Anxiety or Identity?

Posted by Chris on December 31, 2006 under Sermons

Read 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26.

1. Transition and new growth can bring about change.

2. Change can make us grow anxious

3. Read Luke 2:41-52.

4. Mary is anxiously searching for Jesus.
   • The term used for anxiety has to do with real pain
   • Mary takes it personally – “Why are you doing this to us?”
   • Contrast Mary’s statement – “We have been anxiously searching!” She feels pain. “Why have you done this to us?” But for Jesus there is no cause for alarm. He responds with a wisdom that is the same sort of wisdom that amazes the rabbis.
5. Jesus’ reply: Why have you been searching for me (at all)?
   • Why have you been searching for me? Where else would he be? What else would he be doing?
   • Don’t you know that I had to be …
     • NIV says “In my father’s house”
     • KJV says “About my father’s business”
     • It is really both of these and much more – – It is about identity and reason for being
     • “The things of my father”
   • Jesus is defined by the things of his father – his very reason for being and identity is shaped by doing the things of his father. [Note the intensive impact of this phrase.]
   • Jesus is dedicated because he knows who he is. He knows whose he is.

We get anxious and we suffer a lot of pain because we try to hold on to projects and identities of our own.

We have a choice: we can grow anxious or we can grow into our identity.

Read Colossians 3:12-17.

What gives us our identity? Are we defined by the things of Christ just as he is defined by the things of his Father?

O Come All Ye Faithful

Posted by Chris on December 24, 2006 under Sermons

Micah 5 ²“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,Yet out of you shall come forth to MeThe One to be Ruler in Israel,Whose goings forth are from of old,From everlasting.”³Therefore He shall give them up,Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth;Then the remnant of His brethrenShall return to the children of Israel.⁴And He shall stand and feed His flockIn the strength of the Lord,In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God;And they shall abide,For now He shall be greatTo the ends of the earth;⁵And this One shall be peace. …

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There’s no historical or biblical evidence that supports December 25 as the date of Jesus’ birth. Nevertheless, is there any significance to the story of Jesus’ birth? Matthew and Luke thought so. However, the significance is much greater than a birthday commemoration.

In the gospels, the birth of Jesus is an important event in human history. The implications of this event involve not only the entire world, but people in every age of human history.

I offer two words that may help us understand the significance and implication of our Lord’s birth as it is set out through the gospels of Luke and Matthew.

The Greek word euangelion is the word behind our English word “gospel.” Generically it means “joyful tidings,” or “good news.”

It is used in the Old Testament background in Isaiah as a verb, “to bring good news,” and it is used of the declaration of Jerusalem’s deliverance from bondage (Isaiah 4:9; 52:7). Later it is also used for a wider announcement of liberation for the oppressed (Isaiah 61:1, 2).

The birth of Jesus is an event that calls for joyful tidings and good news because something good and something new has happened. God has come near and our lives will never be the same again. The deity made flesh and born that day is news – nothing like this has ever happened before. It means that a new age has dawned that signals the end of sin and death.

It is news and it is good news. Which calls up the second word: Immanuel. This is the name that Jesus was given at his birth. It is Hebrew for “God is with us.” In this name is wrapped up the whole significance of God made flesh and born into our world and history. Think of the implications of “God is with us.” He is not far away. He is not remote. He is with us. He knows our struggles. He has cast his lot with us. His death is for us. God is not against us, God is with us.

And the name sticks; for even after his death, Jesus is with us. He is raised from the dead. And yet he is still with us. And when we gather around the Lord’s Supper we believe that we not only commune with one another, but we also commune with God. “I am with you always,” said the risen Lord, “even to the end of the age.”

It matters very little what particular day Christ was born. What matters is that he was born. What matters is that he proclaimed the good tidings of the kingdom of God. What matters is that he died for our sins, he was buried, and he rose again on the third day. What matters is that he is with us always and he is coming again to rule once and for all. This is what we proclaim and commemorate every Lord’s Day. It is the truth we live by every day of the year.

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Read Luke 1:26-56.

When the angel Gabriel visited Mary she might have been thinking “why me?” Surely she was too young. She wasn’t married, so how was it possible that she should be the mother of the Messiah. She was from Nazareth in Galilee – not considered an important place and certainly not worthy of being the hometown of the savior. As Luke often notes, Mary certainly must have pondered all of this.

But then Mary makes the trip to Elizabeth’s house. They are kinfolk, but they have more than blood in common. Elizabeth is also expecting a child under unusual circumstance. Many would think Elizabeth too old. She’s barren, which many would regard as God’s judgment against her. Elizabeth bears shame since she cannot provide a child for her husband. But now the Lord has been gracious to her, even in her old age. Her shame is taken away.

The meeting of Mary and Elizabeth is a dramatic moment; perhaps Mary no longer felt alone and outcast. Here was an older woman who could understand that God is up to something special in history. But certainly when Mary sees Elizabeth and notices that Elizabeth is the recipient of God’s gracious favor all of her pondering must have given way to a flash of inspiration.

Mary must have realized that she and Elizabeth were in good company. They weren’t the first women who played an important role in God’s history.

• There’s Sarah, who also became a mother in her twilight years. Her laughter of doubt became laughter of joy when she realized that God was favoring her and Abraham through the birth of Isaac.
• Then there’s Hannah. She bore shame for years because she could not provide her husband with a son. But then she rose up and went to God and her needs and God’s purposes combined. She dedicated herself and her unborn child to God and he blessed her through the birth of Samuel. He grew up to become a leader of God’s people.
• And there’s Ruth – she was an outsider, a foreigner from Moab. A childless widow in her youth who became poor and dependent on the goodness and charity of good people. But God blessed her with a husband, Boaz, and the birth of a child who was the grandfather of mighty King David and an ancestor of Joseph who was betrothed to Mary.

Luke has recorded this story about Mary. He may have even interviewed Mary, who pondered these things in her heart. But Luke isn’t just interested in telling us about Mary. He let’s Mary tell us something about God.

Mary sings a song that commemorates what God has always done, what God is doing, and what God will always do:

• He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
• He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
• He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
• He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
• He has helped his servant, remembering to be merciful.

