As we talk about gaining an understanding of our audience when we share the Gospel, let us be clear that we NEVER change, alter, or edit the message that God has given us. Although we want to appreciate and be sensitive to the various backgrounds of the people we encounter, we should never try to make the Gospel easier to swallow. The Apostle Paul knew it doesn't matter what type of people hear the Gospel (i.e. Jew or Gentile), there will be people in any group who will reject the Gospel, be offended by the Gospel, and see it as foolish (1 Corinthians 1:22-25). Many people rightly describe the Gospel as "scandalous." When you break it down and think about the different points, the Gospel really is an outrageous story! Even though it's a true story, we should expect people to mock us and ridicule us unless the Holy Spirit works in their hearts. If we try to remove the "scandal" from our message, we will no longer be preaching the Gospel.
Therefore, our goal is ALWAYS to declare the truth of the Gospel with clarity, but as soon as we try to adapt the message and make it more "acceptable" to people, we have compromised it. Remember, the power of salvation is in God's message (Romans 1:16-17), not in any method we use to share it. As we take this message of universal, exclusive truth to a variety of people groups, our question should be: "How can I communicate the Gospel clearly to this specific person in a way that they can understand what God has said?"
The main factor to consider in any form of communication is language. Whether we're using words (spoken or written), signs, symbols, gestures, body posture, facial expressions, etc. everything comes back to language. Thus, we understand why missionaries learn the language of the people in their mission field. It makes sense why Bible translators work hard to provide Scripture for people who don't have it in their own language yet. In the same way, we need to make sure that we are using words that convey the proper meaning even with people who technically speak the same language as us. Many of us are guilty of speaking "Christianese" to people who don't understand what we're talking about. If you grew up in the Church, you may be accustomed to having conversations with people who have a Biblical understanding of who "Jesus" is, what "sin" means, what real "salvation" is all about, etc. But we need to be aware that most people do not understand these terms the same way we do (or the same way the Bible defines them). We must learn how to speak plainly about the truth found in Scripture and define our terms when necessary. You may need to continually ask someone if they are understanding what you're saying. You may need to go back and rephrase what you've just said. Be patient, kind, and loving with your audience as you strive to present the Gospel to them in a clear and understandable way.
There are many other aspects of language we could talk about (like which illustrations are more helpful than others when speaking to a particular people group), but we will finish today's discussion by talking about finding an appropriate starting point with your audience. In the book of Acts, we first see the Apostles preaching the Gospel in Jerusalem, which is clearly a Jewish context. Here, the majority of the audience has a thorough knowledge of the Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament). So it makes sense that in Acts 2, 3, 4, & 7 Peter and Stephen quote heavily from the Old Testament to demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah (or "Christ" in Greek) and He is the fulfillment of all their people's history, law, and prophecy. Likewise, Paul and Apollos went to Jewish synagogues around the known world and they "reasoned from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ" (Acts 18:5, 28).
But what about the Gentiles ("non-Jews") who did not grow up learning about the one, true God from the Law and the Prophets? In Acts 17:16-34, Paul demonstrates how we can begin to communicate the Gospel to people who do not share the same background as us. He is in the city of Athens and observes the people worshiping many idols. So he spends some time talking with the people of the city in the marketplace to gain an understanding of their perspective as well as share his point of view. When he gets the opportunity to speak before a large audience of Greek philosophers, he does not begin by diving into Jewish history, nor does he bother trying to prove that his God is true and all of their gods are false. Instead, he starts with what he knows about this people group: 1.) they are "very religious" (v.22) and 2.) even though they worship idols, deep down they ALREADY know the true God (Romans 1:18-32). So Paul starts by talking about the nature of God. He is the Creator (v. 24), the Giver of life (v. 25), the Sustainer of life (v. 28). He is sovereign over all humanity (v. 26), yet not distant from the people He has created (v. 27). He concludes by calling the people to repent from worshipping idols made by human hands and turn to God who created THEM. Once Paul begins talking about the resurrection of Jesus, some people mock him (v. 32), but some want to hear more and a few actually believe (v. 34)!
Hopefully it is clear that we must always be faithful to the Gospel message and faithful to call people to repent from their sins and believe the good news. We understand that without God's intervention, it is impossible for anyone to repent from the sin that they love and put their faith in a message that seems so far-fetched. While we trust God rather than any method in evangelism, we must still preach with love, empathy, and consideration for our audience. God is certainly able to save people if all we give them is a few quick bullet points about sin and Jesus followed by a simple command to "Repent and believe!" But that's not the way He's shown us to do it. We need to speak gently to people and show respect for them by finding the appropriate starting point for each individual. The truth of our message doesn't change, but where we begin our discussions will often vary. If the Gospel message offends someone, I can't help that. But if I offend someone with my own arrogance, callous attitude, or disinterested demeanor, then I have wronged them and sinned against God by misrepresenting Christ. As you preach the Gospel to different kinds of people, strive to be Christ's ambassador to best of the ability God has given you (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Thursday, February 20, 2014
"No Pressure" Evangelism
Over the last two weeks, we have talked about the Gospel and WHAT the message of salvation looks like. This week we will talk about evangelism (telling other people about the Gospel) and HOW a person is saved. Many Christians are uncomfortable with the idea sharing their faith with others. Some are afraid they won't be liked if they start talking about Jesus. Others worry they won't know what to say. And many are afraid of messing up. When we realize how high the stakes really are, it's easy to start putting a lot of extra pressure on ourselves:
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:36)
"He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of [his] torment rises forever and ever." (Revelation 14:10-11)
It's no longer popular or politically correct to preach "fire and brimstone," but if you believe the Bible really is the inspired Word of God then we need to take the reality of God's wrath seriously. Obviously, we don't want anyone to go to hell, but we are mistaken if we think that WE can keep people from going there. Many Christians wrongly assume that it's up to THEM to change the hearts and minds of their friends and family members so they will believe in Jesus and go to heaven and avoid going to hell. This is NOT what Jesus had in mind when He told His followers to "go make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19) We must also remember Jesus' words in the verses before and after Matthew 28:19:
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." (v. 18)
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (v. 20)
Although Jesus chooses to work through people in the "disciple-making" process, He still has all authority and control in the matter. Also, Jesus tells us in verse 20 that He is always with us. Even when we are sharing the Gospel with others, He is there and He will make sure everything goes according to HIS plan, not ours.
