Nurturing Spiritual Growth and Holiness – Part 1

Posted by Chris on November 14, 2004 under Sermons

The portrait of a nation in crisis. The people have lost their way. The law and the courts are no longer concerned with justice and righteousness. Rather, everything is settled in terms of money. Its people are consumed with wealth and they will use every means legal and illegal to acquire more. Call it greed or call it stealing, it works the same. Ethics and morals are no longer based on what is right and wrong, but they are defined in terms of financial loss and gain. What is profitable is of greater value than what is true. This is the portrait of a nation in crisis.

Honesty is something rare or laughed at. Most people agree that honesty makes you vulnerable. Military leaders and politicians are using their own people for nothing more than financial profit. Greed and dishonesty are considered necessary in business so much so that no one trusts anyone. This is the portrait of a nation in crisis.

The Situation on First Century Crete
It would be easy to assume that this portrait of a nation is our USA, but I am in fact talking about civilization on the island of Crete over 2000 years ago – in the middle of the first century A.D. But the similarities are stunning! Perhaps this will help us learn how the people of God are supposed to thrive in a nation in crisis.

In the rest of the world regarded Cretans as reprobates, dishonest, and uncultured. In Paul’s letter to Titus (which we will get to in a moment) he quotes one of their own philosopher-prophets, Epimenides (6^th century B.C.) who said "Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons." Paul wasn’t alone in this view. It was a widely held view among first century writers.

1. The courts of law were not interested in justice, but in financial compensation. (Law Code of Gortyn) For instance, a crime as serious as rape did not incur punishment, but a fine. On Crete, mothers could choose to leave their children to die, but only if the father did not want the child. And when a mother killed an infant without the father’s consent, she was charged a hefty fine.
2. Crete’s major industry was piracy. The northern shore of Crete was a haven for pirate bands that terrorized the Mediterranean. “The Cretans both by land and sea are irresistible in ambushes, tricks played on the enemy, night attacks, and all petty operations which require fraud” – Polybius.
3. The Cretans were well known for being greedy and dishonest. "Cretanize" was first century slang for lying. Writers describe their materialism: “So much do the lust for wealth and underhanded gain prevail among them that they are the only people in the world among whom no stigma attached to any sort of gain whatsoever” – Diodorus of Sicily. “Cretans are devoted to riches as bees are to a honeycomb.” – Plutarch. “The Cretans do everything in hope for cash” – Livy. Writers describe their dishonesty – “Cretans even consider highway robbery to be an honorable profession” – Cicero.
   The story is told of a military officer who betrayed his men to the Romans. The Roman general offered the man the honor of Rome to which the Cretan laughed. The Cretan was only interested in cash.
4. Sexual deviancy was held in high esteem. Its impact on families has been noted. In his travelogue, Strabo noted that homosexuality was held in high esteem by the Cretans during 1st century A.D.

How do you bring the gospel into a culture like this? Where do you begin? Is there any hope?
Paul and Titus stopped in Crete on one of their journeys. Paul departed and Titus was left there to complete what remained to be done (1:5). The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. He encounters opposition from a group of charlatans (Cretans who are using the faith and Jewish teaching as an opportunity for profit and power) who capitalize on the immature faith of the new converts. They distract the young missionary from his proper task. Paul is aware of this problem and is writing to give Titus advice on the situation.

Paul’s advice to nurture spiritual growth and holiness is proactive – not reactive! Paul urged Titus to teach sound – that is healthy – doctrine. The best way to overcome sickness is to keep oneself healthy – that’s proactive. Rather than focusing his energy and effort on disproving and discrediting the trouble-makers, Paul urges Titus to focus on proclaiming the grace of God and the hope of Christ’s rule so that people will get in touch with the transforming message and Spirit of the gospel.
Titus needs to spend his time finding the sort of leaders and elders who can model this type of life for the others. If he spends all of his time in stupid controversies, the trouble-makers will always outmaneuver him. But if he nurtures godly leaders then Titus can actually change the environment.

Read Titus 2:1-8 to get a look at the practical application of this approach to nurturing spiritual growth and holiness.

Perhaps in examining Crete we do not look at the past, as much as we see our own possible future as a nation. For instance, we wonder how we will ever influence our society for good with the gospel. Why can’t we follow the same proactive strategy the Paul gives Titus.

We have lost our influence because we have become reactive. We know what we are against, but we don’t know what we are for. Think of how the enemy has outmaneuvered us. How much time have we wasted by getting involved in "foolish controversies, arguments, quarrels, and fights about the law." Paul says that, "These things are useless and worthless." But we still think the goal of nurturing Christ-like people is more information! In fact, the grace of God that has appeared in Jesus Christ and the hope of eternal life we have calls us to something more! – We have a much better goal that calls us to devote ourselves to doing good – this is excellent and profitable for all. This is spiritual TRANSFORMATION, not just INFORMATION.

Nurturing Spiritual Growth and Holiness – What can we learn from Paul’s advice to Titus?

1. Leaders that help us live right – Notice that Paul’s vision of leaders has very little to do with managing institutions. Paul doesn’t describe administration. That seems to be Titus’ responsibility more than anyone else’s (straighten out what remains to be done). The work of the leader on Crete is to keep people spiritually healthy. Spiritually healthy people will grow. But what about the work of the church? Who manages that? Spiritually healthy people are eager to do what is good. It doesn’t have to be managed. Why put limits on what is good? Leaders are not enforcers of rules. We are not called to be rule-keepers. We are called “to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in this present age.” (2:12) Lists of rules can change from generation to generation. They change with styles and cultures. They are not absolute. Rules and lessons can become outdated or inappropriate in some circumstances – but self-control, righteousness, and godliness are always appropriate!
2. Loving Relationships – Notice that Paul wants Titus to encourage what is good for everyone. In a hostile environment, the people who are being changed by God’s grace will need one another. The teaching that goes on between the generations has to be in the context of a loving relationship. If the older generation assumes a role of arrogance or power – then the transformation and spiritual growth is lost. If the younger generation is resentful for the older generation then the same. Their good deeds are not just for their own sake, but for the sake of others. I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have put their faith in God may devote themselves to good works. These things are good and helpful to other people (3:8). When all of us work together to nurture spiritual growth and holiness we become living lessons …
3. Living Curriculum – Paul’s advice to Timothy on Crete: Forget the debates, don’t get anxious and worried. Don’t suppose that you have to have better, snappier curriculum than your opponents. Develop a living curriculum! Older men who model the healthy teaching. Older women who model the healthy teaching and form loving relationships with the generation women. Younger men who hold one another accountable and strive to be like the older men who live out God’s grace and healthy teaching. Why? Why do it like this? Wouldn’t it be better to create a code of behavior? [It’s interesting that one of the earliest extra-biblical documents, the Didache, is not canonized.]
   • Personal Example: Campus Ministry

   • Example: Wild Elephants Why do we find it so difficult to understand the importance of mentoring across generations. It is important in nature – even elephants need mentoring … The park rangers at a South African wildlife preserve were concerned about the slaughter of 39 rare white rhinos in their park. It turned out that the rhinos were killed not by poachers but rather by juvenile delinquents-teen elephants.
     • The story began a decade ago when the park could no longer sustain the increasing population of elephants. They decided to kill many of the adult elephants whose young were old enough to survive without them. And so, the young elephants grew up fatherless. As time went on, many of these young elephants roamed together in gangs and began to do things elephants normally don’t do. They threw sticks and water at rhinos and acted like neighborhood bullies. Without dominant males, the young bulls became sexually active, producing excessive testosterone and exhibiting aggressive behavior. A few young males grew especially violent, knocking down rhinos and stepping or kneeling on them, crushing the life out of them. Mafuto the gang leader eventually had to be killed.
     • The park rangers theorized that these young teen-aged elephants were acting badly because they lacked role models. The solution was to bring in a large male to lead them and to counteract their bully behaviors. Soon the new male established dominance and put the young bulls in their places. The killing stopped. The young males were mentored-and saved.

¹¹For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. ¹²It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 14 November 2004

Increasing Love and Godly Behavior – Part 2

Posted by Chris on October 31, 2004 under Sermons

One of the objectives of the West-Ark congregation is to increase in love and godly behavior. Last week we learned from Jesus that love is active. We are to love God with our whole being and we are to love our neighbors. We demonstrate that love by actively serving others and showing mercy and kindness. We do not choose whom we will treat as neighbor, rather we choose to be a neighbor.
Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18 also instructs us that love and mercy are active. They must show up in our every day behavior. He calls us to the sort of behavior that acts in love and grace/mercy and preserves the unity of the church – not unity at all costs, but unity through communication with one another and communion with Jesus himself.

