Revitalizing a Church

Just read a great article at the Gospel Coalition's website on pastoring a church that is not onboard with your vision at the outset. He gives 6 practical tips that shows tremendous balance and loving leadership.

1. Love them more than you hate where they are at.
2. Think like a missionary.
3. Small changes + time= progress.
4. Ground them in the bible.
5. Wait for a providential tipping point.
6. Make tough with a personal touch.

If you want to read more on how he expounds each tip, I highly recommend this article, entitled, Be Wise When You Revitalize by Mark Vroegop.

"Is Christianity All About Becoming Rich?" Theological Misconceptions: Part 6

This theological misconception is often called the "Prosperity Gospel." This is where many nominal Christians or those who would reject Christianity get many of their stereotypes of Money-Hungry preachers that they see on TV dressed in their designer suits and driving Rolls Royce's. This teaching is NOT true Biblical Christianity. It is in fact a bastardization of the gospel to fit the needs of men and women who greedy after filthy lucre. Jesus and the rest of Scripture speak to the ills of wealth and greed and the dangers and pitfalls that it can bring.

At this point I could go into a deep theological study of this false gospel, but I would like to give you the words of Paul to Christians in Galatia and then please take the time to listen to one of the best repudiations of prosperity gospel, by Pastor John Piper. Galatians 1:6- , "I am astonished that you are deserting Him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-Not that there is another gospel, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one you have received, let him be accursed."


 

"Judge Not, Lest Ye Be Judged." Theological Misconceptions: Part 5

The words of Jesus in Matthew 7:1 are probably one of, if not, the most misused words in all of the bible. Jesus says, "Judge not, that you be not judged." The immediate assumption by those who hear and/or use this quote is that no one is allowed to judge or decide whether the actions of others are wrong, sinful or immoral. Often followed or in place of the judge not statement with, "Only God can judge me." 

This is a completely wrong and erroneous understanding of the passage. The key to understanding any writing, including biblical writings, is context. Jesus is not saying no one can say to someone their actions are wrong. The context Matthew 7:1-5. "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is a log in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."

The major premise here is hypocrisy, not discerning right or wrong actions. Jesus is saying when you judge a persons actions, make sure your life is free from accusation in that area. The problem becomes when a person judges another for a minor point, or a speck of wood in their eye, and they in reality have the larger problem, or the log in their eye. At this point you would think still, maybe no one should judge because everyone struggles with hypocrisy. Yet, Jesus commands us to first make sure our life is right before God. And if it is, then we will see clearly to judge or discern the actions of another. This is spoken of also by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15, "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one." 

Theological Misconceptions Part 4: Does God's love overrules His justice?

In America it is extremely popular today to speak of the love of God, or God is love, which is absolutely true (1 John 4:8). The question remains then, how is God's justice reconciled? The assumption is that God's love overrules or negates the justice of God. Or put in another way, if God was truly loving He would never allow anyone to spend eternity in the torments of hell. The theological misconception here is that God is under no obligation to show mercy and be gracious to man. Over and over in the Scriptures, God's glory is played out not only by His mercy and grace, but also His justice. In punishing the guilty God's righteousness is put on display.

We all understand this when a murderer or pedophile is brought to justice. However, we want God to stop evil, but where do we want this to stop? "The murder level? The lying level? or the thinking level? If we want Him to stop evil, we gotta be consistent, we can't just pick and choose. That means you and I would be eliminated right? Because we think evil stuff." - Lecrae. Jesus in multiple instances deals that sin and evil is not merely actions but flows from the heart and mind.

So how is God's love for sinners and His justice toward sin reconciled? Jesus, the God-man who lived in perfect obedience to the law was sent to suffer the condemnation of the law to bear the wrath of God against all sin. In other words, Jesus took your penalty and mine so that God's justice and His wrath would be satisfied (Romans 3:21-26). Shai Linne, who in His song, "Judge of All the Earth," inspired this series as well as the premise for this post. Finishes with this, "So now God is able to be just and the justifier of all who turn from their sin and place their trust in Messiah. The resurrected Lord is our infinite treasure truly, He gives us new eyes to see His justice in all its beauty!"

Theological Misconceptions Part 3: "God helps those who help themselves."

This misconception is one that is strikingly popular in our day where it is often quoted by all types of people including recently a political figure attributing it to Holy Writ. This phrase is not in the Scriptures at all nor is its philosophy found in its pages. This quote is actually originated from Aesop's Fable: Hercules and the Waggoner that dates to around the 6th century B.C.

The Scriptures paint a different portrait, that God helps those who cannot help themselves. Going a step further, not only does God give help to those who are helpless, he gives freedom to those ensnared in the clutches of sin and life to those who are spiritually dead. 

