The Lord Knows What He Is Doing — Even When You Do Not

Posted by David on May 21, 2006 under Sermons

Acts 8:1-3
Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.

Acts 9:1-19
Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; and he took food and was strengthened.

For almost all of us, life takes some very unexpected twists and turns. We think we have the present figured out only to confront an unexpected turn in life and have nothing figured out. We think we are prepared for the future and life takes a twist. The twist changes our future and we feel alarmingly unprepared. It is amazing how we can feel good about our lives and something happen that turns our lives completely around headed in a direction totally strange to us.

1. Consider Saul (also known as Paul) as an example.
   1. His family sent him from Tarsus to Jerusalem at an early age to prepare for life by being a devout Jew. (Acts 22:3)
   2. Though he was not born in Palestine, he was conservative as a Jewish theologian, he spoke the language of the Jews in Palestine (Acts 21:40), and was accepted to study as a student under the finest Rabbi of his day, Gamaliel. (Acts 22:3)
      1. He was among the most advanced students of his day. (Galatians 1:13)
      2. He was quite zealous in his beliefs and devoted to the Jewish traditions. (Galatians 1:13)
   3. If ever a man knew he was right and was dedicated to his convictions, Paul was that man.
      1. There were certain things Paul knew beyond doubt or question.
      2. He knew God would work primarily through the people of Israel.
      3. He knew any threat to the nation of Israel was a threat against God’s work.
      4. He knew that Jews believing in Jesus’ resurrection and Messiahship was a serious internal threat to the people of Israel.
      5. He knew that the most important way to defend God’s work was to bring an end to people who believed in Jesus as the Christ.
      6. If that meant arresting, imprisoning, and killing Jewish brothers and sisters, that was okay.
   4. At this point in his life, if anyone told Saul/Paul:
      1. He would become the leading proponent of Christianity.
      2. He would work among the gentiles principally as Christ’s apostle to the gentiles.
      3. His primary work among Jewish believers would be trying to get Jewish believers to accept gentile believers.
      4. Never, never, never would he have believed or accepted any of that.

2. What did Paul understand that completely turned his life around?
   1. He certainly understood that Jesus was factually raised from the dead–that was the first thing he understood on the Damascus Road.
   2. He certainly understood that Jesus was the Messiah the Jews had anticipated for centuries.
      1. In his own defense before Agrippa, he said he was told these things by Jesus:
         Acts 26:14-19 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’ So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision …
   3. I submit to you that Paul saw and understood something else.
      1. It was not something newly discovered, but something newly understood.
      2. He realized that God’s intention from the beginning was universal–it was to save all people.
      3. He realized that Israel was only a vehicle God used to achieve his purpose, not a destination for God’s purpose.
      4. There was lots of reason for that understanding:
         1. To Abraham, God said:
            Genesis 12:3 “And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
            Genesis 22:18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
         2. To Isaac, God said:
            Genesis 26:4 I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed
         3. To Jacob, God said:
            Genesis 28:14 Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
         4. Centuries later Paul wrote to the congregations in Galatia:
            Galatians 3:8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.”

3. To make a point, let me share with you one of the most horrible experiences I have endured in my life to this time.
   1. A few months after we returned from West Africa in 1974, I had a serious case of reverse culture shock.
      1. Reverse culture shock is basically a reaction to your own culture to which you return.
         1. You feel like you do not fit in your culture, that you do not belong in your own country, and that your life is irrelevant to your work and your context for living.
         2. There is an overwhelming feeling of unimportance and insignificance.
         3. You feel undeserving of everything and wish to withdraw from life.
         4. You are scared and feel like there is no direction your life can take that will be important again.
         5. While I never felt suicidal, I often thought of how much better off my family and the church would be if I did not even exist.
      2. To give you some idea of how severe this situation was, let me share some very clear memories with you.
         1. It happened on a Sunday evening just before evening assembly.
         2. It was so obvious that something was wrong that an elder who was a close personal friend asked me, “Is something wrong? Is something going on?”
         3. In the space of one hour, I had severe stage fright, was extremely scared, and did not wish to be around people.
      3. The severe aspect of this experience lasted about three months.
         1. I was so depressed that it amazes me that Joyce would be around me.
         2. I withdrew in every way I could.
         3. There were some days I went to the church building in the morning and could not place my hand on the door to go in.
         4. I literally remember being in the pulpit once and consciously deciding whether to continue or whether to walk out the door and disappear.
      4. In no way would I ever wish to endure that experience again!
         1. I would not willingly go back to it under any condition I have experienced.
         2. Yet, I am happy I had the experience.
         3. I could not count the number of times that experience had been of help to others who were discouraged.
         4. I am delighted with the ways it equipped me, but I would not wish to endure it again.

