I Find Your Lack of Faith Disturbing

Friday, January 31, 2014

No wonder you can’t believe!  For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.          John 5:44 (NLT)

Calvin, the obnoxious five year-old, who often pontificates his thoughts on life and the universe to his stuffed tiger, Hobbes, is a monumentally-self absorbed narcissist.  The world, according to Calvin, does not revolve around the sun; the world revolves around Calvin!

Calvin has some company in this world.  Even in the church pulpit (and pew).The context of Jesus’ statement about the inability to believe, is when the religious

leaders were seeking a way to kill him.  They rejected Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God.  They didn’t believe in him, so, essentially they rejected God.  Unbelief!

Jesus told the religious leaders their main problem was their position.  Not that being a leader was (or is) wrong; organizations, even religious ones, need leaders to help keep focus on the group’s purpose.  In this case, the religious leaders’ main focus was to help people have faith in God and serve God’s greater Kingdom purposes.

But these leaders were self-centered, pride-filled, and it blocked their view of God.  They loved the admiration and respect their office commanded; it gave them a sense of power over the followers.  They loved the honor and preeminence their position gave in the community, but they missed the point entirely, that such pride was eating their ability to worship like cancer of the soul.

I call it “ministerial discount”.

I’ve been offered everything from clothing at 40% off, to free rounds of golf, just because it was known I’m a minister.  When I was new to the ministry I suspected at first that there was something not quite right about trading on ministerial credentials.  But, needing clothes, and liking golf, I gratefully accepted.  

I still like golf.  I began despising dress clothes when I retired.

But, I stopped (a long time ago) letting merchants know I’m a minister, until after the purchase is completed.  If God is my priority, keeping him clearly in view cannot be bought for the price of a three piece suit.

You and I, Calvin, were not put on this planet to be serene as we accumulate material things, accolades of others, or have everything done for us!

Man’s chief end and work is to love God and enjoy Him forever.  That’s hard to do when you’re hunting praise from people.

Today

Is there anything blocking your faith, your view and desire for God?

Now would be a good time to deal with that!

Title Photo:  http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/exploringourmatrix/files/2013/10/Lack-of-faith-3.png

Hagar & Sarai

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Sarai, Abram’s wife, hadn’t yet produced a child.  She had an Egyptian maid named Hagar.  Sarai said to Abram, “God has not seen fit to let me have a child.  Sleep with my maid.  Maybe I can get a family from her.”  Abram agreed to do what Sarai said.  So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took her Egyptian maid Hagar and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife.  Abram had been living ten years in Canaan when this took place.  He slept with Hagar and she got pregnant.  When she learned she was pregnant, she looked down on her mistress.  Sarai told Abram, “It’s all your fault that I’m suffering this abuse.  I put my maid in bed with you and the minute she knows she’s pregnant, she treats me like I’m nothing.  May God decide which of us is right.”  “You decide,” said Abram.  “Your maid is your business.”  Sarai was abusive to Hagar and she ran away.  An angel of God found her beside a spring in the desert; it was the spring on the road to Shur.  He said, “Hagar, maid of Sarai, what are you doing here?”  She said, “I’m running away from Sarai my mistress.”  The angel of God said, “Go back to your mistress.  Put up with her abuse.”  He continued, “I’m going to give you a big family, children past counting.  From this pregnancy, you’ll get a son:  Name him Ishmael; for God heard you, God answered you.  He’ll be a bucking bronco of a man, a real fighter, fighting and being fought, Always stirring up trouble, always at odds with his family.” 

Genesis 16:1 - 12 (TMSG)

In 21^st century Western culture we can only imagine the reality and nuances of ancient Eastern customs, the like of which drove Abram’s wife Sarai to place a household servant in her husband’s bed. 

But that’s what she did.  And the problems started immediately.

Hagar’s pride in her ability to conceive manifested itself in contempt towards the one she was to serve, Sarai.  And it was Sarai’s idea in the first place, but she now despised the outcome of her plan, and became so abusive to Hagar that the slave girl rain away.

A “rocky road” indeed!

Hagar found herself on a wilderness rocky road, wondering what to do.  God’s angel shows up and informs her that the son to which she would give birth would be the worst troublemaker in the East.

Hagar was defenseless – totally.  She was a slave, made to conceive a baby with an old man; she was pregnant and abused, and then kicked out to fend for herself.  Suddenly the rocky road is filled with boulders; huge ones, piled like a mountain! 

