Our Primary Allegiance

“But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.””

(Acts 5:29 ESV)

            After Jesus ascended into heaven, and after the Holy Spirit empowered the apostles, they faithfully proclaimed the gospel.  But, just as the ministry of Jesus brought the ire of Jewish leadership, so too did their ministry.  The activity of the apostles was seen as something to be stopped.

            After Peter and John healed the lame beggar in Acts 3, and after Peter preached to the crowd that assembled, they were arrested.  We’re told that the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 

            The next day, they stood before the high priest along with the rulers, scribes, and the elders.  Fearing that word of this miracle, and the message of the apostles, would spread among the people, they commanded the apostles to no longer speak or teach in the name of Jesus.  Peter and John replied to them, saying (Acts:19-20) : “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

            In Acts 5, we see that the apostles were once again arrested.  And they were reminded of the order that had been given them.  The high priest said to them (Acts 5:28): “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” Peter and the apostles then answered him, as we see in the above verse, by saying they must obey God rather than men.

            For many years in this nation, the church has had freedom.  When it came to obedience to the Lord and the state, the two have not been mutually exclusive.  Obeying the Lord did not mean disobeying men.  It did not mean acting in disobedience to our government leaders.  And obeying the government did not mean violating the will of God. But it seems this is now changing. 

            The freedom experienced by congregations hasn’t changed…yet. However, we are seeing changes when it comes to individual believers.  We are told that we must lay aside our faith and act according to the conscience and the morals of American society.

            Christian bakers have been told that they must bake cakes for homosexual weddings.  One such couple was forced to close their business after being fined $135,000 and issued a gag order when it came to speaking about their views regarding gay marriage.  A similar case is also taking place in Colorado.

            We’ve also seen Christian business owners being required to provide abortion services and birth control in their health insurance even when it violates their faith.  We’re being told that the freedom of religion doesn’t apply to individuals in our nation, but only to churches.

            I expect that we’ll see more and more of this as time goes on.  The American people no longer seem able to stomach Biblical teaching and values.  And it seems that our government and courts will stop at nothing to force Christians to adopt their judgments and values.

            Like the apostles, we may be forced to make a choice.  We may have to choose whether we’ll obey the government and disobey God, or to obey God and disobey the government.  And, like the apostles, I pray we’ll make the right choice. 

            That being said, if it comes to this, we must be prepared to face the consequences of our disobedience.  We may face harassment by our neighbors.  We may face fines. We may face the loss of our businesses and homes.  We may face arrest and imprisonment.  But these things in no way compare with the blessing God has in store for his faithful.  And what an opportunity it provides for the people of God to share Jesus and the hope we have in him.

This week at Prince of Peace, we saw that we don't accept what the Bible says about us.  We like to think that we're good people.  We like to think that our intentions are good.  We like to think that we're deserving of salvation.  However, this isn't the case.  In reality, our heart is filthy.  It defiles us in the eyes of God.  The only thing that can cleanse us from The Filth Within is Jesus.  To listen to this message, click on the link.

For those of you who haven't seen it, I have a brand new publication available.  It's titled Reflections on Faith.  Here's the description:

Faith is essential in the life of the Christian. But what is faith, and what does it mean to have faith? These questions are explored as we look at the teaching of Jesus, relating to faith, in the gospel of Matthew.

If you're interested in checking it out, click on the link.

“…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

(Acts 1:8 ESV)

            As school is resuming here in Beulah, and as my own children are back in school, this verse has often come to mind in recent days.  It comes to mind because it reminds me, and hopefully them as well, of the calling God has placed on their lives.  Like the apostles, and like you and me, they have been called to be Jesus’ witnesses.  And school provides them with a great outlet for this calling.

            It’s a great outlet because there are many in the schools who do not know the Lord.  Students and teachers alike, there are many who do not have faith in him.  And they are able to share the gospel in this mission field.

            As most of you know, a witness is someone who testifies to what he’s seen and heard.  He testifies about something he’s experienced first-hand.  And this is what young people can do in the schools.  They can testify before others about the wonderful things God has done in their life.  They can testify concerning Jesus, how he’s saved them, and how he’s given them the hope of eternal life.

            I’ve run into many Christians over the years who’ve told me that children are not capable of carrying out this call.  They’ve told me that they’re too young.  They’ve told me that, instead of being a witness, they’re in the position of being corrupted by unbelievers.

            We can’t deny that it’s possible for our children to be corrupted.  It’s possible for us to be corrupted as adults as well.  However, Jesus gave this call to all of his followers.  As I search the Scriptures, I don’t see any age limit put on it.

            And not only is this true, we see also how God used young people to do great things.  We see that, when he was only a child, God spoke to Samuel and he became a great prophet.  We see that, when David was quite young, God used him to slay Goliath.  We aren’t given Mary’s age, but most scholars believe she was young when she was told that she would bear the Son of God. 

