Showing posts with label Gospel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gospel. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
The Jesus Movement: Revolution
This is Greg Pittman's sermon from last Sunday at Cedar Ridge Christian Church (our home congregation) in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
Monday, October 18, 2010
What About People Who Have Never Heard?
My friend on my job asked another good question today: What happens to people who have never heard the gospel?
It's an uncomfortable question on many levels. On the surface, it calls into question the justice of God. On another level, it calls into question the commitment of Christians to fulfill the Great Commission and to love their neighbors.
Some churchgoing people have adopted universalism in response to such questions. They believe that eventually all people will be saved. Others have adopted inclusivism, the belief that a sinner does not necessarily need to believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved as long as he or she has never heard of Jesus Christ.
I can't accept either view. Jesus warned about the dangers of hell far too often for his followers to dismiss those warnings for universalism. Christ and his apostles emphasized the need for faith in Christ far too often to dismiss it for inclusivism.
As for God being unjust in requiring faith in Christ, I sympathize with those who find it difficult to accept. However, it remains the way by which we are brought into a right relationship with God. "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1-2).
The hard truth is: sinners are saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). No one deserves salvation. I wish I did, but I don't. It's to God's glory that anyone is saved at all.
The more disturbing aspect of my friend's question centers on what it says about me. Do I really care about people who don't know about Christ and are heading to an eternity without hope? Do I really care about fulfilling the Great Commission ("Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you"--Matthew 28:19-20)? What am I doing to help people to know Jesus Christ? Am I sharing my faith? Am I praying for those who have never heard the gospel? Am I supporting Christians who are trying to reach unreached people around the world?
In this video, atheistic entertainer Penn Gillette challenges Christians who believe that unbelievers are in danger of hell to love them enough to share their faith with them. It's one of the most convicting videos ever made by an atheist. He "gets it" better than I do sometimes.
It's an uncomfortable question on many levels. On the surface, it calls into question the justice of God. On another level, it calls into question the commitment of Christians to fulfill the Great Commission and to love their neighbors.
Some churchgoing people have adopted universalism in response to such questions. They believe that eventually all people will be saved. Others have adopted inclusivism, the belief that a sinner does not necessarily need to believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved as long as he or she has never heard of Jesus Christ.
I can't accept either view. Jesus warned about the dangers of hell far too often for his followers to dismiss those warnings for universalism. Christ and his apostles emphasized the need for faith in Christ far too often to dismiss it for inclusivism.
As for God being unjust in requiring faith in Christ, I sympathize with those who find it difficult to accept. However, it remains the way by which we are brought into a right relationship with God. "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1-2).
The hard truth is: sinners are saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). No one deserves salvation. I wish I did, but I don't. It's to God's glory that anyone is saved at all.
The more disturbing aspect of my friend's question centers on what it says about me. Do I really care about people who don't know about Christ and are heading to an eternity without hope? Do I really care about fulfilling the Great Commission ("Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you"--Matthew 28:19-20)? What am I doing to help people to know Jesus Christ? Am I sharing my faith? Am I praying for those who have never heard the gospel? Am I supporting Christians who are trying to reach unreached people around the world?
In this video, atheistic entertainer Penn Gillette challenges Christians who believe that unbelievers are in danger of hell to love them enough to share their faith with them. It's one of the most convicting videos ever made by an atheist. He "gets it" better than I do sometimes.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
The Heart of Christianity
"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing (2 Timothy 4:8, NIV).
Christians can be passionate concerning many things. We love worship music. We are passionate about Bible study. We are driven to help the widows, the orphans, and the poor among us. We are passionate about pursuing justice, righteousness, and high ethical standards.
But above all, we are passionate about Jesus Christ. We love to hear about what he has done for us. We love to think about his character, his words, and his actions. We love to let other people know about him. And we look forward to his return above all other expectations.
Jesus Christ is the heart of Christianity.
Christians can be passionate concerning many things. We love worship music. We are passionate about Bible study. We are driven to help the widows, the orphans, and the poor among us. We are passionate about pursuing justice, righteousness, and high ethical standards.