And did you notice that God’s angel proposes a plan that involves tolerating more abuse?  “Go back and tough it out….God is watching over this.”

Some days it seems like it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed!

Ever felt like Hagar?

Have you ever felt totally powerless?  No more answers, no plans or even a clue what to do next?  And then someone comes up with a plan for you (don’t they always?)!

How did Hagar respond?

She answered God by name, praying to the God who spoke to her, “You’re the God who sees me!” “Yes! He saw me; and then I saw him!”     Genesis 16:13 (TMSG)

Today

Have a little “Hagar faith”.

Your circumstances may be more difficult than Hagar’s (at least to you), but your response can be just as faith-filled.

And that’s what God wants – just trust Him; know that He sees you.  And if you are patient with your faith, in due time you’ll see His hand move.

Title Photo:  http://sunshineinthestorm.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/sarah-and-hagardwellingintheword.jpg 

"Mother" Nature

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Our overnight “guest”, a little bird, was huddling beneath the umbrella on our deck.  As the night summer storm’s thunder crashed, and lightning streaked through the sky in frightful displays of unleashed power, the little guy was covered, safe. 

I immediately thought of Psalms 17:8:  Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings. 

People who confuse God with "Mother Nature" don't know either.  Nature is cruel.  Nature causes planes and buses to crash with dozens of students dying.  Nature causes forest fires to rage out of control and make people homeless.  Nature encourages things like cancer and sinkholes that both swallow up things. 

People talk about “natural” with a smile.  “Natural” is good when you’re talking fiber and chicken parts without GMO’s.  Nature is harsh and mostly unforgiving in real time.

I have to shake my head in amazement when people talk about the “natural” order of life in terms of a calm resignation about death.  

Don't talk to me of "natural".  Death is natural for this world.  And it isn’t pretty!  

“Nature” is nobody’s mother!

Rather, speak to me of the protection of Almighty wings, where, even in the face of nature's most drastic attempts otherwise, I can live, move and have being. 

Speak to me of the God who created nature, but remember:  what is “natural” is not now what God created it to be.  We still live in a fallen world with natural forces that are impacted by sin and upheaval.

Nature is harsh and unfeeling.  God is so different than that!

Today

When you speak of nature and natural, remember the proper perspective of the One who could speak words like Peace, be still ^{(Mark 4:39b)} and nature obeys!

Title Photo:  http://www.deepintolove.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/bird-in-the-rain1.jpg

The Strength of a Marriage

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”  Ephesians 5:31 (NLT)

When our youngest, Carrie, married Shannon, they bought a house.  The house they thought they would buy turned out to have major problems (besides the bank that wanted them to sign all those papers!).

That house had a foundation problem; it was built on a shaky foundation.  Fifty years ago the code allowed 2' x 8' floor joists, spaced 24" apart.  Today that is considered substandard.  In addition, the basement leaked like a sieve.  It leans in several directions!  The construction was not exactly professional.

Secondary problems occur when you try to prop-up shoddy construction.  The previous owners had put poles in the basement to support the sagging floor; that only added to the problem, rather than helping to solve it.  As explained to me by the house inspector, when the poles took the weight off the sagging floor, it also took the load off the walls of the basement.  

That load is part of the strength of a basement wall.  Without the load from the covering floor, years of pressure from the outside dirt (and water that won't drain away) pushed the weakened walls in to the point where collapse of the walls (and the fall of any Humpty Dumptys above) is imminent!

Now, that house is a picture of what has happened to marriage and the family in our society today.  Divorce, like the basement poles, has become so simple, and prevalent in dealing with marital pressures, less than a third of marriages survive a dozen years any more.  There are weakened walls in marriage everywhere.

Now, God knew those pressures (financial, relational, emotional) would be in marriage.  In fact those pressures help a married couple become one flesh, which is God's design.  Like the pressure from above, those troubles drive us together to work out our marriage vows.  Take away that weight, and the weakened walls of marriage cave-in to the weight of the dirt and stagnant society that says: give it up; you don't need him...Pack it in, she's not worth it!

Today

If you’re married, give thanks in times of pressure – such times teach you where the strength of God is holding true to make you “one” in your relationship.

If marriage is in your future, resolve to prepare for the times of pressure; like all of life’s trials, God will use them to perfect something in you and your spouse.

