Semper Fidelis

Monday, November 27, 2023

Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead.  This is the Good News I preach.  And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal.  But the word of God cannot be chained.  So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.  This is a trustworthy saying:  If we die with him, we will also live with him.  If we endure hardship, we will reign with him.  If we deny him, he will deny us.  If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.  

2 Timothy 2:8-13

United States Marines greet each other with the motto, Semper Fi, a shortened version of semper fidelis.[1]  The phrase means always faithful, and is indicative of the character of those who serve a higher guiding principle than self-interest.[2] 

Long before the assembling of U.S. fighting forces, the Apostle Paul wrote to his protégé, Timothy, an aspiring preacher of the Gospel, to encourage and admonish him to serve Christ’s Kingdom with an unswerving loyalty.  Paul described the resurrected Jesus as “faithful.”  Dying with Him, we are raised to newness of life by Him.  Enduring hardship, we will reign with him.  Denying Him, we will be judged by Him.  And, in His supreme compassion, when we are less than semper fi He is still faithful.  This could be summed-up in one short verse:

“I am the Lord, and I do not change.  Malachi 3:6a

By comparison, human beings can be remarkably un-loyal.  Our lives typically begin in one direction and, influenced by any of the seven deadly sins,[3] we change our employment, spouse, promises, gender, and a host of all other possibilities.  Despite the call to be faithful, human allegiance is usually sold to the highest bidder.  

I’m reminded of an elder statesman in the Southern Baptist tribe I met in 1981, Vance Havner, who said:  Faith that Fizzles at the Finish was Fickle from the First.  

It’s true!  Most mottos sound wonderful, even noble; most human attempts to live-up to those mottos have holes like Swiss cheese.

So what is the Rx for our Fickle Faith?

I’m glad you asked…and let me point us back to the Apostle’s opening line to Timothy: 

Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead.  This is the Good News I preach.  2 Timothy 2:8

If there is anything that can keep us close to Jesus it is the resurrection of God’s perfect lamb, crucified for our sins, raised to conquer death and the grave.  In staying faithful to proclaim that, we also preach Good News to our own souls.

For You Today 

Find a way to proclaim His resurrection every day, in every circumstance, and, as many have said…always preach the Gospel…even use words if necessary.  What that means for each of us is:  nothing will help keep you faithful like engaging in the work of He Who is Semper Fi.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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For another post on this text read here:  Gospel Unchained

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Today’s title Image from Pixabay.com  

Images without citation are in public domain or cited via weblinks.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©  

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[1] Wikipedia

[2] See Merriam-Webster Dictionary

[3]  pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger or wrath, and sloth – see The Seven Deadly Sins - LIst

Leading By Circular Logic

Friday, October 20, 2023

And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches.  I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ.  And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world.  As a fellow elder, I appeal to you:  Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you.  Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.  Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.  And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.  In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders.  And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  1 Peter 5:1-5

Apostle Peter addresses elders, leaders in God’s church, with instruction on how to lead.  This instruction is mostly about the attitude of a leader.  Note the words the big fisherman uses about the tenderness with which a church leader leads the flock entrusted to him:  care…watch over…lead by example.  And then Peter closes the door on the matter with the fact that humility covers all of it.

There are two caveats we must add to this leadership seminar of Peter’s:

1.    Leaders cannot lead this way unless followers follow this way.

2.    True followers will follow if leaders lead this way.

Every instruction God ever gave is predicated on the truth of God’s creation.  Those upon whom God places His call to lead in the church must respond to God’s call by leading selflessly, caring for the flock without pursuing personal gain.  Those who follow must respond, expecting to follow.  It’s a form of “circular logic” and requires trust (faith) in all directions.

Circular logic (or circular reasoning) is most often defined in a pejorative, or belittling sense.  With those for whom logic is the only acceptable pathway, the idea of faith must never cloud the issue.  That person would say about God, prove to me that God exists.  Believers answer that without faith (defined as a blind-leap without proof) it is impossible.  But if you believe (trust) He is real, you will have all the proof you need.  Another way to express that is from the atheist view:

An atheist says:  I won’t believe in God until I see Him.

A believer responds:  You’ll never see Him until you believe.

This same issue is true in the Leader/Follower issue Peter presented in his epistle:

Skeptical Christian:  I won’t trust or follow unless that leader is proven worthy

God’s Word replies: Have faith and by your faith I’ll make that leader worthy.

For You Today 

Is faith a form of circular logic? 

Absolutely!  

