27"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell".
“But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Lustful intent in the heart is destructive. The Greek for “looks at a woman lustfully”, pros to epithymēsai autēn, (Mt.5:28) in the teaching of Jesus is literally looking at a woman for the purpose of lusting after her to have her sexually. The Kingdom of God has come as Jesus teaches the law in the hill country of Galilee and to us through his word. As Moses received the Law from God and made it known to the people of Israel he said, “You shall not commit adultery.” (Mt.5:27; Ex.20:14; Deut.5:18). But the teachers of that Law in the days of Jesus had relaxed on the commandments and taught others to do the same (Mt.5:19) or had added their own traditions which outweighed the heart of God’s Law. Therefore Jesus teaches the true nature of the Law of the Kingdom, and in the Law of the Kingdom lustful intent is destructive to the glory of God and his image bearers.
When David looked upon the beauty of Bathsheba (2Sam.11:1-12, 25) he looked for the purpose of lusting after her. The desire for her beauty was in his heart (Pr.4:23; 6:25). The lust dwelt in his heart and he used the instruments of his heart, his eyes and hands to have her for his own pleasure. The rest is a bloody destructive history. Lustful intent is destructive. The wisdom of Proverbs warns the young man against the temptation of sexual lust on three occasions (Pr.5:1-23; 6:20-35; 7:1-23), and in a sexually depraved culture young and old must heed these warnings. Spiritual ruin awaits the lustful heart and the ruinous affects are widespread.
When the church relaxes on the commands of God against lust and teaches others to do the same it places itself as a train on runaway tracks toward destruction. Therefore where the law convicts of sin by taking us to the heart of the commands Jesus calls for repentance. In verses 29 – 30 we read, “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” Repentance and faith are the brakes of the lust train. It is better to not see than to see and bring destruction, and it is better to not have with our hands than to have and bring ruin. You cannot gouge out eyes or cut off hands in a relaxed atmosphere. There is pain and weeping, blood and loss, but in the end there is the joy of the Lord and his Kingdom of righteousness. Gouging out means that what you see by faith is better in blindness than what you see in the flesh with sight. It is radical but so is hell. Hell is radical punishment against sin in enduring flame, thirst, destruction and sorrow. Being satisfied temporally in the flesh does not compare to the pleasures in the presence of God forevermore (Ps.16:11). Therefore it is better to suffer the destruction of the flesh in the present to live in the pleasure of God now and forevermore. The kingdom of Jesus is one of righteousness. It is founded in his righteousness and lives in his righteousness. Therefore his kingdom is filled with men without eyes and without hands for the sake of the kingdom. It is filled with men who for the sake of his name account their lives in the earth as nothing in order that they may live in his kingdom.
Men must give their hearts the feast of sitting at the banqueting table of God’s glory in Christ through his means of grace everyday. Men must delight in the wife of their youth and if they do not have one prepare for her. Men must fight to put sin to death in their hearts by setting their minds on the things of the Spirit and things above. Men must know their limits and ask their brothers and their wives to hold their eyes and their hands. Men everywhere must repent and call upon the name of the Lord that times of refreshing may come.
The Lord Jesus was righteous and pure in his thoughts toward his image bearers. His heart was not bent to use a woman for his own pleasure. His pleasure was to do the will of the Father who sent him. Therefore he is the perfect Savior for lust filled sinners. The lust of his church was imputed to him at the cross and nailed there stained with his own blood. The need for purity of heart is in the heart of Jesus. And the need for purity of life is in the holy life of Jesus. We come to him by repentance and faith and abide in his Kingdom by repentance and faith.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Today I Wondered
Today I wondered…
Why does my yellow Lab sit entranced gazing out the glass door at the squirrel searching for a nut in the herb bed? Does she want to eat it? Does she want to chase it? Or, is she content with her place on the other side of the glass?
And then I wondered…
Why does my freshly turned 8 year old daughter have so much delight about the same squirrel? As she sat to do her math at the kitchen table and yet admitted her guilt so easily by telling me with great joy and wonder of the squirrel’s exact patterns of behavior for the last few minutes…why couldn’t she just do her work?
But more importantly I wondered…
Why is it so easy for me to walk away because it’s just a squirrel? After all, I too have work to do. An imago Dei, made in the image of God, and yet I have no wonder about what my Creator displays before my eyes. He is a brilliant playwright, a magnificent screenwriter, a most wise and creative author, a skilled painter, an amazing sculptor, an exact engineer and all as One who does it ex nihilo, out of nothing. What has turned my wonder sensors to mush or is to impenetrable steel? Open my eyes that I may see your wonderful works and delight myself in You.
Why does my yellow Lab sit entranced gazing out the glass door at the squirrel searching for a nut in the herb bed? Does she want to eat it? Does she want to chase it? Or, is she content with her place on the other side of the glass?
And then I wondered…
Why does my freshly turned 8 year old daughter have so much delight about the same squirrel? As she sat to do her math at the kitchen table and yet admitted her guilt so easily by telling me with great joy and wonder of the squirrel’s exact patterns of behavior for the last few minutes…why couldn’t she just do her work?
But more importantly I wondered…
Why is it so easy for me to walk away because it’s just a squirrel? After all, I too have work to do. An imago Dei, made in the image of God, and yet I have no wonder about what my Creator displays before my eyes. He is a brilliant playwright, a magnificent screenwriter, a most wise and creative author, a skilled painter, an amazing sculptor, an exact engineer and all as One who does it ex nihilo, out of nothing. What has turned my wonder sensors to mush or is to impenetrable steel? Open my eyes that I may see your wonderful works and delight myself in You.
Dealing with Sin in Biblical Marriages
When we fail to help our believing spouses deal with sin we fail to help them receive mercy. In Proverbs 28:13 we read, “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” God gives mercy to the humble (Jas.4:6) and to those who turn away from sin to do the Lord’s will he is merciful. Therefore to not assist our spouses in dealing with sin is to forfeit the privilege of leading them to mercy and the responsibility doing good to them. The question is, “How do I help my spouse deal with sin?”.
First we must recognize that our spouses who have been regenerated in Christ by the Spirit are in the process of sanctification. The Westminster Confession defines God’s work in the believer: “They, who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them:...” (WCF XIII.1) Sanctification is the work of God in the person who is united to Christ by faith and living in him by the power of the Holy Spirit and by his means of grace. It is not a husband or wife’s role to sanctify their spouse.
Second we must recognize that our spouses who are regenerate and are being sanctified are in the midst of a war. The Westminster Confession describes the war in this way: “This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man; yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part; whence arises a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.” (WCF XIII.2). Husbands and wives are given to one another to fight together in war, not against one another in war. In war there is needed a “Band of Brothers” or in this case brothers and sisters who will sacrifice for one another in love to see each other through the war against the enemy.
Third a spouse must acknowledge that God is patient in dealing with his children’s sin. In Psalm 103:8-14 we read, “ 8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. 14For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” A spouse must look to the patience of the Lord in regard to his own life as he looks to God’s grace and patience toward his spouse. Patience is not the same as excusing sin or overlooking it because you are afraid of a man or a woman. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit that enables a spouse to bear with one another in love (Eph.4:2; Col.3:13-14) or overlook an offense (Pr.17:9; 19:11).
