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June 26, 2023

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Church & Worship, Obedience, Sharing Our Faith

WHATEVER IT TAKES

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. [Acts 1:8 (NLT)]

Church of Columba - Spiez

“We will do anything short of sin to reach those who don’t know Christ,” was frequently said by the pastor of the mountain church at which we worshiped during our Colorado winters. His passionate words reflect the sort of zeal that mountain church has for reaching the unreached.

In Mark’s gospel, we find four men willing to do anything (short of sin) to bring someone to Christ. Jesus was in Capernaum where he previously healed the sick and demon-possessed. Upon hearing the news that Jesus had returned, these four men placed their paralyzed friend on a mat and carried him to the house where the Lord was preaching. Unfortunately, but the house was so mobbed that they couldn’t even get in the door! Unwilling to let a crowd of people keep their sick friend from Jesus, the men carried him up to the roof. While they didn’t sin, I’m not so sure they didn’t break the law when they dug up the thatch and dry mud, removed the tiles, and made a hole in the roof through which they lowered their paralyzed friend to Jesus’ feet.

Timothy certainly went “the extra mile” when the young man underwent circumcision just to become a more effective evangelist to the Jews. In obedience to the Spirit’s direction to go south to the Gaza road, Philip actually walked an extra 42 miles before even getting to that desert road and finally meeting the Ethiopian! His miles, however, pale in comparison to Paul’s! New Testament scholar Dr. Eckhard Schnabel estimates that Paul logged over 15,500 evangelism miles before arriving in Rome in 60 AD. 6,800 of those miles were by sea and another 8,700 were on land (presumably done on foot). Along with the blisters and callouses resulting from all that walking, Paul endured things like imprisonment, shipwrecks, being adrift at sea, whippings, beatings, imprisonment, and being stoned along with bandits, hunger, thirst, bad weather, and attacks from Jews, Gentiles, and false believers. Nevertheless, even when imprisoned, the Apostle relentlessly continued to spread the gospel of Christ in his letters.

Even after Herod ordered James’ death “by sword,” the first believers never stopped doing all they could to bring people to Christ. When Stephen was called before the high council, he knew his words would provoke them. Nevertheless, he courageously witnessed for Jesus until his last breath. Although Peter and John were beaten, imprisoned, and told to stop preaching, they continued to lead people to Jesus. The early church was determined to bring people to the Lord.

Jesus gave us a “great” commission (not a small one) when he told us to go into the world and preach the good news of God’s grace and love. Rather than a suggestion, that was an order and meant to be obeyed! When fulfilling His command, we’re not likely to endure things like circumcision, beatings, imprisonment, bandits, shipwreck, breaking through rooftops, or martyrdom. We don’t have to log over 15,000 travel miles or even walk 42 miles out of the way. Philip didn’t go far to bring Nathanael to the Lord and the woman at the well just ran back into town to bring people to Jesus!

The first believers were willing to do whatever it took to bring people to the Lord. Are today’s believers willing to do the same? Are we willing to leave our own personal comfort zone to bring light into darkness? Great things happened when Andrew invited his brother (Simon Peter) to meet Jesus. Are we even willing to ask our neighbors to church?

Evangelism is not a professional job for a few trained men, but is instead the unrelenting responsibility of every person who belongs to the company of Jesus. [D. Elton Trueblood]

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” [Matthew 28;18-19 (NLT)]

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June 22, 2023

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Bible Stories, Church & Worship, Sharing Our Faith

WAS IT HYPOCRITICAL?

Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. [Acts 16:2-3 (NLT)]

green heron In Acts 16, we meet Timothy, the son of a Greek Gentile and a devout Jewish woman. Paul probably met him several years earlier when he preached in Lystra or Derbe. Both Timothy and his mother were Christ followers and it was from his mother that Timothy became knowledgeable in the Hebrew Scriptures. By the time Paul returned to Lystra, Timothy was a young man who was well-regarded by the churches in Lystra and neighboring Iconium. Seeing his potential, Paul asked the young man to join him on his second missionary journey. Before departing, however, Paul asked Timothy to be circumcised.