But above all, we are passionate about Jesus Christ. We love to hear about what he has done for us. We love to think about his character, his words, and his actions. We love to let other people know about him. And we look forward to his return above all other expectations.
Jesus Christ is the heart of Christianity.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
A Potential Leader in the Kingdom
This is a portion of our minister Ron Babbit's February newsletter:
"Every time I show up in the hood, I wonder, 'Where is the family that once lived there? Whatever happened to those kids?' Recently, we had two moving crews on the road to assist a couple of families. Big O took Muscles with him to make a run and I recruited Big Mac, Arler, Trey-bone, and Fox. (I pay big bucks.) This move was in a drizzling rain. We had a trailer and my truck; and Big Mac was driving a minivan. When we showed up, the lady being moved was with her two daughters and their hairy-legged friends. One couple is getting married this spring; the other couple is shacking together. GOD provided a great opportunity for all the moving team. Let me share how GOD was at work.
"One of the clowns, the dude who is shacking with his honey, I met eight years ago on an outside basketball court where he was the 'Cool Dude On Campus' (CDOC). At that time, I told the girls to stay away from that clown. I would always recruit a girl to be on my team, and we would go against the CDOC. This CDOC was a wannabe. He wasn't willing to pay the price to play the great game of basketball at school because he was a CDOC. He has the same struggles that most of us have, that is, not willing to die to self and make the commitment to serve HIM. Every time I would see CDOC, I would throw him candy and a soda to break down the barriers that Satan had built in his bones. I started noticing that CDOC wasn't present in the complex and soon found out that he was in prison. I tried to get an address to write to him, but wasn't successful.
"When we showed up to move this family, the CDOC hoss wanted a ride to go help us move. Amen, church! I loved picking up the CDOC and his honey. Guess what? I witnessed a different attitude. He was very friendly and seemed to be changed. Yes, he is hanging with hooch in his pocket, smoking whatever gets him higher, but GOD is more powerful. Amen, church! I asked him about his brother. He, too, was living with a gal.
"GOD started building this friendship/relationship years ago, and now is the time to step in to share the saving message of HIS love. Please stay in prayer with me as we read, listen, and pray with him. This CDOC is a leader; my prayer is that he becomes a leader in the Kingdom."
"Every time I show up in the hood, I wonder, 'Where is the family that once lived there? Whatever happened to those kids?' Recently, we had two moving crews on the road to assist a couple of families. Big O took Muscles with him to make a run and I recruited Big Mac, Arler, Trey-bone, and Fox. (I pay big bucks.) This move was in a drizzling rain. We had a trailer and my truck; and Big Mac was driving a minivan. When we showed up, the lady being moved was with her two daughters and their hairy-legged friends. One couple is getting married this spring; the other couple is shacking together. GOD provided a great opportunity for all the moving team. Let me share how GOD was at work.
"One of the clowns, the dude who is shacking with his honey, I met eight years ago on an outside basketball court where he was the 'Cool Dude On Campus' (CDOC). At that time, I told the girls to stay away from that clown. I would always recruit a girl to be on my team, and we would go against the CDOC. This CDOC was a wannabe. He wasn't willing to pay the price to play the great game of basketball at school because he was a CDOC. He has the same struggles that most of us have, that is, not willing to die to self and make the commitment to serve HIM. Every time I would see CDOC, I would throw him candy and a soda to break down the barriers that Satan had built in his bones. I started noticing that CDOC wasn't present in the complex and soon found out that he was in prison. I tried to get an address to write to him, but wasn't successful.
"When we showed up to move this family, the CDOC hoss wanted a ride to go help us move. Amen, church! I loved picking up the CDOC and his honey. Guess what? I witnessed a different attitude. He was very friendly and seemed to be changed. Yes, he is hanging with hooch in his pocket, smoking whatever gets him higher, but GOD is more powerful. Amen, church! I asked him about his brother. He, too, was living with a gal.
"GOD started building this friendship/relationship years ago, and now is the time to step in to share the saving message of HIS love. Please stay in prayer with me as we read, listen, and pray with him. This CDOC is a leader; my prayer is that he becomes a leader in the Kingdom."
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Murder and Urban Ministry
I've been thinking about the importance of urban ministry in a violent society for the last few days.