            God can use young people because they don’t fulfill this call by their own abilities.  And neither do we.  It’s not our wisdom that enables us to carry out this call.  Nor is it our maturity or strength. 

Jesus told his followers that, when his Spirit came upon them, they would be his witnesses.  It was the Holy Spirit who enabled them to carry out this call.  And, in the same way, it’s by the Holy Spirit that our children, that young people, can carry out this great work.

            I was a believer throughout most of my childhood.  And as I think about school, I see mostly my failure to reach out to my teachers and classmates.  I was so desperate to fit in that I kept my mouth shut.  I hope and pray that my own children, as well as yours, will not fail in this way.  I pray that they’ll fulfill this calling.  I pray that they will be the start of a revival here in Beulah.  I pray that, through their witness, many will come to know the Lord and his salvation.

This past Sunday at Prince of Peace, we concluded our series on failure.  As we did so, we looked at the apostle Paul.  Once again, we see his sin and that he's no better than us.  But we find that we are guilty of the same sin, and just in need of God's mercy.  And we see the grace of God given him in spite of his sin.  To hear this message, click on the link!

Do We Love God's Word?

“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

(Psalm 119:97 ESV)

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

(Psalm 119:105 ESV)

            As we read through Psalm 119, one thing is plain.  The author of this Psalm loved the Word of the Lord.  His thoughts were focused on God’s Word throughout the day, and they guided the actions he took.  But, reflecting on this, I’m forced to ask: Is this our attitude today, when it comes to God’s Word?

            So often today, even in the church, a different attitude is prevalent.  Even though we will say that we love God’s Word, we never take the time to read it or study it.  It’s not something on which we focus during our day to day life.  More often than not, we have no idea what the Bible even says. 

            Quite often, reading God’s Word and reflecting upon it is seen as more of a chore than a joy.  If we do it at all, it isn’t done out of our desire to know the Lord or the words he’s spoken.  It’s done out of a sense of duty.

            God’s Word is also not what guides our steps.  Instead of looking to Scripture when making decisions, we look to our own wisdom.  Instead of looking to Scripture to determine the right course of action, we look to our feelings and to popular opinion. 

            When we do look to God’s Word, we often find that it makes us uncomfortable.  It makes us uncomfortable because it contradicts what we tend to think and believe.  And this forces us to make a choice.  What do we believe is correct, our feelings or the written Word of God?

            Quite often, we look to Scripture and think that its teachings are outdated.  We believe that we’ve evolved past these doctrines of old.  We believe that if the authors of the Bible knew what we know now, it would read much different.

            When confronted with the uncomfortable aspects of Scripture, I’ve often heard people say something to the effect of: “My god would never say such a thing…My god would never do such a thing.” We often act as if we speak for God.  We act as though we’re a better judge of his character than he is himself.  We act as though we know him better than those who walked with him and who were inspired by the Spirit of God to pen the words preserved in the Bible.

            In closing, I want to leave you with a few statements, made by Jesus, regarding his Word:

"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

(Matthew 7:24-27 ESV)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."

(John 8:51 ESV)

“The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment-- what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me."

(John 12:48 ESV)

"If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.”

(John 14:23-24 ESV)

Honoring the Aged

“Honor widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.”

(1Timothy 5:3-4 ESV)

            When I served my first congregation, I lived in a parsonage in inner-city San Diego.  Around me lived people from many different cultures and ethnic groups.  And something always struck me about these people. It was impossible to miss the fact that they are very family oriented. 

I had a Vietnamese family living on one side.  And in their home lived the grandparents, the parents, and the children.  On the other side of my home was an apartment complex where several Mexican families lived.  And they also maintained strong intergenerational connections. 

            I learned from a friend that, when a Vietnamese couple married, they moved in with the bride’s parents.  Her parents would help with the children and the housework.  And, as they aged, they were cared for by their children and grandchildren.

            This struck me because, in American culture, our goal is to get out of our parents’ house.  We want to get out on our own and take care of ourselves.  We have little, if any, desire to stay and to care for our parents.

            And this mentality is seen not only in the young.  As adults, we want to get our children out of the house so we can enjoy the quiet of our golden years.  Among older adults, it’s viewed as strange to have adult children living with you.  It signifies that your children have not succeeded and are not able to take care of themselves.

            As they age, many older adults are unwilling to live with their children.  They say that they don’t want to be a burden.  And, for this reason, they choose to move into a nursing home.

            It seems to me that we’ve lost sight of the call of God to take care of our family.  Paul, in the above passage, was talking about the care of widows.  And he encouraged the church to care for widows who were truly widows.  What he meant by this is that, not only have they lost their spouse, but that they have no family left to care for them.

            However, if a widow had family, if they had children or grandchildren, it was expected that they would provide care.  He refers to this as showing godliness to their own household.  He says that, in this way, they’re making some return to their parents.  And he tells us that this is pleasing in the eyes of God.

