DisArmed, Not ready to Arm!
We all know what it means to have your feet kicked out from under us, to have the wind knocked out of our sail, to be out of our own resources and be down to nothing, to be running on empty.
How many of you have ever experienced a God moment, and He met your need at just the right time in just the right way?
But there are a lot of people who never have, they are running on empty, discouraged and in depression over issues the devil has thrown at them
They are disarmed and disengaged from Gods presence, and they are in a state to where they are not ready to be rearmed.
Christians and non believers alike who, over certain circumstances, have been beat down by the devil and the world, to the point of exhaustion.
They are so discouraged in their personal life, spiritually they have been disarmed, and they are not ready to arm. They have been discouraged almost to the point of no return.
After 1,000’s of years of modern medical discoveries, doctors still dispense medicine that can help but often it only treats the symptom and masks what’s going on, the treatment and real cure can only be found in the presence and strength of the Lord God Almighty…
Discouraged means: to tend to prevent something from happening by making it more difficult or unpleasant make somebody less optimistic: to make somebody feel less motivated, confident, or optimistic.
You see, the devil never cares how or what it takes to get to you, just as long as it does.
Discouragement and depression are some of the best tools, the devil has in his bag of tricks.
Here are a few facts found online;
Depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million American adults or about 9.5% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. Everyone, will at some time in their life be affected by depression -- their own or someone else’s
Pre-schoolers are the fastest-growing market for antidepressants. At least four percent of preschoolers -- over a million -- are clinically depressed. The rate of increase of depression among children is an astounding 23%.
15% of the population of most developed countries suffers severe depression.
80% of depressed people are not currently having any treatment.
Depression will be the second largest killer after heart disease by 2020 -- and studies show depression is a contributory factor to fatal coronary disease.
Depression results in more absenteeism than almost any other physical disorder and costs employers more than US$51 billion per year in absenteeism and lost productivity, not including high medical and pharmaceutical bills.
There is a story about a man who tried to sell a product to a certain customer. He started going to the customer in the morning and continued until the customer got wearied and said, “You are the tenth salesman that has come here selling he same thing. Okay how much is it? I will buy one so that they stop bothering me.” And he bought one. The man then said, proudly “Point of correction sir, I am the only one that has been coming. In the morning, I wore a suit and you turned me away. I went and changed each time and came back. I have been here ten times. Thank you for buying.”
The devil doesn’t care how many times it takes to get you were he wants you or how many times he has to change “appearances”. If there is one thing he’s consistent at and very good at is knocking on our door.
But the fact is, now and for future reference, we don’t have to answer the door!
Discouraged people snatch defeat from certain victory. They see victory coming down the road and somehow by the time it has gotten to them, it’s been turned it into defeat several times over.
They are worried about tomorrow even though they do not know what will even happen tomorrow.
They are and have been disarmed, and are not ready to arm.
People in that state of mind have faith alright, but their faith is in failure.
You know the ones that claim “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.”
Discouragement and the depression that goes with it, makes it hard and almost impossible to hear God, it consumes you!
At some point, you have to make a stand, you’ve got to shake off the dust from yourself and stand up and say: I don’t care what happens, I’m not living here anymore!
Paul writes to the church at Ephesus to “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12
In this day and age you have to be ready for anything and everything the devil throws your way. Because he will throw everything at you that he can, even the kitchen sink!
And Paul goes on to say, “Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up, so that no one falls behind or drops out.” Eph. 6:13-18 from the Message Translation
We need to realize the following important truth: discouragement is and always has been a personal decision...Only you can keep you there, only you get to decide if you go there in the first place,
only you get to decide how long you allow yourself to stay there. Only You! No one else, only you. Now this is often easier to say than to really do this but with the help of God you can get rid of it.
You have to make a conscious decision not to be discouraged any longer. Always encourage yourself in the Lord, so you can hear Him clearly. Do not wait for somebody to come around and encourage you. Because it’s probably not going to happen, there’s not many people who encourage others.
Oh, you might think that they are listening to your plight, but soon as you take a breathe, they’ll be telling you all about their own problems, not having the slightest problem one up’ing you in the least!
Whatever your need is, pray about it and lay it at the Saviors feet, and leave it there. Let Jesus do the worrying. But, wait, He‘s not worried about it. And if He’s not worried about it, why should you be, if He’s not!
And one other thing, closing your prayer in Jesus name is not just a popular ending of a prayer, like a lot of people think. It’s a proclamation that you believe by His finished work on Calvary, that He makes all things possible that you pray about to come about! Praise The Lord!!
God is not a respecter of persons, He will do the same for each one of us, Why? Because He loves His Children.
No matter how it may ever look to us as Christians, God is always, repeat always, working on the behalf of His Children. Romans 8:28:. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Aren’t we glad, that we are children of God this morning!
God has already supplied the solution for any and every situation we will ever face! He always comes through for us. Whether it’s the 1st time or 100th time,
He will be at the right place, at the right time, each and every time, when you need Him.
.
If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Romans 8:31b
Disarmed, not ready to arm and all the things that go with it, child of God. If you ever find yourself headed there, remember it’s just a trick of the enemy. It’s the same old song and dance routine he‘s been doing for 1,000“s of years,
But praise the Lord God Almighty, Jesus has already disarmed him and every one of those things associated with him on the cross and won the victory for you.
You don’t have fight for victory, its already been done, you as one of His very own, get the privilege to claim victory.
His Word says: God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
Its completely up to you, as to whether you want to possess all of the blessings that you are entitled to, or not.
You don’t have to go through life disarmed, not ready to arm. You, through Jesus finished work on the cross, can stand Armed, ready to disarm!!
Jesus, Thank You for the Cross!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Sunday, April 28, 2013
How should Christians live? Redeemed
How should Christians live? Redeemed
Seems like all I can see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me "son
Stop fighting a fight that's already been won"
I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off theses heavy chains
Wipe away every stain now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed
All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper, "Child lift up your head"
I remember oh God, You're not done with me yet
I don't have to be the old man inside of me
Cause his day is long dead and gone
I've got a new name, a new life I'm not the same
And a hope that will carry me home (song by Big Daddy Weave)
Click link to listen to song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEChKo--jdc
Jesus loves the song of the redeemed. The bible teaches us that the angels have a party when one soul is saved. Heaven has a victory party when one person becomes redeemed from their lost lifestyle! God redeemed the Israelites from the chains and bondage of Egypt. It wasn’t long afterwards that the Israelites wanted to go back to their old lifestyle. How many times did they ask Moses, “Were there not enough graves in Egypt?”
Let’s looks at some definitions of redeemed:
1. To recover ownership of by paying a specified sum.
2. To pay off (a promissory note, for example).
3. To turn in (coupons, for example) and receive something in exchange.
4. To fulfill (a pledge, for example).
5. To convert into cash. As in bonds or stocks..
6. To set free; rescue or ransom.
7. To save from a state of sinfulness and its consequences.
8. To make up for:
9. To restore the honor, worth, or reputation of:.
How many know that we are redeemed? How many of us actually live redeemed life styles? Free from sin. Free from old habits, or addictions. Today, let’s expand our thought patterns. We need to realize that God has a party every time that He redeems one of us from an old habit. God celebrates every time that He gives us victory over our addictions, bad habits, and any other sin! Here is something you already know, but forget to easily. Once you have been saved, the victory is ours for the taking. Let’s discover how.
When we are “redeemed” we have support: My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. (1 John 2:1) John tells the people that they should not sin. Did he give them a chemical equation that they couldn’t figure out? No. That is about as plain as you can get. We all know now that as Christians, we choose to sin. So if we are truly redeemed, set free, why do we still sin?
How many of you would buy a computer (or a “smart” phone) without a support group to call if you needed support or help? Not many would do that. Why? Because these things ae complicated, and the average Joe needs help figuring them out. What kind of God would send His people out into life without a support group? Life is much more complicated than a computer. After all, man made the computer; only God created and gives life! If we can figure out that we need support, wouldn’t an all knowing God know this as well? The answer is yes! So how does this support group work? First we need to realize that do we get support from the Father. “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father…” (James 1:17). In 1 John 2:1 we see that it says, “we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father”. Again, just to reiterate that God is supreme, in control, and all powerful, He sends us Himself, our support in time of need.
