The following is from the evening worship service at Highland View Baptist Church on March 21, 2010.
In a seminary missions class, Herbert Jackson told how, as a new missionary, he was assigned a car that would not start without a push. After pondering his problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years.
Ill health forced the Jackson family to leave, and a new missionary came to that station. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, “Why, Dr. Jackson, I believe that the only trouble is this loose cable.” He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and to Jackson’s astonishment, the engine roared to life. For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting that power to work.
J.B. Phillips paraphrases Ephesians 1:19-20, “How tremendous is the power available to us who believe in God.” When we make firm our connection with God, his life and power flow through us.
The question is simple. Is the power of God evident in God’s church today, or are we behaving like the former missionary and devising a plan to make things work? I fully believe that the picture of the man trying to get the car rolling through human power is fitting to describe the state of the church today. We are trying all of the popular fads of society. We are pursuing programs and gimmicks. We are catering to a generation of consumers instead of developing a family of Christian servants.
I’m afraid that much like that old car, the connection to our power source is loose at times. I believe that we could benefit from examining our connections, and tightening that relationship.
Like the car, when our connections are adequately secured, when we are joined with the source of our power, the engine roars to life. It is at that point, that we are able to be about the work that is demanded of us. When we are joined with Him, we don’t need to urging shove of those around us. Rather, God provides all the power that we need.
I want to take a few moments this evening and look at how to infuse God’s power back into the church. I want to look at the conditions that were present when the Holy Spirit arrived and God’s power emerged as a force unlike anything seen by God’s people before.
I would invite you to join with me in the second chapter of the book of Acts.
Read text. (Acts 2:1-13)
I love the story of the coming of the Spirit. I love the prospect and potential that we see as a Christian people when the Spirit comes in power. And while we cannot recreate this occasion of Pentecost, we can examine and secure the conditions that were present during this time.
Before we get into the conditions present that day, we need to consider the background of what is going on in this time. “Pentecost” actually means “fiftieth.” It is referring to what is also known in the Old Testament as the “Feast of Weeks” (Exodus 34) that is celebrated fifty days after the second day of Passover. It has also been called the “Feast of the Harvest” in Exodus 23. This was a celebration to mark the end of the grain harvest. On this Sabbath, there were two loaves of bread made from the new grain, and two yearling lambs were offered before God as a thanksgiving offering, praising God for the harvest. People were expected to attend this event, and they were required to bring a free will offering.
This event happened fifty days after the second day of Pentecost. We know that Jesus remained with His disciples for forty days following His resurrection. Understanding this, Pentecost could not have come more than ten days after Christ’s ascension. Finally at this point, the prophecy of Joel, and the words of John the Baptist were fulfilled. John said in Matthew 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
On this day when God’s people were thanking Him for the harvest, God determined that it was time to begin His harvest of souls through the church. At this point, the world and the church would never again be the same.
It is important to note that we cannot duplicate the events of that day with the birth of the church. We cannot go to Jerusalem, enter the upper room, and wait for the arrival of the Spirit. Rather, God has already given every born-again believer the gift of His Spirit. We cannot duplicate the miracles of that day. That is God’s business.
While we can’t duplicate those miracles, we can try to create the same conditions. And I believe that if we create those conditions, we will be ready when God determines to send His Spirit in power. How we need another Pentecost! If we are to find it, we need to follow the example of the early church. They were first…
1.) United in Purpose (1:4-5)
“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
The young church was assembled together with one purpose. They came together to wait to see God move.
Now, that is challenging as a Christian today. It seems that we have become so used to going through the motions. We have duties and responsibilities to fulfill, programs to run. We have appearances to make, expectations to meet, and people to support. Many churches have orders for services that seem to be handed down by God Himself. We have become some accustomed to our traditions that often we forget to wait on God.
In the pastorate, there is the temptation to think that every moment and move must be planned. I mean, no one wants to come to church and just sit in the pew. We don’t want to come and stare at the wall. We often think that we must account for every moment that we gather together. And while I believe that good planning is important, we cannot allow it to dictate whether or not God will have a welcomed time and place in His house.
I love the picture of the early church. There were certain processes and programs that they would expect. However, there was an earnest and fervent desire to see the power of God every time they came together.
In the early church, for this short period of time, I am certain that they would gather with the hope and expectation that the Spirit would arrive at that time. I’m sure that there were those that speculated together at home as to whether or not this would be the day.
I love that thought. If we are honest with ourselves, how many of us come with the hope that the music service will be lively and the preacher’s message somewhat entertaining? How many of us hope to endure the service and possibly get something out of it, but we don’t consider the possibility that God could really show up in power?
We need to become like the early church. When they assembled, it was with common purpose. It was not to conduct a program, but rather to wait together for the movement of God.
As we come together, there are certain things that must be addressed. However, we should come, not with personal agendas, but with the common desire that we will see the face of God together. We should assemble with a common purpose. In addition to being united in purpose, they were also…
2.) United in Prayer (1:14)
“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”
The early followers of Christ were not content to merely sit around and discuss their problems with one another. While they were probably somewhat distraught and disappointed at Christ’s return to glory, they determined that they needed to bow knee together and begin to pray.
Now, we don’t have a transcript of their prayers, but I believe that they prayed for one another. They prayed for the brothers sitting next to them and their families. They prayed for Jesus’ earthly family and the trouble and ridicule that would almost certainly follow. They prayed for God’s will and guidance in their earthly ministries.
Now, this is another scene that I love. We have been discussing and studying the disciples during Discipleship Training. And I can almost hear the voices of the men that Jesus called from their daily routines. Can you hear the words of the rugged fishermen that are concerned about how to continue? Can you hear the voice of Matthew as he realizes that he cannot return to his former life, but his new one has just taken an extraordinarily difficult turn? Can you hear the requests of the women that Jesus loved and ministered to? What about the cries of Jesus’ own brothers that recognized what was happening and the future that awaited?
I do not consider myself to be equal with the men that Jesus personally trained in His earthly ministry. However, I think that I can relate to that scene. I can remember early days in the ministry where I still trembled at the thought of standing before a crowd and proclaiming the unwavering name of Jesus. I can remember the prayer sessions that Dave and I would have for each other, and those that God had given us a ministry with.
I believe that it was a scene of uncommon honesty and unexpected power. When the early church met together, they did not simply discuss their ideas and interpretations, they determined to go together to the throne of grace.
As God’s people, if we are seeking the manifested power of the Holy Spirit, we need to follow their example again. We need to bind together with the desire for God to move and bless our brothers and sisters. We need to lift one another up and ask God’s leadership and blessing on our church family.
There is nothing that we can do that builds unity like carrying one another’s burdens to God in prayer.
If we truly desire a present-day Pentecost, we need to be united in purpose, united in prayer, and also…
3.) United in Power (v. 2:3-4a)
“Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire and one sat on each of them. And they were all filled with the Spirit…”
The early church was united in purpose and prayer, and through the gift of God, they were united in power as well.
We see in the account of the coming of the Holy Spirit that all the believers had another common element. The power of the Holy Spirit filled each of them.
We see that the Spirit came and the power of God present in the Spirit was physically evident in each of believers. It was at this point that believers were eternally marked by the God’s abiding in them
While the early church in this Pentecost was able to declare that the power of the Spirit was physically evident to those around, the present church cannot make that same claim. Rather, there are plenty that give no evidence whatsoever to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The church is not currently united in the power of God. Rather, we are separated by our petty differences. We try to accomplish the plan of God through our own devices and agendas. And we do so because so many within the average church do not have the power of the Holy Spirit. They have never surrendered their hearts and lives to God, and therefore cannot know of His power.
There are those that suggest that one problem in the church is that believers all seem to be in different stages, and that is a difficult thing. However, the true lack of common power is found in the fact that there are more than expected that have no relationship with Jesus Christ. They simply do not know who the Holy Spirit is.
I want to make certain that we understand this: Church membership does not equal the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. In fact, there are some studies that suggest more than fifty percent of an average church membership believes that there are multiple ways to heaven, all religions are essentially equal, and their works influence whether or not they may get to heaven.
If a person is not willing to cling to Christ and pronounce Him as Savior, if they do not believe that the Father is one true God, then they are not marked by the power of the Spirit.
The early church was marked by united in purpose, in prayer, in power, and lastly by…
4.) United in Performance (v. 2:4)“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Not only was the early church marked by purpose, prayer, and power, but they joined together in the work as well.
We see that they all began to speak with other tongues. They were not given the power of the Holy Spirit to merely sit on it. Rather, they were called to put it to work. Because of their obedience, and the showing of the power that was in them, men came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Listen, salvation was never meant to be taken as a “Get out of jail free” card. Rather, it was intended to be a commitment to service of our Heavenly Father. God did not save anyone to merely sit. Rather, He saved us to serve. And quite frankly, a faith that won’t serve isn’t real faith.
The question begs to be asked, “How many Christians are putting to work the power that was given to them? How many of us are actively taking the power of the Holy Spirit to the lost world? And how many of us are content to just sit and absorb the Spirit?"
I firmly believe that one of the reasons why God granted the power to the early church was because they intended to use it for God’s kingdom.
We must seek to become more like the early church. We must be a church united- in purpose, in prayer, in power, and in performance.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Determining the Right Direction
The following is from the AM worship service at Highland View Baptist Church on March 14, 2010.
Have any of you ever been lost? Now, I’m not speaking in a spiritual sense…yet. But have you ever been physically lost?
One evening several months ago, when returning with supper from the nearest town, I passed an uncharacteristically large gathering at the local convenience store in Montrose.
Now, any gathering of more than approximately twelve or fifteen people is suspect in that area unless it is church or family related. However, that evening there were, what seemed to be, at least twenty trucks parked across the rear parking lot, and perhaps twice as many people standing outside the vehicles.
All of the people present were wearing camoflauge and every truck was trailed by some kind of ATV. It was obvious that those present were hunters, but given the lateness of the evening, it was very peculiar that they would be gathered.
Finally, after some questioning, I learned that the group was actually a search party. They were trying to organize before going into the national forest to look for a lost hunter and his young son.
Apparently, the missing man and his son were unfamiliar with their chosen hunting area and did not have a dependable means of determining the direction they were traveling. As the hour grew late, and the sun disappeared below the horizon, they were unable to see where they were headed and even to determine north or south.
After some searching, one member of the search party happily reported that he had located the boy and his father. They were only three or four miles in the opposite direction from where they should have been on a dirt road.
Because their course had not been set, and because they were unable to evaluate their direction, they wasted time and energy and endured unnecessary hardships.
That day, they learned the importance of dependable directions.
Now, as a church, I doubt that we will be scheduling any corporate hunting trips in the near future. However, we too can benefit from understanding the importance of dependable directions.
We must understand where we are heading, and the direction we need to travel to arrive at our desired destination.
As a church, we have a unique opportunity together. We are beginning a new journey. We are both given, in some sense, a fresh start and a chance to evaluate the direction that we are currently traveling.
Now, more than ever, we must seek God’s face in determining His will for us as a church.
I wish that I could stand here this morning with a grand plan of how to make this church into everything that we desire it to be. I wish that I could provide you with a failsafe design to ensure exponential growth. I wish that we could organize and plan every activity and ministry that God intends to do here. However, I cannot.
