Off to Alaska

"Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

(Mark 16:15-16 ESV)

When I arrived in Beulah to serve as their pastor, the deacons immediately raised a question.  They heard that I’d taken a group from my previous congregation up to the AFLC mission work in Naknek, Alaska.  And so, with drool practically dripping from their mouths, they asked: “Can we go too?”

That question sparked the trip on which we’ll be embarking early Monday morning.  A group of twelve from Prince of Peace will be heading to the mission.  And I pray that, not only will we be able to serve the missionaries and the community of Naknek, but that it will also be a life transforming experience for all who go.

Even though I feel called to serve as a pastor here in the United States, missions is a great interest of mine.  It’s heavy on my heart.  I’ve always enjoyed praying for our missionaries and hearing from them when they’ve returned on furlough.  But I’d never been able to take part in a trip until I first went to Alaska.

A year later, I was elected to the World Mission Committee of the AFLC.  I was immediately invited to go to our mission fields in Uganda and India.  And what a blessing it was to not only hear about these ministries and to pray for them, but to see them first hand.  What a blessing it was to be given the opportunity to serve.

It’s for this reason that, as our current Alaska trip was being planned, I decided to bring along my oldest son.  I want him to see what the Lord is doing outside of our own community and culture.  I want him to experience the blessing of coming alongside our missionaries to serve them.  I want him to experience the blessing of being a blessing to the community served by the mission.

With that, I want to thank all of those who’ve contributed to this trip.  You are a greater blessing than you even realize.  I ask also that you’ll pray for us as we go.  Pray for our safety and that the Lord will use us.  Pray that the Lord will work in us as we ask him to work through us.

Consider also what you might do to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.  If you can go on a mission trip, I encourage you to go.  But, by all means, share the gospel right where you are.  Support the work of your local congregation and also the missionaries who serve around the world with your gifts and prayers.  Use the gifts that God has given to you to point people to Christ and to simply be a blessing.  But, by all means, go.

Making Disciples

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

(Matthew28:19-20 ESV)

            This is a passage with which most of us are very familiar.  In fact, I would dare to say that a good number of us have it memorized.  However, even though we know it so well, are we actually living it out? Are we actively making disciples?

            If I were to make an educated guess, I would venture to say that most of us are not obeying Jesus’ call.  Most of us view this passage as a call to missions (which it is).  And, for this reason, we think the only way it can be lived out is by moving to a foreign country and making it our full-time endeavor to tell people about Jesus.

            So, when we think of this passage, we think of our missionaries in Brazil.  We think of our missionaries in Uganda.  We think of our missionaries in India, Ecuador, and Mexico.  We don’t see how we fit into the picture.

            This call, however, is something that’s been given to each one of us.  And, while some are called to move overseas, it’s something that can also be fulfilled right where we currently find ourselves.  We can make disciples in our own community, while working our regular job.

            Fulfilling this command of Christ simply requires us to invest in the lives of unbelievers.  It means that we share with them the good news of Jesus.  It means that we share with them his Word. 

            All it takes is for us to befriend an unbeliever.  All it takes is for us to show interest in them and to spend a small amount of time with them.  We can get together with them for a cup of coffee once a week.  We can visit with them while our kids play at the pool.  And, as we do so, we can share with them the hope that we have in Jesus.

            If they place their faith in the Lord, we can continue to invest in them.  We can take the time to teach them, perhaps by going through a Bible study together.  We can help them to find answers to their questions.  We can pray with them and for them.  We can invite them to church and introduce them to the body of Christ.

            I realize that we’re all busy.  I realize that we have enough to do between our job and our family.  We don’t need one more responsibility thrust upon us.  However, when I say that we’re to invest in the lives of unbelievers, I’m not saying that we have to minister to a great multitude.  We can make a huge difference by working with only one at a time.

            As I think back on my life of faith, I can point to several people who took an interest in me.  I can point to those who invested in me and discipled me.  Through regular interaction with them, I grew in my faith.  Perhaps the same is true of you as well.  And you can be that person for someone else. 

            I realize that most of us feel unqualified for such a task.  But just as the Spirit of God worked through the disciples, he can work through us as well.  He can work through us to build up others in faith.  And they, in turn, can do the same for still others.

