Halloween - Pt 5

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17 ESV). It’s Halloween. I really don’t have a lot planned for tonight. I’ll probably end up at our grandchildren’s helping them pass out candy and go trick or treating in the neighborhood. Usually our church does something near Halloween for the children. That will actually take place this Sunday. I know that’s after Halloween, but the date works best for us. We’ll have activities, hot dogs, and copious amounts of candy to distribute! However, now is the time to conclude our little series. I hope you have come to see that the overarching message of Scripture is the great gift of grace we have received that eliminates fear from our lives. While I have not really tried to answer the question of whether or not Christians should celebrate Halloween, let me deal briefly with that question. John Piper said, “It's kind of one of those questions of, ‘Do you see Christ against culture, Christ in culture, or Christ over culture?’" There are many people from one end of that perspective to the other. Piper goes on to say further: That is, some would say, "We don't want anything to do with that demonic holiday! Why would you even be involved with that at all?" And others who would have their children dress up as a butterfly and go knocking on doors and say, "Trick or treat!" And then in the middle would be people who do counter events, like a thing at the church where you dress up like biblical characters and have a great time. I'm totally OK with the middle one and the first one. And sort of OK with the second one. I grew up trick-or-treating. We were pretty serious trick-or-treaters, right into teenage years. There isn't much in my neighborhood. We're kind of an inner-city neighborhood, and it's not the most lucrative place to go knocking on doors. You're not going to fill your bag up with the best. You better go to the suburbs if you want to get a good pile. So I would hope that all Christians would think biblically and carefully about any holiday, any event, and how they might be salt and light in it. And if they feel like this can be of value to the kids in some way, to teach them—if it can be an innocent way of enjoying God's grace and teaching lessons—so be it. I'm willing to run the risk of attachment to worldliness in order to be biblically faithful in witness. The same thing with Christmas and birthdays and Easter and worshipping on Sunday. All of these things have pagan connections. I want to be loose and broad and give freedom to believers to find their way to be most effective. So I respect those who are renouncing it as too connected with evil, and I respect those who say, "No, let's redeem it and penetrate it and use it." The key in all of our lives is to make the best use of our time. The Holy Spirit is powerful enough to lead you in that way. My only encouragement is to remember that we have been redeemed to lives of freedom from fear and death. Do not let anyone rob you of that joy!

Halloween - Pt 4

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:13-18 ESV). Today and tomorrow will be the final two in our mini-series about Halloween. We often hear that Halloween celebrates the devil and glorifies his strength, but I don’t think that’s true. I think Halloween demeans the devil. C.S. Lewis once wrote that “Above all else, the Devil cannot stand to be mocked.”, and what is Halloween but our chance to laugh in his face? Our God is stronger, the war is won! John could not have been clearer than in our text today. The resulting fact of our redemption is that God dwells in us and because of this we need have no fear. There are several principles I’d like to point us toward today. First, the Bible states that Jesus’ death has brought freedom from the penalty of sin. The Apostle Paul said in his sermon to the Jews in Antioch, Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38-39 ESV). Second, we are new creations built with the power of God’s Spirit in love shown through Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Timothy 1:7). There is no need for us to cower in fear before our enemy any longer. Before the resurrection we had only to look forward to the work of God; however, now we can look back to the accomplished fact of God’s great redemptive work on our behalf. It is a finished work in the process of merely unfolding. Third, God is greater than anything Satan can devise to recapture our lives (cf. Psalm 27). There aren’t any enemies that have not been defeated by the death of Christ. We have the perfect love of God dwelling within us. That overcomes fear! So why do we keep tip-toeing around Halloween as if it were some insurmountable issue for us? Halloween, like all holidays, has its dark side, but we cannot allow these aspects to control our hearts. If we do, we only legitimize their authority, and show the world we have more faith in the power of our enemy than we do in the grace of God. The way I see it, we as Christians have two choices. We can cower in fear each Halloween and give the devil exactly what he wants, or we can celebrate, and reveal his impotence over the sons of God in the process. I know this opinion won’t be shared by everyone. Some Christians will still prefer to cut Halloween out of their lives entirely, and that’s ok. For me, I plan to have some fun and spend the time with my family and church. Because when you can laugh in the face of fear, even the darkest of nights doesn’t frighten us.

Halloween - Pt 3

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” (Genesis 15:1 ESV). Whether you "celebrate" Halloween or not, this time of year everyone's attention tends towards the spooky, creepy, and scary. It is that time of the year when there are all kinds of things designed to give us a good scare. I’m not sure that’s particularly something I want in the context of being terrorized by ghosts, ghouls, or goblins. However, it does bring me to a wonderful chapter of Scripture. The entire chapter from which our reading comes is powerful story telling a key part of the life of Abraham. The chapter begins with the Lord telling Abraham with the same message God uses every time he reveals himself to man. He simply says, "Do not fear.” We see the Lord's encouragement to not fear. In his heartbreak, Abraham pours out his soul reminding the Lord of the promise to give him an heir. A promise as yet unfulfilled as he and his wife continue to grow old. God renews His promise to him, telling him that his descendants will be a numerous as the stars in the sky. Then this incredible declaration is made that Abraham "…believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness." Abraham's simple faith and belief in the Lord is the kind of thing that drives out fear. The Lord goes on to instruct Abraham to prepare a sacrifice. The offering on Abraham's part and acceptance of the offering on God's part would be the moment that God finally affirms this covenant. The Lord would forever be the God of Abraham and his descendants, and Abraham and his descendants would forever be God's people. In this powerful moment, this ratifying and recognizing of this great covenant of friendship, grace, and love, an interesting thing happens. God Himself showed up to validate the covenant, and with Him came fear. So what can we make of all this? Certainly, God does not want us to be "afraid" of Him. He does not want us to cower as if any moment He could eliminate our very existence. However, we should never take for granted His Godhood. He is powerful. He is mighty. Stars fall from His fingertips. He creates worlds with the words from His mouth. He alone holds all of life in His hands. It makes me reflect on the phrase "a good scare." Maybe a “good scare” wouldn’t be so bad after all! As you are answering the door this Halloween, distributing your candy to all the children dressed in the costumes that inevitably range from the cute and precious to the crass and terrifying, remember that we need fear no one and nothing. He holds us in his hand and NOTHING can separate us from his love which is centered in Jesus! Like Abraham, we have the eternal God and Father of us all as our shield!

Halloween - Pt 2

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV). October 31st is known for more in history than Halloween. It was this day with a hammer in one hand and a large scroll under his arm, that Martin Luther approached the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. He paused to take a couple of nails from a pouch hidden in the folds of his dark woolen habit then began pounding his 95 theses to the church’s heavy wooden doors. Luther’s protest was not against ghosts and goblins or children dressing up to trick-or-treat. As Luther studied Scripture, his eyes were opened to a new concept, the concept of God’s grace. The established Church in Luther’s day misled people into thinking they could be saved by their own works through pilgrimages, confessions and by purchasing indulgences, which were basically “get out of hell free” cards. It became clear to Luther that men could not purchase God’s grace; it was freely given. This conviction led him to write out 95 main points of contention with the Catholic Church, his “theses,” which he ended up nailing to the door of the church in Wittenberg. This act started one of the most far-reaching reforms the Church has ever known. We call it the Reformation. Perhaps we ought to revisit such a time in our lives and the lives of our children. Instead of giving them a list of things they should and should not do (though such instruction is not bad), perhaps we should give them a list of the things that are ultimate truth through a serious understanding of who this God of the Bible really is to us. Let me suggest a few things from our text today. First, He is the source of saving grace. There really can be no other more important truth. If what I said yesterday is true, that death is our real enemy, then the one who conquers death is of ultimate importance. That One is God through the work of Jesus Christ. Second, there are no works we can accomplish that will earn us this saving grace. I am continually amazed how subtly we teach the opposite of this principle. Somehow we have come to believe that there must surely be something we can and should do to merit this contraconditional gift of God. There simply isn’t. Eternal life is a gift solely from God, who is the creator and sustainer of all. Third, with this grace comes an opportunity to be a part of the good work God is doing in our world. We are saved and then empowered through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to do these “good works.” As you celebrate Halloween this year, through whatever means you deem best, teach this Gospel of grace!