At the end of last week, a 16-year old boy was walking home from his bus stop when a car pulled up alongside him. After an exchange of a few words, someone in the car opened fire and murdered the kid.
According to news accounts of the incident, the murdered young man was a good student with a pleasant personality and respectful attitude. Unfortunately, he lived in a "bad part of town"--a euphemism for the poor, black, and violent section of the city.
On Sunday morning, a few of the teenagers in the Contact Church requested prayers for the murdered boy's family as they mourned his death. According to the prayer requests, the criminals who murdered the boy did so after he could not (or would not) tell them the location of someone else for whom they were looking.
As I have thought about the situation this week, I have come to have a deeper appreciation for the Contact Church. The urban poor need such churches. Like everyone else, they need safe people with whom they can share their struggles. They need to be able to get together in safe places and pray for the people they deeply love. They need the encouragement of gathering with and working alongside people who share their faith in Jesus Christ. They need people who will share the gospel of God's love with them so that, if they meet a violent end to their lives this week, they will be prepared for heaven.
During times like these, I feel honored to be a part of such a church.
At the end of last week, a 16-year old boy was walking home from his bus stop when a car pulled up alongside him. After an exchange of a few words, someone in the car opened fire and murdered the kid.
According to news accounts of the incident, the murdered young man was a good student with a pleasant personality and respectful attitude. Unfortunately, he lived in a "bad part of town"--a euphemism for the poor, black, and violent section of the city.
On Sunday morning, a few of the teenagers in the Contact Church requested prayers for the murdered boy's family as they mourned his death. According to the prayer requests, the criminals who murdered the boy did so after he could not (or would not) tell them the location of someone else for whom they were looking.
As I have thought about the situation this week, I have come to have a deeper appreciation for the Contact Church. The urban poor need such churches. Like everyone else, they need safe people with whom they can share their struggles. They need to be able to get together in safe places and pray for the people they deeply love. They need the encouragement of gathering with and working alongside people who share their faith in Jesus Christ. They need people who will share the gospel of God's love with them so that, if they meet a violent end to their lives this week, they will be prepared for heaven.
During times like these, I feel honored to be a part of such a church.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Everyone's Destiny
"It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of every man;
the living should take this to heart" (Ecclesiastes 7:2).
Until Jesus Christ returns, everyone will die.
I thought about that today as I attended the memorial service of a 35-year old mother who died in a motorcycle wreck last weekend.
We do not know our time. It could happen at an old age or a young age. It could happen at any moment.
So the important question arises: How will I face God?
At http://a-disciples-gospel-blog.blogspot.com, I have outlined a Bible lesson intended to help people who are interested in connecting with God. It explains our common problem of sin, our hope in Jesus Christ, and how we get to respond to his offer of a new life empowered by his Spirit. I would like for everyone to have the opportunity to know Christ in this life and to be prepared for the next. Who knows how long we have?
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of every man;
the living should take this to heart" (Ecclesiastes 7:2).
Until Jesus Christ returns, everyone will die.
I thought about that today as I attended the memorial service of a 35-year old mother who died in a motorcycle wreck last weekend.
We do not know our time. It could happen at an old age or a young age. It could happen at any moment.
So the important question arises: How will I face God?
At http://a-disciples-gospel-blog.blogspot.com, I have outlined a Bible lesson intended to help people who are interested in connecting with God. It explains our common problem of sin, our hope in Jesus Christ, and how we get to respond to his offer of a new life empowered by his Spirit. I would like for everyone to have the opportunity to know Christ in this life and to be prepared for the next. Who knows how long we have?
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Use Words if Necessary?
Francis of Assisi has been credited with saying, "Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary."
I am not certain what he intended when he said those words, but I have seen the quote used to justify being silent about the gospel of Christ. The problem with such an application of Francis' words is: It's always necessary to use words to preach the gospel.