4. I am not comparing myself to Paul–there is no comparison, but I am confident that Paul would tell you if he could that he never wished to endure the Damascus Road experience again.
   1. That experience made a man who thought that he was committed to God and was right realize that he had not been committed to God and was horribly mistaken.
      1. Instantly he knew he had helped kill people who were devoted to God, people who had understanding and faith.
      2. Instantly he knew that his faith was founded on his knowledge and not his God.
      3. Instantly he realized he had substituted his understanding for God’s purposes.
      4. Instantly he knew he was horribly wrong.
      5. Instantly a very independent man became a truly humbled, helpless man–he who doubted nothing for three days became a man who deeply doubted himself
   2. This man who was truly an expert in Judaism by training was selected by the resurrected Jesus himself to be Jesus’ principal messenger to people who were not Jews.
      1. How ironic!
      2. The man who wanted nothing to do with people who refused to be Jewish proselytes became the man who in kindness, sacrifice, and patience sought to lead idol worshippers to Jesus!

5. Let me call your attention to some important lessons.
   1. Lesson one: realize all physical miracles are temporary.
      1. Every person Jesus fed was hungry again–the next day!
      2. Every sick person Jesus healed came to the end of physical life eventually.
      3. Every dead person Jesus raised from the dead died again.
      4. In Jesus seek much more than the temporary and follow him for a greater reason than “what you can do for me right now”
   2. Lesson two: never forget that God can teach us great lessons through bad experiences.
      1. Bad experiences do not mean God has abandoned us.
      2. The only way truly to understand that God is bigger than evil is to place your confidence in God as you endure a bad experience.
      3. Some critical lessons in being God’s person can not be taught if we have only good experiences.
   3. Lesson three: some of the most important lessons God ever will teach you will be through your bad experiences.
      1. The most powerful testimony for Jesus Christ you will ever give to struggling people will be in the context of “been there and done that.”
      2. If we are genuinely sincere about calling people out of worldliness into Jesus Christ, we must relate to the people we call.
         1. We cannot be a people who have never experienced hardship.
         2. We must be a people who know what struggle is about.
         3. People will not be impressed with a Savior who refuses to involve himself in human struggles.
         4. People will be impressed with a Savior who is not afraid of human struggle and leads people through human struggle.
         5. If you want God to make maximum use of you in this world, (a) accept hardships and (b) never stop learning from your bad experiences.

Paul would tell you God can forgive any sin you can repent of. He would also tell you it is always possible to begin again.

1 Timothy 1:12-16 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

Will you let Christ minister to you?

Why Would Anyone Endure So Much?

Posted by David on May 18, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

From a materialistic perspective, Paul went from “having it made” to “losing everything.” Before he became a Christian, he walked with the powerful. After he became a Christian, he walked with the outcasts and oppressed. Yet, his attitude of compassion and gratitude was amazing. Though he suffered much, he never stopped rejoicing!

Consider his encouragements to the congregation in Thessalonica: For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed-God is witness-nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority. But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. (1 Thessalonians 2:5-8)

Listen to his words when God refused to give him relief: Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me-to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

Why did Paul accept enormous loss? (1) He appreciated God’s forgiveness. (2) He valued what God did in Jesus Christ. (3) He wanted to be part of the eternal.

Why do you endure suffering in order to belong to Jesus Christ?

Your Kingdom Come

Posted by David on May 14, 2006 under Sermons

Daniel 2:13-45 So the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they looked for Daniel and his friends to kill them. Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king’s bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon; he said to Arioch, the king’s commander, “For what reason is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king. Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter, so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven; Daniel said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. “It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him. “To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, For You have given me wisdom and power; Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You, For You have made known to us the king’s matter.” Therefore, Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and spoke to him as follows: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon! Take me into the king’s presence, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.” Then Arioch hurriedly brought Daniel into the king’s presence and spoke to him as follows: “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known to the king!” The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days. This was your dream and the visions in your mind while on your bed. As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future; and He who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place. But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living man, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind. You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. This was the dream; now we will tell its interpretation before the king. You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory; and wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold. After you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth. Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery. In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

This nation [U.S.A.] is not eternal. No nation, no empire, no form of human political control has been eternal. The person who places his or her hope on making any political situation permanent places his or her hope on that which is certain to cease to exist.