Jesus’ teaching about Church Community (18:1-14)

• The disciples ask "Who’s the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Who’s the boss? Who’s in charge? Who shows the qualities of the best and the one who gets God’s favor?
• The Least: Kingdom virtues are quite different from worldly virtues. In the kingdom, the least are not ignored. The weak and the humble are not abused. The kingdom isn’t a dog-eat-dog, survival of the fittest rule. It is a place where even the humblest child is among the most important.
  • Sin destroys community; love and godly behavior preserve it! The Lord of the kingdom is serious about the deadly forces that bring death to the people in this kingdom community. 1) Sin causes the least, the little ones, to suffer most so in love we discipline ourselves – – self-discipline and self-control. When a father or mother in a family refuses to control anger, addictions, lusts, greed then who suffers? Everyone, including the little ones. This is also true of the church community. How many churches have been hurt by members and leaders who will not restrain their own pride, anger, greed, dissatisfaction? It is better to do without that which causes someone to sin and to live maimed or blind than to have all the resources of the world as one goes barreling straight to hell. 2) Love demands we seek out the lost …
• The Lost: In the kingdom, there are no acceptable losses. The Lord is not willing that anyone should be lost. This calls us to the kind of love and concern for community that the Lord has. Not just a passive concern, but an active concern that goes out to find the lost. Usually we describe this as evangelism, but evangelism (proclaiming/speaking the good news) is more than recruiting new members. It involves bringing the lost into the kingdom and bringing them back when they stray. That’s evangelism? Sure, if you understand that evangelism is communication of the truth, then understand that evangelism also involves the on-going communication of gospel love in the church. That’s how Jesus chose to describe it. After mentioning the shepherd that goes to bring back the lost sheep, he teaches us very practically what it means to practice church communication …

Jesus’ Teaching on Church Communication (18:15-17)

• This is not "church discipline" in the sense of a legal outline for organizational control. This is communication in love. Look at this process and consider it in the context of mercy and love rather than institutional church discipline (which is not the context of the chapter):
  1. Go to your brother or sister (note the family language!) who has offended you/sinned against you – just between the two of you – and if he/she listens to you have won him/her back.
     • You do the going and just between the two of you. Sometimes we want to wait around and nurse the wound and we let it fester because the other person doesn’t notice how we’ve been hurt. That is a form of control that tries to punish the other but only hurts you.
     • Sins against you/offends you – sometimes we dilute the meaning by exchanging sin for offense. The term offense in this context goes back to the stumbling mentioned in v. 6. (The one who causes another to sin). We do not use the term offense in our modern usage in that way. We claim offense over things we just do not like or things that make us uncomfortable. We have to let some things go.
     • We need to talk to one another in loving constructive ways that seek to win each other over. And we have to do so humbly because one of two things is possible – either you have misunderstood the other person or the other person needs to overcome sin – and you are there to help them, not condemn them!
  2. If he or she will not listen take one or two others along. Sometimes a sin can be so powerful that we need help. But again the goal is to win the other person over. The goal is reconciliation.
     • This text does not say bring in the authorities. There is no mention of elders or ministers here. Often these are the logical choice as they are those we trust to minister to the wounded or to do the work of reconciliation. But anyone who can preserve the dignity and unity of the few involved and is mature enough to work toward reconciliation in Christ’s name without being entrenched in the conflict is a good choice. But this should not be the starting place. Don’t bring someone in if you haven’t tried the one-on-one approach first!
  3. Tell it to the church. Keep in mind that this is step 3. Everything else has been exhausted. And this is communication – not excommunication. This is an alert for prayer and help. Just as we bring before the congregation the names and needs of those who are ill or injured can’t we also do that with those who are in spiritual crisis? Why would we judge or make that the focus of gossip – we don’t do that with the ill or injured.
  4. If he or she refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him or her like a pagan or tax collector. This is the ultimate step. Now keep in mind that the offender has been given every opportunity to reconcile, but has refused at least three levels of effort to win him back. (And there’s no rule about when to progress to the next level!) Communication has fallen on a harden heart. So, we have here a sad affirmation of what is – this person doesn’t want to live like a citizen of the kingdom. Even at this level however the goal is still reconciliation. Repentance is still a possibility. Maybe the seriousness of this action shows that sin is serious problem.
• We put more weight on the phrase "but if he refuses to listen" than the phrase "you have won your brother back." And because of this we jump to the last step convinced that someone will not listen to us.
• Think of how much we miss out on because we don’t even act on step 1. Because we do not go and talk and listen we allow our imagination and emotions to run wild. And don’t think it would be any better if we were all just reasonable. Reason can be distorted also and we can rationalize inaction with endless justifications or institutional proceedings. The anonymous letter is just such a "so-called" rational approach. We think we have met our obligation to communicate peacefully by sending a message but denying ourselves and the other person the opportunity to agree and gather in Jesus’ name. Once a preacher received one of these anonymous letters in response to a statement he made in a sermon. He opened the envelope and it simply said, "Fool!" The next Sunday he brought the letter with him into the pulpit and said, "Last Sunday I experienced something quite unique. I have received many messages without a signature. Now for the first time someone has given me a signature without a message."

Jesus’ Teaching on Church Communion (18:18-20)

• Binding and loosing: When we are offended we want to go to authorities. Children tell their parents. Neighbors phone the police. Taxpayers write their congressmen. Classes of people summon armies of lawyers to go after faceless corporations. We want authority on our side because we know that someone has to win. Someone has to be right. But Jesus teaches that real authority is the privilege of the church – not the appointed officials. The Lord’s authority resides in the midst of his people where he dwells. They have power to bind and loose not because Jesus transferred power. No, because Jesus lives in his church and we are the agents of binding and loosing authority.
• We are missing out when we make too much of this business that sins are just between God and me. Often that’s a recipe for self-delusion. We don’t have to bear burdens alone. When one comes before the church it isn’t just to answer for a public sin – it is to affirm the power and presence of Jesus Christ to bind and loose. We not only confess sins publicly, we also confess the Lordship of Jesus. We are saying that sin isn’t going to get the last word in the kingdom of heaven. We are not going to let sin destroy the community or communion we have in Jesus Christ. In his name we forgive. We can confess forgiveness in Christ before six or six hundred. One to another or one before all. This is a godly behavior/action that empowers more godly behavior!
• Two or three gathered together in my name: This comment is about worship – but has implication beyond that. And it isn’t merely a comment on the quantity of worship, but of the quality of worship. Think about the effect of unresolved conflict in the church. Think about its effect on worship. What happens when two or three are not in agreement and they gather together. Do they gather in Jesus’ name? Is he there with them? How can the Lord answer our prayers when we have unresolved conflict among us?
• Nevertheless, many of us will continue to fellowship with one another by going through the motions of worship thinking that we are the one justified by God and we have never acted on the process of communication that Jesus just described in vv. 15-17. We have never spoken to the other person privately (whether we are offender or offended) and thus experience Jesus’ power to heal and forgive. We have never relied on the wise counsel of others who love us to reconcile differences and thus experience the presence of Jesus’ spirit. We have never shared our struggles with the church as a whole for fear of judgment, but if we are true to Jesus’ teaching then we do not experience judgment but grace and healing.
• Paul taught this lesson of Jesus to the Philippian church. He urged two women there, Euodia and Syntyche, to agree with one another in the Lord (Phil. 4). He even urged the leaders of that church to help them resolve their dispute. These disputes can become the "elephant in the room" that everyone walks around but no one mentions.

Epilogue: (18:21-35)
Peter’s Practical Question: How often do you forgive? Can’t we just be rid of the trouble at some point? Don’t we have to take a stand? What will people think if they see us weak on sin?
Good question. It is the sort of question that demands a story for an answer. The parable of the unmerciful servant – is he victim or victimized? Is he offended or offender? Is he greatest or least? Powerful or weak? Answer: All of the above. We cannot break our society down into simple classes of guilty and innocent. We cannot break it down into offended and offenders. We are all in debt. We are all in slavery. We are all bound and need to be loosed.

The dilemma for the unmerciful servant is the dilemma we all experience: It all depends on which side of the forgiveness fence we find ourselves. If we are the outcast wanting back in to the fold of grace yet again, then 70 x 7 sounds hopeful and welcome. If we are on the inside of the fence and we have control of the gate latch, then 70 x 7 is a great challenge. What will it cost us to release the latch? How will things change if we welcome the outsider, perhaps the one who has sinned against us?

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 31 October 2004

Increasing Love and Godly Behavior – Part 1

Posted by Chris on October 24, 2004 under Sermons

One of our stated goals as a church family is to increase love and godly behavior. Here are a couple of questions: First, why would we want to strive for that? Answer: It is important to making disciples and being disciples. We just won’t be true disciples if we are unloving and ungodly. Second, how can we increase in love and godly behavior? Do I just will myself to love everyone? Do I commit myself to more good deeds to prove I care? Do I have to love more people? Sometimes it is hard to love the people I do know. These are good questions. Response: We might increase love and godly behavior when we realize that they are more than just good deeds or good will – they are the tangible evidence of our eternal life emerging into our life even now. They are visible elements of God’s saving power at work in us.

Jesus made the connection among behavior, eternal life, and love on a certain occasion when an expert in the Jewish law asked him two important questions (Luke 10:25-37): His first question, a very common question for a rabbi, was "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" I sort of hope that if an expert in the law asked me a question I would do just what Jesus did – defer it to the expert: "You’re the scholar here," he says. "You’ve studied Scripture, what do you think?" The expert comes back with an answer Jesus himself has given as the greatest commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself." (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18)
Now notice that Jesus doesn’t regard this sort of love as just a warm feeling or a compassionate tear in the eye. He regards it as a directive for action and a principle for behavior – "Do that and you will live." Now wasn’t that simple? With two verses and six words Jesus has given the answer to eternal life.

But can it really be that simple? I mean couldn’t this instruction to "do that" be mistaken for works-righteousness? And I think I know how to love God (there was a little more detail there) but how do I love my neighbor and what neighbors are we talking about here. What exactly are my obligations to other people?
That’s just how the expert saw it. Wanting to justify himself he couldn’t accept the simplicity of Jesus’ answer. So he asked his second question – "Who is my neighbor?" There, that will teach Jesus to make such comprehensive statements! I mean really, we can’t go around acting as if there isn’t some sort of exception. Life just isn’t that simple. The scripture says neighbor and not just "love everybody," so it cannot be an absolute. We need to define neighbor, yes?

Love your neighbor as yourself. Who is my neighbor? Jesus answers this question with a story …
Once there was a certain man traveling the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Now as we all know, it is a dangerous route and a hideout for bandits. And as you might expect he is ambushed, beaten, stabbed, and robbed – stripped of all his belongings and left for dead. He will die if someone does not arrive to help him.

Now along comes this priest riding along on his donkey. He notices the unfortunate victim but passes by on the other side of the road. Perhaps he thinks the man is a Gentile or that his disregard for the commands of God has led him to this state. It might be a ruse and this is just an attempt to get me over there by the high grass and robbers will attack me. He mulls this over until he is on down the road. Meanwhile the certain man is still there and He will die if someone does not help him.

Now there comes a Levite walking to Jerusalem to do his service in the Temple. He sees the man and passes by on the other side. Perhaps he thinks the man might be dead and it wouldn’t do for him to defile himself by touching a dead body – not that he’s squeamish after all since he deals with the sacrifice of animals – but if he is defiled then who will fulfill the service in the Temple? What can be done if the man is dead? Meanwhile the certain man is still there and He will die if someone does not help him.