It begins with:  

In the beginning God…

It flows through:  

For God so loved…that He gave…

It ends full circle with:  

Even so, come Lord Jesus…

Circular logic may make the hair stand up on the back of a scientist’s or philosopher’s neck, but faith begins in the heart of a human being, created by God, for His glory and our good.  It won’t float in this world’s view, but for those who respond in faith, they will see God face to face.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Title Image Pixabay.com  Images without citation are in public domain or cited via weblinks.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

God's Generals

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

This day’s lectionary readings display three major characters in Scripture, King David, Moses, and Paul, and the ministry difficulties they faced.  Each passage focuses on their struggle with adversaries, and showcases the model for effective, Christ-honoring servant-leadership.  We can learn from each of them.

King David had his life threatened constantly.  It seemed that often the threats were going to be successful.  David’s first public act was as a young boy standing up to Goliath.  Ever the underdog, God prospered the young man from Jesse’s household.  David suffered bouts of self-doubt and fearing the worst (who could be confident when chased by an army?).  But faith returned again and again.  Listen to an older David’s heart:

Why am I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!  Psalm 42:11

Moses led Israel out of Egyptian bondage, and he had more than his share of adversaries who wanted to turn back.  Holding court for peanut-sized issues took all day.  Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, saw how Moses was being worn-out with settling minor disputes and problems, and advised him to find Godly leaders to help shoulder the load.  Moses took Jethro’s advice and diligently built a structure to honor God’s ways, and keep God’s people focused on the mission.

Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions.  He chose capable men from all over Israel and appointed them as leaders over the people.  Exodus 18:24-25a

Paul is the poster child for leaders with critics who were trying to undermine and siderail his ministry.  The most glaring example were those who preached the Gospel out of envy for Paul’s success.  They thought that building their own following would put Paul to shame.  They wanted him to rot in prison.  Paul’s letter to the Philippian believers was his response, the selfless, Christ-focused answer of the ages:

Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ.  They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me.  But that doesn’t matter.  Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice….For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past.  And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.  For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.  Philippians 1:17-18, 20-21

For You Today 

The models of Moses, David, and Paul take personal hardships and transform them into mirrors which reflect God’s power and goodness.  All who lead in God’s family should make it a life-goal to do the same.

·       Like David, learn to put fears and worries in the rear-view mirror.

·       Like Moses, listen to sound advice from elders who love God.

·       Like Paul, trust and lean on God’s decision about the future, and continue serving until he calls you home.

It’s safe ground to follow the leadership style of God’s choice vessels.  If you’re going to lead in God’s army, study His best Generals.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Title Image(s) courtesy of Wikimedia.com (see each individual picture for link to source)                   

Images without citation are in public domain.  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

Time to Wake Up

Monday, September 4, 2023

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis.  This is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars: “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. Revelation 3:1 

In Great Britain, each year since 1974, an average of 85 churches closes their doors for the last time; they go out of business.  As a result, there is an abundance of church furnishings being sold to commercial enterprises.  Christening fonts are sold as bird baths.  Pews and screens are used as restaurant decorations, and stained-glass windows are now household ornaments. 

We shake our heads at 85 British churches closing; and then stare in amazement when we are told that more than double that number are closing each year in America.  We should not be surprised.  Nearly 90% of America's churches are either plateaued or declining in membership.  You cannot decline without somehow decaying, and, eventually deceasing!  Some would suggest that the Christian Church is dying for the lack of Christian living. 

Our text tells us that Christianity in the church and the individual Christian can die.  The programs and services can be staffed and performed, but without life.  The blower in the furnace is on, but the fire has long since been extinguished!  Someone has said that if the Holy Spirit left most churches today, she wouldn't be missed.  Let's look at a church that had that very problem.

A reputation for being alive suggests vitality and authority.  Sardis was built on the top of a  90^o cliff that was totally inaccessible from three sides.  There was only one gateway into the city; the residents felt safe.  They were prosperous, and lived in an impregnable fortress.  However, the city was conquered and destroyed twice in its history.  In BC 549 the Medes under Cyrus came right through the front gate while the guards slept.  The same thing happened in BC 218.  Antiochus the Great caught the guards napping, and waltzed right in the front door.  This ancient city had a reputation for being impregnable to military conquest, but it went to sleep, and the fall was great.  In the same way, Jesus speaks to the fellowship of Christians at Sardis – a group without financial hardship, or persecution – a church of successful people, and he says:  "Your reputation is that of being strong, impregnable -- you are badly mistaken!"

