Faith

Prayer in Action

Prayer in Action

When I first visited the church that I now pastor, I had told them that there were 10 things that I believed we would need to do in order for us as a congregation to unify ourselves with God’s will for this congregation and our work in this community and the world. You’ll find those in my last message, Guide our Steps.

The very first thing I said that we would need to do was unite ourselves in prayer. That prayer should be our first response, not our last option. Far too often we reach out in faith to God last, instead of submitting to his will first.

In my life, I have struggled with prayer, and maybe you have too. As some of you know, my oldest son is multiply disabled. I have very well-meaning people ask to pray over him and say, he’ll be healed; when he wasn’t it would rock my faith at times. Well, if you were so sure he would be healed, is my faith lacking so he wasn’t? Or, did you take God’s name, his identity, in vain and trying to pray according to a will that was not in line with God’s. If so, why doesn’t God want my son to be healed?

We ask him for all the things we want, instead of being grateful for him meeting our needs. We go to God as if he is a vending machine, we insert our magic coin, make our selections by telling him everything we want, push the AMEN button, and expect everything we asked for to come out. Or we treat God as a genie in a bottle… We rub the magic prayer lamp, tell God what we wish for, a better car, a bigger house, the billion-dollar lotto jackpot, whatever it might be, and expect Poof, there it is.

Or maybe we just get frustrated with God. God, you tell us to pray and you’ll give us whatever we want, right? Mark 11:24 says, “whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Matthew 21:22 says, “And whatever you ask in prayer, if you believe, you will receive.” John 16:23 says, “At that time you will ask me nothing. I tell you the solemn truth, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.”

Outside of the greater context of scripture, we can get really drawn in with these ‘promises,’ it is the idea of believe it and receive it. We can even be really well-meaning with this, I believe I will be healed of this injury, I believe she will be healed of this illness, I believe I will have these resources to start this ministry… And then we ask God in frustration, why didn’t you heal me, or her, or give me this so I can do that, it’s all for your glory and kingdom…why God?

We get into trouble and pray what we call ‘foxhole’ prayers. “God, the bullets are flying over my head, please save me from this distress.” And we bargain, “God, I promise I will give my church 20% instead of 10% for a tithe if you’ll let me win the 20-million-dollar jackpot, think how much ministry we could do.”

Speaking of prayer, I heard something new this week… Dial-a-prayer for atheists! Apparently, when you call, it rings and rings, and no one answers.

Second to our salvation, the most important part of our relationship with God is our prayer life… From the beginning of time, God has been trying to commune with his creation. He takes great join from being able to have a relationship with us. So much so, he sent his one and only Son, Jesus, to die as an atoning sacrifice to cover our multitude of sins with his Son’s righteousness. Added to that, he gives us his indwelling Holy Spirit so that he can be in the closest possible fellowship with us, living within us… Yet, we commonly neglect talking with, fellowshipping with, communing with our Father in heaven.

We do so, even though we have a hotline to heaven, a red phone in the corner that is a direct dial to the throne room, far better than Commissioner Gordon’s batphone…! We have the indwelling Holy Spirit. Paul tells us,

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.

Romans 8:26

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will.

Romans 8:27 NET

This issue is so important, in CS Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, Uncle Screwtape writes this to his nephew, the young tempter, Wormwood…

“Whenever they are attending to the Enemy Himself, we are defeated, but there are ways of preventing them from doing so.  The simplest is to turn their gaze away from Him towards themselves.  Keep them watching their own minds and trying to produce feelings there by their own wills.  When they meant to ask Him for charity, let them instead start trying to manufacture charitable feelings for themselves and not notice that this is what they are doing.  When they meant to pray for courage, let them really be trying to feel brave.  When they say they are praying for forgiveness, let them be trying to feel forgiven.  Teach them to estimate the value of each prayer by their success in producing the desired feeling…”

Jesus taught on this subject himself in a very famous passage of Scripture. And, yet, we still missed the point… He said,

“Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.  When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Matthew 6:5-8 NET

In the following verses, comes what we know as the “Lord’s Prayer”, which is meant to be a template for how to pray that he gave to his disciples, but in our humanity, we turned it into another thing to mindlessly recite… he just finished telling us not to do that, not ‘babbling repetitiously’. He was trying to give us a pattern for how to start a conversation with God.

