Last week in Sunday school, as we were discussing J.I. Packer's book, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, one of the ladies present was saying that she was done considering the cross; she'd understood as much as God let her understand about it, and now it was time for her to just study what Jesus taught about obedience. Thankfully, no one else in the room was supporting this point of view...it brought about a fairly lively discussion on whether this approach to faith was workable or to be recommended. I am afraid she felt rather beaten down as she left, which was not the intent of any of us. But it was a topic that excited us to discuss the vital importance of keeping the cross in front of us and continually central to our learning, meditation, and growth.
In all honesty, I'm very sure there has been a time, probably a long period of time, where I would have readily said the same thing. It's funny how that would have been my point of view more in the earlier years of my Christian walk, and now I feel more convinced that the cross in front of me is essential, that I hardly know enough about it. Its continual presence in my mind is crucial. When it's behind me, I think I have it figured out as much as is humanly possible, and that just knowing that I have been saved by it is enough. It's easier, then, to dismiss the horrific effect of sin, the penalty that was taken from me and laid upon Christ; the price that was paid in His suffering and death; the wonder, hope and joy that are effected by His resurrection. To try to learn obedience with the cross behind me instead of in front of me is to remove the very reason and reminder for my obedience from view, so that a little knowledge is a more dangerous thing. Who will obey well and joyfully because they know they simply ought to? But if I will not obey Christ while pondering His suffering and death on behalf of mankind, His willing obedience to the Father even unto death, then my understanding is puny, ineffectual, and unappreciative, and I am in need of a greater understanding, a greater examination and meditation upon the very essence of Christianity, the crux, the crucial thing, the cross. Paul said, For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. That was the essence of all our faith, the starting place on which everything hinges. At the foot of His cross is the place that enables and fuels our everyday walk of obedience.
And it isn't that I'm such a genius that I can continually understand more and more of it every day as I ponder it in my own thinking, though maybe on some days that might be slightly true. I need the input of those who have gone before, those who have discussed it and understood it in greater detail, who have read great writers and had thought-provoking influences expand their own minds...I need to hear daily from not only the Bible, though that is the vital starting place, but also from the great minds for whom it is the abiding joy to wrestle with God's salvific truth from every angle. It is iron sharpening iron; their iron that is better honed, sharpening mine that is duller. So I read books on the cross; I listen to sermons at church and online; and I listen to the words of Christian songs old and new that show the joy and amazement that overflow from the hearts who love Him because of His great sacrifice for us. And I am helped to better understand this ever-flowing life-giving act that He did that has changed me forever, that fountain of hope and joy and peace. The cross.
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
"The gospel can't be shared with the general public..."
Years ago, Gary met a co-worker who is a churchgoer (I’ll call him Roger), and we and this man and his wife (call her Cheryl) have gotten together on various occasions. He considers himself a Christian, it’s plain, but we’ve noticed how often he is easily agitated and angered, and that one recurring aspect of his character made us wonder about how true his relationship with Christ could be.
Tonight we met Roger and Cheryl at a concert given by their church. I have to say, the music was God-glorifying; the pastor opened in prayer; all in all, it seemed like a very Christian presentation. It was intended for the community, and the pastor started out by saying that they were doing this concert so the community could just come and enjoy, with no obligation on their part, where no one had to stand, or to sing, or to do anything. I wondered just how far the lack of obligation would go, since when the gospel is given, it obligates the hearer to respond…
The music continued. The various church choirs sang their God-glorifying songs, or rang their bells in the bell choir to their God-glorifying songs, or played their violins or flutes or piano or organ to their God-glorifying songs…all good…it was beautiful and clearly took a great amount of practice and skill and organization and effort.
The end came, and the pastor thanked everyone for coming, thanked the musicians and choir members for their performance, and dismissed us. As we walked out of the sanctuary, Cheryl asked me how I liked it. I said to her, “It was a lot of talent; the music was terrific. But I don’t understand. Your church put out all this effort, and no one gave the gospel message? Why would they not do that?” Her response amazed me. “Well, this is a concert. The point is for people to come and enjoy the music. This is to the general public. You can’t do that.” We entered the narthex. She went off in another direction and her husband was close by, telling us how wonderful he thought the music was, but I gave him the same question. His anger rose quickly to the surface. “This is the public. If you want the gospel, come on a Sunday. Our minister preaches from the Bible.” He was very clearly vexed at my lack of appreciation, and said that he thought it was time that we needed to go, wasn’t it?