We get support in the form of His Son. Philippians 4:13 tells us that we “can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength”. We get support in the form of His Spirit. Jesus said that He wouldn’t leave us alone, but that He would send a helper (John 15:26). Romans 8:26 tells us that ”we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us”.
We get support through God’s throne. The writer of Hebrews writes: “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:16)
Is all this provided so that we can get what we want? No. It is provided so that we can obtain God’s perspective. So that we can obtain God’s vision. So that we can obtain God’s victory. It doesn’t make it easy. It doesn’t make it always fun. It probably won’t make us popular with the world. But it will make us right with God. How much more faithful can we be then when we have taken God at His word to the point that we are applying it to our life, living our life as a living sacrifice that is Holy and acceptable to Him?
John commands us not to sin, but when we do to realize that we have help. Help to enable us to overcome. Help to enable us to get back up and try again and not quit. Help to give us hope. Help to give us His perspective. And ultimately help for us to live redeemed lives!
To many Christians speak of grace, teach of God’s unfailing love, and try to exemplify forgiveness without ever quite experiencing it themselves. To many Christians aren’t living redeemed lifestyles. They are redeemed by the blood, but they are NOT living redeemed lifestyles!
Often our churches are unfulfilling because we are unfulfilled. We are unfulfilled because we haven’t trusted in the redemption of God. We are trying to earn our salvation. Paul says to “Work hard to show the results of your salvation”, not to “earn it”. (Philippians 2:12) We do this because we are REDEEMED. We need to improve ourselves spiritually because God “loved us first”. (1 John 4:19). We want to show our love for Him by living closer to Him. We want to show our love for Him by allowing Him to change us. We want to know more about Him, and experience Him in our lives.
Seems like all I can see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me "son
Stop fighting a fight that's already been won"
I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off theses heavy chains
Wipe away every stain now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed
All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper, "Child lift up your head"
I remember oh God, You're not done with me yet
I don't have to be the old man inside of me
Cause his day is long dead and gone
I've got a new name, a new life I'm not the same
And a hope that will carry me home (song by Big Daddy Weave)
Click link to listen to song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEChKo--jdc
Jesus loves the song of the redeemed. The bible teaches us that the angels have a party when one soul is saved. Heaven has a victory party when one person becomes redeemed from their lost lifestyle! God redeemed the Israelites from the chains and bondage of Egypt. It wasn’t long afterwards that the Israelites wanted to go back to their old lifestyle. How many times did they ask Moses, “Were there not enough graves in Egypt?”
Let’s looks at some definitions of redeemed:
1. To recover ownership of by paying a specified sum.
2. To pay off (a promissory note, for example).
3. To turn in (coupons, for example) and receive something in exchange.
4. To fulfill (a pledge, for example).
5. To convert into cash. As in bonds or stocks..
6. To set free; rescue or ransom.
7. To save from a state of sinfulness and its consequences.
8. To make up for:
9. To restore the honor, worth, or reputation of:.
How many know that we are redeemed? How many of us actually live redeemed life styles? Free from sin. Free from old habits, or addictions. Today, let’s expand our thought patterns. We need to realize that God has a party every time that He redeems one of us from an old habit. God celebrates every time that He gives us victory over our addictions, bad habits, and any other sin! Here is something you already know, but forget to easily. Once you have been saved, the victory is ours for the taking. Let’s discover how.
When we are “redeemed” we have support: My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. (1 John 2:1) John tells the people that they should not sin. Did he give them a chemical equation that they couldn’t figure out? No. That is about as plain as you can get. We all know now that as Christians, we choose to sin. So if we are truly redeemed, set free, why do we still sin?
How many of you would buy a computer (or a “smart” phone) without a support group to call if you needed support or help? Not many would do that. Why? Because these things ae complicated, and the average Joe needs help figuring them out. What kind of God would send His people out into life without a support group? Life is much more complicated than a computer. After all, man made the computer; only God created and gives life! If we can figure out that we need support, wouldn’t an all knowing God know this as well? The answer is yes! So how does this support group work? First we need to realize that do we get support from the Father. “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father…” (James 1:17). In 1 John 2:1 we see that it says, “we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father”. Again, just to reiterate that God is supreme, in control, and all powerful, He sends us Himself, our support in time of need.
We get support in the form of His Son. Philippians 4:13 tells us that we “can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength”. We get support in the form of His Spirit. Jesus said that He wouldn’t leave us alone, but that He would send a helper (John 15:26). Romans 8:26 tells us that ”we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us”.
We get support through God’s throne. The writer of Hebrews writes: “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:16)
Is all this provided so that we can get what we want? No. It is provided so that we can obtain God’s perspective. So that we can obtain God’s vision. So that we can obtain God’s victory. It doesn’t make it easy. It doesn’t make it always fun. It probably won’t make us popular with the world. But it will make us right with God. How much more faithful can we be then when we have taken God at His word to the point that we are applying it to our life, living our life as a living sacrifice that is Holy and acceptable to Him?
John commands us not to sin, but when we do to realize that we have help. Help to enable us to overcome. Help to enable us to get back up and try again and not quit. Help to give us hope. Help to give us His perspective. And ultimately help for us to live redeemed lives!
To many Christians speak of grace, teach of God’s unfailing love, and try to exemplify forgiveness without ever quite experiencing it themselves. To many Christians aren’t living redeemed lifestyles. They are redeemed by the blood, but they are NOT living redeemed lifestyles!
Often our churches are unfulfilling because we are unfulfilled. We are unfulfilled because we haven’t trusted in the redemption of God. We are trying to earn our salvation. Paul says to “Work hard to show the results of your salvation”, not to “earn it”. (Philippians 2:12) We do this because we are REDEEMED. We need to improve ourselves spiritually because God “loved us first”. (1 John 4:19). We want to show our love for Him by living closer to Him. We want to show our love for Him by allowing Him to change us. We want to know more about Him, and experience Him in our lives.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
No Perfect People Allowed!
No Perfect People Allowed!
The title of this lesson is also the title of a book written by John Burke. In this book…the author explains the steps that are necessary in “creating a come as you are culture in the Church”…
The opening sentence from the book is kinda’ interesting…
“What do a Buddhist, a biker couple, a gay-rights activist, a transient, a high-tech engineer, a Muslim, a twenty-something single mom, a Jew, a couple living together, and an atheist all have in common? They are the future church in America.”
When we walk out our own front door it becomes very clear that the “Leave it to Beaver” and the “Andy Griffith” life styles no longer exist in America. Everything in life has changed including the church and how it reaches out to the seekers (lost people) of its current generation.
In the fifties and sixties it was just expected that on Sundays…every business was closed…you and your entire family would get up…put on your Sunday best and head out the door to church.
But now…50 years have passed…and instead of finding businesses closed on Sunday…It’s hard to find a business that isn’t…and very rarely do you find a family with all its members attending a Sunday morning service.
We shake our heads in despair while whispering under our breath… “What has become of this generation”. And as disappointing as it is for us…what we often fail to remember is “what’s God think about all this?” God’s number one concern is making sure we understand that even though we personally may have failed Him. He still desires for us to daily seek Him out and ask Him to forgive us of our sins. His intentions have always been for our best interest…Quite the opposite of the world which we all live in. And like it or not…We all have been born into a world that has become filled with excuses…materialism…and counterfeit gods… keeping us from learning the truth about God.
After reading the opening sentence from the book “No Perfect People Allowed”…it leads to a question…what is it that’s so special about God and the Church that attracts a person into making a life changing decision?
Is it the friendly welcome that people receive when they first walk in the front doors of the church…is it the inviting smell of fresh brewed coffee … Is it participating in the much needed worship service…or maybe just maybe… It’s listening to the life changing message that Jesus Christ has to offer.