Now at this point in the story, we are just waiting for the hero to arrive. Jesus must have offended the expert of the law and any other faithful Israelites listening by making the next traveler a Samaritan. Samaritans have no respect for God’s law. They have no respect for the temple. They are the result of intermingling between Israelites and Assyrians. They claim to be descendents of Abraham but their history and behavior proves otherwise. Everyone in Jerusalem recalls the acts of terror and destruction Samaritans have committed. It wasn’t too many years before Jesus told this story that Samaritans defiled the temple with pig blood and vandalism. That’s an attack that not only destroys, but also creates panic – it is symbolic. Jesus should know what sort of people these Samaritans are. The Samaritan woman he spoke to at the well (John 4) had been married four times and was living with a man who wasn’t her husband. Just before this Q & A with the expert in the law he and his disciples traveled through Samaria and no one offered them hospitality simply because he was on his way to Jerusalem (Luke 9). That was so offensive that James and John asked if Jesus wanted them to call down fire on the Samaritans as if they were Sodom and Gomorrah. That’s your average Samaritan for you.

But back to the story Jesus says (and I can’t believe he’s saying this) that a Samaritan comes along and he has compassion for the man so he stops, makes bandages from his own garments, uses oil and wine (his provisions for his journey) to medicate the man’s wounds, takes him to an inn (where he is very likely unwelcome), pays the bill and leaves some sort of item on credit to insure that he will pay the bill should it go higher.
So, going back to the original question that prompted this story, Jesus has a "neighbor question" of his own – "Which of these three appears to have been a neighbor to the one who was robbed?" The expert of the law – no doubt quite offended by the way the story turned out with a Samaritan cast against type – answers without soiling his lips with the "S" word. "The neighbor to the man who was robbed is the one who showed him mercy."

Two Responses – It is important to notice these two responses. They go back to our two questions earlier. The response of the expert is: "The one who did mercy." Sure, that’s bad grammar, but that’s how it is in the original language. And that fits with Jesus’ response to the response that addresses both the question "Who is my neighbor?" and "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus’ response: Go and do the same.

• Does Jesus answer the question of the expert about who is my neighbor? (No) He invalidates the question. If one has love characteristic of eternal life, one does not choose one’s neighbor, one chooses to be a neighbor.
• Christ-like love does not ask "Who is my neighbor?" Rather, it is active. ("Go and do the same.")

Doing mercy and love and good deeds aren’t so we will get saved. We do what we are. Sometimes there is too much distinction made between doing and being – If I ask you what you do you don’t say: "Well, let’s see on Monday I fixed a brake line and before that I changed an oil filter, and then replaced a water pump." No you say, "I am a mechanic." I understand what you do when you tell me what you are. That’s the way it usually works. So why can’t we get the idea that saying "I am a disciple of Jesus. I am a Christian. I am a child of God" sorts out what we do? We love because he first loved us. We behave in a godly way because we share in his divine nature. Growing in the understanding of our life in Jesus helps us understand what we should do, otherwise we are stunned into inaction …

This teaching of Jesus became something I experienced one Saturday in Scotland. A few of us there for a mission campaign were walking down a road in Glasgow – in a pretty rough part of town. As we were on our way, a drunk was thrown out of a bar into the road in front of us. It would have been almost comical if it hadn’t been for the fact that the old alcoholic got up from the ground with a bloody nose. He cursed the bar owner, and not being able to stand he slumped down to the sidewalk and sat next to a garbage can. A human being, thrown out with the trash! As we walked on not wanting to get involved with the intense drama, one of my companions, a new Christian, said "Shouldn’t we help that fellow?" (That’s the problem with new Christians – they are just so naïve and haven’t learned how to justify themselves). Seeking to justify myself I pointed out that the man was a drunk and he had probably done something really wrong to get thrown out a bar. Besides that, I was thinking to myself, I need to get back to work on my sermon because I am preaching on a text I just recently studied, Luke 10 and the parable of the Good Samaritan.

I learned a valuable lesson through this living parable. If I have to ask "who is my neighbor?" then I do not understand love. Not the sort of love for neighbor that flows out of love for God and the eternal life we enjoy as a result of God’s love for us. After all, if we have been so blessed as to inherit eternal life from our Father who loves us, shouldn’t we be willing to increase – to grow in love and share that love with others?

Conclusion (Increasing Love and Godly Behavior – They go together for Christ-like love is active) – Who do you identify with today – in both these stories.

1. Can you identify with the priest and Levite? – (Or me in Scotland). We can never justify our inheritance of eternal life by obeying a long list of laws or by limiting our obligations with a short list of neighbors. Both attempts are contrary to love (the love of God)
2. Can you identify with the victim of robbers/or the drunk or every broken person you encounter? – Their only hope is that others will be merciful neighbors who come with the grace to heal and restore – isn’t that what Jesus did?
3. Can you identify with the Samaritan or with the naïve Christian who wants to be like Jesus – It isn’t one’s class, nationality, training, or theological affiliation that justifies. What justifies us is love acting in mercy – doing mercy. Being a neighbor.

Maybe you don’t want to identify with a Samaritan and you can’t recall what it was like to be a naïve Christian. Fine, can you identify with the author and perfecter of eternal life – Jesus? Didn’t the Samaritan just do what Jesus would do? And didn’t Jesus do love and godly behavior. He did, and it got him nailed to the cross, but it also got him raised from the tomb. Here’s how we increase love and godly behavior – those of you who’ve been baptized and those who would be – I want you to know that when you were/are submerged into Christ you were/are baptized into his death and live with the hope of being resurrected. God’s love and his behavior live in you.

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 24 October 2004

Proclaiming a Biblical Worldview – Part 2

Posted by Chris on October 17, 2004 under Sermons

Last Sunday we considered what a worldview is. We recognize that everyone has a worldview. We also recognized that in the shifting and conflicting worldviews that are available in our culture (modern vs. postmodern) there is a different option for Christians – a biblical worldview, that sees the world how God sees it. God gives us a new set of lens’ that enable us to see the world clearly.

Today, staying with the metaphor of the lenses, we might consider this: How do we get those lenses and what exactly do things look like through them (what are the characteristics of a biblical worldview)? I have to say from the start that developing a biblical, or Christ-like, worldview isn’t something that happens instantly. Unlike Lenscrafters, we cannot get our new view in an hour or less. However, the good news is that it is simple to enter into the way of life that cultivates and proclaims this worldview. This is a process, not a prescription, because we have to learn to believe and act like our Lord Jesus. And learning to be like Jesus isn’t a matter of studying a handbook; it is an apprenticeship in which we learn the craft of true living. For we don’t simply learn about Jesus as if he is some historical person, we learn from him for he is living and rule as Lord. When we come to Jesus and receive the kingdom rule of Christ through faith and baptism, our "lenses" are reshaped in his presence as we worship him, we come to know him as we spend time being nurtured in Christian community, and we become like him as we actively serve others in the spirit of Christ doing what he would do.

Developing and proclaiming a biblical worldview is a lifelong discipline, but we begin somewhere. So for our worship today, let’s begin where Jesus began when he proclaimed the coming of the kingdom of heaven. The Beatitudes are Jesus’ proclamation of the good news of God’s future rule invading the present. Jesus pronounces blessings and issues a summons to see the world from heaven’s vantage point. He calls us to a way of belief and practice that cuts against the grain of the worldview of the fallen world. Listen carefully to the Beatitudes as a proclamation of a very different way of life not just good news for the unfortunate or proverbs of good basic morals. This is a declaration about the way God is making a new creation …

Read Matthew 5:1-12

This new creation has serious implications for you and me. [Illustration] There’s a sinful order to this present world that is fading away and decaying. And like most of the world, you and I have formed some of our worldview on this order of things. But there’s a new order of things emerging into this world. It’s the way of things that will ultimately endure. It is the order of the world that will prevail. And we are called to actively develop a worldview that shapes our belief and action around this new order of creation. The Beatitudes are the proclamation of a kingdom worldview and we are called by the promise of God’s blessings to be reoriented and changed to adopt this worldview.

And to properly hear this proclamation let’s take a moment to consider how challenging this new worldview really is. First, think about who is blessed. Think about those adjectives without their gilded, sanctified context. Who blessed? Those who are … poor, mourning, meek, hungering and thirsting, merciful, pure, peacemakers, persecuted. It is not our typical image of blessed. It doesn’t fit the worldview of our age nor does it fit the worldview proclaimed by many churches! We might expect to say that those who are blessed are successful, content, confident, satisfied, determined, benevolent, influential, and respected. [Have you ever thought that leaders in the church ought to be poor, mourning, meek, hungering and thirsting, merciful, pure, peacemakers, persecuted? Could these be qualifications for elders? Characteristics of the minister a church wants to hire? Are these characteristics of a purpose-driven life?] These adjectives and blessing can only be reconciled by the wisdom of the cross and a kingdom worldview. The wisdom of our world and the worldview of our culture cannot connect these.

The Beatitudes indicate four fundamental characteristics of a biblical worldview that enable us to see the world and live in the world "perfectly." These characteristics are trust in God, hope of God’s Rule, love for God and others, and the peace of God. (Note to reader – I am indebted to two excellent sources for this outline: J. Brownson, et al, Stormfront: The Good News of God, Eerdmans, 2003; and R. Lischer, "The Sermon on the Mount as Radical Pastoral Care," Interpretation 41(2002): 157-183.)

Trust in God – Blessed are the Poor in Spirit and the Meek
In God We Trust! Do we? It runs counter to the worldview of this age: we trust in rights, laws, influence, status, success, and the security and power of wealth (even some of our principles about stewardship are rooted in a trust in the accumulation of wealth rather than trust in God – A church I knew kept it’s wealth in a savings account for years without contributing to much of anything).
Poor? Really? Doesn’t poor in spirit mean something other than wealth? Yes, but it certainly includes those who are limited in the resources of wealth. Maybe the fact that we don’t think the Beatitudes apply to us shows how our worldview is skewed.
Meek? Is anyone really meek anymore? Sure it suits pilgrims and Amish, but can that truly be respected in our media-based, image-driven age?
Churches are sometimes driven to be successful and relevant in the eyes of the world. Seminars and products in the Church growth field promise ways to attract new members and provide something for everyone. These are not nefarious schemes to undermine the church. There are many good motives and intentions, but how many church growth resources invite us to become poor in spirit so we might receive the kingdom of God? It is a subtle distortion of the worldview that creates this problem. When we strive to be like Jesus we see him taking a different path – He had all the power of heaven and earth at his command, but he trusted in God and did not take advantage of that power and wealth. He was poor in spirit.