The Old Testament makes it clear that salvation belongs to God (Psalms 37:39; Isaiah 43:11; Jonah 2:9). Jesus continues that same theme in the Gospels, particularly in the book of John. In chapter 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that a person must be "born again" (or "born of the Spirit") to enter the Kingdom of God. Remember, the first thing the Spirit does in a person is convict them of sin (John 16:8). Without the Spirit producing this new birth, none of us would never even seek God (Romans 3:10-12) because we would still be dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1-3). Therefore, if someone repents from their sin, it is because God has granted them repentance (2 Timothy 2:25). If someone believes in Jesus, it is because God has given them the faith to do so (Romans 12:3; Philippians 1:29).
We must not think that our own powers of persuasion will convince anyone to believe the Gospel. Jesus tells us very clearly in John 6:44, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day." He also declares that He will not lose one person the Father gives to Him (John 6:39). Jesus is letting us know that everyone who is supposed to be saved will be saved one way or another and HE is the one who will make sure He doesn't lose a single one of His sheep.
Therefore, we can breathe a sigh of relief! When we go out and share the Gospel with people, we can have absolute confidence that everyone who is supposed to repent from their sin and turn to Jesus will do just that. We have Jesus' guarantee that He won't lose one. All we have to do is preach the message that God has given us (see "The Apostle's Gospel" parts 1 and 2 below) and trust that He will save those whom He has appointed for eternal life (Acts 13:48). The power to save is not in the clever or creative methods we use to present the Gospel. The power to save is in the message God has given us concerning His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16), and in His Spirit who grants repentance and belief in response to hearing the Gospel.
Evangelism is an act of faith. We must take Jesus at His word that 1.) He is with us when we share our faith, 2.) He is in complete control of the situation, and 3.) He will not lose even one person the Father has given Him to save, even if we make mistakes. Sometimes it will seem like you're not doing it right. Sometimes will respond to the Gospel by laughing at you or even hating you instead of repenting and believing. However, Jesus told us ahead of time that these things would happen (Matthew 10:22) and that we would be blessed as a result (Matthew 5:10-11). If we truly believe Jesus' words, then we know that He will help us overcome all of these trials and He will reward us for our obedience and perseverance (Matthew 5:12).
So let us not preach the Gospel out of pride, thinking that we have the power to save. And may we not preach out of guilt, as if our failures could ever disrupt God's plan. Instead, let us proclaim the Gospel with the confidence that God has given us everything we need (2 Peter 1:3-4) and that Jesus will keep His promise to save all those the Father has given Him. May God receive all glory, honor, and praise for the grace and power He has shown in saving His people!
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:36)
"He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of [his] torment rises forever and ever." (Revelation 14:10-11)
It's no longer popular or politically correct to preach "fire and brimstone," but if you believe the Bible really is the inspired Word of God then we need to take the reality of God's wrath seriously. Obviously, we don't want anyone to go to hell, but we are mistaken if we think that WE can keep people from going there. Many Christians wrongly assume that it's up to THEM to change the hearts and minds of their friends and family members so they will believe in Jesus and go to heaven and avoid going to hell. This is NOT what Jesus had in mind when He told His followers to "go make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19) We must also remember Jesus' words in the verses before and after Matthew 28:19:
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." (v. 18)
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (v. 20)
Although Jesus chooses to work through people in the "disciple-making" process, He still has all authority and control in the matter. Also, Jesus tells us in verse 20 that He is always with us. Even when we are sharing the Gospel with others, He is there and He will make sure everything goes according to HIS plan, not ours.
The Old Testament makes it clear that salvation belongs to God (Psalms 37:39; Isaiah 43:11; Jonah 2:9). Jesus continues that same theme in the Gospels, particularly in the book of John. In chapter 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that a person must be "born again" (or "born of the Spirit") to enter the Kingdom of God. Remember, the first thing the Spirit does in a person is convict them of sin (John 16:8). Without the Spirit producing this new birth, none of us would never even seek God (Romans 3:10-12) because we would still be dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1-3). Therefore, if someone repents from their sin, it is because God has granted them repentance (2 Timothy 2:25). If someone believes in Jesus, it is because God has given them the faith to do so (Romans 12:3; Philippians 1:29).