If one concentrates on doing good deeds without telling others about his motivation (the gospel), he risks stealing the glory away from God. Christ should be honored by the Christian's good deeds, but how will anyone know to honor Christ if the Christian is silent about him? As Max Lucado has said, "If we ever get to the point where our goal is to have people say, 'What a wonderful person,' we're missing the mark. Instead, our goal is to have people say, 'What a wonderful God this person serves.' Our task is to have people say, 'Tell me about your God,' and to point people to him." As Jesus Christ said, "(L)et your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
If someone is helping the poor and caring for the vulnerable, he may be doing God's work. However, if he is doing those things without letting anyone know about what Christ has done, he is not doing God's work. He is doing something that, at best, helps someone temporarily. At worst, he is doing those things to feel good about himself. In either case, he falls short of glorifying God. He sins.
The goal of Christians' good deeds is "so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive" (Titus 2:10). Good actions and attitudes enhance the credibility and attractiveness of the gospel, but they do not replace the gospel of what Christ has done. They are not intended to place the focus on Christians. They are intended to shift the focus to the Savior who has motivated and empowered us to love others.
In dying for our sins and being resurrected from the dead, Jesus Christ has done something worth mentioning to others. In ascending into heaven and promising to return, he motivates us to tell others about his accomplishments and promises. In sending the Holy Spirit to live in his people, he empowers us to lead God-honoring lives that point people to him as the Savior and Lord.
People need to hear about what Christ has done for them. Many are living in frustration, struggling with their sins, addictions, and inadequacies without help from above. They need to hear about the hope of heaven and the warnings of hell. They need the opportunity to believe. They need the opportunity to repent. They need the opportunity to bury their lives of futility and to be born again with a real reason to live.
We are doing no one any favors by remaining silent about Jesus. He has done something special, and everyone needs to know it.
Use words. They are necessary.
"He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16).
I am not certain what he intended when he said those words, but I have seen the quote used to justify being silent about the gospel of Christ. The problem with such an application of Francis' words is: It's always necessary to use words to preach the gospel.
If one concentrates on doing good deeds without telling others about his motivation (the gospel), he risks stealing the glory away from God. Christ should be honored by the Christian's good deeds, but how will anyone know to honor Christ if the Christian is silent about him? As Max Lucado has said, "If we ever get to the point where our goal is to have people say, 'What a wonderful person,' we're missing the mark. Instead, our goal is to have people say, 'What a wonderful God this person serves.' Our task is to have people say, 'Tell me about your God,' and to point people to him." As Jesus Christ said, "(L)et your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
If someone is helping the poor and caring for the vulnerable, he may be doing God's work. However, if he is doing those things without letting anyone know about what Christ has done, he is not doing God's work. He is doing something that, at best, helps someone temporarily. At worst, he is doing those things to feel good about himself. In either case, he falls short of glorifying God. He sins.
The goal of Christians' good deeds is "so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive" (Titus 2:10). Good actions and attitudes enhance the credibility and attractiveness of the gospel, but they do not replace the gospel of what Christ has done. They are not intended to place the focus on Christians. They are intended to shift the focus to the Savior who has motivated and empowered us to love others.
In dying for our sins and being resurrected from the dead, Jesus Christ has done something worth mentioning to others. In ascending into heaven and promising to return, he motivates us to tell others about his accomplishments and promises. In sending the Holy Spirit to live in his people, he empowers us to lead God-honoring lives that point people to him as the Savior and Lord.
People need to hear about what Christ has done for them. Many are living in frustration, struggling with their sins, addictions, and inadequacies without help from above. They need to hear about the hope of heaven and the warnings of hell. They need the opportunity to believe. They need the opportunity to repent. They need the opportunity to bury their lives of futility and to be born again with a real reason to live.
We are doing no one any favors by remaining silent about Jesus. He has done something special, and everyone needs to know it.
Use words. They are necessary.
"He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16).
Saturday, June 13, 2009
No Need to Baptize (Yet)
After reading my post at http://adisciplesthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/05/dad-why-would-someone-go-to-hell.html, a concerned friend asked me why I had not baptized Christopher yet. She explained that she had her daughter baptized at birth so that her daughter would not go to purgatory if she died as a child. My friend is a good mother. I would have done the same thing if I had shared her understanding of baptism. No decent parent wants his or her child to suffer in such a manner.