            I challenge each of you to pray that God might bring into your life someone with whom you can share the good news.  I challenge you to then invest in that person.  In this way, one person at a time, we can carry out the call of Christ.  In this way, we can fulfill the Great Commission.

An Imperfect Record?

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

(John 14:26 ESV)

            One of the primary objections people raise, when it comes to Scripture, is that it was written by men.  Men are imperfect, they tell us.  Men make mistakes.  And, for this reason, we cannot trust every word of Scripture.  We cannot rely on it completely.

            They then begin to dissect the Bible.  They look at it, using their own wisdom and understanding, to determine whether its statements are true or false.  And when they find something that challenges them, when they encounter something they don’t want to believe, they declare that God would never say such a thing.

            They are right when they say that men are imperfect.  They are absolutely correct when they say that men make mistakes.  However, they fail to understand the blessing given to the apostles, enabling them to accurately and precisely record the words of Jesus, the things that took place, and to correctly teach the church.

            Before Jesus died on the cross, he made a great promise to his followers.  He promised them the gift of the Holy Spirit.  And, in the above verse, we see how the Spirit of God would help them to correctly communicate the Word of God to the people of their day, as well as to our own.

            According to Jesus, the Spirit of God would enable them to remember all that he’d said to them.  For this reason, they weren’t dependent upon their faulty memory when teaching the people of their day or when writing the gospel accounts.  They remembered everything just as Jesus had said it.

            Jesus also said that the Spirit would teach them all things.  So, as they taught the church, and as they penned the epistles, they communicated right doctrine.  They did not have to deal with flawed reasoning or a false understanding.  Everything they wrote to the people of their day, everything that we have in our Bible today, is right and true.

            If in writing the gospels and the epistles, the apostles were dependent solely upon their human memory and understanding, there would absolutely be flaws.  There would be places where a memory lapse clouded the account.  There would be places where a flawed understanding caused them to impart wrong doctrine.  However, as we’ve seen, they were blessed with a supernatural ability to remember and to understand.

            For this reason, as we read the words of Scripture, let us not critically pick them apart.  Let us not judge them by our own wisdom and understanding.  Let us, instead, rely on them to judge us.  Let us rely on them to correct our natural way of thinking and believing.

What Is the Church?

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” 

(Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV)

            When we think of the word “church”, a certain image comes to mind.  For most of us, the image is that of a building.  Perhaps it’s the image of a sanctuary.

            However, the word “church” literally means “assembly.” The church is, essentially, the people of God.  It’s the gathering together of his faithful.

            In our day and age, church has little to do with the gathering together of the body of believers.  For most of us, it’s simply the one hour each week that come for worship.  We come to sing the songs, to pray the prayers, and to hear the message.  But we don’t truly desire to interact with one another.   As soon as the service is over, we’re out the door.

            Most of us, today, think of the Christian faith as “Jesus and me.” We don’t think that our faith has anything to do with the church, the people of God.  And this contributes to the low priority we place on gathering together.

            In one sense, this thinking is correct.  Scripture tells us that we’re saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus.  We aren’t saved by the faith of anyone else.  However, that being said, we have been called to make disciples.  We’ve been called to edify the body of Christ.  We’ve even been called to receive ministry from the church.  And these are not things we can do by isolating ourselves.

The Christian faith was never meant to be lived alone.  As we see in the above passage, we’re not to neglect meeting together.  We’re, instead, to consider how we might stir up one another to love and good works.  We’re to encourage one another.  And we’re to do so more and more as we see the Day, as we see the return of Christ, drawing near.

            We’re to seek ways that we might build up one another in faith.  We’re to encourage one another in the expression of our faith.  And this isn’t merely a one-time thing.  It’s ongoing.  It’s something we’re to do continually.  It’s something we’re to do more and more.

            When understood properly, gathering together with the church should be a priority for us.  It shouldn’t be done only when we have the time.  It should be something so important that we wouldn’t miss it.

Honoring Moms Without Dishonoring God

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”

(Psalms 139:7 ESV)

            Mother’s Day, as all of us know, reminds us to honor our mothers.  This, of course, is something we should do every day and not simply once a year.  But the holiday is a good reminder to us, because we’re often short-sighted.

