It has been a while since I have had the time write. I guess that marriage does that to you. I have been extremely busy in recent months, moving to a new city, building an apartment, looking for places to do ministry, and last but not least, getting married. It has been a busy few months!
Many of you came to our wedding. That was such a fun time of fellowship. The goal of our wedding was to present the Gospel in a very clear manner, so hopefully you came away understanding that. So many of you have done so much for us during this time. You have expressed your love, overwhelmed us with gifts, and covered us in prayers. We cannot express how thankful we are for you.
There is one story, however, that many of you do not know in relation to our wedding day. That story was going to remain to myself, but due to recent events and the stirring in my heart, I feel like I need to share the story. It is somewhat hard to write but I ask that you bear with me and hear me out during this long post.
Over the past couple of years, Erin and I have met some incredible people. If you are reading this blog, you are probably one of those people. But one individual that we met, and one that we became close friends with, was Don.
Don is not the typical person that you call a close friend. We never had class together, we didn't have much in common, and we never lived together. In fact, Don hasn't really lived much with anyone. He was often seen wandering the streets at night collecting cans and trading them in for a little change. During the day, you could find Don at his camp down the road sleeping in a shack made of milk crates and tarps. Such is the life of a homeless person.
Don was 56 years old and a retired war veteran. He drank, he smoked, but deep in his heart he made a great friend. When I lived in Huntington, you could often find Don at the dumpster behind my apartment every night around 10 pm. If I or my roommates were around, we would go out and spend an hour or two with him. We built a great relationship with him and knew him well. I even had the privilege of going dumpster diving for cans with him a few times. I learned all about his life.
Don came to church with me once. The Gospel was preached in a very clear manner that Sunday, as it always was at River Cities Community Church. I also had several other opportunities to preach the Gospel to Don and even invited him to church several more times. But usually he patted the dumpster and responded, "This is my church. I communicate to God right here."
Over time, Don became a great friend. We laughed, we joked, and we prayed. I prayed for that man a lot.
When Erin and I began creating our wedding list, Don was one of the first individuals that came to mind. In fact, several months before Erin and I started dating, he requested that we invite him to our wedding. His dream was to catch the garter. The only problem with the invitation was that he had no mailbox. So instead, we told him of the date. And another problem was that he had no car, so again we offered a solution.
Saturday morning (the morning of the wedding), my brother Brian and I went to look for Don. We drove to his camp only to find it resided by someone else. I asked the man where Don was and the man responded that he was going to some wedding feast. Of course, that was mine, but how would he get there?
Brian and I drove around Huntington for hours, maybe 3 in total. I had traveled with Don so much that I knew all his routes, so that is where we looked. We drove down every alley, we passed every dumpster, and we looked on every block. Don was nowhere to be found.
The wedding day was incredible! But it saddened me the Don wasn't there. He was such a close friend and I very much wanted him with me. I was unsure of his eternal destination, and I knew the Gospel would go out that day, so I would have done anything for him to hear it one more time. Plus I didn't want him to miss the wedding feast.
...
More than a month had past, but still my prayers continued. I had been back to Huntington a few times, but still never ran into Don. I assumed that sooner or later I would cross his path.
This morning, however, things changed dramatically. I received a text message from my friend Luke to check the news, and then I confirmed it later myself: my friend Don was no longer around. He had passed away the day before.
"The body of Donald Barry Harrison, 56, was found Monday morning at a recycling center in Ironton, OH. The cause of his death is still undetermined, but it appears that no foul play was involved."
My heart was crushed at the sound of the news. The pain did not come from the death of my friend, but it came from the uncertainty surrounding his salvation. I had preached the Gospel to him so many times, I had labored with him and for him in prayer, yet I never knew how close he was to my LORD. There was nothing else that I could have done.
The Word says that God's word does not return to him void without accomplishing what it was sent to do(Isaiah 55), which of course I believe. But what was His word sent out to do in Don's life? I saw some signs of fruit, though he still continued in much of his sin, so was that supposed to indicate salvation? Was that supposed to indicate a relationship with our Creator?
I am not looking for answers, nor am I looking for comfort, but rather I am in anguish over the fact that I do not know his eternal state. Not because I felt like I should have done more, but because a friend of mine died and I was not certain of his salvation. I am not sure if he will be at the greater Wedding Feast. Do you catch my drift?
Anguish comes when you don't know someones eternal resting place. And greater anguish comes when you do know, and you know it's not good. God desires all men to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4), and that is my desire as well, but there comes a point where men have to choose; when they have to decide whether or not they will worship the King.
Matthew 22 talks about the great wedding feast of the lamb. It talks of men rejecting the King's invitation, and it talks of others being rejected by the King. They were not rejected due to a lack of love on behalf of the King, but rather they were rejected because they had no relationship with Him; they did not know who He was.
This parable isn't really about a feast, but rather it is about heaven, and the King is God. There will come a day when all of us will die and will have to stand before the Mighty King. Our merits will never get us in, because one wrong thing makes us guilty. No, the only thing that we can rest on on that day is whether or not we know the King; whether or not we have a relationship with Him.
I loved celebrating with all of you at our wedding feast, but I desire even more to celebrate with you at the final wedding feast: the one that exists in heaven. I have anguish over Don because I do not know where he is, but please don't bring me more anguish by leaving me opportunity to wonder about your salvation. I love you. I desire to be with you. And I long to stand around the throne with you in heaven, worshiping our Mighty God for the salvation that He brought about in our lives.
...
