Before Whom Will We Bow?

 “…He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it.”

(Isaiah 44:14–15 ESV)

We don’t see or experience much in the way of traditional idol worship here in the United States. We don’t typically see people bowing before a statue, or a carved image, praying to it. Yet this continues to take place in many parts of the world.

The first time I experienced something remotely like this was as I lived in San Diego, where I served my first congregation. Many immigrants from Vietnam lived in my neighborhood. And many of these families had a small altar outside of their home, in which they’d regularly place a small offering of rice for their ancestors.

As I’ve been in other parts of the world, on mission trips, I’ve seen temples. Although I didn’t go into these temples, they contained the gods worshiped by the people. They contained idols to which the people would bow and offer their prayers.

For those of us, unfamiliar with these customs and religions, this seems foolish. And it is foolish. Isaiah, in the passage above, makes this clear.

He presents the illustration of a man who plants a tree, he plants a cedar, and it’s nourished by the rain. It then becomes fuel for him. He takes a part of this tree and warms himself. Over the fire, he bakes his bread.

At the same time, however, he makes a god of that same tree. He makes an idol from its wood. He then worships it. He falls down before it. He cries out to it for deliverance, declaring it to be his god.

He makes clear, in this way, that an idol is nothing. He makes clear that it is the work of man. He makes clear that it is the creation of man.

This, then, makes clear the foolishness of such an act. After all, how can something man has made deliver him? How can the creation of man save him?

Although this seems foreign to us, it’s really more familiar than we tend to believe. We too practice idolatry. We too depend upon man or the work of his hands for salvation.

In our culture, we often make a god of ourselves, looking to ourselves for salvation. We may look to others. We may depend upon political leaders. We may depend upon armies. We may depend upon wealth and possessions. We may depend upon technology. The examples are endless.

And just as we see the foolishness of bowing down to a block of wood, so must we see the foolishness of our actions. We must repent of it, turning to Christ for forgiveness and salvation. And rather than looking to something we have made to save us, we must look to the one who has made us.

Where Life is Found

 “You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.“

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭18‬:‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Our tendency is to behave like those who surround us. We do so because we want to fit in. We want to be liked and accepted by those among whom we live.

This, however, is a problem. It’s a problem because those who surround us are living in sin. They live only to satisfy their passions and desires. And, therefore, they are under God’s judgment.

This is what God was telling the people of Israel in Leviticus 18. They were not to do as they did in the land of Egypt, from which they had been delivered. Nor were they to do as they did in the land of Canaan, the land to which they were going.

Although it’s not directly stated, the people of these nations were under God’s judgment. They were under his wrath. And to live like them, then, is to be under God’s wrath.

They, rather, were to be different. They were to be distinct. They were to be holy, set apart from those who surrounded them.

They were to follow the Lord’s rules. They were to keep his statutes. And they were to walk in them.

If a person does them, God says, he will live by them. If he does them, rather than suffering judgment, he will have life. If he does them, rather than experiencing God’s wrath, his life will be preserved. It will be sustained.

As we read these words, we understand what God is saying. Yet, a difficulty soon presents itself. And the difficulty is that, no matter what we do, we cannot abide by God’s Word.

We see this played out in the history of Israel. Although they had the Word of God, and although they knew his laws, they continually violated them. And they lived like the nations who surrounded them.

It was for this reason that they fell under God’s judgment. It was for this reason that they experienced his wrath. And it’s for this reason that their nation was eventually destroyed.

The same is true of us. We cannot live according to God’s laws no matter how hard we try. Like the people of Israel, like the Jews, we continually revert to our sinful ways.

We too, then, are under God’s wrath. We are under his judgment. And we deserve nothing other than death and destruction.

The good news, however, is that God sent his Son into the world. And Jesus was able to keep the Word of God. He was able to fulfill the Law of God. 

He did so for us. He did so on our behalf. And he did so that, as we trust in him, we can receive the blessing of life.

More than that, he took our sin upon himself. He took our curse upon himself. He then died in our place, satisfying the wrath of God and paying the penalty we deserve.