Mary sings a song of those who are not powerful. Her song is a song from below, not from on high. Her praise is for the God who rearranges the order of things and who looks after the oppressed and the forgotten.

Mary, like Elizabeth, like Sarah, like Hannah, like Ruth, is content to be the servant of God. She humbles herself and lets God lift her up. She is faithful. In the story of Christ’s birth in both Gospels (Matt and Luke) the faithful are distinguished from the unfaithful. The faithful understand that God is working in history to exalt the humble and obedient and to bring down the arrogant and rebellious. And God is doing this by entering into our world. The unfaithful are threatened by this work of God, but the faithful have been waiting for it and welcome it.

It is the faithful who rejoice at the news of the birth of Jesus. It is the faithful who understand what the baptism of Jesus means. It is the faithful who follow the teachings of Jesus. It is the faithful, like Mary, who do not leave Jesus even when he is shamed and humiliated on the cross. When Mary sees her son crucified on the cross she remains true to her song that she sang out over 30 years before. She declared what God has done, what he is doing, and what he will always do. I imagine that she is singing to herself and thinking of Jesus knowing that what she sang about God is still true; namely that …

• He will be mindful of the humble state of his servant.
• He will perform mighty deeds with his arm; he will scatter those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
• He will bring down rulers from their thrones but lift up the humble.
• He will help his servant, remembering to be merciful.

Mary is right. Her song sung before Jesus’ birth is still true even at the cross. God does not abandon Jesus to the tomb, but he raises him in glory. Mary’s song is still true today.

Jesus, like Mary, humbled himself. Mary said in response to God’s work: “May it be to me as you have said.” Jesus said: “Not my will but yours be done.” (Luke 1:38; Luke 22:42.)

The invitation to the Lord is for all the faithful to come. Come and humble yourself in the sight of the Lord – and He will lift you up.

O, You’d Better Watch Out!

Posted by Chris on December 17, 2006 under Sermons

Read Zephaniah 3:14-19 and Luke 3:7-12.

Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, with the kids jingle-belling and everyone telling you “be of good cheer.” It is supposed to be, but it isn’t always that wonderful, is it? This week on a local radio show there was discussion of the “dark side” of the holidays. The guest on the show was a director of a substance abuse problem. She and the host acknowledged that during the holidays there is a marked increase in incidents of substance abuse brought about by increased depression.

Why? Why is there a dark side to what should be the hap-happiest time of the year? Perhaps it is because the holidays remind us of our highest expectations – how we think it ought to be – and that makes our world and our lives as they really are stand out in contrast. Against the backdrop of the glowing and shining holiday cheer, the truth about current reality and our relationships stands out. It’s not that anything is really different it’s just that we notice it. And whether we accept it or not, this makes us feel judged.

Maybe a different holiday song explains how we often feel: “O you had better watch out, you had better not cry, you had better not pout, and I am telling you why: Santa Claus is coming to town.” Andy Williams is unrealistically cheerful, but Gene Autry gets it: We had better shape up or Santa is going to dish out punishment. Seriously, much of our anxiety comes from the fact that our reality doesn’t match up with our expectations. And the judgmental tone of “You had better watch out” convicts us of our shortcomings and failings.

Failed expectations (in self, in family, in church, in others, in the world in general) lead to judgment. Judgment itself is not the problem, but the aim of the judgment is. The aim or outcome of judgment often depends on who is doing the judging.

I have said this before, but it bears repeating, we are not good judges. We are either too lenient and justify the worst of sins, or we are too harsh and we hold ourselves and others to ridiculous standards. When we judge ourselves or others the outcome of judgment is rarely useful, the judgment doesn’t lend itself to change. We are poor judges because our judgment is too often delivered with criticism, fear, worry, and hatred on one extreme; or sentimentalism, self-righteousness, inconsistency, and denial on the other extreme.

Even the best judge on earth is inadequate because no one is outside the judgment of God. Our judgment is limited, but the judgment of God goes beyond merely naming the sin and works to restore righteousness. The prophets from Elijah to John the Baptist have preached “You had better watch out.” Not because they came to judge, but because they spoke the truth that God will judge. God will not ignore the evil in the world that destroys and pollutes his creation. A Day of God’s Judgment is coming that is more than just a personal evaluation; it is the day that God acts to set things right – and he will deliver his judgment with both justice and mercy.

Our reading in worship was from the prophet Zephaniah. We don’t hear often from Zephaniah. He seems to be even more judgmental than “You had better watch out.” It is tough stuff. And if we are going to hear from the prophets during the most wonderful time of the year, we want to hear from Isaiah’s greatest hits – refrains like “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” We want to rush to the Nativity story – but we cannot really understand what that story is all about if we don’t first pay attention to Zephaniah.

Zephaniah speaks for the Lord. He reveals the dark side, the ugly truth that lies hidden beneath the bright shiny decorations and wrapping we use to cover our shortcomings. He knows what is wrong with the world, including God’s people. He declares the judgment of God against human society that has fallen because it has become commercial rather than compassionate, a people who subjugate the weak rather than submit to the Almighty, a people who excel in complacency rather than concern, a people who are privately religious rather than publicly repentant.

Zephaniah (1:2-7) is plain about it: God judges. “I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. “The wicked will have only heaps of rubble when I cut off humanity from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. “I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the pagan and the idolatrous priests – those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but who also swear by Molech, those who turn back from following the LORD and neither seek the LORD nor inquire of Him.” Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near.

But God’s judgment is different from our poor judgment. God’s judgment is also God’s grace. His correction leads to change. When God judges he always creates a new alternative. There’s a flood to judge, but a rainbow to promise new covenant. There is a cross that judges, but an empty tomb to promise new hope, new life. Zephaniah (3:14-17) proclaims this, too:
“Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! (Why?) God will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster. On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid! (Why?) For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. For the Lord will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the Lord himself, the King of Israel, will live among you!