I love this nation. I love the freedoms it gives us. I love the lifestyle it makes possible. We are richly blessed because this nation exists.

Yet, as much as I love this nation, I know it is not permanent. There was a time when we were protected by the oceans on our east and west coast. That time no longer exists. There was a time when we were protected by our enormous wealth. That time no longer exists. There was a time when we were protected by our superior technology. That time no longer exists. There was a time when there were many more people in the world who loved us rather than hated us. That time may no longer exist.

As good as things are in this nation, it is not eternal. While this is certainly no prophecy, the time will come [if time continues] when this nation no longer exists as a nation in a form that we recognize and appreciate. I have no idea when that will be, but it will be.

1. If we look back, we can see the truth of the future in realities of the past.
   1. I have no doubt that it came as quite a shock to King Nebuchadnezzar that there would be a future in which the Babylonian Empire not only did not exist, but was an unknown except for historical reference.
      1. After all, he was the king of kings, and there was no one who could rival or challenge his empire!
      2. He controlled the known civilized world of his time!
         1. He had his ups and downs.
         2. Yet, in the end he triumphed.
      3. With all his considerable accomplishments, the time came when his empire ceased to exist.
   2. His capital of his empire was in the region we now call Iraq.
      1. Ask the men who now rotate out of that area about the poverty of the people.
      2. The area that was once magnificent beyond our imagination is magnificent no longer.
      3. I can surely understand how Nebuchadnezzar in the height of his power could look over his incredible city and think to himself, “We will be great and powerful forever!”
      4. That city which was once an invincible double walled wonder is now a pile of sand.

2. When people of the ancient world including the New Testament world thought of kingdoms, they thought in terms of a great empire that exercised unquestionable control over a large region through the leadership of an incredible king.
   1. People thought of:
      1. Magnificent capital cities.
      2. Large regions of geography.
      3. Rule by control that was enforced by power.
      4. Invincible, well-equipped armies.
   2. Yet, people’s thoughts of “kingdom” were not God’s thoughts of kingdom.
      1. God would establish a kingdom.
      2. However, God’s kingdom:
         1. Would have no magnificent capital.
         2. Would not be measured in geographical terms.
         3. Would not be ruled by the power of control.
         4. Would have no army.
         5. Would be eternal.
   3. I want you to listen to some scriptures that most of you know well.
      1. The first was given by Jesus when he taught his Jewish audience how to pray correctly.
         Matthew 6:8-10 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
      2. The second declared the core of John the Baptist’s message.
         Matthew 3:2 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
      3. The third declared the core of Jesus’ message when he began his ministry.
         Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
   4. Question:
      1. Obviously, the first century Jewish audiences heard God’s kingdom is close often in John the Baptist’s messages and in Jesus’ messages.
         Matthew 4:23 Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
         Matthew 10:7 [the limited commission] And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
         Luke 10:8,9 [the sending out of the 70] Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
         Mark 1:14,15 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
         Luke 11:19,20 And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? So they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
         Luke 21:31 So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.
      2. The question: When a Jewish audience heard the words the kingdom of God, what did they think?
         1. Did they think, “God is going to run these awful Roman troops out of our country and put us in control again.”
         2. Or, did they think what God thought [the unthinkable to the majority of Jews] “God is going to rule all people again, including those gentiles.”
         3. With the events that happened, it is pretty obvious that they did not think what God thought.

3. When you hear the word “church,” what do you hear?
   1. Do you think:
      1. Human theology?
      2. Human tradition?
      3. Human behavior?
      4. God through inspired writers sent messages to many first century congregations.
      5. Was God’s primary emphasis on theology, on the way things are done, or on the way Christians behave?
      6. Stated in another way, is the primary focus of the kingdom of God on Christian theology, on Christian procedures, or on Christian conduct?
   2. When you hear the word “church,” do you hear “the kingdom of God”?
      1. When you hear “the kingdom of God” do you hear control by exerting power?
      2. Or, when you hear “the kingdom of God” do you hear God governing by the compassion of forgiveness?

In forgiveness there is peace and hope. In control there is suffocation and defeat.

A Matter of Spiritual Maturity

Posted by David on May 11, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Ephesians 4:20-24)

Acts 2:37 is Luke’s record of the response of Jews who were not Christians realizing they abandoned the Messiah. Ephesians 4:20-24 is Paul’s declaration to gentile Christians. The first had not yet become Christians. The second had been Christians for a while.

Those who were not Christians reacted in terror when they realized they abandoned God’s Messiah. The Christians were to accept the responsibility of their privilege.