Although we are still called to be different from those who surround us, and although we are still called to have distinct lives, our life is found in Jesus. Our salvation is found in Jesus. It’s found in the one who lived the perfect life we’re unable to live, and gave his life in our place.

Realistic Thinking

 “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”

(Romans 12:3 ESV)

We’re told that we can accomplish anything to which we set our mind. We’re told that we can better do anything that someone else can do. And, generally speaking, we want to believe these voices.

We think highly of ourselves. We think highly of our abilities. We think, in fact, too highly of them.

In the passage above, we are told by Paul that we’re not to think too highly of ourselves. We are, rather, to think of ourselves with sober judgment. We’re to think of ourselves rationally and within reason.

He says we’re to think of ourselves according to the measure of faith God has assigned. Faith recognizes, you see, that each blessing is a gift from God’s hand. And our faith will not take credit for the blessings and abilities given us.

If we read on, in the next couple verses, we’re reminded that the church is a body. And just as our physical body is made up of many members, so too is the church.

We, in other words, are not able to do everything. We’re not equipped, in fact, to do everything. God has called, appointed, and equipped different individuals to serve in various ways.

There are limits to our gifts. There are limits to our abilities. And this prevents pride from setting in.

While we may not always realize it, this is a blessing. It’s a blessing as we, then, don’t seek to take too much upon ourselves. It’s a blessing as others are better able to carry out certain tasks and functions. And, as they do so, they are a blessing to us.

We are able to rest. We are able to receive the ministry they have to offer. And we’re able to be blessed by them.

So, no matter what I want to believe, I cannot accomplish anything to which I set my mind. I cannot always perform a certain task better than another. And that’s OK. It’s good. And I can find rest in it.

Children of Promise

 “This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The Jews of Jesus’ day believed themselves to be the children of God. They believed this even though he said otherwise. He told them, in fact, that they were children of the devil (John 8:44).

They believed this, however, because they were descended from Abraham. They believed this because they had been saved from their bondage in Egypt and given the Promised Land. They believed this because, to them, God had given his promise. And they believed this because, to them, God had given his Word.

American Christians tend to make the same mistake, when it comes to the Jews. We give them a higher status than the rest of us. And we assume that they’re saved, even apart from faith in Christ.

Paul tells us, however, that not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel. He tells us that not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring. It’s not at all an issue of descent or lineage.

 He explains, in the passage above, that it is not the children of flesh who are the children of God. It isn’t those who possess the right bloodline or heritage who are children of God. It’s the children of promise, he tells us, who are counted as offspring.

What makes a person a part of Israel, what makes him part of the people of God, then, is faith. What makes a person a child of Abraham, then, is faith. And what makes a person a child of God, then, is his faith. 

Gentile believers, like most of us, are part of Israel. We are children of Abraham. And we are children of God.

At the same time, Jews who do not believe in Jesus, are not truly Jews. They are not truly a part of Israel. They are not truly children of Abraham. And they are not truly children of God.

God, of course, desires their salvation as much as anyone’s. And he works for their salvation as much as anyone’s. But their heritage does not set them apart, nor does it set them above the rest of us.

That being said, we must take care that we don’t become arrogant, as they were. We must take care that we don’t believe ourselves to be better or above others. Just as we become the children of God by faith, so too can anyone.

And, in the same way, if we turn from this faith, no longer are we his children. If we begin to trust in our heritage, if we begin to trust in our bloodline, we’re no longer his children. Each of these blessings is received through faith in Christ alone.

Peace on Earth

 

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

(Luke 2:14 ESV)

 

As we celebrate the season of Christmas, we are often reminded of this refrain. We hear it in church, as the Scriptures are read. We read it in our children’s Bibles, as we share with them the Christmas story. And it’s something we both hear and sing in many of the carols familiar to this season.

 

In Jesus, God has provided us with peace. Peace is received by those with whom God is pleased. It’s received by those upon whom his favor rests.