Halloween - Pt 1

I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:4-7 ESV). Before you decide to respond to this series with any “correctional” suggestions, please read them through Halloween. It is not my intent in any way to anyone to the macabre; however, I do want us to spend some honest time understanding the genuine principle of celebration in the midst of death. So, let’s begin with a little history. Christian perspectives on the observance of Halloween are strongly divided. Some believers feel complete freedom to observe the holiday, others run and hide from it, many boycott or ignore it, a number celebrate it through more positive and imaginative observances or Christian alternatives to Halloween, and still others choose to take advantage of Halloween's evangelistic opportunities. Some of today's popular celebrations associated with Halloween have pagan roots stemming from the ancient Celtic festival, Samhain. This harvest festival of the Druids ushered in the New Year, beginning on the evening of October 31st, with the lighting of bonfires and the offering of sacrifices. As the Druids danced around the fires, they celebrated the ending of the summer season and the beginning of the season of darkness. It was also believed that at this time of year the invisible "gates" between the natural world and the spirit world would open, allowing free movement between the two worlds. During the 8th century in the diocese of Rome, Pope Gregory III moved All Saints Day to November 1st, officially making October 31st "All Hallows Eve," some say, as a way of claiming the celebration for Christians. However, this feast commemorating the martyrdom of the saints had already been celebrated by Christians for many centuries prior to this time. Pope Gregory IV broadened the feast to include the entire Church. Inevitably, some of the pagan practices associated with the season persisted and have been mixed into modern celebrations of Halloween. What is a believer to do? Perhaps we could throw all of these discussions under the heading of Romans 14 and “the doubtful things.” If we do that we miss an incredible opportunity to examine the very real terror of humanity. Most people are not really concerned with the “boogeyman” in any form. Even those who would acknowledge the existence of such evil spirits do not fear the demons; yet, most do fear what the demons represent. Death is the real source of fear in humanity at large. No wonder that Jesus would begin his teaching in our text today with a declaration that we have nothing to fear from those who may be able to “kill the body.” He points us to the ultimate authority to be feared. This one can eternally “cast us into hell.” Whether we like that kind of God or not, the truth remains that God has such authority. Some will find that truth too late. However, even this is not Jesus’ real message. He wants to reveal to us the incredible working of this power on our behalf. Understanding that God cares for us and calls us to his grace in Christ sets us free from such fear forever. After all, aren’t we better than the sparrows, who God watches and cares for? That’s worth celebrating!

Honest Abe

Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! (Psalm 27:11-14 ESV). The history of the presidency in our country has become an interest to me in the last decade. We hear many newscasters comparing modern presidents to some of the early leaders of our nation. Of course, it is not much more than just talk to fill time in the broadcast, though it is interesting to me. We can all agree that there were some great leaders in those early years. Abraham Lincoln is one of those great men. In managing the country store, as in everything that he undertook for others, Lincoln did his very best. He was honest, civil, ready to do anything that should encourage customers to come to the place, full of pleasantries, patient, and alert. On one occasion, finding late at night, when he counted over his cash, that he had taken a few cents from a customer more than was due, he closed the store, and walked a long distance to make good the deficiency. At another time, discovering on the scales in the morning a weight with which he had weighed out a package of tea for a woman the night before, he saw that he had given her too little for her money. He weighed out what was due, and carried it to her, much to the surprise of the woman, who had not known that she was short in the amount of her purchase. Innumerable incidents of this sort are related of Lincoln. In fact, these incidents are the source of his nickname, “Honest Abe.” Tragically there aren’t as many people who could claim that nickname as there once were. A Money magazine survey found that Americans are becoming less honest. Twenty-four percent of respondents said they wouldn’t correct a waiter who undercharged them. In a similar poll conducted in 1987, only 15 percent of respondents said they wouldn’t correct the waiter. What would you do if you found a wallet containing $1,000? Twenty-four percent of this year’s respondents said they’d keep the cash, compared with 4 percent a decade ago. People ages 18-34 were 10 times more likely to keep the money than people 65 and older. Nearly one-third of the respondents said they’d cheat on their income taxes. The rich seemed especially fond of tax fraud. Forty-five percent of Americans with annual incomes exceeding $50,000 said they wouldn’t report $2,000 in cash income on their tax returns, compared with 24 percent of those earning less than $15,000. A quarter of the respondents said they’d commit a crime for $10 million if they knew they wouldn’t get caught. Men (31 percent) were twice as likely to do so than women (16 percent). How’s your honesty? Perhaps like David in our reading this morning, our prayer should be, Lord, lead me along the path of honesty.

Litigation

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2 ESV). We live in a litigious society. You have read many accounts of people and the many suits that have been filed against companies and individuals. Do you remember the suit brought against McDonalds by an individual because of burns received after spilling hot coffee in their lap while driving away from the drive-through? They won the case and a settlement of immense proportions. I suppose their lawyer was better than McDonald’s lawyer! If you have ever been sued, then you know the value of a good lawyer. But even if you don't have legal problems now, the time is coming when you will need the best possible lawyer! How so? God has a case against you! One day you will stand in the Supreme Court of heaven before the Highest Judge of All. Then, you will need the ultimate lawyer. This is what John expresses in our reading this morning. The court scene being described is the final judgment. The Judge is God the Father. Jesus Christ is the Advocate or Lawyer. He represents before the Judge of all, those who believe in Him. You see the problem is that God has a case against each one of us. And the penalty we are all due is the death penalty. When God brings us into court, He is perfectly just in sentencing us to eternal death in hell! Believe me, we need a very good lawyer! He is Jesus Christ. And this Jesus Christ paid the penalty due for the sins of others. This is what the cross is all about. Christ takes upon Himself the death penalty in the place of others. And you need to trust in the sacrifice of Christ as the only adequate payment for your sins. When you trust in Christ as your Advocate, He represents you before the Father. And He tells the Father that He died for you! Case closed! You are acquitted! Praise God that He has not withdrawn His offer of forgiveness for sin! This good news, however, is for sinners only. Many people, though, don’t see themselves as sinners in need of salvation. They make excuses like my good deeds outweigh my bad, or I’m not as bad as some people, or usually I’m a good person. Their shortcomings, they feel, don’t jeopardize their standing before Almighty God. Imagine a citizen being brought to trial for several charges of shoplifting. It would be useless for that person to appeal to the judge by saying: “Don’t forget, my good deeds outweigh my bad.” “I’m not as bad as many others.” “Most of the time I’m a law-abiding citizen.” The offender must be judged according to the offense, not according to previous good deeds. If justice is to be done, someone must pay, and that someone should be the offender, unless another is allowed to bear the penalty instead. That’s exactly what Christ in love did for sinners. We can be acquitted through the grace of Jesus Christ. Do you have Him as your lawyer? You should!