Fourth a spouse will not overlook the good that God is working in the life of their husband or wife in the midst of the sin. When the Lord Jesus is speaking with his church in Ephesus he does not overlook the good that they are doing in the midst of dealing with their sin of losing their love that they had for him at the beginning (Rev.2:1-7). When a husband or wife is praying about helping their spouse with sin they must remember with thanksgiving before God all the good that God is doing in their life. And this must be acknowledged before their spouse as they come to them in love and gentleness to restore them.
Fifth, we must only seek to deal with indisputable sin, that is sin that is clearly prohibited by Scripture and easily recognizable by anyone. We must be careful not to have standard that is higher than Gods. We are not called to seek our own preferences in our spouses. A spouse must be careful to know the difference between sin that God hates and things you do not like or things that irritate them. A spouse we must not presume to know the motives of their spouse’s heart. The Scriptures define sin and a spouse can only bind the conscience of their husband or wife with the Word of God. There is a difference between a husband choosing to watch a football game and refusing to go to work. There is a difference between a wife not having ironed a shirt and staying home all day only to watch soap operas, Oprah and Dr. Phil.
Sixth, a husband and wife must acknowledge their responsibility in helping their spouse deal with sin. The apostle Paul instructs us in Galatians 6:1, “1Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” As we walk toward our spouses in this responsibility we must do it in a manner worthy of the Lord “with all humility, and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” (Eph.4:2). A husband or wife who is spiritual or able to do this work of restoration is acknowledging their own sin before the Lord and their spouse. When you see your brothers sin look for your own that you may be poor in spirit and mourning for your sin as well as your spouses. The aim is to bring the husband or wife to the mercies of God, to restore them with gentleness before his presence at his throne of grace to help them in their time of need (Heb.4:16). However we must acknowledge that there is a difference in being “caught in any transgression” and committing sin. Caught in a transgression implies that some sin has a hold on them and committing sin implies that they are not practicing a particular sin but have committed a sin. We should not be eager to rebuke them for this is usually a sign of spiritual pride. We should rather be eager to pray for them diligently asking the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts through the Word of truth to restore them. We should be eager to pray for what would be our responsibility and how to carry that out in a spirit of humility, love, gentleness and patience. We should give them reasonable time. We should ask them how they are doing and if there is anything more we can do to serve them. And then we must be willing to assist them by seeking to gently restore them to the Lord. We must seek to do this as one sinner addressing another sinner in how to receive more mercy and find more grace in time of need. We must give them time to respond.
Christian and biblical marriages need the grace of accountability with one another. Too often Christians opt for their ladies group or their men’s group for this accountability. God glorifying marriages will seek this accountability in the loving relationship they have in God’s covenant of grace in Christ. We must help our husbands and wives deal with sin in the context of the covenant of marriage that it will display the glory of God’s grace in Christ.
First we must recognize that our spouses who have been regenerated in Christ by the Spirit are in the process of sanctification. The Westminster Confession defines God’s work in the believer: “They, who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them:...” (WCF XIII.1) Sanctification is the work of God in the person who is united to Christ by faith and living in him by the power of the Holy Spirit and by his means of grace. It is not a husband or wife’s role to sanctify their spouse.
Second we must recognize that our spouses who are regenerate and are being sanctified are in the midst of a war. The Westminster Confession describes the war in this way: “This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man; yet imperfect in this life, there abiding still some remnants of corruption in every part; whence arises a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.” (WCF XIII.2). Husbands and wives are given to one another to fight together in war, not against one another in war. In war there is needed a “Band of Brothers” or in this case brothers and sisters who will sacrifice for one another in love to see each other through the war against the enemy.
Third a spouse must acknowledge that God is patient in dealing with his children’s sin. In Psalm 103:8-14 we read, “ 8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. 14For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” A spouse must look to the patience of the Lord in regard to his own life as he looks to God’s grace and patience toward his spouse. Patience is not the same as excusing sin or overlooking it because you are afraid of a man or a woman. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit that enables a spouse to bear with one another in love (Eph.4:2; Col.3:13-14) or overlook an offense (Pr.17:9; 19:11).
Fourth a spouse will not overlook the good that God is working in the life of their husband or wife in the midst of the sin. When the Lord Jesus is speaking with his church in Ephesus he does not overlook the good that they are doing in the midst of dealing with their sin of losing their love that they had for him at the beginning (Rev.2:1-7). When a husband or wife is praying about helping their spouse with sin they must remember with thanksgiving before God all the good that God is doing in their life. And this must be acknowledged before their spouse as they come to them in love and gentleness to restore them.
Fifth, we must only seek to deal with indisputable sin, that is sin that is clearly prohibited by Scripture and easily recognizable by anyone. We must be careful not to have standard that is higher than Gods. We are not called to seek our own preferences in our spouses. A spouse must be careful to know the difference between sin that God hates and things you do not like or things that irritate them. A spouse we must not presume to know the motives of their spouse’s heart. The Scriptures define sin and a spouse can only bind the conscience of their husband or wife with the Word of God. There is a difference between a husband choosing to watch a football game and refusing to go to work. There is a difference between a wife not having ironed a shirt and staying home all day only to watch soap operas, Oprah and Dr. Phil.
Sixth, a husband and wife must acknowledge their responsibility in helping their spouse deal with sin. The apostle Paul instructs us in Galatians 6:1, “1Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” As we walk toward our spouses in this responsibility we must do it in a manner worthy of the Lord “with all humility, and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” (Eph.4:2). A husband or wife who is spiritual or able to do this work of restoration is acknowledging their own sin before the Lord and their spouse. When you see your brothers sin look for your own that you may be poor in spirit and mourning for your sin as well as your spouses. The aim is to bring the husband or wife to the mercies of God, to restore them with gentleness before his presence at his throne of grace to help them in their time of need (Heb.4:16). However we must acknowledge that there is a difference in being “caught in any transgression” and committing sin. Caught in a transgression implies that some sin has a hold on them and committing sin implies that they are not practicing a particular sin but have committed a sin. We should not be eager to rebuke them for this is usually a sign of spiritual pride. We should rather be eager to pray for them diligently asking the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts through the Word of truth to restore them. We should be eager to pray for what would be our responsibility and how to carry that out in a spirit of humility, love, gentleness and patience. We should give them reasonable time. We should ask them how they are doing and if there is anything more we can do to serve them. And then we must be willing to assist them by seeking to gently restore them to the Lord. We must seek to do this as one sinner addressing another sinner in how to receive more mercy and find more grace in time of need. We must give them time to respond.
Christian and biblical marriages need the grace of accountability with one another. Too often Christians opt for their ladies group or their men’s group for this accountability. God glorifying marriages will seek this accountability in the loving relationship they have in God’s covenant of grace in Christ. We must help our husbands and wives deal with sin in the context of the covenant of marriage that it will display the glory of God’s grace in Christ.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Happy Birthday Stonewall Jackson
A hero came among us, as we slept,
At first he lowly knelt, then rose and wept,
Then gathering up a thousand spears,
He swept across the field of Mars,
Then bowed farewell, and walked among the stars
In the land where we were dreaming.