            We often fail to remember that, by serving our parents, by caring for them, we are serving God.  After all, it’s he who called us to honor our father and mother.  As Jesus points out, in Mark 7:9-13, by providing for our parents, by caring for them, we fulfill this command.

            In verse 8 of 1 Timothy 5, Paul makes a very strong statement, one that we’d do well to consider.  He says: “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Even unbelievers understand that it’s right and proper to care for their family.  So, if we fail to provide for our family, and this is especially true if we’ve failed to provide for those of our own household, we’ve denied the faith.  We cannot sincerely profess faith in Jesus if we’re unwilling to care for our family.

            Considering this, I think that it’s good for us to be counter-cultural here in America.  As the church, let us not fall into the mindset that’s so prevalent in our nation today.  Let us not ignore our parents as they age.  Let us not seek independence from our parents to the point where we no longer honor them.  And let us, as we age, willingly receive the care and provision of our children.

This week at Prince of Peace, as we near the end of our series on failure, we looked at the sin of Peter.  We see that, after Jesus' arrest, he followed at a distance.  He did so because he didn't want to be too closely associated with him.  And, when asked, Peter denied even knowing Jesus. We too are guilty of following Jesus at a distance.  We too are guilt of denying him.  But we're encouraged by the grace given to Peter in spite of his guilt. To hear this message, click on the link.

A Partner or An Enemy?

“…for the one who is not against you is for you."

(Luke 9:50 ESV)

            This is a verse that has often caught my attention.  It’s done so because we often think of it in the opposite way.  We often believe that the one who is not for us is against us.

            However, the one who is not for us is not always against us.  They may not know us, and they may not be our fans.  But, regardless, we’re working for a common purpose.

            We see this as we look at the context of this verse.  The disciples came to Jesus telling him that they’d seen someone casting out demons in his name.  And when they saw this, they tried to stop him.  They did so because he did not follow with them.

            Jesus responded to them, telling them not to stop him.  They were not to stop him because the one who is not against them is for them.  He was in no way opposing them or their ministry while he engaged in his own.

            As I preached at our community service here in Beulah last week, I highlighted that all who have faith in Christ are brothers and sisters in the Lord.  Even though we have our own congregations, with beliefs and practices that differ slightly, we have many more similarities than we do differences.  We are all trusting in Christ, and in him alone, for the salvation he provides.  And we also share a common call and a common purpose.

            Those who attend the other churches in town may not follow the Lord with me.  And, in the same way, we may also serve separately.  But we are, in no way, opposing one another.

            We often look at the other churches in town, we often look at the other pastors in town, as our competition.  Because they are not following Christ together with us, we set ourselves against them.  We want to be more successful than them.  We’d be happy if we could get their people to come to our church.  In fact, we’d be just fine with it if their church closed its doors.

            Like the disciples, we must realize that those who are not against us are for us. Even if they aren’t following with us, they’re following the same Lord.  Even if they aren’t serving with us, we are serving the same Lord. 

            That being said, I’m not suggesting should throw caution to the wind.  We all know that there are many who profess faith in Christ and to serve him, yet their ministry is not Scriptural in the least.  And, as a pastor, I view the protection of the flock as an important responsibility. Before I recommend that someone attend a particular church or ministry, or before I recommend that they make use of a particular resource, I want to know that we’re on the same page.  This is even more the case if someone is to teach or to share in the congregation I serve.

            However, as I’ve pointed out, there are many who follow Christ who are not following with me.  There are many who serve Christ who are not serving with me.  And just because this is true of them doesn’t indicate that they are off base or that their ministry should be hindered.  He who is not against me is for me.  The one who is not opposing my ministry is following and serving the same Lord.

This week at Prince of Peace, we continued our look at failure as we considered the sin of Solomon.  We find, once again, that he was not a good man.  We find that he was not deserving of God's blessings.  Yet, we also find that God blessed him in spite of his sin.  All of this is a comfort to us, who are guilty like Solomon and deserving of God's judgment.

The Source of Healing

“Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk."”

(John 5:8 ESV)

            After listening to the invalid share about his inability to get into the pool, that he might receive the healing he desired, Jesus addresses the man.  However, his words seem almost cruel and uncaring.  He simply tells the man to get up and walk.

            Imagine telling an alcoholic to clean up his life.  This would be cruel because he obviously can’t do this for himself.  Imagine telling a blind man to see or a deaf man to hear.  Again, they can do nothing to change their condition.  Such a statement would be cruel because we’d be telling them to do something that’s beyond their ability.

            But we fail to understand something that this man seemed to grasp.  Jesus didn’t tell him to get up to insult or to mock his condition.  Jesus also didn’t expect this man to get up and walk by his own strength or ability.  Jesus told the man to get up because he had the power to make the man get up.  He had the ability to grant healing.

            It’s clear to me that the man understood this.  It’s clear because, upon hearing this command, he didn’t grumble.  He didn’t complain of his inability to get up, or continue to lay.  He simply did as he’d been told.  He picked up his bed and walked.