If single-again through death or divorce, the pressure lessons of your life are still God’s blessing.

If you're single by choice, pray for married couples you know - they're going through pressure you can't see, and the walls do creak.  

 

 Title background:  Rod Anderson – http://www.christianpost.com/news/a-strong-marriage-60142/

Proof

Monday, January 27, 2014

The man heard Jesus “the healer” was in town. 

The man’s son was dying.

You don’t need an advanced degree in rocket science to figure out your next step!

The man begged Jesus to come heal his son.  Jesus stopped the man in his tracks; he wanted the man to think through his request.  If the man was actually coming to Jesus as the one who could return health to his dying child, it would mean complications for the future.  The man was a government official, and this public figure “coming out” in faith would have serious implications about his fitness to govern (not to mention his sanity). 

The official patently ignored Jesus’ challenge and restated his urgent request that Jesus come heal the boy before it was too late.  Jesus told him to go back home; his request had been granted. 

The amazing thing is that the government official took Jesus at his word and started home.  His faith was justified; on the way back home he met some of his household servants who informed him his son had recovered about the time Jesus said he would.

How would YOU have handled this?

As a logical sort, I like to have some proof before I leap.  Caution isn’t something I throw to the wind quickly.  

But then, this was not a time for caution; the boy was dying…and the man was a Dad.  You don’t let your son sit on the rails when a train is coming, you DO something.  

And, when Jesus is passing-by, you don’t stop to examine your entire theological system for misspelled words!  It’s time for faith!

Today

Has it been awhile since you dropped your guard and just trusted Him?

Maybe that promise at the altar has tarnished a little, waiting for you to throw aside caution and possible embarrassment and actually follow-through?

Maybe that neighbor you’ve wanted to help, but feared “getting-involved” is getting close to the edge and could use a word of encouragement?

Maybe you’re dabbling a little too much in dotting “i’s” and crossing “t’s”?

How about just doing what the government guy did – take-up Jesus’ challenge and invite Him to come home with you to give life to whatever’s dying?

Sermon for January 26, 2014

And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it.  The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide.  I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne.  And the books were opened, including the Book of Life.  And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books.  The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead.  And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire.  This lake of fire is the second death.  And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.   Revelation 20:11 - 15[1]

At most funeral services you hear something about the resurrection.  It is almost without exception that the second resurrection was left out of the sermon.  Did you realize that there are two resurrections?   

The Second Resurrection is Different from the First      

The first resurrection

The first resurrection is the Body of Christ.  That is a good news event!  This is the next great event that Bible prophecy says is going to happen.  God will begin the end of time by opening all the graves of Jesus believers who have previously died.  Immediately following, God will take all the living Christians in something of a massive teleportation to meet Jesus in the air.  The whole Christian family is with their Christ in the air! 

The second resurrection

The second resurrection is for those who are unsaved.  This is bad news.  Who are the unsaved?  Anyone who has not trusted in Christ for salvation.  The Bible says that all the people of all times will stand before the judge. 

…each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, Hebrews 9:27

Of course the choice is up to each individual to believe or disbelieve.  However, it is unbelief that will bring you to the second resurrection of judgment, and not the first resurrection of rewards.  And, in that day the Scripture declares, we will all stand before the judge.  This indicates there will be no place to hide; stand with Him or before Him. 

Do you want to be Judged by law…

Some folks imagine that simply being good is all it takes to make God happy – going to church, paying tithes, not kicking dogs, and helping little old ladies across the street.  Now, being good isn't bad (I even recommend it); but if you are going to count on your obedience, you'd better make certain you are perfect. 

The Bible says that offending only one of God's laws makes you a sinner.  If you choose to be judged on the merit of your behavior, you had better make certain you can stand in front of God perfect, sinless! 

Some folks imagine there will be some kind of scale approach to the judgment.  If you have done some good things in life they will be placed on the positive side.  The bad things you have done are placed on the other side of the scale.  The theory is, if the good outweighs the bad, God is convinced you're not so bad, and He lets you in heaven.  That, my friend, is about as plausible as the Mother Teresa shooting a man down in cold blood, and then standing before the judge with a list of the orphanages and hospitals.  Don't you believe they wouldn't strap her in the chair! 