            We also know the command of God, that we’re to honor our father and our mother.  So not only is this a good practice.  It is a command of God.  It falls in line with the will of God.  And, for this reason, by honoring our mothers, we are honoring God.

            However, in the course of doing this, we must not dishonor God.  There’s an example of this on a church sign in our town.  It reads: “Because God could not be everywhere, he created mothers.”

            I pass by this sign fairly often, and I’ve been gritting my teeth each time I do so.  I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.  So my hope is that this sign is simply a failed attempt to honor mothers.  My hope is that the person who posted it didn’t consider what it was saying about God, but merely what it was saying about mothers.

            I think all of us know and believe that our mothers are a gift from God.  After all, God used them to bring us into this world.  It was within the womb of our mother that we were knit together.  And mothers play a crucial role in bringing up their children.  They play a crucial role in raising their children in faith.

            Yet, in our effort to honor them, we must not diminish the honor that we give to the Lord.  We must always consider carefully what we are saying about God.  This, after all, is a very public statement.  And it’s telling people that God is limited.  It’s telling them that he’s not everywhere present.

            This is a denial of the very essence of God.  It denies the teaching of Scripture when it comes to the person of God.  And, for this reason, it has potential to give people the wrong idea about him.  It has the potential to lead people to a false understanding of God.

            As we see in the above passage, God certainly can be present everywhere.  And he is everywhere present. There is nowhere that we can flee from the presence of God.

            God didn’t raise up mothers because there was a task he was unable to perform.  He raised up mothers because he desired to use them in his work.  He is working through godly mothers to raise up godly offspring.

            We must be careful to present to mankind a right understanding of God.  When we do, this will in no way take away from the honor we give to our mothers, to our fathers, and to others in authority over us.  In fact, a right understanding of God will enable us to properly honor them. 

We’ll honor them for the role that they play in our lives.  We’ll honor them for the way God uses them in our lives.  And, in so doing, we’ll also honor the God who provided them to us.

            

Self-Denial, Not Self-Preservation

“So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”

(Matthew 10:32-33 ESV)

            We live in a time, and in a society, where we’re encouraged to keep our faith to ourselves.  This is emphasized because we live in a pluralistic society, made up of people from many different belief systems and walks of life.  And we’re told that it’s respectful to allow others to believe what they believe and to live how they want to live.

            This resonates with us because, after all, we want the freedom to live out our faith.  We want the freedom to hold to our faith without interference from anyone.  However, we often fail to realize that this mindset is in direct opposition to the faith we confess.

            As believers, we’ve been called to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.  We’ve been called to make disciples of all nations.  And this isn’t something we can do if we keep our mouth shut and our faith to ourselves.

            Worse yet, keeping our faith to ourselves means leaving people in their sin.  It means leaving them to the consequences of their sin.  It means that we desire to receive salvation while leaving them in their condemnation.

            Carrying out this call of God requires us to speak up.  It necessitates that we share our faith with others, even though they believe differently than us.  It requires us to buck the morals of our society in favor of this mission God has entrusted to us.

            When we look at a passage, like the one above, it’s greatly convicting.  I would even say that it’s scary.  It’s convicting and scary because, so often, we’ve failed to acknowledge Jesus.  When given an opportunity to share the gospel, we’ve kept quiet.  And, when facing rejection by men, we’ve often denied our Lord.

            I know this is true of me.   Even knowing that I was called by God into the pastoral ministry, I struggled greatly with this in my younger years.  I didn’t want to come off as too religious because I was afraid of rejection.

            Even now, there are occasions when I fail to share my faith as I should.  I’ve had encounters with unbelievers where I’ve had the chance to speak of Jesus, and I’ve failed to do so.  I’ve grown so much in this aspect of my life, yet there is so much more room for growth.

As we face this struggle, we must realize that the temptation to keep our mouth shut will only grow as time goes on.  It will only grow because, as society turns further and further away from the Lord, the consequences of our outreach will become more and more intense.  And, in response, our tendency toward self-preservation will grow stronger and stronger.

The question we must keep in mind is this: Would we rather be received by God and rejected by the world?  Or would we rather be received by the world and rejected by God?  The Christian life is one of self-denial, not self-preservation. 