            In the same way, we’re told to resist the devil not because we can do it on our own, but because Jesus can empower us to do just that.  We’re told to flee from immorality and youthful passions not because we have the strength in ourselves to do it, but because Jesus can empower us to do it.  We’re told to repent not because we have the strength or the willpower to accomplish this task, but because Jesus can empower us to turn from sin.

If we want to be healed, if we want Jesus to work in our life, we must trust in his power to grant that healing.  We must surrender to him as he calls to us and follow his leading.  It’s when we respond to him in faith that we’ll receive the gift he’s offering us.

As we continued our look at failure, this past Sunday, we spent time dealing with the sins of David.  Despite being called a man after God's own heart, he had some definite flaws.  To hear this message, click on the link.

Where Is Our Help Found?

“The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me."”

(John 5:7 ESV)

As we read on about the invalid with whom Jesus spoke in John 5, it seems that he did want to be healed.  After all, why else would he be at the pool?  However, even though he had this desire, he’d lost hope. 

Again, it was believed that whoever made it into the pool first, after the water was stirred, would be healed.  And this invalid had lost hope because someone always beat him to the pool.

            Imagine trying to win a footrace as an invalid.  It’s right up there with a blind man winning a sharpshooting competition or a mute winning a speech competition. No matter your efforts, the deck is always stacked against you.  And, having realized this, he was discouraged.

Even though he likely didn’t realize it, he’d lost hope because he was looking to the wrong source. Instead of looking to the Lord, he was looking to this pool.  Instead of looking to the Lord, he was depending on his ability to make it first into the pool.

We often get caught in the same mindset.  We have a clear need, but we look not to the Lord.  Instead of looking to God, we look to our efforts. Instead of trusting in Jesus, we trust in people or superstition.

In order to remain healthy, or to become healthy, we look to our own efforts or to products marketed in this way.  We look to a certain diet or exercise program.  We look to vitamins or organics. 

I’m not suggesting that it’s wrong to eat healthy or to exercise.  I try to do just that.  And there are definite benefits to these practices.  However, we must not allow them to be our focus as we’re seeking help rather than the Lord.

            When it comes to physical illness, we look not to the Lord, but to doctors and medications. When it comes to mental illness, we look not to the Lord, but to psychiatrists and counselors. The Lord can, of course, work through people. He can use people, whom he has gifted, to help meet our need. And, again, I’m not suggesting that it’s wrong to make use of them.  I regularly make use of doctors myself.  Having a chronic illness, I take medication on a daily basis.  We must realize, however, that the Lord is the source of our help. We must realize that he's the source of our strength and healing.

Other times, people will depend upon a rabbit’s foot or a horseshoe over the door for good luck.  They will look to dreamcatchers to rid themselves of bad dreams.  People will rely on sacred relics or on a pilgrimage to a sacred site to gain the blessing needed.

And, just like the invalid, we often lose hope. We lose hope because, no matter what we try, nothing seems to help.  Our life doesn’t seem to improve.  The need that we possess remains unsatisfied.

            Whatever our need, and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, we must realize the true source of help.  As we read in the first two verses of Psalm 121: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” We must always know and remember that the Lord is the source of our help and it’s to him that we must always look.

“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”

(Romans 12:6-8 ESV)

            Many of us have fallen into the wrong mindset when it comes to the church.  We think and act as though the church is here only for our benefit.  We choose a church based not on what we can give, but on what we can receive.  If we perceive that a particular church cannot meet our felt needs, we go off in search of something better.

            Of course there are certain things we should look for when it comes to a church.  We should look for a church that preaches and teaches the Word of God.  We should look for a church that does not deny the truth.  We should look for a church that strives to carry out the call God has placed on us as his people.

            However, we tend to shop for a church just as we shop for a new outfit.  We search for a church that fits us perfectly.  We search for a church that makes us feel comfortable.  We look for a church that provides for us the services we desire.

            If a church asks something of us, we cringe.  If a church expects something of us, we resist. We want no obligations placed on us.  We want only to sit in the pew on Sunday morning.  We want only to participate in those programs that meet our perceived needs.  We want only to receive, and not to give.

            We fail to realize that God has given to us his grace so that we can serve.  We fail to realize that God has given us his grace so we can minister to others.  In fact, our gifts and abilities differ from those given to others.  They complement those given to others.  So we each have a specific role. And we are all called upon to use the gifts God has bestowed upon us.

            We see this in the above passage.  Paul tells us that, having gifts that differ according to the grace given us, we’re to use them.  If we have the gift of prophecy, we’re to prophesy.  If we have the gift of service, we’re to serve.  If we have the gift of teaching, we’re to teach. 

            God doesn’t give us our gifts and abilities for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others.  In 1 Corinthians 12:7, Paul tells us that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each of us for the common good.  He gives to us his gifts for the good of the church.