You see…God has always had a plan….We are His Plan…His plan is one of purpose…His plan is one of forgiveness…and His plan has a future… In Jeremiah 29:11, He says “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
His plan has always been about purpose…this is why over 2000 years ago He sent His Son to this very earth to personally show us by example the correct way to live life by.
In Romans 12:9-21 is where we find the “Marks (Responsibilities) of the true Christian”
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection,[a] and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Here we read where the Apostle Paul shares with us some very important scripture about how Christians should live their lives. (But what about those who don’t go to church?)
What we just read does not register with the world outside the church. The world outside the church is filled with hurting people…people who are being mentally and emotionally beat up. People who daily are being taken advantage of… in their jobs…by their families… and by their friends. They feel that no one cares about them…And no matter what they do…the current situation they find themselves in will never change.
(All they know is the world will beat you up…spit you out…and leave you lying to die). This is why it is so important for the church to do its best to create a come as you are atmosphere.
An atmosphere where people feel welcome…where they feel important…where they feel they can make a difference…and where they can find God…meet with Him and change.
Gods plan was for the church to be a place where people can seek shelter from the storms of life.
See what Jesus said: 10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”
12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
I have often heard it said that “Church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners”.
Church should be a place where people can count on people to be their friends and not have to worry about being taken advantage of. This is why it is important for the church…(Christians ) to do their best to live their lives by what Paul shared with us from Romans 12:9-21…
It’s true…Gods plan is about a Purpose …But his plan is also about Forgiveness.
Romans 6:23… “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God’s plan of forgiveness is all about us…There is not one person here today that doesn’t deserve His free gift of forgiveness.
Just recently churches all around the world celebrated the resurrection of their Lord and Savior.(Easter Sunday) God not only sent His Son to this earth to teach us how to live…but He sent His Son to the cross So we could live.
When this thing every one of us calls life is over…the only thing that is going to be important is… did you ask Jesus into your life…and did YOU share Jesus with others. Life is not about how you look…who you hang around with…what you’ve been able to accomplish… It’s about Gods plan…and US…
God’s plan is a winning plan…It’s a plan of purpose…forgiveness and It’s a plan with a future.
Let’s end this lesson by reading from Philippians 3:20-21…20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
Paul reminds us that Heaven is the place where God dwells…and where Christ Is present. It is the believer’s home…where their names have been registered…and their inheritance awaits. Eternity is going to be for a very long time…I hope and pray that we will all be there together someday…….
The title of this lesson is also the title of a book written by John Burke. In this book…the author explains the steps that are necessary in “creating a come as you are culture in the Church”…
The opening sentence from the book is kinda’ interesting…
“What do a Buddhist, a biker couple, a gay-rights activist, a transient, a high-tech engineer, a Muslim, a twenty-something single mom, a Jew, a couple living together, and an atheist all have in common? They are the future church in America.”
When we walk out our own front door it becomes very clear that the “Leave it to Beaver” and the “Andy Griffith” life styles no longer exist in America. Everything in life has changed including the church and how it reaches out to the seekers (lost people) of its current generation.
In the fifties and sixties it was just expected that on Sundays…every business was closed…you and your entire family would get up…put on your Sunday best and head out the door to church.
But now…50 years have passed…and instead of finding businesses closed on Sunday…It’s hard to find a business that isn’t…and very rarely do you find a family with all its members attending a Sunday morning service.
We shake our heads in despair while whispering under our breath… “What has become of this generation”. And as disappointing as it is for us…what we often fail to remember is “what’s God think about all this?” God’s number one concern is making sure we understand that even though we personally may have failed Him. He still desires for us to daily seek Him out and ask Him to forgive us of our sins. His intentions have always been for our best interest…Quite the opposite of the world which we all live in. And like it or not…We all have been born into a world that has become filled with excuses…materialism…and counterfeit gods… keeping us from learning the truth about God.
After reading the opening sentence from the book “No Perfect People Allowed”…it leads to a question…what is it that’s so special about God and the Church that attracts a person into making a life changing decision?
Is it the friendly welcome that people receive when they first walk in the front doors of the church…is it the inviting smell of fresh brewed coffee … Is it participating in the much needed worship service…or maybe just maybe… It’s listening to the life changing message that Jesus Christ has to offer.
You see…God has always had a plan….We are His Plan…His plan is one of purpose…His plan is one of forgiveness…and His plan has a future… In Jeremiah 29:11, He says “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
His plan has always been about purpose…this is why over 2000 years ago He sent His Son to this very earth to personally show us by example the correct way to live life by.
In Romans 12:9-21 is where we find the “Marks (Responsibilities) of the true Christian”
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection,[a] and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Here we read where the Apostle Paul shares with us some very important scripture about how Christians should live their lives. (But what about those who don’t go to church?)
What we just read does not register with the world outside the church. The world outside the church is filled with hurting people…people who are being mentally and emotionally beat up. People who daily are being taken advantage of… in their jobs…by their families… and by their friends. They feel that no one cares about them…And no matter what they do…the current situation they find themselves in will never change.
(All they know is the world will beat you up…spit you out…and leave you lying to die). This is why it is so important for the church to do its best to create a come as you are atmosphere.
An atmosphere where people feel welcome…where they feel important…where they feel they can make a difference…and where they can find God…meet with Him and change.
Gods plan was for the church to be a place where people can seek shelter from the storms of life.
See what Jesus said: 10 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”
12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
I have often heard it said that “Church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners”.
Church should be a place where people can count on people to be their friends and not have to worry about being taken advantage of. This is why it is important for the church…(Christians ) to do their best to live their lives by what Paul shared with us from Romans 12:9-21…
It’s true…Gods plan is about a Purpose …But his plan is also about Forgiveness.
Romans 6:23… “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God’s plan of forgiveness is all about us…There is not one person here today that doesn’t deserve His free gift of forgiveness.
Just recently churches all around the world celebrated the resurrection of their Lord and Savior.(Easter Sunday) God not only sent His Son to this earth to teach us how to live…but He sent His Son to the cross So we could live.
When this thing every one of us calls life is over…the only thing that is going to be important is… did you ask Jesus into your life…and did YOU share Jesus with others. Life is not about how you look…who you hang around with…what you’ve been able to accomplish… It’s about Gods plan…and US…
God’s plan is a winning plan…It’s a plan of purpose…forgiveness and It’s a plan with a future.
Let’s end this lesson by reading from Philippians 3:20-21…20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
Paul reminds us that Heaven is the place where God dwells…and where Christ Is present. It is the believer’s home…where their names have been registered…and their inheritance awaits. Eternity is going to be for a very long time…I hope and pray that we will all be there together someday…….
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
The Devil Wears Prada
The Devil Wears Prada
I have heard of a movie of this title but I had no idea what Prada was – maybe “after shave”? But by using Google you can find that Prada is a high class Italian fashion company known for it’s original designs and product lines. Their webpage has two black and white videos that are really kinda’ boring. Watching these you will notice that something is missing from the commercial. Guess what’s missing? It said ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about Prada’s clothing or product lines. All it showed was several young men standing around (supposedly in Prada clothing) all trying to look excessively cool in the sunglasses and playing guitars.
But the commercial said nothing about Prada’s product line. They obviously weren’t selling clothes in the commercial. So... what were they selling? They were selling prestige, style, status, significance.
Essentially, that’s what all fashion houses have always sold. Their clothes are not that significantly different from what you’d buy at WalMart or Target. But fashion houses aren’t selling clothes and accessories… they’re selling an image. An image of what you could be like... if only you wore their clothing, and accessorized with their products. They’re selling an image
And that’s what Satan does…. He sells an image.
As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:14, “These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
Most of the time Satan is portrayed as some scary dude running around in red tights and horns.
Now, seriously … would you really buy anything from this guy? Of course you wouldn’t
He looks evil, scary... and very untrustworthy.
AND Satan knows that… so he’s not going to show up at your front door like that. He masquerades. He dresses himself up in an appealing fashion. Because his objective is to sell an image. An image of what he wants you to think he is like. And an image of what he wants to embrace about yourself.
It’s all about packaging. Satan packages his product in such a way that you see what he wants you to see... not what his product would actually do to your life.
