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Main, Mission, Strategy

Peter’s Denials

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Testify, Testify, Testify

Mark 14:66-72

This evening I want to look at a very famous episode in Peter’s life that no doubt left him feeling regret for the rest of his life. The episode I am talking about is the missed opportunity to testify of his relationship with Jesus Christ on the same night Peter said he would give his life in his defense. We are people who can verbally say, “I would die for Christ.” but when asked to testify of him, we betray him by our words and deeds. Matthew 26:58 sums up Peter’s drifting away, “But Peter followed him, Jesus, afar off.”

Why are you a Christian? It’s not a spectator sport. Pittsburgh Steeler fans may wear a number seven jersey, but they are only Ben Roethlesberger in licensed apparel. Put them on the field and try to run a play against any NFL tackle and you’ll see the black and gold turn to black and blue. Many churches are Christian in name only, and many Christians by fashion accessory or body art, and it makes me want to rip off the church sign and replace it with “No-tell Motel,” or “Country Club” instead. I once came upon a church outside of which the marquis said, “Our services are Rated G for everybody.” Upon entering the church building and seeing how everyone was dressed, I wanted to change that G rating to an R. Dietrick Boenhoffer is quoted as saying, “The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.” Adultery and fornication are still illegal in about two dozen states, but it goes unlicensed in our churches. Minnesota: “When a married woman has sexual intercourse with a man other than her husband, whether married or not, both are guilty of adultery and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both.” North Carolina: “Fornication and adultery. If any man and woman, not being married to each other, shall lewdly and lasciviously associate, bed and cohabit together, they shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor: Provided, that the admissions or confessions of one shall not be received in evidence against the other.” Matthew 5 is the best instruction for us to choose the more excellent way when it comes to virtue. “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees . . .” Jesus says, “Yes, you’ve heard you should not murder, but I say if you are angry with your brother, you are just a guilty.” Whether it is murder, or marriage, Jesus wants us take the moral high road.

Are we a Christian in name only? Like Peter, do we resemble the Galilean but change our accent and way of speech when challenged to testify? Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.” The common theme in Scripture is that morality is a virtue to be prized, and immorality the enemy to be spurned. Morality is a blanket word that covers many qualities of righteousness and not any particular conduct. May we never say that the moral choice was not convenient. Yes, I’ve heard sermons on forgiveness and it’s easy to say we forgive, but how many make restitution and truly bear fruits worthy of repentance, as Zachaeus did when he repented and restored what he had taken dishonestly, times four.

Conservative Muslims are winning a majority in Europe in part because of their system of morality and family values. I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet, but I forecast that Sharia law will gain greater acceptance in the western world because the church has denied its place as a moral beacon for a society that is drowning in immorality. We are turning our backs on the innocent and condemning ourselves to the fate of the worst offenders and those who corrupt such innocence. Secular organizations are doing what churches should be doing and that is pitiful. Statistics paint a picture of our society in a moral dilemma that the church is in a position to prevent.

1) From the face of innocence, came the first challenge. It was a small girl, a servant of the High Priest who only knew Jesus as a demon possessed conjurer of magic who brainwashed weak-minded Jews into thinking he was the Messiah. What Peter could have done to help that one, innocent little girl. Mark tells us that the cock crowed after the first denial. To Peter, a warning ignored making the denial all the worse.

Our churches are so contaminated with immorality that we are corrupting the innocent in our midst. To these little ones whose parents are Christian in name only, Jesus represents nothing of a Lord and Savior; not the Lord of their mom, or their dad, if they have one or the other. More than that, the leaders in our churches are not articulating the person and character of Christ, nor are they translating the teaching of Christ for our young people in their tolerance of immorality. Jesus says in Mark 9:42, “And whosoever shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it were better for him if a great millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.” Did you hear that? That was the first crowing of the rooster.

2) The next opportunity to testify moved from what the little girl said to Peter, to what she in turn then took to the crowd. Here is where fear is greatly intensified and hearts have a tendency to grow harder. Here is where opportunity for glorifying God can meet with better result, or result in a bitter end. Peter who had throughout his time with Jesus, referred to him by such words as Master, Savior, and Lord, now finds himself reducing the Christ to the title of “this man.” The cursing referred to was not the use of profanity, but calling a curse upon himself if what he was saying was not true.