By seeking to preserve our life in this world, we’re rejecting the blessing that God has provided.  As Jesus says to us in Matthew 16:24-25: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Knowing what Christ has done for us, and knowing the blessing he’s provided us, let us carry out the call we’ve been given.  May the hope that we possess remove any fear that we feel.  And may our hope instill within us a desire that others receive the same blessing, no matter what it means for our life in this world.

A Reason to Love

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

1 Corinthians 15:58

            When I was in college, I was encouraged by a friend to take a class on Christianity.  Being a public university, what was being taught in that class was anything but Christian.  Eternal life was not understood to be our living forever in the presence of God.  It was understood as preserving this present world.  The aim of Christianity was described as not the forgiveness of sin, but the love of others.  Salvation had nothing to do with our deliverance from sin, death, and the devil, but justice being brought to all mankind.

            The professor was open enough that he allowed me to speak.  I shared with him that, if this is all there is, man has no real motivation to love others.  If the only hope we have is to fertilize the grass and feed the worms when we die, man will simply live for the day.  He will do what he can to enjoy his short life before he dies and is forgotten.

            You see, if there is no eternal life, then all of our efforts are in vain.  Even if they are good and well-intentioned, they are meaningless.  Ultimately, it makes no difference if we ever lived.  It makes no difference if anyone ever lived.  It makes no difference if we have a good life, or if we suffer.  It makes no difference if people experience justice or injustice.  It makes no difference if we destroy the earth in one hundred years, or if the earth continues on for a thousand.  In that case, we all face the same destiny, which is nothingness.

            This is the point Paul was making in the above verse.  In chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians, he talks at length about the resurrection.  And he tells us that if Christ didn’t rise from the dead, our faith is futile and we’re still in our sins.

            He goes on to describe our own resurrection.  He talks about our resurrection bodies, and how they’ll be transformed.  They’ll be changed from weak bodies that are subject to death and decay into bodies that are no longer subject to the consequences of sin.

            This is our hope.  This is our motivation.  Because of the resurrection, we know that our labors in the Lord are not in vain.

            Because our death doesn’t mark the end of our existence, we know that our labors for the Lord make a real difference.  And they make a difference not only in this world, but in eternity.  As we love and serve mankind, we’re seeking not only their blessing in the here and now.  We’re seeking their eternal blessing.  We’re seeking that they too will forever enjoy the blessings of God.

            And not only is this true.  Because death doesn’t mark the end of our existence, we can remain steadfast and immovable.  We need not waver as we face the opposition of the world and even the enemy.  We know that, whatever harm they may do to us in this life, they can’t take from us the life that has been granted us by God. 

Putting Up with Falsehood

“…I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.”

 (2Corinthians 11:3 ESV)

            Paul expresses to the church at Corinth that he feels a divine jealousy for them.  What he meant by this is that he’s jealous for God.  He desired that the people would belong to Christ, and to Christ alone.  And, for this reason, he says that he betrothed them to one husband…to Christ.

            He feared for the people that they would be led astray from a sincere devotion to Christ. Just as Eve was deceived by the serpent, Paul feared that they too would be deceived.  And, when we see what was going on, his fear was not unfounded.

            He tells them that, if someone proclaimed to them another Jesus, if they received or accepted a different spirit or gospel, they put up with it.  So we find that, even though Paul had brought to them the message of Jesus, even though he’d brought to them the true gospel, the people were open to other teachings to which they were introduced.  Even if they contradicted the truth, the people received it without question.

            This is a danger that’s clearly seen in the American Church today.  We have the Word of God readily available to us.  Yet, even if we profess faith in Jesus, and even if we are regular at worship, we are open to other teachings.  We are open to messages that directly contradict the message of Christ.

            We encounter the stories of those who’ve had a near-death experience.  They tell us of seeing God and talking with him.  However, the message is one that contradicts Scripture.  They present to us a message of universalism.  They tell us that all people, regardless of their faith, will be saved.

            When this happens, so many of us are quick to jump on the bandwagon.  Our excitement about something that seems to confirm the reality of heaven trumps the fact that the message is wrong.  And, in this way, we open ourselves to false teaching.