Satan tries to sell you the products that most reflects what people really want in life
Popularity.
Acceptance.
Manliness for men
Attractiveness for women.
Pleasure, success, achievement. Etc. etc.
But Satan is very careful how he packages those products because if you ever really caught on to where his product line would lead - you’d never buy it!!!
Just as an example of how effectively Satan packages his product, a pastor told the story of a young girl that had been part of their church’s youth group a couple years back. Now, she’s a pregnant unmarried teenager. The dad was not in the picture… probably never would be. And there she was. Pregnant, faced with raising her child alone without a father. And she’s not happy.
But she wasn’t unhappy because she was pregnant. She wasn’t unhappy because the baby’s dad was not going to be in the picture. She wasn’t unhappy because her child probably won’t have the advantages that two parents would have given it. No, she wasn’t unhappy because of those difficulties. She was unhappy because the only clothes she could find that will fit were sold at Target or Wal-Mart. She couldn’t find her American Eagle and Tommy Hilfinger kind of clothing… because those companies didn’t make their product for pregnant teenagers.
Satan had sold her the image so effectively that she was not disturbed that she was unmarried and pregnant… only that she was out of style.
You see… Satan did his job right with her. She never knew guessed how much heartache was ahead for her because Satan had gotten her eyes fixed on “the image” that became so important to her.
Now, what Paul is telling us here in 2 Corinthians is: Satan is selling image. And he’s trying to sells us the same image he sold to Eve in the garden. “But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.” 2 Corinthians 11:3
So, how was Eve deceived? What was the image Satan tried to sell to Eve that day in the garden?
He told her "God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it (fruit the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.), and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” Genesis 3:5
You see, Satan wasn’t selling a piece of fruit. He was selling her “an image”. “You will be like God!” he said.
Now – of course – that’s not going to happen! Satan tried it once, and it didn’t work out real well for him. (Read Isaiah 14:12-14)
But people who’ve been sold Satan’s bill of goods… try to do it anyway. They’ve been sold the image that they can be like God. And so, they try remove Him from the picture… somehow. Because once they’ve done that - they can be in charge. They’ll ignore God. Deny God. Make fun of God
They do whatever they have to do to get God OFF the throne … so they can sit there themselves.
Satan’s message is: to become great, you got to be God. You’ve got to CENTER on YOURSELF
You’ve got to meet YOUR needs. You’ve got to lift YOURSELF up
But Christ’s message is: to become great, you got to be a servant. You’ve got to CENTER on GOD and OTHERS. You’ve got to center on somebody other than yourself.
Satan’s product: YOU as God of your life.
God’s product: YOU as a servant of God..
Those two messages will NEVER coexist together. They won’t work together.
In 2 Corinthians, Paul tells us that Satan doesn’t do all this on his own..Satan doesn’t slip into our bedrooms at night and whisper wicked things in our ears. Oh, no… Satan’s got himself a sales staff.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians - that SINCE Satan can pass himself off an angel of light, “… it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness....” (2 Cor. 11:15)
Satan has a sales staff. He’s got folks working for him.
And Satan knows it’s important to have the RIGHT people working for him. Just like we wouldn’t buy a product from a demonic looking creature, neither are we going to accept guidance from someone we don’t know.
So, Satan works through people we know and trust. People we work with. People we work for.
Our friends. Our relatives.
WHy does this work? Because, if you’re around certain people long enough, they start to matter to you. Their opinion becomes important to you.
Satan has his own salesmen. And if he can surround us with enough of those salesmen… he can change our minds. That’s the genius of what Satan does. If he can surround us with enough people who tell us that wrong is right, that evil is better than good, and that God either isn’t there, or He doesn’t care, THEN eventually - we begin to listen… even though we know they’re wrong.
Over and over again, Satan sells the same bill of goods..You will become like God knowing good and evil. The only problem is that the good Satan would have us embrace is the evil God has always condemned… because of the damage it can do our lives and our souls.
So Satan tries to surround us with HIS sales people, knowing that if he can get you to listen to them long enough, he can sell the image he wants in our lives.
But that’s why God created the church.
When we spend time with God’s people,
Reading God’s Word,
Praying in Jesus’ name
Taking communion to celebrate Jesus’ sacrifice
and singing songs of praise to our savior
Then we learn to take care of each other and strengthen each other.
And learn the holy and perfect will of God.
It all depends on which sales staff we listen to: Satan’s or God’s
I have heard of a movie of this title but I had no idea what Prada was – maybe “after shave”? But by using Google you can find that Prada is a high class Italian fashion company known for it’s original designs and product lines. Their webpage has two black and white videos that are really kinda’ boring. Watching these you will notice that something is missing from the commercial. Guess what’s missing? It said ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about Prada’s clothing or product lines. All it showed was several young men standing around (supposedly in Prada clothing) all trying to look excessively cool in the sunglasses and playing guitars.
But the commercial said nothing about Prada’s product line. They obviously weren’t selling clothes in the commercial. So... what were they selling? They were selling prestige, style, status, significance.
Essentially, that’s what all fashion houses have always sold. Their clothes are not that significantly different from what you’d buy at WalMart or Target. But fashion houses aren’t selling clothes and accessories… they’re selling an image. An image of what you could be like... if only you wore their clothing, and accessorized with their products. They’re selling an image
And that’s what Satan does…. He sells an image.
As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:14, “These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
Most of the time Satan is portrayed as some scary dude running around in red tights and horns.
Now, seriously … would you really buy anything from this guy? Of course you wouldn’t
He looks evil, scary... and very untrustworthy.
AND Satan knows that… so he’s not going to show up at your front door like that. He masquerades. He dresses himself up in an appealing fashion. Because his objective is to sell an image. An image of what he wants you to think he is like. And an image of what he wants to embrace about yourself.
It’s all about packaging. Satan packages his product in such a way that you see what he wants you to see... not what his product would actually do to your life.
Satan tries to sell you the products that most reflects what people really want in life
Popularity.
Acceptance.
Manliness for men
Attractiveness for women.
Pleasure, success, achievement. Etc. etc.
But Satan is very careful how he packages those products because if you ever really caught on to where his product line would lead - you’d never buy it!!!
Just as an example of how effectively Satan packages his product, a pastor told the story of a young girl that had been part of their church’s youth group a couple years back. Now, she’s a pregnant unmarried teenager. The dad was not in the picture… probably never would be. And there she was. Pregnant, faced with raising her child alone without a father. And she’s not happy.
But she wasn’t unhappy because she was pregnant. She wasn’t unhappy because the baby’s dad was not going to be in the picture. She wasn’t unhappy because her child probably won’t have the advantages that two parents would have given it. No, she wasn’t unhappy because of those difficulties. She was unhappy because the only clothes she could find that will fit were sold at Target or Wal-Mart. She couldn’t find her American Eagle and Tommy Hilfinger kind of clothing… because those companies didn’t make their product for pregnant teenagers.
Satan had sold her the image so effectively that she was not disturbed that she was unmarried and pregnant… only that she was out of style.
You see… Satan did his job right with her. She never knew guessed how much heartache was ahead for her because Satan had gotten her eyes fixed on “the image” that became so important to her.
Now, what Paul is telling us here in 2 Corinthians is: Satan is selling image. And he’s trying to sells us the same image he sold to Eve in the garden. “But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.” 2 Corinthians 11:3
So, how was Eve deceived? What was the image Satan tried to sell to Eve that day in the garden?
He told her "God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it (fruit the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.), and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” Genesis 3:5
You see, Satan wasn’t selling a piece of fruit. He was selling her “an image”. “You will be like God!” he said.
Now – of course – that’s not going to happen! Satan tried it once, and it didn’t work out real well for him. (Read Isaiah 14:12-14)
But people who’ve been sold Satan’s bill of goods… try to do it anyway. They’ve been sold the image that they can be like God. And so, they try remove Him from the picture… somehow. Because once they’ve done that - they can be in charge. They’ll ignore God. Deny God. Make fun of God
They do whatever they have to do to get God OFF the throne … so they can sit there themselves.