 

This, however, can seem confusing as our world is anything but peaceful. Wars rage around the globe, even as we speak. And even our own streets, even our own cities and towns, are anything but peaceful.

 

The peace he’s referring to, however, is not a worldly peace. An outward peace, a societal peace, is something that will only be enjoyed only when Christ returns and sin becomes a thing of the past. It’s something that will be enjoyed as we experience life eternal in his everlasting kingdom.

 

What the angels are referring to, as they praise the Lord, is peace with God. We read about this in Romans 5:1, where Paul writes: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

Through Jesus, he says, we have been brought into a state of peace with God. We, in other words, are no longer his enemies. We are no longer in a state of condemnation and wrath. Rather than being under his curse, we are now in his blessing.

 

And this is received through faith in Christ. It, therefore, isn’t something that we deserve. Nor is it something we earn. It’s a gift of God, provided to us in his Son.

 

Jesus provided this blessing to us, as he took on flesh, becoming man. He provided it to us as he lived the perfect life we’re unable to live. He provided it to us as he died on the cross, paying the penalty of our sin. And he provided it to us as he rose from the grave, victorious over death.

 

So even if we are struggling, and even if we don’t feel at peace with God, this remains true. It remains true because it isn’t dependent upon us in any way. It’s dependent only upon Christ and what he has done for us.

 

As we, then, trust in Christ, we can know that we have peace with God. We can have full assurance of this peace. And this truth can offer us comfort in this world that is anything but peaceful.

Distinguishing Between Sins

“If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed. And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering.”

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭4‬:‭27‬-‭29‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Most of us tend to make a distinction between the things we’ve done wrong. We make a distinction between the intentional and the unintentional.  We distinguish between things we’ve done purposely, and those we’ve done accidentally or without thinking.

Now, in one sense, these distinctions are very real. We often commit wrongs very purposely. We do them intentionally. We know what we’re doing is wrong and, yet, we do them anyway.

However, while we readily acknowledge the sinfulness of those things done intentionally and purposely, we minimize those done unintentionally or accidentally. We want to believe that these wrongs should be overlooked or dismissed. We do so telling ourselves that our intentions are generally good.

Speaking for myself, I’m more likely to give the benefit of the doubt to someone who sinned against me unintentionally. I’m quick, in this case, to overlook their offense. And, generally speaking, I expect the same from others when I unintentionally sin against them.

But we tend to believe the same is true when it comes to God. We tend to think that only our intentional sins matter. We think that only they count against us. And we think that only they need to be forgiven.

This, however, is far from the case. And we see this clearly in the above passage. As instructions are given to the people of Israel regarding the sacrifices, we see these instructions for sins committed unintentionally.

We’re told that, when a person has unintentionally committed a sin, and when he realizes his guilt or is made aware of it, he’s to offer a sacrifice. He’s to offer a sacrifice for this sin he has committed. 

We see here that these sins do make us guilty before God. Like sins committed purposely, they too make us deserving of his wrath. And, for this reason, atonement must be made for them.

We, of course, do not offer sacrifices. The death of Jesus on the cross paid for each and every one of our sins. But this does tell us that, when we sin unintentionally, we need God’s forgiveness.

When we realize our guilt, or when we’re made aware of it, we must not take it lightly. Nor should we dismiss or excuse our sin. We must, rather,  confess it to God. We must acknowledge before him the sinfulness of our sin. And we must look to him for the forgiveness that’s found in Jesus.

When We Feel Abandoned...

 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭22‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

There are times in life when God seems absent. There are times in life when it seems that he’s forgotten us. There are times when it seems that he does not hear as we cry out to him.

Although we’ve come before him in prayer, it seems to us that he is not listening. Although we’ve brought our needs before him, it seems that he will not act. And although we’ve come to him in desperation, it seems that he does not care.

These were the feelings of David, as expressed in the words above. He felt utterly forsaken by God. It didn’t seem that God was acting to save him in his distress. And, although he came continually before the Lord, he found no relief.