God is with us. His name is Immanuel. The light has broken into the dark side of this world under judgment. Fear is giving way to hope because the Lord really is with us. [Now do you see how the story of his birth is important?] Christ’s first coming into this world was good news, but as John the Baptist warned it was also judgment: “I’m baptizing you here in the river. But the one who comes after me will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house-make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” (Luke 3)

Watch out! Watch out for the fear, anxiety, hatred, and denial that leads to the hopeless judgment of our age. Watch out! Submit yourself to the Lord’s judgment. He will purify your speech. He will cleanse your life with the Holy Spirit’s fire. The Lord’s judgment is the truth that maybe for the first time allows you to be the person who always thought you might be.

Some of our friends from far away recently reminded my family of the sinfulness and sorrow that persists even in the most wonderful time of the year. We heard from the mother and father of a young man, he is a young adult himself, who stood before a judge in a court of law. He is a young man who has committed crimes to support his drug addiction. The District Attorney was willing to make him an offer. If he would enter a drug treatment program, then he could avoid prison and his sentence for his crimes would be delayed until after his treatment. His sentence following treatment would be very lenient. But this young man refused that offer; instead he accepted a two year prison sentence and chose to live with a felony charge on his record forever. Why? He decided to be his own judge. Even though his judgment is harsher than the court, it is a judgment that doesn’t demand any real change on his part. No repentance. No new life. We are poor judges. Watch out for it.

Who judges you today? Are you living out the sentence of others who’ve judged you? Are you living out your own self-imposed sentence? Do you really know what God’s judgment is?

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Posted by Chris on December 10, 2006 under Sermons

Read Luke 3:1-20.

Despite the fact that we are a nation and state that believes that the people rule, we still depend on the “people at the top” to secure our hope and fortunes. We look to our elected officials to reconcile our problems. We want them to fix our problems. Even our celebrities are called upon to use their charisma and charm to fix problems. Many of them lead our causes and crusades. If nothing else they aim to make us feel better.

There is a certain security we gain from “knowing someone in power.” The old expression about “having the ear” of a powerful official means that the official will listen to you. So one way to think about power has to do with what influential and prominent person listens to us and hears what we say.

I encounter this when I am regarded as the “pastor” of a large religious institution. I have invited people to see this congregation as their church home, a place where they might be welcomed. And sometimes they express their reluctance. For some obvious reason they think they won’t be accepted. And what they often need is a Word of acceptance from someone they perceive as “in charge” of the church: the minister! And not knowing that I am the minister (I guess I don’t look the part) they tend to ask “what will your preacher think?” My reply is usually, “Well, I don’t know. He’s not too bright, but I will talk to him – he listens to me.”

If you wanted to have the ear of someone important in the first century, Luke gives you a directory in the first verse. They are the dignitaries and celebrities of early first century Judea. They are the cream of the Roman Empire and Jerusalem’s power structure. Based on our typical assumptions about power and prestige, a single word from any of these men could bring us ruin or hope.

But Luke the historian is doing more than simply giving us a chronicle of the political and religious powers of the day. He is doing more that locating these events chronologically. He is making a statement in the first verse. He is telling us the truth: the truth about power, hope, judgment and repentance. He is saying that the word of the Lord doesn’t trickle down from the upper class of the dignitaries and celebrities in the city. It doesn’t even bubble up from the grassroots. Rather, the word of the Lord comes from outside the city. It comes from the remote and barren wilderness.

And the one who proclaims the Word of the Lord is a lonely voice. John the Baptist is a prophet. He is a preacher-prophet cut from the cloth of the Old Testament. He is wearing Elijah’s hand-me-downs and his sermon for the day is taken from Isaiah. Luke is telling us the truth: We will not find hope and help by “having the ear” of a listening powerful official. We will find hope and help by having an ear that listens to the voice from the wilderness; the voice that is outside our typical structures of power and might.

Listen to the voice of the one calling in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him. Making a smooth path for the Lord’s arrival is no small task. The low places have got to be filled in. The high places brought down. Everything is going to be leveled out.

Growing up out on a rural road we had to maintain our own road. About once or twice a year we hitched the grader up to the tractor and scraped it down the road. The wide blade would shave down every bump and mound and it would pull in clay and dirt to fill in the potholes. It was a lot of work to smooth out that road. It got in the way of what little traffic we had and it required our attention for a whole weekend.
As kids we would walk on the smooth new road behind the grader, we would pick up the big rocks the grader uncovered and toss them in the ditches. And then we would ride our bikes over the new road that somehow magically came from the old rocky road.

It may seem inconvenient to prepare the way for the Lord. The dignitaries and those invested in the power structure as it is certainly don’t want to bother with the Lord’s way. They like their mountains and valleys. But the coming of the Lord demands that we open a new way for his arrival. And we’ll appreciate it when our work is through and we walk the smooth path of the Lord’s way. Listen to the one calling in the wilderness.

Listen to the voice calling in the wilderness: Do you hear what I hear? It is a call to repent and live a life that shows that repentance. Repentance means turning from the way of sin and walking the Lord’s way.

Denial of sin has not liberated or enhanced human life. Denial of the gravity of sin leaves people disabled in the face of the world’s evil and their own shortcomings. Denial of sin has left Christians and non-Christians alike unable to understand their predicament save in terms of the misdoings of others or the randomness of existence. The denial of sin has unleashed despair, confusion, and anger.

Learning that you are a sinner, admitting that you are a sinner can be a part of the good news. When we live entrenched in the city of the celebrities and powerful rulers, confession is not a good thing. We mistakenly think that confession and admission of sin leads to scandal and humiliation. When we live in the structures of the city with the powers at the top, we mistakenly think that confession and repentance in church and religion is all about the judgment of others.

But it is different in the wilderness. In the wilderness we can hear the voice of the prophet telling us the truth. Confession may mean admitting our shortcomings and it may mean learning how we have offended God, but it also means that we know that we can be reconciled to God. The voice in the wilderness preaches the good news of restoration. Naming our sins means that can also name the forgiveness of God. Do you hear what I hear? Repentance is hope, not hopelessness. Listen to the one calling in the desert.