Thank you Don for your friendship. And thank you for all of the great lessons that you taught me. I hope to run into you again someday, and of course I hope you are in heaven. However, I cannot know for sure, and so that brings me sorrow, but I promise to use your story as a way to point others to Christ and to bring God glory. I know that you would not have it any other way.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Fulfilling the Great Commission in Charleston
If you have attended church at any point during your lifetime, or even if you haven't, you are probably pretty familiar with the passage that we label "The Great Commission". It is found in Matthew 28:18-20 and are the last recorded words by Christ in Matthew's Gospel. Other gospels have similar accounts, with similar wording, but for some reason Matthew is the one most associated with this commission. It says:
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
As most of you know, God has given both Erin and me a strong desire to serve Christ in the Middle East. We both have had the wonderful pleasure of traveling to Beirut, Lebanon for several weeks, and in that, God has given us a strong passion to see the fulfillment of the Great Commission in that area of the world. As we recently graduated from Marshall and are pursuing marriage (July 16, 2011), we both have been in constant prayer about where the LORD would take us. We both carry some school loans that need to be taken care of and we both thoroughly enjoy ministry, so where is it that the LORD would call us?
One of the wisest pieces of advice handed to me over the past year was, "Pursue all doors and let God be the one that closes them." This was quoted in the context of a conversation discussing how there are so many individuals who "determine God's will for their lives", and they, themselves, begin shutting doors and pursuing just one, only to find out that door was not the one they were supposed to enter. That isn't to say that God did not want them to serve in that area, or that they misunderstood God's calling, but rather it just was not the correct time for them to travel down that road.
A similar experience has happened with us as we pursue God's calling. Both Erin and I have the strong desire to serve God among the unreached people, but He has called us to Charleston, WV. That isn't to say that we are not supposed to go someday to the unreached people or that we have settled for something short of our calling, but for some reason, God has told us to go here first.
I, personally, interviewed with several companies around the nation, while also pursuing seminary as well. My continuous prayer was that God would provide a job that made it clear where we were supposed to be right away. I consistently reminded Him of our desire to serve Him, as well as our passion for the unreached people, and He responded in a way that far exceeded my expectations (Ephesians 3:20).
A company in Charleston, WV made an offer that I knew right away was from the LORD. The salary was high enough to where Erin and I could pay off loans in just a couple of years, which would drastically accelerate our ability to head overseas. Even when we began to weigh the pros and cons of this offer, the list of pros far outweighed the list of cons, more than we ever even imagined. It is not the $100,000 part-time job that I had dreamed of, but in reality, it was the best door for us, and it was a door that I had never ever considered.
Besides the lesson I learned in following God's call, there are two other things to be added to this post:
1. God is sovereign in His plans and perfect in His wisdom.
Erin and I both have the desire to serve abroad, but what an opportunity Charleston presents us! We already know how this decision will provide for us financially, but only God knows what other opportunities we will have and lessons we will learn. If you read any of Paul's letters in the New Testament, you often read the words of how he longs to be with the church, but is prevented at that time. If you do a deeper study of what is preventing Paul, it always turns out to be God, Himself. God does not prohibit Paul from going to the church, but rather He takes him on a course that will be prepare Paul for the challenges he will face and He teaches Paul lessons that He will then be able to teach and encourage the church with. He is simply just enhancing his ministry!
When I think about our calling to Charleston, I cannot help but wonder what the LORD is going to teach us there. I can testify not only with the life of Paul, but also from personal experience, that God often takes us places first so that we can meet certain individuals, or start certain ministries, or learn certain lessons. Our call to Charleston far exceeds just financial implications, but I believe that it also carries several opportunities to become better equipped for God's next call for our lives.
2. The Great Commission is not for the future, it is for the present
So many individuals that I know, who have the desire to serve in ministry, completely misunderstand the Great Commission. They see the command to "go and make disciples" as a command to go to a certain location, and they see it as a future event. But if you were to read the statement as Jesus intended, that word "go" acts as a present participle. Now you may not have studied present participles since early middle school, but what a present participle does to that statement is it makes it not only a future tense, but also a present tense. Another way you could read that statement with the present participle in mind is: "Go, and as you are going, make disciples along the way."
That completely changes the meaning of that passage for me, and it helps me see how going to Charleston is fulfilling the Great Commission. God has given Erin and I a desire to serve among the unreached people, and I believe that we will one day do that. But for us to pass the time and wait for that opportunity to go would be to completely miss the point of the Great Commission. In that command, and in our situation, God is calling us to go to the unreached people, and as we go through Charleston on the way, we are to make disciples.
So now, let's shift from my story to your story. What are some application points for you? Let me leave you with a few tips:
1. Are you still young and pursuing God's call for your life? Let me challenge you to pursue all opportunities, both in secular and sacred. Maybe you have already identified what that calling is, but let God reaffirm you in that by closing all other doors and leaving that one open.
2. Are you still trying to figure out what God is calling you to do with your life? Dig deep in Scripture and do not come out until you have your answer. Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart." If you delight yourself in Him and dig deep into His Word, I promise that He will reveal to you what it is that you are truly made to do. For me, it was found in Romans 15:20 (I will let you look that one up to get you started in His Word).
3. Are you currently serving in the location that God has called you? And can you relate to what I have expressed in this post? I challenge you to share your story with others. Reply to this blog, or share your story with a friend or co-worker. Mutual encouragement is needed in building up the kingdom, and if I had not received that advice nearly a year ago, I might currently be sitting in front of a closed door.
I love you all! Thank you all for your prayers.
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
As most of you know, God has given both Erin and me a strong desire to serve Christ in the Middle East. We both have had the wonderful pleasure of traveling to Beirut, Lebanon for several weeks, and in that, God has given us a strong passion to see the fulfillment of the Great Commission in that area of the world. As we recently graduated from Marshall and are pursuing marriage (July 16, 2011), we both have been in constant prayer about where the LORD would take us. We both carry some school loans that need to be taken care of and we both thoroughly enjoy ministry, so where is it that the LORD would call us?