We must not think that our own powers of persuasion will convince anyone to believe the Gospel. Jesus tells us very clearly in John 6:44, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day." He also declares that He will not lose one person the Father gives to Him (John 6:39). Jesus is letting us know that everyone who is supposed to be saved will be saved one way or another and HE is the one who will make sure He doesn't lose a single one of His sheep.
Therefore, we can breathe a sigh of relief! When we go out and share the Gospel with people, we can have absolute confidence that everyone who is supposed to repent from their sin and turn to Jesus will do just that. We have Jesus' guarantee that He won't lose one. All we have to do is preach the message that God has given us (see "The Apostle's Gospel" parts 1 and 2 below) and trust that He will save those whom He has appointed for eternal life (Acts 13:48). The power to save is not in the clever or creative methods we use to present the Gospel. The power to save is in the message God has given us concerning His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16), and in His Spirit who grants repentance and belief in response to hearing the Gospel.
Evangelism is an act of faith. We must take Jesus at His word that 1.) He is with us when we share our faith, 2.) He is in complete control of the situation, and 3.) He will not lose even one person the Father has given Him to save, even if we make mistakes. Sometimes it will seem like you're not doing it right. Sometimes will respond to the Gospel by laughing at you or even hating you instead of repenting and believing. However, Jesus told us ahead of time that these things would happen (Matthew 10:22) and that we would be blessed as a result (Matthew 5:10-11). If we truly believe Jesus' words, then we know that He will help us overcome all of these trials and He will reward us for our obedience and perseverance (Matthew 5:12).
So let us not preach the Gospel out of pride, thinking that we have the power to save. And may we not preach out of guilt, as if our failures could ever disrupt God's plan. Instead, let us proclaim the Gospel with the confidence that God has given us everything we need (2 Peter 1:3-4) and that Jesus will keep His promise to save all those the Father has given Him. May God receive all glory, honor, and praise for the grace and power He has shown in saving His people!
Thursday, February 13, 2014
The Apostles' Gospel Part 2
Last week we talked about our sinful condition before a holy God. It's not a pleasant discussion. No one wants to be told they've done wrong. No one wants to be told they deserve death. No one wants to be told that there's nothing they can do to fix their own problem. Unfortunately for us, all of these things are true. We HAVE done wrong (Romans 3:23). We DO deserve to suffer God's wrath for what we've done (Romans 6:23). And there's NOTHING we can do about it (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:20). That's the "bad news."
But here's the good news (the Gospel). God made a way for us to be forgiven so that we could live with Him forever. God became a man (John 1:14) and lived among us. He was given the name "Jesus" because He would save His people from their sin (Matthew 1:21). Unlike every other human being in history, He never sinned (Isaiah 53:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5). He was the only man who DID NOT deserve to die. Yet He gave His life willingly (John 10:17-18). Even though we were still sinners, even though we made no effort to seek God or ask for His help (Romans 3:10-12), He died for us in the midst of our rebellion against Him (Romans 5:6-8). Through His death on the cross, Jesus took the penalty for sin, God's wrath, upon Himself (Isaiah 53:4-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21). But Jesus did not remain dead. He rose again on the third day to prove that He was God and not just a mere man who was a good teacher (Acts 17:31).
Now that the saving work of Jesus is complete (John 19:30), He calls people to repent from their sinful ways that lead to death and turn to Him to receive life and forgiveness (Acts 17:30-31; Matthew 11:28; John 10:10). He has promised that whoever believes this Gospel and puts their trust in Him will be saved (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10) and all of their sin and condemnation will be gone forever (Psalm 103:12; Romans 8:1-2). Not only did Jesus take the blame and punishment for ALL of the believers' sins in the past, present, and future, but He also GIVES the believers credit for His righteousness (Philippians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21)! As a result, they receive a glorious inheritance (Ephesians 1:17-21) because they become heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). And, of course, those who believe in Christ receive the Holy Spirit who lives in them (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), gives them peace (Romans 8:6), moves them to obey God's commands (Ezekiel 36:27), and guarantees their eternal life with God in heaven (Ephesians 1:13-14).
The question that you need to ask yourself is: Will you repent from your sin and believe in Jesus? If you already believe, read through 1 John for a better understanding of what a Christian's life should look like.
But here's the good news (the Gospel). God made a way for us to be forgiven so that we could live with Him forever. God became a man (John 1:14) and lived among us. He was given the name "Jesus" because He would save His people from their sin (Matthew 1:21). Unlike every other human being in history, He never sinned (Isaiah 53:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5). He was the only man who DID NOT deserve to die. Yet He gave His life willingly (John 10:17-18). Even though we were still sinners, even though we made no effort to seek God or ask for His help (Romans 3:10-12), He died for us in the midst of our rebellion against Him (Romans 5:6-8). Through His death on the cross, Jesus took the penalty for sin, God's wrath, upon Himself (Isaiah 53:4-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21). But Jesus did not remain dead. He rose again on the third day to prove that He was God and not just a mere man who was a good teacher (Acts 17:31).