Listen to the voice of the one calling in the wilderness. He’s not the Christ. He is not the Savior. But the Christ and Savior is coming. He came following John the Baptist the first time. He will come after us the second time.
If we will prepare the way of the Lord and live out repentance; if we can be as bold in our prophetic proclamation as John the Baptist was (and those invested in the power structures as they are may not appreciate that), then we may share in the hope that all people will see the salvation sent from God.

We Aim To Please

Posted by Chris on December 3, 2006 under Sermons

Sports Hog talk show – the greatest change in college athletics is the focus on what pleases the student athlete.

Timothy:

1. An Encouraging Letter from His Mentor (Background to 2 Timothy)
   1. Timothy was Paul’s troubleshooter and representative (1 Corinthians 4:17; 16:10-11; Philippians 2:19-23; 1 Thessalonians 3:2)
   2. At work in Ephesus
   3. Paul is in prison, facing death.
   4. Members of the church are opposing him, he is disrespected.
   5. Rival teachers, who are teaching garbage, are having more success
   6. Timothy is strongly considering a career change
      1. Thus, Paul’s letter
2. The Essence of the Message: “This is no time for Wimps!” (1:7)
   1. Paul = Don’t give up.
      Being mediocre, neutral is being a wimp/timid
   2. Paul Gives Examples Timothy would know:
      1. Phugelus and Hermogenes (1:15) – deserters
      2. Humenaeus and Philetus (2:17-18) – false teachers (for selfish reasons no doubt)
      3. Demas (4:10) – deserter, “he loved the world”
3. Paul charges Timothy to:
   1. Continue in what he knows is true (3:14)
   2. Who do you aim to please?
      [Sports Hog Talk Show – The biggest change in college sports. The goal is now to please the student athlete.]
   3. He gives three examples:
      1. Soldier (Courage). Fear says “Be safe and neutral”
      2. Athlete (Endurance). Comfort = “Risk-free Christianity”
      3. Farmer (Patience). Self-Gratification says “what do I get from putting up with these people?”
   4. But the common element of all three is duty and dedication
      1. Rewards are only experienced by the dedicated
      2. Rewards are only enjoyed by heroes
4. 2 Timothy 2:11-13
   If we died with Him, we will also live with Him (baptism)
   If we endure, we will also reign with Him (dedication)
   If we disown Him, He will also disown us (so don’t)
   If we are faithless, He will remain faithful … (grace and repentance)

   [Give invitation, then Pause and have them stand and pay attention …]

5. Charge in Paul’s Words: “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus … Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you … for God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

The Foolishness and Weakness of God

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Read I Corinthians 1:18-25.

1. Abraham and Sarah – Would we choose them to build a nation? Aren’t these two too old and unqualified?

2. Moses – Would he be our spokesman and representative for God? He is a reluctant man who stutters and has a criminal record in Egypt.

3. David – Who would bet on David in the battle against Goliath?

4. Esther – There is a threat of genocide. Is our only plan a young woman who is part of the King’s harem? Is there a backup?

5. Christ – Expectations of Messiah/Salvation/ Submission to Death

These all seem foolish to us and they do not fit our standard categories of wise, powerful, and strong, but the foolishness of God is wiser that our wisdom and the weakness of God is greater than our strength.

Are we really comfortable with the foolishness and weakness of God?

• Or do we insist on signs and wisdom?
• We are always tempted to make our faith sensible and credible. And that sort of pressure might make it seem to conform to the wisdom of the age or appeal to our desire for power and control.
• ²²Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

Every leader in this congregation is able to lead and serve only as God empowers us.

This church cannot be involved in the mission of God to make disciples if we are focused on our own ability to succeed. For that always tempts us to hide our weaknesses and to cover up the truth. …

²⁶Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, ²⁹so that no one may boast before him. ³⁰It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

We are always tempted to work by our own strength and our own know-how.

• This is the challenge for me and for you
• God doesn’t need our strength and our resources
• We don’t give God our success, he gives us grace
• God can use our weaknesses and our limitations. He can redeem them and demonstrate his grace.
• Don’t just surrender your strength and wisdom to God – give him your weakness & foolishness . . .
• And then we will experience the sustaining power of God’s grace.

Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.
³¹Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like …

Posted by Chris on November 26, 2006 under Sermons

We do not need a calendar to know that the Christmas season is beginning. Starbucks uses a holiday paper cup – they actually started right before Halloween. City workers have been putting up lights long before they are lit. People lined up outside stores early in the morning for big savings. It reminds me of Johnny Mathis’ song …

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Ev’rywhere you go;
Take a look in the five and ten, glistening once again
With candy canes and silver lanes aglow.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas;
Toys in ev’ry store.
But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be
On your own front door.

Of course we don’t have our decorations up yet. And there’s the sense in my family that it is time, past time, to string our lights and trim our tree. Why the sense of urgency? Because we can read the signs of the season and we know it is time!

Now, the weather may fool you right now, but right before the cold front comes some of us will know it – and you won’t need a weather report – you simply have the experience to look for the signs of the changing seasons.

As we read from the teaching of Jesus Christ this morning, I hope you will recognize that our Lord wants us to be skilled at reading the signs of the times. And I hope you will recognize the proper reason he wants us to be so aware … [Read Luke 21:25-38.]

There seems to be a entire cottage industry of biblical prophecy. It isn’t hard to find someone using the Scriptures to foretell the future and predict calamity. And that probably isn’t very appealing unless you are fan of disaster films. The sort of films in which a huge earthquake destroys the western half of the United States, or a meteor is about to strike the earth, or there is sudden climate shift, or nuclear war wipes out two-thirds of earth’s population. Whether you look toward the cinematic thriller version of disaster scenarios, or the prophecy preacher scenarios there’s one common element – they don’t inspire a lot of hope, do they?

Talk about reading the signs of the end often makes us fretful and anxious. We get reactionary waiting for the next crisis. There tends to be more gloom and doom than hope and faith. But notice that although Christ is all for us paying attention to the signs, he isn’t interested in gloom and doom. He isn’t trying to frighten us. No, much the opposite, he is trying to embolden us!

See, Jesus encourages us to stand up and keep our heads up. Why? Because our redemption is near. The promise of the Son of Man is about to be fulfilled. He wants us to read the signs so that we can interact faithfully with the events of history. And when we keep our heads up we see that history fitting into the larger context of what God is doing. And that gives us hope because we know that God’s purposes are larger than the brief interludes that we call current events.