In fact, most of the details, the ministries, the programs are still very unclear. Those specific directions will come, in time. But I believe that there is still a challenge that I can give today.
While we don’t have all of the specifics, I believe that there are four things that we can do as a church to ensure that we are moving in the right direction.
While this does not answer all of the variables and questions we may have, I believe that it is the necessary first step.
If we are determined to go God’s direction, to be a church that is pleasing to Him, these are four things that we must do. As a church, we must resolve to first…
1.) Declare the Truth Unapologetically
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” -2 Timothy 2:15
The traditional KJV rendering is "Study to shew thyself approved, a worman who needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
In his second letter to Timothy, the young man in the ministry, Paul urges Timothy to do everything that He can to hold fast to the truth of Scripture. He is essentially charged with the task of teaching the totality of the Word of God. He is expected to rightly divide it- to accurately part of the instruction of God’s Word and command the truth that it contains.
Things have not changed. While this was initially a charge issued to Timothy, it is something that transcends time and continues to be applicable to the church today.
We must realize that the same Word of truth that Timothy was expected to teach and command is exactly the same today. The Word of God has not changed. It is still the infallible breath of God. It knows every person and has wisdom for every circumstance and situation.
One of my favorite passages is Hebrews 4:12. It says, “For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The Word of God can be trusted. It is still authoritative. And it must be proclaimed without apology.
We must resolve to declare the truth unapologetically. We must rightly divide God’s Word.
Now, if God’s Word is authoritative, and if we must declare the truth it contains without compromise or apology, what must we stand on?
First and foremost, if we are going to declare the truth of Scripture without apology, we must resolve to declare Jesus alone as Savior. We must declare His death and resurrection. We must declare the hope that He gives. We must teach that salvation is by grace through faith.
More than anything else, we must teach Jesus.
In our modern society, it seems that people, and churches for that matter, are seeking to amend the truth of Scripture and teach that there are many ways to heaven. Oprah has declared that Jesus is just one way to eternal life and paradise. There are countless denominations, religions, and cults that teach self-realization, work-based salvation, and even just a cross your fingers and pray type possibility of salvation.
We must remain steadfast in the Word of God when it says that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no man comes to the Father but through Him .
We must declare the truth of salvation and the sacrifice of Christ. We must also resolve to share the truth and standard of God for righteous living.
In short, we must determine to call sin by its name.
Contrary to popular belief, sin does exist. Sin grieves God. It separates us from Him and prohibits us from experiencing all that God intends for His creation.
We must continue to pronounce sin for what it is. I know that there are topics where the church and popular culture disagree about the detriment and harm caused by certain actions. Obvious inconsistencies are found between our views of abortion and homosexuality.
The Bible calls those sin, and we must remain steadfast to do the same.
However, there are other sins that are often deemed less important and so we don’t deal with those as much. We must return to the proclamation of the total counsel of God.
While we don’t endorse of support abortion as a method of birth control, or homosexuality as a lifestyle choice, we cannot ignore those other things that the Bible calls sin either. We harp on homosexuality and abortion, but when was the last time you heard a sermon on gluttony, pride, anger, or gossiping? We must be diligent in proclaiming the whole counsel of God without apology. We declare with truth unapologetically. We secondly…
2.) Live the Faith Unwaveringly
“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” - James 2:14-17
We began this morning by insisting that we must be a people that declares the truth of God’s Word without apology. However, we must amend that first point.
We must recognize that it is not enough to simply speak the truth. In addition to speaking the truth, we must also be faithful to live the truth.
We must be found faithful in practicing what we preach. If we are going to insist that people yield to the teaching of Scripture, we better be yielding ourselves.
Listen, we need to understand the weight of our actions. In a postmodern culture like the one we are living in, people place a greater priority on what is done over what is said. And if we are not careful to practice what we preach, we actually alienate and hurt the message of Christ.
There is an old quote that says, “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”
If we declare the truth, we must be faithful to live the faith.
Now, with all of this talk about living the faith, the question is certainly brewing in someone’s mind about legalistic living. After all, Jesus came to set us free. We are told in Galatians, “It was for freedom that we were made free.”
Now, this may sound like double-speak, but I promise it is not. How is it that we are free, but we are still concerned about living properly and according to God’s standard?
I believe that our passage in James speaks to that question. You see, our righteous living is not done out of necessity for our salvation. Rather, it is done as a result of what God has done in our lives. We evidence the faith that we have through the way we live.
If we have a relationship with Jesus, we are going to be concerned with pleasing Him. We are not charged with compiling a list of rules to be followed. Rather, we are simply called to live our lives guided by the presence of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of God’s Word.
We must live our faith unwaveringly.
We proclaim the truth unapologetically. We live our faith unwaveringly. We thirdly must…
3.) Encourage One Another Unceasingly
“And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” - Hebrews 10:24-25
As a church, I believe that we have an enormous responsibility to encourage one another. We should be consistently lifting one another up.
If we are going to declare the truth of God’s Word with passion, if we are going to call sin by its true name, then we must also be ready and willing to offer the encouragement that people need to overcome those things.
I’m afraid that far too many churches have done their part in declaring the truth of God’s Word- especially the difficult parts, but they have done very little to encourage and help people to live the lives that God intended.
The fact is simple. People need encouragement. They need to see a smiling face and a helping hand. They need to hear a comforting and encouraging word.
Life is difficult. And whether or not Christian people want to admit it, living a life where we are continually dying to ourselves and putting the call of Christ first is tough. It is not the easy road to travel.
And the brothers and sisters in the faith will need encouragement to continue on in their journey to chase after Christ.
The Christian life is a difficult one- but let’s face it. Even for the person that has not completely surrendered, even for the person that has not determined to take up their cross, life is simply tough.
The economy makes managing money especially difficult. Parenthood always raises unique circumstances and crises. Careers and workplaces are often places where stress and pressure abounds, but encouragement does not.
Life is a series of ups and downs. It is a victory followed by a valley. It is a defeat when you think you’ve gone as low as possible. It is heartache and tragedy. It is victory and celebration. It is often a rollercoaster of emotions and challenges.
And the church ought to be the place where people can find help and encouragement for their journey.
After a hard week at work, after the challenges of life, shouldn’t the church be where people are eager to go because they know they have friends there that will encourage them and lift them up?
The church should be a house of help. It should be a place of mutual encouragement, support, and partnership. Rather than finding a condemning glance, those looking around the sanctuary should find a caring heart.
As a church, how do we ensure we are going the right direction? We declare the truth of God without apology. We live our faith unwaveringly. We encourage one another unceasingly. And last, but certainly not least, we…
4.) Love the Lost Unconditionally“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all you mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” -Matthew 22:37-39
When Jesus was quizzed by the Sadducees and the Pharisees in an effort to trip Him up, they asked Him about the greatest commandment. An expert in the law wanted Him to essentially give an order of importance to the law in the Old Testament.
Now, if you put yourself in this situation, in the time that it was asked, this question was asked by a group of men that did not merely acknowledge the Ten Commandments. Rather, this was a group that regarded the Ten Commandments, the Levitical law, and the rabbinical tradition as well. By asking about the commandments, this could have referred to hundreds of laws and rules.
However, Jesus went beyond the rules and spoke to the underlying issues. He did not speak to the rules for outward actions, but He spoke to the necessary attitudes of the heart.
He said that the first commandment was to love God with ever fiber of their being. And secondly, they were to love others.
One of the ways of determining the godliness of a church is found by simply examining the love that they have for God, one another and their community.
We must be a church that is consumed by love.
We must love God with a passion and a fervor. Our Christianity must not simply be a part of our lives, it ought to be a consuming lifestyle. Worshipping God and serving Him should be a welcomed opportunity.
While we love God supremely, that love is evidenced through our love for one another as well.
Now, I don’t know how many of y’all are related. I’m still learning people and names and putting relationships together. But whether you are related by blood or marriage, or not related at all, this church is not an organization, it is a family. And we are called to love one another.
Certainly there will be times when we annoy one another, when you disagree with a decision that has been made, or that we may not even like what someone has done to us, but we are called to love unconditionally.
The word for love used in our call is not storge, eros, or even phileo, it is agape. We are called to love one another with God’s kind of unconditional love.
We must love God, one another, and lastly, the community around us.
Do you know the quickest way to get people involved in church? It is not to beat them over the head with a gospel tract. It is not to enlist some hotshot preacher (which if it was, you’ve already failed at that one). It is not even to merely develop a visitation program.
The quickest way to draw people to the church is simply this: love them the way Jesus loves them.
We must be a church that not only declares the truth with zeal and passion, but a church that offers God’s standard with God’s love.
God’s love must be the driving force behind us as a church in the coming years.
So what direction do we head? How do we know that we are going God’s direction?
We declare the truth unapologetically. We live our faith unwaveringly. We encourage one another unceasingly. And lastly, we love one another unconditionally.
Have any of you ever been lost? Now, I’m not speaking in a spiritual sense…yet. But have you ever been physically lost?
One evening several months ago, when returning with supper from the nearest town, I passed an uncharacteristically large gathering at the local convenience store in Montrose.
Now, any gathering of more than approximately twelve or fifteen people is suspect in that area unless it is church or family related. However, that evening there were, what seemed to be, at least twenty trucks parked across the rear parking lot, and perhaps twice as many people standing outside the vehicles.
All of the people present were wearing camoflauge and every truck was trailed by some kind of ATV. It was obvious that those present were hunters, but given the lateness of the evening, it was very peculiar that they would be gathered.
Finally, after some questioning, I learned that the group was actually a search party. They were trying to organize before going into the national forest to look for a lost hunter and his young son.
Apparently, the missing man and his son were unfamiliar with their chosen hunting area and did not have a dependable means of determining the direction they were traveling. As the hour grew late, and the sun disappeared below the horizon, they were unable to see where they were headed and even to determine north or south.
After some searching, one member of the search party happily reported that he had located the boy and his father. They were only three or four miles in the opposite direction from where they should have been on a dirt road.
Because their course had not been set, and because they were unable to evaluate their direction, they wasted time and energy and endured unnecessary hardships.
That day, they learned the importance of dependable directions.
Now, as a church, I doubt that we will be scheduling any corporate hunting trips in the near future. However, we too can benefit from understanding the importance of dependable directions.
We must understand where we are heading, and the direction we need to travel to arrive at our desired destination.
As a church, we have a unique opportunity together. We are beginning a new journey. We are both given, in some sense, a fresh start and a chance to evaluate the direction that we are currently traveling.
Now, more than ever, we must seek God’s face in determining His will for us as a church.
I wish that I could stand here this morning with a grand plan of how to make this church into everything that we desire it to be. I wish that I could provide you with a failsafe design to ensure exponential growth. I wish that we could organize and plan every activity and ministry that God intends to do here. However, I cannot.
In fact, most of the details, the ministries, the programs are still very unclear. Those specific directions will come, in time. But I believe that there is still a challenge that I can give today.
While we don’t have all of the specifics, I believe that there are four things that we can do as a church to ensure that we are moving in the right direction.
While this does not answer all of the variables and questions we may have, I believe that it is the necessary first step.