One of the wisest pieces of advice handed to me over the past year was, "Pursue all doors and let God be the one that closes them." This was quoted in the context of a conversation discussing how there are so many individuals who "determine God's will for their lives", and they, themselves, begin shutting doors and pursuing just one, only to find out that door was not the one they were supposed to enter. That isn't to say that God did not want them to serve in that area, or that they misunderstood God's calling, but rather it just was not the correct time for them to travel down that road.
A similar experience has happened with us as we pursue God's calling. Both Erin and I have the strong desire to serve God among the unreached people, but He has called us to Charleston, WV. That isn't to say that we are not supposed to go someday to the unreached people or that we have settled for something short of our calling, but for some reason, God has told us to go here first.
I, personally, interviewed with several companies around the nation, while also pursuing seminary as well. My continuous prayer was that God would provide a job that made it clear where we were supposed to be right away. I consistently reminded Him of our desire to serve Him, as well as our passion for the unreached people, and He responded in a way that far exceeded my expectations (Ephesians 3:20).
A company in Charleston, WV made an offer that I knew right away was from the LORD. The salary was high enough to where Erin and I could pay off loans in just a couple of years, which would drastically accelerate our ability to head overseas. Even when we began to weigh the pros and cons of this offer, the list of pros far outweighed the list of cons, more than we ever even imagined. It is not the $100,000 part-time job that I had dreamed of, but in reality, it was the best door for us, and it was a door that I had never ever considered.
Besides the lesson I learned in following God's call, there are two other things to be added to this post:
1. God is sovereign in His plans and perfect in His wisdom.
Erin and I both have the desire to serve abroad, but what an opportunity Charleston presents us! We already know how this decision will provide for us financially, but only God knows what other opportunities we will have and lessons we will learn. If you read any of Paul's letters in the New Testament, you often read the words of how he longs to be with the church, but is prevented at that time. If you do a deeper study of what is preventing Paul, it always turns out to be God, Himself. God does not prohibit Paul from going to the church, but rather He takes him on a course that will be prepare Paul for the challenges he will face and He teaches Paul lessons that He will then be able to teach and encourage the church with. He is simply just enhancing his ministry!
When I think about our calling to Charleston, I cannot help but wonder what the LORD is going to teach us there. I can testify not only with the life of Paul, but also from personal experience, that God often takes us places first so that we can meet certain individuals, or start certain ministries, or learn certain lessons. Our call to Charleston far exceeds just financial implications, but I believe that it also carries several opportunities to become better equipped for God's next call for our lives.
2. The Great Commission is not for the future, it is for the present
So many individuals that I know, who have the desire to serve in ministry, completely misunderstand the Great Commission. They see the command to "go and make disciples" as a command to go to a certain location, and they see it as a future event. But if you were to read the statement as Jesus intended, that word "go" acts as a present participle. Now you may not have studied present participles since early middle school, but what a present participle does to that statement is it makes it not only a future tense, but also a present tense. Another way you could read that statement with the present participle in mind is: "Go, and as you are going, make disciples along the way."
That completely changes the meaning of that passage for me, and it helps me see how going to Charleston is fulfilling the Great Commission. God has given Erin and I a desire to serve among the unreached people, and I believe that we will one day do that. But for us to pass the time and wait for that opportunity to go would be to completely miss the point of the Great Commission. In that command, and in our situation, God is calling us to go to the unreached people, and as we go through Charleston on the way, we are to make disciples.
So now, let's shift from my story to your story. What are some application points for you? Let me leave you with a few tips:
1. Are you still young and pursuing God's call for your life? Let me challenge you to pursue all opportunities, both in secular and sacred. Maybe you have already identified what that calling is, but let God reaffirm you in that by closing all other doors and leaving that one open.
2. Are you still trying to figure out what God is calling you to do with your life? Dig deep in Scripture and do not come out until you have your answer. Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart." If you delight yourself in Him and dig deep into His Word, I promise that He will reveal to you what it is that you are truly made to do. For me, it was found in Romans 15:20 (I will let you look that one up to get you started in His Word).
3. Are you currently serving in the location that God has called you? And can you relate to what I have expressed in this post? I challenge you to share your story with others. Reply to this blog, or share your story with a friend or co-worker. Mutual encouragement is needed in building up the kingdom, and if I had not received that advice nearly a year ago, I might currently be sitting in front of a closed door.
I love you all! Thank you all for your prayers.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Justification - The Easter Story
"Justification". Quite possibly the single most important word for those who follow Christ. It carries the idea of being in right position or right standing before God. In the Christian faith, justification is not by works, but by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). That is what makes Christianity unique, as all other religions are work-based. It is said that no man can be justified through the works of the law, but rather the law came to expose how sinful we are (Romans 3:20).
Easter messages often celebrate the story of the cross, but this story is not complete without the resurrection. Many individuals have claimed deity and died, but only One has had the power to actually conquer death. The death of Christ on the cross was essential for satisfying God's punishment for sin, but it was not adequate to justify us. The justification came in the fact that He conquered death and rose from the dead, giving us the opportunity to join Him in His glory (Romans 6:5). Romans 4:25 explains this, when it says, "He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification."
When I consider justification, it blows my mind! The idea of forgiveness, I can somewhat wrap my mind around. I can somewhat comprehend God looking down upon me, a sinner, and forgiving me, but it blows my mind to think of God looking down upon me and declaring me righteous. It is just like the church of Corinth, probably the most sinful church in the entire New Testament, and God looks down upon them declaring them saints (1 Cor. 1:2). Of course this is not by their own doing, because they are full of sin, but rather because God chose to appoint them as saints.
In the same way, God appoints those who trust in His Son as being justified. It is not of our own doing, but rather it is completely of the doing of Christ in His death, burial, and especially His resurrection.