Satan’s message is: to become great, you got to be God. You’ve got to CENTER on YOURSELF
You’ve got to meet YOUR needs. You’ve got to lift YOURSELF up
But Christ’s message is: to become great, you got to be a servant. You’ve got to CENTER on GOD and OTHERS. You’ve got to center on somebody other than yourself.
Satan’s product: YOU as God of your life.
God’s product: YOU as a servant of God..
Those two messages will NEVER coexist together. They won’t work together.
In 2 Corinthians, Paul tells us that Satan doesn’t do all this on his own..Satan doesn’t slip into our bedrooms at night and whisper wicked things in our ears. Oh, no… Satan’s got himself a sales staff.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians - that SINCE Satan can pass himself off an angel of light, “… it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness....” (2 Cor. 11:15)
Satan has a sales staff. He’s got folks working for him.
And Satan knows it’s important to have the RIGHT people working for him. Just like we wouldn’t buy a product from a demonic looking creature, neither are we going to accept guidance from someone we don’t know.
So, Satan works through people we know and trust. People we work with. People we work for.
Our friends. Our relatives.
WHy does this work? Because, if you’re around certain people long enough, they start to matter to you. Their opinion becomes important to you.
Satan has his own salesmen. And if he can surround us with enough of those salesmen… he can change our minds. That’s the genius of what Satan does. If he can surround us with enough people who tell us that wrong is right, that evil is better than good, and that God either isn’t there, or He doesn’t care, THEN eventually - we begin to listen… even though we know they’re wrong.
Over and over again, Satan sells the same bill of goods..You will become like God knowing good and evil. The only problem is that the good Satan would have us embrace is the evil God has always condemned… because of the damage it can do our lives and our souls.
So Satan tries to surround us with HIS sales people, knowing that if he can get you to listen to them long enough, he can sell the image he wants in our lives.
But that’s why God created the church.
When we spend time with God’s people,
Reading God’s Word,
Praying in Jesus’ name
Taking communion to celebrate Jesus’ sacrifice
and singing songs of praise to our savior
Then we learn to take care of each other and strengthen each other.
And learn the holy and perfect will of God.
It all depends on which sales staff we listen to: Satan’s or God’s
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Easter: Post Partum
Easter: Post Partum
The purple satin banner on the cross is sagging. Lilies drooping. Fancy dresses and suit and ties are back in the closet. Extra chairs are stowed. Pastors tall and short, old and young, slump in an exhausted heap after leading a bazillion services during Holy Week. The large chocolate bunny has been consumed. The colored eggs have either been eaten or have now “spoiled”. Easter is over.
Why would one describe the aftermath of Easter Sunday as a time of post partum depression? Wikipedia defines post partum depression as the letdown that occurs in women after they have carried a child. Symptoms include sadness, fatigue, crying episodes, anxiety, and irritability.
We may not experience ALL of these symptoms, but Easter is the joyful climax of the Christian “year”. You can’t top Jesus being “risen” and leaving the empty tomb.. The whole Bible leads up to that amazing, holy moment.
Jesus’ disciples did not experience post-Easter letdown. We don’t have to either.
The miraculous event catapulted ordinary people into dynamos (super humans) exhibiting joy, boldness and supernatural power. This started on the day of Pentecost.
Can Easter change our daily life? Yes it can! Let’s look at a few Bible characters we can emulate.
Thomas, the skeptic, wanted proof: rock-solid evidence. Jesus, in His compassion, gave him just that.
John tells us in his gospel:
26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” 28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. (John 20:26-28)
Jesus was no longer his teacher. Doubting Thomas became convinced that Christ was God Himself, His Lord and Master. Thomas preached the Gospel fearlessly and faithfully to the ends of the earth. Historians tell us that the old apostle was stabbed with a spear in 72 A.D. while in prayer on a hill in Mylapur, India.
We don’t have to wonder about Jesus. Touch His nail-pierced hands and wounded side. His resurrection proves we can follow Him as our Lord and our God. His power becomes our power. Don’t be a wimpy Christian anymore. Jesus is bigger than that. And so are we.
John, the beloved disciple, was purported to be Jesus’ cousin by many historians. He probably remembered playing stickball with Jesus as a little boy. John probably visited Jesus’ carpenter shop many times. He was the only disciple who watched Christ’s brutal crucifixion and promised to care for Jesus’ aging mother. (25 Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved [John], he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” 27 And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home. John 19:25-27) John saw the gory blood. He grieved as he witnessed his cousin’s last breath. But three days later, John was transformed by Christ’s resurrection. No earthly miracles Christ had performed prepared him for this:
6 Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, 7 while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. 8 Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first [John] also went in, and he saw and believed—.” (John 20:6-8).
John was filled with wonder and awe at what He saw. Jesus’ mangled corpse was wrapped in 75 pounds of spices. A linen napkin was placed over His face. Easter morning, the gigantic boulder was rolled down the hill. The sixteen cracker jack Roman Special Forces team was nowhere to be found. And to top it off, the bandages were not unrolled, they remained in the shape of the corpse. Jesus had dematerialized folded His head napkin, and laid it on the other side of the tomb.
John was filled with a sense of wonder. Every day, for the rest of his long life, John was in awe of His Master. Ninety-year-old John, imprisoned on the island of Patmos, was the one Jesus trusted to write Revelation-the heavenly vision that predicted the glories of heaven and the end of time.
We can live lives of wonder because of Christ’s resurrection. Post-conversion, most Christians slug their way through daily living in apathy. The Bible is boring and the events of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection seem like holy mythology. Nothing is fresh or new.
But have you ever taken a child to Disneyland? Their eyes are as big as saucers, and every mouse, princess and teacup seem magical and amazing! If we truly believe Jesus conquered death and the grave, we can live our lives with a sense of wonder. We can wake up every morning, just waiting to hear our Savior speak, looking for Him in creation and seeing Him in the lives of our Christian brothers and sisters. Don’t let your Christian walk become mundane. Open your eyes and marvel at His work.
Finally, we don’t have to experience post-partum depression after Easter because God is a God of second chances. Jesus cooked breakfast for Peter and restored him to ministry. Nobody messed up more than Peter. He denied Christ. He always said the wrong thing. And he picked up his nets and went back to the fishing business after Jesus died.
Jesus gently spoke to Pete as he chewed his fish sandwich.
2 Jesus said to them “Come and have breakfast.”None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”“Yes, Lord,” he said, “You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?”He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. John 21:12-17 NIV
The four words in Greek for “love” are different: eros, storge, phileo, and agape. The first “love” implies agape, Divine love. Peter’s response meant phileo “like you a lot.” So Jesus said, “Peter, do you love me with Divine love?” Peter replied, “Lord, you know I like you a lot…” Jesus repeated His question to Peter. “Peter, do you love me with Divine love?” Again Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, You know that I really like you a lot.” Jesus pushed Peter further. “Peter, do you even like me a lot?” “Yes, Lord, you know that I like you a lot.” “Then feed my sheep.”
Peter loved Jesus imperfectly. Jesus assured Him it didn’t matter. He called Him to do the most important task in the world. Peter took on Christ’s cloak/coat, the cloak of a shepherd. The flawed, bumbling apostle became the rock Jesus knew he could be. Peter preached at Pentecost, and pastored the church in Jerusalem. He even shared in Christ’s crucifixion. In 34 A.D., Peter died in Rome, choosing to be crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to be executed in the same manner as his Master.
So how can Jesus’ resurrection change us? We now have hope. Jesus doesn’t care about our past failures or our stupid words. We may have denied Him at some time. We may be down to God’s plan “Z” for our life. We can begin again, and Jesus can infuse our life with unbelievable resurrection power. We can change the world. Yes, each of us!
So lay aside our doubts and failures. See the wonder of the Divine every day. Embrace the hope that He offers us. He is risen indeed!
Sunday, April 7, 2013
The Gladness of the Risen Son
The Gladness of the Risen Son
“You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.” Acts 2:28
Three Easter Morning Questions
Let’s begin the lesson with three questions for you to answer silently in your own mind.