As you might suspect, I am more convinced than ever that this couple doesn’t know Christ. The possibility is that most of that congregation doesn’t know Christ. They may have been singing these songs because they know a lot about Jesus, they know He died on the cross, but do they know Him? Has He transformed their lives? Or is church just a social club, and are these songs just a reassurance that whatever this strange historical event, these singers feel helped by knowing it happened?
I wish I knew how to approach this subject without angering these people. I wish I were more circumspect in dealing with the gospel, as long as the message of it or the necessity of it wasn’t compromised. I know I have lots of room for growth in that regard…but I’d rather offend by bringing it up than never offend because I valued their friendship more. I wish more churches were ready to offend with the gospel in order to save the few who are ready to receive it, rather than just love and entertain everyone right into hell. What do they think the Bible means when it says, “Make the most of every opportunity”? Maybe grab all the cookies you can before you leave…
It makes me thankful for my church, where the gospel is shared. It makes me thankful for those who are bold with the gospel, and for the Holy Spirit who alone can come alongside to truly make the need for Jesus Christ known in the darkened human heart. It makes me thankful for knowing the truth and having the capacity and the urgency to share it where possible. And it devastates me that there are churches, and people, who are convinced that the opposite is true, that the gospel is some dirty offensive secret, and so many will assume that these churches are the real deal. I can only say, America’s churches need prayer…lots of prayer, for the Holy Spirit’s conviction and correction. Probably often for their leadership’s salvation.
Tonight we met Roger and Cheryl at a concert given by their church. I have to say, the music was God-glorifying; the pastor opened in prayer; all in all, it seemed like a very Christian presentation. It was intended for the community, and the pastor started out by saying that they were doing this concert so the community could just come and enjoy, with no obligation on their part, where no one had to stand, or to sing, or to do anything. I wondered just how far the lack of obligation would go, since when the gospel is given, it obligates the hearer to respond…
The music continued. The various church choirs sang their God-glorifying songs, or rang their bells in the bell choir to their God-glorifying songs, or played their violins or flutes or piano or organ to their God-glorifying songs…all good…it was beautiful and clearly took a great amount of practice and skill and organization and effort.
The end came, and the pastor thanked everyone for coming, thanked the musicians and choir members for their performance, and dismissed us. As we walked out of the sanctuary, Cheryl asked me how I liked it. I said to her, “It was a lot of talent; the music was terrific. But I don’t understand. Your church put out all this effort, and no one gave the gospel message? Why would they not do that?” Her response amazed me. “Well, this is a concert. The point is for people to come and enjoy the music. This is to the general public. You can’t do that.” We entered the narthex. She went off in another direction and her husband was close by, telling us how wonderful he thought the music was, but I gave him the same question. His anger rose quickly to the surface. “This is the public. If you want the gospel, come on a Sunday. Our minister preaches from the Bible.” He was very clearly vexed at my lack of appreciation, and said that he thought it was time that we needed to go, wasn’t it?
As you might suspect, I am more convinced than ever that this couple doesn’t know Christ. The possibility is that most of that congregation doesn’t know Christ. They may have been singing these songs because they know a lot about Jesus, they know He died on the cross, but do they know Him? Has He transformed their lives? Or is church just a social club, and are these songs just a reassurance that whatever this strange historical event, these singers feel helped by knowing it happened?