If we are determined to go God’s direction, to be a church that is pleasing to Him, these are four things that we must do. As a church, we must resolve to first…
1.) Declare the Truth Unapologetically
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” -2 Timothy 2:15
The traditional KJV rendering is "Study to shew thyself approved, a worman who needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
In his second letter to Timothy, the young man in the ministry, Paul urges Timothy to do everything that He can to hold fast to the truth of Scripture. He is essentially charged with the task of teaching the totality of the Word of God. He is expected to rightly divide it- to accurately part of the instruction of God’s Word and command the truth that it contains.
Things have not changed. While this was initially a charge issued to Timothy, it is something that transcends time and continues to be applicable to the church today.
We must realize that the same Word of truth that Timothy was expected to teach and command is exactly the same today. The Word of God has not changed. It is still the infallible breath of God. It knows every person and has wisdom for every circumstance and situation.
One of my favorite passages is Hebrews 4:12. It says, “For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The Word of God can be trusted. It is still authoritative. And it must be proclaimed without apology.
We must resolve to declare the truth unapologetically. We must rightly divide God’s Word.
Now, if God’s Word is authoritative, and if we must declare the truth it contains without compromise or apology, what must we stand on?
First and foremost, if we are going to declare the truth of Scripture without apology, we must resolve to declare Jesus alone as Savior. We must declare His death and resurrection. We must declare the hope that He gives. We must teach that salvation is by grace through faith.
More than anything else, we must teach Jesus.
In our modern society, it seems that people, and churches for that matter, are seeking to amend the truth of Scripture and teach that there are many ways to heaven. Oprah has declared that Jesus is just one way to eternal life and paradise. There are countless denominations, religions, and cults that teach self-realization, work-based salvation, and even just a cross your fingers and pray type possibility of salvation.
We must remain steadfast in the Word of God when it says that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no man comes to the Father but through Him .
We must declare the truth of salvation and the sacrifice of Christ. We must also resolve to share the truth and standard of God for righteous living.
In short, we must determine to call sin by its name.
Contrary to popular belief, sin does exist. Sin grieves God. It separates us from Him and prohibits us from experiencing all that God intends for His creation.
We must continue to pronounce sin for what it is. I know that there are topics where the church and popular culture disagree about the detriment and harm caused by certain actions. Obvious inconsistencies are found between our views of abortion and homosexuality.
The Bible calls those sin, and we must remain steadfast to do the same.
However, there are other sins that are often deemed less important and so we don’t deal with those as much. We must return to the proclamation of the total counsel of God.
While we don’t endorse of support abortion as a method of birth control, or homosexuality as a lifestyle choice, we cannot ignore those other things that the Bible calls sin either. We harp on homosexuality and abortion, but when was the last time you heard a sermon on gluttony, pride, anger, or gossiping? We must be diligent in proclaiming the whole counsel of God without apology. We declare with truth unapologetically. We secondly…
2.) Live the Faith Unwaveringly
“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” - James 2:14-17
We began this morning by insisting that we must be a people that declares the truth of God’s Word without apology. However, we must amend that first point.
We must recognize that it is not enough to simply speak the truth. In addition to speaking the truth, we must also be faithful to live the truth.
We must be found faithful in practicing what we preach. If we are going to insist that people yield to the teaching of Scripture, we better be yielding ourselves.
Listen, we need to understand the weight of our actions. In a postmodern culture like the one we are living in, people place a greater priority on what is done over what is said. And if we are not careful to practice what we preach, we actually alienate and hurt the message of Christ.
There is an old quote that says, “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”
If we declare the truth, we must be faithful to live the faith.
Now, with all of this talk about living the faith, the question is certainly brewing in someone’s mind about legalistic living. After all, Jesus came to set us free. We are told in Galatians, “It was for freedom that we were made free.”
Now, this may sound like double-speak, but I promise it is not. How is it that we are free, but we are still concerned about living properly and according to God’s standard?
I believe that our passage in James speaks to that question. You see, our righteous living is not done out of necessity for our salvation. Rather, it is done as a result of what God has done in our lives. We evidence the faith that we have through the way we live.
If we have a relationship with Jesus, we are going to be concerned with pleasing Him. We are not charged with compiling a list of rules to be followed. Rather, we are simply called to live our lives guided by the presence of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of God’s Word.
We must live our faith unwaveringly.
We proclaim the truth unapologetically. We live our faith unwaveringly. We thirdly must…
3.) Encourage One Another Unceasingly
“And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” - Hebrews 10:24-25
As a church, I believe that we have an enormous responsibility to encourage one another. We should be consistently lifting one another up.
If we are going to declare the truth of God’s Word with passion, if we are going to call sin by its true name, then we must also be ready and willing to offer the encouragement that people need to overcome those things.
I’m afraid that far too many churches have done their part in declaring the truth of God’s Word- especially the difficult parts, but they have done very little to encourage and help people to live the lives that God intended.
The fact is simple. People need encouragement. They need to see a smiling face and a helping hand. They need to hear a comforting and encouraging word.
Life is difficult. And whether or not Christian people want to admit it, living a life where we are continually dying to ourselves and putting the call of Christ first is tough. It is not the easy road to travel.
And the brothers and sisters in the faith will need encouragement to continue on in their journey to chase after Christ.
The Christian life is a difficult one- but let’s face it. Even for the person that has not completely surrendered, even for the person that has not determined to take up their cross, life is simply tough.
The economy makes managing money especially difficult. Parenthood always raises unique circumstances and crises. Careers and workplaces are often places where stress and pressure abounds, but encouragement does not.
Life is a series of ups and downs. It is a victory followed by a valley. It is a defeat when you think you’ve gone as low as possible. It is heartache and tragedy. It is victory and celebration. It is often a rollercoaster of emotions and challenges.
And the church ought to be the place where people can find help and encouragement for their journey.
After a hard week at work, after the challenges of life, shouldn’t the church be where people are eager to go because they know they have friends there that will encourage them and lift them up?
The church should be a house of help. It should be a place of mutual encouragement, support, and partnership. Rather than finding a condemning glance, those looking around the sanctuary should find a caring heart.
As a church, how do we ensure we are going the right direction? We declare the truth of God without apology. We live our faith unwaveringly. We encourage one another unceasingly. And last, but certainly not least, we…
4.) Love the Lost Unconditionally“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all you mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” -Matthew 22:37-39
When Jesus was quizzed by the Sadducees and the Pharisees in an effort to trip Him up, they asked Him about the greatest commandment. An expert in the law wanted Him to essentially give an order of importance to the law in the Old Testament.
Now, if you put yourself in this situation, in the time that it was asked, this question was asked by a group of men that did not merely acknowledge the Ten Commandments. Rather, this was a group that regarded the Ten Commandments, the Levitical law, and the rabbinical tradition as well. By asking about the commandments, this could have referred to hundreds of laws and rules.
However, Jesus went beyond the rules and spoke to the underlying issues. He did not speak to the rules for outward actions, but He spoke to the necessary attitudes of the heart.
He said that the first commandment was to love God with ever fiber of their being. And secondly, they were to love others.
One of the ways of determining the godliness of a church is found by simply examining the love that they have for God, one another and their community.
We must be a church that is consumed by love.
We must love God with a passion and a fervor. Our Christianity must not simply be a part of our lives, it ought to be a consuming lifestyle. Worshipping God and serving Him should be a welcomed opportunity.
While we love God supremely, that love is evidenced through our love for one another as well.
Now, I don’t know how many of y’all are related. I’m still learning people and names and putting relationships together. But whether you are related by blood or marriage, or not related at all, this church is not an organization, it is a family. And we are called to love one another.
Certainly there will be times when we annoy one another, when you disagree with a decision that has been made, or that we may not even like what someone has done to us, but we are called to love unconditionally.
The word for love used in our call is not storge, eros, or even phileo, it is agape. We are called to love one another with God’s kind of unconditional love.
We must love God, one another, and lastly, the community around us.
Do you know the quickest way to get people involved in church? It is not to beat them over the head with a gospel tract. It is not to enlist some hotshot preacher (which if it was, you’ve already failed at that one). It is not even to merely develop a visitation program.
The quickest way to draw people to the church is simply this: love them the way Jesus loves them.
We must be a church that not only declares the truth with zeal and passion, but a church that offers God’s standard with God’s love.
God’s love must be the driving force behind us as a church in the coming years.
So what direction do we head? How do we know that we are going God’s direction?
We declare the truth unapologetically. We live our faith unwaveringly. We encourage one another unceasingly. And lastly, we love one another unconditionally.
A Farewell Sermon
The following is a transcript from the AM worship service on my last Sunday as pastor of Montrose Baptist Church- March 7, 2010.
When Emily, the kids and I came to Montrose more than three years ago, we were told that Montrose Baptist Church has a history of training preachers. I was assured that the members here understood how to work with and train young ministers. I was told of how this church saw numerous young men from Clarke College come through its doors- and how they received experience and guidance as to how to be a good pastor.
And so we came with excitement. We came with the hope and expectation that this church- the people of Montrose Baptist Church would be able to help us make some sense out of the Christian ministry.
Let me thank you for your patience and investment over these past few years. I believe that I have learned some invaluable lessons from you. You have taught me that a pastorate is more than a title or a managerial position. I have learned first hand, from you, how much love a pastor can feel- and how much he can, in turn, store in his heart toward his congregation.
You’ve always met me with grace, mercy, and trust. You’ve graciously obliged all of my crazy ideas and whims. You’ve offered support and encouragement at those very times that I needed it most. You’ve patiently waited as I’ve clumsily stumbled through all of ministry’s firsts with you.
Thank you.
As I began to prepare for this morning, I took a trip down memory lane. You have been the home to nearly all of my ministry firsts. My first sermon in view of a call was in this pulpit. My first attempt to moderate a business meeting was in this very room. My first Sunday as a pastor anywhere was right here. My first marital counseling session was held in my office here. My first wedding was during my tenure here. My first associational position came while serving here. Even my first attempt to officiate a funeral service came from this pulpit.
So many of my first experiences in the ministry have happened with you. And this morning is no different. I realized that even today is another first. Today is my first last Sunday. Today, I will preach my first last sermon.
So even in this time of transition, we are still experiencing firsts together.
As I was searching for a text and for the topic this morning, I realized something extraordinary. First sermons are easy. Well, if you take out the nerves and fear, they are easy. At that point, you are fresh. The church has never heard you. All of life seems so full of possibilities. Those first messages are full of hope and anticipation.
But then you eventually get to the last message. And I’m discovering those are not as easy. What do you say to the people that you love on that last day? What do you share with them? What would you share and feel comfortable that they would understand your love and appreciation and still be directed to follow God’s plan for their lives? What do you say if there is the chance you won’t get to personally share with them again?
Now, I’ll put you at ease. That sounds like a lead-in to a very long sermon. And that is not my goal this morning. Additionally, we are going to meet again. I hope that I will be invited back at some point in the future for a homecoming or a revival. I hope that we may see some of you when you’re on vacations. But even if not, you’re still not going to be rid of us that easily.
As I was considering this occasion and what needed to be said, I believe that Paul gives us a fitting passage. He provides the benediction that I longed to give, but proved too ineloquent to write.
I would invite you to join with me at the conclusion of Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth.