Romans 5:6-8, "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Theological Misconceptions Part 2: "Jesus is one of many ways to God."

The second misconception I want to address is the idea that there are many paths to God, Jesus is just one of them. This is sometimes voiced, as it doesn’t matter what you believe so long as you are sincere. The problem with this view again begins with a foundational misunderstanding of God’s character. The philosophical understanding at the root of this misconception is that if God is loving He would surely not allow someone who is sincere in whatever religion they are practicing to be cast off for all eternity. This is an overemphasis of one attribute (love) over others, such as justice. This is a topic that will be dealt with in depth in later posts.

Outside of the overemphasis on God’s love, the Scriptures are explicit on several doctrines that are essentials to the Christian faith. All of which speak very clearly to claims of exclusivity. A denial of any of these doctrines constitutes a lack of regeneration or a lack of salvation.

--Jesus is both fully God and fully man (John 1:1,14; 8:24; 12:39-41; Col. 2:9; 1 John 4:1-4).

--Jesus rose from the dead physically (John 2:19-21; 1 Cor. 15:14).

--Salvation is by grace through faith (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 3:1-2; 5:1-4).

--The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus according to the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Gal. 1:8-9).

--There is only one God (Exodus 20:3; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8)

--God exists as a Trinity of persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

--Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary (nature of incarnation)

--Jesus is the only way to God the Father (John 14:6).

The last claim, from the words of Christ Himself, allow absolutely no room for Christ being only one of many ways to God. Christ's claim is that He is in fact the only way to God, by faith in His death and resurrection to bear God's wrath against sin in our place.

Theological Misconceptions Part 1: "If I am good enough God will accept me."

Over the next few posts, I wanted to take the time to address a number of common theological misconceptions held by non-Christians and nominal Christians. The first misconception I would like to address is the thought that, "If I am a good enough person God will allow me into heaven and accept me."


Like virtually every theological misconception they start with a wrong foundation. Like any strong building if the foundation is poorly done the building will eventually decay and be destroyed. The foundational issue here is one that is asked regularly in our society but mostly answered incorrectly. Is man inherently good or is he inherently evil? 

The Old Testament is clear in Ecclesiastes 7:20, "Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins." In the New Testament the Apostle Paul deals with this issue in Romans 3 quoting portions of Psalm 5, 10, 14, 53, 140; Proverbs 1 and Isaiah 59.  

“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” - Romans 3:10-18

Paul later says in Ephesians 2:1-3 the plight of men without Christ. "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind."

Mankind according to Paul is by nature children of wrath. One might say this is a hopeless plight! There is no way that we can be accepted by God. You would be right in and of themselves man cannot be accepted by God. God must intervene and perhaps two of the greatest words in all of scripture appear right after this statement in Ephesians 2:4..."But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved."

God intervenes and provides a way for sinful men who were once objects of God's wrath to be forgiven and reconciled to God. By sending His Son to be the object of wrath in our stead, by faith in substitutionary death and resurrection of Christ + nothing else we may have life.

Romans 3:21-26, "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

The Greatest Story Ever Told

The historical narratives of the Old and New Testaments are an amazing unfolding of God's redemptive purposes. Each one of God's past redemptive acts is part of the development of His plan to restore lost sinners into communion and relationship with Him. Immediately after man sinned and became subject to all misery and condemnation, God began to reveal to man His thoughts of peace and reconciliation. The first promise made with Adam and Eve contained the essence and substance of the entire plan of salvation, even though it was only in its elementary form. God's gracious redemptive plan was increasingly revealed with the progression of time. The Old Testament promises, types, and messianic prophecies all pointed forward to the coming of the Messiah in whom God's purposes of redemption would be ultimately fulfilled. These means shadowed forth, to the Old Testament saints, the one and only way of salvation through the substitutionary death of the Lamb of God. With the eyes of faith they rejoiced to see the promised Messiah, and in Him they obtained the blessings of justification and the forgiveness of sins. Redemptive history climaxes with the shedding of the blood of the Son of God on the cross. His precious blood was the necessary price for redeeming sinners from the state of condemnation and death. The Christological focus of redemptive history does not end with Christ's first coming, however, but it also includes the manifestations of His grace and mercy in this present age, and it anticipates His second advent when He will make a final restoration of all things unto Himself. -redemptivehistory.org  This all culminates into, as Shai Linne puts it, "The Greatest Story Ever Told."