            This agrees also with the teaching of Jesus.  He tells us in Luke 22 that the greatest must become like the youngest.  He tells us that the one who leads must become like the one who serves. It’s not about lording our authority over others.  It’s not about receiving service from others.  It’s about laying down our life for the blessing of others.

Now, if everything is working properly, we will receive from the church.  We’ll benefit from the gifts that God has given to others in the church.  However, our motive must be, first and foremost, to serve.

            So, as we consider our place in the church, we should look at how we can serve.  We should consider how we might bless others. Maybe it’s helping to serve at a funeral meal or at one of our community meals.  Maybe it’s teaching a Sunday School class.  Maybe it’s serving on a committee in the church or helping with the youth group.  The opportunities are endless.  But let’s seek to use the grace God’s given us to bless others.

Do We Want to Be Healed?

“When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?"”

(John 5:6 ESV)

            My next few blog posts will focus on this passage, because I've found much to glean from it. Whenever I read the account of this miracle, performed by Jesus, I find it intriguing.  But it’s not the miracle that catches my attention.  It’s the question that Jesus asks the man before healing him.

            We see in this passage that Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and that he visited the pool of Bethesda.  Invalids gathered at this pool because it was believed that it had healing powers.  It was believed that an angel would periodically go into the pool and stir the waters.  And whoever entered the pool first, after the water was stirred, would be healed.

            As Jesus came to the pool, he saw a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.  Jesus then addressed him, asking him the question in the above verse.  Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed.

            When I read this, my initial reaction is that this is a strange question.  I react this way because who, after all, would not want to be healed?  The answer to this question seems obvious.  It seems like a question that doesn’t need to be asked.

            I’m not an invalid.  But I do suffer from a heart condition.  And, even though I’ve learned to live with it, I would love to be healed.  I would love to be free from the symptoms I experience on a daily basis.  I would love to be free from the limitations it places on my life.  So if Jesus asked this of me, there’s no  question how I'd respond.

            However, as I stop and think about it, I don’t think this is always the case.  I don’t think that everyone wants to be healed.    There are those who have grown comfortable in their present condition.  There are those who, if given the chance for healing, would turn it down.

            We see this often today.  No matter what Jesus offers, there are some who will not receive it.  There are some who are content to remain as they are.

            There are many who like their life just the way it is.  They don’t want Jesus to work in them.  They don’t want Jesus to change them.  They want Jesus to let them be.

            Having worked in a treatment center for those struggling with substance abuse, I saw this frequently.  Many were there not because they wanted help.  They merely wanted to satisfy the courts.  In reality, they liked their life the way it was.  And once they'd met the requirements laid down for them, they fully intended to return to this life.

            I’ve seen those who have embraced the poverty cycle.  Although they complain about the things they lack, they’ve become accustomed to this life.  And they are unwilling to receive the help which would enable them to break free from this way of life.

            There are those who find their identity in their illness.  I’ve seen this in many who suffer from a physical or a mental illness.  And, for this reason, they don’t really want to be free.  They don’t know who they are apart from their diagnosis.

            So the first question this passage leaves us with is this: Do we want to be healed?  Are we willing to receive the healing that Jesus can provide?  Are we willing to leave behind something that’s become comfortable in exchange for something better?

            I don’t mean, when I say this, that Jesus will heal our every weakness this side of eternity.  I don’t mean that he’ll remove every temptation with which we struggle.  Although he has the power to do so, he often chooses to leave the thorn in place.  Like Paul, we’re often left with our struggle as a reminder that God’s power is made perfect in weakness.  He does it as a reminder that he can and will use us no matter our circumstances.

            Yet, we do have his assurance that we will be fully healed in the end.  When Jesus returns, we’ll live in a place where sin and its consequences are a thing of the past.  And this is a gift that is received by faith.  We receive it by trusting in Jesus’ power and authority to do as he’s promised.  But, for him to do so, we must possess a heart that's willing to receive the blessing he has in store for us.

            

Yesterday, as we continued our look at failure, we looked at the sin of Moses.  And, once again, we saw the grace of God given to Moses in spite of his sin.  To hear this message, click on the link.

Who Am I?

“Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?””

(2Samuel 7:18 ESV)

            As I was having my devotions this morning, something struck me.  I was reading about King David.  God had established him as king over all Israel and given him victory over his enemies.  He’d built for himself a palace in Jerusalem.  But it struck him that the ark of the Lord was still dwelling in a tent.  And, for this reason, he desired to build a temple for the Lord.

            God, however, sent word to David through Nathan the prophet. He told David that he would not be the one to build for him a house.  But God also made to David a great promise.  God told David that he would build for him a house.  In verses 12-13, God said to him: “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

            What a great promise this is that God gave him.  What struck me, however, was not God’s promise. It was David’s response to God’s promise.

            As we see in the above verse, he didn’t feel worthy of this great blessing God was giving him.  He didn’t feel that his family was worthy of this blessing. He was amazed that God desired to give this blessing to him.