I wish I knew how to approach this subject without angering these people. I wish I were more circumspect in dealing with the gospel, as long as the message of it or the necessity of it wasn’t compromised. I know I have lots of room for growth in that regard…but I’d rather offend by bringing it up than never offend because I valued their friendship more. I wish more churches were ready to offend with the gospel in order to save the few who are ready to receive it, rather than just love and entertain everyone right into hell. What do they think the Bible means when it says, “Make the most of every opportunity”? Maybe grab all the cookies you can before you leave…
It makes me thankful for my church, where the gospel is shared. It makes me thankful for those who are bold with the gospel, and for the Holy Spirit who alone can come alongside to truly make the need for Jesus Christ known in the darkened human heart. It makes me thankful for knowing the truth and having the capacity and the urgency to share it where possible. And it devastates me that there are churches, and people, who are convinced that the opposite is true, that the gospel is some dirty offensive secret, and so many will assume that these churches are the real deal. I can only say, America’s churches need prayer…lots of prayer, for the Holy Spirit’s conviction and correction. Probably often for their leadership’s salvation.
Thursday, April 01, 2010
I am Gladly a Fool for Christ
The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; there is no one who does good. Psalm 14:1
Today I turn 50...and all my life people have had fun with the idea that my birthday is April Fool's Day. I have had times in my life when my foolishness would fit that above, maybe not such that I would have said that there was no God, but in living like there was none. But God reached down into my foolish heart and gave me a better kind of foolishness...He made me realize that apart from Him I have no wisdom that can help me escape the penalty for my sin...that I am foolish and weak. So, He has brought me to acknowledge that I need Him, that in Jesus Christ I have found forgiveness that is His gift to me, not because I have earned it in any way. Not because of any human will, or strength, or wisdom, but because of His grace. As it says in 1 Corinthians 4:10, we are fools for Christ's sake...and that sounds as if it were undesirable, but in fact it is desirable. It is the best thing to be, the only kind of fool that can be lifted out of our incapable and helpless circumstance of being sinful creatures. It is like we were sheep, lost, stuck in a muddy mire, caked and dirty, with no way to get ourselves out. And the Chief Shepherd came along and found us there and in His strength pulled us out, and is cleaning us up...training us...and promising us a bright future with Him. That foolishness that knows its need is not so foolish after all...because God has come alongside us and helped us, and with His help we are adequate for every good work, we are equipped, we have the mind of Christ. Fools for Christ are no fools at all with God's help, ...because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men, 1 Corinthians 1:25.
So if being a fool means I have to acknowledge that I am incapable of saving myself, and I need God, may I never cease to be that fool! If you think that is some poverty, think about how you would save yourself. Are you sure it will work? No, I can't imagine that you have that assurance. Look to Christ, who alone can save you. His promises are true, and He is mighty to save. As missionary Jim Elliot said, who gave his life to seek to save the lost, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
Today I turn 50...and all my life people have had fun with the idea that my birthday is April Fool's Day. I have had times in my life when my foolishness would fit that above, maybe not such that I would have said that there was no God, but in living like there was none. But God reached down into my foolish heart and gave me a better kind of foolishness...He made me realize that apart from Him I have no wisdom that can help me escape the penalty for my sin...that I am foolish and weak. So, He has brought me to acknowledge that I need Him, that in Jesus Christ I have found forgiveness that is His gift to me, not because I have earned it in any way. Not because of any human will, or strength, or wisdom, but because of His grace. As it says in 1 Corinthians 4:10, we are fools for Christ's sake...and that sounds as if it were undesirable, but in fact it is desirable. It is the best thing to be, the only kind of fool that can be lifted out of our incapable and helpless circumstance of being sinful creatures. It is like we were sheep, lost, stuck in a muddy mire, caked and dirty, with no way to get ourselves out. And the Chief Shepherd came along and found us there and in His strength pulled us out, and is cleaning us up...training us...and promising us a bright future with Him. That foolishness that knows its need is not so foolish after all...because God has come alongside us and helped us, and with His help we are adequate for every good work, we are equipped, we have the mind of Christ. Fools for Christ are no fools at all with God's help, ...because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men, 1 Corinthians 1:25.