The opportunity of Jesus with the woman at the well is very similar. One on one: adjusting her understanding of the Messiah, her faith, her sin, and her life was totally changed. She therefore went to the crowd with the testimony, and as they researched the truth of Christ the Samaritans themselves exclaimed in John 4:42, “We believe, not because of your speaking, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.” It’s the same with the Gadarene demoniac. Jesus denied him his request to follow, but this denial allowed the former necropolis dweller to move to the metropolis and capture the crowd who overwhelmed Jesus at his return to the area.

Our choice to act in translating who the true Jesus is will inspire others to investigate, and by the Holy Spirit convict them not on the basis of our words, but by THE WORD. If Peter had done what was right and relinquished the attention others had on him to his Lord, who knows what pronouncement the crowd would have made when deciding between Jesus and Barabbas. The Muslim who only knows seven sentences of Jesus that he reads from his Koran needs to know the truth. There is a crowd surrounding you, possibly moved by the testimony of one that stands eager to condemn and still you will not glorify Christ.

I once gave opportunity for a couple to confess once before a church. They had left under the worst kind of separation possible. They were offended and did everything imaginable burn every bridge on their way out, if you know what I mean. One Sunday, since I was the new preacher, they came forward to transfer their membership back into the congregation the had ripped to shreds. While in the presence of the group they had offended, I allowed an opportunity for reconciliation. They did not repent, but I felt better for giving them the opportunity.

3) The crowd eventually turned on Peter after surrendering two failed opportunities to testify. Peter finds himself in the area of the courtyard when the third challenge arose. The courtyard where Peter had been warming himself was just beneath the room where Jesus was offering testimony on his own behalf. All that was needed was the testimony of two or three. Didn’t Jesus have at least 12 disciples? Peter, standing within hearing distance of every false witness brought before the kangaroo court was as guilty as those standing before Caiaphas with false testimony.

While Peter was warming himself by the fire with the crowd looking for an answer, Jesus was getting punched in the face and spit upon. The church too often wants to warm itself and cozy up to the comforts of the world while we let Jesus get beat and spat upon while the enemy dares any to come forward as a witness. Worse than that, we stand reticent as false witnesses lead the masses astray.

These are days like none other. We are in the last days. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:11 that we are those “upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” Many in our churches stand as condemned as the Jewish leaders in Jesus’ day, blind to the coming calamity upon Jerusalem. Jesus challenged them and he challenges us (Luke 23:31), “If we do these things in the green, what more will the do in the dry?” Are we ready for the dry? I can prove to you many times over that the abomination of desolation as described in Daniel, and others, is not what the heathen commit toward the desecration of what is holy, but what those who are called to be holy do to forsake what is consecrated as God’s. Do you hear me church? Josephus gives us a graphic picture of what the Jews turned into when Titus laid siege of Jerusalem in A.D.68-70. You could not tell the sinners from the saints. It’s exactly the period Jesus warned his disciples against in Matthew 24 which caused the faithful to retreat across the Jordan to Pella.

Luke is the Gospel writer who tells us that at the moment of the last denial by Peter the cock crowed, Jesus turned and looked at him and he went out and wept bitterly. Did you hear that sound church? It was the second crowing of the rooster and the eyes of Christ are upon you.

Dr. Seuss and the “Zoad in the Road”

“Zoad” is not a nonsensical word like many he invented, but came from a Greek word that means “stair step” or “ladder”… indicating a device people would use to get somewhere.
With that insight, consider Dr. Seuss’ poem: “The Zoad In The Road”:
Did I ever tell you about the young Zoad?
Who came to a sign at the fork of the road?
He looked one way and the other way too –
the Zoad had to make up his mind what to do.
Well, the Zoad scratched his head, and his chin, and his pants.
And he said to himself, “I’ll be taking a chance.
If I go to Place One, that place may be hot
So how will I know if I like it or not.
On the other hand, though, I’ll feel such a fool
If I go to Place Two and find it’s too cool
In that case I may catch a chill and turn blue.
So Place One may be best and not Place Two.
Play safe,” cried the Zoad, “I’ll play safe, I’m no dunce.
I’ll simply start off to both places at once.”
And that’s how the Zoad who would not take a chance
Went no place at all with a split in his pants.

Main, Mission, Strategy

Socialism and the Christian Response

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Most of this is copied from my facebook responses to friends of mine who take a socialist slant. The economic arguments for socialism are many, but as Christians our Lord has set up “house rules,” literally as translated in Ephesians 1 and 3 “oikonomia” that the Christian must remember when considering where his citizenship lies.