However, as I explained to my friend, I have a different understanding of baptism. Baptism was meant to be an expression of one's faith and repentance.
Before being baptized, a person needs to understand his need for God. He needs to have some comprehension of his sin and its consequences. He needs to know that he has violated God and faces the danger of God's wrath.
He needs to understand that he cannot do anything to pay off his debt to God. He must realize his need for God's mercy and grace.
Then he needs to know that Jesus Christ is his only hope of forgiveness and a guilt-free life. As the Son of God, Jesus suffered God's wrath on behalf of sinners. He took the penalty in our place. He died to save us. When he returned to life, he did so by the power of God, proving God's acceptance of his sacrifice for us.
If a person believes that message and it affects his emotions and will to the point that he wants to give up his life without Christ in exchange for following Jesus, he is ready for baptism. He is ready to follow the apostle Peter's instructions: "Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit'" (Acts 2:38). He is ready to walk with God and to live under the influence of the Holy Spirit. He is ready to follow the instructions of Christ who wants disciples to be baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). He is ready to mark the end of his old life and embrace a new life living in the grace of God. As the apostle Paul taught, "When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace--a new life in a new land! That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we're going in our new grace-sovereign country" (Romans 6:3-7, The Message).
I expect to baptize Christopher someday. Janet and I are sharing the message of Christ with him every day. We are loving him. We understand baptism to be an expression of a heart that trusts in Christ and wants to turn from sin to follow him. We do not want to baptize him before it would be meaningful to him. We will continue to pray, teach, model, and wait until our son is impacted by God's love to the point that he wants to be baptized. Then we want to celebrate his baptism with him.
However, as I explained to my friend, I have a different understanding of baptism. Baptism was meant to be an expression of one's faith and repentance.
Before being baptized, a person needs to understand his need for God. He needs to have some comprehension of his sin and its consequences. He needs to know that he has violated God and faces the danger of God's wrath.
He needs to understand that he cannot do anything to pay off his debt to God. He must realize his need for God's mercy and grace.
Then he needs to know that Jesus Christ is his only hope of forgiveness and a guilt-free life. As the Son of God, Jesus suffered God's wrath on behalf of sinners. He took the penalty in our place. He died to save us. When he returned to life, he did so by the power of God, proving God's acceptance of his sacrifice for us.
If a person believes that message and it affects his emotions and will to the point that he wants to give up his life without Christ in exchange for following Jesus, he is ready for baptism. He is ready to follow the apostle Peter's instructions: "Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit'" (Acts 2:38). He is ready to walk with God and to live under the influence of the Holy Spirit. He is ready to follow the instructions of Christ who wants disciples to be baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). He is ready to mark the end of his old life and embrace a new life living in the grace of God. As the apostle Paul taught, "When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace--a new life in a new land! That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we're going in our new grace-sovereign country" (Romans 6:3-7, The Message).
I expect to baptize Christopher someday. Janet and I are sharing the message of Christ with him every day. We are loving him. We understand baptism to be an expression of a heart that trusts in Christ and wants to turn from sin to follow him. We do not want to baptize him before it would be meaningful to him. We will continue to pray, teach, model, and wait until our son is impacted by God's love to the point that he wants to be baptized. Then we want to celebrate his baptism with him.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Dad, Why Would Someone Go to Hell?
Christopher and I had another interesting conversation before bedtime tonight. Here is how it went...
Christopher: "Dad, why would someone go to hell?"
Me: "Well, people go to hell for ignoring God and doing things their own way without considering what God wants."
Christopher: "Like killing someone?"
Me: "Yes, that would be one reason for going to hell. But even if you have ignored God and done things your own way, you can be forgiven. You don't need to go to hell because of what Jesus has done to forgive you."
Christopher: "How can you be forgiven?"
Me: "God wants you to trust him and to turn to him. He wants us to stop ignoring him and living our own way without considering his way of living. He wants us to follow Jesus. The first thing we do when we start to follow Jesus is to be baptized."
Christopher: "I don't want to be baptized."
Me: "Well, maybe someday you will...when you want to follow Jesus. Do you know what baptism means?"
Christopher: "Going into the water."