Jesus then cautions them to wake up:

Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. 3 Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.  Revelation 3:2-3

If you have ever pulled guard duty in the Army, you know it requires considerable effort to keep the eyelids in function-mode for four long hours.  There's just something about someone saying, "Stay awake!" that just makes you want to immediately go to sleep.

The sense of these verses is that ministry which was ongoing and vital at Sardis had waned; it was fading fast, and would soon die altogether.  Jesus warns them to shake-out of the lethargy and turn around. 

For You Today 

The message of Jesus to Sardis rings as strongly today as it ever has in history. 

If you had a heart on-fire for God, it’s time to rekindle it; blow on those embers before it’s too late!  If you were an evangelistic soul-winner, get busy in the neighborhood knocking on doors.  Don't let the ministry die! 

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library. 

Title Images:  Pixabay.com        Images without citation are in public domain.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

In the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron.  “If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned.  “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted.  But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”  Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you.  Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day.   I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.  On the sixth day they will gather food, and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.”  So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “By evening you will realize it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt.  In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaints, which are against him, not against us.  What have we done that you should complain about us?”  Then Moses added, “The Lord will give you meat to eat in the evening and bread to satisfy you in the morning, for he has heard all your complaints against him.  What have we done?  Yes, your complaints are against the Lord, not against us.”  Then Moses said to Aaron, “Announce this to the entire community of Israel: ‘Present yourselves before the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’”  And as Aaron spoke to the whole community of Israel, they looked out toward the wilderness.  There they could see the awesome glory of the Lord in the cloud.  Then the Lord said to Moses,  “I have heard the Israelites’ complaints.  Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want.  Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”  That evening vast numbers of quail flew in and covered the camp.  And the next morning the area around the camp was wet with dew.  When the dew evaporated, a flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed the ground.  The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it.  “What is it?” they asked each other.  They had no idea what it was.  And Moses told them, “It is the food the Lord has given you to eat.  Exodus 16:2-15

The Israelite tribes complained bitterly that they were on a “fool’s errand”; they complained God had gotten them out of Egyptian slavery, only to die of hunger and thirst in the desert.  After 400 years of bondage, they’d gotten pretty comfortable in Egypt; none of them had ever known freedom.  They didn’t have a clue how costly freedom was to obtain, nor how much self-sacrifice and work it would be to maintain it.  As a nation they were infants facing Goliath.  Spiritually they were like naïve children; they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I have known that twice in my life and ministry.  In 1981 I was ordained as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The battle over women in ministry had reached a boiling-point with a conservative “takeover” in the Southern Baptist Convention.  It was a contentious time, and ten years later the denomination split into Southern Baptist and Cooperative Baptist groups.In 2005 I was drawn into the serenity of the United Methodist Church as a pastor.  Nearly two decades have been overshadowed by a fragmentation of leadership between far left progressives and far right conservatives.  Of late the parting of ways between the UMC and Global Methodists has been sometimes peaceful, even amicable; at other times, World War III.  In some ways I sense I’ve been struck by lightning twice during my 40+ years of simply trying to follow God’s leadership in the midst of a tornado.  The daily cares of pastoral work seemed diminished, overshadowed by strife and hot tempers.  My ministry began in Florida where they say it’s hard to remember you’re draining the swamp when you’re up to your eyeballs in alligators.   

It does not take a rocket scientist to compare the divisions between two large denominations with the sordid unbelief of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness.  Anyone with even a slight understanding of Scripture can picture the evil in failing to trust God.  And the shorter leap is knowing if we can’t trust Him, it’s hopeless to think we have a shot at trusting each other.

For You Today 

There is a sense of hope that abounds in even the wrongest of places at the worst of times…Jesus didn’t come to bring anger, confusion, and death; He is life!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  

 

Title Image:  via Wikimedia Commons 

Images without citation are in public domain.   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

 

Mustard Faith

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God?  What story should I use to illustrate it?  It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground.  It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.”  Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand.  In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.  Mark 4:30-34

As a tourist or resident, walking the busy streets of New York isn’t a complete experience unless you get a hot dog from a street vendor.  And, of course, you must have mustard!  (If you eat it plain the STREET-EATS POLICE will get ya’).  

As a former New Yorker who has eaten many of those “tube-steaks” I can attest to the oft-mused answer to the question about what gives those doggies their special flavor.  The answer is threefold simple…ambiance of the great city, a fair amount of soot, and taxicab tailpipe exhaust in the air[1]. 