Lyrics

Alright check it: lets go back in time, brethren. Divine lessons always keep your mind guessing. The glory of the Triune God is what Im stressing. The origin of humankind was fine. Blessings were plenteous. God is amazingly generous. Crazy benefits in a state of innocence. God told the man what he could taste was limited. Not long after came our nemesis in Genesis. He scammed well, man fell, damned to hell. The whole human race—he represented it. Fooled by the serpent, man through his work, woman through birth—even the earth ruled by the curses. But instead of a wake immediately. God said her Seed would be the One to crush the head of the snake. Yo, wait what is this? Whoa, a gracious gift! In Jehovahs faithfulness He clothed their nakedness. This was so they would know their Saviors kiss and bliss. But first, many growing pains exist suffering in the worst form, ugly deeds. Eves firstborn seed made his brother bleed. Indeed things got progressively worse. Every section of the earth is been affected by the curse. And though Gods judgments against sin were gory, praise the Lord! Its not the end of the story.

Next scene: mans sin was extreme. God gets steamed, man gets creamed. The Lord is so Holy that He drowned them in the water. Fire in the valley of slaughter Sodom and Gomorrah. But at the same time, Hes so gracious and patient that from one man He created a whole nation. Eventually enslaved by the mentally depraved, they cried out to the only One with the strength that He could save. He brought them out with signs and wonders satisfied their hunger. Then He appeared on Mount Sinai in thunder. Where He laid down the law for God-ruled government. Commonly referred to as the Mosaic covenant. Sin was imputed. So for man to know hes unrighteous, God instituted animal sacrifices. This was to show our constant need for atonement. And when it came to sin, the Lord would never condone it. And when His people disobeyed and went astray, He raised up prophets and kings to lead them in the way. But they would get foul with their idolatry—wet and wild prophecy—send them into exile. To take their punishment like a grown man. Then with His own hand He placed them back in their homeland. And while in their forefathers land they dwelt, they awaited the arrival of Emmanuel.

After 400 silent years filled with sighs and tears. In Bethlehem the Messiah appears. God in the flesh—Second Person of the Trinity. At thirty begins His earthly ministry. Baffling cats with accurate, exact facts and back-to-back miraculous acts. A stumbling block to the self righteous. But the humbled—His flock, said Theres no one else like this. He came from heaven to awake the numb. Demonstrated His power over nature, son. A foretaste of the Kingdom and the age to come. But the reason He came was to pay the sum for the depths of our wickedness, our wretched sinfulness. Bless His magnificence! He is perfect and innocent. Yet He was wrecked and His death. He predicted it. Next He was stretched, paid a debt that was infinite. He said that He finished it. Resurrected so the elect would be the recipients of its benefits. Through faith and penitence we get to be intimate. His grace is heaven sent, it never diminishes. Now the Holy Spirit indwelling is the evidence for heavens future residents who truly represent Jesus, the Author, Producer, Director, and Star of a story that will never, ever end!

Its the greatest story ever told.
A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold.
The greatest story ever told.
Restoring all that the enemy stole.
The greatest story ever told.
The glory of Christ is the goal, behold.
The greatest story ever told.
Its the greatest.

Artist: Shai Linne
Album: Storiez
Song: Greatest Story Ever Told Feat. Flame

Year: 2008

Jesus asks "Do You Love Me?"

In John 21 following Peter's wonderful response to run to Jesus. Jesus begins to speak to Peter around the fire. He asks him, "Peter, do you love me?" His response is, "Of course, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus, tells him to feed His sheep. Rather than get in to the intricacies of this passage, let's look at it just at face value. He speaks to us asking that question, "Do you love me?" our response, like Peter, "of course Lord, you know I love you." So what are we to do? Feed His sheep. Not only pastors but all of Christ's followers, if we love Him, must be feeding His sheep and making disciples of all nations.

"And between the throne and the our living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.'" - Revelation 5:6-11 (ESV) 

What is Your Reaction to the Risen Lord?

"That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea." - John 21:7 (ESV)


Jesus had already shown Himself to His disciples previously in chapter 20, yet Jesus chooses to reveal Himself to them again while they are fishing. Peter had already seen the risen Christ, yet he hears the words again, "It is the Lord!" and his response has not changed. This response is still very Peteresque, as he throws himself into the Sea and seeks to get to Jesus. What an amazing example from Peter. Many of us having experience the victory of Christ by faith in His death, burial and resurrection, yet our response to Christ is one of apathy and laziness. Peter does all he can to get to Jesus. What is our reaction to the risen Lord today? Is it to apathetically sit by and not care, or is it to dive into the written Word so that we may commune with the Living Word?

Apart From Christ We Are Nothing

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. - John 15:4.

How easy it is, for us to try to do all we can for Christ and muster up the ability to accomplish it. Yet, Christ says The branch cannot bear fruit by itself! Only when it abides in the vine. Christ is calling for radical submission to Hus Lordship in our lives so that we are but an instrument in God's orchestral masterpiece.

Where is our hope?