Me: "Yes, but it is more than just going under the water. When you are baptized, you are burying your old life of ignoring God and doing things your own way. You come up out of the water ready to start a new life of following Christ."
Christopher: "Is that better?"
Me: "Yes."
Christopher: "How?"
Me: "Well, it feels good to be forgiven. And you look forward to when Jesus comes back because you will be able to enjoy being with God forever. None of the bad things in this life will be a problem anymore when that happens. You will have only the good things in life left to enjoy."
Christopher: "You won't have to see anyone die anymore? Mommy won't have to cry?"
Me: "That's right. Only good things will happen for Jesus' followers when he comes back. Nothing bad will ever happen again."
Sometimes my son amazes me. I never considered that a 6-year old boy would ask such deep questions. I hope that I answered them in a way that he understood.
Christopher: "Dad, why would someone go to hell?"
Me: "Well, people go to hell for ignoring God and doing things their own way without considering what God wants."
Christopher: "Like killing someone?"
Me: "Yes, that would be one reason for going to hell. But even if you have ignored God and done things your own way, you can be forgiven. You don't need to go to hell because of what Jesus has done to forgive you."
Christopher: "How can you be forgiven?"
Me: "God wants you to trust him and to turn to him. He wants us to stop ignoring him and living our own way without considering his way of living. He wants us to follow Jesus. The first thing we do when we start to follow Jesus is to be baptized."
Christopher: "I don't want to be baptized."
Me: "Well, maybe someday you will...when you want to follow Jesus. Do you know what baptism means?"
Christopher: "Going into the water."
Me: "Yes, but it is more than just going under the water. When you are baptized, you are burying your old life of ignoring God and doing things your own way. You come up out of the water ready to start a new life of following Christ."
Christopher: "Is that better?"
Me: "Yes."
Christopher: "How?"
Me: "Well, it feels good to be forgiven. And you look forward to when Jesus comes back because you will be able to enjoy being with God forever. None of the bad things in this life will be a problem anymore when that happens. You will have only the good things in life left to enjoy."
Christopher: "You won't have to see anyone die anymore? Mommy won't have to cry?"
Me: "That's right. Only good things will happen for Jesus' followers when he comes back. Nothing bad will ever happen again."
Sometimes my son amazes me. I never considered that a 6-year old boy would ask such deep questions. I hope that I answered them in a way that he understood.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A Dying Woman's Important Message
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die..." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, English Standard Version).
I listened to a powerful presentation by Rachel Barkey today at http://deathisnotdying.com/death-is-not-dying-event-audio. (The video is also available on a link at the site.) Mrs. Barkey is a 37-year old woman who is dying of liver and bone cancer. She gave the speech recently at a women's conference at her local church in British Columbia, Canada. In her message, she talked about what she has learned about God, herself, the gospel of Christ, and the purpose of her life as she has dealt with cancer over the last 5 years. Her message is worth hearing. Please take the time to listen.
a time to be born, and a time to die..." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, English Standard Version).
I listened to a powerful presentation by Rachel Barkey today at http://deathisnotdying.com/death-is-not-dying-event-audio. (The video is also available on a link at the site.) Mrs. Barkey is a 37-year old woman who is dying of liver and bone cancer. She gave the speech recently at a women's conference at her local church in British Columbia, Canada. In her message, she talked about what she has learned about God, herself, the gospel of Christ, and the purpose of her life as she has dealt with cancer over the last 5 years. Her message is worth hearing. Please take the time to listen.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Introducing My Gospel Blog
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith'" (Romans 1:16-17).
I have created a new blog with the purpose of sharing the gospel of Christ at http://a-disciples-gospel-blog.blogspot.com. Please feel welcome to check it out.
I have created a new blog with the purpose of sharing the gospel of Christ at http://a-disciples-gospel-blog.blogspot.com. Please feel welcome to check it out.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Who Are God's Chosen People?
For some reason, I have been asked this question three times by extended family members during the past week. I am not raising this question in order to be controversial. Nor am I raising it in order to resolve all the problems surrounding the Israeli-Arab conflict. (I do not even know all of the issues involved in their conflict.) I am addressing it because I have been asked about it a number of times over the last few days, and because my understanding of the identity of God's chosen people seems to be new to many people.