Paying attention with faithfulness matters because we are accustomed to react to life rather than interact with it. For instance, we may be well versed in the teachings of the church and Scripture, but what do we do with that insight and knowledge? Are we storing it up for Sunday or some final exam on the day of judgment? If we are actively involved in hearing and doing the word, then we are going to take the teachings of Scripture and use them as a compass to navigate the signs of the times. The word of God builds maturity in us, and when we possess a mature faith we can read the signs of the times and keep our heads up and stand tall – rather than wring our hands fretfully worrying about the next great terror.

To read the signs as mature believers means that we recognize that there is a lot of anxiety and worry in the world. Jesus said that the signs would throw entire nations into turmoil – and they would be anxious about what is happening to the sea. And after a Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, there is quite a lot of fear that our own planet may destroy us. There’s a lot of talk of war. A generation has grown up not knowing the fear of Cold War nuclear conflict. But now we worry about random terror strikes and the rise of new nuclear powers such as North Korea and Iran – nations that aren’t on the best terms with us.

Let’s not be so arrogant to assume that these disasters and conflicts are the greatest that have ever been or ever will be. But we ought to recognize, as Jesus as indicated, that people are distressed. And just when we all might feel that vengeance and destruction are about to arrive, we can look up with hope because we know something! We know that our redemption is drawing near. We know that the Son of Man approaches!

Too often, end-time scenarios suggest that all of us have to change the world. These are a bit arrogant in that they claim that we fallen human beings someone hold all the answers and all the power to either destroy the earth or save it. But we have a mature faith and we know that it is our redemption at stake. It isn’t the world we need to change – we need to change ourselves.

As a people who know that the surest prediction is that the Son of Man will return to redeem us, there are some things we can change in our own worldview as we read the signs of the times:

1. There will be an end time. Human life has limitations set upon it. Our hearts can be content and at peace when we learn to live as creatures rather than creator. How much better would it all be if all of us would live by hope rather than fear?
2. God is in charge of the end. The end of time is not the end of life with God. God is in charge of the end time, not us. (In the movies, the hero is always trying to stop the end of the world. But the end of the world is a good thing for the one who is not ashamed of the Son of Man. The end of the world is good when it happens God’s way.
3. God is worthy of our trust. God is not going to end the world because he is mad and throwing a fit. The end is the end of God’s work. And the beginning and end of time are the grace of God. Just as God has set a limit on how much power evil and sin can have over us, he sets a limit on injustice and sin. It cannot continue. Its days are numbered. That’s grace.
4. The judgment of God and the Son of Man are passed on all of us. Jesus came the first time so that we could stand tall when he comes the second time. What makes us right for meeting the Son of Man when he comes again at the end is our relationship with him in the present. And that relationship has been defined by the life of Christ, the cross, and the resurrection. He went up to heaven and this same Jesus will return.

As we read the signs of the times we will find see more than enough to make us angry, afraid, worried, fretful, and despairing. But Christ wants us to lift up our heads and stand tall. He wants us to be hopeful and see beyond the initial sings and look at the bigger picture of God’s work in human history. [It isn’t unlike the concern that some have that the real meaning of Christmas gets lost in the glitz and symbolism of the Holiday Season.] Listen to Jesus and keep in mind that in every season and in our times the message of the Son of Man can be lost in the anxiety and confusion of the age.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas;
Soon the bells will start,
And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing
Right within your heart.

What song do we sing right within our hearts? Do we join in with the large chorus of gloom, despair, and agony on me? Or can we sing a song that pays attention to the pain and suffering in the world but ends with a crescendo of hope? It is a song that includes this line from our Lord: “Stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

The Thanksgiving Family

Posted by Chris on November 19, 2006 under Sermons

Read Ephesians 5:1-20.

“Because of your confession in Christ, I baptize you now in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, for the forgiveness of your sins and so you may receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and walk in newness of life.” I have spoken those words – or words very similar – almost every time I baptize someone. Very early in my experience of baptizing people I learned that those words carried a lot of freight. After leaving out certain phrases (i.e. “for the forgiveness of sins” or “to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”) I was approached by anxious brothers and sister concerned that the baptism was somehow invalid because of my error in recitation. I have since resolved it in my mind that the power of baptism is not dependent on my ability as a “baptizer” but it rests completely in the mercy of God and the saving power of Christ’s blood.

But I have learned that the words we speak at a baptism are meaningful. We use words to describe the reality and truth of baptism. And we also use those words to communicate to everyone what is really taking place in the experience of baptism. Just recalling the words spoken at your baptism should remind you of the reality that you have been immersed into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Your sins have been forgiven. You share in the gift of the Holy Spirit. You have new life.

These words are not the words that have always been spoken at baptisms everywhere. Other words have been used to express the same truth, and in the text we just read we have what may very well be the words used in the first century churches: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Paul is recalling these words for the Christians in Ephesus so that will remember who they are. He returns not only to the words of the baptism, but he also unpacks the freight that those words carry …

We are dearly loved children. We are children of light. This is family language. God is our Father and we are a family. And that has meaning as well. We are called to live up to the family name. We are to be imitators of God. And that’s why we need to return to these words that shape us. In a culture that isn’t always in synch with God’s ways, it can be challenging to try and imitate God. And there is always a tendency to slip away from the center of God’s way into one of two ruts on either side …

One option is to be consumed with the values that are contrary to God’s values. Paul describes this as darkness and foolishness. Falling into the darkness and foolishness immerses us into all kinds of immorality and impurity. Not simply sexual immorality, but also impurity such as greed: (I hope you got your PS3 if you stood in line for one. In some nations people stand in line for food, but here in America we will stand in line for a video game system that costs more than what some people in the world make in an entire year.) ?Tis the season – the shopping season – but watch out for the immorality and consumption of greed. That’s not you! You are children of light, you are people who live by the wisdom of God. The reason there isn’t to be even a hint of such impurity is because this isn’t proper for God’s family. It’s not that someone is going to scowl at us or sneer because we break the rules – it is because that is not who we are!