The fear of terror is not to be confused with the reverence of faith. Both proceed from a profound sense of awe. Yet, the first proceeds from an understanding. The second proceeds from a sense of gratitude. The immature are terrified. The mature are grateful. To oppose God is terrifying. To be blessed by God fills the person with gratitude.

Terror in anticipation of punishment is insufficient to sustain a lifetime of devotion. Even the finest people get weary of terror and eventually rebel. Gratitude sustains a lifetime of devotion. Time makes gratitude deeper, richer. He or she who is grateful only becomes more grateful as the sense of privilege deepens.

It is one thing to stand helplessly in a sense of need generated by acknowledged failure. It is quite another to accept the responsibility of privilege. Being in Christ is being a new creature. New creatures exist by God’s forgiveness through Christ Jesus. Realizing what God did and does for us in Christ produces gratitude. Gratitude produces responsibility.

It is grossly insufficient merely to say, “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord!” It is only appropriate for new creatures to live and act like new creatures. Knowing Jesus’ identity does not terrify you before God. Knowing Jesus’ identity makes you willingly responsible to live and act like the forgiven person God made you.

Thus, new creatures do not deceive. They get over anger quickly. Instead of exploiting people, they help people. They speak as godly people when they talk instead of speaking crudely as the ungodly. People are encouraged by their words instead of being discouraged. They are committed to encouraging the work of God’s Spirit within them instead of causing God’s Spirit grief. They refuse to be ruled by negative, ungodly emotions. Instead they want God’s forgiveness to make their hearts tender.

Do you serve God in failure’s terror or gratitude’s responsibility? It’s a matter of spiritual maturity.

Because of Hope, We Endure

Posted by David on May 4, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Ask John Paul Hundley how fragile life is. Be prepared for a long talk. His unexpected need for by-pass surgery recently powerfully reminded him that life is very fragile. The lessons he learned from that experience combined with the lessons he remembered serve as the basis of much of his mission effort now.

Life changes, sometimes quickly. It is amazing how quickly a health problem or a death can alter life irreversibly. One moment you are confident about your future as you think you are in full control. The next moment those plans are impossible and look ridiculous.

Consider some of our arrogant presumptions.

Jesus once said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). Life has two primary banks that receive deposits. Be careful about which you select to receive your deposits. One pays interest only during the years of physical existence. One pays its dividends after death.

How much would the price of gasoline have to rise to alter your job/career dramatically? How much would the price of natural gas have to increase to make the temperature in your home fall or cause you to take cooler showers or baths? How scarce would water have to be for you to return to a single bathroom? How expensive would electricity have to be before we unplugged many of our technological advances?

When we place our trust in the physical, life becomes more uncertain the longer we live. When we are young, we are easily deceived. Too commonly life is summed up in the words, “If I only had …” Then the day comes when we say, “If I could only do …” Then comes the time when we know having is meaningless and doing is pointless. Is it not fascinating to realize that advertisements concerning the “golden years” seek to explain what we are missing by using situations we never had?

God informs us existence in this world is not what He intended. He also informs us that a life is coming that is what He intends. As certain as God exists, He assures us that existence exists! He assures us that this delightful, secure existence is worth the investment of this imperfect, insecure existence. We make this existence imperfect and insecure! He will make that existence delightful and secure!

Praying on a Bad Day

Posted by David on April 27, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

Hebrews 5:7 In the days of His flesh [speaking of Jesus], He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.

Most Christians enjoy praying on a good day. We enjoy thanking God for blessings we see and glorifying Him for kindnesses obviously surrounding us. To the Christian, it is a real pleasure to say, “Thank you!” to God when life is wonderful and going our way.

However, praying to God on a bad day is an entirely different story. While the Christian is glad God is there to pray to on a bad day, it is much more difficult to see blessings on a bad day than on a good day. Yet, I suspect all of us have had bad days and prayed the following prayer in some form on those days.

“Lord, this is a horrible day. I am so shook up all I feel is anxiety! If something could go wrong, it has gone wrong. I feel awful! I am so discouraged and feel so blah! I feel like there is one knight fighting ten dragons, and I am that knight. My Christian armor may be protecting me, but it is getting uncomfortably hot in here.

“Most of the time my life flies by, but this bad day seems to be dragging on forever. I surely wish this bad day would come to a conclusion, and I could start fresh with a good day tomorrow-could you do that for me? God, I know You are there, but I surely have trouble seeing You. This bad day makes everything so dark I just do not see You at work as I did day before yesterday when everything was going great.