More Last Words

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 ESV). "I finally realized, and it became my desire, that I would be the best man that I possibly could for God, that I could be the best husband that I could for Evelyn, and be the best father that I could for my children, and to do everything I can to make sure that they know about Jesus and hope that they come to a point in their lives where they ask Jesus to be their Savior. And I thought if I could do that, and at the end of my life look back, that would be what really mattered to me, not whether or not I was an astronaut or anything else." (Rick Husband, Commander of Space Shuttle Columbia). The above words were spoken at the First Presbyterian Church in Amarillo, Texas in 1999 after Lt. Col. Rick Husband had made his first shuttle flight to the International Space Station. He was explaining to a home-town congregation he had once been a member of how he had tried three times to realize his goal of becoming an astronaut and finally turned the whole thing over to God: "For a long time, I wanted to (be an astronaut) for all the wrong reasons. I wanted to do it for selfish reasons, like I thought that would be a neat thing to do . . . Several years ago, God brought me to a point in my life where I was able to give that up and realize what my desires really were." Then, on his fourth try he was accepted on God's terms. Submission to God is the most important, and perhaps most difficult thing about following Christ. Right Priorities. Rick Husband's priorities ring out loud and clear: Jesus, spouse, children and job in that order. Not many of us can say our priorities have always been as biblical. Though Rick had planned to become an astronaut from the age of 4, and had tremendous drive to accomplish everything he set out to do, it took him four tries to become accepted by NASA. Then he turned it all over to God and let Him take over. Jesus First. He and fellow Columbia crewman Michael Anderson were currently members of Grace Community Church in Clear Lake near Houston. Their pastor says both men were strong, born again believers and there is no doubt as to where they are today. The pastor also said that Husband had hoped to lead Israeli crewman Ilan Ramon (a non-religious Jew) to the Lord. We'll never know the outcome of that this side of heaven. Spouse Second. Neighbors of the Husbands in Amarillo have all said what a family man Rick was. Children Third. "It's something that I wish I had learned a lot earlier, but I'm certainly glad I learned it when I did . . . because on this (1999 Shuttle) mission, it was a fantastic trip and amazing experience. But when I think of the times when I've gotten to tuck my daughter in at night and sing to her and have her ask me questions about things that she's thinking about, or when our little 3 year old son runs in completely naked to give me a kiss after his bath, I think I wouldn't trade any of those things for a ride in space because it wouldn't be worth it." Then, job fourth. How are your priorities?

Last Words

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6-8 ESV). Our reading this morning are the last written words that we know about to Timothy from the Apostle Paul. It is not surprising that they should have remained as a cherished letter for all these centuries. Beyond being the inspired words of God, they were Paul’s “last words.” Personal items from deceased love ones that preserve our last contacts with them and connect us with their lives and their final days on Earth, letters, journals, photographs, and items of clothing are usually treasured as special reminders of both the joy and fragility of those lives. Although the media through which we communicate may have changed, the poignancy of a loved one's last words to us have not. A final message might now consist of a collection of electrons beamed to us from thousands of miles away rather than a letter written with pen and paper, but it is the content of that communication as an expression of a unique and cherished personality that matters most to us, not its form. Space Shuttle Columbia astronaut Laurel Clark of Racine, Wisconsin, left many friends and relatives behind, including a husband and an 8-year-old son, when her life ended in the tragedy of February 1, 2003. There is little doubt that these were Laurel's final words to her family, because they match the description of Laurel's last message given by her brother, Daniel, in an interview with CNN anchor Paula Zahn the day after the Columbia disaster. In addition to her description of the awesome beauty of space and some of her duties while aboard the shuttle, she ended with the following paragraph: Thanks to many of you who have supported me and my adventures throughout the years. This was definitely one to beat all. I hope you could feel the positive energy that I beamed to the whole planet as we glided over our shared planet. Love to all, Laurel They were not extraordinary words, just words of love and appreciation. Perhaps had she known those would be her last words they would have been different. Very few people know the moment of their death. If we did, perhaps it would make a difference in the way we talked to one another. My children will tell you that I have a peculiar habit that I have followed since they old enough to be away from home. I always speak directly to them when they call, regardless of whether they called for me or not. I am never “too busy” to say hello before they end their call home. That practice is rooted in my personal experience. The night before my Dad died I called to say hello. He had a very tiring day and was resting in his easy chair. After talking with my mother, I declined to “bother” him when asked if I wanted to say hello. I’m sure my conversation would not have been extraordinary, or lengthy, but I would have had one more chance to say hello. I wonder if you have been too busy or too tired for those brief snippets of conversation with your family. Your words are treasures. Give them away frequently and lovingly.

Judas Iscariot

Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26:14-16 ESV). I have always been curious to know why Jesus picked Judas to be a disciple. Even more than that, I have wondered what could have caused Judas to betray Jesus. Why would anyone, especially someone who had gotten to know Jesus so intimately, reject Him? Why does Judas even deserve to be mentioned when discussing the disciples? Why? All of these questions have been answered in many ways throughout the centuries since that time. However, the clearest answer I know of is that this is the clearest understanding of the depravity of man. There are many people today who are similar to Judas. Perhaps they have not gone to such extremes in rejecting him, however, they have still chosen their own way rather than his. Broadcaster Paul Harvey told a version of the following story on the radio many years ago: There was an old man who was a great admirer of democracy and public education. So close to his heart did he hold both institutions that he tried to bring them together into one grand experiment, a public college where students would practice self-governance. There would be no regulations; the goodwill and judgment of the students would suffice. After years of planning, the school was finally opened. The old man was overjoyed. But as the months went by, students proved time and time again that they were not the models of discipline and discernment the old man envisioned. They skipped classes, drank to excess, and wasted hours in frivolous pursuits. One night, 14 students, disguised by masks and “animated with wine,” went on a rampage that ended in a brawl. One struck a professor with a brick, and another used a cane on his victim. In response, the college’s trustees convened a special meeting. The old man, now 82 years old and very frail, was asked to address the student body. In his remarks, he recalled the lofty principles upon which the college had been founded. He said he had expected more—much more—from the students. He even confessed that this was the most painful event of his life. Suddenly, he stopped speaking. Tears welled up in his failing eyes. He was so overcome with grief that he sat down, unable to go on. His audience was so touched that at the conclusion of the meeting the 14 offenders stepped forward to admit their guilt. But they could not undo the damage already done. A strict code of conduct and numerous onerous regulations were instituted at the college. The old man’s experiment had failed. Why? Because he took for granted the one essential ingredient necessary for success: virtue. Only a virtuous people can secure and maintain their freedom. A short time later, on the Fourth of July, the old man passed away. Engraved on his tombstone were the simple words that reflected the success and failure of his most important experiments: “Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and father of the University of Virginia.” Now, as Mr. Harvey says, you know the rest of the story. There is good news in all of this. A. W. Tozer said, “Until we believe that we are as bad as God says we are, we can never believe that He will do for us what He says He will do. Right here is where popular religion breaks down.” You don’t need to get closer to religion. You need to get close to Jesus. You need to bask in the grace of God. Had Judas turned to Jesus rather than his religious enemies, he would have been saved. The same is true for you. Grace is made available to you! Praise God for His grace today! Trust him!