The other rut is to become cynical and combative against a culture that runs counter to God. This happens when we are constantly condemning of others. But that’s not our identity as God’s children either. We do not have to resort to “dirty politics” and “negative campaigning.” We don’t have to talk about what the disobedient do in secret – we aren’t interested in scandals and rumors. We aren’t so angry or cynical that we are reduced to obscenity, foolish talk, and filthy joking. We are not going to partner with those who talk a lot of empty words. We don’t have to get drunk in our despair and self-destruction. None of this is what it means to be God’s people.

The sad result of God’s children breathing out hateful and combative words is seen in Sam Harris’ recent book, “Letter to a Christian Nation.” …

“Thousands of people have written to tell me that I am wrong not to believe in God. The most hostile of these communications have come from Christians. This is ironic, as Christians generally imagine that no faith imparts the virtues of love and forgiveness more effectively than their own. The truth is that many who claim to be transformed by Christ’s love are deeply, even murderously, intolerant of criticism. While we may want to ascribe this to human nature, it is clear that such hatred draws considerable support from the Bible. How do I know this? The most disturbed of my correspondents always cite chapter and verse.” – Sam Harris, Letter to a Christian Nation

As much as I may disagree with Harris’ philosophy and worldview, I do believe that he has probably been confronted by angry Christians who demonstrate an unloving spirit. Some might say, “Well we shouldn’t give in to an atheist like Harris. What do his feelings matter?” This is isn’t just about the Sam Harris’ in the world – it’s about imitating our Father and living up to the name he gave us. It’s about living a life of love – just like Christ who gave himself up for us (and Sam Harris!).

Our family is a Thanksgiving Family. Instead of obscenity, foolish talking, and coarse joking, we give thanks. We speak a family language and it is a language of praise. We give thanks to God and encourage one another with our words. We are the Thanksgiving family and we need to be wise.

Rather we are filled with the Spirit. We sing praises, even though we are persecuted. We are a thanksgiving people and we need to be very careful how we live. We need to be wise and make the most of the opportunities around us because these are dark days. And the way to make the most of our opportunities is to be a people who express Thanksgiving in our words and in our actions.

Brothers and sisters, remember who you are. We are people whose native tongue is Thanksgiving. We are children of light. This is our time to shine!

The Spirit of Jesus

Posted by Chris on November 12, 2006 under Sermons

Read Acts 15:36 – 16:10.

One of the best mission trips I went on was a failure. It was a spring break campaign to Piedras Negras, Mexico. I first went there months before the campaign to prepare for the project. It was on that trip that we met the leaders of the congregation in Mexico. Their minister was known as Hector Jr. and he had a large family, some of his children were soon heading to college. His father, Hector Sr., had an even larger family. Hector Sr. had a large lot of land and we were going to partner with them to build a new house of worship on that land. It was a sort of church planting. Hector Sr.’s place was in a collonia outside Piedras. The trip into Piedras Negras to their only house of worship was quite a journey for most of the church. This location would serve them better and give them an opportunity to share the gospel with others in the collonia.

So, we set out to build a church building. Our plan was for people of the Mexican congregation to dig the foundation and put up the cinder block walls during the six months from October to March. It was a simple building. The kind that can be built in a month’s time or less. The challenging part was the roof. The Americans were going to build the roof with our engineering expertise and access to resources. We brought our college engineers down to observe the site and make plans for the roof build. The goal for our week campaign in Piedras Negras was the completion of the roof and the opening of the doors to the new house of worship for the Iglesia de Cristo in Piedras Negras.

In the next six months we did our best to organize our team of college students. We prayed. We got together to study. We learned songs in Spanish. Our singing style in four part harmony was sort of a novelty in Mexico and we planned to do some singing in public and in worship. We recruited more and more students. We planned our food and the transportation. And of course our engineers finished their plans for the roof and told us how we could all participate in the build.

You could feel the buzz of excitement when we finally arrived at Old Hector’s land in the collonia for the campaign. And we looked all around for the cinder block building just waiting for our expertly designed roof. When we got off the bus we were greeted warmly by the church in Mexico and we finally came around to asking where the building was. “Are we still building on the same site?” “Yes,” they said, “and we will start digging the foundation tomorrow!”

All of our plans and schemes were frustrated. Our engineer was ready to throw his note book away. Instead of building a roof and cutting a ribbon on a new building, we were left to begin the sweaty, dirty, back breaking work of digging a foundation in the stony Mexican soil. We wouldn’t even get to build the walls on this trip. It wasn’t what we expected. The buzz of excitement changed into the grumbling of frustration. Tensions that had been simmering were soon brought to full boil. There was controversy and gossip among our well-honed mission team even though we had prayed and sung songs holding hands. All of the leaders seemed a bit confused. It wasn’t nice. It wasn’t pretty.

But I consider this “failed” mission trip as one of the best. I say this because I know the Spirit of Jesus was there. When the efforts of human leaders fall short, but powerful things still happen, then one becomes aware of the involvement of the Spirit of Jesus Despite the frustration of our project, conflict, and the shortcomings of myself and others, we were involved in mission that week. I had amazing and humbling experiences that week: I dug a trench alongside Old Hector, a man three times my age but four times as strong as me. We came thinking we would teach the church in Piedras Negras how to build but instead we were schooled. We learned the spirit of fellowship from the Christians in Mexico. In time the scales fell off our eyes and we came to learn that the church was indeed the people – it was us, Mexicans and Americans; not the brick structure with the expertly designed roof that we had been so desperate to build.

And we were taught to love each other despite our flaws. With tears and confession, the members of our mission team repented of the ways we had been unkind and offensive to one another. And some of us tasted the sweetness of reconciliation and unity. With humility we learned that the mission of God is not about privileged Americans helping the poor – there are plenty of international aid agencies that can do that. Instead, we learned that the mission of God is about showing up to witness what God is doing to help all of us.