I have been studying Romans lately, and justification by faith is all throughout that book. The more I study, the more magnified God becomes in my mind. And the more He is magnified, the more sinful, and distant, I feel. But with this gulf being so big, thankfully I do not have to depend upon my works to bridge that gulf. Instead, being a son of God, and I can trust in my justification that came through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As you reflect on God during this Easter season, I challenge you to consider the theme of justification. Read Romans, or read any New Testament book and see how Christ has justified us through His blood. It is the single more important act in all of history, and without it, we are still infinitely separated from our almighty God.
Easter messages often celebrate the story of the cross, but this story is not complete without the resurrection. Many individuals have claimed deity and died, but only One has had the power to actually conquer death. The death of Christ on the cross was essential for satisfying God's punishment for sin, but it was not adequate to justify us. The justification came in the fact that He conquered death and rose from the dead, giving us the opportunity to join Him in His glory (Romans 6:5). Romans 4:25 explains this, when it says, "He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification."
When I consider justification, it blows my mind! The idea of forgiveness, I can somewhat wrap my mind around. I can somewhat comprehend God looking down upon me, a sinner, and forgiving me, but it blows my mind to think of God looking down upon me and declaring me righteous. It is just like the church of Corinth, probably the most sinful church in the entire New Testament, and God looks down upon them declaring them saints (1 Cor. 1:2). Of course this is not by their own doing, because they are full of sin, but rather because God chose to appoint them as saints.
In the same way, God appoints those who trust in His Son as being justified. It is not of our own doing, but rather it is completely of the doing of Christ in His death, burial, and especially His resurrection.
I have been studying Romans lately, and justification by faith is all throughout that book. The more I study, the more magnified God becomes in my mind. And the more He is magnified, the more sinful, and distant, I feel. But with this gulf being so big, thankfully I do not have to depend upon my works to bridge that gulf. Instead, being a son of God, and I can trust in my justification that came through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As you reflect on God during this Easter season, I challenge you to consider the theme of justification. Read Romans, or read any New Testament book and see how Christ has justified us through His blood. It is the single more important act in all of history, and without it, we are still infinitely separated from our almighty God.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
One Body, Many Parts
I saw a beautiful example this morning of the church that I wanted to share with all...
This morning during worship, a young girl in front of me sat down fairly abruptly and then began having seizures. The woman next to me quickly grabbed her and began calling for help, while my friend Chris immediately called 9-11. Her brother quickly hopped the pews and returned with a glass of water for the girl, and the band continued playing lightly to ease the calm of the rest of the congregation. Thankfully a few doctors were in attendance, as they quickly rushed to the aid of this girl, taking her out of the sanctuary in a wheel chair. I, like many others, simply just sat down and began interceding for the girl.
While this is quite a graphic image, I cannot help but think what the situation would have been like if one of those individuals had not done their part. If the woman had not signaled for help, how long would that girl have been there before someone noticed? If the doctors had not rushed over, who would have known what to do? If the congregation would not have begun praying for the girl, what would have been the end result? Thankfully I attend a church that loves and cares for one another, and each individual did exactly what they needed to do to ensure the girl's safety.
Is this not the same illustration that Paul gives us in 1 Corinthians 12? In that passage, he starts by stating in verses 4-7:
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
In this passage we see that different gifts are given to different individuals for the common good of the overall body (the church). Paul then continues in the rest of this passage by discussing some of the different gifts that individuals may have, as well as declaring none to be superior. What benefit would the doctors have been had not the woman cried for help? What benefit would the prayer warriors have been had not someone informed them of how to pray? What benefit would any of these people have been had not the others done their part?
The human body is uniquely designed to fully rely upon it's other parts. No part is superior, as all parts are necessary in carrying out the overall function of the body. No foot can say to a hand, "I have no need of you", just like no eye can say to an ear, "I have no need of you" (vss. 15-16). "But now God has placed the members, each of them, in the body, just as He desired" (vs. 18).
Now if I can, I want to step out of the context of the beautiful image that I saw this morning and step into the application of the overall, universal church. What role have you been given in the overall mission? What gifts has God given you to advance His kingdom and bring Him glory?
Just like the human body, the church body is also uniquely designed to fully rely upon it's other parts. It is designed in such a way that if one member fails to do his job, the entire body collapses. Are you doing your part, performing the duties that God has given you? Or are you neglecting them, not only effecting yourself but also the entire church?
In closing, I want to reflect on a story that I heard a couple of years ago that I find extremely applicable:
There was a young, mentally-challenged boy who was entered into 50 meter dash at the Special Olympics. His parents were in attendance and watched in anticipation as their son approached the starting line. As the gun went off, all the other boys and girls took off, leaving this young boy way behind. It took him nearly double the amount of time to finish the race as the other children.
When the results came in, the parents were shocked to hear that the boy was being awarded a top three medal. After all, he had finished way behind everyone else. As the ceremony went on, they found out that he had not only finished in the top three, but he had actually won the gold medal! Confused, the parents approached the judge to ask how this could be. How was it that their son had won the gold despite finishing so far behind? The judge responded, "Well he is the only one who stayed in his lane."
It is so easy to look into the other lanes and compare ourselves to the other people. "That person has the gift of evangelism, and that person has the gift of teaching. I could never live up to that." But we are not called to compare ourselves to others, nor are we called to live up to the roles of other individuals. We are just called to do our part.
God has given you, as an individual, a unique role that is essential to the Christian body. No one else can play your part. Without you, the church will not be able to run as it intends to run. Without you, it will not be as effective. Will you do your part in sustaining the body of Christ? Will you stop looking in other peoples' lanes and just start running in the lane that God has put you in?