Read text. (2 Corinthians 13:11-14)
If we wanted to use a Pauline benediction, he gives us plenty of possibilities in each of his letters. In each letter, he gives a farewell benediction. In fact, there is one Pauline farewell that seems to used most often on an occasion such as this. In Acts 20, Paul says farewell to the Ephesian elders. I started to use that text this morning, but I was afraid that there were too many differences between his situation and ours.
The most obvious difference came in the fact that in that farewell to the Ephesian elders was a definitive final goodbye. Paul upon his final prayer, cried, hugged and kissed his fellow believers- and we are told that they were most grieved because they would never see his face again.
This morning, while our season together is coming to a close, I anticipate circumstances like those present in 2 Corinthians. Paul was concluding his letter. He was giving a benediction. Yet, he was anticipating the next time that he would see them.
This morning, as we go through this farewell time, I would urge you to approach it with that same understanding. While this may be a farewell, this is not a definitive end. We will still have future encounters. My love for you will not end. I will look forward to times when our paths will cross again.
So in this time, what did Paul share with his Corinthian brothers and sisters? What was his farewell and conclusion? How did he sum up his instruction and his hope for those people that he loved?
We actually find three primary sections of his farewell and benediction. First, we note…
1.) A Call to Refinement
“Finally, brothers, good-bye. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal…”Paul realized the importance of this time in the lives of the people. He recognized that he could not merely say “good-bye” without reiterating those things that were really important.
When you read Paul’s letters, they are often littered with little stories and remembrances of things that occurred during his visits or during encounters with representatives of the various churches. Paul could have easily been sidetracked and spent his time simply reminiscing. He could have simply said, “I miss you all. I’ll see you later. We’ll catch up on the good times.” However, he recognized that there were issues that needed to be addressed. He understood that his final words would often be those most remembered and so he shared his greatest concerns briefly.
He begins his farewell, his message of closure with a call to refinement.
He tells the people at Corinth, “Aim for perfection.”
Now, we live in a society that either loves or hates, the “P word” as Emily has titled it. Some urge and even demand perfection. Others regard it is something that cannot be attained, and even see harm in requiring perfection.
Regardless of our current attitudes toward the topic, Paul urges the church to aim for perfection. Now, does this mean that they are going to reach that goal? Certainly not. We know that there has only been one perfect person- one perfect sacrifice- one blameless being in the history of humanity. However, that reality should not stop us from taking a high aim.
Paul expected, he demanded that the church fervently pursue the goal of holiness, righteousness, and godly living. He expected that they set high standards. He expected that they would demand the most of themselves.
Paul was not pacified with menial Christian living and growth. He was an all or nothing kind of guy. And if they were going to carry the name of Christ to a lost and dying world, if they were going to be the church, then he expected that they would do so with fervor and passion.
This morning, can I share with you my desire is the same for Montrose Baptist Church. Aim for perfection.
Do not be satisfied with doing whatever it takes to get by. Don’t settle for whatever keeps your reputation up within the church and community. Be passionate and fervent in your journey after Christ. Require the utmost dedication from yourself. Demand the best of yourself and for yourself. Keep your eyes on Jesus, use Him as your model and standard, and refuse to make a single compromise in God’s standard and expectation for your life.
Now, I don’t pretend that I am an intimidating figure. I don’t pretend that you do certain things just because I am here. However, it must be noted that traditionally in the absence of a pastor, it gets easier to allow yourself certain privileges and compromises. It’s easier to miss a Sunday service if the preacher isn’t going to be there to notice and hold you accountable. Don’t allow yourself to fall victim to that temptation. Aim for perfection. Continue to live for and to chase after Christ.
Paul told the church to aim for perfection and to secondly, “listen to [his] appeal.” Paul was essentially telling the church, “Take note of what I’m saying and remember what I’ve taught you.”
I would share the same with you this morning. These times that we’ve spent together over the past three years were not just service times that we had to fill. The lessons that we’ve learned together are meant to continue on even in my absence. Remember what we’ve discovered together in God’s Word.
Paul begins with a call to refinement. He deals with the topic of the relationship between God’s people and the Heavenly Father. Then he progresses. He moves to the relationships between God’s individual people. He issues…
2.) A Call to Reconciliation
“…be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.”
One of the recurring themes in nearly all of Paul’s letters is unity and reconciliation. To nearly every church, he stresses the importance of Christian brotherhood and unity within the body of Christ.
Now, does anyone want to venture out and take a guess as to why this is such an important, recurring, volatile topic?
I believe that Paul had seen numerous instances where the church was struggling to fulfill its rightful place because of the rifts within the local congregations.
In Paul’s time, there were certainly some personal issues. You could look at the entire letter to Philemon and find a reason for personal conflict and dissension. Others were simple personality differences. Some were actually major theological and doctrinal differences.
Many of the churches in that time were still dealing with fierce doctrinal battles that had not been settled due to the infancy of the church. They were battling with Judaizers- those that longed to amend the Jewish law and tradition to the cross of Christ. There were battles between Jewish converts and Gentile converts because of social and religious preconceptions. There were battles on every front for nearly every reason.
Paul recognized that the health, longevity, integrity, and effectiveness of the local church was going to hinge heavily on their ability to look beyond differences and find common ground. He knew that their ability to draw near to God and please Him was going to hinge largely on whether they could live in peace with one another.
And nothing has changed. For Montrose Baptist Church, your health, longevity, integrity, and effectiveness is going to be determined by how well you are able to reconcile differences and bind together.
Let me challenge you in the words of Paul, “Be of one mind, live in peace.”
I believe that our church is unified in the understanding of the majority of the major Biblical doctrines. There might be some differences on certain details and convictions, but overwhelmingly, the church agrees on most interpretative issues. That is not my major concern. You have that doctrine, build on it.
My bigger concern is reconciliation within our body and community. Now, I’m going to take a little liberty here and be exceedingly honest, with the hope that you will be patient and tolerant on my last Sunday. As a church, there are ways that our corporate worship and our fulfillment of the mission God has placed on us here is being hindered because of fragile or broken relationships. Because of attitudes that are harbored, because of hurts that have not been forgiven, because of remnants of bitterness that have set in, God’s church will suffer.
Our worship, our service will not reach its full potential, we will not find the intimacy we want with Christ until we are able to pursue reconciliation.
We find a call to refinement. We see the call to reconciliation. Finally, we note…
3.) A Call for God’s Regard
“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”Paul was never one to mince words. He tended to declare what he intended with boldness and clarity.
I’m certain that there were times when those messages were hard to hear and receive. However, there was an overriding factor in Paul’s ministry to the local church. While he demanded a lot of them, while he declared the truth unapologetically to them, he also loved them deeply.
Paul’s desire was not to hurt feelings. It was not to degrade or belittle those that had ways to improve in their attempt to follow Christ. Rather, he simply longed to lead them closer to their Savior. His love demanded that he share openly and honestly with them about those things that hindered their relationship.
And when all is said and done, when Paul is done reiterating his final instructions, we see evidence of his love shining through. He called for the obedience of God’s people, and then he bid God’s grace and blessing on those he loved.
Paul’s desire for this church was simply for them to find and experience all that God had for them. He wanted them to experience the magnificent freedom of Christ’s grace. He wanted them to bask in the greatest of the Heavenly Father’s love for them. He wanted them to feel the presence of God and to experience true fellowship with Him through the power of the Spirit.
I have often wondered how I would judge the success of my ministry. I’ve thought often about how I would gauge my effectiveness in fulfilling my mission as the pastor of a portion of Christ’s church. And I believe that I finally know.
I understand that there are plenty of ways that I have failed. In fact, most of my regrets are sins of omission, rather than commission. I wish that I would have found time to visit more. I wish that I could have taken a greater part in the individual lives of God’s people. I wish that I could have given more.
Yet, even with regrets, even with ways that I wish I had done better, I believe that it is still possible to be successful in ministry.
I’ve decided that the way to gauge your effectiveness in ministry is by the measure of love and the desire that you have for your people.
To you, my friends and family, I love you. And my desire for you is the same as Paul’s desire for the church at Corinth. May you experience the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the presence of the Spirit.
When Emily, the kids and I came to Montrose more than three years ago, we were told that Montrose Baptist Church has a history of training preachers. I was assured that the members here understood how to work with and train young ministers. I was told of how this church saw numerous young men from Clarke College come through its doors- and how they received experience and guidance as to how to be a good pastor.
And so we came with excitement. We came with the hope and expectation that this church- the people of Montrose Baptist Church would be able to help us make some sense out of the Christian ministry.
Let me thank you for your patience and investment over these past few years. I believe that I have learned some invaluable lessons from you. You have taught me that a pastorate is more than a title or a managerial position. I have learned first hand, from you, how much love a pastor can feel- and how much he can, in turn, store in his heart toward his congregation.
You’ve always met me with grace, mercy, and trust. You’ve graciously obliged all of my crazy ideas and whims. You’ve offered support and encouragement at those very times that I needed it most. You’ve patiently waited as I’ve clumsily stumbled through all of ministry’s firsts with you.
Thank you.
As I began to prepare for this morning, I took a trip down memory lane. You have been the home to nearly all of my ministry firsts. My first sermon in view of a call was in this pulpit. My first attempt to moderate a business meeting was in this very room. My first Sunday as a pastor anywhere was right here. My first marital counseling session was held in my office here. My first wedding was during my tenure here. My first associational position came while serving here. Even my first attempt to officiate a funeral service came from this pulpit.
So many of my first experiences in the ministry have happened with you. And this morning is no different. I realized that even today is another first. Today is my first last Sunday. Today, I will preach my first last sermon.
So even in this time of transition, we are still experiencing firsts together.
As I was searching for a text and for the topic this morning, I realized something extraordinary. First sermons are easy. Well, if you take out the nerves and fear, they are easy. At that point, you are fresh. The church has never heard you. All of life seems so full of possibilities. Those first messages are full of hope and anticipation.
But then you eventually get to the last message. And I’m discovering those are not as easy. What do you say to the people that you love on that last day? What do you share with them? What would you share and feel comfortable that they would understand your love and appreciation and still be directed to follow God’s plan for their lives? What do you say if there is the chance you won’t get to personally share with them again?
Now, I’ll put you at ease. That sounds like a lead-in to a very long sermon. And that is not my goal this morning. Additionally, we are going to meet again. I hope that I will be invited back at some point in the future for a homecoming or a revival. I hope that we may see some of you when you’re on vacations. But even if not, you’re still not going to be rid of us that easily.
As I was considering this occasion and what needed to be said, I believe that Paul gives us a fitting passage. He provides the benediction that I longed to give, but proved too ineloquent to write.
I would invite you to join with me at the conclusion of Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth.
Read text. (2 Corinthians 13:11-14)
If we wanted to use a Pauline benediction, he gives us plenty of possibilities in each of his letters. In each letter, he gives a farewell benediction. In fact, there is one Pauline farewell that seems to used most often on an occasion such as this. In Acts 20, Paul says farewell to the Ephesian elders. I started to use that text this morning, but I was afraid that there were too many differences between his situation and ours.
The most obvious difference came in the fact that in that farewell to the Ephesian elders was a definitive final goodbye. Paul upon his final prayer, cried, hugged and kissed his fellow believers- and we are told that they were most grieved because they would never see his face again.