Times like this lead us to question. Circumstances such as these lead us to doubt. They lead us to do so as we feel abandoned.

We begin to think that, perhaps, God doesn’t exist. We begin to think that, if he does exist, he certainly isn’t good. And it seems to us that he just doesn’t care.

Yet, in the midst of his distress, David’s faith persisted. He ends this passage, declaring that God is holy. He ends it declaring that God is enthroned on the praises of Israel.

If we read on, we see the reason for this hope. He points out that their fathers trusted in the Lord, and that he’d delivered them. David could, then, trust in the Lord in his present circumstances knowing that he had been faithful and that he had, in fact, provided his salvation.

This is true of us as well. We have every reason to remain firm in our faith. We have every reason to do so even when it seems pointless. We have every reason to do so even when it seems useless.

We have every reason as we consider Jesus. He, we recall, repeated these words as he hung on the cross. And not only did he feel forsaken. He was forsaken.

Although he knew no sin, Scripture tells us, he became sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). He bore our sin in his body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24). And by his wounds, we have been healed (Isaiah 53:5).

In this way, we know that we have not been forsaken. We can trust, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that we have not been abandoned. Even in times of hardship and distress, we have full assurance that God hears us and that he’ll provide for our need.

This doesn’t mean, of course, that our lives in this world will be easy. Nor does it mean that our problems will fade away. We know, however, that as the penalty of our sin has been paid, its consequences will one day be a thing of the past.

The Source of Faith

 “Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.”

(Acts 13:12 ESV)

As we read through the gospels, as well as the book of Acts, many miracles are recorded for us. And we tend to think that these works of God caused many to come to faith. We tend to think that they were instrumental in the growth of the early church.

This leads us to believe that, apart from miraculous works, people will not be saved. We believe that, apart from miraculous works, it’s much harder for people to believe in Jesus. We believe, quite frankly, that miracles are more persuasive than the Word of God.

As we look at the circumstances in Acts 13, however, we see otherwise. Paul had brought the Word of God to the proconsul on the island of Salamis, off the coast of Greece. And, as he did so, a false prophet actively opposed him.

Paul informed this false prophet that the hand of the Lord was upon him. And this was not a blessing. It was, rather, a judgment. The Lord, Paul declared, would make him unable to see for a time.

Immediately, darkness fell upon him. He was unable to see. And he was left seeking people to lead him by the hand.

It’s in this context that we read the words above. We’re told that, then, the proconsul believed. He believed, when he saw what occurred. He believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

Reading this, we have to ask ourselves: Did the miracle that he witnessed play a role in his faith? And we have to answer that question in the affirmative. But it wasn’t the miracle itself.

He was astonished not at the miracle. He was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. He was amazed at the teaching of the Lord.

The miracle was connected with the teaching of the Lord. It was connected with the doctrine of the Lord. But it was the teaching itself that imparted faith.

Paul tells us as much in Romans 10:17. “So faith comes from hearing,” Paul writes, “and hearing through the word of Christ.” Apart from the word, then, apart from the teaching of the Lord, there can be no faith.

Although miracles are a great blessing, and although they can play a role in upholding the Word being taught, they do not impart faith on their own. The Word can impart faith apart from miracles. But miracles cannot impart faith apart from the Word.

So, while we should always welcome the miraculous, and while we should never refuse the mighty work of God, we must place our emphasis on the preaching of the Word. Should God provide a miracle as we do so, we should praise him for it. But, again, faith is given, it’s provided, through the Word of God.

Not of Ourselves

 “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

(Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Our tendency is to think of ourselves as good people. Our tendency is to believe that we can do good. And our tendency is to believe that we can make ourselves worthy of God’s blessings.

The Law of God, however, reveals that we are not good. It reveals that we’re inherently sinful. It makes clear that our actions, as well as our thoughts and intentions, are wicked and corrupt.

It reveals also the punishment we deserve. It reveals that we deserve death. And, more than that, it reveals that we deserve hell.