So if being a fool means I have to acknowledge that I am incapable of saving myself, and I need God, may I never cease to be that fool! If you think that is some poverty, think about how you would save yourself. Are you sure it will work? No, I can't imagine that you have that assurance. Look to Christ, who alone can save you. His promises are true, and He is mighty to save. As missionary Jim Elliot said, who gave his life to seek to save the lost, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
Monday, March 29, 2010
A New Intensity
Perhaps it is the day after a long night...after leaving one church and starting at another...well, more accurately after the impact of leaving five churches and lately starting at another, I have been overcome by a sense of skepticism, of short roots, of a readiness to be transplanted yet again. My tendency is normally to want to dive in, and this time I dove in on the surface but kept holding back the sense of commitment...not yet...maybe not at all...wait and see... I wanted to see what the leadership here was like. The pastor is young, and I have a tendency to expect immaturity, and inaccuracy, and lack of depth. All I keep coming away with, though, is good surprises. He wants to hold the men of the church responsible for spiritual leadership in their families; that was a remarkable surprise to me that I had not seen elsewhere. I've been challenged by his teaching, which is in fact opposite some that I've heard before...and yet, it makes sense scripturally and I now am frustrated that for 20 years I haven't seen things in the Scriptures that were right there the whole time--familiar Scriptures that I practically have memorized, and yet didn't fully understand. His teaching on some thorny subjects has been careful and clear and good. He knows I've been burned and though any pastor wants to be trusted, he wasn't pushing me.
But a few days back I was talking with him in the hall and I can't remember exactly what we were talking about; but I used the word "yet" as in that they hadn't failed me...yet... And I didn't even notice that I'd said it, but he did. "Yet?" It was a bit of a gentle rebuke but a bit of injury too on his part. All this week I've been pondering what I was holding onto. Was it a stronger position to be poised to leave a church yet again if necessary, or was it stronger to dive in and participate, interacting fully and wanting to know and be known, help and be helped, love and be loved? I saw my hesitation that had been so solid before turning into a jelly mass. I was finding no substance in my defensiveness. No matter how many times people fail me, I have to participate fully, wholeheartedly in church. I have to; it's part of my worship. It's a substantial element of my joy. Having walls up and protecting oneself is akin to bitterness; it's not healthy. My walls are coming down.
I felt a delight at church last Sunday that I haven't felt for more than a year. Since then, at home, I've felt something deep and mellow and almost overwhelming. There's a fine line between incredible joy and depression...what a weird thing! In either you want to cry...I want to cry in relief. God is good. God is faithful. I will attend this church and expect great things. There will be trouble too; that's part of every church with any humanity in it. As long as these leaders follow Christ, I will follow them. I'm thankful for the good things in past churches as well. I've learned a lot of things from them that are part of my faith now, even though I've discarded things that haven't stood up to the light of truth. Even if God were to just have us spend short terms in each church that we attend, if we can do them some good and they can do us some good, that will be His will. I just want to be His willing, passionate, obedient servant. I want to wholeheartedly participate in church. I know it isn't all of faith; the Scriptures aren't all of faith. Jesus is my All in All. Church is where we find fellowship and where we build one another up to go and serve Him in the world--it is not all of what Jesus has for me, but it's a vital element for my equipping, and when I'm not all in it, then I'm withholding myself from the fullness of what God has for me.
I am joyful again. And I am blessed.
But a few days back I was talking with him in the hall and I can't remember exactly what we were talking about; but I used the word "yet" as in that they hadn't failed me...yet... And I didn't even notice that I'd said it, but he did. "Yet?" It was a bit of a gentle rebuke but a bit of injury too on his part. All this week I've been pondering what I was holding onto. Was it a stronger position to be poised to leave a church yet again if necessary, or was it stronger to dive in and participate, interacting fully and wanting to know and be known, help and be helped, love and be loved? I saw my hesitation that had been so solid before turning into a jelly mass. I was finding no substance in my defensiveness. No matter how many times people fail me, I have to participate fully, wholeheartedly in church. I have to; it's part of my worship. It's a substantial element of my joy. Having walls up and protecting oneself is akin to bitterness; it's not healthy. My walls are coming down.