I want to thank River Cities Community Church for the way that they illustrated this to me this morning. There are also dozens of other churches that I have been to that have illustrated this, as well, over the past many years. But let not this one instance be an excuse for not illustrating the body of Christ every other time. And let not this message slip by without you examining your gifts and the ways in which you can serve the church.
This morning during worship, a young girl in front of me sat down fairly abruptly and then began having seizures. The woman next to me quickly grabbed her and began calling for help, while my friend Chris immediately called 9-11. Her brother quickly hopped the pews and returned with a glass of water for the girl, and the band continued playing lightly to ease the calm of the rest of the congregation. Thankfully a few doctors were in attendance, as they quickly rushed to the aid of this girl, taking her out of the sanctuary in a wheel chair. I, like many others, simply just sat down and began interceding for the girl.
While this is quite a graphic image, I cannot help but think what the situation would have been like if one of those individuals had not done their part. If the woman had not signaled for help, how long would that girl have been there before someone noticed? If the doctors had not rushed over, who would have known what to do? If the congregation would not have begun praying for the girl, what would have been the end result? Thankfully I attend a church that loves and cares for one another, and each individual did exactly what they needed to do to ensure the girl's safety.
Is this not the same illustration that Paul gives us in 1 Corinthians 12? In that passage, he starts by stating in verses 4-7:
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
In this passage we see that different gifts are given to different individuals for the common good of the overall body (the church). Paul then continues in the rest of this passage by discussing some of the different gifts that individuals may have, as well as declaring none to be superior. What benefit would the doctors have been had not the woman cried for help? What benefit would the prayer warriors have been had not someone informed them of how to pray? What benefit would any of these people have been had not the others done their part?
The human body is uniquely designed to fully rely upon it's other parts. No part is superior, as all parts are necessary in carrying out the overall function of the body. No foot can say to a hand, "I have no need of you", just like no eye can say to an ear, "I have no need of you" (vss. 15-16). "But now God has placed the members, each of them, in the body, just as He desired" (vs. 18).
Now if I can, I want to step out of the context of the beautiful image that I saw this morning and step into the application of the overall, universal church. What role have you been given in the overall mission? What gifts has God given you to advance His kingdom and bring Him glory?
Just like the human body, the church body is also uniquely designed to fully rely upon it's other parts. It is designed in such a way that if one member fails to do his job, the entire body collapses. Are you doing your part, performing the duties that God has given you? Or are you neglecting them, not only effecting yourself but also the entire church?
In closing, I want to reflect on a story that I heard a couple of years ago that I find extremely applicable:
There was a young, mentally-challenged boy who was entered into 50 meter dash at the Special Olympics. His parents were in attendance and watched in anticipation as their son approached the starting line. As the gun went off, all the other boys and girls took off, leaving this young boy way behind. It took him nearly double the amount of time to finish the race as the other children.
When the results came in, the parents were shocked to hear that the boy was being awarded a top three medal. After all, he had finished way behind everyone else. As the ceremony went on, they found out that he had not only finished in the top three, but he had actually won the gold medal! Confused, the parents approached the judge to ask how this could be. How was it that their son had won the gold despite finishing so far behind? The judge responded, "Well he is the only one who stayed in his lane."
It is so easy to look into the other lanes and compare ourselves to the other people. "That person has the gift of evangelism, and that person has the gift of teaching. I could never live up to that." But we are not called to compare ourselves to others, nor are we called to live up to the roles of other individuals. We are just called to do our part.
God has given you, as an individual, a unique role that is essential to the Christian body. No one else can play your part. Without you, the church will not be able to run as it intends to run. Without you, it will not be as effective. Will you do your part in sustaining the body of Christ? Will you stop looking in other peoples' lanes and just start running in the lane that God has put you in?
I want to thank River Cities Community Church for the way that they illustrated this to me this morning. There are also dozens of other churches that I have been to that have illustrated this, as well, over the past many years. But let not this one instance be an excuse for not illustrating the body of Christ every other time. And let not this message slip by without you examining your gifts and the ways in which you can serve the church.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Living a Life Worthy of the Gospel
There is a reoccurring theme in my studies over the past couple of days that I feel like I need to share. I don't think that this is a message simply for me, but I feel like it is a message for all who claim to follow Christ...
This morning in Sunday School we were studying Ephesians 4, where Paul opens by imploring the church to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling." I found this quite ironic since just a day ago I was listening to a sermon on Philippians 1:27 which talks of walking in a manner worthy of the Gospel. What does this mean to walk in a worthy manner? How does this apply to our lives?
This idea of being worthy is illustrated by one of those old justice scales. To live in a way worthy of the Gospel means that if you were to put the Gospel, or God's word, on one side of the scale and our lives on the other side, they would balance out. But how many of us can actually say this about our life? How many of us truly walk in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel?
I came across an article that was written by an anonymous Christian author in Germany, who witnessed the Holocaust. He writes:
"I lived in Germany during the Nazi holocaust. I considered myself a Christian. I attended church since I was a small boy. We had heard the stories of what was happening to the Jews, but like most people today in this country, we tried to distance ourselves from the reality of what was really taking place. What could anyone do to stop it? A railroad track ran behind our small church, and each Sunday morning we would hear the whistle from a distance and then the clacking of the wheels moving over the track. We became disturbed when one Sunday we noticed cries coming from the train as it passed by. We grimly realized that the train was carrying Jews. They were like cattle in those cars! Week after week that train whistle would blow. We would dread to hear the sound of those old wheels because we knew that the Jews would begin to cry out to us as they passed our church. It was so terribly disturbing! We could do nothing to help these poor miserable people, yet their screams tormented us. We knew exactly at what time that whistle would blow, and we decided the only way to keep from being so disturbed by the cries was to start singing our hymns. By the time that train came rumbling past the church yard, we were singing at the top of our voices. If some of the screams reached our ears, we’d just sing a little louder until we could hear them no more. Years have passed and no one talks about it much anymore, but I still hear that train whistle in my sleep. I can still hear them crying out for help. God forgive all of us who called ourselves Christians, yet did nothing to intervene."