I believe that God's chosen people include both Jewish and Gentile believers in Christ (the Messiah). In the past, the Jewish people alone were considered God's chosen people. However, Jesus expanded the composition of the chosen people to include both Jewish and Gentile believers. As the apostle Paul wrote, "In him (Christ) we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory" (Ephesians 1:11-14). In effect, Paul was saying that God's chosen people are those who have "heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation," have "believed," and have received the Holy Spirit as "a seal...guaranteeing our inheritance."
The apostle went on to write, "Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called 'uncircumcised' by those who call themselves 'the circumcision' (that done in the body by the hands of men)--remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility...Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household...This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:11-16; 2:19; 3:6).
Also, please notice the point made by the apostle Paul when he wrote, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:26-29).
In Romans 9-11, Paul expresses his desire for all of Israel to be saved. He explains that many have abandoned God by refusing to believe in their Messiah, but he also expresses the hope that they will return to their God in the future. In the meantime, the believing Jewish people remain the remnant of people in a covenant with God, and believing Gentiles have been "grafted" into the covenant relationship with God through their trust in Jesus the Messiah.
In Christ, God has brought together Jews and Gentiles as believers. Together, they constitute God's chosen people. The chosen people are defined by their faith, rather than their ethnic backgrounds, cultures, or heritages.
(Although my understanding may seem new to many people, I believe it is as old as the New Testament. Furthermore, I am not alone in seeing God's chosen people as Jewish and Gentile followers of Christ. Please see the works of scholars like Dr. John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, for similar views. One of his sermons--www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/1992/810_Israel_and_Us_Reconciled_in_One_Body/-- would be an excellent place to start.)
I believe that God's chosen people include both Jewish and Gentile believers in Christ (the Messiah). In the past, the Jewish people alone were considered God's chosen people. However, Jesus expanded the composition of the chosen people to include both Jewish and Gentile believers. As the apostle Paul wrote, "In him (Christ) we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory" (Ephesians 1:11-14). In effect, Paul was saying that God's chosen people are those who have "heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation," have "believed," and have received the Holy Spirit as "a seal...guaranteeing our inheritance."
The apostle went on to write, "Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called 'uncircumcised' by those who call themselves 'the circumcision' (that done in the body by the hands of men)--remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility...Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household...This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:11-16; 2:19; 3:6).
Also, please notice the point made by the apostle Paul when he wrote, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:26-29).
In Romans 9-11, Paul expresses his desire for all of Israel to be saved. He explains that many have abandoned God by refusing to believe in their Messiah, but he also expresses the hope that they will return to their God in the future. In the meantime, the believing Jewish people remain the remnant of people in a covenant with God, and believing Gentiles have been "grafted" into the covenant relationship with God through their trust in Jesus the Messiah.
In Christ, God has brought together Jews and Gentiles as believers. Together, they constitute God's chosen people. The chosen people are defined by their faith, rather than their ethnic backgrounds, cultures, or heritages.
(Although my understanding may seem new to many people, I believe it is as old as the New Testament. Furthermore, I am not alone in seeing God's chosen people as Jewish and Gentile followers of Christ. Please see the works of scholars like Dr. John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, for similar views. One of his sermons--www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/1992/810_Israel_and_Us_Reconciled_in_One_Body/-- would be an excellent place to start.)
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
What is not Evangelism?
"Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
"(Jesus) said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16).
Tyler Kenney has shared his notes on Mark Dever's sermon Five Things That Aren't Evangelism at www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1621_5_things_that_arent_evangelism. I found his list to be a good reminder of what evangelism is and is not.
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
"(Jesus) said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16).
Tyler Kenney has shared his notes on Mark Dever's sermon Five Things That Aren't Evangelism at www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1621_5_things_that_arent_evangelism. I found his list to be a good reminder of what evangelism is and is not.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Bibles and Churches
"Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?" (Acts 2:8)
From the first day of the church, God has made it clear that he wants people to hear the good news of Christ in their own languages. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit enabled the apostles to proclaim the message in a wide variety of languages to a diverse audience.