That became so clear to me when Karen and I had the privilege of sharing in a wonderful communion of sorts. I had been digging in the foundation all week with a brother who was only a few years older than me and yet we was working and supporting a family. (He was the first Spanish-speaker to teach me the real language. I remember the first word he taught me, “Sigue”: which essentially means, “I’m done, it is your turn to work the pick ax awhile.” I said that a lot.) My brother invited Karen and I to his house on Sunday. His house was a one room structure no larger than our LFC student center. The ceiling wasn’t even as high. This man and woman lived there with their children and her mother. But they shared their home with us. And with a sincere joy they shared their food with us. It is one of the simplest meals I have ever eaten, and it was a grand feast.

Now I ask you – who were the missionaries on that trip? Who were the witnesses and who was witnessed to? Who was evangelizing and who was evangelized?

I say that this failed and frustrated mission project was the best because the Spirit of Jesus changed our course. Really, the Spirit of Jesus kept us on course and didn’t let our own project get in the way of what God was doing. We were kept from going our own way and accomplishing our own project and instead we got caught up in the work of God.

The text in Acts has helped me to understand what happened in Piedras Negras. And it is that interesting way that Luke speaks of the Spirit of Jesus that has been critical to my understanding of not only that one mission campaign, but many other events in ministry.

We want the Spirit of Jesus to bless and empower all of our projects and efforts. But reading this Scripture, we are taught that the Spirit of Jesus is able to do more than bless and empower our efforts, sometimes the Spirit of Jesus prevents or redirects our efforts. And that is good news! For mission efforts that are nothing more than human initiative are not the same thing as the mission of God. The Spirit of Jesus does not simply bless every project we dream up.

You see that so clearly in Luke’s writings. I don’t think it was part of Paul’s plan for him and Barnabas to have a sharp disagreement. I don’t think it was part of Paul’s plan to meet up with Timothy. It certainly wasn’t his plan to go to Macedonia. No, in fact we know that Paul had an alternative. He wanted to go to Asia or even Bithynia. Macedonia was toward the ends of the Earth and took him closer to Rome. But Paul and his team concluded that the Spirit of Jesus interfered with their plans and that God was calling them to Macedonia.

When you believe that the Spirit of Jesus encompasses all that we do, then we find it a little easier to surrender our plans to go into Asia or Bithynia. If we believe that the Spirit of Jesus rules over our life together, then we are not frustrated beyond hope when we are prevented from building a roof and we just might take joy in joining Christ as we dig in the earth of Mexico, or Macedonia.

It is in Macedonia, or Mexico, that we meet friends who invite us to “come up here.” And they are saying help us. Help us with what? Paul would have known that this help has to do with the Lord’s salvation. He would have recalled the way the word help is used in the old Scriptures. That help is the Lord’s saving power – not Paul’s, not ours. When Paul and Silas arrive in Macedonia they end up needing as much help and saving as anyone else. And they are helped: by Lydia, who provides hospitality and a place for the growing band of believers to meet. She welcomes them because God welcomes her into the kingdom. They are helped by a jailer who attends to their wounds and shows them mercy because he had been shown mercy by God. Who is helping who? And who is doing the saving? It wasn’t in their plan, but Paul and Silas were witness to what God is doing.

When you speak with our friends and partners in other countries, the missionaries, you get a keen awareness that they are simply witnessing what God is doing and living within the work of God in Laos, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Nigeria, France, Guyana. Why do we think it is any different here? When we follow the Spirit of Jesus, we needn’t lose hope when our plans fail. And with hope we conclude that God is still calling us to participate in mission.

Years after I dug a foundation in the Mexican dirt with the ache of my frustrated plans in my heart, one of my college students told me about a mission effort he had been called to. His talents with the Spanish language and construction were needed. He told me he was going to with a team to complete the construction of a building in Piedras Negras that some other group had started years ago. I was sure to point out to my student that if he went he needed to know that the Spirit of Jesus was in charge.

A Question of Authority

Posted by Chris on October 29, 2006 under Sermons

Read Matthew 8:5-13.

When I read this text, I want to be the centurion. His faith is commendable. His respect for the authority of Jesus is absolute. Wouldn’t it be great to be like the centurion?
But the way the text is written, the way Matthew tells the story and the other stories around it, it isn’t so easy to step into the place of the centurion. You see, Matthew was writing to “insiders.” He was writing to disciples and believers, many of whom had roots in Israel, which simply means they had been in the tradition of God’s people for a very long time. The centurion, however, is an outsider. He is a pagan. He’s just heard about Jesus and has heard that this Jesus has incredible power and authority. But he is not a disciple and has certainly not grown up in the traditions of God’s people. He is not an insider – he is an outsider.

Now consider, which are you? Which describes you better and your experience: the centurion pagan outsider, or the insiders with heritage? Look, you are going to be one or the other. It’s okay to be one or the other. One isn’t better than the other. But which describes you better: Have you been raised in the traditions of God’s people? There’s a humorous email making the rounds: “You might be a member of the church of Christ if …”
* If you know exactly what song I’m talking about when I say, “Let’s sing 728b.”
* If you could recite the books of the NT before you could barely read them.
* If you know the first and third verse of nearly every song.
* If you pray for the preacher to have a “ready recollection” and that the Lord should “bring-us-back-at-the-next appointed-time.”
* If actually understand the differences in shape notes.
* If you select your Bible translation based on how Acts 2:38 reads.
* If you reach for your wallet when you hear the phrase, “Now, separate and apart from the Lord’s Supper …”
* If you think the Bible questions on Jeopardy are way too easy.

This little email doesn’t have to be disrespectful. It simply points out that we have a heritage. And it is the familiarity of these situations that brings a grin to our face.

Even thought there was a time that my family had very little to do with fellowship and church life, I am thoroughly and insider. I am a minister – I am obviously on the inside. I don’t apologize for that and I am not ashamed of it. And yet, I long to have the perspective of the outsider. I need it. Why? Because sometimes it is the outsider who understands God better than we do on the inside.

This centurion outsiders opens our eyes – the eyes of insiders – to something very important: a question of authority. It’s not bad to be an insider, but it has its challenges. One of the challenges is to remember who is in charge. As insiders we can slip into a misunderstanding that we are “in charge” because we’ve been around for a while. It’s good to have a high sense of ownership, but when we forget that we are just stewards of the mission of God, we might confuse authority.