I will give you two more patterns that you can use to pray that follow Jesus’s example to his disciples…

PRAY – Praise Repent Ask and Yield

ACTS – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication

God wants a relationship with us. He is not a celestial vending machine we plug our prayer quarters into and make our selections of what we want. He is not a genie in a bottle waiting for us to rub the prayer lamp to grant our next wish. He is a heavenly Father with a deep desire for a relationship with his kids. He wants us to pick up the phone and call him frequently. He does want to meet our needs, but what Father only wants a call from their kids only when they want something???

Paul tells us the cure for anxiety is prayer…

Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 NET

James the brother of Jesus, who was know as James the camel kneed, because his knees were so callused from constant prayer tells us,

So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.

James 5:16 NET

Jesus even tells us later in his Sermon on the Mount, after introducing the template for prayer…

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Matthew 5:43-45

Pray for those who persecute us…? Whoa Jesus, you’re going a little too far there, are you? But, I was told a long, long time ago, that if I had a resentment against an individual, I should pray all the blessings I would want for myself for them instead… doing so, my resentments quickly melt away and Scripture says in Romans 12:20,

“Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head.”

Don’t get me wrong, that isn’t why I am praying blessings for them, because earlier in the passage it says in verse 18, “if possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.” But, some people are obviously much easier to live peaceably with than others, if we are truly honest… so, by praying for those people, I can deal with those EGR’s, remember those Extra Grace Required people, in a much more patient and loving way, than if I were not…

The point is, if we are to grow spiritually, have a vibrant and fulfilling faith, and have a true relationship with our heavenly Father through his Son, Jesus, we need to be deeply in touch with him in prayer through the Holy Spirit that is right here, in us, all the time! When we pray, we also need to take time to listen, he will answer, through intuition, through other people, through signs, through his Word, through peace that surpasses all understanding, through healing, through all sorts of other ways, if we are praying according to his will. And, as Romans 8:26-27 says, the Spirit will express his will in prayer through us in ways we can not express for ourselves, and he knows all our needs… we just need to pray!

It all begins with our prayer of confession and repentance, turning our lives over to the care of God through the sacrifice of Jesus… that prayer can create or restore our fellowship with our Creator and our Father.

I want to pray Psalm 130 over you, but I am taking liberty to substitute the Church for Israel…

‘From the deep water I cry out to you, O Lord. O Lord listen to me! Pay attention to my plea for mercy! If you, O Lord, were to keep track of sins, O Lord, who could stand before you? But you are willing to forgive, so that you might be honored. I rely on the Lord, I rely on him with my whole being; I wait for his assuring word. I yearn for the Lord, more than watchmen do for the morning, yes, more than watchmen do for the morning. O Church hope in the Lord, for the Lord exhibits loyal love, and is more than willing to deliver. He will deliver the Church from all the consequences of their sins.’

Amen.

Guide our Steps

Guide our Steps IFCOG 7/24/22

I want to share some of my heart with you today.

In my life, I have struggled with discernment when it comes to God’s will. Have you ever felt that way?

I have listened to wise council, followed the open doors, tried to make wise decisions, then ended up nowhere near where I thought the Lord was leading me. Somewhere along the line, I fell out of step and started down a different road. I left the path, and I never realized it. There are other times when I took the more attractive road, the easier road, the road that lead where I wanted to go, instead of the path that was laid out for me. Has any one here ever experienced something like that?

There is a principle Andy Stanley calls the Principle of the Path. Direction determines destination.