Considering the Apostle’s vehement disagreement with the legalists in Antioch, his appeal to the Jerusalem Council, and his letter to the Galatians that clearly stated his opposition to making circumcision a requirement for salvation, Paul’s strange request seems the height of hypocrisy to a 21^st century Christian. It certainly did to me until I considered Paul’s request from a 1^st century Jewish point of view.

Making the transition from an exclusive group united by blood, language, Torah, tradition, and circumcision into a group that was expansive and inclusive could not have been easy for the Jewish believers. Mosaic law purposely set apart Israel from the pagan nations around them. The Torah regulated what could be eaten, how it was to be butchered, what could be done on the Sabbath, and designated what was clean and unclean. Unlike Gentiles, Jews had mezuzahs on their doorposts, were to recite the Shema twice a day, and say grace after meals. Most important, as the outward physical sign of the eternal covenant between God and Abraham, circumcision was seen as essential to being one of the covenant people.

Finding it difficult to set aside their Hebrew heritage, most new Jewish believers continued to observe Jewish customs and laws after becoming followers of Christ. A problematic group were the legalists and Judaizers with their false doctrine that circumcision and observance of the Law were necessary for salvation. Other new believers, however, were separatists. While not insisting that Gentiles observe the law, they continued to faithfully observe it themselves and distanced themselves from Gentile believers. There also were traditionalists among these new believers. Although they associated with Gentile believers, they continued to observe the familiar customs of Judaism. Even Paul, who mixed with and preached to Gentiles, continued to live as an observant Jew and urged others to “remain as you were when God called you.” [1 Co. 7:17] For Paul, being a good Christian didn’t mean he had to be a bad Jew!

As a believer, Timothy was saved, so Paul’s request wasn’t a matter of his salvation; it was a matter of Timothy’s ability to evangelize. The young man was the product of a mixed marriage—something frowned upon by Jews. Although his father was a Gentile Greek, his mother was a Jew which meant Timothy was a Jew and, as a Jew, he should have been circumcised! Without this rite, other Jews would view Timothy as an apostate Jew or a Gentile. Paul often preached in synagogues where neither apostate Jew nor Gentile would be welcome. Paul’s request wasn’t theological; it was pragmatic. Out of dedication to his calling and respect for the Jews, the young man was circumcised so that he could witness for Christ in the synagogues. Timothy became a “Jew” to the Jews so that he could bring the Jews to Jesus!

Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. [1 Corinthians 9:19-21 (NLT)]

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June 19, 2023

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Church & Worship, God's Word: The Bible, Sharing Our Faith, Wisdom & Guidance

UNITY, LIBERTY, AND CHARITY

“For the Lord gave us this command when he said, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’” When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers. So the Lord’s message spread throughout that region. Then the Jews stirred up the influential religious women and the leaders of the city, and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town. [Acts 13:47-50 (NLT)]

swamp lily I think Satan chuckles every time he sees another division in Christ’s church. He probably shouted with glee when the Southern Baptist Convention recently expelled five congregations (including the mega Saddleback church) and when the no-longer-united United Methodists lost 1,800 congregations and found themselves embroiled in lawsuits with many of those congregations. Although Methodist Bishop Tom Berlin sadly noted that, “The path of anger and hostility is not the Christian way,” it seems to have become the way of Christ’s church in the 21^st century! While today’s issues are different, they are no less divisive than an issue that threatened the very existence of the early church.

The book of Acts opens with the apostles witnessing “throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (or at least as far as Galatia). Philip preached in Samaria as did Peter and John. After converting an Ethiopian and sending the gospel message south beyond Egypt, Philip brought the gospel north to the mixed population of Caesarea. Peter brought the Good News to the Gentile household of Cornelius in Caesarea and believers who fled Judea after Stephen’s death brought the word of God as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. While some preached only to the Jews, Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles in Antioch of Pisidia and throughout Pamphylia before returning to Antioch of Syria.