Your Autobiography

With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king. In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth. I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever. (Psalm 45:15-17 ESV). I can remember many times when my boys and I would have conversations about our family history. My grandparents were not born in this country. They were Sicilian and Italian and immigrated at different times. My grandfathers, who were from Italy, came over when they were young adults. After establishing themselves in this country they sent word to relatives in Sicily indicating they were ready to marry. Both my grandmothers were just 13 when they came to this country! Originally my last name was spelled Imite. I’m sure you see how easily it could have been changed to facilitate pronunciation and spelling. Funny how most people still don’t get it right! So much for trying that approach! I think it’s interesting how names are chosen. The names of people in different generations seem to change in popularity. There aren't many children today being named George, Harry, or Martha. The newer names seem to be names like Jacob, Matthew and Joshua. There are other more “pop” names today as well. I heard of one little girl named “Abcde,” pronounced “Absidy.” I guess to have a "good" name these days it has to be modern. This is not the "good" name I am referring to, however. I'm speaking of how you will be remembered. How will people refer to you once you are gone from this earth? The Bible says a good name is more desirable than having great riches. Do you value what others think of you? Did you ever stop to think that every time you react to someone, either in your family or in public, that you are writing your autobiography. People are forming impressions about you based upon what they see, how you act and how you treat others. Does the love of Christ shine through? Do others see Jesus in you? What would your neighbors say about you if I were to ask? What about your family? Don't wait until you die to let people write your epitaph. Start on it now! Be remembered as a person of God, who exemplified the character found in Jesus; dedicated to knowing Him more and being found in Him. You can be remembered for generations, simply by living a life full of the grace of God!

Happy Birthday, Aaron!

A well remembered song begins “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with strings these are a few of my favorite things.” The chorus continues a bit later in the tune, “When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad.” For me, the birthdays of my family are like that! They are “my favorite things.” I have heard of some well-meaning, although misguided people who have tried to attach the celebration of birthdays to every kind of pagan practice. Some have even gone so far as to say the Bible condemns the celebration of one’s birthday. So, as I remember that day 31 years ago when our youngest son, Aaron was born, I am prompted to be more specific. First, the example of Scripture: There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. (Job 1:1-4 ESV). Job was the most righteous man of his day. His children were certainly trained in the same faith he possessed. They celebrated each other’s birthday with a feast. Yes, there are some who remind us that after each celebration Job would go and offer a sacrifice in the chance that his children “might” have sinned in their heart. However, I am prompted to ask, is there any of our children who have not sinned; are there any of us, who are parents, that have not sinned? Silly question, isn’t it? The great grace of God in Christ deals with problem more than sufficiently! So, we then ask, why not celebrate? A birthday represents so many blessings to the believer. As I walk through this day, Aaron’s birthday, I am reminded of the blessing he has been in our lives. I recall the victories, the defeats, the challenges, all of those experiences unique to him in the family circle. When I do that, my past fades to the present moment of joy fulfilled in the blessing of abundant life Christ has secured for us. When I do that, the fear of the future simply cannot hold any power over me. Isn’t that worth a celebration? The ultimate victory over death and hell has been secured through Christ. Eternity blooms in the distance promising an indescribable forever future. Happy Birthday Aaron! Thanks for the reminder of this glorious gift from our God! Hope you have a chocolate cake… just be careful with all the candles on top!

Camping with Doors that Lock

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:16-18 ESV). Deer season is about to get into full swing for me. This time of the year is one of my favorites. Every time I sit in a tree I am taken back to some of the best times of my life. Mary rarely goes with me. She is more of a “city girl” these days. She doesn’t enjoy “camping” unless she can stay in a place she feels is secure. That means that there needs to be a lockable door between her and the outdoors at night. There are two solutions to that, a motel or a camper! When we lived in Texas I opted for the latter. The camper allowed us to put all the conveniences of home on wheels. With A camper we no longer need to contend with sleeping in a sleeping bag, cooking over a fire, or hauling water from a stream. We could park a fully equipped home in the midst of a few trees and have all the comfort, security, and convenience of home. We even had a TV and stereo piped throughout! No more bother with dirt, no more smoke from the fire, no more drudgery of walking to the stream. It was possible to go camping and never have to go outside. We do go outside, of course. But we didn’t have to. All the comforts of home were now on wheels for relocation at a moments notice! Comfort is a premium all of us enjoy. A big part of comfort in our lives is familiarity. Change is always a threat to our security. The same can be said of our daily lives. There are always ne challenges and opportunities. Our “old life” is being transformed. That can be daunting at times. However, it is the way of Christ. Transformation is the process of the grace. London businessman Lindsay Clegg told the story of a warehouse property he was selling. The building had been empty for months and needed repairs. Vandals had damaged the doors, smashed the windows, and strewn trash around the interior. As he showed a prospective buyer the property, Clegg took pains to say that he would replace the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, and clean out the garbage. “Forget about the repairs,” the buyer said. “When I buy this place, I’m going to build something completely different. I don’t want the building; I want the site. Compared with the renovation God has in mind, our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial as sweeping a warehouse slated for the wrecking ball. When we become God’s, the old life is over. He makes all things new. All he wants is the site and the permission to build. You need not fear that change. You have a “camper” to take with you with all the comforts of home. Enjoy the adventure of life without fear. He only has your best in mind!

Consulting the Father

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 5:24-30 ESV). It won’t be long until we begin to evaluate 2014 and look forward to the promise of a new year. All of us have things we would like to do differently in the coming season. They may be as insignificant as changing a small habit to others as important as lifestyle changes affecting the rest of life. In either case, the most important commitments we might make deal with the direction God has for our lives. Stonewall Jackson received a note from his commanding officer, General Robert E. Lee. The note read, "Please see me at your earliest convenience." Jackson immediately began the 5-mile hike across treacherous and dangerous countryside. Shortly after he started it began to rain. It rained for the rest of his journey. By the time he reached his commanding officer's tent, he was exhausted and soaked. Almost too tired to walk, he stumbled inside and blurted out "I made it" to those inside. The General snapped back, "What are you doing? I said, see me at your earliest convenience." Stonewall Jackson stood somewhat confused and exclaimed, "Sir, your slightest wish is my supreme command." Humans don't like to admit that we serve anyone with that kind of dedication. The truth is that all of us serve something. Sometimes we serve our jobs, our possessions or very simply ourselves. Many slip into bondage and serve alcohol or drugs or even just food. There is One that we can serve that will never leave us with regrets because He is the one that never changes. Jesus said, "I am the same yesterday, today and forever." His steadfastness endures and ensures us that our service is not in vain. What “orders” have you received from the Lord for this year? Have you even consulted with Him to see what might be your next step in life? For the next few days spend extra time in prayer and seek His will for your life. It may mean very little change. It may involve a complete renovation of your daily patterns of life. Whatever the case may be, don’t delay in beginning to make those changes!

Ready or Not

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 ESV). As you may know, Mary works in Smyrna, TN, which is about 40 miles from our home. It is quite a commute. Since she is gone for most of the day and I office out of our home, it makes sense that I should do most of the cleaning. Unfortunately my methodology of cleaning with “a lick and a promise” does determine the level of cleanliness of our house. I must confess, I am not nearly the housekeeper that she is. I do try to keep up with the basics. Some laundry, dishes, and general housecleaning are being done. However, it would not pass her inspection at all! For example, the bathrooms are simply not what they ought to be. I'm trying to be a good “mom,” but it is just not up to par. So, when I know it is time for the real work of cleaning, I will adopt a completely new course of action. I will put on my EPA-approved hazardous materials yellow suit and go in. I will clean it from top to bottom just to make sure that I don’t give her the impression that I haven’t done anything around the house. I suppose I could do a little each day and it wouldn’t be nearly as “hazardous,” but then I haven’t assigned that a very high priority as of yet! The worst-case scenario would be for her to come home unexpectedly. It would be a “ready or not, here I come” experience. I wouldn’t even have time to get the haz-mat suit. It would be a national disaster area for sure. Our reading declares that Jesus is coming back also, and he's not calling ahead to warn us. I wonder how many people will be caught unprepared? The Scripture indicates there will be those who are caught off guard in the most embarrassing moment of all time. "Live deeply in Christ. Then we'll be ready for him when he appears, ready to receive him with open arms, with no cause for red-faced guilt or lame excuses when he arrives." (cf. John 2:28). I want to be one of those caught "living deeply." His coming is a sure thing. That’s the impact of our reading this morning. These words are only reassuring when there are no towels mildewing on the floor when we're ready. When I hear the trumpet blast, I want to get a thrill from the music, not experience a terrifying moment of unpreparedness. He is coming, ready or not. Let's get out the enviro-suits and get the life cleaning finished so we don't have to be red-faced at his coming. Will you be ready, or not?