We understand it when it comes to driving, but we miss it in other areas of our lives. If we plan a trip to Florida, we pack our bags, we tell all our friends, we hire the neighbor kid to watch the house and take in the mail, we make all our plans and preparations, but when we head out of town with the car fully packed and drive north on 231, we aren’t going to get to Florida. It’s our direction, not our intentions, that determine our destination. In fact, many of our congregations have missed this vital principle.

I am broken-hearted for many of the congregations throughout the United States. Many of us would like to blame COVID for the decline of the church, when in fact, the church started declining before COVID, it’s after COVID that we really noticed the change because many who had wanted to leave for a long time, just didn’t go back. Many of us would like to blame culture for the decline of the church, when in fact, the church failed to respond to the shifts in the culture. People who study societies have determined that under usual circumstances, society shifts every 7 years, but in 2020, in one year, society made an entire shift. Some congregations were able to respond because they had already been preparing, others haven’t reopened. Some congregations are trying to build on the changes they had to make to reach out, while others are gratefully trying to go back to what they were doing. Not even realizing what they were doing had already stopped working, except for them.

What does the Bible say about it all? Does the Bible say anything about church growth? Does the Bible say anything about responding to change? Does the Bible give us direction on what to hold on to, and what to let go?

I am not going to be showing you anything you may not have seen before, but I may tie them together for you in ways you haven’t thought of. God has laid out a direction for his Church. He has given us our marching orders. He has given us examples of what to do and not do.

Let’s start with the most basic… Whose job is it to grow the Church?

In Matthew 16:13-18 it says,

‘When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven! And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.’

When Jesus says on this rock I will build my church, some churches will teach that Peter is the rock that the Church is built on. Others will say it is Peter’s confession of faith the Church is built on. The language used would suggest both of those answers are wrong. Petros, Peter, is one kind of rock. Petra is something different. It is also translated as stumbling stone in some other passages.

Earlier in Matthew 7:25, later in 1 Peter 2:8, 1 Corinthians 10:4, Romans 9:33 all refer to this kind of petra, and each time it is associated with Jesus himself is the rock that the Church is built on, and Jesus says he will build his church. Jesus has not stopped building his Church. If our congregations stopped growing, it’s because we fell out of step with him.

Next question, what is the mission of the Church, if Jesus is the one building his Church? Matthew 28:18-20 says,

‘Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”’

Our job is not to build the church, our job is to make disciples. Wait, what is the difference between building the Church and making disciples?

Building the Church is his Holy Spirit bestowing grace upon people who hear the Word of God to incite them into having faith in the saving work of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection. To make disciples, wherever we are going, as we invest in relationships with people, share the Gospel, but also baptizing them and just as importantly, if not more so, teaching them to obey everything that he has commanded to us. When the disciples went out sharing the Gospel, they also baptized the new believers and immediately began teaching them. The ones that heard the disciples teaching then went out and taught others, who went out and taught others, on and on down to today.

The early church taught everything, and taught obedience. Our churches today teach less and less of everything and leave out much of the obedience even to what we do teach. However, there are always extremes, aren’t there. Some hyper focus on obedience to the point of legalism, others turn the sanctuary into a seminar lecture hall, some turn grace into free license to do and act however they want.

What we do hold tightly to frequently is our traditions. We confuse holding tightly to the Word of God and correct doctrine, with holding on tightly to the order of worship, the Gaither hymns, the position of the altar, a few of the congregations I have been to have special cushions in certain pews where the same person sits week after week. One week someone asked, who moved the cushions? We make ourselves comfortable and make any outsiders totally uncomfortable.

What did Paul say?     

‘For since I am free from all I can make myself a slave to all, in order to gain even more people. To the Jews I became like a Jew to gain the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) to gain those under the law. To those free from the law I became like one free from the law (though I am not free from God’s law but under the law of Christ) to gain those free from the law. To the weak I became weak in order to gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some. I do all these things because of the gospel, so that I can be a participant in it.’

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

He was willing to adapt himself to make those around him more comfortable so that he could advance the Gospel among them. He did not sin to make sinners more comfortable, but he did speak to people and interact with people on their level. The same way Christ relinquished the rights of his deity to live as a man among humans.