Now that the saving work of Jesus is complete (John 19:30), He calls people to repent from their sinful ways that lead to death and turn to Him to receive life and forgiveness (Acts 17:30-31; Matthew 11:28; John 10:10). He has promised that whoever believes this Gospel and puts their trust in Him will be saved (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10) and all of their sin and condemnation will be gone forever (Psalm 103:12; Romans 8:1-2). Not only did Jesus take the blame and punishment for ALL of the believers' sins in the past, present, and future, but He also GIVES the believers credit for His righteousness (Philippians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21)! As a result, they receive a glorious inheritance (Ephesians 1:17-21) because they become heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). And, of course, those who believe in Christ receive the Holy Spirit who lives in them (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), gives them peace (Romans 8:6), moves them to obey God's commands (Ezekiel 36:27), and guarantees their eternal life with God in heaven (Ephesians 1:13-14).
The question that you need to ask yourself is: Will you repent from your sin and believe in Jesus? If you already believe, read through 1 John for a better understanding of what a Christian's life should look like.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
The Apostles' Gospel Part 1
The Gospel that Jesus preached from the very beginning of His earthly ministry was profound, yet simple: repent from sin and believe the good news (Mark 1:14-15). After He died on the cross, rose from the dead, and returned to heaven, Jesus passed the torch to His disciples to go and teach people everything that He had taught them (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). And, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that's just what they did. They proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Jewish people (Acts 2), to the Jewish leaders (Acts 4), and to the Gentiles (non-Jews) all over the world:
-Philip shared the Gospel with Samaritans and an Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8).
-Peter shared the Gospel with a Roman centurion and his family (Acts 10).
-Paul shared the Gospel with Greeks (Acts 17).
The first part of the Gospel, "repent from sin," is difficult to swallow. We need to come to grips with the fact that we are sinners. This is no small matter. Just because sin is a common problem (everyone is a sinner) doesn't mean it's not a big deal. The Bible describes us as God's enemies (Colossians 1:21; Romans 5:10) and deserving of His wrath (Ephesians 2:3). Although God's grace is freely given to the objects of His mercy, the hardest part of realizing the truth of the Gospel is coming to grips with the vileness of our sin. Even our supposed "good works" are repulsive to God (Isaiah 64:6). We have rebelled against the Almighty Creator of the universe. We have taken the life that God gave us and used it to violate His perfect law. We have taken the very breath He's given us to curse and blaspheme His Name. We deserve the just penalty for our treason against our Maker: death (Romans 6:23).
The first thing God does when He saves someone is convict them of their sin (John 16:8). Once we realize how sinful we are compared to the righteous and holy God, we are broken and undone (Isaiah 6:1-7) This process is painful, but necessary. We won't repent of our sin until we are truly sorry for what we've done and desire to let God change us. Paul tells us that Godly sorrow produces repentance that leads to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:8-10). Even though God breaks us down, He builds us back up again. The sorrow that He gives us leads to life and peace (Romans 8:6), but worldly sorrow leads to despair and death (2 Corinthians 7:10).
If God is convicting you of your sin against Him, do not despair. Repent! Turn away from the sin you once loved and look upon Christ who is our only hope of salvation. 1 John 1:9 tells us, "If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Next week we will focus more on the "good news" of Gospel: the grace, forgiveness, and hope we find in the work of Jesus Christ.
-Philip shared the Gospel with Samaritans and an Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8).
-Peter shared the Gospel with a Roman centurion and his family (Acts 10).
-Paul shared the Gospel with Greeks (Acts 17).
The first part of the Gospel, "repent from sin," is difficult to swallow. We need to come to grips with the fact that we are sinners. This is no small matter. Just because sin is a common problem (everyone is a sinner) doesn't mean it's not a big deal. The Bible describes us as God's enemies (Colossians 1:21; Romans 5:10) and deserving of His wrath (Ephesians 2:3). Although God's grace is freely given to the objects of His mercy, the hardest part of realizing the truth of the Gospel is coming to grips with the vileness of our sin. Even our supposed "good works" are repulsive to God (Isaiah 64:6). We have rebelled against the Almighty Creator of the universe. We have taken the life that God gave us and used it to violate His perfect law. We have taken the very breath He's given us to curse and blaspheme His Name. We deserve the just penalty for our treason against our Maker: death (Romans 6:23).
The first thing God does when He saves someone is convict them of their sin (John 16:8). Once we realize how sinful we are compared to the righteous and holy God, we are broken and undone (Isaiah 6:1-7) This process is painful, but necessary. We won't repent of our sin until we are truly sorry for what we've done and desire to let God change us. Paul tells us that Godly sorrow produces repentance that leads to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:8-10). Even though God breaks us down, He builds us back up again. The sorrow that He gives us leads to life and peace (Romans 8:6), but worldly sorrow leads to despair and death (2 Corinthians 7:10).
If God is convicting you of your sin against Him, do not despair. Repent! Turn away from the sin you once loved and look upon Christ who is our only hope of salvation. 1 John 1:9 tells us, "If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Next week we will focus more on the "good news" of Gospel: the grace, forgiveness, and hope we find in the work of Jesus Christ.
