in your warm comfy pew and you might actually have to associate with people out side your social strata who do things most of us would condemn or might make us feel uncomfortable. Some of us lack joy and it shows. We judge people by our first impressions and on their outsides without considering what they need on the inside. We also might be guilty of not ministering enough to the actual physical needs of those around us while preaching the good news but for the most part I think this one is lame. I think that more good has been done for the physical needs of people in Christ's name while preaching the good news than not. The Salvation Army, the old Catholic hospitals & mission hospitals come to mind. We want people to change up front and be like us before we fellowship with them. We seem to forget that change happens AFTER someone meets Christ not before. Besides, are any of us perfect in our faith and walk? Do we not all have weakness and temptations that cause us grief?
But, the seeker sensitive folks, those who say we have to make the church culturally relevant have forgotten something- We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and hearts (Romans 12:2), conforming not to the world but conforming to the image of Christ (Romans 12:2 and 8:30). That to me means we should be engaging our culture where it is and changing our culture not the other way around.
I Peter 2:9 reads "But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:"
2 Corinthians 6:17-18 says Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Both mean to me that we are to be different from our world. Actually the whole of 1 Peter 2 is amazing to read in light of what is happening today to make the church relevant and what we are do to, be and look like.
People want absolutes. People are looking for truth and they are looking for certainty. They may say they don't believe in absolutes, truth or certainty but I think they do want it or hope that it exists. God is a God of absolutes. We are created in His image. We crave spiritual fulfillment and fellowship-it's encoded into us. People don't really want wishy-washy or may be.
If the church has failed in its mission I would submit the reasons are multifactorial but mostly because we're trying to be culturally relevant and not too different.
Cries of exclusivity abound-that only our way is the right way. So then we try to be politically correct and agree. We forget that Christ claimed to be the only way to God, John 14:6. Is Christianity exclusive-you bet. Don't apologize for or try to be politically correct about Christ's claims.
Folks today seem to think that just because something is widely done, admired, or culturally acceptable, that the behavior must be ok. Problem is that scripture frequently takes a different view. God is unchanging so it follows that His opinions of what is right and what is wrong must also be unchanging. (Hebrews 13:8) So instead of changing us we try to change the message, we try not to be offensive especially when dealing with sin and sinners because we don't want to offend, we want to be liked by everyone. When we call parts of our culture wrong and sinful according to that which is written in scripture (sexual sins coming to mind) the general populace is going to be offended and they won't like us much. Christ took the religious leaders of his day to task more than any other group (man what does that mean for us, consider that). He called them whited tombs full of dead men's bones (Matthew 23:27), an evil and adulterous generation (Matthew 12:39), a generation of vipers (Matthew 3:7) none of which sound politically correct to me. Keep in mind the religious leaders of the day were the ones that delivered Christ up to be crucified. Have we forgotten Christ's own words in John 15:18-20- "“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also." Why would we think that our message would or should be popular? Christ's message wasn't all that popular when He proclaimed it Himself. In fact, His message got Him killed. Today's leaders and Christians want to focus on God being a God of love forgetting that God is also a Holy God and hates sin. We need to find a balance here people. Yes God is a God of love and that has been forgotten by some in the past but now we've gone the other way and completely abandoned the concept of a Holy God to whom sin is an anathema, needing to be punished.
My bottom line take on the emergent church is that their priorities are out of place. John F Kennedy Jr said "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country". We seem as a society to have this backward wanting more to know what our country can do for us than the other way around. I think that this attitude has permeated the spiritual as well. We no longer want to know what we can do for God but what is He going to do for us?
My solution is that we as individual Christians need to have a different culture, the culture of God. Galatians 5:22-25 I think says it best- "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." We need to have a different culture than the world around us and then be faithful to that culture. We need to keep our priorities straight.
My goal-to be transformed, conformed, separate and exhibit the Fruit if the Spirit. I won't be popular but I will be found faithful.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Resurrection Day
This is an excerpt of one of my favorite songs. The Gaither's wrote it sometime ago and as I was thinking about this upcoming holiday time, this has been the song that has been playing in my mind-especially the chorus.
"God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, To heal and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Jesus lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
My life is worth the living, just because He lives!"
"God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, To heal and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Jesus lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
My life is worth the living, just because He lives!"
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