There are certain things, as the church, we need to be willing to do to advance the Gospel so that we are on the path marked out for us to arrive at the destination God intends for us to.

  1. Pray, it should be obvious, but far too often it becomes our last resort rather than our first response.
  2. Hold tightly to the authority and inspiration of the scriptures by proper interpretation and application.
  3. Trust the Lord of the harvest to lead and guide us
  4. Expect God’s provision to act according to his will
  5. Make disciples wherever we are going, by baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything we have been commanded
  6. Christ did not come to condemn the people of the world; he came to save them. So, we are here to build loving relationships to encourage unbelievers to be convicted by his Holy Spirit.
  7. We must love one another as a demonstration that we are Jesus disciples using scripture to teach, encourage, admonish, correct, and train one another in righteousness.
  8. We must seek unity and reconciliation wherever possible
  9. Be relevant, with a Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other, address the needs within our community and in the world
  10. Every believer should be discipled into maturity and begin discipling someone else. We need to have sages, mentors, accountability partners, and proteges along every stage of the walk of faith

I believe we should be doing these things as the Body of Christ, and if we are doing them, God will honor his promise.

2 Peter 3:9 says,

‘The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.’

While we wait for the Lord to fulfill his promise, we need to do the work he has set before us.

Gospel in a Nutshell

Retirement versus Legacy-building Part Two

When I spoke at Winebrenner Memorial, a couple weeks ago, we talked about Paul’s plight while writing to the church at Philippi. Paul was at the end of his rope, if you remember. Paul said,

‘For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer: I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, but it is more vital for your sake that I remain in the body. And since I am sure of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for the sake of your progress and joy in the faith, so that what you can be proud of may increase because of me in Christ Jesus, when I come back to you.’ Philippians 1:21-26

Let’s review the Pastor Joe paraphrase.

For me, living is doing what Christ has left me here to do, while dying is getting the heck off this planet and spending the rest of eternity in heaven on my all expense paid retirement plan. If I have to stay here, I need to be productive doing God work, but I’m not sure I want to. Matter of fact, I really want to retire and go hang out with Jesus on the golf course, which is a lot better than being stuck here. But it’s more important for me to stay here with you and since I am sure that’s what God wants, I will stay and continue to build a legacy of faith in all of you, so that you can be proud of me.

Because Paul knows he is still alive and breathing, he knows God has something left for him to do. God’s retirement plan doesn’t kick in until we have breathed our last breath. In the meantime, our job to build a legacy of faith, to build up the big C global and eternal Church, continues on. I gave you homework before I left two weeks ago. Find one person that you can pour your experience, strength, and hope, your knowledge and wisdom of living a life of faith, into. I won’t ask for a show of hands how many have their homework done. Only about 30% of my middle school students get theirs turned in on time, and I usually end up extending due dates, like I did with my most recent assignment…hahaha.

We know how Paul felt now, as he was coming to the end of his earthly ministry. We can estimate that he lived, at most, ten years past this point; probably far less. Now I want to turn to Jesus. Jesus, the night he was betrayed, hours before his trial, torture, and death, just days before his resurrection, and only about 45 days before he ascended into heaven, was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. John recorded his prayer for us in John 17. There are three things Jesus focuses on in his final prayer. Jesus prayed that we understand what eternal life really is. He prayed that his disciples, those he had worked with and taught during his earthly ministry, would be set apart in the truth and remain set apart from the world as they go out into the world to proclaim the Gospel.  Finally, he prayed that all believers, everyone who comes to believe in him through the work of his disciples, would be one with each other, just as he was one with the Father.

While we know from history that his early disciples did remain set apart once he brought them back together again, and preached the Gospel, lighting a fire of faith that has continued to burn until this day. The other two: Jesus has not truly gotten his heart’s desire. We still constantly misunderstand what eternal life is, and the church has never been more divided in its entire history. Not only that, but the divides in the church also started within the lifespan of his disciples. It is my belief that a big part of the divide is caused by our misunderstanding of eternal life as well.