It reveals to us, finally, that there’s nothing we can do to change our circumstances. We cannot do anything to make up for our sins. Nor can we pay the penalty of our sins in any way other than suffering the condemnation we deserve.

In the gospel, however, the righteousness of God is revealed. This is what Paul is discussing in the above verse. This, however, isn’t speaking of the righteous nature of God, in contrast to our sinful nature.

In the gospel, the righteousness by which we are saved is revealed. And this righteousness is not our own. It’s not something that we generate or produce in any way.

The righteousness, revealed by the gospel, is that which is provided to us by God. It’s that which is produced by God. It is the righteousness of Christ, made available to us by his death and resurrection.

We refer to this as an imputed righteousness. It’s a righteousness, which comes from outside of ourselves, that is ascribed to us. It’s a righteousness, which comes from outside of ourselves, which is accredited to us.

When Jesus died on the cross, he died not for any sin of his own. He was completely innocent. He was without sin.

The sin for which he died is our own. He took upon himself that guilt of our sin, as well as the punishment that we deserve. And, in this way, his righteousness is made available to us.

This righteousness, then, is received by faith. As we believe in Jesus, we receive his righteousness. As we trust in his saving work, we receive his righteousness.

This righteousness, then, is revealed to us by the gospel. It’s revealed from faith and for faith, Paul says. It is based on faith, and it is received by faith.

The righteous, he reminds us, will live by faith. We receive life from faith. And we receive salvation from faith.

Although this seems deep, the point is very simple. The righteousness, by which we are saved, is revealed to us in the gospel. And this righteousness is not our own. It’s something provided to us by God that we receive by faith in Christ.

God With Us

 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

(John 1:14 ESV)

 

As we gather to celebrate Christmas, we know what it is that we’re celebrating. We know that we’re celebrating Jesus. We know that we’re celebrating his birth.

 

We do so because, even though he was born into the world like you and me, he’s no ordinary man. We know and believe that he’s the Savior. He’s the Savior, promised by God, from the very beginning.

 

He’s the Savior, sent by the Father, to die on the cross. He’s the Savior, sent by God, to pay the penalty of our sin. He’s the Savior, sent by God, to deliver us from sin, death, and the devil.

 

Yet, although this is true, there is much more to it. There is so much, in fact, that it’s mind-blowing. And John highlights this in the first chapter of his gospel.

 

In verses 1 & 2 of this chapter, he writes: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”

 

Here we find that, although Jesus was born into the world like any other baby, this was not the beginning of his existence. We find, in fact, that he’s always existed. He was there in the beginning, when all things were made. He, in other words, preexisted all that’s been made. We find, then, that Jesus is eternal.

 

We find that Jesus is not a mere man. We find that he’s God himself. The Word, John says, “was God.”

 

Yet, although Jesus is God, he and the Father are two distinct persons. He was with God, John says. So, they are not two manifestations of one person. They are two persons who, together with the Holy Spirit, are one God.

 

In verse 3, John says: “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

 

We tend to think of God the Father, alone, as the creator. But, according to John, so too is Jesus. All things were made through him. Nothing was made apart from him. And this, again, assures us that Jesus is God.

 

“In him was life…” John tells us in verse 4. Jesus, he says, is the source of life. He’s the one who gave life in the beginning, and he’s the source of eternal life.

 

This is the person we celebrate at Christmas. And this person, who is the eternal God, the creator of all things, and the giver of life, became flesh. As we see in the above verse, he became flesh and dwelt among us.

 

God became man. The creator became like his creation. The eternal became finite. The immortal became mortal. And he did so that he might die. He did so that he might pay the penalty of our sins.

 

Even though it’s beyond comprehension, may this reality be part of our Christmas celebration. Let’s celebrate God made flesh. Let us celebrate God who provided for our salvation by the sacrifice of his Son.

Overcoming Shame

 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

‭‭(Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

The Word of God, to the people of this world, is nothing more than nonsense. The gospel, to the people of this world, is nothing more than foolishness. It’s no surprise, then, when they react to it in a negative way.