Being judged by the law doesn't take into account anything good you've done, only the bad!  That's a dilemma none of us can deal with and overcome.  That's why God made the other judgment possibility available:

…Or Judged by Grace?

When you cannot stand in your own perfection, you can stand covered by the grace of Jesus.  He said that there is no one who comes to the Father, except through Him.  When you humbly confess your sinful condition (your inability to be perfect before God), and you ask Jesus to forgive you, He does just that!  And then when you stand before the Father, it is Jesus who stands in front of you.  The Father sees the perfection of His son, not your sin.

Which do you prefer; law or grace?

Remember if you choose to be judged by the law, the Ten Commandments -- everything you've ever said, done, or thought is written down in God's book of life ^{(Rev 20:12).}  Also, everything in that book is going to be revealed in that last day ^{(Luke 12.2,3)}. 

God will execute only one judgment at the second resurrection for all those who have refused to accept Jesus Christ as Savior – death! 

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Rom 6:23 (NIV)

A second reality about the second resurrection and its judgment...

The Second Death is Worse than the First

According to the Bible, the first death is temporary.  It begins, for the unsaved person, at Hell; and ends at the Great White Throne Judgment of God after the second resurrection.  That is bad enough.  However, the second death – judgment sentence of the second resurrection – is much worse than the first death.  It is:

Eternal 

Matthew's gospel account ^(25.41-46) gives this reality from the lips of Jesus himself:  "eternal fire...eternal punishment."  There is no end to the torment -- it is eternal.

Extreme  

In earlier chapters of The Revelation, John describes just how gruesome is the torment of unbelievers in the everlasting fire. 

The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.”     Revelation 14:11

I recently read This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti.  It is a novel of the struggle between demons and angels, worked out in a small town.  Knowing something about the outcome of all struggles between good and evil, I found myself shaking my head each time some demon alluded to their "victories."  I'd think to myself, If you only knew what I know, you wouldn't be acting that way, fella! 

The second death is going to be eternal, extreme, and...

Equitable 

Some sins incur a greater degree of punishment.  At the time of his earthly trial, Jesus told Pilate that the sin of Judas' betrayal was greater than most.

Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above.  So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”   John 19:11

In some way the balance sheets of God have got to be reconciled.  While one sin makes you a sinner, and guilty of all sin; there is some way in which God will repay every evil according to the degree of wickedness that accompanies the sin.  Judgment will be equitable, fair – and that's what makes it awesome and scary!

Now, if the second resurrection is so awful, and the second death something to be avoided at all costs, what can we do?  What should we do?  Notice the answer found in the third difference: 

The Second Birth is All That Can Prevent the Second Death

So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’  John 3:7

The first birth is natural; it comes to all of us in the natural order of things; we are human beings, children of Adam's race.  The first birth ends in death.  The second birth is spiritual...

For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.  The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.”  But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit.  1 Corinthians 15:44 - 45

Notice Paul says that the last Adam (Jesus) is a "life-giving spirit"?  The first birth ends in the first death.  The second birth ends in eternal life.  What does it mean? 

Renewal Now

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone; a new life has begun!   2 Corinthians 5:17

The one true mark of conversion from death to life is a changed life.  And it isn't just the outward things we do.  It is the inward life.  Do you love more?  Do you hate and gossip less?  Are you more willing to see others' point of view?  Is your inner life changed?  Renewal Now; and...

Reversal Then

Jesus told his followers a story about a self-centered, uncaring rich man, and a poor beggar who lay at the rich man's porch.  The rich man cared nothing for God, or what God would have him do.  He was born just once.  The poor man had little of this world's goods, he was sick and no one cared for him.  Yet he loved God and was born twice. 

Both men eventually died and were judged.  The rich man wound up in torment, the poor man in paradise.  The rich man now called out to God and asked for a little relief.  God's answer:

…‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing.  So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.   Luke 16:25

The second death is a place of knowing, remembering, feeling and suffering.  It is eternal, and worse than what we now call death.  There is only one thing in the universe than can prevent the second death – a second birth! 

Do you remember the recent Academy Award winning picture, Schindler's List?  It's a true story of a German manufacturer who literally spent his fortune bribing German officials to save the lives of people destined to die in the Holocaust of World War II. Can you imagine what it would have been like to have been one of those people assigned to one of those camps?  You've heard all the rumors about what happens there. Now, you're marched in the gates, and you see those smokestacks with the ashes polluting the air, and you're chilled by the knowledge that you're literally breathing the ashes of fellow human beings. 