            We see the same attitude expressed by other men of faith as well. We see it expressed by Moses, in Exodus 3, when God called him to bring Israel out of Egypt.  We see it expressed by Gideon, in Judges 6, when God called him to save the people from their enemies.  We see it expressed by Mary, in Luke 1:48 after the angel told her that she was to bear the Son of God.

            This is in great contrast to our attitude, today.  Instead of being humbled that God would give to us such a great promise, we feel that we’re deserving of his blessings.  We feel that we’re good people who are entitled to every good thing God is able to provide.

            In fact, if he doesn’t give them to us, we feel that God is unfair. We feel that we deserve more than we currently possess.  If something bad happens to us, we think that we deserve better.  In contrast to David’s attitude, we stand in judgment of God, condemning him as unloving and unjust.

            We fail to bear in mind that we are not good people (Romans 3:10-12).  We fail to bear in mind that all we deserve is God’s judgment (Romans 3:23, 6:23).  We fail to recognize that any gift God gives to us is only due to his grace.

            What would happen if we shared the heart of David, expressed in this verse?  We would be much more grateful for the gifts God has given to us.  We would be much more content in life, even when we don’t receive everything we desire.  We would fully understand the gospel message, spoken to us in God’s Word.

            Let’s then ask God to give us the heart of David.  Let’s ask him to create in us a heart that understands how undeserving we truly are.  And let’s ask God to create within us a heart that’s receptive to the good news.

            

Yesterday, we heard part 4 of our series on failure.  We looked specifically at Judah, his sin, and the grace that God gave to him in spite of his failure.  To hear this message, click on the link.

A Scriptural Defense for Homosexuality?

            I recently read an article, posted on Facebook, attempting to defend homosexuality from a Scriptural perspective.  If you care to read it, click on this link: http://www.upworthy.com/there-are-6-scriptures-about-homosexuality-in-the-bible-heres-what-they-really-say?g=3  The arguments used in this article are nothing new.  So let’s take a quick look at them.

            First, the author suggests that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was not homosexuality, but gang rape.  One problem with this view is that, when Lot offered his daughters to the men, they didn’t want them.  They specifically wanted the men.  So we see that their desire was clearly homosexual in nature.

While it’s true that the people of the town sought to rape the guests in Lot’s home (who were really angels), Scripture specifically defines for us their sin.  In Jude 7 we’re told that they gave themselves over to sexual immorality and unnatural desire.  So it wasn’t gang rape that was the issue (even though I’d agree it too was wrong).  It was their unnatural desire.  It was their homosexual desire.

The author then dismissed the other Old Testament commands against homosexuality based on the fact that they’re Old Testament laws.  She says that Christ did away with the Law and classes this law together with those relating to shellfish and other ceremonial regulations.

This, however, is not a ceremonial law for Israel.  It’s a moral law, like those found in the Ten Commandments.  And we see it reflected also in the New Testament.

The New Testament makes it clear that laws regulating foods, cleanness, days for worship, etc. are a thing of the past.  It doesn’t, however, do this with homosexuality.  Instead, the commands are repeated, telling us that they are still in force.

The author next attempts to dismiss Paul’s mention of homosexuality in Romans 1.  She does so by trying to frame it in a cultural context.  The problem, she says, is with non-committed homosexual relationships. 

This, however, ignores the plain reading of the text.  We’re specifically told that these relationships (two women or two men) are unnatural.  They are referred to as dishonorable and shameless.

Last of all, she tells us that the Greek words used in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 1 Timothy 1:10 are difficult to translate.  She refers us to Vine’s, where it’s said that the concept of sexual orientation didn’t even exist. 

This is far from the case.  Scripture makes it clear over and over that it’s wrong for a man to lie with a man as with a woman.  As we’ve seen, it refers to the relationships of two men or two women as unnatural.  This reveals that they were very familiar with this concept.

The words themselves are also not hard to translate.  All the common and scholarly lexicons translate them as one who practices same sex activity , or a sodomite. 

Once again, it’s said that the Bible was referring to non-committed homosexual relationships (for which no evidence is offered). 

Homosexuality clearly violates the will of God, as found in Scripture.  These are nothing more than attempts to legitimize it in the eyes of the Church.  The objections of the author clearly use poor scholarship in order to push an agenda.

That being said, God clearly loves the homosexual.  However, just as God does not accept the other sins mentioned in Scripture, neither does he accept theirs.  He, instead, calls us to repent and to receive the mercy that is found in Christ alone.

Yesterday, we heard part 3 of our series on failure.  We looked at Jacob, and his failure in his walk with the Lord.  But, once again, we see God's grace in spite of his failure. To hear this message, click on the link.

Love Wins?

            Much has been written about the Supreme Court ruling this past Friday, legalizing gay marriage in the United States.  I’d like to say that I was surprised by this decision, but that’s far from the case.  In all reality, I expected it.