            Many of us latch onto the thoughts of prominent personalities, simply because they profess a faith in God.  We listen to people like Oprah, who speaks so passionately on these matters.  We listen to the Dalai Lama, because he seems to spiritual.  And, again, even though their message contradicts Scripture, we accept it.  We accept it because it appeals to us emotionally.

            Many of us love to listen to television evangelists.  And, because they talk of Christ, because they talk of the gospel, we blindly accept everything they say.  However, we never seem to notice that the message brought by some of them is very different from the one we find in the Word of God.

            Just as Paul was jealous for the church, so must we be jealous for one another.  We must desire one another for Christ and for him alone.  We must desire that no one in the body of Christ would be drawn away from the true faith to a generic substitute.

            Let us, then, be careful and discerning as we listen to talk of God.  Let us hold firmly to Scripture as our source of truth.  And, when something or someone contradicts the truth, let’s recognize it for what it is.

            Let us also encourage one another in this way.  Let’s faithfully share with one another the true gospel.  Let’s faithfully share with one another the true Word of God.  And let us lovingly address the false teachings and beliefs that we encounter in the body of Christ. 

A Distorted Gospel

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one…”

(Galatians 1:6-7 ESV)

            The gospel had been proclaimed to the Galatians, and they had placed their faith in Jesus.  But, now, something was different. There were people who troubled them and who wanted to distort the gospel of Christ.

            Based on the words of Paul, it seems that many in the Galatian church were turning from the true gospel.  They were, instead, turning to the other gospel being promoted among them. And this is a change that took place relatively quickly.

            Paul makes it clear that this other gospel was not truly a gospel at all.  “Gospel” means “good news.” So this new teaching being promoted among them was not something that would comfort them or fill them with hope.

            As we read on in Galatians, we find that this other “gospel” was nothing more than a system of works.  It taught the people to trust not in Christ, but themselves.  It taught them to trust in their adherence to a system of rules and regulations.

            We have the same thing happening in the church today.  Instead of trusting in Jesus and his saving work, many have begun to trust in themselves.  Even though they profess faith in Christ, and even though they claim the name of “Christian,” they are holding to a distortion of the gospel.

            For some, Christianity means holding to the Law.  They base their confidence on how well they perform.  They base it on their level of goodness, measured by the Law.

            Although the Law does reveal to us how God desires for us to live, it cannot save us.  And it in no way reveals our goodness.  In fact, the only thing it reveals is our sin.

            For some, the gospel isn’t even about salvation from sin and death.  It’s about loving people in this life.  It’s about transforming this present world into something better.

            Yes, God desires for us to love people in this life.  He desires that we stand against injustice.  However, it’s impossible to bring about heaven and earth as long as there is sin in this world. 

            There are many distortions of the gospel in our world for today.  But one thing is true of all of them: They are unable to save.  They are unable to deliver us from sin and its consequences.

            For this reason, Paul was not tolerant of those who were distorting the gospel.  In fact, he called for their judgment.  In verse 8, he says: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”

            This other gospel would not lead to the salvation of men.  It would only lead to their condemnation.  And, for this reason, it had to be opposed.

            The same is true for us today.  The false gospel being proclaimed in the world leads not to the forgiveness of those who receive it.  It leads only to their damnation.  And, for this reason, we cannot accept it as Christianity.  We cannot accept it as a reliable expression of our faith.  We must faithfully proclaim the true gospel while bringing these false teachings into the light.

           

Deserving of Reward?

“So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"

(Luke 17:10 ESV)

            It’s nice to be acknowledged for the things that we do.  It makes us feel good when people honor us for our achievements.  However, in our society today, this is taken to an extreme.  We seem to feel that we deserve acknowledgement and honor for everything that we do.

            Children feel that they should be rewarded for getting good grades in school.  They feel that they should be honored for good attendance.  They fail to understand that the opportunity to receive a good education is a blessing.  And, in response to this blessing, good attendance and good grades are a duty.

In the same way, they feel that they should receive a trophy for participating in sports.   They fail to understand that it’s a blessing to be on the team.  And, in response to this blessing, a determined effort to help the team succeed is an obligation.