Hope of God’s Rule – Those that Mourn and the Merciful
In the kingdom we have hope because the worst things are never the last things. A biblical worldview doesn’t deny that we mourn. Perhaps this is how our worldview is so different from the world. [Prov. about wisdom and mourning] Our culture medicates with idle entertainment and pleasure: "We want our MTV!" We spend time basking in the glow of ever-growing television channels. We watch or go to sporting events to purge our emotions. We seek thrills in any number of socially acceptable addictions – shopping, soft-porn magazines and websites that don’t have to be sold in the adult section. These quick thrills are for people trying to escape the reality of hurt and disappointment. They are all ways of insulating ourselves from the disappointment and suffering of the world. And we deny ourselves healing because we do not mourn. The Christian worldview on Mourning is unique because it leads to hope The worldly worldview by contrast is hopeless.
As a minister, people ask me how I can function in tragedy and sorrow: "I guess you are trained to do that?" they ask. Not really! In fact, there’s no secret technique. My training is the development of the Christ-like worldview that reshapes my view of reality. We grieve -but not like those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). We mourn over the brokenness and death and pain in the world, but we are blessed for we shall be comforted by God.

Mercy cannot survive or exist without hope. Look at the way people responded to 9/11. Those without hope cannot let go of the event. They hate rather than forgive. Something has to be done about evil, but the Christian worldview hopes for God’s justice, and is not satisfied by our temporary substitutes. Mercy and hope take courage and strength.
In history and cultures mercy is often viewed as immoral – As our culture loses hope in God’s Rule and hope for nothing more than our own authority, we lose mercy. In our cut -throat culture of business and government, we call it competition, politics, or aggressive success.
To see the world like Jesus does means that love and hope cast out fear. We are not afraid to show mercy, for we know that we have received mercy under God’s rule. And we are not afraid to admit that we mourn because we know that God’s rule does not shame those who mourn, but offers comfort.

Love for God and Others – Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness and the Pure in Heart
Jesus gives us the core of biblical teaching and that’s a central characteristic of a biblical worldview. Love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor as yourself. This is the Greatest Commandment. God sent Jesus so that we might be reconciled to him and Jesus sends us so we might also be reconciled with one another. See what Jesus said about righteousness: "Be perfect (or complete) like God is perfect." Later in the sermon he describes this radical call to righteousness. It is more than following the rules. In fact if all you’ve ever heard are the rules, then Jesus will take it a step further: The problem isn’t just murder, but the anger that is the seed of murder and the opposite of love. The problem isn’t just adultery, but the lust that objectifies others and uses people. The problem isn’t just keeping the law with regard to divorce, but losing the love that is the basis of marital relationship. The problem isn’t the legality of a binding power of an oath, but the dishonesty that doesn’t respect others and doesn’t honor God.
Righteousness is rooted in building the proper loving relationship with God and one another. How practical is this as the basis of our worldview. It can change the relationships between human beings, men and women, husbands and wives, friends and enemies. Beatitudes are communal!
But for our righteousness to be God’s perfect righteousness we have to seek his face. We want to be pure in heart. Self-righteousness is hypocrisy because it isn’t concerned for anyone but self. It is arrogant puffed up and rude. We know we are better than those who don’t keep the rules. That sort of thinking comes from the wrong worldview. In the Kingdom purity is devotion to God even before devotion to self – that’s the single eye Jesus teaches us to have. That the eye that will be blessed, for with it we will see God!

Peace of God – Blessed are the Peacemakers and the Persecuted
This is at the core of Making Disciples. In making disciples, or evangelizing, we are not recruiting new members for the church! (I once encountered this statement in the church – "If we have budget problems then we need to get busy with evangelism – it is the best way to increase membership and contribution." Often the statement is made that crassly, but I think that recruitment and survival of the church is what motivates us.) This is why our worldview has a lot to do with evangelism. Are we trying to grow the church, or are we pursuing the cause of God’s peace? With a biblical worldview we believe that God grows the church and he preserves it. We see ourselves as Peacemakers and we are instruments of Peace. Paul viewed his ministry of making disciples like this: 2 Corinthians 5:16 – So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ¹⁸All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
When we realize how sinful we all are then the way to peace is made clear and we call everyone to be reconciled to God. Of course the peace of the rule of King Jesus threatens the values and ways of the world. They are in rebellion and that creates conflict. Proclaiming a biblical worldview is dangerous. As someone once said, "Living out the Beatitudes will get you killed." Closing charge Matthew 7:24-29 – Hearing and doing (Wise man and Foolish man) What foundation will you build your life on this week?

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 17 October 2004

Proclaiming a Biblical Worldview – Part 1

Posted by Chris on October 10, 2004 under Sermons

Our purpose as the West-Ark Church of Christ is to "Make Disciples for Jesus Eager to Serve Others." That means that all of us are called to be disciples as well as make disciples. There are five values or qualitative goals that we strive for in everything we do as a congregation. The first is that we will focus daily on Jesus and his cross. The second is that in every way possible we want to proclaim a biblical worldview. Proclaiming a biblical worldview, however, assumes that we, as disciples, have a biblical worldview. And this of course raises the question, "What is a worldview?"

Definition of Worldview – A worldview is the composite set of presuppositions, beliefs, and values a person possesses that shape how he or she sees reality and determines how he or she will act. A worldview informs the way a person thinks and acts. It is the lens through which people perceive and understand reality.

• Everyone has a worldview that determines how he/she sees, perceives, and understands life. Not all people are able to articulate all or even some elements of their worldview. (Worldviews may be embedded).

• A worldview is, by its nature, comprehensive. That is, it covers all aspects of life, both internal and external. It influences thought and action. It involves mind, body, and spirit and it involves every dimension of life – i.e. the entire "world"

• Culture and environment contribute to the formation of worldview. That contribution can be deliberate (intentional) or embedded.

A person’s worldview can be changed into a different worldview. Christians/disciples should desire to have their worldview transformed into a biblical worldview. The revelation of God through his word and through Jesus Christ deliberately seeks to shape our worldview. [This is why focusing on Jesus and his Cross is more that a meditative exercise – it is a transforming event. See last week’s sermon]

Demonstration of Worldview and Differences in Worldview – One of the ways we sometimes become aware of this concept of worldview is by encountering very different worldviews. Some years ago my wife and I were in London. We were waiting to get into the theatre and when tickets were available there were three of us and only two tickets. So my wife and sister-in-law got to go into the theatre and I waited for them. I walked around the town and spent some time with individuals who have a very different worldview. I met a young man named Stephen from Scotland who really didn’t appear all that different from some of my friends in Scotland, but Stephen lived on the streets of London. As we walked through London I noticed how very different my worldview was from his. In London they have public restrooms that you have to pay to use. When we went past a public restroom he was about to jump the turnstile to enter. The attendant was shouting at Stephen. I took out a handful of change saying, "Wait, I can pay for this." Now Stephen shouted, "Hey don’t waste that money on the loo." He grabbed the change and jumped the turnstile going into the restroom with the attendant shouting.

All of that did not fit my worldview. First, that one should have to pay to use the restroom. Second, that what was pocket change to me was a treasured resource to Stephen and not to be wasted when stealing or breaking the rules was convenient.

But you do not have to go to another nation or culture to experience these differences in worldview. David Chadwell pointed out in his sermon last week that there are different worldviews in tension in our own culture. Some of us have a basic assumption or at least can recall when institutions like government were held in high regard and trusted. But for some of us, we have never known a time when government was not under suspicion. Some of us remember when credit was rare and jobs were even rarer. Some of us have never known anything but great prosperity in our nation. Different experiences like these shape different worldviews. But there are also forces at work that create major shifts in worldview. This goes beyond personal worldview and involves cultural or collective worldviews, which of course affect all of us individually.

We are experiencing in our culture the tension, or shifting, from one predominant worldview to another. The two worldviews in tension are the modern worldview and the postmodern worldview. The "modern" worldview is not all that modern. It developed in the Western world throughout the 17^th century and remained current through the 20^th century. You may read about the Age of Reason or the Enlightenment period. This is the context in which the Modern worldview develops.

This worldview is based on four "pillars" that were major shifts from the pre-Modern worldview before the age of reason:

1. Nature and reality can be explained apart from God. Since reason and investigation could explain the natural process of the world around us, God is no longer necessary as an explanation for reality. That’s not to say all scientists since the age of reason are atheists. No, some scientists and philosophers attempted to make a reasonable case for the existence of God. We can’t go into all the history, but just understand that with the modern worldview the possibility of understanding reality apart from God is now quite real. The classic example of this involves astronomer Pierre Simon de la Place (1749 – 1827). He presented his book on celestial mechanics to Emperor Napoleon who remarked "I find it strange that in your entire work you make no reference to God." Pierre Simon de la Place replied, "Sire, I no longer have need of that hypothesis."
2. Scientific Knowledge is inherently good. We are better off because of scientific advancement. Every advance in science improves the quality of life. The Modern worldview has an optimistic outlook on better living through scientific advancement.
3. Reason is the Basis of Morality. Rather than an external standard of right and wrong, sin and righteousness, morality was defended as being expedient or reasonable. Lack of character or morality was not a spiritual deficiency but a lack of knowledge. The solution was more education. Moral problems could be solved with the application of reason.
4. Human Progress is Inevitable. The modern worldview has a high view of human nature and potential. There is an optimism about overcoming social and political problems. (Star Trek future)

During the 20^th century and into this century we are recognizing more and more that the modern worldview is giving way to the postmodern worldview. Under the weight of experience the limits of the pillars of the modern worldview were collapsed …

1. The postmodern worldview accepts the possibility of God or gods. This is not just true in religion, but also philosophy and science. There is the allowance that there is more to the universe than all we can perceive or experience. (But note that this doesn’t always equate to the Christian view of God!)
2. Scientific knowledge may be used for good or evil. Think about the incredible advances in science during the 20^th century. Atomic power, information technology, genetics. Our experience has taught us that there is no guarantee that these developments are inherently good. They may bring benefit, but they may also create disaster. It all depends on how they are used.
3. Individual is basis of morality. Reason was never a very good basis of morality. That’s not to say that morality is unreasonable. But restricting morality to reason deprived morality and ethics of its spiritual and divine elements and now the door is wide open to all standards of morality. There just isn’t any agreement anymore and morality is seen as relative. My moral base may not be reasonable to you – but it is mine and it is not yours to judge. The modern worldview made reason the only absolute but it couldn’t hold the title – now the "king" has been knocked off the hill.
4. Humanity has failed to eradicate so many social and political problems. We have been humbled and we are no longer optimistic about human progress. World War 1 really destroyed this pillar. Then World War 2 finished off the remains. Now there is pessimisim about the future of humanity (Sci-Fi dystopias)

It is hard to describe what the Postmodern worldview is really about. Mainly, it just isn’t modern!