Although the new church accepted the conversion of the Gentiles, not everyone was happy about it. Some Jewish believers saw the inclusion of Gentiles as a dilution of Judaism rather than an expansion of Christ’s church. While Paul and Barnabas were in Antioch, a group of legalists arrived. Sometimes called Judaizers, they taught that Mosaic law must be followed by Gentiles and insisted upon circumcision as a requirement for the Gentiles’ salvation. Paul and Barnabas vehemently disagreed. This wasn’t a simple matter of life-style or manner or worship in which the two sides could agree to disagree. It was a matter of doctrine! Setting adherence to Mosaic law and circumcision as prerequisites for salvation was a denial of God’s grace! This issue threatened to divide and possibly defeat the new church.

Paul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem to settle the matter around 49 or 50 AD and the Apostles and church leaders held the Jerusalem Council. Peter got down to basics by pointing out where they all agreed—all are saved by “the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” After Paul and Barnabas confirmed the presence of the Spirit in the new Gentile believers, James reminded the Council of the words of Amos and his prophecy of a Messianic kingdom that would include Gentiles. Understanding that God’s plan of redemption included all nations, the Council agreed that unnecessary burdens should not be laid on the Gentiles.

While the Council rejected the view of the legalists, they also understood that some of the Gentiles’ practices were particularly offensive to their Jewish brethren. James suggested a letter to the Gentile believers asking them to refrain from previous pagan practices such as eating food sacrificed to idols, sexual immorality, drinking blood, and eating the meat of strangled animals. Those requests, however, had nothing to do with doctrine or the Gentiles’ salvation; they were about refraining from customs that kept the Gentiles and Jews from eating together. Although Gentiles were not bound by the law of Moses, all believers are bound by Christ’s law of love for one another and for Him.

Two simple lessons are found in Acts 15. The first is that while there are many opinions, there is only one truth. Concession is never right when it compromises the essential truth of God’s Word! Refusing to bend to the opinion of the legalists, the new church held firmly to the truth that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Second, when it is a matter of opinion or preference, there is plenty of room among believers for concession and compromise. A small concession on the part of the Gentiles kept the church united as both Jewish and Gentile believers broke bread together.

Today’s church continues to be bound by Christ’s law of love. Let us remember that tolerance of one another’s preferences and opinions, as long as they don’t compromise doctrine, is as essential in today’s church as it was in the 1^st century.

In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity. [Rupertus Meldenius]

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all. [Ephesians 4:1-6 (NLT)]

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May 29, 2023

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Prayer, Sharing Our Faith

CATHOLIC WITH A SMALL “C”

Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. [Ephesians 2:20-21 (NLT)]

We believe in…the holy catholic church. [Apostle’s Creed]

dayflower When reciting the creeds as a youngster, I wondered why I said we believed in the catholic church when we didn’t go to one. My family didn’t attend the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our priest was married, and our service was in English, so why did we attest faith in the catholic church? It wasn’t until my confirmation class that I clearly understood that the creeds weren’t referring to the Roman Catholic church. Coming from the Greek katholikos (derived from kath holos, meaning “throughout the whole”), catholic simply means universal! The term originates from the first century and the words of Ignatius of Antioch: “Where Jesus Christ is, there is the catholic church.”

The catholic church wasn’t founded by Peter, James, Paul, Clement, Ignatius, or Polycarp. It wasn’t founded by Augustine, Emperors Constantine or Theodosius, or Patriarch Michael Cerularius nor was it founded by reformers like Martin Luther, John Wesley, John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, or John Calvin. The catholic church was founded by Jesus! The “catholic” in the creeds simply confirms the universality of the entire Christian church—a church that is not confined by ethnicity, race, geography, language, culture, or time. The catholic church shares a common confession of God’s redemptive work in Christ and our necessary response to it.

While we Christ followers may disagree on a number of secondary and minor issues like celibacy for the clergy or the day to worship, we agree about the essentials of faith and are united by the beliefs stated in the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian creeds. It is this unity that transcends our various denominational differences. Our brothers and sisters in Christ may belong to different churches and worship in different ways, but we all are members of the holy catholic church.