Monday, January 27, 2014
The Book of Acts
For the second time this month we have had to cancel Ground Zero due to cold weather/wind chill warnings. While we're waiting to continue our series on the book of Acts, let's recap what we have covered so far this year:
From January 13
The Main Character of Acts = The Holy Spirit
Of the three Persons of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), the Holy Spirit seems to be the most misunderstood. He is certainly discussed the least. The Son (Jesus) is easy to identify because He actually became a physical man and people got to hear His teaching, saw Him perform miracles, watched Him die for sin on the cross, and also got to see His resurrected body. Nevertheless, Jesus gives plenty of instruction regarding the Holy Spirit in the Gospels and we can clearly see Him at work in the early Church throughout the book of Acts. His role may be a bit more "behind the scenes," but it is no less important than the Father's or the Son's. So what exactly does He do? Here is a list of just a few things the Holy Spirit does that are vital to the life of a Christian:
From January 20th
Peter: A Case Study of the Holy Spirit
Jesus' disciple, Peter, is a prime example of what a person looks like before and after receiving the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit, Peter failed:
Whenever it seemed like Peter would get something right, he would still end up falling short. He got out of the boat to walk on water with Jesus, but he let fear take over and started sinking (Matthew 14:25-32). How many people today say they believe in Jesus and yet they are drowning in fear and doubt? Peter also gets something right when he acknowledged that Jesus is the Messiah. But his small victory is short-lived when he reveals his flawed understanding of what the Messiah must do (Matthew 16:13-23). In the same way, many people are still professing their own version of Christ rather than submitting to the true Lord and Savior. Finally, Peter is completely exposed for the faker he is when He denies Jesus, his friend and master, not once, not twice, but three times even though Jesus told him it would happen (Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75). We can all identify with Peter because we have all failed in similar ways. I am sure that every believer remembers a time when they had the opportunity to speak up and say something on Christ's behalf or to stand up for what was right and, like Peter, we took the coward's way out.
But the good news is that Jesus not only died to make atonement for such sins and failures, He has made it possible for His Spirit to dwell within us so that we can succeed in these areas where we have otherwise failed. In Peter's case, once he received the Holy Spirit, he not only understood God's truth, but he became a preacher and teacher of God's truth. In fact, the first time he preached (when the Holy Spirit came upon the believers on the Day of Pentecost), 3,000 people believed in Jesus (Acts 2). Peter also got the opportunity to stand before the same Jewish leaders who killed Jesus and boldly proclaim the Gospel (Acts 4). Some might say that Peter got the chance to redeem himself, but this is simply what a life redeemed BY Christ THROUGH the Holy Spirit looks like.
Let us not underestimate the power of the One who is in us what He can do to turn our failures into victories for God's Kingdom!
From January 13
The Main Character of Acts = The Holy Spirit
Of the three Persons of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), the Holy Spirit seems to be the most misunderstood. He is certainly discussed the least. The Son (Jesus) is easy to identify because He actually became a physical man and people got to hear His teaching, saw Him perform miracles, watched Him die for sin on the cross, and also got to see His resurrected body. Nevertheless, Jesus gives plenty of instruction regarding the Holy Spirit in the Gospels and we can clearly see Him at work in the early Church throughout the book of Acts. His role may be a bit more "behind the scenes," but it is no less important than the Father's or the Son's. So what exactly does He do? Here is a list of just a few things the Holy Spirit does that are vital to the life of a Christian:
- He Convicts The World of Sin (John 16:8). When a person begins to feel convicted and broken over their sins against God, that is the Holy Spirit at work. He is the one who produces "Godly sorrow" which "brings repentance that leads to salvation" (2 Corinthians 7:10).
- He Lives Within Believers (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Since the Old Testament, God has promised to put His Spirit IN His people (Ezekiel 36:26-27). With the advent of Christ, those who repent and put their faith in Him are able to receive the Spirit of God permanently.
- He Empowers and Guides Believers (Romans 8:9). The Holy Spirit changes the behavior, attitude, and outlook of the believer. We are no longer slaves to sinful desires, but instead we are compelled by the Holy Spirit to live according to God's ways. He empowers and enables us to do the things that please God, including producing the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
- He Seals Believers For Eternity (Ephesians 1:13-14). How does a Christian know if they are going to heaven or not? The Holy Spirit is our deposit or down-payment from God "guaranteeing our inheritance." If you have put your faith and trust in Christ for salvation, then you have been marked with the Holy Spirit. If you have the Holy Spirit, then you can be 100% certain that you will spend eternity with God in heaven.
From January 20th
Peter: A Case Study of the Holy Spirit
Jesus' disciple, Peter, is a prime example of what a person looks like before and after receiving the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit, Peter failed:
- He failed to understand God's truth
- He failed to stand up for God's truth
Whenever it seemed like Peter would get something right, he would still end up falling short. He got out of the boat to walk on water with Jesus, but he let fear take over and started sinking (Matthew 14:25-32). How many people today say they believe in Jesus and yet they are drowning in fear and doubt? Peter also gets something right when he acknowledged that Jesus is the Messiah. But his small victory is short-lived when he reveals his flawed understanding of what the Messiah must do (Matthew 16:13-23). In the same way, many people are still professing their own version of Christ rather than submitting to the true Lord and Savior. Finally, Peter is completely exposed for the faker he is when He denies Jesus, his friend and master, not once, not twice, but three times even though Jesus told him it would happen (Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75). We can all identify with Peter because we have all failed in similar ways. I am sure that every believer remembers a time when they had the opportunity to speak up and say something on Christ's behalf or to stand up for what was right and, like Peter, we took the coward's way out.