The Centurion has a different perspective on authority – one that comes from his Roman and pagan background. Yet, it is a view of authority that Jesus commends because it rings true. The centurion believes that Jesus has absolute authority and that the word of Jesus is powerful because he himself is a man who is under authority. So, he understands authority and he recognizes authority. This Centurion was a high ranking officer – he was trusted with authority over a major Roman trade route – the Via Maris, and yet he still considered himself under authority, but that authority was given to him. He recognized that an authority greater than himself, and authority he submitted to, was the source of his authority. He did not assume that authority came from within himself.

It is a question of authority: Are we under authority? We like to be the authority; I am not sure about being under it. In America, the assumption is that final authority rests with the people. In Arkansas, the people rule (“regnat populus”). It leads to the attitude that in America we are all monarchs. We are all authority. But in a land where authority comes from within, we don’t easily recognize any authority greater than our own self. Even Jesus.

It is a question of authority: Who or what is the source of our sense of authority? Is it our heritage? Is it money and influence; is it strength and will? What do we cite as our authority? What do we regard as a source of power. Whatever you trust in “to get things done” or to feel secure – that may be your concept of authority. And what about us as a church? Do we recognize the authority of Christ in all things? Let’s think carefully about this even as we discuss our “church business.” Do we speak and act as if Christ has all the authority? Is our sense of his authority over even the most “mundane” affairs of the church ingrained (like the Centurion) or is it just ceremonial? (Like the Pharisees.)
Notice that the centurion will not have Jesus come to his house even though Jesus is willing to go. The centurion knows how to respect authority. We must be careful not to lapse into a laziness that compartmentalizes reverence and respect for God into “religious activities” and leave everything else to “business.” [The girl in Nicaragua – she set her future hopes on God’s sovereignty. I was thinking like a “can-do” American.]

It is a question of authority: Who is in charge? Another challenge of insiders is to create an “us and them” mentality and unintentionally we might make it too difficult to bring anyone from the outside to the inside. When we think we are in charge we start to interfere in God’s business. Jesus uses the Centurion as an example for all of us to respect what God is doing to bring outsiders inside. Jesus says that there’s a great feast coming at the end of the age. A banquet for God’s redeemed. Who will be at the party? We tend to think of the party as “Us and Them.” Jesus says that there will be “foreigners” at the table with Father Abraham. People from the east and west will take a seat right between the founders of God’s nation. Now who’s outside? Who is on the inside?
The nations were always in God’s plan. Everyone in Israel acknowledged that. But the assumption was that “they” were supposed to witness “us.” (lsaiah 2:2-3) In Jesus’ statement, however, the nations are more than witnesses – they are direct participants. They have become “us.”

I hope I can be across the table when this Centurion sits beside Father Abraham and they trade stories. And after the Centurion relates his amazement and awe over the absolute and effective authority of God in Christ, Abraham sighs and tells his story. “I wish I had understood it like you. God promised Sarah and I a child when I was 75. But we weren’t getting any younger and God was taking his time. So, we came up with a plan to have a child. And it worked. My first son Ishmael was born – Sarah’s servant was the mother of course – but we filled out all the necessary paperwork to make Sarah the mother of the child. It wasn’t always easy over the next few years but the real kicker came close to my 100th birthday when God showed up and said that Sarah and I were going to have that child he promised. Sarah just burst out laughing, but I said, “Lord, we took care of that about 12 years ago. That’s old business.” And God said, “No Abraham, that was your business. I’m talking about my business. I am talking about what I promised you 25 years ago.”

Well, maybe the Centurion wouldn’t have been so quick to say “Say the word” and trust completely in the authority of God if he had to wait 25 years for an heir like Abraham. Maybe, but then I bet the walk home for that centurion was a long walk home. Not really knowing if he would arrive to find his servant healed. But then, he has the faith perspective of an outsider. He knows authority and he knows who is in charge. So if Jesus says he is healed – then he is healed.

It is a question of authority: Who is in charge? I want you to come back tonight for the family meeting. We have church business to talk about and pray about. I am not asking you to come back because this is your church and we need you to vote. No, you are not in charge. But I am not asking you to come back because the elders, ministers and ministry leaders have something to share with you because they are in charge. No, they are not in charge. I am not in charge.

I am asking you to come back so that together we can seek out the one with all authority. Jesus Christ is in charge of all of us and the authority that any of us have comes from him. We are under his authority. And that is why we need to get together. To pray and talk about what it is he wants us to do.

Over the last few years we have determined that God is working to form a congregation for people who speak Spanish. Where shall we build a building for them? It is easy to assume that that decision is left to the city, or to the contributors, or to church leaders. But along the way we have learned to wait on God and trust in his authority. There have been some very interesting developments on this and we need to talk about it to see what God is doing in this. Who will commit to prayer on this? Who will petition Christ on behalf of brothers and sisters we love. Did you notice that the Centurion did not petition Christ for himself? It was for a servant that he cared about. Maybe the pagans understand more than just authority better than we do sometimes. Sometimes they understand loyalty and love better than we do.

Over the last few years we have followed God’s lead in serving UAFS students with the Lions for Christ ministry. What does God intend next for that ministry. We need to talk about that tonight. The leaders of our Campus Minister Search Team and the students are trying to embody a trust in Jesus’ authority. Trying to do it his way rather than our way. We need you to share in this.

What we are talking about is critical in the life of a church when a congregation recognizes additional elders. We want to talk about plans for that in the first part of next year. God raises up his leaders and we have an opportunity to be involved in that. After all, this isn’t our business, it is God’s business. It is his authority that empowers every other authority. And our elders current and future are men under authority – not our elected representatives. They are men who are under the authority of Christ and they have been given charge to teach us all how to live.

A Question of Authority: Whose rule do you acknowledge in your life? Whose rule do we acknowledge in this church? The word acknowledge is very similar to the “church” word confess. Those who are baptized confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Making that confession is an admission that he is in charge. And it is a confession we only begin to make at our baptism. After that, we must confess it everyday in words and in all of our business.