            Even though I’m saddened by this decision, and even though I’m saddened the reality that our nation is turning further away from the Lord, what saddens me most is the reaction of much of the church to this decision.  I’m saddened most by the reaction of many who claim the name of Christ to this decision.  Disregarding the clear teaching of Scripture on this issue, many in the church celebrated this decision.

            I saw many in the church, some of them friends, who rejoiced in the legalization of gay marriage.  They rejoiced in it, adding the phrase: Love Wins! They rejoiced in the fact that two people of the same gender, who love each other, are now able to get married like a man and a woman.  They insisted that, by embracing gay marriage, our nation is no longer rejecting homosexuals by discriminating against them.  But is this true?  Has love truly won? 

            Love has not won, in this ruling.  Sin has won.  Again, the clear teaching of Scripture is that homosexuality is a sin (Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Leviticus 18:22, etc.).  And, although God certainly loves homosexuals and desires their salvation, he does not accept their rebellion. 

            According to Romans 1:32, the acceptance of these behaviors is also sinful.  It’s a sign of man’s rejection of God.  After all, how can the heart that loves God accept those things that he’s deemed sinful?

            The truth is that, by accepting homosexuality, by celebrating it, we are not loving them.  Instead, we are leaving them to their sin.  We’re leaving them to their condemnation.  We are providing them with a false sense of comfort.   We’re attempting to remove the conviction necessary that they might see their need for a Savior and be drawn to Jesus in faith.

            In Romans 3, starting in verse 19, Paul writes: “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”

            Scripture teaches that all of us are sinful, both gay and straight.  And the purpose of God’s Law is to hold us accountable. It doesn’t provide us with the way of salvation, because we’re unable to earn God’s blessings.  However, with the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

            When we’re confronted with the Law of God, we clearly see our sin.  We see that we’re guilty in the eyes of God.  And we’re confronted with the penalty we deserve.  We come to the understanding that we’re lost and that we have no way to save ourselves.  We find that we’re in need of a Savior.

            This Savior, of course, is Jesus.  It’s he who took the penalty of our sin, dying on the cross.  It’s he who rose from the grave, defeating the power of death.  And it’s by faith in him that we’re saved.

            If we, then, try to remove conviction, we’re not benefitting the sinner.  In fact, we’re bringing him to harm.  We’re bringing him to a place where he isn’t confronted with his sin.  We’re bringing him to a place where his sin is accepted and where he has no need of a Savior.  And, without this, he will not look to Jesus in faith and receive forgiveness.

            Much of the church, today, shies away from this truth.  Even if they don’t go as far as accepting sin, they don’t want to say or do anything that might make people feel guilty.  They reason that, if people are made to feel guilty, they won’t come to church and hear the gospel.

            We often fail to realize that, by doing this, by trying to remove conviction from the equation, we’re denying people the message of the gospel.  Even if they come to church every Sunday, they are not hearing it.  They’re not hearing it because they don’t understand from what they’re being saved.  They’re not hearing it because, apart from conviction, they have no need of salvation.

            It may sound obvious but, if we’re being saved, there’s something from which we’re being saved.  And Scripture is clear that Jesus came to save us from sin.  He came to save us from the consequences of our sin.  Unless we understand this, unless we understand the consequences we deserve, the gospel is meaningless. 

            This isn’t, of course, an excuse to beat up on gays.  It isn’t an excuse for our portrayal of them as worse sinners than the rest of us.  We are all sinful, and this is a penalty that we all deserve.  Even if we don’t struggle with this particular sin, we need salvation as much as them, or anyone else for that matter.  But, if we truly love homosexuals, we won’t accept their sin.  We won’t try to make them comfortable in their sin.  We’ll, instead, bring to them the truth of the gospel.  

Not As Strong As We Think

As most of you are aware by now, the focus of my messages, this summer, is on failure.  We’re looking at the failure of the great men of faith in Scripture, and on the grace of God given to them in spite of their sin.  We’re doing this as an encouragement for ourselves, that we might not grow discouraged, but trust in Christ alone in the face of our own shortcomings.

            Returning from Annual Conference, news reports were circulating about the moral failure of yet another prominent pastor.   Prior to my departure, we saw incessant reporting on a moral failure of a well-known Christian family.  And every time we see these reports, we’re shocked.

            We’re shocked because those who fell seemed so strong in faith.  They seemed to have it all together.  And we’re left wondering if it was all an act.  We’re left wondering if they are the people we always believed them to be.

            Although these feelings are normal, we really shouldn’t be shocked in the least.  We shouldn’t be shocked because we’re all failures.  As Paul tells us in Romans 3:23: “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”

            This is why Paul gives us the above warning.  He begins 1 Corinthians 10 using the people of Israel as an example for us.  He begins the chapter, saying: “For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”

            What he’s telling us is that the people of Israel had received the redemption and the provision of God.  They were led by God, as he went before them in the pillar of cloud.  They were rescued from slavery, as God brought them miraculously through the Red Sea.  They were baptized into Moses, they emerged as a new people, as they were separated from the Egyptians by the cloud and the sea. They also received life through the miraculous provision of Christ.