But the good news is that Jesus not only died to make atonement for such sins and failures, He has made it possible for His Spirit to dwell within us so that we can succeed in these areas where we have otherwise failed. In Peter's case, once he received the Holy Spirit, he not only understood God's truth, but he became a preacher and teacher of God's truth. In fact, the first time he preached (when the Holy Spirit came upon the believers on the Day of Pentecost), 3,000 people believed in Jesus (Acts 2). Peter also got the opportunity to stand before the same Jewish leaders who killed Jesus and boldly proclaim the Gospel (Acts 4). Some might say that Peter got the chance to redeem himself, but this is simply what a life redeemed BY Christ THROUGH the Holy Spirit looks like.
Let us not underestimate the power of the One who is in us what He can do to turn our failures into victories for God's Kingdom!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Spiritual Disciplines
Many people cringe when they hear the word "discipline." Perhaps they feel like it gets in the way of doing what they want to do. However, another way to look at it is to realize that discipline is simply what we have to do to get what we want. Paul uses the analogy of sports in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 and compares the spiritual life of a Christian to an athlete in training: Just like a runner or a boxer trains their body to make it do what they want it to do in a competition, Christians must discipline themselves so that they can live as God has called us.
All discipline starts with submission. In sports, athletes submit to following the rules of the game as well as to the authority of referees who enforce those rules. In life, we must have the humility to submit to God's authority as the Creator of the universe to make and enforce the rules. But too often, we want to live our lives according to our own rules that we make up along the way. If we are going to live our lives God's way, we must start by humbling ourselves and acknowledging who He is as the Lord over everything. However, we must be careful of letting even our obedience become a source of pride. This was the mistake of the Pharisees. Just because we do something that God tells us to do, it doesn't make us any better than someone else. In fact, if that is our attitude, then we haven't really obeyed God at all (Matthew 6:5-6)
We must also remember that God cannot be manipulated. Spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, reading the Bible, etc. are not part of a process that we use to get God to do what we want Him to do. WE DO NOT USE GOD AS A MEANS TO AN END!!! He IS the end, the goal, the ultimate prize (John 17:2-3). We need to stop worrying about whether or not sports or our favorite foods will be in heaven and remember that God will be there! And He's the only thing that matters. We must seek His face before we seek His hand.
Finally, discipline is directed by desire. Everyone wants something and everyone is willing to put up with unpleasant consequences to get it. Only someone who really wants to win a marathon will push their body to the edge instead of taking it easy. Only someone who really wants to get good grades will study instead of watching TV or playing video games. Only someone who really wants God will make time in their day to meet with Him. The question then becomes: What do you really want? For those of you who call yourself a Christian, is it God you want or do are you just interested in what you think He can do for you? Go read Psalm 73:25-28 and Philippians 3:8 and ask yourself if you want God as much as the Pslamist or the apostle Paul.
All discipline starts with submission. In sports, athletes submit to following the rules of the game as well as to the authority of referees who enforce those rules. In life, we must have the humility to submit to God's authority as the Creator of the universe to make and enforce the rules. But too often, we want to live our lives according to our own rules that we make up along the way. If we are going to live our lives God's way, we must start by humbling ourselves and acknowledging who He is as the Lord over everything. However, we must be careful of letting even our obedience become a source of pride. This was the mistake of the Pharisees. Just because we do something that God tells us to do, it doesn't make us any better than someone else. In fact, if that is our attitude, then we haven't really obeyed God at all (Matthew 6:5-6)
We must also remember that God cannot be manipulated. Spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, reading the Bible, etc. are not part of a process that we use to get God to do what we want Him to do. WE DO NOT USE GOD AS A MEANS TO AN END!!! He IS the end, the goal, the ultimate prize (John 17:2-3). We need to stop worrying about whether or not sports or our favorite foods will be in heaven and remember that God will be there! And He's the only thing that matters. We must seek His face before we seek His hand.
Finally, discipline is directed by desire. Everyone wants something and everyone is willing to put up with unpleasant consequences to get it. Only someone who really wants to win a marathon will push their body to the edge instead of taking it easy. Only someone who really wants to get good grades will study instead of watching TV or playing video games. Only someone who really wants God will make time in their day to meet with Him. The question then becomes: What do you really want? For those of you who call yourself a Christian, is it God you want or do are you just interested in what you think He can do for you? Go read Psalm 73:25-28 and Philippians 3:8 and ask yourself if you want God as much as the Pslamist or the apostle Paul.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Marriage and the Gospel
By Mark
God said that it was not good for the man to be alone and then created Eve (Genesis 2:18-25). Many people look at this passage from a human-centered perspective and say things like: "Adam was lonely" or "Adam needed a soul-mate" as if these are the primary reasons why God created a woman. However, God's purposes are much higher than human wants or "needs." The reason why it was not good for the man to be alone is because by himself he did not adequately reflect God's image.
Both the man and the woman say something unique about who God is, but when they are united together according to God's design they say something even more than they could as individuals. God is one, but God is not solitary. God exists as a community, the Trinity. He is in relationship with Himself. Therefore, in order for humanity to bear God's image, there had to be relationship. We should certainly not be surprised to see that God's method of saving His people involves relationship and is reflected in the human institution of marriage.
Movies like the Da Vinci code (and the theories associated with them) have cast Jesus in a rather uncomfortable light for some people. To suggest that Jesus actually married a sinful, human woman while He was here on earth seems sacrilegious. However, while such rumors about Jesus are absolutely untrue, it is understandable to see where people come up with such notion when we look closely at the language of the Bible.