A Dream Come True

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ESV). College football is in full swing! This weekend Texas A&M will play Alabama in Tuscaloosa. It will be a memorable game I’m sure. With it will come many interviews with players indicating the work and effort they have invested to get to this pinnacle of success in their craft. It will be a “dream come true” for many of them! I was thinking this morning, why do so many people let their dreams die unlived? There are many reasons, however one of the biggest reasons is the negative, cynical attitude of other people. Those other people are not enemies – they are friends, even family members. Our enemies never bother us greatly; we can usually handle them with little trouble. But our friends, if they are naysayers, constantly punching holes in our dreams with a cynical smile here, a put-down there; a constant stream of negative vibrations can kill our dreams. The easiest thing to find on God’s earth is someone to tell us all the things we cannot do. Someone will always be eager to point out to you. It may be with a look or a tone of voice that anything new or daring, which you try, is hopelessly doomed to failure. Don’t listen to them. It’s the person who never made $50,000 a year who will say you can’t make $100,000. It’s the fellow who never ran a business who can best describe the obstacles that make it impossible to get started; the person who never entered a tournament who can most convincingly tell you why you don’t have a chance to win. I believe in a God of unlimited potential who empowers people to reach their dreams. I also know firsthand the importance of keeping company with other dreamers. I can remember the many times I wondered if I could make it. Fortunately for me there were people around me to encourage me and keep me focused. That with the knowledge of being where I was supposed to be, kept me in the race. I stayed dedicated to the dream, gravitated toward other achievers, kept praying daily, and went on to build a successful place in my career. If you find yourself dreaming but not daring, there’s only one thing left after all the arguments are weighed and the costs measured. Do it. Try it. How will you ever know if you can paint that picture, run that business, sell that product, write that book, earn that degree, hold that office, make a speech, win that game – unless you try it?

Saul, Jonathon, David, and God

David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. And Jonathan, Saul's son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.” And the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home. (1 Samuel 23:15-18 ESV). Our reading this morning mentions three of the most well known characters in the Bible. I'm sure you know the characters well also. However, for illustration purposes, pretend you know nothing at all about them. All you know is contained in these verses. I believe you may discover some important principles about them in this brief description. The first character we meet is Saul. From this verse we can figure out that Saul must be somebody important. When my boys were young, I often stopped being Don, and started being Kyle, David, and Aaron’s dad. Ever feel that way. Saul evidently was someone people would know, because Jonathon was called his son. We also know that he was a father, and that he had a son. We know that outside this verse, Saul is an important character in God's Word. The second character is Jonathan. Of course we know that Jonathan is Saul's son, but we also know that he was apparently someone who was willing and able to help. The verse says that Jonathan "went" to David. It doesn't appear anyone forced him to do so. It also shows that Jonathan was an individual who could help David. The verb is "helped", in the past tense. Jonathan helped David. And, the verse tells us that Jonathan knew where to ask for help. Jonathan came for a specific purpose, to motivate David to be closer to God. We need more Jonathans in our world today! The third character in the verse is David. David was so well written about in Old Testament, but if this is all you knew, what could we discover about him? First, I think we can clearly see that David had a need. Jonathan wouldn't have gone to help him if he hadn't. Also, David made himself available to Jonathan. It is hard to help people if they don't allow you into their life. Evidently, David was one that knew that God was the place to find strength. He allowed Jonathan access to his life, so that he could find his strength in his Creator. We need more people like David in the world, as well! The final character in this verse is God, and He is the most important. He is the central focus of the verse. If we only had this verse to learn about God, we could know three things about God. First, God was willing to help. Apparently David did find his strength in God. Second, God was available. It doesn't read as though finding God was difficult. We don't know how long the search was, but the active parties appear to be Jonathan and David. God was waiting to be found. Third, I read the verse to indicate that God was sufficient! The verse doesn't say that Jonathan helped David find God and his lucky charm. They didn't look for God and a four-leaf clover. They didn't search for God and the psychic hotline number. Jonathan helped David find his strength in God. God was sufficient for whatever need David had. And God is willing, available, and sufficient for you and me today!

From Bagels to Baguettes

He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” (Matthew 13:33 ESV). From bagels to baguettes, bread comes in thousands of forms. What do they have in common? On the most basic level, they all involve cooking a mixture of milled grains and water. Some are amazingly simple. Matzoh, for example, is nothing more than flour and water, baked until crisp. Raised breads, on the other hand, involve the complex interactions between flour and the leaveners that give them their porous, tender quality. Leaveners come in two main forms: baking powder or soda and yeast. Yeast is a live, single-celled fungus. There are about 160 species of yeast, and many of them live all around us. However, most people are familiar with yeast in its mass-produced form. You know them as tiny beige granules that come in little paper packets. This organism lies dormant until it comes into contact with warm water. Once reactivated, yeast begins feeding on the sugars in flour, and releases the carbon dioxide that makes bread rise. Yeast also adds many of the distinctive flavors and aromas we associate with bread. But leavening agents would just be bubbling brews without something to contain them. Here’s where flour comes in. There are lots of different types of flour used in bread, but the most commonly used in raised bread is wheat flour. This is because wheat flour contains two proteins, glutenin and gliadin, which, when combined with water, form gluten. As you knead the dough, the gluten becomes more and more stretchy. This gum-like substance fills with thousands of gas bubbles as the yeast goes to work during rising. You now know more than most of Jesus’ audience when he used “leaven,” or yeast, in our parable today. They simply knew how it worked. However, Jesus knew how and why it worked. It is not by accident that he compares it with the kingdom of heaven. He knew, just like yeast, the community of faith when “mixed” with the world would have an effect in the world. He also knew that for this to take place that same community of faith had to be dispersed into the world. I have found it interesting how many churches do not understand this principle. I do applaud them for their efforts to do the work of ministry in specialized locations and exotic locales; however, the bulk of the work is done where we are placed on a daily basis. The work is done in our families as we interact with our spouses and children; it is done where we work with our fellow employees; and it is done where we frequent each day. This is how we are “mixed” with the ingredients of our world. Certainly this is what Jesus meant when he told us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (cf. Matthew 5:13-16). So, whether you’re a bagel or a baguette, be that where God has placed you each day. Bring joy and peace into the lives of others as you reflect the grace of God in your life.