George L. Christian
It is important that we remember those who have gone before us and especially on their birthdays. Today marks the birthday of one of my heroes, Stonewall Jackson. On January 21, 1824 Thomas J. Jackson was born to Jonathan and Julia Jackson as their third child in Clarksburg Virginia. After being mortally wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville he died at the young age of 39 on May 10, 1863 during the War Between the States. Heroes are marked by their exemplary lives and it is in this way I would like to remember him.
“He was a man of God first, last and always.” (Rev. James Graham). The glory of God in all things was of first importance to Jackson. “God was in all his thoughts” said James Power Smith. S. “His alliance with eternal realities; his foretaste of the power of the world to come; his deep and genuine piety, his adherence to the Bible, the Church, the Lord’s Day, his keeping of his own conscience before God and men, are the outstanding traits of a spiritual prince who was greater than anything he did, and whose deeds took rise in his being.” (S. Parks Cadman) He persevered by the certainty of who God is and the surety of his promises. He wrote, “However dark the night, I am cheered with anticipated glorious and luminous morrow…No earthly calamity can shake my hope in the future so long as God is my friend.”
He was a man of the Word and Prayer. Col. Francis H. Smith said that Jackson, “took the word of God as his guide, and unhesitatingly accepted all therein revealed.” He studied the Scriptures and his two favorite passages came from the New Testament: Revelation 21:4, He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. and Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. These particular verses tell of the hope he had in God as he struggled with much brokenness in this life. Harvey Hill said of him, “The striking characteristic of his mind was his profound reverence for divine authority” (God’s Word).” This love for and obedience to God’s word was accompanied by faithful prayer. He was always full of prayer to God. On one occasion while in war he spent many hours in council with his officers about plans for battle. After listening to their many opinions and the discussion he told his men he would give them his answer in the morning. The men left the tent and as they were leaving A.P. Hill joked to Gen. Richard S. Ewell, “Well, I suppose Jackson wants to pray over it.” Later that evening realizing he had left his sword in Jackson’s tent Ewell went to retrieve it and found Jackson on his knees by his cot laboring in prayer for wisdom. Ewell later was converted to Christianity.
He was a man who loved his neighbor. The times that Jackson lived in cannot be judged by our own. In 1855 in Lexington Virginia Jackson started a Sunday School class for slave children that met in the Presbyterian church where he was a member. He approached the masters of the slaves and asked permission to teach the children. He then made announcement to parents of the children and the children inviting them to come freely to his class. Each Sunday at 3:00 pm the doors would close to the church where over 100 children had gathered for his class voluntarily. If they were not there when the doors closed they would be locked out and after the first week of being locked out they made certain they were early. He would teach them from the Scriptures and then break them into small groups to learn the catechism where he had appointed young black adult men to lead those groups. The class continued until 1861 when he left Lexington for war. During the War he would send money back home to the church to assist his class. The class ran until 1880. Many of his students were there to mourn his death when he was brought back to Lexington. A number of the students entered the ministry as pastors of black churches in Virginia and beyond. He told them of the cross and cared for their souls with his life, the word and in prayer, even while away at war.
Much more could be said of this hero of our American past but I will allow his contemporaries speak. James Powell Smith said of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, “Outwardly, Jackson was not a stone wall, for it was not in his nature to be stable and defensive, but vigorously active. He was an avalanche from an unexpected quarter. He was a thunderbolt from a clear sky. And yet he was in character and will more like a stone wall than any man I have known.” And one of his students remarked of him in 1886, “His fame is as lasting as the solid stones of his native hills…and yet there is for him, a purer, nobler record- his quiet Christian walk in life, his right words, his faithful manly bearing, his victory over self, his known devotion to the Word of truth. He was indeed a soldier of the cross.” I remember Stonewall Jackson as a man who knew the true God and loved him in praise, thanksgiving, trust and obedience. I pray we have more men like him.
At first he lowly knelt, then rose and wept,
Then gathering up a thousand spears,
He swept across the field of Mars,
Then bowed farewell, and walked among the stars
In the land where we were dreaming.
George L. Christian
It is important that we remember those who have gone before us and especially on their birthdays. Today marks the birthday of one of my heroes, Stonewall Jackson. On January 21, 1824 Thomas J. Jackson was born to Jonathan and Julia Jackson as their third child in Clarksburg Virginia. After being mortally wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville he died at the young age of 39 on May 10, 1863 during the War Between the States. Heroes are marked by their exemplary lives and it is in this way I would like to remember him.
“He was a man of God first, last and always.” (Rev. James Graham). The glory of God in all things was of first importance to Jackson. “God was in all his thoughts” said James Power Smith. S. “His alliance with eternal realities; his foretaste of the power of the world to come; his deep and genuine piety, his adherence to the Bible, the Church, the Lord’s Day, his keeping of his own conscience before God and men, are the outstanding traits of a spiritual prince who was greater than anything he did, and whose deeds took rise in his being.” (S. Parks Cadman) He persevered by the certainty of who God is and the surety of his promises. He wrote, “However dark the night, I am cheered with anticipated glorious and luminous morrow…No earthly calamity can shake my hope in the future so long as God is my friend.”
He was a man of the Word and Prayer. Col. Francis H. Smith said that Jackson, “took the word of God as his guide, and unhesitatingly accepted all therein revealed.” He studied the Scriptures and his two favorite passages came from the New Testament: Revelation 21:4, He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. and Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. These particular verses tell of the hope he had in God as he struggled with much brokenness in this life. Harvey Hill said of him, “The striking characteristic of his mind was his profound reverence for divine authority” (God’s Word).” This love for and obedience to God’s word was accompanied by faithful prayer. He was always full of prayer to God. On one occasion while in war he spent many hours in council with his officers about plans for battle. After listening to their many opinions and the discussion he told his men he would give them his answer in the morning. The men left the tent and as they were leaving A.P. Hill joked to Gen. Richard S. Ewell, “Well, I suppose Jackson wants to pray over it.” Later that evening realizing he had left his sword in Jackson’s tent Ewell went to retrieve it and found Jackson on his knees by his cot laboring in prayer for wisdom. Ewell later was converted to Christianity.
He was a man who loved his neighbor. The times that Jackson lived in cannot be judged by our own. In 1855 in Lexington Virginia Jackson started a Sunday School class for slave children that met in the Presbyterian church where he was a member. He approached the masters of the slaves and asked permission to teach the children. He then made announcement to parents of the children and the children inviting them to come freely to his class. Each Sunday at 3:00 pm the doors would close to the church where over 100 children had gathered for his class voluntarily. If they were not there when the doors closed they would be locked out and after the first week of being locked out they made certain they were early. He would teach them from the Scriptures and then break them into small groups to learn the catechism where he had appointed young black adult men to lead those groups. The class continued until 1861 when he left Lexington for war. During the War he would send money back home to the church to assist his class. The class ran until 1880. Many of his students were there to mourn his death when he was brought back to Lexington. A number of the students entered the ministry as pastors of black churches in Virginia and beyond. He told them of the cross and cared for their souls with his life, the word and in prayer, even while away at war.