“Father, help me feel Your presence. Things are so bad I do not even know what to ask to make the day better. Just be close enough to me that I can sense Your presence, and-please-help this bad day come to an end.”

Everyone has bad days. Jesus had Gethsemane. Paul had the Damascus Road. Stephen was stoned to death. Out of Jesus’ “bad day,” God made a Savior. Out of Paul’s “bad day,” God made an apostle to the Gentiles. Out of Stephen’s “bad day,” God made a martyr whose faith encourages us 2000 years after his death.

Wonder what God will make out of your bad day? He is able to take your bad day and fashion it into something incredible and unbelievable-just like He made a Savior, an apostle, and an example from bad days. However, there is a price! The price is the faith of surrender. When we have the faith of surrender, God can fashion the incredible from our bad days.

Do not ask God to end your bad day. Ask God to use your bad day for His purposes. Then God can turn our bad days into salvation days.

Repentance (part 4)

Posted by David on April 23, 2006 under Sermons

Luke 15:1-32 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So He told them this parable, saying, “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” And He said, “A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.” ‘ So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate. Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.'”

Tonight I am going to challenge you to think. As always, I do not ask you to agree, but I do ask you to think about something that you likely thought you had all figured out. I certainly did!

We will start by looking at the text in Luke. You will need a Bible, so use yours or use one of the pew Bibles. We will begin by turning to Luke 13.

1. I want to note that Luke 13 begins a section in this gospel in which the Pharisee’s perspective on God’s thinking is contrasted with Jesus’ teachings about God’s perspective.
   1. Look at Luke 13:31.
      1. The Pharisees said to Jesus, “Leave this area–you are causing this area to come under the scrutiny from the authorities, and we do not need that!”
      2. Jesus responded, “The authorities are not concerned about the spiritual well being of Jerusalem!”
         1. “I will leave, but it is because it is not yet time for me to die.”
         2. “The salvation of Jerusalem does not depend on my physical presence or absence–it depends on understanding my teachings.”
         3. “I want to spare Jerusalem, but Jerusalem does not want to be spared.”
         4. “Tragedy in Jerusalem is inevitable!”
      3. Note the contrast:
         1. The Pharisees: “Jerusalem will be secured by your physical absence!”
         2. Jesus: “Jerusalem will be secured by listening to me!”
   2. Look at 14:1
      1. Jesus was eating (by invitation) in the home of one of the leading Pharisees (members of the elite Jerusalem Sanhedrin).
      2. He was watched closely to observe his actions (likely to be criticized).
      3. Jesus’ question: “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
      4. They would not answer, so he healed a sick man present and sent him away.
      5. He asked, “Is it okay to help an animal on the Sabbath (but not a person)?”
      6. Note the contrast:
         1. The Pharisees view: “Wait until the day after the Sabbath to heal.”
         2. Jesus’ view: “Do good when the opportunity presents itself–even if it is the Sabbath.”
      7. That event is followed by a series of parables and teachings.
   3. Look at 15:1,2.
      1. The grumbling of the Pharisees and scribes is the preface (context) of these three well known parables.
         1. What Jesus taught had a powerful appeal to the worst of the worst: the tax collectors and the sinners.
         2. The tax collectors were regarded as traitors and thieves.
         3. The sinners were people everyone knew to be evil people engaged in wicked practices.
      2. From the perspective of these religious leaders in Israel, Jesus was appealing to and associating with the wrong kind of people.
         1. People would get the wrong impression of God if Jesus appealed to people who did not belong to God.
         2. Jesus discredited himself and his teachings because of the kind of people he appealed to and associated with.

2. In response to the Pharisees and scribes grumbling about his appealing to and associating with the wrong kind of people, Jesus told three parables based on some commonly understood realities of life.
   1. The three parables are likely quite familiar to most of you.
      1. The parable of the lost sheep.
      2. The parable of the lost coin.
      3. The parable of the lost son and older brother.
   2. Typically speaking, we look at each of those parables from our American perspective.
      1. We interpret each of them as though they happened in this country and this culture with our values.
      2. We even make the points of the parable and the lessons to be taught as though the parable occurred in this country in our world of today.
      3. We take the act of repentance to be centered exclusively in human acts–the focus is entirely on what we do to repent.
         1. That is an interesting way to approach the parables since few of us are shepherds and never have had a shepherding lifestyle, few of us have a headdress of coins that may have been part of a dowry, and few of us have been a middle eastern father.
         2. Our way of approaching the parables has nothing to do with the culture or setting in which they were given.
            1. Our view of the parables and their lessons are distinctly different from their view of those parables.
            2. That means the lessons they heard and the lessons we hear are not the same lessons.