• First, do you want to be happy?
• Second, do you want your happiness to be partial or full?
• Third, do you want your happiness to stop or to last as long as you last?
The reason I count these questions worthy of Easter Sunday morning is not just because I think every person in this room cares about them, but also because these questions are the rock bottom concerns of the Bible.
Wherever the Bible has had its profoundest effect in people's lives, it hasn't been because of the demands of some new sense of duty, but because of the power of a new pleasure.
The Bible Produces a Serious Pursuit of Happiness
People who know the Bible best and who have experienced it most deeply are not diverted from the quest for happiness and pleasure. Instead, it has caused people to get really serious about the quest. It has caused them to ask, "Do I really want to be happy? Do I want the fullest happiness possible? Do I want my happiness to last forever?" In other words, the Bible makes us stop playing games with our happiness. It makes us serious, even desperate, in our pursuit.
It makes a harried and overworked businessman go away for a few days and sit by the lake, and look at the sunset and the stars, and ask: "Have I found it? Is this what I am really after? Does it satisfy? Will it last?"
Jesus Christ never once condemned the quest for happiness. But often he has rebuked us for taking it so lightly.
Now what does all this have to do with Easter Sunday? Let’s try to relate the two.
The Earliest Days of the Church
In Acts 1:3 Luke tells us that Jesus “appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.”
For forty days he sought to prove to his followers that he really was alive,
• that his body was new and indestructible,
• that his death for sinners was validated,
• that his teaching was true,
• that his fellowship would be permanent,
• and that his cause would triumph in the world.
Then when “..the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.” (Mark 16:19) And there he will reign until He comes a second time in power and great glory, and all Believers, those of us who have a relationship with Jesus, will reign with him forever and ever.
The Apostles Pondering the Old Testament
Then the book of Acts goes on to show us that for ten days after Jesus had ascended to heaven the apostles and Jesus' mother and his brothers devoted themselves to prayer in Jerusalem. During these ten days Peter and the others must have combed the Old Testament for predictions and explanations of what was happening in these incredible days, because when the Holy Spirit finally comes upon them with power at the end of those ten days, the apostles are full of Scripture. They explain everything in terms of the fulfillment of Scripture. This is apparent in Acts 2:14-41.
One of the psalms that Peter evidently pondered was Psalm 16.
The reason we know that Peter had given thought to this psalm is that he quotes from it in Acts 2:25–28. “I see that the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.”
What Peter Saw in Psalm 16
We know that God gave David a promise (in 2 Samuel 7:12–16) that one of his own posterity would be the everlasting king of Israel — the Son of David, the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6–7). David must have often thought of this wonderful thing — that in his own body, as it were, there was a king whose reign would never end.
And Peter noticed in reading the psalms of David that sometimes, as David expressed his own hope in God, he would be caught up by the Holy Spirit to say things about himself that went far beyond what his own experience would be. It was as though David were sometimes transported into the future of his son the Messiah and would say things that only the Son of David would experience sometime in the future.
How Will David Not Be Shaken?
This is what Peter saw as he meditated on Psalm 16. He read, "I see that the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me." (Acts 2:25.) And maybe he asked, "In what sense will David not be shaken?"
So he reads on for the answer. Acts 2:26—"No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises!" And Peter ponders and answers his question: "The sense in which David will not be shaken is that he is secure in God. He will be protected—soul and body."
Will David's Flesh Really Never See Corruption?
Then Peter asks, "How will they be protected? How safe is David really? Will he not die? Did he not die?" Peter reads on (Acts 2:27), "For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave". Peter looks at this for a long time. He ponders, "Will David not die? Will David body not ever decay? Does he really expect this much protection for himself?"
And suddenly (or gradually?) it dawns on Peter that these words go beyond anything that David experienced. David did die! David was buried! David's flesh did decay. So Peter recognizes that David is no longer speaking merely for himself. The Spirit has lifted him up to see the destiny of the second David. And the voice of the Messiah is heard prophetically in the voice of his father David.
This Is What Happened to Jesus!
And then the connection with Jesus hits home. This is what happened to Jesus! Peter makes the connection for us in Acts 2:31 — "David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave. God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.”
God's Goal for Jesus' Gladness
Now right here we begin to make the connection with that longing for happiness that was mentioned in beginning of lesson. In Acts 2:28 Peter goes on to quote from the last verse of Psalm 16. But now we know that it is really Jesus, the Son of David, speaking through the voice of the prophet David: “You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.”
And the psalm ends with (though Peter doesn't finish it), "the pleasures of living with you forever”.
In other words, what we see from this text is that God's goal for Jesus Christ beyond the grave was that he might fill him with gladness. He raised him from the dead to make him full of happiness forever and ever.
Our Gladness and the Gladness of the Risen God
Now what does the gladness of the risen God have to do with us?
Sanctioning the Pursuit of Gladness
Jesus didn't just happen upon this gladness beyond the grave; he pursued it with all his might. Hebrews 12:2 says, "Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”
This means that, if anyone has a deep longing for happiness, you will not be told by Jesus Christ that this longing is bad, or that it must be denied or that you should have nobler goals on Easter than happiness. Jesus lived for the joy that was set before him. He is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. And therefore he sanctioned the thirst of our souls by the thirst of his own.
But there's more. If all Jesus wanted was the glory and gladness that he had with his Father Heaven, why did he come into the world in the first place? The Bible says, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).
The message of Easter is doubly wonderful.
It is wonderful to see the suffering Son coming home to the Father. What a reunion that must have been when Creator embraced Creator and said, "Well done Son. Welcome home." What a wonderful thing to see the Passover Lamb of Good Friday crowned with glory and honor, and handed the scepter of the universe!
But it is also wonderful to hear Jesus say, "I want others to be with me, Father. I want others to share my glory. I want my gladness in your glory to overflow like a mountain spring and become the gladness of others. I want my joy in you to be in them and their joy to be full forever and ever."
On Easter Sunday morning Jesus blew the lock off the prison of death and gloom and returned to the gladness of God. With that he put his blessings on the pursuit of happiness. And he opened the way for sinners to find never-ending satisfaction at the fountain of the glory of his grace.
From the right hand of God he speaks to everyone of us today and invites us to the never-ending banquet:
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
“You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.” Acts 2:28
Three Easter Morning Questions
Let’s begin the lesson with three questions for you to answer silently in your own mind.
• First, do you want to be happy?
• Second, do you want your happiness to be partial or full?
• Third, do you want your happiness to stop or to last as long as you last?
The reason I count these questions worthy of Easter Sunday morning is not just because I think every person in this room cares about them, but also because these questions are the rock bottom concerns of the Bible.
Wherever the Bible has had its profoundest effect in people's lives, it hasn't been because of the demands of some new sense of duty, but because of the power of a new pleasure.
The Bible Produces a Serious Pursuit of Happiness
People who know the Bible best and who have experienced it most deeply are not diverted from the quest for happiness and pleasure. Instead, it has caused people to get really serious about the quest. It has caused them to ask, "Do I really want to be happy? Do I want the fullest happiness possible? Do I want my happiness to last forever?" In other words, the Bible makes us stop playing games with our happiness. It makes us serious, even desperate, in our pursuit.
It makes a harried and overworked businessman go away for a few days and sit by the lake, and look at the sunset and the stars, and ask: "Have I found it? Is this what I am really after? Does it satisfy? Will it last?"
Jesus Christ never once condemned the quest for happiness. But often he has rebuked us for taking it so lightly.
Now what does all this have to do with Easter Sunday? Let’s try to relate the two.
The Earliest Days of the Church
In Acts 1:3 Luke tells us that Jesus “appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.”
For forty days he sought to prove to his followers that he really was alive,
• that his body was new and indestructible,
• that his death for sinners was validated,
• that his teaching was true,
• that his fellowship would be permanent,
• and that his cause would triumph in the world.
Then when “..the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.” (Mark 16:19) And there he will reign until He comes a second time in power and great glory, and all Believers, those of us who have a relationship with Jesus, will reign with him forever and ever.