Much more could be said of this hero of our American past but I will allow his contemporaries speak. James Powell Smith said of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, “Outwardly, Jackson was not a stone wall, for it was not in his nature to be stable and defensive, but vigorously active. He was an avalanche from an unexpected quarter. He was a thunderbolt from a clear sky. And yet he was in character and will more like a stone wall than any man I have known.” And one of his students remarked of him in 1886, “His fame is as lasting as the solid stones of his native hills…and yet there is for him, a purer, nobler record- his quiet Christian walk in life, his right words, his faithful manly bearing, his victory over self, his known devotion to the Word of truth. He was indeed a soldier of the cross.” I remember Stonewall Jackson as a man who knew the true God and loved him in praise, thanksgiving, trust and obedience. I pray we have more men like him.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Why the Cross
And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. - Luke 23:26
Jesus had been delivered up by Pilate to the will of the Jews for his death. He bore in his body the marks of suffering after a Roman flogging. His physical body was weakened and opened as he was brutally despised and rejected by men. It was to be the cursed death by the cross, cursed is everyone who hung on a tree (Gal.3:13). He bore the cross for his inheritance, a people whom the Father loved to be holy and blameless in and through the Son, an inheritance who would worship him forevermore for his glorious grace. This glory was preceded by pain and sorrow, darkness and rejection, and unbelief and hatred because of the suffering and the cross that Jesus bore for the sins of his people. And in the midst of this mystery, the unfolding of God’s sovereign wisdom, power and goodness of putting the Son forward as an atoning substitute in sacrifice, there arrived on the scene an insignificant man from the country, Simon of Cyrene.
Simon arrived from North Africa for the Passover in Jerusalem. Mark tells us that he is the father of Alexander and Rufus (Mk.15:21). These sons may have been known to the early church when Mark wrote the gospel. Rufus is mentioned in Romans 16:13 as chosen in the Lord and his mother who had been a help to Paul in the ministry. However, we do not know if this is the same Rufus. However, as we look to Simon of Cyrene we see that he was seized and compelled by the Roman soldiers to carry the cross of Jesus following behind him as they went to the place of the skull or Golgotha. This insignificant man from the country of North Africa was seeking glory in Jerusalem and instead found the cross.
Carrying the cross behind Jesus is the calling of all the insignificant ones chosen to follow Christ. I do not know if Simon was a follower of Christ or not but on this day he was in a way that all are who are called to follow Christ. If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Lk.9:23). The glory that Jesus longed for to be restored to him (Jn.17:5) was restored through the way of the cross. And the glory that we as his image bearers long for will only be given to those who do not seek to save their lives in the earth, but who for the sake of the glory of Christ will lose it in following Jesus by the way of the cross.
Simon was given a particular cross to bear, Jesus’ cross. The followers of Jesus must follow him to his glory through the hill of death under his cross. The crosses we are called to bear are also the crosses of Jesus. They are his as they are given us by him. For everything is from him, through him and to him for his glory (Rom.11:36) and he is using it all for his own glory and our good (Rom.8:28-29). Therefore we must recognize that the crosses we bear are his way of extending more grace to more people. If Jesus sought to preserve his life in this earth we would not receive more grace. It was good for Jesus to take up his cross and do the Father’s will so that by his gift of grace we may know and enjoy him forever. The crosses that the church is called to bear are the extension of more of the sufferings of Christ that others may receive more of his grace. Paul says, Now I rejoice in my sufferings (crosses) for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is the church, (Col.1:24). We do not die under crosses to pay a ransom or debt for sinners. We cannot add to what Christ has done in redemption upon the cross. But we are called to die under crosses that more and more people may know the grace of the One, Jesus, who did pay their debt and ransom them from captivity to sin through the cross. Therefore, like Simon the crosses the church bears are Jesus’ crosses. The church is the body of Christ and the crosses she is called to carry, she carries in Christ. Christ loved his body through the cross and his body loves his body through the crosses she is called to bear as she follows him through the hill of death as she perseveres to glory.
It is through many tribulations that we must enter the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22), and anyone who wishes to live a life of godliness will suffer (2 Tim.3:12). We are called to proclaim the excellencies of him who has bought us (1Pe.2:9), and if the world hated him when he proclaimed those excellencies in his words and deeds then why should be surprised when that same world hates his body? (Jn.15:18-19;1Pe.4:12-13). Following Jesus for the sake of his name in everything we do means his glory is first and foremost in all that we do, and living in this world that will be costly and crossly. May we be compelled by his grace to take his cross and follow him through the hill of death to his glory that more and more people may know the excellencies of him who is the Creator and Redeemer.
Simon of Cyrene carried the cross of Jesus as he followed Jesus to the hill of death. If he remained on the scene he would hear the words and cries of Jesus as he finished the work he came to do. Maybe he to like the thief was born again that day and lived forevermore in Jesus carrying his cross that his wife, Rufus and Alexander would also know that same grace that saved him. We do not know. But we do know that like him we must take the crosses of Jesus and follow him that we and others may know him.
Jesus had been delivered up by Pilate to the will of the Jews for his death. He bore in his body the marks of suffering after a Roman flogging. His physical body was weakened and opened as he was brutally despised and rejected by men. It was to be the cursed death by the cross, cursed is everyone who hung on a tree (Gal.3:13). He bore the cross for his inheritance, a people whom the Father loved to be holy and blameless in and through the Son, an inheritance who would worship him forevermore for his glorious grace. This glory was preceded by pain and sorrow, darkness and rejection, and unbelief and hatred because of the suffering and the cross that Jesus bore for the sins of his people. And in the midst of this mystery, the unfolding of God’s sovereign wisdom, power and goodness of putting the Son forward as an atoning substitute in sacrifice, there arrived on the scene an insignificant man from the country, Simon of Cyrene.
Simon arrived from North Africa for the Passover in Jerusalem. Mark tells us that he is the father of Alexander and Rufus (Mk.15:21). These sons may have been known to the early church when Mark wrote the gospel. Rufus is mentioned in Romans 16:13 as chosen in the Lord and his mother who had been a help to Paul in the ministry. However, we do not know if this is the same Rufus. However, as we look to Simon of Cyrene we see that he was seized and compelled by the Roman soldiers to carry the cross of Jesus following behind him as they went to the place of the skull or Golgotha. This insignificant man from the country of North Africa was seeking glory in Jerusalem and instead found the cross.
Carrying the cross behind Jesus is the calling of all the insignificant ones chosen to follow Christ. I do not know if Simon was a follower of Christ or not but on this day he was in a way that all are who are called to follow Christ. If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Lk.9:23). The glory that Jesus longed for to be restored to him (Jn.17:5) was restored through the way of the cross. And the glory that we as his image bearers long for will only be given to those who do not seek to save their lives in the earth, but who for the sake of the glory of Christ will lose it in following Jesus by the way of the cross.