But what can we few, here and now, do about any of that? What can we do about problems that have existed for 2,000 years? We start small. We start with our own understanding of eternal life and then, through prayer, reconciliation, love, and more prayer build our own spiritual legacy while we yet have breath in our bodies.

Jesus said,

Now this is eternal life, that they know you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent. John 17:4

1st– We need to live in the knowledge and power of God. We do that through God’s very own Holy Spirit that Jesus asked his Father to send to us as a comforter, teacher, and empowerment for us to perform his work as his Body here on earth.

2nd– We need to pray, pray before we start, pray as we go, and pray some more. When Paul shared the secret of joy and contentment in Philippians chapter 4, he told us:

‘Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! Let everyone see your gentleness. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.’

He continues on to say in verse 13

‘I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.’

If we are going to continue to live building our legacy of faith, we are going to need God’s strength and power. We only find that strength and power through prayer.

3rd– We need to live set apart but in unity and love. Our lives cannot look like the rest of the world lives. But Jesus said he didn’t come to condemn the world, but to save it. Unfortunately, the world frequently sees the church as judgmental, hateful, and standoffish. We try to force those who do not know Christ as Savior to live as if they have a relationship according to the same understanding and commands that we have. It becomes even worse when the outsider world sees those within the Body of Christ fighting amongst ourselves. Living in unity and love is only possible if we reconcile with those whom we have had differences. Within the Body, we need to live according to those things we can hold in common, and love each other enough to follow Paul’s instructions in Ephesians 4:1-6, he says…

‘I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.’  Ephesians 4:1-6

When we can do these three things; live in the strength and power of the eternal life we have right now through God’s Holy Spirit, pray, and live set apart in reconciliation and love; we can build our legacy of faith one friend, acquaintance, neighbor, parent, child, grandchild, great grandchild, and stranger at a time. That is living out the Great Commission, our purpose and the mission Christ left us with.

A Reflection on Reconciliation

Before we remembered our Lord’s death and resurrection by taking communion together, I wanted to share a little bit about reconciliation with the congregation I was serving last week. I want to share with you as well.

Jesus said,

‘So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother and then come and present your gift.’ Matthew 5:23-24

Author Howard Zehr says,

“When and why do people seek reconciliation? If individuals or communities value a relationship, then it becomes imperative for them not to let a wound fester. Sometimes, reconciliation becomes necessary as the individuals need to share same social space. A human being is not merely collection bones, liquids and chemicals. A human being is also a collection of memories. Our memories (good, bad, pleasant and painful) determine our actions and approach to relationships. Reconciliation is a mechanism of addressing memories which are not pleasant and healthy.

Often, in the daily usage, the word ‘reconcile’ is deployed to mean that an individual(s) or community(ies) should accept the state of affairs as they are and must learn to live with it. To subsist with pain caused by broken relationships indicates a life not fully lived. Therefore, to reconcile should mean something more than to plough through life with a collection of painful memories.”

In the biblical context, reconciliation is equated more to a financial transaction. If someone has something against you, a slight or resentment, believe you owe them some sort of debt, emotional, spiritual, or physical, if you are taking space in someone’s brain rent-free. Clean up your side of the street. Offer what amends you can, whether it’s really your fault or not, do your part to restore the relationship. Forgive, as you have already been forgiven by God. The rest is up to Him to work on the other person’s heart. But sometimes, through our own behavior, we become someone else’s stumbling block before they approach God.

We need to try to be reconciled and represent our Lord and Savior so as to be a light to draw people to Him, not a putrid stench to drive them away.

If you are a follower of Christ, this is a must-read!

I have had some similar experiences with people, but this pastor’s story is phenomenal! A must read, but especially for church leaders.

https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/308115-hes-ing-pastor-gary-liederbach.html

Retirement or Legacy-building?