If we were to sum up the Bible in a descriptive title it might say something like: "Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl." The imagery in the book of Revelation supports this title as it describes Satan's defeat (the dragon) and the wedding banquet of the Church (the bride) and Jesus (the bridegroom). However, we would also need to add the subtitle: "How God the Father arranged for His Son to marry a prostitute." Again, even though this language strikes us as terribly disrespectful, Scripture backs it up.
If we look through the Old Testament prophets, we see that God's people, the nation of Israel at that time, are portrayed multiple times as either a prostitute or an adulterous wife. Jeremiah 2 and 3, Ezekiel 16, and Hosea 2 all use very graphic language to describe the sin of the people and God's attitude toward it. In Ezekiel 16 we see a description of how God initially established His covenant with the people of Israel (v. 1-14), but later the people cheat on God as they degrade themselves with the false gods of other nations (v. 15-43). Even though God pronounces judgement on Israel because of their despicable actions, the chapter ends with God's promise to make a new covenant with His people and to make atonement for them (v. 59-63).
When Jesus comes, it is to establish a new covenant with a wayward people. His own actions and words declare to us loud and clear that He did not come for the "healthy" but for the sick. He did not come for "good" people, He came for the sinners (Matthew 9:12-13). We also see the marriage symbolism of the Old Testament continuing into the Gospels. Take, for instance, when Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman at a well. Not only did men not speak to women in public at that time, and not only did Jews not associate with Samaritans, but by having this conversation at a well and starting it by asking for a drink, Jesus is deliberately reminding us of an Old Testament motif: whenever a man meets a woman at a well, a wedding is soon to follow. The wives of Isaac, Jacob, and Moses were all found this way (Genesis 24, 29 and Exodus 2). In this account, we also find out that this Samaritan woman has had five husbands and she is not married to the man with whom she is currently living. Nevertheless, this meeting at the well symbolically reveals who Jesus came to save (the lowest of the low) and that He is saving through a relationship as intimate as marriage (His covenant).
Finally we come to Mary Magdalene. Some people might even be tempted to blame her for all of the tawdry rumors that are told about her and Jesus. "It's true that they didn't do anything wrong, but she made Jesus look bad!" we might say. Actually, if we wanted to accuse someone of trying to make Jesus look bad, we would have to turn to Matthew who included four women with reputation issues in Jesus' genealogy (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba). But, of course, Matthew was not trying to smear his savior. Instead, he was pointing to the kind of messed up people that Jesus came to save. Similarly, Mary Magdalene is a type, a symbol, of who Jesus came to marry/rescue.
While there is some indication that Mary Magdalene may have been a prostitute, the Bible does not say so explicitly. We do know that at one time, Jesus cast seven demons out of her. The bottom line is that she was a fallen woman with a rough past. However, Jesus restores her and brings her out of that past into a promising future. She comes to follow Jesus, learn from Him, love Him, and support His ministry through her own means. She is present at the the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. She is among the first to see the empty tomb. And she receives the honor of being the first person to see Jesus resurrected.
Even in this encounter outside the tomb we see marriage symbolism. Just as Adam went to sleep and then woke up to meet his wife in a garden, Jesus dies and then rises to meet his symbolic "wife" in a garden. To be clear, Jesus did not come to enter into a literal, human marriage with Mary Magdalene or the woman at the well. But Jesus' interactions with these women demonstrate who He came to save ("sinners") and that He saves by reconciling His people to Himself into an intimate relationship (symbolized by marriage).
The illustration of marriage is used to describe the relationship between Christ and the Church in other places in the New Testament as well. In Ephesians 5:22-33, literal wives and husbands are instructed to mimic the relationship between Christ and the Church. Wives play the part of the Church by submitting to their husbands and husbands play the part of Christ by sacrificially loving their wives. In Revelation, we see the image of the Bride of Christ and the wedding feast that will take place (19:7-9; 21:2, 9-10). Heaven is not just described as a wonderful place to live. It is a celebration that focuses on the union between God and His people that will finally be complete (Revelation 21:3-7).
As we realize how the theme of marriage is intertwined with the Gospel, two points become clear. First, marriage is a big deal. Not only is it meant to be a gift to men and women in this life, but it points to something divine. Marriage is one of the greatest opportunities we have to image our Creator and Savior. Second, we need to realize that we are, in essence, Mary Magdalene. Because of our sin, we are no better than Israel, the prostitute. We have no merit of our own before the holiness of God. We are the same as the woman at the well. But the good news is that Jesus came for people just like us and will restore His people no matter how far they have fallen. If we forget our past, we will become proud, conceited, and self-righteous just like the Pharisees. If we forget our future, we will remain ashamed and guilt-ridden. We must remember that Jesus came to call the sinners, but He also came to transform His Bride into the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21; Revelation 19:7-9).
God said that it was not good for the man to be alone and then created Eve (Genesis 2:18-25). Many people look at this passage from a human-centered perspective and say things like: "Adam was lonely" or "Adam needed a soul-mate" as if these are the primary reasons why God created a woman. However, God's purposes are much higher than human wants or "needs." The reason why it was not good for the man to be alone is because by himself he did not adequately reflect God's image.