            The same mindset follows us into adulthood.  If we do well in college, we feel that we’re deserving of a good job.  If we perform well on the job, we feel that we deserve a grand title, a pay raise, or a promotion.  We fail to understand that having a good job is a blessing.  And it’s our duty to give our greatest effort in response to this blessing.

            We also tend to think this way in our life of faith.  We think that we should be commended by God for every act of service we perform.  Because of our service, we feel entitled to his blessing.  And we think that we should be honored by those we serve.

            Our feelings about this are so strong that, if acknowledgement isn’t given, we feel slighted.  We feel that our efforts have been in vain.  We feel devalued and disregarded.  And we tend to give up and cease in our efforts.

            Jesus addresses this mindset in Luke 17.  He uses the picture of a man and his servant to make his point.  He points out that, when the servant comes in after a hard day’s work, he isn’t invited to sit down to enjoy a meal.  It’s expected that he will prepare supper, dress properly, and serve his master.  And only after his duties are completed is he able to eat and drink.

            Jesus also points out that the servant is not thanked for what he has done.  He is not thanked because he’s merely done his job.  He’s done nothing more than his duty.

            In the same way, he tells us, we shouldn’t expect commendation for the things we’ve done.  Instead, we’re to acknowledge that we’re unworthy servants.  We’re to acknowledge that we’ve done only our duty.

            This is very true.  We must always bear in mind that the only thing we deserve is death and hell.  We must bear in mind that, because of what he’s done for us, the Lord is deserving of our faithfulness.

            This can be a tough pill to swallow.  God does not owe us anything because of our service.  The simple fact of the matter is that, because of what he has done for us, God is deserving of our service.  We have been saved by his grace and mercy, and for this reason he is deserving of our honor. 

If God then honors us, it’s only because of his grace.  If he blesses us, it’s only because of his mercy.  We are nothing more than undeserving servants who’ve done nothing more than fulfill our obligations.    

A Life of No Value

“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

(Acts 20:24 ESV)

            Paul was on his way to Jerusalem.  And it had been made clear to him, by the Spirit of God, what was to happen to him there.  He knew that afflictions and imprisonment awaited him.

            However, in spite of this, Paul made the statement we see above.  He says that he does not account his life of any value.  He doesn’t count it as precious to himself.  His only desire is that he might finish his course and the ministry entrusted to him by the Lord.

            Paul, you remember, had been called by Jesus to take the gospel primarily to the Gentiles.  And it’s clear that he was determined to carry out his call no matter what it meant for him personally.  He was willing to endure all things if only he might faithfully share Christ with the lost.

            He had already done so on several occasions.  He’d endured beatings.  He’d been jailed.  Yet, no matter what he faced, he pressed on.

            When I look at Paul’s words, it forces me to look at my own heart.  It causes me to ask if the same is true of me.  Am I willing to endure suffering and imprisonment if only I may finish the course, if only I may fulfill the calling, God has given me?

            No matter how faithful we are in our ministry, the fact remains that we have a natural tendency to look out for our well-being.  We have an ingrained desire to preserve our life in this world.  And, more often than not, we will do anything we can to do just that.

            If preserving our life means compromising our values, we do it.  If preserving our life means putting on a façade, we do it.  Even if we’re uncomfortable making these choices, we count our life too valuable to discard.

            This is true when it comes to our faith and our ministry as well.  We know what Christ has done for us.  And we know that we’ve been called to share this truth with all mankind.  Yet, if this means putting ourselves at risk, we’re often unwilling to take that step.

            We’re often unwilling to take that step even if our life isn’t physically threatened in any way.  We’re often unwilling to fulfill our calling if it means our reputation among men might be tarnished.  We’re unwilling to fulfill our calling if it means that others might think us foolish.

            This is an area where I’ve struggled as long as I can remember.  Growth has come, but it has come slowly.  Even though I preach and teach the Word of God regularly in the church, I’m not as quick to do so on the outside. 

            I pray that the Lord will give me the Spirit of Paul.  I pray that he will enable me to fulfill my calling no matter what it might mean for myself personally.  I pray that I might be able to say, along with Paul, that I do not count my life of any value or as precious in itself.  I pray that my only concern will be carrying out the mission to which I’ve been called.