This morning, while our season together is coming to a close, I anticipate circumstances like those present in 2 Corinthians. Paul was concluding his letter. He was giving a benediction. Yet, he was anticipating the next time that he would see them.
This morning, as we go through this farewell time, I would urge you to approach it with that same understanding. While this may be a farewell, this is not a definitive end. We will still have future encounters. My love for you will not end. I will look forward to times when our paths will cross again.
So in this time, what did Paul share with his Corinthian brothers and sisters? What was his farewell and conclusion? How did he sum up his instruction and his hope for those people that he loved?
We actually find three primary sections of his farewell and benediction. First, we note…
1.) A Call to Refinement
“Finally, brothers, good-bye. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal…”Paul realized the importance of this time in the lives of the people. He recognized that he could not merely say “good-bye” without reiterating those things that were really important.
When you read Paul’s letters, they are often littered with little stories and remembrances of things that occurred during his visits or during encounters with representatives of the various churches. Paul could have easily been sidetracked and spent his time simply reminiscing. He could have simply said, “I miss you all. I’ll see you later. We’ll catch up on the good times.” However, he recognized that there were issues that needed to be addressed. He understood that his final words would often be those most remembered and so he shared his greatest concerns briefly.
He begins his farewell, his message of closure with a call to refinement.
He tells the people at Corinth, “Aim for perfection.”
Now, we live in a society that either loves or hates, the “P word” as Emily has titled it. Some urge and even demand perfection. Others regard it is something that cannot be attained, and even see harm in requiring perfection.
Regardless of our current attitudes toward the topic, Paul urges the church to aim for perfection. Now, does this mean that they are going to reach that goal? Certainly not. We know that there has only been one perfect person- one perfect sacrifice- one blameless being in the history of humanity. However, that reality should not stop us from taking a high aim.
Paul expected, he demanded that the church fervently pursue the goal of holiness, righteousness, and godly living. He expected that they set high standards. He expected that they would demand the most of themselves.
Paul was not pacified with menial Christian living and growth. He was an all or nothing kind of guy. And if they were going to carry the name of Christ to a lost and dying world, if they were going to be the church, then he expected that they would do so with fervor and passion.
This morning, can I share with you my desire is the same for Montrose Baptist Church. Aim for perfection.
Do not be satisfied with doing whatever it takes to get by. Don’t settle for whatever keeps your reputation up within the church and community. Be passionate and fervent in your journey after Christ. Require the utmost dedication from yourself. Demand the best of yourself and for yourself. Keep your eyes on Jesus, use Him as your model and standard, and refuse to make a single compromise in God’s standard and expectation for your life.
Now, I don’t pretend that I am an intimidating figure. I don’t pretend that you do certain things just because I am here. However, it must be noted that traditionally in the absence of a pastor, it gets easier to allow yourself certain privileges and compromises. It’s easier to miss a Sunday service if the preacher isn’t going to be there to notice and hold you accountable. Don’t allow yourself to fall victim to that temptation. Aim for perfection. Continue to live for and to chase after Christ.
Paul told the church to aim for perfection and to secondly, “listen to [his] appeal.” Paul was essentially telling the church, “Take note of what I’m saying and remember what I’ve taught you.”
I would share the same with you this morning. These times that we’ve spent together over the past three years were not just service times that we had to fill. The lessons that we’ve learned together are meant to continue on even in my absence. Remember what we’ve discovered together in God’s Word.
Paul begins with a call to refinement. He deals with the topic of the relationship between God’s people and the Heavenly Father. Then he progresses. He moves to the relationships between God’s individual people. He issues…
2.) A Call to Reconciliation
“…be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.”
One of the recurring themes in nearly all of Paul’s letters is unity and reconciliation. To nearly every church, he stresses the importance of Christian brotherhood and unity within the body of Christ.
Now, does anyone want to venture out and take a guess as to why this is such an important, recurring, volatile topic?
I believe that Paul had seen numerous instances where the church was struggling to fulfill its rightful place because of the rifts within the local congregations.
In Paul’s time, there were certainly some personal issues. You could look at the entire letter to Philemon and find a reason for personal conflict and dissension. Others were simple personality differences. Some were actually major theological and doctrinal differences.
Many of the churches in that time were still dealing with fierce doctrinal battles that had not been settled due to the infancy of the church. They were battling with Judaizers- those that longed to amend the Jewish law and tradition to the cross of Christ. There were battles between Jewish converts and Gentile converts because of social and religious preconceptions. There were battles on every front for nearly every reason.
Paul recognized that the health, longevity, integrity, and effectiveness of the local church was going to hinge heavily on their ability to look beyond differences and find common ground. He knew that their ability to draw near to God and please Him was going to hinge largely on whether they could live in peace with one another.
And nothing has changed. For Montrose Baptist Church, your health, longevity, integrity, and effectiveness is going to be determined by how well you are able to reconcile differences and bind together.
Let me challenge you in the words of Paul, “Be of one mind, live in peace.”
I believe that our church is unified in the understanding of the majority of the major Biblical doctrines. There might be some differences on certain details and convictions, but overwhelmingly, the church agrees on most interpretative issues. That is not my major concern. You have that doctrine, build on it.
My bigger concern is reconciliation within our body and community. Now, I’m going to take a little liberty here and be exceedingly honest, with the hope that you will be patient and tolerant on my last Sunday. As a church, there are ways that our corporate worship and our fulfillment of the mission God has placed on us here is being hindered because of fragile or broken relationships. Because of attitudes that are harbored, because of hurts that have not been forgiven, because of remnants of bitterness that have set in, God’s church will suffer.
Our worship, our service will not reach its full potential, we will not find the intimacy we want with Christ until we are able to pursue reconciliation.
We find a call to refinement. We see the call to reconciliation. Finally, we note…
3.) A Call for God’s Regard
“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”Paul was never one to mince words. He tended to declare what he intended with boldness and clarity.
I’m certain that there were times when those messages were hard to hear and receive. However, there was an overriding factor in Paul’s ministry to the local church. While he demanded a lot of them, while he declared the truth unapologetically to them, he also loved them deeply.
Paul’s desire was not to hurt feelings. It was not to degrade or belittle those that had ways to improve in their attempt to follow Christ. Rather, he simply longed to lead them closer to their Savior. His love demanded that he share openly and honestly with them about those things that hindered their relationship.
And when all is said and done, when Paul is done reiterating his final instructions, we see evidence of his love shining through. He called for the obedience of God’s people, and then he bid God’s grace and blessing on those he loved.
Paul’s desire for this church was simply for them to find and experience all that God had for them. He wanted them to experience the magnificent freedom of Christ’s grace. He wanted them to bask in the greatest of the Heavenly Father’s love for them. He wanted them to feel the presence of God and to experience true fellowship with Him through the power of the Spirit.
I have often wondered how I would judge the success of my ministry. I’ve thought often about how I would gauge my effectiveness in fulfilling my mission as the pastor of a portion of Christ’s church. And I believe that I finally know.
I understand that there are plenty of ways that I have failed. In fact, most of my regrets are sins of omission, rather than commission. I wish that I would have found time to visit more. I wish that I could have taken a greater part in the individual lives of God’s people. I wish that I could have given more.
Yet, even with regrets, even with ways that I wish I had done better, I believe that it is still possible to be successful in ministry.
I’ve decided that the way to gauge your effectiveness in ministry is by the measure of love and the desire that you have for your people.
To you, my friends and family, I love you. And my desire for you is the same as Paul’s desire for the church at Corinth. May you experience the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the presence of the Spirit.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Three Buses and a Funeral
I know that my blog has typically been reserved as a place to post Sunday morning sermons. As I was looking over some previous posts, I realized how boring I've made this little corner of the internet. In fact, when compared to my wife's wonderful blog (check her out here!), I'm almost depressing. I never share personal stories. I've reduced my blog persona to the point of, well, a boring Baptist preacher.
I realized that, at least by the appearance of this blog, a younger friend's fears have came true. A close friend of mine told his mother upon hearing of my surrender to the ministry, "Mr. Josh can't be a preacher. Preachers aren't allowed to have fun."
The fact is that, while this page hasn't often reflected it, my life is full of unique and entertaining circumstances. Last Friday would easily fall into that category.
These past two weeks at work have been almost as tolerable as a teacher dragging nails across a chalkboard. Every morning, I have to will myself out of bed and force myself to see my patients.
Apparently, God decided that He and I both needed a good laugh last Friday. The morning started very similar to most other work days. I managed to get dressed (somewhat appropriately) and poured myself into the front seat of Em's Jeep. I watched as mile after mile slowly ticked off the odometer.
My first two visits were pleasant, but very typical. And then the fun began. After grabbing a bite for lunch, I decided to embark on my journey to the next lady's home.
Now, HIPPA prohibits my disclosure of the woman's identity. And so all I can tell you is that she is a wonderful Choctaw Indian lady. In fact, I look forward to her visit every month because I can script what we will say. We'll talk about spiritual things for a few moments. We'll discuss the nurse's last visit. She'll tell me about any medications that need refilling. Eventually, the conversation always gets back to her arthritis, we pray, and I leave.
I followed the trek to her home, lost in thought about how I would break the news of our moving to this wonderful woman, and then it happened. As I rounded the corner, I could see her house- or at least all of the cars and people that covered her yard.
The usual quiet emptiness was now filled with the sight of approximately twenty cars, two buses, a couple of large tents, and at least twenty-five Choctaw men sitting in a line along the front of the house.
The thought swirled in my mind, "Could I really be make a visit in the middle of a family reunion?"
Stunned, I drove past the house without stopping. A few doors down, I turned the Jeep around and made a second pass. This time, I noticed a sign beside the road that read, "Slow, Funeral in Progress." This caused further disorientation and I made a second slow pass past the ensuing circus.
Suddenly, a world of possibilities flooded my mind. I feared that our patient had died, and no one thought to notify the hospice company. I began considering how I could politely ask one of the attendees, "Did she, um, I don't know, die?" without causing undue stress on all of those at the home.
I called the office hoping that they would have some information and I was just out of the loop. Unfortunately, that was not the case. When our secretary answered, I explained the scene, described the two buses, shared my hysteria, and then the phone went dead. Doesn't it always happen that outrageous things happen at the edge of cell service areas.
Finally, after another couple of slow passes, I determined that I just had to buckle down and get a hold on the situation. So I parked a few hundred yards up the road, and set out to stick my foot in my mouth. After scanning the gathering of men along the front of the house and discerning that they were wondering about the crazy white preacher that had been stalking the house, I went to a bus driver to find out the situation.
I explained who I was and what I was doing there, asked the awkward question, "Did she, um...?"
To my relief, the bus driver, who was actually very kind and understanding, told me of the passing of our patient's son. Finally, I could breathe again... well until I walked toward the front of the house to check on my dear patient. It was then that I found, this was not a family gathering for lunch after the service. This was the service! The casket was set by the front windows behind the line of men and the sweet melody of "Amazing Grace" (sung in Choctaw) echoed in the house. The preacher was beginning to speak- and I determined that a nuclear blast would be more subtle than my entry into the middle of that crowd.
And so, I expressed my condolences with those that could hear. I said a quick prayer in my head and walked as fast as possible toward the car without looking completely ridiculous.