Autumn Colors

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. (Galatians 2:20-21 ESV). Autumn is my favorite time of the year. Living in Middle Tennessee has been especially wonderful for this time of the year. For those of you who have traveled through the Smoky Mountains, you know the incredible color produced by the deciduous trees of this range. Red, gold, yellow, orange all burst in the backdrop of misty mountains. Mary and I haven’t had the opportunity to take the drive yet, but we will soon. In the mean time, there is no lack of beauty in our area. The drive to our church takes us through some of the prettiest roads in Middle Tennessee. One day, as I made the drive, I thought of our reading today. The Apostle Paul talks about the work of grace in our lives in terms of death. We die and Jesus lives in us. This brought me to another thought, so I did a little more research about Autumn leaves. Did you know that the true colors of the leaves are those we see in the fall? During winter, there is not enough light or water for photosynthesis, which makes the leaves green. The trees will rest, and live off the food they stored during the summer. They begin to shut down their food-making factories. The green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves. As the bright green fades away, we begin to see yellow and orange colors. Small amounts of these colors have been in the leaves all along. We just can't see them in the summer, because they are covered up by the green chlorophyll. Isn’t that really what Christ wants to do in us? When we stop working so hard to live on our own, he gives us rest while he works within us. As a researcher and physician, Francis Collins' credentials and accomplishments are well-respected in the scientific community. He headed up the Human Genome Project before serving as the Director of the National Institutes of Health. In 2007 he also wrote a New York Times best-selling book, The Language of God, which weaves together the story of his work as a world-renowned scientist and his journey from atheism to faith in Christ. Then after a long period of searching, which included grilling a pastor and reading C.S. Lewis, Collins finally came to Christ after watching the beauty of creation. This is Collin's description of that life-changing encounter: I had to make a choice. A full year had passed since I decided to believe in some sort of God, and now I was being called to account. On a beautiful fall day, as I was hiking in the Cascade Mountains during my first trip west of the Mississippi, the majesty and beauty of God's creation overwhelmed my resistance. As I rounded a corner and saw a beautiful and unexpected frozen waterfall, hundreds of feet high, I knew the search was over. The next morning, I knelt in the dewy grass as the sun rose and surrendered to Jesus Christ. Autumn colors… do they call you to life?

Woner Bread

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:35-40 ESV). I often do the grocery shopping for Mary and I. It just works out better for our schedules. The other day as I went into the local Kroger (though I’m sure the experience could be duplicated at any grocery store), I was struck with all the choices of bread. Now I know that at my age that should have happened long ago, but I guess I haven’t been paying much attention to that vital piece of information. Seriously, there was multigrain bread, oat bread, flax bread, whole wheat bread, white bread, rye bread, pumpernickel bread, raisin bread and cinnamon bread. Really I wanted Italian bread. Do you remember the Howdy Doody Show? I know that does date me. But, when I was kid it was one of the staples of my television diet. At any rate, Buffalo Bob, who was one of the stars of the show, told us Wonder Bread advertised that it built strong bodies in eight ways. Later it became twelve ways. It has been decades since I have had a piece of Wonder Bread. I guess I need to return to it since if ever there was a time for a healthier body it might be now in my life! Maybe I should switch to Wonder Bread. Would it be better if I ate it with peanut butter and jelly, or lettuce, tomato and fake bacon? Well, that’s certainly getting into a deeper discussion than I intended for this little inspirational thought! It does begin with the fact that Jesus made several references to bread. He actually called Himself “The Bread of Life.” I think we could say Jesus is “The Real Wonder Bread.” He also talked about yeast and how pervasive it can be. He warned His disciples about the yeast of the Pharisees. Often I have seen congregations infected with the yeast of works. They are fed a diet of grace and along comes a smooth talking preacher who so subtly and probably ignorantly talks about grace and then adds the poisonous word “but”. Beware of the word “but.” It comes like this, “We are saved by grace, but …” It works its destructive force so subtly we barely notice it. A dear friend of mine recently said, “I am so afraid I will be lost for one little sin I don’t know about.” Jesus is the wholesome Bread of Life. He nourishes. He sustains. He gives us life eternally. I think I might stick with my Italian bread for home, but for life it can only be the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ! What about you?

Remembered Grace - Pt 4

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25 ESV). Do you know what makes all the difference in the world? A message. A simple message passed on by word of mouth. That’s what changes eternities. And if that didn’t sound weak enough, it’s a message about the cross. It’s a message that says Jesus Christ is the Lord of Glory. He was there in the beginning, the Craftsman of Creation, the One forever-loved by the Father, the Eternal Son of God. This Lord of Glory was nailed on a beam of wood, iron nails driven through His hands and feet. And when His heart had given out they thrust up a spear under His rib cage to burst Him wide open. The Lord of Glory accursed, godforsaken, butchered, and THIS is what saves a perishing world. And perhaps you’re asking, How? How does that save the world? Well, here is the Lord taking responsibility for His world. His world is perishing, so what does He do? He takes what’s coming to us. He enters in, He sums it up, He stands at the Head of a perishing world, and a perishing people, and He takes what is coming to us. We deserve to be accursed, we deserve to be forsaken, we deserve to perish in the darkness but Christ died in our place. He took to Himself what was coming to us. And He put it all to death. The Lord of Glory perished and He perished to save you from that fate. Perhaps you’re sitting there and on some level you’re thinking: “How odd, how silly, how unnecessary, how foolish? I don’t need Jesus to die for me. I don’t want Jesus to die for me.” But if you’re thinking that, it’s clear what side of the divide you’re on. If this message sounds foolish to you, you are perishing. But if your eyes are open, you’ll look to the cross and say, “that’s the power of God!” So which is it? When you look to “Christ crucified” do you see something weak and foolish. Or is this, for you, the wisdom and power of God? The whole world divides at this point. And there’s no neutrality, no spiritual Switzerland. I wonder what side you fall on. It is not too late for anyone reading this today. If it strikes a chord or resonance with you, then God is calling out to you. Stop looking for signs or wisdom and find Jesus standing before you with his hand stretched toward you. He will pick you up from the roiling storm around you and lift you to the safety of his presence! That’s grace!

Remembered Grace - Pt 3

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25 ESV). In America there’s a ridge running up and down the Rocky Mountains called the Continental Divide. Any water that falls on this ridge has to go one way or the other. A raindrop may fall on this ridge and if it trickles to the west it ends up in the Pacific Ocean. The next drop may fall on that very same place and trickle off to the east. It will end up in the Atlantic Ocean. Consecutive drops of water will fall on same ridge, but eventually thousands of miles will separate them. That’s what the cross does to the whole human race. We are all divided into only two camps heading to only two destinations. Remember that Paul lists only two kinds of people: those who are perishing and those who are being saved. Perishing is a word we use to describe food going bad, just left to decay. When the way of all things takes its course, the food perishes. The bible says we’re like that. This world is like that. Keep the clock ticking and this world will run down and decay. And you will run down and decay. It’s the way of all flesh. We have a blue spruce in our front yard. For many this is the Christmas tree they go to buy at their local supplier in November or December. They are always fresh and green and smelling great. But unlike the tree we have planted, these have been cut down, wrenched from its life source and taken away from its natural habitat. The moment that tree was cut down it started perishing. It still looks great on the outside. All through Christmas it gets dressed up in beautiful decorations, brought into the warmth, surrounded by family and celebrations. But it’s perishing. It starts dropping needles, and turning a little brown. Never mind, we vacuum the decay and keep celebrating. But then at some point in January, we throw this dry, decaying, lifeless firewood onto the rubbish heap. That’s us. Perishing! And the clock is ticking. Oh we can pretty ourselves up. Like a Christmas tree, we can adorn ourselves with all sorts of good looks and good works. We can surround ourselves with family and celebrations, but we’re perishing. We have no life in us. And we’re destined for the rubbish heap. But there’s another kind of human being. There are those being saved. There are those lifted out of this perishing condition. The world is not ultimately divided into rich and poor. It’s not ultimately divided into East and West. It’s not ultimately divided into left-wing, right-wing. It’s not ultimately divided into black and white. It’s not divided into religious-types and non-religious types. The world is not ultimately divided into good people and bad people. That’s irrelevant in the end. The divide that splits the human race is those who are perishing and there are those who are being saved by the grace of God. Which are you?