3. Here is where I want to challenge you to think: what if the three parables are about God’s involvement in repentance instead of our acts of repentance?
   1. What if the basic point of all three parables is the same: God is actively involved in the human response of repentance?
      1. What if the parables are about God’s involvement in repentance instead of the human act of repenting?
      2. That would be contrary to our whole philosophy of salvation.
         1. Salvation primarily rests on us–we basically save ourselves through acts of human obedience.
         2. Too many of us have little place for God’s actions in the salvation process.
         3. In theory we say God is involved, but for many of us we doubt God’s active involvement.
   2. Allow me to call your attention to some facts.
      1. First, consider the parable of the lost sheep.
         1. The sheep was lost because it simply was not paying attention to where it was in reference to the shepherd and the flock.
         2. The shepherd secured the 99 sheep and searched for the lost sheep.
         3. The shepherd found the lost sheep; it did not come wandering back to the security of the fold.
         4. The shepherd carried the lost sheep back to the fold–he did not even make it walk to pay for its “stupid” mistakes!
         5. Who was responsible for ending the ‘lostness’ of the lost sheep–the shepherd or the sheep? Who was actively involved in the recovery?
      2. Second, consider the parable of the lost coin.
         1. That concept is so foreign to most of us we do not even relate to it.
         2. The lost coin had a sentimental value to the lady.
         3. She searched for it.
         4. She found it.
         5. Did the lost coin cease to be lost because of the actions of the lady or the actions of the coin?
      3. Third, consider the parable of the prodigal son and his older brother.
         1. When the younger son wished to go, what did the father do?
         2. When the son returned, how did the father react?
         3. When the returning son expressed the willingness to be a slave, how did the father react?
         4. Did the older brother think the father’s actions were proper?
   3. Consider some additional facts:
      1. The sheep was found because it was of value to the shepherd.
      2. The coin was found because it had value to the lady.
      3. The father acted in ways that were totally unacceptable in any middle eastern society because the son had value to the father.
         1. The son insulted the father by leaving, but the father refused to react to the insult.
         2. The son insulted his entire family by the way he lived in exile, but the father refused to react to the insult.
         3. The father should not have run to the son, rewarded the son, given a feast for a son who insulted him.
         4. The father’s actions made no sense to the older brother–to him it seemed the father was rewarding evil behavior.
   4. The contrast continued:
      1. The Pharisees’ and society’s view: the son should be regarded as dead to the father because he insulted his father and his family.
      2. Jesus’ view: The son continued to have value to the father.
      3. The lesson: God rejoiced in the interest of the tax collectors and sinners, and would willingly forgive them.
   5. This same kind of contrast is seen in 16:14, Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him.
      1. Let me paraphrase this whole section in these words.
      2. The Pharisees: “You cannot be serious about that! That is not the way God does things! That is not what God wants!”
      3. Jesus: “I am very serious! This is exactly what God wants! I see things exactly as God sees them–He told me what to say!”
      4. To most of us, that should be a frightening perspective!

Thank God He is a God of grace! Thank God He knows our motives! Thank God His forgiveness is continuous! May He give us the courage and strength to be a people who repent!

Reveal Yourself!

Posted by David on April 20, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

At this time in Jesus’ ministry, He was quite popular with the Jewish masses and quite unpopular with the Jewish leadership. His miracles and his teachings declared to the masses, “You are important to God. God cares about you!” That was a message the poor masses had not heard for a long time. There is a lot of difference in the messages, “The reason you suffer is because God opposes you!” and, “God cares about you!”

However, the same miracles and teachings threatened the Jewish leadership. The controlling influence in that leadership became much more political than spiritual. The controlling force seemed much more concerned about maintaining their position instead of pursuing God’s will. When Jesus did something, they were more likely to think about the cost to them rather than the potential of actualizing God’s will.

The situation was so tense and stressful that Jesus had to confine his activities to the region of Galilee. He could no longer be in the area of Jerusalem because in that area there was a known plan to kill him. Having people who want you dead is stressful!

Sibling rivalry can be quite cruel! Few things are as distressful as having people who should know and love you but despise you! Jesus’ brothers seemed to resent Jesus’ popularity. Knowing the desire of some to kill him, they urged him to go to Jerusalem-the most dangerous of all situations for him! They urged him to ?go public’ for the sake of his disciples! At this time his brothers resented him rather than believed in him. Their recommendation risked his life!