Nevertheless, some still mistake catholic with the small “c” for (Roman) Catholic with the capital “C.” To avoid any confusion, some Protestant churches prefer to say “holy Christian church” when reciting the creeds but it’s the same thing. Regardless of the term used, the catholic church is what remains when all the Christian church buildings burn down and the priests and ministers all leave town.

Sadly, however, Christians sometimes forget that we’re in the same family. A friend attended the same church for nearly two decades and, as one of the parish’s “prayer warriors,” she received a weekly list of prayer requests. Within a week of her quietly changing to another Christian church, she stopped getting the list. She contacted her previous pastor and, after pointing out that her love for her brothers and sisters in Christ did not stop when she changed her place of worship, she respectfully asked to keep receiving the prayer list so she could continue offering prayers for their needs and praises for their blessings. Unfortunately, her request fell on deaf ears. Perhaps, just as I did when a child, the pastor confused one’s place and manner of worship with what it means to be part of the catholic church.

Indeed, wherever Christ is, there we find the church. Without a doubt, Jesus tells us to pray and why anybody would arbitrarily decide who is allowed to pray for someone or whose prayers God will hear is beyond me. I’ll gladly welcome any prayer sent on my behalf, regardless of who offers it or where they attend church. If they believe in and worship God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, they are my brothers and sisters and members of my church—the holy catholic church—the body of Christ!

For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. [Galatians 3:26-29 (NLT)]

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May 25, 2023

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Attitudes & Behavior, Church & Worship, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Joy, Salvation: A New You, Sharing Our Faith

WORSHIP AND FUN

Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. [Hebrews 12:28 (MSG)]

big cypress fox squirrel Can worship be fun? In various translations, Hebrews 12:28 tells us to worship God with reverence and awe, honor and respect, or deep reverence. No where is there any mention of fun. In fact, except for the somewhat cynical and world-weary words directing us to eat, drink, and be merry in Ecclesiastes 8:15 Scripture uses the word “fun” in a negative way—that of “making fun” of someone. Hagar was sent away after she and Ishmael made fun of Isaac, Delilah accused Sampson of making fun of her with his lies, and the fertile Peninnah made fun of Hannah because of her barrenness. So, if, by “fun,” we mean mere amusement (especially at another’s expense), it doesn’t seem that fun and worship go hand in hand. On the other hand, if by “fun” we mean something deeper than light-hearted entertainment or diversion, perhaps it does.

When using fun in its broader definition of enjoyable, pleasurable, and joyful, it appears that worship can and should be all that and more! After all, there are well over 300 instances of joy, joyful, or joyous in Scripture, many of which are associated with worship. 2 Chronicles 30 tell us that the people of Judah enjoyed the seven-day festival of Passover so much that “they celebrated joyfully for another week” and “there was great joy in the city.” Although having fun should never be our primary purpose for worship, we often find that worship gives rise to enjoyment, pleasure, and joy! Indeed, worship can be fun!

Worship, however, is more than an act; it is an attitude not limited to Sunday mornings and church. Since God’s Holy Spirit lives in us, we should live in a way that corresponds to His nature at all times. Colossians 3:23 tells us to work as though we were working for the Lord, perhaps we should play the same way—as if we were playing with the Lord! Just as we worship in our work by serving, witnessing, honoring and glorifying Him as we labor, we should do the same in our leisure time and fun.

But, does the way we relax, play, and spend our free time honor and glorify the Lord? Do we choose our reading material, movies, or TV shows with Him in mind? When socializing with our friends, do our words and actions give evidence of God’s presence in our lives? Do we honor God and His children with our humor or does it consist of mockery, sarcasm, or ridicule? As for sports—does the way we compete and react to the coach’s decisions, the umpire’s call, another player’s error, or our defeat honor God? Do we bring Him to Bible study and choir practice but leave the Lord behind when going to the gym, pickleball court, golf course, yoga studio, bridge table, or book club? Is Jesus invited when we dish with our friends over coffee, watch our child’s baseball game, or relax at the 19^th hole with our golf buddies? Do we pack God in our bag when we go on vacation or is He left home with the work clothes and computer? What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas but whatever happens in Vegas is how we’ve chosen to worship the Lord!