            This is my prayer also for the people of the church.  I pray that the Lord will give to each of us this mindset.  And, as he does so, I pray that more and more people will hear the good news and receive the salvation that is given through faith in Jesus.

The Measure of Maturity

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”

(1Timothy 1:15 ESV)

            What does it mean to be a “good Christian?” What does it mean to be a “mature Christian?” We tend to think that such a person has it all together.  We tend to think that he’s overcome his struggle with temptation and sin.

For this reason, when you ask this question, the response tends to focus around our actions. People might answer that a good Christian reads his Bible every day.  A good Christian prays before he eats. A good Christian is at church every week.   A good Christian serves as much as he’s able.  A good Christian lives according to the Ten Commandments.  A good Christian doesn’t cuss or drink.  A good Christian is always happy, and is always friendly and hospitable.  A good Christian shares his faith on a regular basis.

            We also tend to judge ourselves by these standards.  We judge how “good” of a Christian we are based on our success at measurements such as these.  And we judge our maturity in the faith by this basis as well.  So, when we fail, it seems clear that we haven’t yet attained that status.

            Let’s be honest with ourselves: Judging ourselves by these standards, we all fail miserably.  Judging ourselves by these standards, none of us will ever be “good” or “mature” believers.  And the reason for this is that we’re sinners.  We face an ongoing struggle with the world, the devil, and our own flesh.

            When we look to Scripture, we find that this type of thinking is contrary to the very gospel we confess.   We aren’t saved by what we do.  We’re saved by trusting in Jesus, and in the sacrifice that he made on our behalf.

            A mature Christian, then, is one who sees his sin.  He’s one who acknowledges that he deserves nothing other than judgment.  However, he trusts in the promise of God.  He sincerely believes that, in Jesus, we find grace.  And he does so in spite of his ongoing struggle with the sinful nature.

            Paul is an excellent example of this.  We tend to think of Paul as one of the greatest Christians of all time.  And we think of him in this way because of what he did.  However, when we look at his words, we find that this is not how he thought of himself.

            In the above verse, he refers to himself as the foremost of sinners.  He thought of himself in this way because, previously, he was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent opponent.  However, he thought of himself in this way not only because of his earlier life.

            Paul doesn’t say that he was the foremost of sinners.  He doesn’t give any indication that this status had changed in any way.  He says that he is the foremost of sinners.  In other words, even as an apostle, and even as one who was accomplishing great things for the Lord, he continued to view himself in this way.

            His struggle with sin was not a thing of the past.  We see this as we look at his description of himself in Romans 7.  This was an ongoing battle.

            Paul was a “good” Christian, he was a “mature” Christian, because of his faith.  He understood that he was saved not by what he’d done.  He was saved by Jesus.  He was saved through faith. 

            Certainly, good works are the result of our faith.  They reflect the faith that we have within.  But they are not what make us Christian, and they do not make us mature.

            So how do we know if we’re a mature Christian?  Do we know our sin?  Do we know the penalty that we deserve?  Do we believe that, by his sacrifice, Jesus paid the penalty of our sin?  Do we believe that he’s faithful to give us all that he’s promised? And do we believe this even as we continue to fail and to struggle with temptation and sin?

            

Who Is Jesus?

“Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"”

(Luke 9:18 ESV)

            Jesus posed the above question to his disciples.  And, in response, they told him that some believed him to be John the Baptist, who had been put to death by King Herod.  Some believed him to be Elijah, who was expected to precede the Messiah.  And others believed him to be a prophet of old, who had risen.

            Each of these responses reveals that the people generally held Jesus in high honor.  After all, they believed John the Baptist to be a great prophet.  And Jesus himself had said that John was the greatest of the prophets.

            Elijah was one of the greatest prophets from Old Testament times.  And, again, with the expectation that he would come at the dawn of the messianic age, it reveals that Jesus was esteemed.  The people clearly believed that he was sent by God and that he was something special.

            The Old Testament prophets were also revered.  Even though, when they lived and served among the people, they faced persecution, the people of Jesus’ day thought highly of them and their message.  So, believing Jesus to be one of the prophets who had returned to life, they believed him to have an honored position.