As I was getting in the car to leave, can you guess what arrives to take my parking place? Another bus load of people! So now, I've managed to somehow infringe on three buses and a funeral.
This may sound cruel or unsympathetic, but as I drove away and once again saw the scene from a distance, I began to laugh until I cried. Only I could answer when asked the question, "What did you do at work today?" with "Not much. I just saw three buses and a funeral."
Well, as if this was not enough to send my mind into an alternate reality, my next visit only added to the uniqueness of the day. My next patient is an elderly African-American lady that always has something unique to share when I arrive. And this time was no different.
With my head still spinning from the debacle of my last visit, somehow our conversation progressed from her physical status to the injustice of society. Now, I should not admit this, but there are times when a loud TV in the background causes me to miss a few words in a conversation- especially when it is Judge Judy. (You understand, right?) This was one of those times. The TV program was hitting a climactic point and it would be at that time she asked me to read something that sounded like an "eviction notice."
I thought that I simply misunderstood her and made the mistake of asking, "What did you want me to read?" Again, she told me that she wanted me to look at the letters from her landlord and her eviction notice.
After examining that piece of paper, she was actually evicted in September. Here it is March and she is still in that unit. We worked through some details and possibilities, and eventually the conversation returned to the current state of society.
Apparently, her unit is located in a place that attracts some of Central Mississippi's most interesting personalities (that's the nice way of describing what one of Emily's former patients called "rogues"). One of her neighbors was brutally attacked by her own boyfriend, and my patient happened to observe the chaos of that evening. Apparently, she even traded words with the assailant.
By now, my mind has gone into overload. But she continues to share.
After the fact, she was called on to issue a statement and talked to a local judge. She relayed, in detail, exactly what she said to the perpetrator.
Apparently, he used some explicit language that I cannot repeat, called her a few names, and told her to mind her own business. Now, you can imagine how an eighty year old woman would probably respond. My patient doesn't fall into that category.
Apparently, she warned the young man that "the next time she saw him, and he used that language and tone with her, she would see if his blood ran the same color as her's- red."
After this the judge sat in stunned silence. Unfortunately, my patient thought this meant he didn't understand. So she began to repeat herself. After stopping her from retelling the entire story, she stopped to share one final thought. In closing, she told this stunned judge, "The next time I see him, I'm gonna be shootin'- for his head."
All I could think was, "Ain't it nice to know that I'm seeing Madea."
I took the continual progression of our conversation as my cue and developed an elaborate exit strategy- pray and run! And run, I did!
After such a wonderful day, what could possibly cap off a day like this?
The only way to cap this off is to get lost. And that I did. When trying to leave in haste, I ended up on some dirt roads headed in the wrong direction and finally recognized where I was after heading about 25 miles off course. At that point, I decided it was time to call it a day before anything else could happen.
I'm glad these kind of days only happen about every other day.
So, this is a pretty normal Friday. Three buses and a funeral. An eviction notice. A death threat. Wandering aimlessly lost in the woods.
So I leave you with two thoughts: First, the next time your work day gets strange, ask yourself, "How many death threats, eviction notices, and surprise funerals have I encountered today?" and secondly, if a day is spiraling out of control, remember the wisdom of a breadman, "A bad day can only last 24 hours, then it's a new day!"
I would invite you to leave a comment or a link sharing one of your funniest, or most memorable days at work. I want to see if there is a job more interesting than that of a traveling chaplain.
I realized that, at least by the appearance of this blog, a younger friend's fears have came true. A close friend of mine told his mother upon hearing of my surrender to the ministry, "Mr. Josh can't be a preacher. Preachers aren't allowed to have fun."
The fact is that, while this page hasn't often reflected it, my life is full of unique and entertaining circumstances. Last Friday would easily fall into that category.
These past two weeks at work have been almost as tolerable as a teacher dragging nails across a chalkboard. Every morning, I have to will myself out of bed and force myself to see my patients.
Apparently, God decided that He and I both needed a good laugh last Friday. The morning started very similar to most other work days. I managed to get dressed (somewhat appropriately) and poured myself into the front seat of Em's Jeep. I watched as mile after mile slowly ticked off the odometer.
My first two visits were pleasant, but very typical. And then the fun began. After grabbing a bite for lunch, I decided to embark on my journey to the next lady's home.
Now, HIPPA prohibits my disclosure of the woman's identity. And so all I can tell you is that she is a wonderful Choctaw Indian lady. In fact, I look forward to her visit every month because I can script what we will say. We'll talk about spiritual things for a few moments. We'll discuss the nurse's last visit. She'll tell me about any medications that need refilling. Eventually, the conversation always gets back to her arthritis, we pray, and I leave.
I followed the trek to her home, lost in thought about how I would break the news of our moving to this wonderful woman, and then it happened. As I rounded the corner, I could see her house- or at least all of the cars and people that covered her yard.
The usual quiet emptiness was now filled with the sight of approximately twenty cars, two buses, a couple of large tents, and at least twenty-five Choctaw men sitting in a line along the front of the house.
The thought swirled in my mind, "Could I really be make a visit in the middle of a family reunion?"
Stunned, I drove past the house without stopping. A few doors down, I turned the Jeep around and made a second pass. This time, I noticed a sign beside the road that read, "Slow, Funeral in Progress." This caused further disorientation and I made a second slow pass past the ensuing circus.
Suddenly, a world of possibilities flooded my mind. I feared that our patient had died, and no one thought to notify the hospice company. I began considering how I could politely ask one of the attendees, "Did she, um, I don't know, die?" without causing undue stress on all of those at the home.
I called the office hoping that they would have some information and I was just out of the loop. Unfortunately, that was not the case. When our secretary answered, I explained the scene, described the two buses, shared my hysteria, and then the phone went dead. Doesn't it always happen that outrageous things happen at the edge of cell service areas.
Finally, after another couple of slow passes, I determined that I just had to buckle down and get a hold on the situation. So I parked a few hundred yards up the road, and set out to stick my foot in my mouth. After scanning the gathering of men along the front of the house and discerning that they were wondering about the crazy white preacher that had been stalking the house, I went to a bus driver to find out the situation.
I explained who I was and what I was doing there, asked the awkward question, "Did she, um...?"
To my relief, the bus driver, who was actually very kind and understanding, told me of the passing of our patient's son. Finally, I could breathe again... well until I walked toward the front of the house to check on my dear patient. It was then that I found, this was not a family gathering for lunch after the service. This was the service! The casket was set by the front windows behind the line of men and the sweet melody of "Amazing Grace" (sung in Choctaw) echoed in the house. The preacher was beginning to speak- and I determined that a nuclear blast would be more subtle than my entry into the middle of that crowd.
And so, I expressed my condolences with those that could hear. I said a quick prayer in my head and walked as fast as possible toward the car without looking completely ridiculous.
As I was getting in the car to leave, can you guess what arrives to take my parking place? Another bus load of people! So now, I've managed to somehow infringe on three buses and a funeral.
This may sound cruel or unsympathetic, but as I drove away and once again saw the scene from a distance, I began to laugh until I cried. Only I could answer when asked the question, "What did you do at work today?" with "Not much. I just saw three buses and a funeral."
Well, as if this was not enough to send my mind into an alternate reality, my next visit only added to the uniqueness of the day. My next patient is an elderly African-American lady that always has something unique to share when I arrive. And this time was no different.
With my head still spinning from the debacle of my last visit, somehow our conversation progressed from her physical status to the injustice of society. Now, I should not admit this, but there are times when a loud TV in the background causes me to miss a few words in a conversation- especially when it is Judge Judy. (You understand, right?) This was one of those times. The TV program was hitting a climactic point and it would be at that time she asked me to read something that sounded like an "eviction notice."
I thought that I simply misunderstood her and made the mistake of asking, "What did you want me to read?" Again, she told me that she wanted me to look at the letters from her landlord and her eviction notice.
After examining that piece of paper, she was actually evicted in September. Here it is March and she is still in that unit. We worked through some details and possibilities, and eventually the conversation returned to the current state of society.
Apparently, her unit is located in a place that attracts some of Central Mississippi's most interesting personalities (that's the nice way of describing what one of Emily's former patients called "rogues"). One of her neighbors was brutally attacked by her own boyfriend, and my patient happened to observe the chaos of that evening. Apparently, she even traded words with the assailant.
By now, my mind has gone into overload. But she continues to share.
After the fact, she was called on to issue a statement and talked to a local judge. She relayed, in detail, exactly what she said to the perpetrator.
Apparently, he used some explicit language that I cannot repeat, called her a few names, and told her to mind her own business. Now, you can imagine how an eighty year old woman would probably respond. My patient doesn't fall into that category.
Apparently, she warned the young man that "the next time she saw him, and he used that language and tone with her, she would see if his blood ran the same color as her's- red."
After this the judge sat in stunned silence. Unfortunately, my patient thought this meant he didn't understand. So she began to repeat herself. After stopping her from retelling the entire story, she stopped to share one final thought. In closing, she told this stunned judge, "The next time I see him, I'm gonna be shootin'- for his head."
All I could think was, "Ain't it nice to know that I'm seeing Madea."
I took the continual progression of our conversation as my cue and developed an elaborate exit strategy- pray and run! And run, I did!
After such a wonderful day, what could possibly cap off a day like this?
The only way to cap this off is to get lost. And that I did. When trying to leave in haste, I ended up on some dirt roads headed in the wrong direction and finally recognized where I was after heading about 25 miles off course. At that point, I decided it was time to call it a day before anything else could happen.
I'm glad these kind of days only happen about every other day.
So, this is a pretty normal Friday. Three buses and a funeral. An eviction notice. A death threat. Wandering aimlessly lost in the woods.
So I leave you with two thoughts: First, the next time your work day gets strange, ask yourself, "How many death threats, eviction notices, and surprise funerals have I encountered today?" and secondly, if a day is spiraling out of control, remember the wisdom of a breadman, "A bad day can only last 24 hours, then it's a new day!"
I would invite you to leave a comment or a link sharing one of your funniest, or most memorable days at work. I want to see if there is a job more interesting than that of a traveling chaplain.
A God with Plans
The following is from Montrose Baptist Church's AM worship service on February 28, 2010.
It has been said that there is probably not a professional athlete that is respected more or loved any deeper by the hometown residents and fans than Drew Brees. Actually, the exact quote from a 2010 Sports Illustrated article describes him as “an athlete as adored and appreciated as any in an American city today.”
Drew Brees and his wife have taken an extremely active role in the rebuilding of New Orleans following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Their foundation, the Brees Dream Foundation has partnered with Operation Kids to rebuild and restore academic and athletic facilities, neighborhood parks and playgrounds, mentoring programs for the intellectually disabled, after-school programs, and neighborhood revitalization projects including child-care facilities.
Their service and investment has earned the love and trust of their community. And certainly that love and affection has grown since the evening of February 7, 2010 when he led the New Orleans saints to their first ever Super Bowl championship.
For the city of New Orleans and this professional team, the storyline could not have been more appropriate. Our community knows, in some fashion, the type of devastation caused by Katrina. Added to that physical devastation of the city, the Saints football team had suffered the infamy of a forty plus year drought of so much as a conference championship. The storyline seemed to just beg something big to happen.
And we know how history will reflect their story. It is marked by a Super Bowl victory this February.