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” - John 14:1-7

What a wonderful passage of scripture! We see Christ comforting the hearts of the disciples during these last hours. Notice how He does it...by speaking of our future hope of eternity, that is granted only through Christ (14:6). A common misconception here is that the comfort comes through the pleasures of bliss in heaven. But what do we see Jesus really tell them? Is the emphasis on the Father's house? I would state the text is emphasizing the who will be in eternity. Notice Jesus words, "if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." The glory of heaven is not the "mansions" or "golden streets" but Christ Himself. What makes heaven, heaven, is Jesus! Want validation...what is Thomas' reply to Jesus? "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Thomas doesn't ask how big the Father's house is, he doesn't ask anything other than how he can be with Jesus! Jesus' answer of how we can be with Him, is only through Him, only by turning from our sin and turning by faith to Christ and His sovereign grace to give us life.

What about you, have you turned from your sin and turned to Christ by faith? If so, Christian where is your joy founded? Where is your hope? Is it in the glorious things of heaven or in the one who gives heaven its glory?

Servant Leadership

In the famous upper room discourse before Jesus would be betrayed Jesus models perfectly what true leadership was and is.

He was God incarnate, yet He humbled Himself and served His disciples in a service that was saved for the lowliest of slaves. To wash the feet of His disciples was a sign of amazing humility. Even to this day is the middle east the feet have a grotesque place in the culture as one of the worst insults you can give them is to show the sole of your foot.

And I love Peter's typical response in John 13:8, "Don't wash my feet!" Peter said this because one with such authority and status should never do this. Jesus is teaching him that if you cannot serve in the lowliest service than you cannot serve my sheep. Now look at his second response in verse 9, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!"

When Jesus calls you to be humbled in whatever task He has called you, is your response like Peter's first or second?

the 2 faced crowd

In John 12 we see what is commonly referred to as the Triumphal Entry, where Jesus rides into the City of David as the Messiah, the King of Israel. We then hear that chants of the people of Jerusalem saying "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" John 12:13

Sadly this glorious day is extremely short-lived as only days later this same crowd would cry out, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" John 18:40.

What is your heart response to Jesus? Is it to acknowledge him as Lord and Savior or is it to turn your back on Him seek after wicked things of this world? Or maybe you are like those from Jerusalem who cried out to Him as Lord, but in their actions deny Him.

How you respond to Jesus is everything. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." John 3:36. Don't turn from Christ, turn to Him!

Jesus wept.

One verse that virtually every child knows outside of John 3:16, is John 11:35. For one simple reason, its the shortest verse in the bible. These 2 words, Jesus wept. pack a tremendous theological wallop. Why did Jesus weep? In the context the brother of his friend Lazarus had died and she lay at his feet sobbing and in anguish over her brother. The text says that Jesus was "deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled." He then asked to see the tomb where Lazarus lay. When he saw Lazarus, we hear these tremendous words, "Jesus wept."

Why do these words have such meaning? We have all lost someone dear to us at some point or another, and we see the God of the universe who has taken on human flesh (John 1:1, 14) is weeping over the loss of someone close to Him. Jesus knows what we have gone through, what we are facing and what will be facing us in the future. He longs for us to bring our cares, our struggles, and our sorrows before Him in prayer.

"Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with boldness draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16

a good shepherd or a hired hand?

I have been reading through the gospel of John recently preparing my heart for the next stage in our families ministry as a pastor. I was told by a pastor friend of mine that John speaks much of Jesus as a shepherd as well as his practical shepherding. John 10 was so profound in preparing my heart for future pastoral ministry.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep." John 10:11-13

What a contrast between the good shepherd who is willing to lay down his life and be mauled by the wolves to protect his sheep, and the hired hand who cares nothing for the sheep and when the wolves come he leaves and allows the sheep to be scatted and slaughtered. For those of you who have godly pastors who love and care for you in their ministry you should be thanking God for these men and lifting them up in prayer regularly.

Those Who Don't Know History Are Bound to Repeat it-180 Movie

Those who don't know history are bound to repeat it. - Edmund Burke

What is Sin?

The debate today over sin has become more about whether man is inherently good or evil. The problem with this debate is that the question is wrong, misleading and inherently man-centered. What is sin? 

"The glory of God not honored. The holiness of God not reverenced. The greatness of God not admired. The power of God not praised. The truth of God not sought. The wisdom of God not esteemed. The beauty of God not treasured. The goodness of God not savored. The faithfulness of God not trusted. The commandments of God not obeyed. The justice of God not respected. The wrath of God not feared. The grace of God not cherished. The presence of God not prized. The person of God not loved. That is sin." -John Piper

Original Sermon by John Piper, entitled "The Greatest Thing in the World: an Overview of Romans 1-7"