Jesus refused to go with them to a Jewish national feast because it was not time for him to die. He knew the threat involved in his going to Jerusalem and openly defying the Jewish authorities. He knew this was not the way to accomplish God’s purposes.

Do we exist to accomplish God’s purposes or to achieve our own agendas? Do the ways we behave and the attitudes we reflect bring honor to Jesus or cause people to resent Jesus? Do we resent Jesus when he is not in agreement with us, or do we trust him to guide us to God? The actions of faith are quite distinct from the actions of grudging compliance!

Help Jesus be a force for life instead of a force for death!

Repentance (part 3)

Posted by David on April 16, 2006 under Sermons

Romans 5:1-11 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

1. If Christ had not died for us, each of us would be in an extremely awkward (impossible) position.
   1. Speaking for myself, life would be running out quickly.
      1. What I was capable of doing would lie primarily in my past.
      2. When your past 65, what you have to offer society diminishes very quickly.
      3. For many of us, opportunity begins to vanish rather quickly long before 65.
      4. No matter what you think of yourself or your abilities, there would not be many options for using yourself.
   2. If for some reason I believed in God but Jesus Christ had not died for me, I could not be in a relationship of peace with God.
      1. As I saw the physical realities of life coming to a close, I would be filled with anxiety rather an expectation.
      2. There would not be a way to make my life longer.
      3. Yet, there would be a certain understanding that my life was mostly over and I could not productively expand it.
      4. Even if I were confident God existed, the prospect of meeting Him would increase my anxiety instead of giving me hope.

2. Because Jesus Christ died for me, I can repent and through repentance let God redirect my life.
   1. However, there is a problem with repenting we have never faced and rarely discuss.
      1. There are at least six situations that confront repentance [and I have no doubt that some of these could be properly subdivided].
         1. There is the adult who knowingly lived a wicked life and brings that wicked life to God in repentance.
         2. There is the adult who has lived a good moral life, but has never been a Christian.
         3. There is the child who is growing up in a home that never worships and is in no way religious.
         4. There is the child who is growing up in an abusive situation–physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect abuse–and knows evil at a very early age.
         5. There is the child who is growing up in a home that goes through the religious motions, but has little relationship with God.
         6. There is the child who grows up in a genuinely godly home with a mother and father who in genuine honesty is devoted to God.
      2. Those are radically different situations.
         1. Repenting means something quite different in each situation.
            1. The situation of the person who lived a wicked life and the person who lived a good moral life have little in common. Both need Jesus, but their repentance needs are quite different.
            2. The situation of the child who develops in a home that “goes through the religious motions” and the child who has been abused is quite different–their repentance needs are quite different.
            3. The repentance needs of a child who is blessed with a godly environment and examples is different in significant ways from all the other situations.
         2. They all need Jesus, but their needs are quite different.
            1. God loves everyone of them, and none more than the other.
            2. God wants a relationship with each of them.
            3. Yet, their repentance needs are distinctly different in becoming a Christian [I am discussing conversion repentance].
            4. The same [identical] repentance message will not fit all those situations.
            5. For every person in every situation, repentance needs to be real life and personally meaningful, not merely hypothetical or theologically based in abstract concepts that are not meaningful to the person.
   2. To me, the situation becomes more complex as we look at scripture.
      1. Every case of conversion in the New Testament is a first generation conversion.
         1. Whether Jew or gentile, the people who came to Christ were the first people in their families to be Christian.
         2. All the New Testament congregations, as far as we know, were composed of first generation Christians.
         3. The New Testament says nothing about people who became Christians in the second or third generations–we cannot give book, chapter, and verse because there are none.
         4. What happened when a person who grew up in a godly home with devoutly Christian parents chose to become a Christian? How did he or she repent?
      2. There are some situations that we understand what needs to happen when a person repents.
         1. We understand what needs to happen when a person turns from a Christless religion to a Christ centered life and community of Christians.
         2. We understand what needs to happen when a person turns from an evil lifestyle to a godly lifestyle.
      3. However, some situations that are not so clear.
         1. For example, if a child grows up in a godly environment as a sincere, God focused child, what needs to happen when that child repents?
         2. How is there to be a redirection of life when you grow up in a home that is focused on godly living?
         3. When a person needs to continue his or her past focus, what is involved in conversion repentance?
      4. We might be tempted to ignore the situation by saying, “It does not matter–it is not something to be concerned about.”
         1. Yet, it does matter, and it is something to be concerned about.
         2. There is an existing segment in most Christ centered congregations who have never knowingly or willingly repented but declare themselves Christians.
            1. Some in that situation are filled with guilt and do not consider God’s promises concerning forgiveness and its blessings as applying to them.
            2. Some in that situation are totally apathetic and are quite content to go through the motions of coming to church as they “play religion.”
            3. Most any preacher or any eldership will acknowledge that much of the church’s time and ministry focuses [in some way] on those two groups.
            4. I am not saying ministering to such people is a meaningless effort; I am saying that is an unnecessary problem.