One creative way to describe the change is to say that if the Modern worldview viewed the world scientifically through the lens of the microscope and telescope, the postmodern worldview views it through a kaleidoscope – a random, multi-colored, ever-shifting image that looks different to everyone who picks up the scope.
Which worldview is best? Neither, they are both limited and they represent the major worldview we find ourselves in. Since they are limited they are subject to shifting and change.

The real question is: "Why does any of this matter?" Does my worldview matter? I think it matters because as disciples of Jesus Christ we need to know that our worldview is not dependent on the reigning worldview of our culture or age. Our faith is not dependent on the Modern worldview. It will not die in the postmodern worldview. We have a worldview that endures through every shift and change in cultural worldview …

In the midst of confusion or concern over what we shall do we can develop a worldview that is consistent with Christ and the revelation of God through Spirit and Word. In other words a Biblical Worldview. And it matters because if God’s enduring revelation shapes our worldview then it shapes our belief. And our belief leads to proper practice and healthy identity.

Christianity and Judaism are unique in that they call for the right belief (orthodoxy) assuming that the right belief with shape the proper behavior and practice (orthopraxy). In fact, God often criticizes Israel, as Jesus did the Pharisees, for practicing religion right without believing right (hypocrisy, white-washed sepulchers)

Israel and the Worldview of God
Deuteronomy 6 Belief in the one true God was the basis for whole devotion. The worldview of Israel was critical to their behavior and their identity.

Once the Gentiles were gathered into Israel after Jesus, the importance of worldview was even greater.

1. In worship – in the presence of the One God that Israel declared, the One God that has revealed himself in Jesus Christ – in worship we offer our whole self. We are being shaped by God’s view of the world. And that "changes our mind" …
2. Renewal – that’s what we do in worship as we come together in worship. Transformation of mind/belief from the pattern of this world to a renewed worldview. And it doesn’t end in worship – it continues to our life among the different worldviews. It continues as a pinpoint of light in our kaleidoscope world. We need to continue to hear the "Shema" to Israel. Jesus said it was the core of a biblical worldview. And it shapes our actions so that they are conformed to God’s will …
3. Is change/transformation of mind really that important? We need to be aware just how little what we say we believe agrees with the world as understood by science and technology, commerce, law, politics, or the arts – or the world as it is understood by many of our neighbors. Think about it! Jesus says that the core of law and prophets, the greatest commandment is to love God and neighbor – to commit so completely to God that we live as very different people. That’s not necessarily the worldview of our culture. Proclaiming a biblical worldview is counter-cultural. So, to what worldview do we conform? The renewal of our mind allows us to know God’s will. But if our minds are not renewed, we do not. What worldview do we have? That’s the worldview we will proclaim

How important is this? – Barmen -living differently with a different View of reality can have serious implications
Almost immediately after the Nazi seizure of power in 1933, Protestant Christians faced pressure to conform the Church to the ideology of Hitler and the Nazi Party, this included expulsion of Jewish Christians from the ordained ministry and adopting the Nazi “Führer Principle” as the organizing principle of church government. In general, the churches succumbed to these pressures, and many Christians embraced them willingly. The pro-Nazi “German Christian” movement became a force in the church. They glorified Adolf Hitler as a “German prophet” and preached that racial consciousness (Volk) was a source of revelation alongside the Bible.

But some Christians in Germany opposed the encroachment of Nazi ideology on the Church’s proclamation. At Barmen, this emerging “Confessing Church” adopted a declaration drafted by which expressly repudiated the claim that other powers apart from Christ could be sources of God’s revelation. The 1934 Barmen Declaration was a call to resistance against the theological claims of the Nazi state.

excerpt from Barmen Declaration …

IN VIEW OF THE ERRORS of the “German Christians” … we confess the following evangelical truths:
1. “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

We reject the false doctrine that the Church could and should recognize as a source of its proclamation, beyond and besides this one Word of God, . . . other events, powers, historic figures and truths as God’s revelation.

In Nazi Germany, the German Church accepted National Socialism. Their focus was on what they did – not on what they believed. They even took as their symbol the cross with a swastika in it.

“German Christians” (Deutsche Christen) marched to a worship service at the Berlin Cathedral while SS guards stood at attention. At the lead were members of the movement in uniforms, followed by pastors. Their banners –designed to resemble the Nazi party’s “national flag”– placed the swastika at the center of the cross.

But the confessing church dissented. Some Christians who dissented –like the Protestant pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Roman Catholic priest Bernhard Lichtenberg– were arrested and executed in concentration camps. They did something very different why? Because of what they believed vs. what the German Church believed. Because those different beliefs and worldviews shaped what people did and what the German Church was doing was dangerous. In one worldview, Christ alone rules. In another, the swastika blots out the center of the cross.

This story of what happened in Germany of the 1930’s may seem a bit extreme to us. But next week I want to show you why a Biblical Worldview and our proclamation of such a world view matters just as much to us – right here in Western Arkansas in the early 21^st century.

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 10 October 2004

Daily Focusing on Jesus and the Cross – Part 2

Posted by Chris on October 3, 2004 under Sermons

I want to begin by sharing with you some sad and disappointing information about a certaincongregation of the Lord’s church. I won’t name the congregation, but it is one that most of uswould know …
This congregation in danger going through a major split. Some of the reasons for the split concerncontroversies over worship. Divisions within the membership are playing out in the worship andsome are introducing disruptive practices into the worship. Others are altering the practice of theLord’s Supper.
Of course the problems go beyond worship. There are doctrinal controversies. Some of theleaders in this congregation have been advancing unbiblical views of baptism. The doctrinalcontroversies are closely associated with moral controversies. The congregation has becomewoefully tolerant of certain forms of sexual immorality and their teaching on divorce and marriageis not consistent with biblical teaching.
As one might expect, such a congregation is suffering from people who are separating intofactions. These factions are centered around the teaching and ministries of well-known teachers inthe brotherhood. This conflict is threatening to tear this highly visible congregation asunder.

Perhaps it is best that you know the name of the congregation I am speaking about. The church Ihave described is the first-century church in Corinth. We know about it from Paul’s letters. Paulheard about the problems in this congregation from those who were a part of it. In fact, he wasone of the well-known teachers who had a following in this church (and Paul was not supportiveof it). The root of the problem in the Corinthian church was their attempt to adopt and conform toexpectations of their world. Paul’s prescription for the ailing church in danger of destroying itselfin its attempts to conform to the accepted wisdom of the day is to return their focus to Jesus andthe cross. The Word of the Cross gave the Corinthian congregation life and Paul hopes that thepower of the word of the cross will not electrocute the church, but that it will shock their spiritualheart back to life …

1 Corinthians 1:18-31
The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved itis the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence ofthe intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is thephilosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in thewisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him God was pleased through thefoolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs andGreeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews andfoolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ thepower of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom,and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. Consider your own call, brothers andsisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many wereof noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose theweak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and thedespised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no one mayboast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdomfrom God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Letthe one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

The Word of The Cross

1. It is foolishness to those who are perishing(1:18)
   1. It “thwarts” established assumptions – It thwarts our understanding and assumptions. Itnullifies the wisdom of this world. It confounds our best understanding and greatest achievements(Just as God did at Babel — Genesis 11). It sets aside our pretensions and our expectationsbecause they are often flawed and imperfect. And because of this …
   2. It is counterintuitive to our way of knowing the world. Thus, those who are invested in worldlywisdom do not understand the cross. The cross is too risky. It says that those who lose their livesgain it — that is counterintuitive to a world that believes in “survival of the fittest.” The cross istoo humiliating. It says that the greatest is the servant of all and the least shall be first — that iscounter-intuitive to a world that believes that “might makes right” and that it is not “what youknow but who you know.” And those are just some of the ways the Word of the Cross thwartsour knowledge, but it can also upset our deep-seated, gut-level, spiritual convictions …
   3. It also confounds our sensitivities and assumptions. We like to think that God should onlybehave in certain ways, but the Cross shows us that our mysterious God will not be defined byour expectations …
2. To those who want signs and wisdom … (1:22-23)
   1. It is scandalous and offensive — Paul said that Jews demand signs. They want spiritual proof.They believed that the Messiah should come in a display of divine authority, not weakness andshamefulness. God is shamed and defiled? He endures a curse? What will the gentiles think? Butthe cross is not politically correct, it is brutal and not cleaned up. The cross does not conform toour religious sensibilities. When Mel Gibson set out to make The Passion of the Christ, he wasdedicated to being as honest with the scandalous and offensive nature of the crucifixion. Andguess what, people were offended! Not just those who decried it as anti-Semitic, but alsoChristians who believed the display was too gory. For those reasons and many more we mustrecall that the word of the cross is indeed scandalous — a stumbling block. It forces a decision foror against God and his way of salvation. At times the Word of the Cross and the implications ofthat word confront our religious sensibilities and make us decide …
   2. It is moronic and foolish — Paul said the Greeks demand wisdom. They wanted logical proof.They believed in certain categories and criteria and God in Jesus did not fit those. Why wouldGod die? Why would he sacrifice himself to save others? How can the death of a man condemnedas a rebel and bandit save the world? Why do we need saving? Alexandros graffiti – Christianitywas not understood in the first-century. It was viewed as a religion for reprobates and lowerclasses. It was ridiculed.
      