The Apostles Pondering the Old Testament
Then the book of Acts goes on to show us that for ten days after Jesus had ascended to heaven the apostles and Jesus' mother and his brothers devoted themselves to prayer in Jerusalem. During these ten days Peter and the others must have combed the Old Testament for predictions and explanations of what was happening in these incredible days, because when the Holy Spirit finally comes upon them with power at the end of those ten days, the apostles are full of Scripture. They explain everything in terms of the fulfillment of Scripture. This is apparent in Acts 2:14-41.
One of the psalms that Peter evidently pondered was Psalm 16.
The reason we know that Peter had given thought to this psalm is that he quotes from it in Acts 2:25–28. “I see that the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.”
What Peter Saw in Psalm 16
We know that God gave David a promise (in 2 Samuel 7:12–16) that one of his own posterity would be the everlasting king of Israel — the Son of David, the Messiah (Isaiah 9:6–7). David must have often thought of this wonderful thing — that in his own body, as it were, there was a king whose reign would never end.
And Peter noticed in reading the psalms of David that sometimes, as David expressed his own hope in God, he would be caught up by the Holy Spirit to say things about himself that went far beyond what his own experience would be. It was as though David were sometimes transported into the future of his son the Messiah and would say things that only the Son of David would experience sometime in the future.
How Will David Not Be Shaken?
This is what Peter saw as he meditated on Psalm 16. He read, "I see that the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me." (Acts 2:25.) And maybe he asked, "In what sense will David not be shaken?"
So he reads on for the answer. Acts 2:26—"No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises!" And Peter ponders and answers his question: "The sense in which David will not be shaken is that he is secure in God. He will be protected—soul and body."
Will David's Flesh Really Never See Corruption?
Then Peter asks, "How will they be protected? How safe is David really? Will he not die? Did he not die?" Peter reads on (Acts 2:27), "For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave". Peter looks at this for a long time. He ponders, "Will David not die? Will David body not ever decay? Does he really expect this much protection for himself?"
And suddenly (or gradually?) it dawns on Peter that these words go beyond anything that David experienced. David did die! David was buried! David's flesh did decay. So Peter recognizes that David is no longer speaking merely for himself. The Spirit has lifted him up to see the destiny of the second David. And the voice of the Messiah is heard prophetically in the voice of his father David.
This Is What Happened to Jesus!
And then the connection with Jesus hits home. This is what happened to Jesus! Peter makes the connection for us in Acts 2:31 — "David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave. God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.”
God's Goal for Jesus' Gladness
Now right here we begin to make the connection with that longing for happiness that was mentioned in beginning of lesson. In Acts 2:28 Peter goes on to quote from the last verse of Psalm 16. But now we know that it is really Jesus, the Son of David, speaking through the voice of the prophet David: “You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.”
And the psalm ends with (though Peter doesn't finish it), "the pleasures of living with you forever”.
In other words, what we see from this text is that God's goal for Jesus Christ beyond the grave was that he might fill him with gladness. He raised him from the dead to make him full of happiness forever and ever.
Our Gladness and the Gladness of the Risen God
Now what does the gladness of the risen God have to do with us?
Sanctioning the Pursuit of Gladness
Jesus didn't just happen upon this gladness beyond the grave; he pursued it with all his might. Hebrews 12:2 says, "Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”
This means that, if anyone has a deep longing for happiness, you will not be told by Jesus Christ that this longing is bad, or that it must be denied or that you should have nobler goals on Easter than happiness. Jesus lived for the joy that was set before him. He is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. And therefore he sanctioned the thirst of our souls by the thirst of his own.
But there's more. If all Jesus wanted was the glory and gladness that he had with his Father Heaven, why did he come into the world in the first place? The Bible says, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).
The message of Easter is doubly wonderful.
It is wonderful to see the suffering Son coming home to the Father. What a reunion that must have been when Creator embraced Creator and said, "Well done Son. Welcome home." What a wonderful thing to see the Passover Lamb of Good Friday crowned with glory and honor, and handed the scepter of the universe!
But it is also wonderful to hear Jesus say, "I want others to be with me, Father. I want others to share my glory. I want my gladness in your glory to overflow like a mountain spring and become the gladness of others. I want my joy in you to be in them and their joy to be full forever and ever."
On Easter Sunday morning Jesus blew the lock off the prison of death and gloom and returned to the gladness of God. With that he put his blessings on the pursuit of happiness. And he opened the way for sinners to find never-ending satisfaction at the fountain of the glory of his grace.
From the right hand of God he speaks to everyone of us today and invites us to the never-ending banquet:
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Blueprint for Christ's Church
Blueprint for Christ's Church
Not our typical Palm Sunday lesson but thought it is important to know what Christ died for – His “Church”.
The word "church" is not used in Romans 12. In fact, it's found only 5 times in the entire Epistle and all are in the final chapter. Yet, there is no question that the Apostle Paul is writing to all the Lord's churches in general and His church at Rome in particular.
Likewise, there is not a single reference to Romans 12 being a pattern for a healthy church. Some things are so obvious it's not necessary to spell them out. The healthy church description of this chapter is one such.
Why does this matter?
The health of the Lord's churches in this 21st century SHOULD be a major concern for every Christian. So many churches that were once healthy and strong, vibrant in their witness and effective in their mission, have fallen onto hard times. Some came under the influence of corrupt leaders, some were hijacked by “wordly” power-brokers, and some grew discouraged and surrendered to the world.
The typical young adult today “maybe” has never seen a healthy and strong church. Here is a snapshot of such a healthy church
FOUNDATION: everyone is committed to the Lord. (Romans 12:1-2)
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
This is about our relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. It comes before anything else. Without this, there is no church, period.
a) The mercy of God is the starting point. Everything we do is in response to all He has done. “For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory.” (Romans 11:36). It starts with Him; we are all responders. "We love each other because he loved us first." (1 John 4:19). No one not having a great appreciation for God's mercies has ever come face to face with his own sin and unworthiness.
b) We commit our lives to the Lord God through Jesus Christ. Living sacrifices. We place ourselves on His altar every day of our lives. This means after our initial salvation experience, we daily should recommit ourselves to Him.
c) We become focused on the will of God. Knowing that will and obeying it become our chief concern. "What will please the Father?" was the driving force of Jesus' earthly years. Jesus said, “Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!” This must have been important because these words are in both Matthew 11:26 and Luke 10:21.
Summing up: All the Lord's people have been the recipients of His mercy, have committed their lives to Him, and are daily focused on becoming more like Him and doing His will.
FRAMEWORK: everyone is growing in Christ. (Romans 12:3-8)
“Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” (vs. 3)
This is about our internal relationship. In a house, the framework is the timbers that form the rafters and joists, the underpinning and studs. It will become invisible to everyone, but if it is absent or done poorly, everything is in jeopardy.
Church members are healthy in relation to:
a) Themselves. They are humble, but not groveling. They have a solid, balanced view of themselves as sinners saved by grace.
b) The body as a whole. They belong to the entire group, and are not loners. “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” (vs. 4-5) They have a deep appreciation for the whole congregation. The more they love the Lord, the more they treasure one another. Let them backslide and this will be the first thing to go.
c) Their spiritual gifts. They accept their gifts and use them within the congregation in Christ-honoring and body-building ways. “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” (vs. 6-8) (For more of Paul's in depth teachings on spiritual gifts read 1 Corinthians 12-14.)
Summing up: There is no place for lone rangers within a healthy church. People see themselves as part of the Body of Christ. They do not exalt themselves above others. They are no soloists but performers, so to speak, in the Lord's choir or symphony.
FINISHING: everyone lives by the law of love. (Romans 12:9-21)
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. (vs 9)
As with a house, the finish work is what people see. They do not notice the foundation or the framework unless something is wrong. In a congregation, they will see the behavior of God's people toward one another and the world.
As Jesus did in Luke 6:27-38, after commanding us to "love," Paul does not stop there but explains what that kind of love within the body looks like. After all, love in scripture is never presented as an emotion, something we feel, but an action, something to be done.