Remembered Grace - Pt 2

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25 ESV). We continue with our Remembered Grace today. As Paul continues to explain his reference to the cross being folly to those who are perishing and the power of God to those who are saved, he opens the topic of wisdom. A. W. Tozer said, “Wisdom, among other things, is the ability to devise perfect ends and to achieve those ends by the most perfect means. It sees the end from the beginning, so there can be no need to guess or conjecture. Wisdom sees everything in focus, each in proper relation to all, and is thus able to work toward predestined goals with flawless precision.” There have been many times when I wanted to know how to best accomplish a goal. At best I could only know a potential means of success. There are no such restrictions with our God. Not only does he know how to achieve the goal, he knows the best way to achieve it! I have often used the philosophy that “there is more than one way to skin a cat.” Such a saying is not meant to be literal; however, it points to our ever searching for another way that might be better. God has no need to search for a better way. He has no need of developing an alternate strategy. In his wisdom he has concluded the best means of our redemption and has carried it to completion in the cross of Jesus. This “confounds” the wisdom of the world since we are always searching for the next best thing. We search for it in our personal lives by continuing to look for a short cut to avoid the work of perseverance. We search for it in our family life by substituting temporary peace at the cost of long term growth and development through discipline and discipleship. We do it in our churches and careers by running after the next-best-practice. And, every time we find failure and disappointment. All the while God simply declares to us that his wisdom will not fail us and it is ours for the asking. You see, wisdom does not merely know good and evil. That was the temptation Adam and Eve succumbed to in the garden. Satan’s “wisdom” was knowledge of “good” and “evil.” And in the knowing of evil, Adam and Eve became alienated from the enjoyment of “good.” Adam and Eve were given every opportunity and encouragement by God to know Him, to be like Him, and to be wise with respect to all that is good. That’s the wisdom given to us in his grace!

Remembered Grace - Pt 1

D.L. Moody, one of the great evangelists of the 19th Century, founder of Moody Church, and staunch believer in the grace of God tells the following story: I remember preaching one night in winter—one of the coldest winters we had—the winter after the Chicago fire. I had been studying up grace, and it was the first time I had spoken of it, and I was just full of it. I started out of the house, I remember, and the first man I met I asked him if he knew anything about the grace of God, and I tried to preach to him. This man thought I was crazy. I ran on and met another, and finally got up to the meeting. That night I thought I was speaking to a lot of people who felt as I did about grace, and when I got through I asked any one who would like to hear about grace—who had any interest in it, tp stay. I expected some would have stayed, but what was my mortification to see the whole audience rise up and go away. They hadn't any interest in grace; they didn't want to learn anything about grace. I put my coat and hat on and was going out of the hall, when I saw a poor fellow at the back of the furnace crying. "I want to hear about the grace of God," said he. "You're the man I want, then," said I. "Yes," the poor fellow said, "you said in your sermon that it was free, and I want you to tell me something about it." Well, I got to talking to him, and he told me a pitiful stoty. He had drank away twenty thousand dollars, his home had been broken up, and his wife and children had left him. I spoke to him, and it was not long before we were down together praying. That night I got him a night's lodging in the Bethel, and next day we got him on his feet, and when I went to Europe he was one of the most earnest workers we had. He was just a partaker of grace—believed that the peace of God was sufficient for him, and he took God at his word and he was a saved man. It is so strange to me how many are simply not interested in hearing the grace of God. Many have grown too “sophisticated” to hear the old story of God’s redemption of mankind. They prefer more “practical” preaching. It reminds me of the Apostle Paul’s opening remark to the Church at Corinth: For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV). I’m sitting here at the dining table writing today (my desktop CPU has not arrived yet after the crash of my old one); and, I can look up and see the newest addition to our family room. It is a full mount of an Eastern Gobbler that I harvested last spring with my friend, Sheriff Bucky Rowland. It is a very good job of taxidermy, but the greatest joy is not in the mount. My greatest happiness comes from glancing at it and remembering the details of the hunt. I can remember the sights, sounds, and smells of that crisp early spring morning. It never ceases to bring me joy. I even remember how excited Bucky was that I finally got one! He was nearly as excited as I was! For me, that’s how it is when I recall the grace of God. Today we will begin a short series dealing with God’s grace. Please understand that for those who are the children of God there is always a desire to hear more about this wonderful gift He has given us. It is only those who have not received it that view it as foolish prattle. My prayer is that you will receive great joy in hearing it again. If not, come to Jesus. It is a gift He desires you to have!

A Winner

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:63-69 ESV). There is an old adage that says, "Everybody loves a winner. But when you lose, you lose alone." Linda Ronstadt even covered a song that is titled the same. When you think about it, it's a pretty fair assessment of human nature. Instinctively most humans are not drawn to sadness, depression, or loss. And, yet, losing is a very real part of our lives much of the time. We do many things to minimize our experiences of loss or defeat. We make excuses or assign blame that will deflect any responsibility for losing. But the truth is that loss cannot be avoided. In fact, for the Christian it is a part of our calling. That is a central principle of our reading today. The harder the path became, the more the disciples were called on to sacrifice “winning.” This was true of many who had turned to Jesus in the beginning of his ministry. During that first part of Jesus’ ministry people were attracted by His teaching and flocked round Him. Many attached themselves to Him, some of them wholeheartedly, some loosely. Then came a time when their allegiance was tested by the rigors of following Him. That’s when the real nature of the claims of Jesus became apparent. The true disciples were sifted from the false, and the deep from the shallow. Jesus’ claims for Himself and His claims on His followers are such that it is no longer possible to follow Him unreflectively, and without fully committing oneself. In the children’s game of Follow the Leader the idea is to imitate the leader in all he or she does: jumping, walking, rubbing the nose against the wall, screaming, or just making silly gestures. From time to time the leader may be an older and mischievous child who loves difficult tricks. Those who are not able to follow him are left behind. To follow Jesus is to follow the Leader. The difference in the children’s game we used to play is that our leader knows our capabilities and possibilities. He does not lead us into situations we cannot handle. Moreover, He has walked the path He asks us to walk. But many of us have already set our standards and according to them we find His Word too hard to follow. We expect the Lord to talk about love, about forgiveness, about heaven. We don’t like to hear about sacrifice or discipline. We follow Christ as long as we enjoy what He is saying. When we don’t like what He is saying, we quit following. Sadly we miss the only real opportunity for victory. Like Peter we must realize there is no other to go to; Jesus is the only One with the words of life! Who are you trusting for your life today?

Following Jesus - Pt 4

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:24-26 ESV). “Follow Me.” This last phrase in the statement of Jesus is so basic. After we have put aside those selfish desires and become a willing participant in the Gospel, Jesus plainly says, “Follow me.” That’s the same invitation Jesus extends to you and I, the children of God, today. I think it is worthy to note that Jesus is specific about following HIM. Eli Black was a brilliant businessman best known for two events in his life: He masterminded the multimillion dollar takeover of the United Fruit conglomerate, and he jumped to his death from the 42nd floor of the Pan Am building in New York City. In the book An American Company, an executive described a business lunch he had with Eli Black. When the waitress brought a plate of cheese and crackers as an appetizer, Black reached out and took them, placed them on the table, blocked them with his arms, and continued talking. The executive hadn’t eaten for hours and hinted that he would like a cracker. But Black acted as though he hadn’t heard him and went on with the business meeting. After a while, Black placed a cracker and cheese on the tips of his fingers and continued to talk. Several moments later, Black placed the cracker on the executive’s plate and then blocked the rest as before. It was clear that Black was in charge, manipulating others as he pleased. When you play “follow the leader,” check to see who is at the head of the line. Eli Black, for all his power, ended up in suicide. Jesus Christ, in all His humility, ended up the Savior of the world. When the disciples were called of God, they didn’t ask where, when, why or how? They simply left what they were doing and followed Jesus. They put their faith in the person of Jesus Christ. When you and I follow Christ, we will take on Christ’s agenda. We will go where He calls us to go, when He calls us to go, for the reasons He has for us. Sometimes, really many times, we may not even know where, when, why or how God is going to do what He has called us to do. We simply follow by faith. I would be less than honest with you if I didn't disclose to you that this is exactly where I am in my life today. I am having to daily wait for the Lord's next command and provision for me. Are you at the point in your spiritual maturity where you are willing to follow Christ, even if He takes you to unexpected places? The mark of all spiritual giants is a blind trust in the person of Jesus Christ.