Now looking back at that story, I find it easy to judge. It is easy to criticize that church for not stepping in and for simply just singing louder. But could the same not be said of us? Look at all the pain in the world; look at all the poverty. Just look at the events in the Middle East over the past week and you can see how desperate the world is for a Savior. They are desperate for someone to intervene. But what are we doing about it?
I don't want to be in a situation years from now where I am writing an article about how I didn't step in to help someone or how my church just looked the other way. And so with that said, I am asking us now to take a stand and start being that light to the world that we are commanded to be (Matthew 5:14).
But what will be our response? Are we going to step in and actually make an impact on the world or are we just going to sing louder? Are we just going to continue on with the mindset that the church was made for us or are we going to understand that the church was made for the world?
I admit that there are many areas of my life that are worthy of the Gospel, but there is so much more that is unworthy. It is my goal to make my life match up with Scripture. I want that scale to balance. I know that it is a tough task but I want to challenge you to join me in this mission of walking in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel. Are you with me?
I would love to get some comments about how God is challenging you to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel. You can either email them to me at r9tmac@gmail.com, or you can simply just reply to this post for all to see. Let's join in praying for one another as well.
This morning in Sunday School we were studying Ephesians 4, where Paul opens by imploring the church to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling." I found this quite ironic since just a day ago I was listening to a sermon on Philippians 1:27 which talks of walking in a manner worthy of the Gospel. What does this mean to walk in a worthy manner? How does this apply to our lives?
This idea of being worthy is illustrated by one of those old justice scales. To live in a way worthy of the Gospel means that if you were to put the Gospel, or God's word, on one side of the scale and our lives on the other side, they would balance out. But how many of us can actually say this about our life? How many of us truly walk in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel?
I came across an article that was written by an anonymous Christian author in Germany, who witnessed the Holocaust. He writes:
"I lived in Germany during the Nazi holocaust. I considered myself a Christian. I attended church since I was a small boy. We had heard the stories of what was happening to the Jews, but like most people today in this country, we tried to distance ourselves from the reality of what was really taking place. What could anyone do to stop it? A railroad track ran behind our small church, and each Sunday morning we would hear the whistle from a distance and then the clacking of the wheels moving over the track. We became disturbed when one Sunday we noticed cries coming from the train as it passed by. We grimly realized that the train was carrying Jews. They were like cattle in those cars! Week after week that train whistle would blow. We would dread to hear the sound of those old wheels because we knew that the Jews would begin to cry out to us as they passed our church. It was so terribly disturbing! We could do nothing to help these poor miserable people, yet their screams tormented us. We knew exactly at what time that whistle would blow, and we decided the only way to keep from being so disturbed by the cries was to start singing our hymns. By the time that train came rumbling past the church yard, we were singing at the top of our voices. If some of the screams reached our ears, we’d just sing a little louder until we could hear them no more. Years have passed and no one talks about it much anymore, but I still hear that train whistle in my sleep. I can still hear them crying out for help. God forgive all of us who called ourselves Christians, yet did nothing to intervene."
Now looking back at that story, I find it easy to judge. It is easy to criticize that church for not stepping in and for simply just singing louder. But could the same not be said of us? Look at all the pain in the world; look at all the poverty. Just look at the events in the Middle East over the past week and you can see how desperate the world is for a Savior. They are desperate for someone to intervene. But what are we doing about it?
I don't want to be in a situation years from now where I am writing an article about how I didn't step in to help someone or how my church just looked the other way. And so with that said, I am asking us now to take a stand and start being that light to the world that we are commanded to be (Matthew 5:14).
But what will be our response? Are we going to step in and actually make an impact on the world or are we just going to sing louder? Are we just going to continue on with the mindset that the church was made for us or are we going to understand that the church was made for the world?
I admit that there are many areas of my life that are worthy of the Gospel, but there is so much more that is unworthy. It is my goal to make my life match up with Scripture. I want that scale to balance. I know that it is a tough task but I want to challenge you to join me in this mission of walking in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel. Are you with me?
I would love to get some comments about how God is challenging you to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel. You can either email them to me at r9tmac@gmail.com, or you can simply just reply to this post for all to see. Let's join in praying for one another as well.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
God With Us
Let's forget about the traditions, the lights, the carols, the presents. Let's forget about Santa, and about the reindeer, and the elves. Let's forget about all of these things for just a moment to consider what really happened that morning when Christ was born...
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14)
Immanuel, literally "God with us". Have you ever thought about that concept? The God of Moses, and of Abraham, and of David, the God who created the heavens and the earth, the God who lead the Israelites out of bondage, and the One whose glory could not be seen. That very same God, more than 2000 years ago embodied Himself, "making Himself nothing, taking on the form of a servant, being made in human likeness" (Philippians 2:7). He came in the form of an infant, being born of a virgin so that He could escape being born into sin. He came, not to be served, "but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). He came as a infant; He came as a lamb; He came as a sacrifice.
It is so tempting today to separate the birth of Jesus from the cross of Jesus. We get so caught up in the traditions of Christmas that we forget about the purpose of Christmas. Jesus did not come simply so that wisemen would bring gifts to Him; rather He came so that He might bridge the gulf between God and man that was created by man's failure to live up to God's glory (Romans 3:23-26).
See, because of our sin, we were at opposition to God. God was holy and perfect, and man was not. We were therefore unable to plead our case before God. We needed someone to mediate between us, someone who could represent both parties. We needed someone who was fully God, to represent God, but fully man, to represent man. There could be no other solution. Who was to do this?