Every commentary I’ve solicited, every opinion I’ve read, every article that I’ve found in print has shared an understanding of the importance of Drew Brees’ performance and leadership for his team. As the MVP of the Super Bowl, it is a general consensus that his contribution was a major element in their story of success.
Following a Super Bowl victory, life is good for the Saints’ quarterback right now. God’s plan seems good. However, that has not always been the case.
In the last game of the 2005 season against the Denver Broncos, Brees severely injured his shoulder while trying to pick up his own fumble after being hit by John Lynch. While Brees was on the ground, Gerard Warren hit the quarterback and tore the labrum in his throwing shoulder and damaged his rotator cuff.
Brees was playing for the San Diego Chargers at the time. Following arthroscopic surgery, there were serious doubts about his recovery and playing ability. After determining that his club was suspicious of his health, Brees began to shop for another team.
There were only two teams that seemed interested. The Miami Dolphins and the New Orleans Saints were the only clubs to pursue the injured quarterback. Eventually, the Dolphins determined that Brees was too big of a risk, and New Orleans scurried to sign him.
Since that time, Brees has earned a reputation as one of the premier passers in professional football.
In an interview following the team’s victorious season, Brees was quick to point out his understanding of God’s plan. In fact, he even said that his injury was a gift from God- and his move to New Orleans was a calling.
For this man, God took what seemed to be difficult, damaging, even detrimental and turned it into a testimony of the greatness of His plan for His children.
We must remember that history is littered with stories just like these. Our God is the One that has a unique plan for you and I. In fact, even in times of difficulty and doubt, God is moving us toward the fullness of His good and perfect plan.
I would invite you to look with me this morning at one of the two verses that I claim as a life verse. We are going to be in Jeremiah 29.
Read text. (Jeremiah 29:11)
I am certain that many of you have heard or even quoted this passage at some point during your life. And I believe that it contains a message that we need to hear as God’s people in this unique time.
While we are quick to quote this passage, we don’t often recognize the circumstances surrounding this address and the context of the message.
This message was actually sent from the prophet Jeremiah to those that were exiled in Babylon. You may recall the story of Daniel, and the captivity of the Jewish people under Nebuchadnezzar.
God’s people are on foreign soil under a foreign ruler. They are struggling to keep their faith and deal with the reality of their captivity.
However, God has a message of instruction, hope and promise to His people. But it has some terms that we might not expect.
In His address, God communicates a couple of difficult truths. First, if you look at the description of who carried the people into exile- it acknowledges Nebuchadnezzar, but it also recognizes that it was ultimately God’s allowance.
Then if you keep going further, we find that their period of captivity is going to last for seventy years.
Now, neither of these two things sound like a great promise or plan. However, we have to remember that we serve the God that can transform a seemingly painful experience into a marvelous reason for celebration. And in His message, in His call to take heart, we find the famed passage of Jeremiah 29:11.
That brings us to what we find and claim. As we look at this particular passage, there are four amazing things that we find. First, we see…
1.) God’s Providence
“For I know…”
I don’t know if you’ve ever taken time to slow down and realize what those three little words mean. We are promised that God knows. But what? What does He know and understand?
Specifically in this instance, we are assured of God’s understanding, His foreknowledge of His plan for our future. However, His knowledge is not limited to just His plan.
Rather, in such a time as this it is important for us to simply remember that God knows.
He knows where we are at. In my personal life, He knows what is going on with the Fidler clan. In the life of His church, He knows what is happening here at Montrose. He knows the chaos and the uncertainty. He knows all of the specifics of the circumstances here.
Now, that is an amazing promise in itself.
Stop and consider this for just a moment: There are approximately 6.6 billion people in the world today. Additionally, the earth spans approximately 197 million square miles. Now, it seems as if it would be easy for us to get lost in the chaos of everything that happens around us. In fact, we can‘t even keep up with everything that is happening with the people in our immediate community. However, our God stills knows what is happening in our lives personally.
He knows.
He knows His plan. He knows our circumstances. He knows our emotions.
I know that many of you are probably just ready to be done with this whole transition thing. I know that I personally await the day when the pain will subside a little. This has been one of the most difficult occasions of my life- leaving the church that has shown such love to me and my family for the past three years. It is easy to be overcome with emotion.
But what a promise we have. God knows. He knows our pains, our fears, our attitudes. He knows exactly what we are feeling and going through.
He is not removed and distant. Rather, He knows His plan and His creation. When we look at the promise of Jeremiah 29:11, we first find God’s providence. Next, we note…
2.) God’s Plan
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord.
While it should be an incredible comfort to know that God knows our circumstances and emotions, we can find further comfort in the fact that He has a plan.
It is a comfort to know that everything that happens around us is not just the result of happenstance. Rather, God has a unique and perfect plan for His people.
Now, please don’t misunderstand me here. I am not suggesting that God’s plan is without hardship or difficulty. I am not saying that it is easy or even completely pleasant. Remember, God told the Israelites that they would live under that oppression for seventy years before the next step of His plan can to fruition.
We don’t find encouragement that the plan will be without trials. Rather, we take heart in the simple fact that God has a plan.
Now, I don’t know about your personality, but I am not that organized. In fact, I tend to deal with things as they present themselves. I realize that it is not the best of approaches, but it has become a practice nonetheless.
While I might go through times without much structure, my mom is different. If you ask her, she will tell you that she is a planner. When she is presented with a task, she attacks it- with pen, paper, a list, and a calendar. She prepares herself as thoroughly as possible. She even addresses details in her plans. Those things that she is given authority over are given direction and purpose because of her plan.
That is exactly the way it is with God. Our lives have purpose, meaning, and direction because God has thought enough of us to carefully plan the best for us.
We take heart in the fact that our lives have a divine plan. We celebrate the fact that this life is not a series of disconnected random events. We find hope in these facts.
Yet, we must recognize, while His plan may not always be pleasant at every point, it is not always logical either. God’s plans don’t always follow the rules of logic and reason. Rather, He does what He wants for His glory and our good.
Once again, when you return to the circumstances surrounding the original delivery of this message, the Israelites were told of God’s plan for deliverance. However, God’s method of deliverance was certainly outside the realm of expectation.
Rather than miraculously overthrowing the government with fire billowing from heaven, God used King Cyrus of Persia. He used a man that simply believed in respecting the religions of the lands he conquered. God ordained that this man, who would be sympathetic to the Jews, would come to power and fulfill His plan.
God’s plan for us often is fulfilled in remarkably strange ways as well. However, that is part of what we celebrate. We celebrate God’s plan, and that it is big enough to incorporate the lives of people we wouldn’t anticipate.
We find God’s providence, His plan, next…
3.) God’s Promise
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”We take hope in the fact that God knows us. He knows our circumstances, our emotions, our frailties. We celebrate the fact that He has a plan. And then as we continue to progress through this verse, we find His promise.
It is remarkable that the Almighty God of creation would have a personalized plan for you and I. However, it is evidence of the greatness of His grace that His plan contains an incredible promise.
His promise is that His plan leads to hope and a future. It is a plan that desires to build us up, rather than tear us down. It is a plan for success, not suffering.
Once again, it is important to note that His plan often includes seasons of difficulty and suffering. However, God is speaking to the ultimate end of His plan. Ultimately, His plan is for our good.
You know, there are times I wonder if we don’t grossly misunderstand the grace of certain elements of God’s plan for our lives. During seasons of suffering and pain, we wonder when God is going to move us toward that plan of prosperity and hope.
Often, we don’t realize that we are in the midst of those prosperous seasons during “difficult” times.
For example, we are quick to complain about times when God’s plan and our comfort don’t meet. However, it is important to remember that in those times, God is teaching us patience. In times of personal trial, He is building character. In seasons of grief, He is magnifying our understanding of joy.
God’s plan is always for our good. We have that promise.
In your life now, and in the life of His church, His plan, even now, if promised to be for our good.
We note God’s providence. We see evidence of His plan. We find hope in His promise. And lastly, we note…
4.) God’s Power
Now this question might seem a little cynical, but I believe that it needs to be asked. We’ve talked about God’s understanding. We investigated His plan. We’ve claimed His promise. But the real question is: Does God have the power to make these things happen? Can He deliver on the promises He has made?
Let me offer you a couple of passages quickly that assure us that He is big enough to see His plan through.
First, Isaiah 14:24 says, “The Lord Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.’” God provides the assurance that it will come to pass. He promises He has the power.
Next, Luke 1:37 says it concisely and to the point. “For with God, nothing is impossible.” God provides us with every indication and ample proof that He is powerful enough to fulfill the promises He’s made. And so we rest on His Word.
Maybe in trying to find proof of God's power, you look at these verses and find that they are God's personal claim. They are just words. Maybe, you are a "show me" kind-of person. If that is the case, I would invite you to look at Daniel 3. You may recall the story of Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael. (or Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego) In their story, God proved His power to deliver on His promise.
As they were in the fiery furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar commented that the fourth looked as "the Son of God." And later, in celebration of the fact, he says that God sent "an Angel." We know that God delivered these men.
The fun with this often told story is in our opportunity to speculate about the identity of the angel. It could have very well been an angel. Or the other possibility is that this could have been a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. (In the Old Testament, He was identified as "the Angel of the Lord")
Not only did God prove Himself powerful enough to protect and deliver His people, but He was physically present in their time of need. As they stood in the midst of the roaring flames, God was personally present.
God knows. He has a plan. His plan is full of promise. He is powerful enough to deliver on that promise.
I’ve struggled over these past weeks with the decision that God has called for me and my family to make. To say that it hurts doesn’t do it justice. And I don’t pretend to understand the emotions that you are feeling. Some, I suppose, are sad. Others may actually be glad to be rid of us. A few may even be mad.
It is a time of transition and uncertainty for all of us. However, I believe that Jeremiah 29:11 contains the promise that we all need to cling to tightly in this time.
Despite my desire to remain with you, it is apparent to me that God is calling us elsewhere. And in doing so, He is actually beginning a new phase of His plan for Montrose Baptist Church as well. And so let me offer all of the encouragement I can.
The message from God to the Israelites in captivity is still applicable to us. We can take hope in the simple facts of this passage. God knows. He knows our circumstances. He understands our needs. He feels our pains. He knows.
While He knows all about us, He has a plan for you and I as well. He has a unique, customized plan for my family and your congregation.
And remember the promise that we find about His plan. God’s plan is not to cause us undue pain. It is not meant to make us suffer for suffering’s sake. It is not some ill-aimed attempt to repay us for the ways that we’ve fallen short of His will. Rather, His plan is for our prosperity. His plan is one of hope and a future. God has a wonderful plan for our future. In this time, let us grip that promise tightly.
It has been said that there is probably not a professional athlete that is respected more or loved any deeper by the hometown residents and fans than Drew Brees. Actually, the exact quote from a 2010 Sports Illustrated article describes him as “an athlete as adored and appreciated as any in an American city today.”
Drew Brees and his wife have taken an extremely active role in the rebuilding of New Orleans following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Their foundation, the Brees Dream Foundation has partnered with Operation Kids to rebuild and restore academic and athletic facilities, neighborhood parks and playgrounds, mentoring programs for the intellectually disabled, after-school programs, and neighborhood revitalization projects including child-care facilities.