God’s Word is mocked. It’s scorned. And it’s held in contempt.

Those who hold to his Word are seen as ignorant. They’re seen as stupid and uneducated. They’re viewed as lacking intelligence.

As we, then, live in this world as people of faith, this can lead to an unwillingness to speak of our faith. It can lead to an embarrassment of our faith. And it can lead to a sense of shame, when it comes to our faith.

This, of course, is nothing new. In 1 Corinthians 1:22, Paul says that the Jews demanded miraculous signs and the Greeks looked for wisdom. But he preached Christ crucified, which was a stumbling block for Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. So even then, believers encountered the same derision.

However, as we see in the above passage, Paul was not ashamed of the gospel. He was not ashamed of the message of Christ. And he was not ashamed because it’s the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.

It’s through the gospel that the lost are brought to faith in Christ Jesus. And it’s by this faith that they’re enabled to receive the blessings of God. For this reason, then, it’s nothing of which he felt ashamed.

Now, this isn’t a matter of me telling you how you should feel. It’s clear that, as believers, it’s not right that we should be ashamed of the gospel. It’s clear that something is seriously wrong if we are ashamed of the message of Christ. But this alone does nothing to change the way we feel.

The effects of the gospel are what does so. It’s through the power of the gospel that you and I have been saved. It’s through the power of the gospel that anyone is saved. And, because of his desire for the salvation of the lost, we have been called to proclaim this message to the whole creation.

Having received the salvation of God, I am not ashamed. Knowing his desire for the salvation of the lost, I am not ashamed. And knowing his call, to proclaim this message to all, I am not ashamed.

A Mutual Blessing

 “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When it comes to our participation in and with the church, we tend to have one aim. One objective guides our choice of the church we’ll attend. And that one aim, that one objective, is what we receive from it.

If we prefer a certain style of music or worship, we seek out a church that offers it. If we’re musically gifted, we seek a church with a strong music ministry. If we have children, we seek out a church with a lot of children and ministries aimed at them. We tend to seek out a church where people are our age, that we might better relate to them. The examples are endless.

And this makes sense to a point. It makes sense that we’d want to be ministered to. But we often take it to the extreme. We look only at what we’ll receive rather than what we might give.

As we look at the words of Paul, in the passage above, we see a far different attitude. He had yet to visit the believers in Rome. And he earnestly desired to do so.

He desired to do so for two reasons. He desired to do so that he might impart to them some spiritual gift to strengthen them. He, in other words, wanted to minister to them and to be a blessing to them. But, at the same time, he wanted to be encouraged by them.

His desire was that they might be a mutual blessing, one to the other. And this, you see, is what we’re often missing. Although we want to be blessed by our church, few of us actively seek to be a blessing to our church.

Although we want to be served, we’re unwilling to serve. Although we want to be taught, we’re unwilling to teach. And although we want to be encouraged, we’re unwilling to be an encouragement.

Although you understand what I’m trying to say, perhaps you object to this. Perhaps you do so, noting that Paul was an apostle. He was a minister of the gospel. And, for this reason, he should desire to be a blessing to the church.

We must realize, however, that the same is true of each of us. I’m not suggesting, of course, that we’re all apostles in the same sense as Paul. But we are all called and gifted by God to serve the church. We’re called and gifted by God to bless the church.

If we notice an area in the church where ministry is lacking, if there is a need that clearly isn’t being met, this isn’t our cue to go out in search of a new church where our need will be satisfied. It’s, rather, our cue to bring this to the attention of the church that the situation might be remedied. It may also be our cue to step up and to take leadership in this area. It may be our cue to begin providing ministry in the area that is lacking.

Our ambition, again, is that we might be a mutual encouragement to one another. Our ambition is, most certainly, to receive the ministry of the church. But it’s also to provide ministry to the church. It’s both to be blessed, as well as to be a blessing.

Ministering to the Hopeless

 “Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

It seems to us that, when people are in need, they would be most open to the gospel. It seems to us that, when they are desperate, they’d most readily receive it.  This, however, is not always the case.