I felt a delight at church last Sunday that I haven't felt for more than a year. Since then, at home, I've felt something deep and mellow and almost overwhelming. There's a fine line between incredible joy and depression...what a weird thing! In either you want to cry...I want to cry in relief. God is good. God is faithful. I will attend this church and expect great things. There will be trouble too; that's part of every church with any humanity in it. As long as these leaders follow Christ, I will follow them. I'm thankful for the good things in past churches as well. I've learned a lot of things from them that are part of my faith now, even though I've discarded things that haven't stood up to the light of truth. Even if God were to just have us spend short terms in each church that we attend, if we can do them some good and they can do us some good, that will be His will. I just want to be His willing, passionate, obedient servant. I want to wholeheartedly participate in church. I know it isn't all of faith; the Scriptures aren't all of faith. Jesus is my All in All. Church is where we find fellowship and where we build one another up to go and serve Him in the world--it is not all of what Jesus has for me, but it's a vital element for my equipping, and when I'm not all in it, then I'm withholding myself from the fullness of what God has for me.
I am joyful again. And I am blessed.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Whatever Motivated Paul Should Motivate all of us
The church we attend has an online forum where they'll post a question of the week and then discuss it. I love that because it's thought-provoking; better than a blog, in that I receive the input of others rather than just mull over my own thoughts based perhaps on researching writings of others, but often just from personal meditation. One week I was brought to ponder--not as a direct answer to the question, but something of a rabbit trail--what motivated Paul to be such a strong, committed, continual servant of Christ. I had proposed that it was because he had been taken up into heaven, and seen something of what reward awaits us. I thought that was a sufficient reason, and yet since that time I have heard two other proposals. One of these was from a sermon I heard on sermonaudio.com, in which the pastor speaking attributed Paul's dedication to the powerful nature of his conversion. He had been a Jewish leader, a primary persecutor of the Christians, but Jesus saved him to be an Apostle. This would be such a 180-degree turn that if he only applied the passion that he had before, Paul would still be one of the strongest leaders the Christian Church would ever see...and yet the power of that conversion wasn't the only impact Jesus made to motivate Paul to serve Him so well.
The third possible explanation I found regarding Paul's motivation was in a book, Experiencing the Cross, by Henry Blackaby. The book is full of insights and I'm wanting to read more of his writings. Blackaby attributes Paul's passion to considering himself to have been personally crucified along with Christ...Galatians 2:19-20 "For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Paul stated this various ways which underscore the possibility of that being at least a powerful component of his motivation;
At any rate, seeing how Paul was motivated by any or all of these three things, we should be so motivated as well. He said, in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ." I am convinced that Paul knew many things that he could not put into words, but his actions spoke of the thoroughness of his convictions. Whatever it was that motivated him should motivate us, because the things that are true of him are true of us if we belong to Christ: 1) We have experienced a conversion; 2) We hope in things eternal (even though, unlike Paul, for us they are yet unseen) and we know of them because we have the mind of Christ and eternity is written on our hearts; 3) We too have been crucified with Christ to the Law and the power of sin and death. We should know no such thing as a lukewarm Christian. There should be none, we all should be passionate and plunging wholeheartedly into whatever work He has set before us through the power of the Holy Spirit.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.
The third possible explanation I found regarding Paul's motivation was in a book, Experiencing the Cross, by Henry Blackaby. The book is full of insights and I'm wanting to read more of his writings. Blackaby attributes Paul's passion to considering himself to have been personally crucified along with Christ...Galatians 2:19-20 "For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Paul stated this various ways which underscore the possibility of that being at least a powerful component of his motivation;
At any rate, seeing how Paul was motivated by any or all of these three things, we should be so motivated as well. He said, in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ." I am convinced that Paul knew many things that he could not put into words, but his actions spoke of the thoroughness of his convictions. Whatever it was that motivated him should motivate us, because the things that are true of him are true of us if we belong to Christ: 1) We have experienced a conversion; 2) We hope in things eternal (even though, unlike Paul, for us they are yet unseen) and we know of them because we have the mind of Christ and eternity is written on our hearts; 3) We too have been crucified with Christ to the Law and the power of sin and death. We should know no such thing as a lukewarm Christian. There should be none, we all should be passionate and plunging wholeheartedly into whatever work He has set before us through the power of the Holy Spirit.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.
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