I have the pleasure of serving in many different congregations in my position as a pulpit supply pastor. One thing I notice in everyone of them is the question, how do we move forward? Of course, other questions continue to come up, once we ask that question. Does our congregation have a future? What will the future look like? Is it okay to embrace change? What changes are okay to embrace and what should we avoid?

And inevitably, in some of the congregations I serve, the statement comes out, “we are too old to change now.” “We aren’t going to go door to door doing evangelism. Besides, everyone I know is already a Christian.” From my conversation with Pastor Don, it sounds like this is the realm your congregation is currently living in. He also told me, “They don’t need a hell, fire, and brimstone message; just give them some encouragement.” Allow me to give you some encouragement straight from the apostle Paul.

But I myself am fully convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.

Romans 15:14 NET

            I promise I will stay away from the hell, fire, and brimstone. I do have a quick question in that regard… By show of hands, how many of you believe that Jesus wasn’t lying and hell actually does exist, and that unbelievers will face judgment after they die? Okay. Believers face a different judgment, but that isn’t today’s message. Whoo, dodge a bullet there, right? It’s okay to chuckle…

            If you are like me, you may have a hard time remembering verse references, or what I call its address, but how many of you know what Matthew 28:18-20 says? That is the passage called the Great Commission. Jesus said (and this is my own translation),

All authority under Heaven and on Earth has been given to me, so while you’re going make disciples of all nations by baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded to you. Know that I am with you to the very end of the age.

We typically here this message along with some plea to send money to overseas missionaries, when asked to join a mission trip going to some remote land, or when encouraged to do some sort of door to door evangelism.

            As a friend of mine would say, “Okay PJ (Pastor Joe), what’s your point?” The point is, in any congregation, young or old, know matter how many people are sitting in the pews; our focus is on discipleship, not going anywhere specific. The title of my message to you this morning is, “Retirement or Legacy-building?”

            I am here today to tell you; they missed the point. The only imperative verb here is “MAKE DISCIPLES”. Can you truly tell me with 100% Godlike certainty judging the heart, every friend, every child, grandchild, great-grandchild, acquaintance, and neighbor you know is a disciple of Christ. We are called to be teaching disciples how to obey Christ. Is everyone you know following Christ to the best of their ability? A better question may be, do you think you are? Discipleship isn’t necessarily about going anywhere, it’s about obeying Jesus’s commands to help others learn to follow him in a closer relationship.

            Earlier, Paul told you…

you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.

If you are full of goodness and filled with all knowledge; you are able to instruct one another. You are also able to instruct your friends, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, acquaintances, and neighbors. What are the two things we have been told for generations, maybe starting with your generation, we should never discuss at the dinner table? Religion and politics, right. I am here to tell you one of the most important topics you could possibly discuss is your relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ in the power of his Holy Spirit. Jesus said wherever two or three are gathered together, there I am.

            These conversations should be, as another passage says, about spurring one another on to love and good works. They should also be about strategies and tools to continue learning and growing and praying and following Jesus’s example. To be conformed to his image and fulfill his purpose.

            At the time of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he is in prison again. He is tired and frustrated and ready to die. He tells us:

My confident hope is that I will in no way be ashamed but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether I live or die. For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer: I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, but it is more vital for your sake that I remain in the body. And since I am sure of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for the sake of your progress and joy in the faith, so that what you can be proud of may increase because of me in Christ Jesus, when I come back to you.

Philippians 1:20-26 NET

You are still alive. Your building is still open. You still have a pastor. Even if your building was closed, and you went and sat in the pews somewhere listening to another pastor because you don’t feel right sitting at home on a Sunday morning. You are still alive, just like Paul, and just like Paul— Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me… it is more vital for your sake that I remain in the body. And since I am sure of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for the sake of your progress and joy in the faith, so that what you can be proud of may increase because of me in Christ Jesus.

            You may be retired. However, as believers, our true retirement from our responsibility to build a legacy of disciples doesn’t come until we are present with the Lord at the great banquet.

            As you go out into the world today, brainstorm at least one relationship you can invest in as your legacy of faith. That’s your homework.