There was no way out of that except one way.  There was no hope except one thing.  There was a list – Schindler's list.  A fortune had been spent to buy the lives of some 500 people. Those who were on that list did not have a special talent, did not have a special reason for being there, nothing exceptional or unexceptional about them.  It was just that their names were on the list.  And that list literally saved them from the fiery inferno[2]   

There is another list. 

Beloved, Jesus offers you the new birth, a spiritual birth, an escape from everlasting torment.  All it takes is the application of His blood.  He is willing.  The only question is:

Will you have it?

Will you accept Him now, and serve only Him?

There will come a time when all of history and destiny will be reduced to a list.  You are on Satan's death list – we are all sinners, and condemned by our sin.  Are you on Jesus' list of life?  Has the blood cleansed and made you whiter than snow?

Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection.  For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.    Revelation 20:6

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

Watch the sermon video here

---

[1] All Scripture quotations from New Living Translation

[2]From a sermon by Dr. Frank Pollard, Jackson, Miss, broadcast on The Baptist Hour, (BH16-94TV)

Some Assembly Required

Friday, January 24, 2014

Design is a wonderful thing. It’s like having the instructions.

When our children were small we got a swing set for the back yard.  Elizabeth’s parents bought it; that was the easy part!  Assembly was left to me.  The instructions were included in the box…a 38 page manual entitled “some assembly required”.

Well, I, “Russell the Bright” decided I did not like what I read in those instructions; the manufacturer talked a language that was alien.  It said, put bolt A-17J.G-7 through spindle assembly (right and left) in a windmill fashion until you discover the framastat connected to integer-driven-molly bolt fasteners located in the blue stermer-gadget and secure with nut C-17 (no not that one, the other one).

Nuts, indeed!  I wanted to do it my way.  After four afternoons of struggling to get that swing set together I finally gave up and took it apart – I went back to the manual and did it the designer’s way.

It is the same thing when it comes to us human swing sets. We are designed by a Master Designer; we come complete with a manual, the Bible.  

Over the years I’ve ignored my share of directions, and often found I didn’t know quite as much as I thought I did.  Mostly it was costly in time and frustration.

With the “Scripture manual” ignorance can be deadly.

Today

Make certain you consult the manual before the day begins.

With life as complicated as it is these days, there is some assembly required!

Mary's Confusion

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Jesus' mother and father most certainly were confused at times.  They took Jesus to Jerusalem as a boy, and he stayed behind when they left.  When they finally realized he was not in camp, they retraced their steps and caught up with him at the temple.  The elders were sitting with their chins scraping the ground in amazement.  Jesus was teaching the teachers, the religious elite of Israel.  They'd never heard such wisdom – especially from a boy.  Mary and Joseph were also amazed, worried and confused. Raising a son like Jesus could not have been a boring experience!

We would be tempted to say that Jesus confused them.  However, it is more accurate to say they were confused; God is not the author of confusion^{1 Co 14:33}.

Trace the life of Jesus backward from the temple incident about 10 years.  See Jesus as a two-year-old, toddling around the carpenter's shop.  Watch as he nears the bench where Joseph is putting together a chair – one of eight for a large order from a rich merchant. 

Inquisitively, Jesus begins to pick up one of Joseph's sharp woodcarving knives.  Joseph warns:  Jesus, son, No!  Don't touch those...they will hurt you.  Can you see the face of Jesus as he looks at his father, looks back at the knife, smiles ever so demonically and sticks his tongue at Joseph?  Can you see the Christ child stomping his feet and saying NO!  

Of course you cannot. 

Even though Jesus was a two-year-old at one point, he never acted like one.  Certainly he had to learn language and to like green beans; he had diaper issues too.  Jesus did not, however, have the seed of sin or rebellion. 

And that is why Mary, Joseph, and the rest of us humans have trouble understanding Jesus.  We, like Mary and Joseph expect two-year-olds and twelve-year-olds (and sometimes fifty-year-olds) to be rebellious, selfish and self-absorbed.  Jesus never did that. 

The confusion was (and is) ours. 

We expect things to go wrong, to see hatred and envy; we expect planes fly into Trade Centers and Pentagons.  That is the nature of a fallen world. 