Now, It's something of a leap from street-vendors selling New York hot dogs, to Jesus talking about mustard in Jerusalem; but there is a connection.  You do know there isn’t a person in the entirety of humanity who hasn’t tasted a hot dog.  In the same way everyone in the crowd to which Jesus spoke in that agrarian community knew mustard seeds as a “must” for the garden.  The image of the tiny seed, growing into a huge, tree-like bush, and how mustard’s pungent taste can enhance many foods, is common in any culture you care to name.  When you bite into anything coated with mustard, you know it’s there.  And that may be a hint of why Jesus used such a common image to help people understand God’s Kingdom. 

The rapid growth of a tiny seed, coupled with its unmistakeable presence when matured, is an appropriate characterization of what God is able to do with us.  Consider the magnificent presence of Mother Teresa…as tiny a human being (physically) as you could ever meet, and quiet enough, personally, that you’d never expect a mustard kind of effect out of that little package.  But she drew the attention of the entire world to change the way children are treated. 

Much as a mustard plant can double as a shade tree for a hot, weary bird or two, any tiny human being, whether isolated in the mountains of Cambodia, or living on the busy streets of Mubai, India, another face in the crowd of 21-million other people, God can grow some evidence of His Kingdom-presence to feed a leper, or put clothes on a street kid.  Small, common seeds…big, holy results!

For You Today 

From the antiquities of the first century church we have what Paul told the belivers at Colossae:

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.  Colossians 3:23

You may not be called to work with children like Mother Teresa, or labor at a microscope to cure cancer, or gear-up with the astronauts to travel to distant stars.  But whatever God places in your hand, your heart, or your head, He has placed it, and you, there to make a difference.  Start as a mustard seed; grow to be a shade tree for some weary, wandering bird who needs to know what it’s like to come face to face with the Kingdom of God.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  

 

Title Image:  via Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©  

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[1] With humble apologies to my New York friends and relatives…tongue in cheek; it’s really da mustard

An Invitation to the Imperfect

with much thanks to Rev. John Strother

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

Hello I’m the body of Christ, but you may know me by my other name - Church.

I'm sure you've heard a lot about me. I have no shortage of critics. Perhaps you have heard that I am...Boring, Shallow, Irrelevant, A waste of time

Maybe you've heard that I am full of:

Hypocrites, Greedy people, The self-righteous

Maybe you have visited me before and discovered:

Music you didn’t like, Passionless singing, Dry preaching, Rude congregants

Maybe you needed me and I was: Too busy, Too "righteous", Too broke, Too blind

Maybe you joined me and found I was:  Distant, Demanding, Dull, Preoccupied

Maybe you tried to serve in me but were caught off guard by:

Business meetings, Committees, Interpersonal Conflicts, Bureaucracy

Maybe you left and were surprised that nobody:

Called, Cared, Or seemed to notice, And invite you back

Perhaps your experience has driven you to:

Speak negatively of me, Swear to never come back to me,                                   Proclaim that no one needs me,

Believe you're better off without me

If this is true, I have something to say to you:

I'm sorry, I was wrong, I blew it,

I made a huge mistake

But remember, I never said my name was:

Perfect, Flawless, Complete, Arrived

 

My name is church. Or, more accurately, the Body of Christ.  At my best I welcome the:  Hypocrite, Dry, Self-righteous, Shallow

I also welcome the Sincere, Passionate, Forgiving, Selfless

I cannot shut my doors to the people who make you:

Angry, Uncomfortable, Impatient, Self-conscious

But I would remind you that we couldn't always worship in the same room

because of division between:  Gentiles, Jews, Men, Women

In order for us to all worship in the same room Christ was:

Shamed, Beaten, Killed, Resurrected

Which is far worse than being:  Bored, Uncomfortable, Embarrassed, Ignored

So why not come back to church and let all of these other sojourners:

Challenge you, Sharpen you, Strengthen you, Humble you

I can't promise you that the people will be great. This is church. It's not:

Heaven, Paradise, Beulah Land, The Celestial city or whatever else you might call the Great Beyond

But do come back, or join us for the first time.

God wants you here.  The body needs you here. 

The world needs your witness.  You belong here.

Hello, my name is church.

I miss you.    I love you.     I'm sorry.      Can't wait to see you.

For You Today 

This is evangelism, reconciliation between siblings, and the humility Christ offered to each of us.  This is what the church (all of us) needs to offer to the world today.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,500 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  

 

Title Image:  via Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©