This is the story of Christmas, that on that blessed day, and in that manger, our Mediator, our Saviour, our Redeemer, came in the form of a child. "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).
"But why, we may ask, would He who was eternally blessed in His own self-sufficiency be so deeply concerned with our lost, forlorn condition? What moved Him to show us compassion and pity? Why did He delight to be our Saviour? Did He see something wonderful in us? No. It was merely the infinite love and goodness of His own nature and not anything in us or of us that moved Him to such compassion and pity for us (Titus 3:5)...
So, driven by His eternal love to undertake the office of mediator and the work of our redemption, a body was prepared for Him. In this body, or human nature, which He made His own He was to accomplish our salvation. His human nature was filled with immeasurable grace and fervent love to mankind. And by this His human nature was made fit to work out the purpose of eternal love."
- John Owen, The Glory of Christ
The story of Christmas is not that a baby was born. The story of Christmas is that the Word, who was God, became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). It is a story of God stepping out of His glory and stepping into time, stepping into a world that esteemed Him not, stepping onto an alter to die. It is a story of an incredible act of love and of grace. It is a story that brings about our salvation.
This Christmas, I challenge you to step away from the traditions for a moment and to consider the true meaning of Christmas. Reflect on what it would be like had Jesus not come. Don't get so caught up in the business that you miss the worship. Don't get so caught up in yourself that you miss His coming.
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14)
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14)
Immanuel, literally "God with us". Have you ever thought about that concept? The God of Moses, and of Abraham, and of David, the God who created the heavens and the earth, the God who lead the Israelites out of bondage, and the One whose glory could not be seen. That very same God, more than 2000 years ago embodied Himself, "making Himself nothing, taking on the form of a servant, being made in human likeness" (Philippians 2:7). He came in the form of an infant, being born of a virgin so that He could escape being born into sin. He came, not to be served, "but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). He came as a infant; He came as a lamb; He came as a sacrifice.
It is so tempting today to separate the birth of Jesus from the cross of Jesus. We get so caught up in the traditions of Christmas that we forget about the purpose of Christmas. Jesus did not come simply so that wisemen would bring gifts to Him; rather He came so that He might bridge the gulf between God and man that was created by man's failure to live up to God's glory (Romans 3:23-26).
See, because of our sin, we were at opposition to God. God was holy and perfect, and man was not. We were therefore unable to plead our case before God. We needed someone to mediate between us, someone who could represent both parties. We needed someone who was fully God, to represent God, but fully man, to represent man. There could be no other solution. Who was to do this?
This is the story of Christmas, that on that blessed day, and in that manger, our Mediator, our Saviour, our Redeemer, came in the form of a child. "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).
"But why, we may ask, would He who was eternally blessed in His own self-sufficiency be so deeply concerned with our lost, forlorn condition? What moved Him to show us compassion and pity? Why did He delight to be our Saviour? Did He see something wonderful in us? No. It was merely the infinite love and goodness of His own nature and not anything in us or of us that moved Him to such compassion and pity for us (Titus 3:5)...
So, driven by His eternal love to undertake the office of mediator and the work of our redemption, a body was prepared for Him. In this body, or human nature, which He made His own He was to accomplish our salvation. His human nature was filled with immeasurable grace and fervent love to mankind. And by this His human nature was made fit to work out the purpose of eternal love."
- John Owen, The Glory of Christ
The story of Christmas is not that a baby was born. The story of Christmas is that the Word, who was God, became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). It is a story of God stepping out of His glory and stepping into time, stepping into a world that esteemed Him not, stepping onto an alter to die. It is a story of an incredible act of love and of grace. It is a story that brings about our salvation.
This Christmas, I challenge you to step away from the traditions for a moment and to consider the true meaning of Christmas. Reflect on what it would be like had Jesus not come. Don't get so caught up in the business that you miss the worship. Don't get so caught up in yourself that you miss His coming.
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14)
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Do What It Says!
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."
-James 1:22
With Christmas break fast approaching, so also comes an increase in the number of Christian conferences. Within just a matter of weeks comes the Passion Conference, the Campus Crusade conference, the Impact conference, the Athletes in Action conference, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes conference, just to name a few. Conference after conference, meeting after meeting, all filled with Biblical truth and encouragement, designed to draw believers closer to Christ and equip them to go back to their college campuses or work environments and spread the Gospel of Christ.
But does that really happen?
America is blessed with so much Biblical truth. At our fingertips, we have access to a vast array of Bible translations, commentaries, sermons, books, and other things that enhance our understanding of scripture. We have millions of churches, thousands of Christian bookstores, and hundreds of seminaries. No longer does one have to understand Greek or Hebrew in order to get the complete understanding of the Word of God, but now we can just simply go to any number of websites or download any of the various free Bible software programs and find out exactly what the author is saying. What an incredible thing it is to have all of these resources!
But when does it become enough? At what point do we stop simply listening and actually start doing?
The statistic among church-goers is that 67% either never read or they rarely read their Bible. While this is happening here, 353 million people in the world have absolutely zero access to the Bible, meaning no translation in their language. That does not include the more than 2 billion people that only have a small portion of the Bible in their language.
How many more conferences do we need to go to before our lives change? How many more sermons do we need to listen to before we finally respond? While I understand the necessity of these things, I just wonder what the majority of people are coming away with. Do you ever find it sad that pastors have to preach on themes over a period of time? For instance, "this month the theme is tithing". A whole month is spent looking at different aspects of tithing and at the end of the month, there is very little to show for it. Why can't we just hear the Word of God and respond?
The Bible makes it clear that we will be judged according to what has been given to us. 'To whom much is given, much is required" (Luke 12:48). And in this nation, so much has been given to us. What are we doing with it?