      “Alexandros worships his god”
      First century Roman graffiti.
      Click here to view photo.

   3. In recent times there are many who believe that Christianity is a religion for the unlearned andweak-minded. [Karl Marx — Religion is the Opiate of the masses.] We drain the power from thecross and our gospel when we try to conform it to science or philosophy or the prevailing wisdomof our culture. That doesn’t mean that our faith is unscientific or non-philosophical or that itdoesn’t dialogue with culture — but it does mean that the Word of the Cross tests science andphilosophy and culture, not the other way around …
3. To those being saved it is the power of God (1:18)
   1. It has the power to destroy other powers. The word of the cross reveals something thatshakes the foundations of all other powers. It proclaims and represents a God doing something sounique that every influential power and principle is redefined.
   2. It has the power to create new reality It is redefined because a new reality is created. It hasthe power to transform not only us as individuals — but the world as we know it. All systems ofpower, all structures of relationship, all ways of thinking … And the Word of the Cross recreatesall over again the “new world” created by the event. For like all words …
   3. Words have that power to create and destroy and recreate.
      1. The words “It is terminal” can change life
      2. You’re fired” — (trivialized on Apprentice — it just means you are off the show) — thesewords can change reality for someone
   4. How is it power? It is an apocalyptic event —
      1. Nothing is the same now that this has happened.
      2. There is rhetoric about the political shifts due to 9/11. It has become a decisive event — pre9/11 and post 9/11.
      3. Is it any wonder why our calendar systems used BC and AD — a new rule is in effect!

   The Word of the cross like all words has a power to change — but the word of the cross is notbound by our definitions … in fact it confounds and unsettles the definitions we think are soimportant and so stable …

4. It redefines everything
   1. Our past and future: The Corinthians needed to look back at who they were when God calledthem. It is God’s modus operandi to work with those we overlook and reject in our earthlywisdom. Why do we let our past define us when the word of the cross redefines our past? Whoamong us can truly secure our future? All the best planning and work can be undone in seconds.What wisdom secures the perfect future? Why do we let our efforts for the future define us whenthe word of the cross defines our future?
   2. Our worth and identity: The Corinthians were divided. They were finding their identity inhuman leaders and the acceptable things of this world. Their identity was based on theirphilosophies. What about our divisions and categories? [In 1832, Racoon John Smith proposedunity between the Campbell churches and the Stone churches. Mentioning some of the terms andissues that divided them he said, “Let us then, my brethren, be no longer Campbellites orStoneites, New Lights or Old Lights, or any other kind of lights. But let us come to the Bible andthe Bible alone, as the only book in creation that can give us all the Light we need.”] But nowalmost 200 years later, what terms separate us? Is that the Word of the Cross? What about ourbackgrounds and our status? What makes us wise? What gives us power? On what basis do wefind unity — The Mac Pruitt story — There’s a VP at Dow come to visit a union man — Thosewho are being saved have a worth and identity that seems foolish to the world.
   3. Our values and allegiances: Those who are being saved have allegiance to God even when itis risky and seems foolish.
      1. Carl Spain — race and ACU’s policy not to admit African American students pre 1961 — “Dowe fear Jim Crow more than we revere Jesus Christ?”
      2. Jim Elliot — Through the Gates of Splendor “He is no fool who gives up that which he cannotkeep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Having the Mind of Christ (see Jeremiah 9:23-24)
“Let not the wise man gloat in his wisdom, or the mighty man in his might, or the rich man in hisriches. Let them boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORDwho is just and righteous, whose love is unfailing, and that I delight in these things.” — Jeremiah9:23-24

Believing in the Word of the cross is the first challenge. But conforming to it and living it out isthe greater challenge. Accepting the very different Word of the Cross is the first challenge, havingthat mind of Christ is the next challenge — and both require the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

The Tightrope Walker — A man walked a tightrope across a windy ravine very slowly but madeit. People gathered around and that tightrope walker asked the crowd, “Do you think I can crossthe ravine again?” There was great applause and every one shouted their confidence in the man.Then he asked, “Well, who then will go with me as I carry you on my shoulders?”

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 3 October 2004

Daily Focusing on Jesus and the Cross – Part 1.5

Posted by Chris on September 19, 2004 under Sermons

1. Once Upon a Time in America:
   1. My father’s first sermon mentioned a different sort of culture …
      1. Doors left unlocked, children played in safety. …
      2. Neighbors were close and trusted, people trusted and respected their leaders
      3. God and church were held in high esteem. (Attend the church of your choice).
   2. It is decaying:
      1. Definitions of right & wrong have been changed
      2. The Index of Cultural Indicators:
         1. Long-held beliefs are giving way to a plethora of views.
         2. Self-expression, individualism & personal choice valued above all else
      3. Every viewpoint, no matter how bizarre or destructive, is accepted.
         1. “The lunatics are running the asylum.”
   3. The props are being kicked out:
      1. Once the church and Christian values were propped up by American society
      2. We fear what will happen when the last of the props is kicked out
      3. … what will happen when the lunatics finally take over.
   4. But what were we doing in an asylum in the firstplace?
      1. Christianity has been around a lot longer than America.
      2. Christianity began without the props that we rested on so comfortably, once upona time in America.
2. Living Outside the Camp (Read Hebrews13:1-14):
   1. We must go to Jesus outside thecamp.
      1. Like the unclean carcasses of the sacrifice that were discarded outside thecamp,Jesus suffered outside the gate of the holy city.
         1. No special funeral. No eternal flame in the National Cemetery
         2. [George McDonald, Only One Way Left]: “… Jesus was not crucified ina cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves, onthe town garbage heap … at the kind of place where cynics talk smut,and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble … Because that is where he diedand that is what he died about. And that is where churchman should beand what churchmanship is about.”
      2. If Jesus died outside “the city,” its absurd to think that we are can somehowremain in “the city.”
         1. Jesus did minister in the Temple, but he also ministered in the barrios &ghettos among the drunks and the prostitutes.
         2. The love of God is not restricted to the “acceptable” parts of town. Itgoes out to the places where good folk do not go after dark.
         3. Our place is by Jesus’ side, even if that takes us outside safety of the citygate
      3. Are we called to defend the city (American culture) or are we called to go out ofthe city and call others to join us?
         1. The latter. There is no “city” in this world worth defending becausenone of them are eternal.
         2. Let us lament the decay of American society, but let us not be tricked intothinking the church requires it to survive and thrive.
            1. Christianity has thrived in hostile environments inthe past andin many parts of the world.
            2. Sincere, faithful Christians remain true to their Lord incountries like the Sudan where they are persecuted.
      4. The danger of living in the city is that it makes us nearsighted instead offarsighted.
         1. Our values are reversed.
   2. We must bear His shame.
      1. The Apostles rejoiced not because they won favor with society or advancedtheirreligious/political agenda, but because they suffered shame for the Name.
         1. God was not ashamed of them, and they were not ashamed of him …
      2. Faith shines brightest in the darkness:
         1. Some of our brethren are meeting today in secret in peril of their lives.
         2. Are they less faithful than we because God has not blessed them with theprops of social acceptability?
3. Once Upon a Time in America [Conclusion]:
   1. We may have been propped up. (And it may have been a blessing of God.)
   2. But God does not promise it will always be so.
      1. In fact he says it will more often be the opposite
   3. Maybe it will actually be good for us when the last prop is finally kicked out.
      1. Maybe we will once and for all
         1. go outside the city,
         2. bearing His shame,
         3. looking ahead to the Eternal City,
         4. and letting God be our only prop!
   4. The Challenge:
      1. From the word of God.
      2. This goes beyond a personal acceptance.
      3. We must accept this challenge as a church – together!
      4. Let us all stand – and in so doing accept the challenge ofScripture to go liveoutside the camp!

Daily Focusing on Jesus and the Cross – Part 1

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Introduction: Famous speeches that precede historic moments. They focus the moment for everyone involved. They call for determination and dedication because they involve momentous decisions. And the significance of the speech lives beyond the historical moment. One famous speech that outlasts its moment in history was given on …
June 18, 1940 – Prime Minister Winston Churchill before the House of Commons anticipated the Battle of Britain. "The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour."
The words of Jesus also liven beyond their moment in history. Not only because of their importance but also because the one who spoke these words is living still as Lord. Matthew 10 is Jesus’ speech to the twelve before sending them on a mission. He focuses the moment not only for the twelve, but for all disciples who hear these words.
Read Matthew 10:16-39

Review –

• We are also sent by Jesus to participate in his mission.
• Making disciples requires being a disciple. And we make disciples for Jesus, not us.
• But there is a storm front of turbulence where the kingdom of God emerges into this world for the rule of God upsets lesser authorities and powers. The messengers of the kingdom welcome all to come to the King, but the messengers of the kingdom are not always welcomed …
• If we are to be equal to the mission in a world that is sometimes hostile and usually indifferent, then we need to be focused. Jesus’ speech focuses us on the cross. Focusing on Jesus and his cross defines the 1) Determination of Disciples, 2) Dedication of Disciples and 3) Decision of Disciples

Determination of Disciples

• I am sending you out like sheep among wolves (10:16) – – ²²And everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to me.
  Because we are loyal to Jesus some are just going to hate us. Not because we wish them any harm. Not because we intend them any wrong, but because we are loyal to Christ some will be threatened by that. Why? Because they have an investment in other powers and authorities.
  Determination to follow Jesus will bring us into conflict. Some people will not be interested in hearing what we have to say in our defense. Some people, even if they do listen, will twist our words and misinterpret our actions. Jesus’ does not tell us how to make it different; he says it will not be any different.
  What are we to do then?
• Don’t worry about your defense –
  • Look to the cross – Jesus spoke only the truth and was not anxious to defend himself. Why? 1) He realized that his words had already been twisted, but 2) he knew that Pilate and others had no power over him other than what God allowed. Jesus knew who was in charge – And we need to understand that too. We will if we focus on the cross.
  • Be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves: Sometimes we think our role is to defend ourselves or to defend the church – it is one thing to make a positive case for Christ. It is a good thing to promote Christ when we have opportunity – "Be as shrewd as snakes."
  • But to make enemies is not our calling. To squash those we consider a threat is not our calling. "We are as innocent as doves."
  • Don’t worry – for God will let us know what to say. Really? Would you rather God write your speech or do you think you can do better. Focus on the cross and be determined that God will give the message that needs to be spoken. Don’t get anxious trying to find words to make everything better.