Simon was given a particular cross to bear, Jesus’ cross. The followers of Jesus must follow him to his glory through the hill of death under his cross. The crosses we are called to bear are also the crosses of Jesus. They are his as they are given us by him. For everything is from him, through him and to him for his glory (Rom.11:36) and he is using it all for his own glory and our good (Rom.8:28-29). Therefore we must recognize that the crosses we bear are his way of extending more grace to more people. If Jesus sought to preserve his life in this earth we would not receive more grace. It was good for Jesus to take up his cross and do the Father’s will so that by his gift of grace we may know and enjoy him forever. The crosses that the church is called to bear are the extension of more of the sufferings of Christ that others may receive more of his grace. Paul says, Now I rejoice in my sufferings (crosses) for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is the church, (Col.1:24). We do not die under crosses to pay a ransom or debt for sinners. We cannot add to what Christ has done in redemption upon the cross. But we are called to die under crosses that more and more people may know the grace of the One, Jesus, who did pay their debt and ransom them from captivity to sin through the cross. Therefore, like Simon the crosses the church bears are Jesus’ crosses. The church is the body of Christ and the crosses she is called to carry, she carries in Christ. Christ loved his body through the cross and his body loves his body through the crosses she is called to bear as she follows him through the hill of death as she perseveres to glory.
It is through many tribulations that we must enter the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22), and anyone who wishes to live a life of godliness will suffer (2 Tim.3:12). We are called to proclaim the excellencies of him who has bought us (1Pe.2:9), and if the world hated him when he proclaimed those excellencies in his words and deeds then why should be surprised when that same world hates his body? (Jn.15:18-19;1Pe.4:12-13). Following Jesus for the sake of his name in everything we do means his glory is first and foremost in all that we do, and living in this world that will be costly and crossly. May we be compelled by his grace to take his cross and follow him through the hill of death to his glory that more and more people may know the excellencies of him who is the Creator and Redeemer.
Simon of Cyrene carried the cross of Jesus as he followed Jesus to the hill of death. If he remained on the scene he would hear the words and cries of Jesus as he finished the work he came to do. Maybe he to like the thief was born again that day and lived forevermore in Jesus carrying his cross that his wife, Rufus and Alexander would also know that same grace that saved him. We do not know. But we do know that like him we must take the crosses of Jesus and follow him that we and others may know him.
Friday, January 15, 2010
In the Word in 2010
Here are twelve reasons you need the Word of God in 2010.
The Word Keeps Us from Sin. "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word." (Ps.119:9) The word of God is a means of grace to guard the way of our lives, to keep us in the paths of righteousness (2Tim.3:16). When we walk according to his word we may live in blamelessness (Ps.119:1) and not shame the name of God or be put to shame in a crooked and depraved culture because of an unrighteous life.
The Word Reveals Wonderful Things About God. "Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." (Ps.119:18) In the word of God is revealed the names and nature of God. The wonder of his majesty, the display of his power and the comfort of his goodness are revealed in his word.
The Word is a Delight to the Soul. "Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors." (Ps.119:24) The word is a delight because it reveals God as our delight.
The Word Gives Life. "My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word." (Ps.119:25) We are born again by the Spirit through the word of God’s truth. We live in the life of repentance and faith by the word of God’s truth. We live by faith toward the promised eternal life through the word of God’s truth.
The Word Gives Strength. "My soul melts away with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!" (Ps.119:28). There are days of sadness, disparity, and pain for which we sink into a weakened state of fear, anxiety and depression. Sorrow, disappointment, and grief are not alien to the life of the church. And when we are overcome by relationships and situations that carry us in the road of sorrow we feel the weakness that seems to leave us by in the gutter or wandering in the waste places far from the road. But the word of God that assures of who he is, what he has done, who he will be and what he will do is the means of our strength. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction (Ps.119:92). It is the treadmill that is in use everyday strengthening the heart to trust God in the sorrow, to be comforted by God that we may comfort others, to know the will of God that we may walk in love.
The Word Reveals the Steadfast Love of God. "Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise." (Ps.119:41) We may know of the love of God when we see it demonstrated for us in his word. Nothing can separate us from it.
The Word Gives Good Judgment and Knowledge. "Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments." (Ps.119:66) In a world of confusion, ignorance and idiocy God is our teacher through his word without government loans.
The Word is Richer Than Gold and Silver. "The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces." (Ps.119:72). What would delight you more this year to get a raise, win the lottery or grow in the knowledge and joy of God through his word?
The Word Makes Us Wiser and Understanding. "Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me." (Ps.119:98)…"Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way." (Ps.119:104)
The Word is a Lamp and a Light for Life. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Ps.119:106)…"The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple." (Ps.119:130).
The Word Keeps Our Steps Steady. "Keep my steps steady according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me." (Ps.119:133).
The Word Endures Forever. "The sum of your word is truth, and everyone of your righteous rules endures forever." (Ps.119:160).
Therefore I urge you to read it, pray it, meditate on it, memorize it, hear it preached and taught. Gather around it in your closet, with your family, and with your church family. Make a plan for how you are going to value God’s word this year through the activity of your life. God is your life and he has purposed to use his word in giving you that life. It is not a magic book to make you a better you, but it is the book where God reveals the knowledge of himself, his salvation, and his will. Hold fast to God’s word in 2010 and may he give us his Spirit that we will know and delight in him, his salvation and remain steadfast in his salvation doing his will this year.
The Word Keeps Us from Sin. "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word." (Ps.119:9) The word of God is a means of grace to guard the way of our lives, to keep us in the paths of righteousness (2Tim.3:16). When we walk according to his word we may live in blamelessness (Ps.119:1) and not shame the name of God or be put to shame in a crooked and depraved culture because of an unrighteous life.
The Word Reveals Wonderful Things About God. "Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." (Ps.119:18) In the word of God is revealed the names and nature of God. The wonder of his majesty, the display of his power and the comfort of his goodness are revealed in his word.
The Word is a Delight to the Soul. "Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors." (Ps.119:24) The word is a delight because it reveals God as our delight.
The Word Gives Life. "My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word." (Ps.119:25) We are born again by the Spirit through the word of God’s truth. We live in the life of repentance and faith by the word of God’s truth. We live by faith toward the promised eternal life through the word of God’s truth.
The Word Gives Strength. "My soul melts away with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!" (Ps.119:28). There are days of sadness, disparity, and pain for which we sink into a weakened state of fear, anxiety and depression. Sorrow, disappointment, and grief are not alien to the life of the church. And when we are overcome by relationships and situations that carry us in the road of sorrow we feel the weakness that seems to leave us by in the gutter or wandering in the waste places far from the road. But the word of God that assures of who he is, what he has done, who he will be and what he will do is the means of our strength. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction (Ps.119:92). It is the treadmill that is in use everyday strengthening the heart to trust God in the sorrow, to be comforted by God that we may comfort others, to know the will of God that we may walk in love.
The Word Reveals the Steadfast Love of God. "Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise." (Ps.119:41) We may know of the love of God when we see it demonstrated for us in his word. Nothing can separate us from it.
The Word Gives Good Judgment and Knowledge. "Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments." (Ps.119:66) In a world of confusion, ignorance and idiocy God is our teacher through his word without government loans.
The Word is Richer Than Gold and Silver. "The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces." (Ps.119:72). What would delight you more this year to get a raise, win the lottery or grow in the knowledge and joy of God through his word?