In the years since then, the message has been preserved in the Bible. Missionaries have traveled the globe, translating the gospel into many more languages.
In the English-speaking world, we have been blessed with numerous translations of the Bible, from the old King James Version to the newer English Standard Version. Some versions have been excellent. They have been accurate and understandable. Some versions have been horrible. They have altered the meaning of words in order to deny key doctrines such as the deity of Jesus Christ. Some versions have been very good, but with an ever-changing language, they have become difficult to understand. No translation has been perfect. Some have been great. Some have been atrocious.
In a similar way, churches translate the gospel into their circumstances with varying degrees of success. Some churches present an accurate and understandable message about Christ. They reach people around them without changing the gospel. Some churches present a terribly inaccurate message, even misleading people into obvious heresy. Other churches present the right message, but in a difficult form for people to grasp.
As with Bible translations, no church is perfect. Some churches are great. Some are awful. The goal is to be a church with credibility, a church with an understandable and accurate message that is being lived out in the lives of its ordinary members.
From the first day of the church, God has made it clear that he wants people to hear the good news of Christ in their own languages. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit enabled the apostles to proclaim the message in a wide variety of languages to a diverse audience.
In the years since then, the message has been preserved in the Bible. Missionaries have traveled the globe, translating the gospel into many more languages.
In the English-speaking world, we have been blessed with numerous translations of the Bible, from the old King James Version to the newer English Standard Version. Some versions have been excellent. They have been accurate and understandable. Some versions have been horrible. They have altered the meaning of words in order to deny key doctrines such as the deity of Jesus Christ. Some versions have been very good, but with an ever-changing language, they have become difficult to understand. No translation has been perfect. Some have been great. Some have been atrocious.
In a similar way, churches translate the gospel into their circumstances with varying degrees of success. Some churches present an accurate and understandable message about Christ. They reach people around them without changing the gospel. Some churches present a terribly inaccurate message, even misleading people into obvious heresy. Other churches present the right message, but in a difficult form for people to grasp.
As with Bible translations, no church is perfect. Some churches are great. Some are awful. The goal is to be a church with credibility, a church with an understandable and accurate message that is being lived out in the lives of its ordinary members.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
The Name of the Lord
"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain" (Exodus 20:7, NASB).
Besides using the Lord's name as profanity, how may this commandment be violated today? I have thought of a few ways that we use the Lord's name today and a few ways that it may be misused.
We talk about...
The gospel of CHRIST
The good news must be focused on what Jesus Christ has done in order for it to be the gospel of Christ. It would be vain to make it about what we have done.
Baptism in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
Our baptism should be focused on God. It would be vain if it were done without faith in Christ or turning to God for grace and forgiveness.
The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper should remind us of the Lord's sacrifice on the cross. It would be vain to eat and drink without thinking of the Lord.
Prayer in Jesus' name
We should pray as if Jesus were using our lips to pray himself. It would be vain to pray as though Jesus did not exist.
Being identified as CHRISTians and the Church of CHRIST
We should live as followers of Jesus Christ. It would be vain to be called by his name without reflecting his character, values, and ideals in our lifestyles.
The name of the Lord is extremely important. If we care about him, we will honor and protect it. "Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored as special and holy."
Besides using the Lord's name as profanity, how may this commandment be violated today? I have thought of a few ways that we use the Lord's name today and a few ways that it may be misused.
We talk about...
The gospel of CHRIST
The good news must be focused on what Jesus Christ has done in order for it to be the gospel of Christ. It would be vain to make it about what we have done.
Baptism in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
Our baptism should be focused on God. It would be vain if it were done without faith in Christ or turning to God for grace and forgiveness.
The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper should remind us of the Lord's sacrifice on the cross. It would be vain to eat and drink without thinking of the Lord.
Prayer in Jesus' name
We should pray as if Jesus were using our lips to pray himself. It would be vain to pray as though Jesus did not exist.
Being identified as CHRISTians and the Church of CHRIST
We should live as followers of Jesus Christ. It would be vain to be called by his name without reflecting his character, values, and ideals in our lifestyles.
The name of the Lord is extremely important. If we care about him, we will honor and protect it. "Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored as special and holy."
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