            However, each of these beliefs fell short of Jesus’ true identity.  When Jesus addressed the disciples, asking them who they believed him to be, Peter answered rightly.  He said that Jesus is the Christ of God.  In other words, he believed Jesus to be the fulfillment of God’s promises.  He believed Jesus to be the Savior, sent by God into the world.

            Many of us make the same mistake when it comes to Jesus’ identity.  Although our opinion of him is great, and although we hold him in high esteem, it falls short of his true identity.  It reveals that we fail to believe in him as he’s revealed to us in Scripture.

            Many of us believe that Jesus was a good teacher.  In fact, we esteem him as one of the greatest teachers, if not the greatest, to ever walk the earth.  We believe that his teachings are true and that they deserve to be taken to heart.  

            Many of us believe Jesus to be a great example.  We think that he perfectly modeled what it means to love others.  We think that he modeled what it means to follow God.  And, for this reason, we seek to pattern our life after his own.

            Others among us believe that Jesus was a prophet.  We believe that he was more than a teacher. We believe him to be a man who spoke the very Word of God.  We believe that he revealed God’s will to mankind.

            I’m sure there are many other views to which people hold when it comes to the person of Jesus.  But, like the Jews, they fall short of his true identity.  Although we respect him, we don’t view him as the person Scripture proclaims him to be.

            Why does this matter?  It matters because we aren’t saved by our efforts to live according to his teachings. We aren’t saved by our efforts to follow his example.  We aren’t saved by believing that his words are the Word of God. 

We’re saved through faith that Jesus is the very Son of God who was born into this world that he might save us from our sin.  We’re saved through faith that Jesus, by his death on the cross, has paid the penalty of our sin.  We’re saved through faith that Jesus, by his resurrection from the grave, has defeated the power of death. 

So what do you believe about Jesus?  Who do you believe him to be?  The answer matters more than you know.

           

Necessity?

“And he said to them, ‘Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?’”

                                                                  (Luke 2:49 ESV)

          When Jesus was twelve years old, his parents took him to Jerusalem for the Passover.  And, as they traveled home with a company, they failed to notice that he was not with them.  He’d remained behind.

            When they discovered that he was missing, they went back to Jerusalem where they searched for him.  And, when they found him on the third day, he was in the temple.  He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions.

             Mary then asked him: “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” Most of us, I believe, can relate to Mary’s feelings.  We’ve experienced the feelings of distress when one of our children couldn’t be found.

            However, Jesus’ answer to her is what I always find striking.  The ESV translates it as you read it above.  However, the NKJV translates it in this way: "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"

            I’m not a Greek expert, but it seems that the most literal way to translate Jesus final question is a little more general.  I believe it could be said in this way: “Did you not know that it is necessary for me to be in the things of my Father?”

            Jesus understood that God was his Father.  And, for this reason, he was compelled to be about the things of his Father.  He was compelled to be in the house of God.  He was compelled to be present for the teaching of God’s Word.  And, as we see throughout his life, he found it necessary to engage in the ministry for which he’d been sent.  The things of God could not be avoided or neglected.

            Although Jesus is the only Son of God, although he is the Son of God in a sense that can never be true of us, it seems that we should possess the same heart and mindset.  After all, we are the children of God.  By faith, we have received his adoption as sons.

            The question I’m led to ask myself is this: Do I find it necessary to be about the things of God?  And this is a question that deserves to be contemplated by each of us.

            Do we find it necessary to be in God’s house, to worship and to hear the Word as it’s taught and preached?  Do we find it necessary to spend time in the Word and prayer on a regular basis?  Do we find it necessary to be about the Father’s business, to be about the calling he’s entrusted to us?  Do we find it necessary to take part in the fellowship of believers?   

            Even though it’s clear how this question ought to be answered, I think you see where I’m going.  It’s easy for us to make the things of God a lesser priority.  It’s easy for us to become overwhelmed by the distractions of society around us.  It’s easy for us to neglect the things of God in favor of things that are mere vanity.

            As we reflect upon the gift of God, as we reflect upon the fact that we’ve been made to be the children of God, let us sincerely search our heart.  Let’s confess to the Lord that he hasn’t been the priority in our life that he should be.  And let’s ask him to create within us a need to be about the things of God.