The Word Makes Us Wiser and Understanding. "Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me." (Ps.119:98)…"Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way." (Ps.119:104)
The Word is a Lamp and a Light for Life. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Ps.119:106)…"The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple." (Ps.119:130).
The Word Keeps Our Steps Steady. "Keep my steps steady according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me." (Ps.119:133).
The Word Endures Forever. "The sum of your word is truth, and everyone of your righteous rules endures forever." (Ps.119:160).
Therefore I urge you to read it, pray it, meditate on it, memorize it, hear it preached and taught. Gather around it in your closet, with your family, and with your church family. Make a plan for how you are going to value God’s word this year through the activity of your life. God is your life and he has purposed to use his word in giving you that life. It is not a magic book to make you a better you, but it is the book where God reveals the knowledge of himself, his salvation, and his will. Hold fast to God’s word in 2010 and may he give us his Spirit that we will know and delight in him, his salvation and remain steadfast in his salvation doing his will this year.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Haiti
In Haiti,
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34"For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?"
35"Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?"
36For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. - Romans 11:33-36
Our progressive American minds search in vain for answers to the terror we have seen in the sea to the south. We trace the history and a contemporary evil culture and we say, “Aha, this is judgment.” We trace the science and our great discoveries and we say, “Aha, I told them a quake would result from this fault.” We trace the political and sociological environment of power and poverty and we say, “Aha, injustice is judged.” But all of our searching and seeming discoveries are in vain. For, how unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
It is him who we know not his mind, it is him whom we can give no gift, it is him from whom and through whom and to whom are all things, it is the unsearchable God who gags us.
But it is not him who binds us. What binds our emotions in the stale unfeeling heart, what binds our minds from creative thinking toward our neighbors, what binds our hands and feet from running with our crosses to their aid, what binds our purses from opening to those in need? We see the scenes of our neighbor’s horror, pain and sickness even when the screen is blank and yet we are bound to the joys of our health, our comfort, our peace and our safety. It is not him who binds us, it is the fact that we have not really seen him that is what binds us.
It is not the scenes of horror that unbind us or freedom from our unfeeling soul. It is seeing him who rules in the midst of Haiti. It is seeing him who has come to rule in the midst of the horror of our lives. It is seeing him who came and took on the horrors of hell as our substitute. It is seeing him who became poor that we might become rich. It is seeing him who thirsted that we might drink from the streams of life. It is seeing him who was broken that we might be healed. It is seeing him who was buried that we may not taste death. It is seeing him who in infinite power was raised and now rules that we may know his power in pain and weakness. It is seeing the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ that unbinds us and fashions us with joy under our cross to go to our neighbors in their weakness.
Haiti needs God who is the gospel. The same God who has slain them in the dust can bind up their brokenness in his redeeming grace. In the streets of Haiti there is wailing and weeping, but in the midst of those cries there are the sounds of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs being sung by those who are making melody in their hearts to the Lord in the midst of their suffering. Hillary Clinton is right in one sense this is “Biblical”. It is Biblical that there are those who count it all joy when they face various trials because they know the God of the gospel. May the God who is the gospel gag us and unbind us in the face of Jesus Christ that we may pray, give, go, cry, and sing for and with our neighbors.
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34"For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?"
35"Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?"
36For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. - Romans 11:33-36
Our progressive American minds search in vain for answers to the terror we have seen in the sea to the south. We trace the history and a contemporary evil culture and we say, “Aha, this is judgment.” We trace the science and our great discoveries and we say, “Aha, I told them a quake would result from this fault.” We trace the political and sociological environment of power and poverty and we say, “Aha, injustice is judged.” But all of our searching and seeming discoveries are in vain. For, how unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
It is him who we know not his mind, it is him whom we can give no gift, it is him from whom and through whom and to whom are all things, it is the unsearchable God who gags us.
But it is not him who binds us. What binds our emotions in the stale unfeeling heart, what binds our minds from creative thinking toward our neighbors, what binds our hands and feet from running with our crosses to their aid, what binds our purses from opening to those in need? We see the scenes of our neighbor’s horror, pain and sickness even when the screen is blank and yet we are bound to the joys of our health, our comfort, our peace and our safety. It is not him who binds us, it is the fact that we have not really seen him that is what binds us.
It is not the scenes of horror that unbind us or freedom from our unfeeling soul. It is seeing him who rules in the midst of Haiti. It is seeing him who has come to rule in the midst of the horror of our lives. It is seeing him who came and took on the horrors of hell as our substitute. It is seeing him who became poor that we might become rich. It is seeing him who thirsted that we might drink from the streams of life. It is seeing him who was broken that we might be healed. It is seeing him who was buried that we may not taste death. It is seeing him who in infinite power was raised and now rules that we may know his power in pain and weakness. It is seeing the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ that unbinds us and fashions us with joy under our cross to go to our neighbors in their weakness.
Haiti needs God who is the gospel. The same God who has slain them in the dust can bind up their brokenness in his redeeming grace. In the streets of Haiti there is wailing and weeping, but in the midst of those cries there are the sounds of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs being sung by those who are making melody in their hearts to the Lord in the midst of their suffering. Hillary Clinton is right in one sense this is “Biblical”. It is Biblical that there are those who count it all joy when they face various trials because they know the God of the gospel. May the God who is the gospel gag us and unbind us in the face of Jesus Christ that we may pray, give, go, cry, and sing for and with our neighbors.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Dear Pastor
*Editors note: you may not appreciate this if you do not keep up with sports news, so just in case some of our congregation are not sports fans, Lane Kiffin is leaving the University of Tennessee after one season to coach at University of Southern California. This is not unusual in today’s sporting news so here are some thoughts concerning this trend…
Dear Pastor,
Do you sing “Rocky Top” in your Sunday services? How about “Glory to Ole Georgia” or “Orange and Blue”? I am just curious where your loyalties lie. How much did it cost the congregation to get you here? Did you arrive highly acclaimed because of your outgoing personality, recruiting skills, ability to organize a professional and excellent ministry center, and your promise to work hard for the team? Oh, I’m sorry I am confused about who I am writing to. You must understand my confusion though I just received my 2010-11 season tickets and the picture of the coach on the ticket is not going to be the coach on the sideline this year. He apparently loves his alma mater or an old school he used to coach also, or is that himself he loves? By the way that is why I am writing.
I feel betrayed. I heard there was quite a raucous in the meeting room when our beloved coach and answer to all our orange and white woes met with the players to announce his leaving for the crimson and gold, coliseum, and the sandy beaches. If I was there the raucous might have gotten out of hand or I might have claimed a piece of his golden hair in my hand. I am sorry for this rant and my anger, but that is why I am writing. I feel betrayed. He promised us the SEC and the world which we did not care about as much as the SEC, and after one year he has left his multi-year contract in shreds, us with a measly $800,000, and an orange and white tour bus that I guess we can get something for on ebay. I guess it’s my fault that he’s leaving. We probably did not appreciate him enough after his first phenomenal season of 7-6 and the rampant violations he and his players committed on and off the field. Is there a support group for this kind of thing in the church?