If our love is pure and without pretense or hypocrisy, here is what it will look like:
a) This kind of love hates some things.
Followers of Christ will hate what He hated: bad religion, corrupt leaders, and hypocritical do-gooders, for starters.
An unhealthy church will love/accept some of the things it should be despising and opposing. (Abortion, living-together-without marriage, and homosexuality to just name a few things that are now “political correct” and “popular”. This is certainly not an exhaustive list)
b) This kind of love values good things.
It's worthwhile to note that this does not say "cling to what is religiously good." After all, "every good and perfect gift comes from Him" (James 1:17). God's people should treasure any music, art, or other expressions that are truly good, and not restrict their approval to the religious, something Scripture does not do.
An unhealthy church values unhealthy things.
c) This love puts others before itself. “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. “ (vs. 10). Seek out and treasure the church that does this and you know you have found a winner. An unhealthy church is beset by members vying for first place.
d) This love is grounded in faithfulness to Christ. “Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” (vs. 11-12). This is its source, its reservoir. An unhealthy church will skip the daily faithfulness.
e) This love does kind deeds to others, particularly fellow Believers. “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them.” (vs. 13). An unhealthy church does kindnesses only to the “deserving”.
f) This love treats enemies kindly. “Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.” (vs. 14). This is in complete agreement with what Jesus says in Luke 6:27, “I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.” An unhealthy church attacks its enemies.
g) This love blesses the hurting and the lowly. “Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” (vs. 15,16).
No student of Scripture--and that should be all of us who follow Jesus--can miss that the hurting and the lowly are favorites of the Lord. And yet, they are the quickest to be deserted by an unhealthy church.
h) This love is an overcoming-with-good force “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” (vs. 21). An unhealthy church can be overcome by evil.
The Lord fully intends His people to show His kind of love toward those who do us wrong. Our natural instincts kick in here and we want to retaliate. But the Lord's plan is not to destroy our enemies, but to win them over.
When we do loving things toward those who hate us or curse us or threaten us or would forcibly take from us, we do several things:
We honor God, please Jesus, and cooperate with whatever plans the Holy Spirit has going on here.
We infuriate the devil, puzzle our enemies, and silence the church's critics.
We bless the church, encourage other believers going through equally difficult times, and bear a strong witness to the watching world.
Let us practice Romans 12 as Christ’s “Church”.
Not our typical Palm Sunday lesson but thought it is important to know what Christ died for – His “Church”.
The word "church" is not used in Romans 12. In fact, it's found only 5 times in the entire Epistle and all are in the final chapter. Yet, there is no question that the Apostle Paul is writing to all the Lord's churches in general and His church at Rome in particular.
Likewise, there is not a single reference to Romans 12 being a pattern for a healthy church. Some things are so obvious it's not necessary to spell them out. The healthy church description of this chapter is one such.
Why does this matter?
The health of the Lord's churches in this 21st century SHOULD be a major concern for every Christian. So many churches that were once healthy and strong, vibrant in their witness and effective in their mission, have fallen onto hard times. Some came under the influence of corrupt leaders, some were hijacked by “wordly” power-brokers, and some grew discouraged and surrendered to the world.
The typical young adult today “maybe” has never seen a healthy and strong church. Here is a snapshot of such a healthy church
FOUNDATION: everyone is committed to the Lord. (Romans 12:1-2)
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
This is about our relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. It comes before anything else. Without this, there is no church, period.
a) The mercy of God is the starting point. Everything we do is in response to all He has done. “For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory.” (Romans 11:36). It starts with Him; we are all responders. "We love each other because he loved us first." (1 John 4:19). No one not having a great appreciation for God's mercies has ever come face to face with his own sin and unworthiness.
b) We commit our lives to the Lord God through Jesus Christ. Living sacrifices. We place ourselves on His altar every day of our lives. This means after our initial salvation experience, we daily should recommit ourselves to Him.
c) We become focused on the will of God. Knowing that will and obeying it become our chief concern. "What will please the Father?" was the driving force of Jesus' earthly years. Jesus said, “Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!” This must have been important because these words are in both Matthew 11:26 and Luke 10:21.
Summing up: All the Lord's people have been the recipients of His mercy, have committed their lives to Him, and are daily focused on becoming more like Him and doing His will.
FRAMEWORK: everyone is growing in Christ. (Romans 12:3-8)
“Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” (vs. 3)
This is about our internal relationship. In a house, the framework is the timbers that form the rafters and joists, the underpinning and studs. It will become invisible to everyone, but if it is absent or done poorly, everything is in jeopardy.
Church members are healthy in relation to:
a) Themselves. They are humble, but not groveling. They have a solid, balanced view of themselves as sinners saved by grace.
b) The body as a whole. They belong to the entire group, and are not loners. “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” (vs. 4-5) They have a deep appreciation for the whole congregation. The more they love the Lord, the more they treasure one another. Let them backslide and this will be the first thing to go.
c) Their spiritual gifts. They accept their gifts and use them within the congregation in Christ-honoring and body-building ways. “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” (vs. 6-8) (For more of Paul's in depth teachings on spiritual gifts read 1 Corinthians 12-14.)
Summing up: There is no place for lone rangers within a healthy church. People see themselves as part of the Body of Christ. They do not exalt themselves above others. They are no soloists but performers, so to speak, in the Lord's choir or symphony.
FINISHING: everyone lives by the law of love. (Romans 12:9-21)
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. (vs 9)
As with a house, the finish work is what people see. They do not notice the foundation or the framework unless something is wrong. In a congregation, they will see the behavior of God's people toward one another and the world.
As Jesus did in Luke 6:27-38, after commanding us to "love," Paul does not stop there but explains what that kind of love within the body looks like. After all, love in scripture is never presented as an emotion, something we feel, but an action, something to be done.
If our love is pure and without pretense or hypocrisy, here is what it will look like:
a) This kind of love hates some things.
Followers of Christ will hate what He hated: bad religion, corrupt leaders, and hypocritical do-gooders, for starters.
An unhealthy church will love/accept some of the things it should be despising and opposing. (Abortion, living-together-without marriage, and homosexuality to just name a few things that are now “political correct” and “popular”. This is certainly not an exhaustive list)
b) This kind of love values good things.
It's worthwhile to note that this does not say "cling to what is religiously good." After all, "every good and perfect gift comes from Him" (James 1:17). God's people should treasure any music, art, or other expressions that are truly good, and not restrict their approval to the religious, something Scripture does not do.
An unhealthy church values unhealthy things.
c) This love puts others before itself. “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. “ (vs. 10). Seek out and treasure the church that does this and you know you have found a winner. An unhealthy church is beset by members vying for first place.
d) This love is grounded in faithfulness to Christ. “Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” (vs. 11-12). This is its source, its reservoir. An unhealthy church will skip the daily faithfulness.
e) This love does kind deeds to others, particularly fellow Believers. “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them.” (vs. 13). An unhealthy church does kindnesses only to the “deserving”.
f) This love treats enemies kindly. “Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.” (vs. 14). This is in complete agreement with what Jesus says in Luke 6:27, “I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.” An unhealthy church attacks its enemies.
g) This love blesses the hurting and the lowly. “Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” (vs. 15,16).
No student of Scripture--and that should be all of us who follow Jesus--can miss that the hurting and the lowly are favorites of the Lord. And yet, they are the quickest to be deserted by an unhealthy church.
h) This love is an overcoming-with-good force “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” (vs. 21). An unhealthy church can be overcome by evil.
The Lord fully intends His people to show His kind of love toward those who do us wrong. Our natural instincts kick in here and we want to retaliate. But the Lord's plan is not to destroy our enemies, but to win them over.
When we do loving things toward those who hate us or curse us or threaten us or would forcibly take from us, we do several things:
We honor God, please Jesus, and cooperate with whatever plans the Holy Spirit has going on here.
We infuriate the devil, puzzle our enemies, and silence the church's critics.
We bless the church, encourage other believers going through equally difficult times, and bear a strong witness to the watching world.
Let us practice Romans 12 as Christ’s “Church”.
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