Dedication of Disciples

• A student is not above the teacher; a servant not above the master (10:26)
  1. What did you expect? Jesus is the head of this new household and it follows that the members of the household will face the same criticism and opposition he did.
  2. Culture is indifferent if not hostile to our beliefs. Why are we amazed? Maybe because we can remember a time when our values were supported by the culture around us? The culture held the church and Christian belief in high esteem. But somewhere along the way, somebody kicked loose the props that held the church so high and it came crashing down. Jesus says we shouldn’t be amazed at this. Rather, we should be amazed that we think we need those props and we should be ashamed when we fear losing them. We dare not coerce culture into serving us and we dare not dedicate ourselves to culture.
  3. Now, I realize it can be very frightening to leave the city behind and join Jesus on the garbage heap outside town where bandits and troublemakers are executed (Hebrews 13). The rules of our culture have changed and things we long assumed cannot be assumed. But don’t be afraid – after all, if we find ourselves betrayed and alienated, well it was like this for Jesus, and we the students will not have it any different than our teacher if we are focused on his cross …
• Look to the cross, the strength of his people was turned against Jesus. He was betrayed by his closest friends – men who were like brothers. Some of his family, his own countrymen turned against him. But he dedicated himself to God.
• Look to the cross, the power of a city – Jerusalem – was turned against him. The ruling councils and the religious authorities were so threatened by him that they poured out hate on him. But he dedicated himself to God.
• Look to the cross, the power of a nation – no, an empire – was unleashed on Jesus and he suffered the ultimate form of execution – crucifixion – the purpose of which is not simply to kill, but to humiliate and send a message that Rome is to be respected. Yet, Jesus remained dedicated to God.

• Don’t be afraid – Why?
  1. God will uncover everything – Know the truth for it wins out in the end.
  2. Only God has power over total destruction. All they can do is kill you physically – they have no power except what is given to them.
  3. God cares and will not forget you – He cares for all his creation, even cheap sparrows, and we are worth much more

If we focus daily on Jesus and his cross, we realize that most of the things we worry about are beyond our control. We need to focus our attention on our decision to take up the cross and follow him and stop letting our worries and doubts weaken our determination and our dedication. Focus on the cross and make that decision to be loyal to Christ and you will know such joy and peace that cannot be taken from you …

Decision of Disciple
Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me – 10:38
This has to do with priorities and loyalty. One has to make a decision to become a disciple. Dedication, devotion, loyalty – these are virtues that we are losing or if they remain at all they are misplaced.

• Because of the hostility the relationship of Christians with the world is described as a "sword," not peace. Something is cut and divided, decisions have to be made. Not because God is hostile. Not because we are hostile, but because of the spiritual turbulence of powers that resist the rule of Christ – the storm front.
  • Simply by wanting to do the right thing there is sometimes going to be hostility in a family, in a neighborhood, a city, or a nation.
  • Matthew was no doubt written to Jewish disciples who were cut off from their families because they decided to accept Jesus as Lord
  • It sounds like the stuff of third world nations and religious dictatorships – but we find it even in our own environment.
  • A husband or wife wants to serve God – wants to grow in God’s mercy but the husband or wife may take that personally because they are afraid or uncertain. It’s not going to be easy. Be determined and dedicated in your decision to follow Christ – do so with gentleness and respect – do not forsake Jesus.
  • An employee or a student who is dedicated to Christ may find moments of conflict when others will question you or challenge you because you are serious following Christ. Be determined and dedicated in your decision to follow Christ – but do so with gentleness and respect – do not forsake Jesus.

The temptation we have to avoid most of all is self-preservation. If we do that we lose …
Whoever finds his life loses it, whoever loses his life finds it – what other than Christ and his cross orders our life? What other than Christ and his cross do we confess? These other competing principles and powers are our teachers and we become disciples of these – but we lose our focus on the cross. And we cannot decide to be disciples of Christ and another.

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 19 September 2004

Making Disciples for Jesus Eager to Serve Others

Posted by Chris on September 12, 2004 under Sermons

Read Matt. 28:16-20
Imagine what it must have been like for the eleven as they met Jesus on that mountain and worshipped him and heard what we often call the Great Commission. The moment may be more profound than we realize. Not only for the majesty of it but also for the humility. Noticed that they worshipped – but some doubted. This group is still fresh from their betrayal and denial of Jesus. They were only hours earlier headed back to Galilee with broken dreams ready to pick up the pieces of the lives they left behind. This is still very new to them. They are uncertain what this means. This is the group that Jesus "entrusts" with the mission?
Of course we know that they did become his witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. We are here today because they did indeed go and make disciples. What enables this group to carry out that commission? How did they do it? Is there any hope for us that we might also be like them and make disciples?

Motivation: Why did they evangelize? Why so much energy and effort? What changed them from hopelessness to hope? They didn’t simply meditate on the great commission and decide they needed to act. They didn’t preach a few sermons on the topic to fire the church up. They didn’t have to give statistics about a lost and dying world to make comfy Christians feel guilty about pagans. They didn’t have to implement a new technique or program to do missions. So what did they do? How did they make disciples? If we are going to be true to our mission statement and the commission of Jesus to his disciples – including us – then I think there are two things important to us …

1. Notice that the core of the commission is to "Make Disciples"
      Making Disciples is a complex set of intentional activities and habits that is more akin to farming or education or running a government than it is to making a phone call, brushing your teeth, or preparing lunch. Making disciples involves whole persons and a community of faith in process and growing throughout generation to generation.
      If the work of making disciples were as simple as we often reduce it to then: 1) We would be doing it every day, and 2) the Bible would be much thinner. Paul’s letters are testaments to the work of making disciples. He is doing what Jesus instructed.
      Looking again at the text, notice that in this brief sentence we call the Great Commission, Jesus involves much more that some of our simple reductions (witness, proclamation, recruitment, mass media communication). Just follow the verbs …
      Make disciples – that’s the imperative or command. The going is incidental. "As you go on your way … make disciples." Of course it can be intentional and it should be – but the nature of the going reminds us that this is what we do and there isn’t a time we set aside for evangelism and then turn it off later. Our presence in the world is always redemptive and evangelistic. We are more than just those entrusted with God’s mission – we are the result of it too. In us people see the emerging Kingdom of God and being a disciple means being initiated into the kingdom (like citizenship process – you live in the land and are initiated into it)
      a) Baptizing – This verb is a participle. Here’s the initiation into the kingdom. Baptism is the new birth into the new way of kingdom life. But making a disciples doesn’t end with baptism …
      b) Teaching – Now how long does that take? Is this question even valid?
      Doesn’t it become clear that disciple-making calls us to reorder our lives and our common life together? Evangelism is not a wing or department of the church – it is the orientation of the church – it is our mission – or rather it is God’s mission to continue the establishment of his kingdom and we are caught up in it. This brings us to the second important item …

2. We make disciples for Jesus – but most importantly we do it with him!
      [A scene from the end of Schindler’s List … “How many more could I have saved?”] Let’s be honest. Talking about evangelism can make us nervous or guilty. We are always aware of how we are not doing enough. We might be concerned that God will be displeased because we didn’t do enough to save others. Often we get discouraged and we avoid the topic or turn evangelism over to a few specialized "evangelists" or missionaries and we say "It’s not my gift and I have to focus on other works."
      If anything should discourage us it is our short-sighted efforts to attempt evangelism ourselves. We either make evangelism the responsibility of a few individuals or every individual and that denies the role of community. Or if we regard it as the work of the church as a whole, we assume that disciple-making is a project Jesus left for us.
      But there is a part of the Great Commission that we have neglected. The Great Commission is bracketed by two all important statement that Jesus proclaims about himself. If we ignore them then the Great Commission becomes just another church program or it becomes mere church growth justification or member recruitment.
      First, Jesus claims all authority. This leads to the therefore that establishes the commission. Jesus isn’t passing the buck. He’s not delegating responsibility. He is taking responsibility and he is doing the work in us and through us.
      The early church never claimed that anything they did was by their own effort. They were witnesses to the work of God among them as it oozed out into the world. When they healed, it was Jesus healing. When they preached, it was Christ’s message.
      Second, Christ makes it clear that he’s not leaving this commission "up to us." "And behold (lo!) I am with you always even to the end of the age." That should fill us with joy, hope, and awe! It’s a good thing he threw the "Lo" in. We hardly use that word, but our equivalent would be "hey" or "look here." It’s an attention grabber.
      The disciples of Jesus do not make their own disciples – they make disciples for Jesus. (You can’t be a disciple of someone who is dead or gone). When it comes to making disciples we too often leave Jesus out of the process. When we think in terms of "US" and "THEM" and assume that our mission is to make more of "THEM" into some of "US." How then does Jesus factor into that?
      Now pay careful attention to this statement: We weren’t saved when we were added to the church; we were added to the church when Jesus saved us. The church is made up of the recipients of God’s grace and salvation. It grows because Jesus continues to save those who submit to his Lord ship. They are part of the church because we all continue in our journey of growing as disciples.

US-THEM is a 2-dimensional view of making disciples. We are going to need a 3-dimensional view. Let’s illustrate:

The two-dimensional view that neglects Jesus’ promise to be with us is a sort of "Kick Start" view of Evangelism … We need to get rid of this.

There is God and there is the World. God "kicks" off the mission be forming the church and then the church is left with the commission. Now the church – which is somewhere between God and the world – has to go out into the world and bring people in and as it does it grows larger. Notice that all God did was get the engine started.