Their service and investment has earned the love and trust of their community. And certainly that love and affection has grown since the evening of February 7, 2010 when he led the New Orleans saints to their first ever Super Bowl championship.
For the city of New Orleans and this professional team, the storyline could not have been more appropriate. Our community knows, in some fashion, the type of devastation caused by Katrina. Added to that physical devastation of the city, the Saints football team had suffered the infamy of a forty plus year drought of so much as a conference championship. The storyline seemed to just beg something big to happen.
And we know how history will reflect their story. It is marked by a Super Bowl victory this February.
Every commentary I’ve solicited, every opinion I’ve read, every article that I’ve found in print has shared an understanding of the importance of Drew Brees’ performance and leadership for his team. As the MVP of the Super Bowl, it is a general consensus that his contribution was a major element in their story of success.
Following a Super Bowl victory, life is good for the Saints’ quarterback right now. God’s plan seems good. However, that has not always been the case.
In the last game of the 2005 season against the Denver Broncos, Brees severely injured his shoulder while trying to pick up his own fumble after being hit by John Lynch. While Brees was on the ground, Gerard Warren hit the quarterback and tore the labrum in his throwing shoulder and damaged his rotator cuff.
Brees was playing for the San Diego Chargers at the time. Following arthroscopic surgery, there were serious doubts about his recovery and playing ability. After determining that his club was suspicious of his health, Brees began to shop for another team.
There were only two teams that seemed interested. The Miami Dolphins and the New Orleans Saints were the only clubs to pursue the injured quarterback. Eventually, the Dolphins determined that Brees was too big of a risk, and New Orleans scurried to sign him.
Since that time, Brees has earned a reputation as one of the premier passers in professional football.
In an interview following the team’s victorious season, Brees was quick to point out his understanding of God’s plan. In fact, he even said that his injury was a gift from God- and his move to New Orleans was a calling.
For this man, God took what seemed to be difficult, damaging, even detrimental and turned it into a testimony of the greatness of His plan for His children.
We must remember that history is littered with stories just like these. Our God is the One that has a unique plan for you and I. In fact, even in times of difficulty and doubt, God is moving us toward the fullness of His good and perfect plan.
I would invite you to look with me this morning at one of the two verses that I claim as a life verse. We are going to be in Jeremiah 29.
Read text. (Jeremiah 29:11)
I am certain that many of you have heard or even quoted this passage at some point during your life. And I believe that it contains a message that we need to hear as God’s people in this unique time.
While we are quick to quote this passage, we don’t often recognize the circumstances surrounding this address and the context of the message.
This message was actually sent from the prophet Jeremiah to those that were exiled in Babylon. You may recall the story of Daniel, and the captivity of the Jewish people under Nebuchadnezzar.
God’s people are on foreign soil under a foreign ruler. They are struggling to keep their faith and deal with the reality of their captivity.
However, God has a message of instruction, hope and promise to His people. But it has some terms that we might not expect.
In His address, God communicates a couple of difficult truths. First, if you look at the description of who carried the people into exile- it acknowledges Nebuchadnezzar, but it also recognizes that it was ultimately God’s allowance.
Then if you keep going further, we find that their period of captivity is going to last for seventy years.
Now, neither of these two things sound like a great promise or plan. However, we have to remember that we serve the God that can transform a seemingly painful experience into a marvelous reason for celebration. And in His message, in His call to take heart, we find the famed passage of Jeremiah 29:11.
That brings us to what we find and claim. As we look at this particular passage, there are four amazing things that we find. First, we see…
1.) God’s Providence
“For I know…”
I don’t know if you’ve ever taken time to slow down and realize what those three little words mean. We are promised that God knows. But what? What does He know and understand?
Specifically in this instance, we are assured of God’s understanding, His foreknowledge of His plan for our future. However, His knowledge is not limited to just His plan.
Rather, in such a time as this it is important for us to simply remember that God knows.
He knows where we are at. In my personal life, He knows what is going on with the Fidler clan. In the life of His church, He knows what is happening here at Montrose. He knows the chaos and the uncertainty. He knows all of the specifics of the circumstances here.
Now, that is an amazing promise in itself.
Stop and consider this for just a moment: There are approximately 6.6 billion people in the world today. Additionally, the earth spans approximately 197 million square miles. Now, it seems as if it would be easy for us to get lost in the chaos of everything that happens around us. In fact, we can‘t even keep up with everything that is happening with the people in our immediate community. However, our God stills knows what is happening in our lives personally.
He knows.
He knows His plan. He knows our circumstances. He knows our emotions.
I know that many of you are probably just ready to be done with this whole transition thing. I know that I personally await the day when the pain will subside a little. This has been one of the most difficult occasions of my life- leaving the church that has shown such love to me and my family for the past three years. It is easy to be overcome with emotion.
But what a promise we have. God knows. He knows our pains, our fears, our attitudes. He knows exactly what we are feeling and going through.
He is not removed and distant. Rather, He knows His plan and His creation. When we look at the promise of Jeremiah 29:11, we first find God’s providence. Next, we note…
2.) God’s Plan
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord.
While it should be an incredible comfort to know that God knows our circumstances and emotions, we can find further comfort in the fact that He has a plan.
It is a comfort to know that everything that happens around us is not just the result of happenstance. Rather, God has a unique and perfect plan for His people.
Now, please don’t misunderstand me here. I am not suggesting that God’s plan is without hardship or difficulty. I am not saying that it is easy or even completely pleasant. Remember, God told the Israelites that they would live under that oppression for seventy years before the next step of His plan can to fruition.
We don’t find encouragement that the plan will be without trials. Rather, we take heart in the simple fact that God has a plan.
Now, I don’t know about your personality, but I am not that organized. In fact, I tend to deal with things as they present themselves. I realize that it is not the best of approaches, but it has become a practice nonetheless.
While I might go through times without much structure, my mom is different. If you ask her, she will tell you that she is a planner. When she is presented with a task, she attacks it- with pen, paper, a list, and a calendar. She prepares herself as thoroughly as possible. She even addresses details in her plans. Those things that she is given authority over are given direction and purpose because of her plan.
That is exactly the way it is with God. Our lives have purpose, meaning, and direction because God has thought enough of us to carefully plan the best for us.
We take heart in the fact that our lives have a divine plan. We celebrate the fact that this life is not a series of disconnected random events. We find hope in these facts.
Yet, we must recognize, while His plan may not always be pleasant at every point, it is not always logical either. God’s plans don’t always follow the rules of logic and reason. Rather, He does what He wants for His glory and our good.
Once again, when you return to the circumstances surrounding the original delivery of this message, the Israelites were told of God’s plan for deliverance. However, God’s method of deliverance was certainly outside the realm of expectation.
Rather than miraculously overthrowing the government with fire billowing from heaven, God used King Cyrus of Persia. He used a man that simply believed in respecting the religions of the lands he conquered. God ordained that this man, who would be sympathetic to the Jews, would come to power and fulfill His plan.
God’s plan for us often is fulfilled in remarkably strange ways as well. However, that is part of what we celebrate. We celebrate God’s plan, and that it is big enough to incorporate the lives of people we wouldn’t anticipate.
We find God’s providence, His plan, next…
3.) God’s Promise
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”We take hope in the fact that God knows us. He knows our circumstances, our emotions, our frailties. We celebrate the fact that He has a plan. And then as we continue to progress through this verse, we find His promise.
It is remarkable that the Almighty God of creation would have a personalized plan for you and I. However, it is evidence of the greatness of His grace that His plan contains an incredible promise.
His promise is that His plan leads to hope and a future. It is a plan that desires to build us up, rather than tear us down. It is a plan for success, not suffering.
Once again, it is important to note that His plan often includes seasons of difficulty and suffering. However, God is speaking to the ultimate end of His plan. Ultimately, His plan is for our good.
You know, there are times I wonder if we don’t grossly misunderstand the grace of certain elements of God’s plan for our lives. During seasons of suffering and pain, we wonder when God is going to move us toward that plan of prosperity and hope.
Often, we don’t realize that we are in the midst of those prosperous seasons during “difficult” times.
For example, we are quick to complain about times when God’s plan and our comfort don’t meet. However, it is important to remember that in those times, God is teaching us patience. In times of personal trial, He is building character. In seasons of grief, He is magnifying our understanding of joy.
God’s plan is always for our good. We have that promise.
In your life now, and in the life of His church, His plan, even now, if promised to be for our good.
We note God’s providence. We see evidence of His plan. We find hope in His promise. And lastly, we note…
4.) God’s Power
Now this question might seem a little cynical, but I believe that it needs to be asked. We’ve talked about God’s understanding. We investigated His plan. We’ve claimed His promise. But the real question is: Does God have the power to make these things happen? Can He deliver on the promises He has made?
Let me offer you a couple of passages quickly that assure us that He is big enough to see His plan through.
First, Isaiah 14:24 says, “The Lord Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.’” God provides the assurance that it will come to pass. He promises He has the power.
Next, Luke 1:37 says it concisely and to the point. “For with God, nothing is impossible.” God provides us with every indication and ample proof that He is powerful enough to fulfill the promises He’s made. And so we rest on His Word.
Maybe in trying to find proof of God's power, you look at these verses and find that they are God's personal claim. They are just words. Maybe, you are a "show me" kind-of person. If that is the case, I would invite you to look at Daniel 3. You may recall the story of Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael. (or Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego) In their story, God proved His power to deliver on His promise.
As they were in the fiery furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar commented that the fourth looked as "the Son of God." And later, in celebration of the fact, he says that God sent "an Angel." We know that God delivered these men.
The fun with this often told story is in our opportunity to speculate about the identity of the angel. It could have very well been an angel. Or the other possibility is that this could have been a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. (In the Old Testament, He was identified as "the Angel of the Lord")
Not only did God prove Himself powerful enough to protect and deliver His people, but He was physically present in their time of need. As they stood in the midst of the roaring flames, God was personally present.
God knows. He has a plan. His plan is full of promise. He is powerful enough to deliver on that promise.
I’ve struggled over these past weeks with the decision that God has called for me and my family to make. To say that it hurts doesn’t do it justice. And I don’t pretend to understand the emotions that you are feeling. Some, I suppose, are sad. Others may actually be glad to be rid of us. A few may even be mad.
It is a time of transition and uncertainty for all of us. However, I believe that Jeremiah 29:11 contains the promise that we all need to cling to tightly in this time.
Despite my desire to remain with you, it is apparent to me that God is calling us elsewhere. And in doing so, He is actually beginning a new phase of His plan for Montrose Baptist Church as well. And so let me offer all of the encouragement I can.
The message from God to the Israelites in captivity is still applicable to us. We can take hope in the simple facts of this passage. God knows. He knows our circumstances. He understands our needs. He feels our pains. He knows.
While He knows all about us, He has a plan for you and I as well. He has a unique, customized plan for my family and your congregation.
And remember the promise that we find about His plan. God’s plan is not to cause us undue pain. It is not meant to make us suffer for suffering’s sake. It is not some ill-aimed attempt to repay us for the ways that we’ve fallen short of His will. Rather, His plan is for our prosperity. His plan is one of hope and a future. God has a wonderful plan for our future. In this time, let us grip that promise tightly.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