Both the man and the woman say something unique about who God is, but when they are united together according to God's design they say something even more than they could as individuals. God is one, but God is not solitary. God exists as a community, the Trinity. He is in relationship with Himself. Therefore, in order for humanity to bear God's image, there had to be relationship. We should certainly not be surprised to see that God's method of saving His people involves relationship and is reflected in the human institution of marriage.
Movies like the Da Vinci code (and the theories associated with them) have cast Jesus in a rather uncomfortable light for some people. To suggest that Jesus actually married a sinful, human woman while He was here on earth seems sacrilegious. However, while such rumors about Jesus are absolutely untrue, it is understandable to see where people come up with such notion when we look closely at the language of the Bible.
If we were to sum up the Bible in a descriptive title it might say something like: "Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl." The imagery in the book of Revelation supports this title as it describes Satan's defeat (the dragon) and the wedding banquet of the Church (the bride) and Jesus (the bridegroom). However, we would also need to add the subtitle: "How God the Father arranged for His Son to marry a prostitute." Again, even though this language strikes us as terribly disrespectful, Scripture backs it up.
If we look through the Old Testament prophets, we see that God's people, the nation of Israel at that time, are portrayed multiple times as either a prostitute or an adulterous wife. Jeremiah 2 and 3, Ezekiel 16, and Hosea 2 all use very graphic language to describe the sin of the people and God's attitude toward it. In Ezekiel 16 we see a description of how God initially established His covenant with the people of Israel (v. 1-14), but later the people cheat on God as they degrade themselves with the false gods of other nations (v. 15-43). Even though God pronounces judgement on Israel because of their despicable actions, the chapter ends with God's promise to make a new covenant with His people and to make atonement for them (v. 59-63).
When Jesus comes, it is to establish a new covenant with a wayward people. His own actions and words declare to us loud and clear that He did not come for the "healthy" but for the sick. He did not come for "good" people, He came for the sinners (Matthew 9:12-13). We also see the marriage symbolism of the Old Testament continuing into the Gospels. Take, for instance, when Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman at a well. Not only did men not speak to women in public at that time, and not only did Jews not associate with Samaritans, but by having this conversation at a well and starting it by asking for a drink, Jesus is deliberately reminding us of an Old Testament motif: whenever a man meets a woman at a well, a wedding is soon to follow. The wives of Isaac, Jacob, and Moses were all found this way (Genesis 24, 29 and Exodus 2). In this account, we also find out that this Samaritan woman has had five husbands and she is not married to the man with whom she is currently living. Nevertheless, this meeting at the well symbolically reveals who Jesus came to save (the lowest of the low) and that He is saving through a relationship as intimate as marriage (His covenant).
Finally we come to Mary Magdalene. Some people might even be tempted to blame her for all of the tawdry rumors that are told about her and Jesus. "It's true that they didn't do anything wrong, but she made Jesus look bad!" we might say. Actually, if we wanted to accuse someone of trying to make Jesus look bad, we would have to turn to Matthew who included four women with reputation issues in Jesus' genealogy (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba). But, of course, Matthew was not trying to smear his savior. Instead, he was pointing to the kind of messed up people that Jesus came to save. Similarly, Mary Magdalene is a type, a symbol, of who Jesus came to marry/rescue.
While there is some indication that Mary Magdalene may have been a prostitute, the Bible does not say so explicitly. We do know that at one time, Jesus cast seven demons out of her. The bottom line is that she was a fallen woman with a rough past. However, Jesus restores her and brings her out of that past into a promising future. She comes to follow Jesus, learn from Him, love Him, and support His ministry through her own means. She is present at the the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. She is among the first to see the empty tomb. And she receives the honor of being the first person to see Jesus resurrected.
Even in this encounter outside the tomb we see marriage symbolism. Just as Adam went to sleep and then woke up to meet his wife in a garden, Jesus dies and then rises to meet his symbolic "wife" in a garden. To be clear, Jesus did not come to enter into a literal, human marriage with Mary Magdalene or the woman at the well. But Jesus' interactions with these women demonstrate who He came to save ("sinners") and that He saves by reconciling His people to Himself into an intimate relationship (symbolized by marriage).
The illustration of marriage is used to describe the relationship between Christ and the Church in other places in the New Testament as well. In Ephesians 5:22-33, literal wives and husbands are instructed to mimic the relationship between Christ and the Church. Wives play the part of the Church by submitting to their husbands and husbands play the part of Christ by sacrificially loving their wives. In Revelation, we see the image of the Bride of Christ and the wedding feast that will take place (19:7-9; 21:2, 9-10). Heaven is not just described as a wonderful place to live. It is a celebration that focuses on the union between God and His people that will finally be complete (Revelation 21:3-7).
As we realize how the theme of marriage is intertwined with the Gospel, two points become clear. First, marriage is a big deal. Not only is it meant to be a gift to men and women in this life, but it points to something divine. Marriage is one of the greatest opportunities we have to image our Creator and Savior. Second, we need to realize that we are, in essence, Mary Magdalene. Because of our sin, we are no better than Israel, the prostitute. We have no merit of our own before the holiness of God. We are the same as the woman at the well. But the good news is that Jesus came for people just like us and will restore His people no matter how far they have fallen. If we forget our past, we will become proud, conceited, and self-righteous just like the Pharisees. If we forget our future, we will remain ashamed and guilt-ridden. We must remember that Jesus came to call the sinners, but He also came to transform His Bride into the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21; Revelation 19:7-9).
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