Following Jesus - Pt 3

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:24-26 ESV). What in the world did Jesus mean when He instructed the disciples to “shoulder your cross”? That’s also the real question for us today. If we are going to be his disciples, we ought to know what that means for us. What cross do we have to carry? Have you ever heard the song that goes, “I beg your pardon? I never promised you a rose garden?” That’s the song that comes to mind when I read that phrase “take up his cross”. Faith is based on what God has promised to do. God has not promised all of us rose gardens here on earth. He has promised ultimate victory, but the road to Heaven is many times paved with tears. God uses those tears to stretch us and to prepare us for Heaven. When someone becomes a Christian, not only are they giving up their life for Christ’s life, but they are also taking on Christ’s life. That process will sometimes mean heartache. Jesus reminded us that people hated Him, so they will also hate us. Becoming a Christian does not mean that we will always win popularity contests. You should read some of the emails I receive everyday. Most of them are very encouraging, but sometimes I’ll get one from someone so nasty I can’t even let my wife read it. I have heard from many with gracious expressions of gratitude and wonderful testimonies of how such a brief message helped them through a difficult time in their lives. However, I have also been lightly chided for misspelled words and openly attacked for a stand I have taken. That’s quite the gambit of response! Following Christ is risky. The Gospel offends some people. Some people don’t like the challenge it represents to their philosophy or life choices. That is a part of shouldering your cross. If you are a Christian, some people are not going to approve of your beliefs. That shouldn’t surprise you. What should happen is that your resolve for Christ should grow through those times. You and I should recognize the privilege of carrying our cross and suffering for the cause of Christ. Remember that’s just a part of following Christ. And also remember that being on that path is far more desirable than any other! Trust him to take care of you, even in the midst of persecution!

Following Jesus - Pt 2

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:24-26 ESV). What does it mean to “put aside selfish ambition”? Jesus said if we desire to come after Him, we must deny our selves. What does that mean? I can first tell you what it does NOT mean. It doesn’t mean an end to fun. It doesn’t mean we will live our lives like little robots. The Christian life is one of fun and adventure, joy and peace. Jesus came to “give us life” and to give it to us “more abundantly”. The Christian life was never intended to be boring. What it does mean to deny self is to deny yourself the privilege of making up your own mind. As a Christian, we are bound to God through Jesus Christ. Paul goes to great lengths in his writing, however, to explain that this is not bondage as in slavery, but rather it is the freedom of grace. That is not a license to sin, but a freedom from the power of sin in our life. The Christian is free to live his life in a way that honors God. One thing I think most people tend to overlook is the fact that God’s way really does work best. God is not some arbitrary rule maker; He really does plan only the best for His children. We can walk in obedience, because we know that God’s love for us will never take us somewhere that His grace cannot protect us. This is what J. I. Packer says about this concept: Jesus Christ demands self-denial, that is, self-negation (Matt. 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23), as a necessary condition of discipleship. Self-denial is a summons to submit to the authority of God as Father and of Jesus as Lord and to declare lifelong war on one’s instinctive egoism. What is to be negated is not personal self or one’s existence as a rational and responsible human being. Jesus does not plan to turn us into zombies, nor does he ask us to volunteer for a robot role. The required denial is of carnal self, the egocentric, self-deifying urge with which we were born and which dominates us so ruinously in our natural state. Jesus links self-denial with cross bearing. Cross bearing is far more than enduring this or that hardship. Carrying one’s cross in Jesus’ day, as we learn from the story of Jesus’ own crucifixion, was required of those whom society had condemned, whose rights were forfeit, and who were now being led out to their execution. The cross they carried was the instrument of death. Jesus represents discipleship as a matter of following him, and following him as based on taking up one’s cross in self-negation. Carnal self would never consent to cast us in such a role. “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die,” wrote Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer was right: Accepting death to everything that carnal self wants to possess is what Christ’s summons to self-denial was all about. We can deny ourselves the right to make decisions about our life, because we can know that God is in the driver’s seat, and He is working all things for good! Will you?

Following Jesus - Pt 1

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:24-26 ESV). I want us to consider that phrase “wants to be my follower.” What is the greatest desire of your heart? God looks first and foremost at the motivation of a person’s heart. The Bible says that while man looks at the outward appearances, God looks at the heart. What does God see when He looks deep into your heart? There are many people who have managed to hide the true desires of their heart from others. To look at them you might think they were committed followers of Christ. They attend church regularly. They are involved in Bible studies. They have elected positions in their church. They might even give generously to the church. However, when God looks into their hearts he sees only the decay of death. Their true desires don’t line up with those of God. In order for us to experience the victory of Christ in our life, our desires must line up with His desires. Ask yourself these questions: What do you want more than anything else in life? What are your greatest dreams? Of course there is nothing wrong with dreams or ambitions. I believe God wants us to think big. He has blessings for us far greater than our imagination. I don’t think God is concerned that we will be disappointed in His best for us. But, we must ask ourselves, “what if I never get what I want”? “What if God never answers my desires the way I want Him to answer?” Would God still be God in your life? Would you still trust Him the same, or even more? A great test of us maturing in our faith is when we see life through God’s desires rather than our own. Jesus said it like this, just before He faced His final persecution on earth: “Not my will, but Thy will be done.” Are you willing to say that today?

Trust Fall - Pt 3

The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:22-31 ESV). The last few days we have been looking at the power of faith in confronting and overcoming our doubt. This morning’s reading has always perplexed me a bit. How could Paul and Silas keep praying and singing in the midst of such trials? As we have looked at the issue of doubting, which I do believe is a part of the normal Christian growth process, we saw that Peter, the great man of faith had doubts. We also saw that doubting, on its own, is not necessarily sin. It should be our goal to please God with our faith, but doubting by the believer is a normal reaction to certain circumstances of life. One last point in our consideration is seen in this 16th chapter of Acts. Paul and Silas, have been arrested for preaching the gospel. They had been severely beaten. They were actually "flogged", which meant they were stripped of their clothes and beaten repeatedly with a whip laced with broken glass and sharp rocks. They were thrown into a jail, which would probably not pass any sanitary rulings for today's prisons. They were shackled at the feet, and as far as they knew, they were preparing to die. Normal life appeared to be over. Yet, they prayed and sang hymns to God! That is an incredible example set for us. This teaches me is that there is hope for we who doubt. Paul and Silas were at a point in their Christian maturity that regardless of how grim the situation looks, they were going to keep on praising God; keep on praying. Are you there yet? Perhaps you ought to commit more than ever to place your faith in the God who is worthy of all our praise! God is fully in control! Annie Johnson Flint has written a wonderful bit of verse. Use it as a reminder to trust in God! I see not, but God sees; Oh, all sufficient light! My dark and hidden way To Him is always bright. My strained and peering eyes May close in restful ease, And I in peace may sleep; I see not, but He sees.