3. It seems to me that biblical repentance must involve (1) a redirection of life for those who need redirection and (2) a commitment to redirection as the person lives in Christ.
   1. Surely we do not want to redirect the lives of people who are moving to God.
      1. Such people need encouragement to continue living for godly values and purposes.
         1. We do not wish to discourage such focus.
         2. We want to encourage such focus.
      2. Just as certainly we want to encourage those who need to redirect life to do so.
         1. People who need to change focus need to be challenged to change focus!
         2. Those who do not understand that belonging to Christ includes allowing Christ to define our purpose of life and the lifestyle we need must clearly understand that.
         3. Being a Christian does not involve living as you please.
   2. We need to do a much improved job of helping people understand what repentance is.
      1. It is NOT a one time act that only occurs in conversion.
      2. It IS a lifetime commitment to a constant redirection of life toward God and His purposes and ways.
      3. Repentance begins as a part of conversion, but it continues throughout the life of the person in Christ.
   3. We need to do a much improved job of making repentance relevant to each person’s need or situation.
      1. We all need to repent.
      2. Repentance should be at the core of who we are in Christ.
      3. However, the focus of repentance for the person who has behaved in a manner that cooperates with evil and repentance for a person who is the product of a godly environment may take very different forms.
         1. If what we call repentance makes us arrogant because “I don’t do that,” then what we call repentance defeats the Christian attitude.
         2. Repentance should increase our humility, not make us judges.
   4. Allow me to call your attention to some biblical illustrations.
      1. Consider Luke 1:5, 6 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. [This was John the Baptist’s parents.]
      2. Consider Luke 2:25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
      3. Consider Luke 2:36,37 And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.
      4. Can you image people like these four righteous individuals rejecting Jesus as the Christ? I cannot!
         1. I realize the four mentioned in the passages I read might have been dead by Acts 2.
         2. There were others who were righteous, blameless, devout in Israel–those four were not the only four.
         3. Consider Luke 2:38 and Matthew 9:13.
      5. When such people became Christians, of what did they repent? What form did their repentance take?

The ultimate contrast in belonging to God through Christ is the contrast between self and God. It is from this contrast between the unholiness of self and the holiness of God that repentance arises.

Living in God’s Image

Posted by David on April 13, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

The problem of reacting to enemies in God’s way: it requires being considerate to people we do not like-to those who would not be considerate to us. We could paraphrase Paul’s instructions to the Christians in Rome this way. “Never allow evil people to force adoption of evil means. Instead of using evil means, put the problem in God’s hands. Let God control the situation by your being kind and considerate to an enemy. Realize evil is not defeated by resorting to evil. Only doing good defeats evil.”

These thoughts were written to Christians living in Rome’s evil environment which did not appreciate Christian values. Evil people did not appreciate Christian morals because such morals were too different to an idolatrous society’s morals. Roman society craved power and used people. Christians did not seek power and were kind to people.

The Christian treatment of enemies brings to the forefront an interesting, practical question. Why? Why do Christians give kind consideration to people who would give them no consideration?

Is it because Christian kindness brings a wonderful resolution to all physical confrontations? No! No one was kinder than was Jesus! Yet, his kindness did not prevent his death. In some instances, kindness merely infuriates those who oppress Christians. Remember, this involves a war between good and evil!

Is it because doing good “is the thing to do” for a Christian? Before a response can be given to that suggestion, an answer is needed. What is meant by “the thing to do”? If the response is that being kind to the unkind is a hoop a Christian must jump through in order to finish the divine obstacle course, the answer is, “NO!”

Is doing good to the unkind an appropriate reflection of God our Father? Yes! That is the motive for being kind to the unkind! God is good to us-good enough to show us compassion, mercy, grace, and forgiveness; good enough to let us be children instead of enemies; good enough to give us a indestructible hope.

Remember Romans 5:8? “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:44, 45? “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Represent God well! May your values be formed by God’s character, not society!