Masks, vaccines, governments…and God’s Glory!

If you don’t like wearing masks, I heartily agree with you. However, I do it. I have been a middle school teacher now for about a year. As a full-time sub, now with a full license. I hate masks! I hate making students wear masks. I hate having parents complain about me about penalties in participation for constantly needing to tell certain students to wear masks. It bothers me most when parents undermine the school, and my classroom, telling students masks don’t matter.

Honestly, I don’t care about politics in this regard. My wife reads all the medical stuff and debates through me with a pediatrician friend of mine about masks and vaccines. Truth be told, I am vaccinated. Not necessarily because I believe or don’t believe this or that… It was my get out of quarantine and masks free card. Now, in Illinois, it’s not! That sucks.

So? Why bother? Why enforce it? Why wear masks in Walmart and Kroger? Why force my students to wear their masks properly?

1. Many sick and unvaccinated people ignore the signs about masks. Exercise their right to be stupid and come to the store sick. My mom has fought cancer for two years. I don’t want to give something to her or my students.

2. My doctor friend, whom I trust, recommends it. He does it. I do it as a good example to my children and my students.

3. In my opinion, most importantly, the authorities over me, particularly my principal and the diocese my school is a part of have decided to honor the state’s authority and enforce masks. Why is that more important? Biblical authority tells me to honor, respect, and obey those authorities over me. Period.

If it’s not against God’s precepts, obey.

Do I agree? No. Do I like it? No.

Does it violate God’s law? No. So, do it.

Hopefully, over the next few years, politically people will elect new authorities. Hopefully, as soon as possible, the medical field will straight this out. If they don’t, my job is to glorify God and respect, honor, and obey the authorities over me to bring glory to God.

Do you disagree that’s fine? However, before you argue to vehemently, read these passages of scripture and decide. Am I obeying and glorifying God with all this arguing and bickering? Or, am I doing as God has told me in his Word?

The biblical view and precepts regarding the authorities over us. Whether government, employment, or some others…

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Romans 13:1-7 NIV

 

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

1 Peter 2:13-17 NIV

Treating others with respect (what can you do, or do differently?)

To help middle school students understand how to treat others with love and respect, I pulled these excerpts from various places and adapted them.

I think we can all learn lessons from these suggestions from some wonderful authors.

The ‘golden rule’ says, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” One author calls the ‘platinum rule’, “Treat others how they want to be treated.”

I have always said two things. “Treat others better than you want to be treated.” and “Treat others with as much grace as you’ve already been shown by God.”

Adapted from “How to Win Friends and Influence People”
1. Become genuinely interested in other people.
2. Smile.
3. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
4. Be a good listener.
5. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.
6. Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely.

Adapted from “The Five Love Languages” school appropriate ways of demonstrating love and respect, making people feel appreciated.

  • “words of affirmation.” Verbal compliments, words of appreciation, constant encouragement
  • “quality time.” This means doing something together
  • “receiving gifts.” Some people love surprises, honor this by giving gifts 
  • “acts of service.” Can range from doing little things to larger projects— tasks that require thought, planning, time, effort, and energy

Adapted from “21 Way You Can Earn The Respect of Others”
1. Be relentlessly proactive
2. Keep Your promises
3. Earnestly apologize and make amends (do it right)
4. Don’t waste other people’s time
5. Stop gossiping immediately
6. Stop being too nice (it’s fake), don’t let people use you either
7. Practice humility
8. Have a moral code
9. Be open-minded
10. Add real value
11. Always do your homework
12. Be inspiring
13. Learn to say, ‘No’
14. Respect yourself
15. Believe in your ideas
16. Speak up when you’re mistreated
17. Stand up for someone else
18. Speak your mind (in kindness)
19. Stop talking and listen 
20. Care about others
21. Control your emotions (Curb your instant reactions)

Walk this Way, Talk this Way

Walking out our faith in a tangible way.

Walking out our faith in a tangible way. Sermon from Mound Chapel COG 10/24/2021