If we take Christ’s promise that he is always with us seriously – and we should – then we get a three-dimensional view of evangelism and disciple-making that participates in God’s continuing mission to save a lost world …

There is God and the World – all of it including us. God has a mission to save this fallen world corrupted by sin and rebellion. He called Abraham. He sent the prophets to Israel and the other nations. He sent Jesus, his son, to save the world. Those who respond to God’s missional effort to draw near are gathered up into a relationship with him. It involves worship and discipleship. The relationship is a theme throughout the Bible – Jesus is God coming to us. We want to become more like him. We are his disciples. Those who live in worship and discipleship of the God who has a mission to save us become a visible expression of God’s Kingdom breaking into this world – God gathers them together and makes them one. They are sent to others to extend the welcome into the kingdom that they themselves have received. This sending from and gathering into the presence of Jesus is central to evangelism, mission, and disciple-making. It started with the eleven and continues to this day. For Christ is with us always – even to the end of the age!

Being a Disciple
      The implications of all of this are greater than we are going to discuss this morning. And that’s a given when we consider that making disciples and being a disciple is a life-long, generation to generation process. But if we consider how the early church made disciples as an outgrowth of their identity as disciples and – most importantly – because of the active power of God among them, then we see how important it is to be disciples if we are to make disciples.
      I don’t think we have to despair or grow nervous and guilty about making disciples if we have a sense – like the early church – that Jesus is among us. The early church experienced Jesus’ presence among them and it radically changed them …

• Jesus is present with them
• Their view of the world changed
• They lived differently
• They demonstrated love and unity
• They were empowered to serve others in Christ’s name

      Jesus is still with us and it ought to change who we are. Through us, let him change others so that as we commit to being disciples we naturally as an outgrowth make other disciples as we are empowered to do so by his power and presence.
      The goals we have set out for West-Ark as a church are more than just growth indicators. They are qualitative goals that flow from characteristics of living with Jesus in our midst as Lord. That’s what we will keep in mind over the next twelve weeks as we are …

• Focusing daily on Jesus and His cross
• Proclaiming a biblical worldview that is obedient to Christ
• Nurturing spiritual growth and transforming all into God’s holiness
• Increasing love and godly behavior
• Using spiritual gifts to glorify God

Conclusion: I love our mission statement. I think it expresses well the biblical sort of purpose that should drive our life together as a church and as individuals. Of course, if this missional purpose is going to be emblazoned on our character and community and not just our banner then we need to develop and dwell in the Holy Spirit and the disciplines of Christ. We need to organize our life (not consumer-oriented church programs) around values that keep the evangelistic purpose of our life together living, vital and meaningful.
      Do we act as if Jesus is with us? Or are we presumptuous? Do we think evangelism is all up to us? Are we self-centered? Are we lazy and inattentive? Hey, the Lord is here!

– I heard a story recently about a Russian Monastery that was dying and declining. The brothers were growing old, many had died. The villagers had stopped coming to visit the monastery. Young men were no longer interested in dedicated themselves to the monastic order. This decline led to worry and the loss of hope led to bitterness. In desperation the abbot went to visit an old hermit we had heard about. He hoped that the old man might have some wisdom. The abbot arrived after a long journey and explained their problem to the hermit. The hermit prayed for the abbot but said nothing more. The two men sat in silence for a very long time and the abbot patiently waited to hear some word of hope – a blessing, a prophecy, just something simple to try. Finally the abbot could abide the silence no longer and he begged the hermit for an answer. The hermit replied, “I’m sorry, but there really isn’t anything I have to tell you. I don’t know what the future holds for the monastery. I am sorry – oh, but there is this – I believe that the Messiah is in your midst.” The Messiah?, thought the abbot. Among us at the monastery. He rushed back and reported the unexpected news and the brothers began to question, “Who is it?” “Who among us is the Messiah?” Surely not Bro. Nicolaus, he gripes too much. Surely not Bro. Stavros he is so whiney. But what if …? And on it went. And in time as the brothers began to suppose that any one of them could be the Messiah, they began to treat each other with respect and kindness and love. That spirit extended into the village and rumors of the Messiah’s presence continued so that everyone began to wonder if their neighbor might be the Messiah. And though no one was ever identified as the Messiah, the monastery was thriving and the village was blessed and young men devoted themselves to the faith.

Since Jesus is with us always, then discipleship is on-going and it is everyday. It is not something for a special day or a special evening or a special program. It is the pulse of every moment lived in the kingdom of God.

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 12 September 2004

Final Words of the Last Words (2 Pet. 3:14-18)

Posted by Chris on September 5, 2004 under Sermons

Read the text – 2 Peter 3:14-18

Think about the word grace. What does it mean? In our church setting, we may define grace as God’s mercy, patience, and forgiveness. When we think about our Lord we may define grace as his sovereign authority. When we think of our sinfulness and his majesty, as in the old familiar tune Amazing Grace, we may define grace as a second chance and salvation.

Yet, grace has another familiar definition. Imagine that you are watching a gymnastics competition. Now what does grace mean? Imagine you are watching a dance recital, now what does grace mean? Imagine you are watching a football game and you see the running back move to catch the pass and dodge tackles to score a touchdown; now what does grace mean? In that context grace has to do with our ability to move and perform. It has to do with excellence and experience in action.

One simple word, grace, with two different definitions. However, in describing our relationship with God the two meanings of grace may not be all that different and distinct. In fact, God’s mercy, patience, and sovereign authority does have some connection with the way we move, perform, and grow as Christians. Peter recognizes that grace involves a cooperation of God’s saving power and his sure promises and our opportunity to participate in his divine nature. Thus, our two concepts of grace combine.

In the final words of Peter’s last word, he calls us to dwell in God’s grace. One way he describes it is to be found at peace with God.

Found at Peace with God – while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish

1. God is at work and his purpose is to bring about the new heaven and earth – the home of righteousness. The day of the Lord is coming and everything will be laid bare – it will be "found" by God. God is acting in grace as he both holds back and ushers in this change by his sovereign authority.
2. In the meantime, we live in anticipation of what God is going to do. His grace empowers our maturity as we move from faith to love. We live without spot and blemish because, by God’s grace, we strive to be more like him and to be what we shall be in the home of righteousness (participation in the divine nature).
3. This Peace with God is all about Relationship. We cannot make too much distinction between our part and God’s part in salvation. Our part in salvation puts no claim on God – our part is staying the course so we might grow in grace and knowledge. And salvation is entirely through God’s power and promise. There is a combining of God’s will and our life so that we will not make too much of a distinction between God’s grace and our actions. We are stable and secure when we understand that they have to do with one another.

We lose that stability when the relationship between God’s grace and our ability to live gracefully are separated. Separating these concepts creates a distortion.

The Distortion of Grace – There are some things in [Paul’s writings] hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures.

1. Paul uses the wisdom God gave him – as did the prophets and the apostles. Paul speaks from a truth and power greater than himself.
2. But Paul’s teaching (like all biblical teaching) can be twisted by those interested only in justifying their self-centered interests:
   • Using Paul’s teaching on freedom from law as a license for freedom from morals – The abuse and distortion of grace!

Common Distortion 1 – God is merciful and gracious, but we act as if that grace has no implication for how we live.
Mistaking God’s Grace for License: D.A. Carson, professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School used to meet with a man from French West Africa to practice German. He got to know the man and learned that his wife was in London training to be a doctor. He was a student in engineering and needed to learn German to pursue studies in Germany. Once a week the man visited the red-light district and paid for a relationship with a woman. Carson asked the man what he would do if his wife did something like that. "I’d kill her," he replied. Isn’t that a bit of a double standard?" asked Carson. The man said, "In my culture, the man has the right to sleep with many women, but the unfaithful wife is killed." Carson replied, "You told me you were raised in a mission school – you know the God of the Bible does not have double standards." The man smiled and said "Ah, God is good. He’s bound to forgive us; that’s His job."

• Some believe that God has provided a system for dealing with our proclivity to sin. We sin first and ask forgiveness later. We just assume we will sin, so we don’t try to do better. "After I sin, I just ask for forgiveness." Our dilemma is – "What if you don’t have time to say your prayer? What if you die in your sins?" Grace is not a legal loophole in God’s system of judgment. It is not a matter of simply saying the right words; it is the beginning of a new life!

Common Distortion 2 – We feel the burden of living without spot and blemish, but have no hope or trust in God’s grace and his empowerment of that life. So we act in fear and resentment. We become religious people who act spiteful and bitter. There is no joy in Christian living

• How Green Was My Valley: Walter Pidgeon plays Mr. Gruyffd, the preacher for a church in a small Welsh coal-mining town. He had always dreamed of conquering the world with truth in order to liberate mankind. Instead he is ousted by the more influential members of the church based on nothing more than rumor and gossip. Rather than confronting him, they cowardly refuse to say anything, but will hold their meeting to end his service shortly after his sermon. Blaming himself as well as them for their hypocrisy, Gruffyd gives them an opportunity to accuse him. When they do not, he has stern words for them. "Only a few of you understood. The rest of you put on black and sat in chapel. Why do you come here? Why do you dress your hypocrisy in black and parade before your God on Sunday? From love? No! For you’ve shown that you hearts are too withered to receive the love of your divine Father. I know why you’ve come. I’ve seen it in your faces Sunday after Sunday as I’ve stood here before you. Fear has brought you here – horrible, superstitious fear. Fear of divine retribution. A bolt of fire from the skies. The vengeance of Lord and the justice of God. But you have forgotten the love of Jesus. You disregard his sacrifice."

Stability – since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Peter began his message by reminding the church of God’s Power for godly living and the promises God gives that confirms righteousness. This encourages us to walk the certain path of godly living …

 1:10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, ¹¹and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
3:17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.

Grace as God’s power and authority and as our ability to walk rightly is stability. We grow in this grace …
Grace– the hope of doing well and becoming more. What we might become depends on his Amazing Grace because it is greater than our greatness and it is greater than our sin.

To Him belongs Glory (the transfiguration) = He is king and judge.
Both now – He is already glorified this is past tense.
And on the Day of eternity – it is a hope for the future; He is coming back.
So in the meantime grow – in His grace and knowledge.