But you know this has got me thinking. What about you? Are you a man of integrity? Why do you do what you do? Do you love the Lord and us as your neighbors or do you preach, teach and shepherd because you get paid and you get to live in such a sexy city? Are you committed to being here with us and our own set of peculiarities’? Or, do you have your eye on another congregation and you are just waiting for their present pastor to leave for greener pastures so that you can join yourself to those peculiar people? I am sorry to go on so, but this whole thing with our team has got me to thinking about myself, other people, their integrity and loyalty. It is not that you are my God in whom I trust, but you are called to serve him for his glory as you serve his church, and I’m just wondering if you are going to serve yourself or Him? I guess these are the kinds of questions people who have been betrayed tend to ask. It seems that our Lord came not to do his own will but the will of him who sent him. And he came not be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. This is why I trust in Him who is my Savior and Lord and I am just praying that those who preach his gospel will reflect his glory with loving faithful service toward his church, not for what they can get out of it, but for what He get’s out of it in being praised for his glorious grace. By the way if we don’t sing “Rocky Top” this Sunday, that’s okay, maybe “Amazing Grace” will be more fitting.
Sincerely,
The Betrayed
Dear Pastor,
Do you sing “Rocky Top” in your Sunday services? How about “Glory to Ole Georgia” or “Orange and Blue”? I am just curious where your loyalties lie. How much did it cost the congregation to get you here? Did you arrive highly acclaimed because of your outgoing personality, recruiting skills, ability to organize a professional and excellent ministry center, and your promise to work hard for the team? Oh, I’m sorry I am confused about who I am writing to. You must understand my confusion though I just received my 2010-11 season tickets and the picture of the coach on the ticket is not going to be the coach on the sideline this year. He apparently loves his alma mater or an old school he used to coach also, or is that himself he loves? By the way that is why I am writing.
I feel betrayed. I heard there was quite a raucous in the meeting room when our beloved coach and answer to all our orange and white woes met with the players to announce his leaving for the crimson and gold, coliseum, and the sandy beaches. If I was there the raucous might have gotten out of hand or I might have claimed a piece of his golden hair in my hand. I am sorry for this rant and my anger, but that is why I am writing. I feel betrayed. He promised us the SEC and the world which we did not care about as much as the SEC, and after one year he has left his multi-year contract in shreds, us with a measly $800,000, and an orange and white tour bus that I guess we can get something for on ebay. I guess it’s my fault that he’s leaving. We probably did not appreciate him enough after his first phenomenal season of 7-6 and the rampant violations he and his players committed on and off the field. Is there a support group for this kind of thing in the church?
But you know this has got me thinking. What about you? Are you a man of integrity? Why do you do what you do? Do you love the Lord and us as your neighbors or do you preach, teach and shepherd because you get paid and you get to live in such a sexy city? Are you committed to being here with us and our own set of peculiarities’? Or, do you have your eye on another congregation and you are just waiting for their present pastor to leave for greener pastures so that you can join yourself to those peculiar people? I am sorry to go on so, but this whole thing with our team has got me to thinking about myself, other people, their integrity and loyalty. It is not that you are my God in whom I trust, but you are called to serve him for his glory as you serve his church, and I’m just wondering if you are going to serve yourself or Him? I guess these are the kinds of questions people who have been betrayed tend to ask. It seems that our Lord came not to do his own will but the will of him who sent him. And he came not be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. This is why I trust in Him who is my Savior and Lord and I am just praying that those who preach his gospel will reflect his glory with loving faithful service toward his church, not for what they can get out of it, but for what He get’s out of it in being praised for his glorious grace. By the way if we don’t sing “Rocky Top” this Sunday, that’s okay, maybe “Amazing Grace” will be more fitting.
Sincerely,
The Betrayed
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Nisi Dominus Frustra
Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. – Psalm 127:1
Nisi Dominus Frusta, “Without the Lord, Frustration”, appears on the official documents and the crest of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is a sobering reminder that those who live their lives in the family, the church and the civil realm without the Lord God Almighty participate in a meaningless and frustrated existence.
The Scriptures grant us a worldview of society in which we see that the foundational units of any society are the family, the church and the politic. But it also points us to the reality that the Lord must be the builder of each of these units if we are going to experience his rewards. If we abandon this central thinking in our lives and in our society we participate in vanity and a frustrated meaningless existence.
Benjamin Franklin, who was not a Christian, but understood this worldview spoke to those convened for the writing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787:
"In the beginning of the contest with Britain when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for the Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence. To that kind Providence we owe this opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten this powerful Friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance? I have lived for a long time (81 years), and the longer I live the more convincing proof I see of this truth, that God governs, in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground with out his notice, is it possible that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that “Except the Lord build the housed, they labor in vain that build it”. I firmly believed this, and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall proceed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel."
When we live in prosperous times we often forget God thinking that the success of our family, church or political realm rests on ourselves. In these times we think not about God as central and necessary to the building of these units. When we live in peaceful times we often forget God thinking that our beloved peace we have in our families, the church or in the political ranks or society is owing to what we have done. We think of ourselves and our methods as the primary sources of the rewards we experience. We do not know we are in a war and we think we are sufficient. Therefore we do not look to him who neither slumbers nor sleeps and who is our keeper. I fear in our homes, churches and the civil realm we are building a tower to reach the heavens and soon we will be frustrated and find all is vanity.
Unless we come on bended knee acknowledging that everything is from him, through him and to him we will build in our churches, homes and political realms in vain. Unless we come to him on bended knee and plead for understanding from his prescribed Word concerning how we should think and act in the building of our homes, churches and political realms we will build on meaningless and frustrated foundations. Unless the Lord builds the home, the church and the city we all think, feel and labor in vain.
Nisi Dominus Frusta, “Without the Lord, Frustration”, appears on the official documents and the crest of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is a sobering reminder that those who live their lives in the family, the church and the civil realm without the Lord God Almighty participate in a meaningless and frustrated existence.
The Scriptures grant us a worldview of society in which we see that the foundational units of any society are the family, the church and the politic. But it also points us to the reality that the Lord must be the builder of each of these units if we are going to experience his rewards. If we abandon this central thinking in our lives and in our society we participate in vanity and a frustrated meaningless existence.
Benjamin Franklin, who was not a Christian, but understood this worldview spoke to those convened for the writing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787:
"In the beginning of the contest with Britain when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for the Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence. To that kind Providence we owe this opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten this powerful Friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance? I have lived for a long time (81 years), and the longer I live the more convincing proof I see of this truth, that God governs, in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground with out his notice, is it possible that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that “Except the Lord build the housed, they labor in vain that build it”. I firmly believed this, and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall proceed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel."
When we live in prosperous times we often forget God thinking that the success of our family, church or political realm rests on ourselves. In these times we think not about God as central and necessary to the building of these units. When we live in peaceful times we often forget God thinking that our beloved peace we have in our families, the church or in the political ranks or society is owing to what we have done. We think of ourselves and our methods as the primary sources of the rewards we experience. We do not know we are in a war and we think we are sufficient. Therefore we do not look to him who neither slumbers nor sleeps and who is our keeper. I fear in our homes, churches and the civil realm we are building a tower to reach the heavens and soon we will be frustrated and find all is vanity.