            Yet, even though this was true of them, even though they had received these great blessings, they fell time and again.  They fell into idolatry.  They fell into sexual immorality.  They tested the Lord and they grumbled against him. 

            Paul says that these things are written for our instruction.  They’re examples for us.  If we think that we stand, we must take heed lest we fall.

            When we read about the failure of Israel, and when we hear about the failure of prominent Christians today, our immediate reaction is one of judgment.              We think that, knowing the blessings God has given them, they must be stupid to fall into these sins.  After all, how could they risk these blessings when God has given them so much?

We tell ourselves that we’d never do such a thing.  We tell ourselves that we could never fall in such a way.  Even acknowledging that we’re sinners, we think that we’re above such things.

            The reality, however, is much different.  We are all sinners.  We all possess a sinful nature.  We all face great temptation every day of our life.  And, because of this, the possibility of our failure is ever present.

            No matter how strong our faith, none of us is above the failures of others.  In fact, when we start believing that we are above it, when we start to believe that we stand, we are most susceptible to sin. We’re most susceptible to sin at this point because we’re looking to our own strength. 

We’re the safest when we look not upon our strength, but when we look upon our weakness.  Only then will we fully depend upon the grace and the provision of God.  And, as Scripture tells us time and again, we receive God’s blessing not because of anything in ourselves, but through faith.

            Let us, then, take heed.  Let us be aware of our own weakness.  And may we look to Christ, and to Christ alone, for the forgiveness of our sin and for the strength to live for his glory.

As I was at the AFLC Annual Conference last week, I never posted my message from June 14.  I began a new series, that week, looking at failure.  Each week, we'll look at a man of faith, in Scripture, who failed.  And more importantly, we'll see the grace of God given him in spite of his failure.  The first message of this series looked at Adam & Eve.  To hear this message, click on the link.

This week, we heard about the failure of Abraham, and of the grace God gave to him in spite of his sin.  To hear this message, click on that link.

The Blessing of Rest

"The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

(Mar 2:27 ESV)

            This verse came to mind as I was driving home from Florida this past week.  Even though I’ve served for only two months, my new congregation allowed us some time away.  And this break was much needed after a year of work, along with the stress of our transition and move. 

            The Sabbath was made for man.  In other words, the Sabbath is God’s gracious gift to man.  But why did he give it?

            When we look to the giving of the Ten Commandments, in the book of Exodus, we see why.  In Exodus 20, we’re told that it’s a time of rest.  As God worked for six days and rested on the seventh, he gave the Sabbath to us.  So the Sabbath is a rest from our labors, something which all of us require.

            In Deuteronomy 5, we find that it’s not only a day of rest. It’s a day of remembrance.  It was a reminder to the people that they were slaves in the land of Egypt and that God had set them free.  The opportunity they had to rest from their labor reminded them of this great blessing which was denied them during their time of bondage.

            Further, we see in in Leviticus 23:3 that the Sabbath was a day of holy convocation, or a day of sacred assembly.  In other words, the Sabbath was a day for corporate worship.  The people were to gather in worship of the God who both made them and redeemed them.

            In addition, God also commanded several holidays that were to be celebrated by the people.  Again, no work was to be done.  The people were to worship God.  And each of these celebrations were remembrances of God’s salvation and provision.

            However, as we look at Mark 2, we see that, in the time of Jesus, the Sabbath was no longer being used for its intended purpose.  The religious leaders had made it something other than a day of grace for God’s people.  They had made it burdensome.  In fact, it was hard work to keep the Sabbath.

            One Sabbath, Jesus and his disciples were walking through the grain fields.  As they walked, they plucked heads of grain.  They were then criticized by the Pharisees for working on the Sabbath.

            Even though the New Testament is clear that we’re not bound to certain days or months when it comes to our rest, many in the church think and act just like the Pharisees.  They say that all we can do on Sunday is go to church and take a nap.  If we do anything whatsoever, we’re criticized for working.

            For this reason, Jesus gave the above reminder to the Pharisees.  He told them that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  In other words, the Sabbath is God’s blessing to man.  It’s not another burden for his people to bear.

            This is the blessing I recently enjoyed during my vacation.  I was able to rest from my labors.  It wasn’t a burden, it was a blessing.  I didn’t have a set of requirements to follow.  I was able to simply get away from my day to day work.  And the same is true of my day off each week, and during our holiday celebrations.

            I don’t have to worry, with everything I do, that I’m violating the Sabbath.  I can simply enjoy my time free of labor.  I can sleep a little later.  I can enjoy my family.  I can enjoy activities for which I have no time during my regular work week.

I thank God who’s given me this gift.  And, as I rest from my labors, I’m reminded of the rest God has provided for me in Christ.  I’m reminded of the fact that I don’t have to work to receive God’s blessings, because the work of Christ has accomplished it for me.