Worshiping God in spirit and in truth means we worship with our entire lives, at all times, and in all places—whether at church, work, or play. Regardless of what we’re doing or where we’re doing it, our words and actions always should bring glory to God. The question really isn’t whether worship can be fun; the question is whether our fun is worship!

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. [Romans 12:1-3 (MSG)]

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May 18, 2023

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Attitudes & Behavior, Family, Friends & Fellowship, God's Plan, Sharing Our Faith, Sorrow, Grief & Regrets, Trusting God

THE BEST THING ABOUT HEAVEN

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. [John 3:18-19 (ESV)]

As Christ’s followers, we look forward to our heavenly home. On the other hand, we also cherish life here and now and, unless severely incapacitated or wracked in pain, we aren’t in a rush to depart. Nevertheless, our faith in what lies ahead keeps us from wanting to prolong the inevitable or fearing the unknown. As beautiful as life is on earth, we know that what awaits us is far better than anything we could envision. As the Apostle Paul told the Philippians, “Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” [1:20-21] Whether living or dead, it’s all good for a believer!

While Christians should have no qualms about death, one Christian friend is approaching her departure date with misgivings. It’s not because of fear; as a follower of Christ, she knows she holds a ticket on the train to Heaven. Her reluctance is because many of her loved ones are unbelievers whose train won’t be bound for glory. Imagining she will eternally mourn their absence in the hereafter, she can’t picture any joy in heaven without them.

Entrance through the pearly gates isn’t earned by good works because even our most righteous deeds fall short of God’s glory. Moreover, no one gets into heaven just because they were baptized as an infant, attended Sunday school, or can recite the Lord’s Prayer, the books of the Bible, and the Apostles’ Creed. Works, water, knowledge, and words mean nothing without the change of heart that comes with faith in Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit. It is faith in Christ that saves us and, unlike traits such as brown eyes or curly hair, faith isn’t in people’s DNA; it’s in their hearts. While our example and message may influence our loved ones, ultimately, each person has to make a personal decision whether or not to believe in Jesus. As believers, all we can do is pray, share, and continue to witness with our words and lives—the rest is up to them.

Since our Good Shepherd does not want to lose any sheep, we can be sure that He will offer our loved ones every opportunity to come into the fold. Moreover, it’s impossible for any of us to know what someone else truly believes. We are neither judge nor jury; only God knows what is in people’s hearts and only He will determine their final destination. We may be pleasantly surprised on the other side of those pearly gates!

Nevertheless, it’s a painful reality that not everyone we love will choose Jesus. The good news is that some eventually do! Several years ago, a friend expressed distress that her unbelieving and skeptical husband was not destined for God’s kingdom. Without nagging or whining, she encouraged him to join her at church, read Scripture, and to freely seek answers to his many questions. Like St. Augustine’s mother Monica, my friend also prayed for him relentlessly. Not long ago, her husband professed his belief and was baptized!

We know that God is perfect and everything about him is perfection—His judgment, His plan of salvation, and His dwelling place. Yet, how could heaven be perfect if the people we love aren’t with us? While Scripture doesn’t give us the answer, it does tell us that God is compassionate, merciful, and “filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.” As such, He would never condemn his faithful children to an eternity of sorrow in His heavenly home. Wiping every tear from our eyes, He promises “there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.” [Revelation 21:4]

Let’s remember that being reunited with loved ones isn’t the best thing about Heaven. The best thing about Heaven is being in the presence of God and face to face with Jesus!

It is not darkness you are going to, for God is Light. It is not lonely, for Christ is with you. It is not unknown country, for Christ is there. [Charles Kingsley]

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. [John 14:1-3 (ESV)]