Unless we come on bended knee acknowledging that everything is from him, through him and to him we will build in our churches, homes and political realms in vain. Unless we come to him on bended knee and plead for understanding from his prescribed Word concerning how we should think and act in the building of our homes, churches and political realms we will build on meaningless and frustrated foundations. Unless the Lord builds the home, the church and the city we all think, feel and labor in vain.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Steadfastly Seeking Rest in God
Every time I turn on my computer and go to my yahoo page to check mail I met by a distracting barrage of garbage. It comes in the form catchy journalistic (laughable) lines that seek to steal my attention to who’s done what or who’s with who or who’s wearing what. Then as I seek to move on to ‘login’ I have to wade through the slough of despond because I do not have the right education to do what I have always dreamed of doing, ‘be more independent, make more money and be more successful’. And I am assured that I can be helped by a highly overrated and overpriced education in the virtual world. But my favorite is when I finally reach my ‘inbox’. I have to constantly be distracted by the sidebar advertisement boasting the chiseled and buff male models with their shirts off reminding me that without the latest supplement I am wasting away as a washed up forty something. I hate this barrage of garbage as it distracts me from the beauty of resting in who God is. I am like a hungry sheep that longs to look up to be fed, a thirsty soul that longs to be satisfied, and I know that my soul finds it’s greatest joy when I rest at the feet of him who has made me, redeemed me and sustains me. What distracts you from resting in who God is?
Distractions are only as powerful as the weakness of our steadfast pursuit of God. The barrage of garbage can only slow us down from resting in God when we are not steadfast in pursuit of God. Left to our weakness the barrage of garbage will destroy us and leave us in a heap of misery. But God! God has steadfastly sought us while we were groping in the barrage of garbage. He dose a work of grace in the heart of a believer that has sets us on a course of seeking steadfastly after him to find a joyful rest at his feet. Therefore the powers of the distractions have diminished in the light of God’s pursuit of us. He has enlivened and enlightened us to rest in him by his grace. No man can come out of or through the barrage of garbage to rest in him (Matthew 11:28-30) unless the Father who sent the Son draws him (John 6:44). If there is any steadfast pursuit of God it is the outworking of his pursuit of us. “God is always previous.” But when God is previous then there is a longing, a pursuit, a steadfast pursuit that longs for your souls rest in God in the midst of that which you know will not satisfy.
The Christian life is a steadfast pursuit of God. As the Psalmist says, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1 cf. 42:1-2). Is this steadfast pursuit of God only for the spiritually elite who hide themselves away from the distractions and the barrage of garbage? The church is so distracted from the truth of the gospel that she has purported a gospel void of the gospel provision, a glorious relationship with the All Glorious Triune God. As A.W. Tozer said, “The whole transaction of religious conversion has been made mechanical and spiritless. Faith may now be exercised without a jar to the moral life and without embarrassment to the Adamic ego. Christ may be “received” without creating any special love for him in the soul of the receiver. The man is “saved”, but he is not hungry nor thirsty after God. In fact he is specifically taught to be satisfied and is encouraged to be content with little.” God does not give himself to his own in small portions. He gives himself to his own as their Father, the Son and the Spirit. He is one God in three persons given to his children in the earth that they may know him intimately and deeply for all eternity. Regeneration, conversion, justification and adoption begin this work of God to bring his children near him to know him. Sanctification and glorification are descriptions of the enduring grace of God toward his children to bring them into the deep and abiding relationship with him in the knowledge of his glory forevermore. Therefore in this grace his children are given to the steadfast thirsty and hungry pursuit of God in the midst of distractions.
The apostle Paul says, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness of God that depends on faith – that I may know him…” (Philippians 3:8-10a). Our souls rest in the glory of who God is begins in the salvation he provides in Christ, but it is continued in our steadfast pursuit of him through grace as we count everything else a loss compared with the worth of knowing Christ. “The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One…Whatever he may lose he has actually lost nothing, for he now has it all in One, and he has it purely, legitimately and forever.” (A.W. Tozer). Rubbish is rubbish no matter the package it comes in. The barrage of garbage is a distraction but it does not hinder the powerful grace of God toward us to steadfastly seek to know God and the rest he promises our souls in the presence of his glory. Are you steadfastly seeking after God that you may be richly satisfied in Him?
Distractions are only as powerful as the weakness of our steadfast pursuit of God. The barrage of garbage can only slow us down from resting in God when we are not steadfast in pursuit of God. Left to our weakness the barrage of garbage will destroy us and leave us in a heap of misery. But God! God has steadfastly sought us while we were groping in the barrage of garbage. He dose a work of grace in the heart of a believer that has sets us on a course of seeking steadfastly after him to find a joyful rest at his feet. Therefore the powers of the distractions have diminished in the light of God’s pursuit of us. He has enlivened and enlightened us to rest in him by his grace. No man can come out of or through the barrage of garbage to rest in him (Matthew 11:28-30) unless the Father who sent the Son draws him (John 6:44). If there is any steadfast pursuit of God it is the outworking of his pursuit of us. “God is always previous.” But when God is previous then there is a longing, a pursuit, a steadfast pursuit that longs for your souls rest in God in the midst of that which you know will not satisfy.
The Christian life is a steadfast pursuit of God. As the Psalmist says, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1 cf. 42:1-2). Is this steadfast pursuit of God only for the spiritually elite who hide themselves away from the distractions and the barrage of garbage? The church is so distracted from the truth of the gospel that she has purported a gospel void of the gospel provision, a glorious relationship with the All Glorious Triune God. As A.W. Tozer said, “The whole transaction of religious conversion has been made mechanical and spiritless. Faith may now be exercised without a jar to the moral life and without embarrassment to the Adamic ego. Christ may be “received” without creating any special love for him in the soul of the receiver. The man is “saved”, but he is not hungry nor thirsty after God. In fact he is specifically taught to be satisfied and is encouraged to be content with little.” God does not give himself to his own in small portions. He gives himself to his own as their Father, the Son and the Spirit. He is one God in three persons given to his children in the earth that they may know him intimately and deeply for all eternity. Regeneration, conversion, justification and adoption begin this work of God to bring his children near him to know him. Sanctification and glorification are descriptions of the enduring grace of God toward his children to bring them into the deep and abiding relationship with him in the knowledge of his glory forevermore. Therefore in this grace his children are given to the steadfast thirsty and hungry pursuit of God in the midst of distractions.
The apostle Paul says, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness of God that depends on faith – that I may know him…” (Philippians 3:8-10a). Our souls rest in the glory of who God is begins in the salvation he provides in Christ, but it is continued in our steadfast pursuit of him through grace as we count everything else a loss compared with the worth of knowing Christ. “The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One…Whatever he may lose he has actually lost nothing, for he now has it all in One, and he has it purely, legitimately and forever.” (A.W. Tozer). Rubbish is rubbish no matter the package it comes in. The barrage of garbage is a distraction but it does not hinder the powerful grace of God toward us to steadfastly seek to know God and the rest he promises our souls in the presence of his glory. Are you steadfastly seeking after God that you may be richly satisfied in Him?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)