We see an example of this as Moses came to the people of Israel, having been called by God to deliver them from bondage. Having been enslaved for four hundred years, it seems to us that this would be welcome news. It seems to us that the people would receive this with gladness. But, as we see in the above passage, they didn’t respond as we might expect.

We find that, as Moses brought to them this good news, they did not listen to him. They did not listen because of their broken spirit. They did not listen because of their harsh slavery. Their suffering had led them to a sense of despondency and discouragement.

The people were so demoralized, it seems, that they would not receive the good news as it was brought to them. And this being the case, Moses wondered how Pharaoh would ever listen to him. He, then, brought this question to God.

The same can be said, I believe, of many today. Many among us are so broken, their spirit is crushed to such an extent, that they have shut their ears to the gospel. Their hopelessness has caused them to shut down to any thought of relief. And we may wonder what we can do that they might hear, understand, and receive the gospel.

As Moses brought this question to the Lord, he was simply told to carry out his calling. He was told to do so, with the assurance that God would act. And this, of course, is what Moses did.

As we ask this question of ourselves, or as we direct it to the Lord, the answer is the same. We can do nothing to remedy this situation. We’re unable to open anyone’s ears. And we are unable to change hearts and minds. 

We can only be faithful to the call God has given us. We can only proclaim to them the good news. And we can only entrust the people, along with our service, to the care of God.

We can do so knowing that he will work. We can do so knowing that he will act. We can do so knowing that he will work in the hearts and minds of those who hear his Word.

Although, in one sense, this may seem discouraging to us, it’s also a relief. It’s a relief because the changing of hearts and minds is dependent not upon us. It’s dependent not upon our creativity, our giftedness, or our determination. We simply carry out our calling trusting that, as we do so, the Lord will act.

Serving God

 “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

(Matthew 25:40 ESV)

As Christians, we know that we’re called to serve the Lord. But we often over-spiritualize this. We make it into something that's ethereal. We make it into something almost intangible or immaterial.

Serving God, to us, can be made primarily, or even fully, about spiritual disciplines. We can make it about prayer. We can make it about Scripture reading. And we can make it about worship. We can make it exclusively about practices that enable our personal relationship with Christ, as we like to think of it.

And please don’t misunderstand what I’m trying to say. These practices are, indeed, important. In fact, they’re essential. If we aren’t devoted to prayer, Scripture, and worship, something is wrong when it comes to our life of faith.

However, that being said, serving God is about so much more. And it’s simpler than we often make it out to be. It may seem, in a sense, to be far more mundane.

We see this in Matthew 25 as Jesus describes the final judgment. We’re told that when he comes in his glory, he’ll sit on his throne and separate the people from one another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And as we read this description, the basis of this separation, the basis of this judgment, is our actions. It’s our service.

We do have to be careful with this. We have to be careful with this because Jesus is in no way suggesting that we’re saved by our works. Our works, rather, reflect our faith in the Lord or our lack of it.

But he commends those on his right, he commends the sheep, because they had served him. And as they question how they’d done so, he answers with the words above. He tells them that as they did it to one of the least of these, his brothers, they’d done it to him.

As he condemns those on his left, we see something similar. He condemns them because they’d failed to serve him. And when they questioned how they’d failed, he told them that as they did not do to one of the least of these, they had not done it to him.

The simple point I’m trying to make is this: We serve the Lord as we serve our neighbor. And as we fail to serve our neighbor, we fail to serve the Lord.

Our service of God, then, includes many things. It means serving our spouse and children by preparing them a meal. It means serving our children by bathing them or changing their diapers. It means serving our family by cleaning the toilets and the showers. 

It means serving in the church. It means teaching Sunday School, serving as an usher during worship, or shoveling snow not only at home, but at church. 

It means serving our community. It means donating food to the food bank. It means helping our elderly neighbor with their lawn. And it means visiting those who are in the hospital or the nursing home.

None of this is exciting. And none of it seems spiritual in the least. But it is the very real way in which we serve the Lord.