When we see Jesus – love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, it confuses us.  That is why Paul urged us to think on things above ^{Philippians 4:8}.  It’s easy to be confused when you’re accustomed to the fruit of bitterness and Jesus shows up with the Fruit of the Spirit!

Today

As a believer, when you attempt to follow Christ and be His disciple throughout this day, remember that the world will not understand.  They’re not expecting you to act like your Master.

They will be as confused as Mary and Joseph and the temple elders. 

But the confusion is theirs – be about your Father's business anyway!

The Best Man Gives the Toast

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

It’s a daily struggle to put into practice what John the Baptist knew even before the cross – that, for Jesus to be lifted up to the ends of the earth, his followers must decrease, or deny self.

And it must be our joy to do so.

When John’s disciples saw the popularity of Jesus blossoming, and their own ministry beginning to take a back seat, they questioned the Baptist about what to do.  John’s explanation was a “Jesus-like” metaphor.  He told them the one who has the bride is the true groom.  He said to his followers; think of me as the best man, the guy who stands next to the groom, ready to give the toast!

Can you raise a glass?

We live in a world that places a high importance on winning, being first.  Vince Lombardi, legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers, is quoted as saying winning isn’t everything…it’s the only thing! 

In a world where people will do anything for that “15 minutes of first-place fame”…

·        Try out (badly) for American Idol

·        Post outlandish photos on Facebook

·        Party like tomorrow doesn’t matter….

….suggesting someone should take a back seat to anyone doesn’t get much traction. 

But, for the Christian it is the key to everything in the Kingdom.

In marriage, which is the metaphor John the Baptist chose to define the church’s relationship with Christ, when the wife (or husband) chooses to “decrease” by lifting up her spouse, putting the husband first, elevating her love to serve and bless her life’s mate, the appropriate response of the husband is to elevate his wife even higher.  Frankly, I have never met a married woman who wasn’t thrilled with her marriage if the man she was married to was willing to die for her!

Such is the way the bride of Christ and her Lord live.  As the church lifts up Jesus, God causes the church to shine, which in turn lets the world see the beauty of Christ.

Today

The Book of Common Prayer has a very “pray-able” petition for us to lift up:

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

The prayer asks that we might shine – so that the world might see….Jesus!

Shine, church – let the world see your LORD!

Level Ground

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

I first heard it 35 years ago at a little Baptist church in Florida: 

The ground is level at the foot of the cross!

Of course the sentence means that all persons, rich, poor, old or young come to Christ the same way – by humbling your heart and confessing Jesus as your Lord[1].  And, according to the trustworthy Gospel, we are also kept on level ground that way.

But it’s easy to catch the fever.

Church Growth Fever

Pastors are mostly to blame.  Somehow the entrepreneurial fever sets-in on most preachers and we’re off to the races to build the biggest church since Solomon’s temple.  One denominational leader in the Florida Baptist Convention told me years ago that he’d determined …to build a roof over [my] church’s 19 acres…and I came really close to accomplishing it.  Of course, the rest of his story includes him almost losing his family over the frantic push to create his religious empire.  The fever has a cost!

Now, I’m not slinging mud here – I’ve done my part to force-bloom a church.  Truth be told, when the “nickels and noses-counting” becomes more important than praising and serving, it throws the whole foundation of the church “off-level and off-center”.

Been there Done THAT!

(More accurately – I’m done WITH that!)

Don’t get me wrong here; it’s not that I don’t want to see the church(es) I serve grow.  There’s nothing holy about a church remaining small; particularly if it’s fear or prejudice against “big”.  It’s still my bedrock conviction that a healthy church will grow.  But I’m much more interested in seeing the church healthy than prosperous.

I’m with the Psalmist – I love the Lord’s house, His dwelling.  I love the level-ground of brothers and sisters living and loving in harmony, singing a magnificent life-song of praise to the Lord.

What I reject is the corporate model, with the Pastor as CEO, driving sheep like they are worker-bees to be deployed, so we can have more noses under the roof and nickels in the offering plate. 

God created us equal and if I am to exercise genuine leadership, it will be without agenda or blueprints in hand; it will be simply to praise God in, and with, the full assembly of His people. 

And that is powerful, whether it is 35 in the pews on a Sunday, or 3,500.  If God is being lifted up, praised and honored, the ground is exceedingly level!

Today

Ask God to show you what “level” means in the vision He has for your life.

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[1] Romans 10:9-10