We don't need any more conferences. We don't need any more Bible studies. We don't need any more sermons. We need people to start doing what God tells us. I am not advocating abandoning these things, as I am going to 2 conferences in the next couple of months and will be a part of many Bible studies and sermons. But these things are completely useless and are a huge waste of money and time for you if you are simply just looking for emotions, or to fill up a notebook. You might as well just stay at home. If the words never leave your notebook and your life never applies these truths, then what is the point?
James instructs us, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." Let's go church. Let's wake up and start living in the way that God has called us to live!
Here is one of my favorite illustrations concerning this topic: Imagine that you inherited a large sum of money and you decided to spend all of it on Super Bowl tickets right on the 50 yard line to see Jay Cutler and the Bears (I usually use Peyton Manning in my example, but with the way this season is going so far, the Bears would be a better investment). On the first drive of the game, Cutler leads the offense out onto the field and they huddle up. After deciding a play they break…and then they run straight to the sideline.
“Okay,” you think, “maybe they called a timeout.” So a few seconds later, Cutler and the Bears run back out onto the field and they once again huddle up. They choose another play and then they break…and they go right back to the sideline.
Well after a while, you are probably going to get pretty frustrated. You drove all this way and paid all of your money to see these guys play football, not simply just huddle up.
But church, is this not the same thing that the majority of us do every conference, or every Sunday? We gather together, we huddle up, and we get all of this Biblical truth that is guaranteed to succeed…and then we go straight back to the sideline. The conference had no long term effect on us and our lives look exactly the same. But I’m here to tell you first hand that the world is tired of seeing us have all these conferences and come home looking no different. They’re tired of seeing us simply huddle up. They want to see us run the play. So let’s go church! Let’s play ball!
As we enter into this season of many conferences, or extra church services with the holidays, make a declaration in your mind that you will no longer simply just read the Word of God and close the book, but that you would actually do what it says. Don't treat it like legalism, checking things off as you do them. Let the Word enter into your heart in such a way that it changes who you are, and make a conscious effort to glorify God in everything that you have, say, and do.
-James 1:22
With Christmas break fast approaching, so also comes an increase in the number of Christian conferences. Within just a matter of weeks comes the Passion Conference, the Campus Crusade conference, the Impact conference, the Athletes in Action conference, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes conference, just to name a few. Conference after conference, meeting after meeting, all filled with Biblical truth and encouragement, designed to draw believers closer to Christ and equip them to go back to their college campuses or work environments and spread the Gospel of Christ.
But does that really happen?
America is blessed with so much Biblical truth. At our fingertips, we have access to a vast array of Bible translations, commentaries, sermons, books, and other things that enhance our understanding of scripture. We have millions of churches, thousands of Christian bookstores, and hundreds of seminaries. No longer does one have to understand Greek or Hebrew in order to get the complete understanding of the Word of God, but now we can just simply go to any number of websites or download any of the various free Bible software programs and find out exactly what the author is saying. What an incredible thing it is to have all of these resources!
But when does it become enough? At what point do we stop simply listening and actually start doing?
The statistic among church-goers is that 67% either never read or they rarely read their Bible. While this is happening here, 353 million people in the world have absolutely zero access to the Bible, meaning no translation in their language. That does not include the more than 2 billion people that only have a small portion of the Bible in their language.
How many more conferences do we need to go to before our lives change? How many more sermons do we need to listen to before we finally respond? While I understand the necessity of these things, I just wonder what the majority of people are coming away with. Do you ever find it sad that pastors have to preach on themes over a period of time? For instance, "this month the theme is tithing". A whole month is spent looking at different aspects of tithing and at the end of the month, there is very little to show for it. Why can't we just hear the Word of God and respond?
The Bible makes it clear that we will be judged according to what has been given to us. 'To whom much is given, much is required" (Luke 12:48). And in this nation, so much has been given to us. What are we doing with it?
We don't need any more conferences. We don't need any more Bible studies. We don't need any more sermons. We need people to start doing what God tells us. I am not advocating abandoning these things, as I am going to 2 conferences in the next couple of months and will be a part of many Bible studies and sermons. But these things are completely useless and are a huge waste of money and time for you if you are simply just looking for emotions, or to fill up a notebook. You might as well just stay at home. If the words never leave your notebook and your life never applies these truths, then what is the point?
James instructs us, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." Let's go church. Let's wake up and start living in the way that God has called us to live!
Here is one of my favorite illustrations concerning this topic: Imagine that you inherited a large sum of money and you decided to spend all of it on Super Bowl tickets right on the 50 yard line to see Jay Cutler and the Bears (I usually use Peyton Manning in my example, but with the way this season is going so far, the Bears would be a better investment). On the first drive of the game, Cutler leads the offense out onto the field and they huddle up. After deciding a play they break…and then they run straight to the sideline.
“Okay,” you think, “maybe they called a timeout.” So a few seconds later, Cutler and the Bears run back out onto the field and they once again huddle up. They choose another play and then they break…and they go right back to the sideline.
Well after a while, you are probably going to get pretty frustrated. You drove all this way and paid all of your money to see these guys play football, not simply just huddle up.
But church, is this not the same thing that the majority of us do every conference, or every Sunday? We gather together, we huddle up, and we get all of this Biblical truth that is guaranteed to succeed…and then we go straight back to the sideline. The conference had no long term effect on us and our lives look exactly the same. But I’m here to tell you first hand that the world is tired of seeing us have all these conferences and come home looking no different. They’re tired of seeing us simply huddle up. They want to see us run the play. So let’s go church! Let’s play ball!
As we enter into this season of many conferences, or extra church services with the holidays, make a declaration in your mind that you will no longer simply just read the Word of God and close the book, but that you would actually do what it says. Don't treat it like legalism, checking things off as you do them. Let the Word enter into your heart in such a way that it changes who you are, and make a conscious effort to glorify God in everything that you have, say, and do.
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