Response to a socialist: Jesus did not come to rule over an earthly kingdom, in case you haven’t realized that yet. Of course, the radical Jews of Jesus’ day were of the same expectation. The Kingdom of Heaven is not an unreachable goal. In fact, one can attain to it now if he should choose. Look to Luke chapter 6 and Matthew chapter 5 where you will find that blessedness can be found regardless of social conditions and riches are found in our obedience to God when we lack everything except a willing heart to serve. The church of Jesus Christ was not set up to bring about cronyism, thuggery, forceful confiscation of wealth and property. The NT is clear, we were each bought with a price, whether slave or free (1 Corinthians 7). LIberation theology has no place in the church, or anywhere for that matter. My citizenship is in heaven and Christ’s kingdom is the Kingdom of Heaven. God’s kingdom is not a matter of eating or drinking (Romans 14). I hope this is clear to you.

Response to a socialist: Funny thing is, history is forgotten too easily. If it weren’t for Republicans, including one of the most famous Republican, Marin Luther King, Jr., the Democrats would have voted down civil rights legislation that Republicans wanted to secure. This is symptomatic of the “rights” engendered by democrat socialists. They are the ones at liberty to determine what “rights” are. If it is not in the best interest of the state, too bad. Look at every municipality and governing body regulated by democrats. At the very beginning, Barry and Michelle hated America, and now since the dems have been in control, according to the democrat assessment, America is more evil even though they have been the ones in the driver’s seat. There will always be new rights, new benefits, new victims, and the rhetoric will never end until communism is the rule of the land. By then, as in the past, a different fence will be built, not to keep people out, but to keep them in. It is, to coin a popular phrase, the radicalization of America. the socialist insistence on the use of propaganda to control the masses is apparently working for the young kool-aid drinkers. Disregard of socialism’s historically proven dead end is being willfully ignorant.

Response to a socialist: We must open our eyes and look past the propaganda to the bigger world with bad men who are brandishing hostility. We are at a vulnerable moment and our country is only concerned about free things and entitlements. One nation under God is what we must be. Having this principle will mean we understand that all authority is given by God and the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness come from Him, not social capital via social theocracy/liberation theology. We must resist the radicalization of America by socialists who try to steal the identity of the family through social identity in an institution. We must resist the radicalization of America by not dividing classes of our citizens into the haves and have-nots, by race and economics. We are all equally able to experience the liberty of the Gospel of Peace, Jew or Greek, Slave or free, male or female. Show me a person who by socialism or atheism was lifted up from the shame and guilt of sin into a life filled with joy, self-respect, and a heart for serving others. Humanism, atheism, communism, and socialism does not produce this. These are theologies of control.

Reply to a socialist who thinks Jesus is one: This has been heavy on my heart and more and more prevalent as of late. I see this type of theology in the music that is becoming popular and in the mentality of many in the church. Your comment is relative to our discussion since the subject of the church bears consideration. It must be understood that on the day of His coming, each person must account for his own life. There will be no pass for victimhood and no sympathy for following in the path of others. Will we be identified with the name of Christ, the only name under heaven by which we must be saved, or by a denomination, cult, sect, or political party? Liberation theology has not part in the life of Christ or in the comparison to the church. The administration established by Christ is not to be considered an earthly economy.

Response to a socialist who says that the military is socialism: The military is compiled of volunteers. When subject of draft comes up, liberals will run and seek a deferrance. Mandated public services equal institutional slavery. My anti- economic slavery stance is common among veterans who served in areas where tyranny was law. Socialism will always generate slavery because of the people-controlling elements inherent to it and is a conduit to tyranny. I’m not a doomsdayer, only a student of history. I am not fond of a taxation/extortion-based government enslaving its citizens. Look at the basic historical tenets of socialism all too apparent these days: 1. Seduce the populace into accepting the government as the arbitrator of all problems; government from cradle-to-grave
2. Begin delivering on those services to make the citizens dependent
3. Take away the citizens’ guns
4. Increase taxes on all services while destroying any free market alternative services
5. Blame the chosen scapegoat for the inability to meet demand for services
6. Have the centralized national police force round up any dissidents.

These, of course, will be continued as the election cycle completes.

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If the Devil Preached a Sermon

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Sermon from the Pit?

Devil: Generally, I prefer not to be seen. I usually hide out in the audience where I prefer certain clusters of people who always sit together in the same place every Sunday. Or, just hang out with people after church in the lobby or in their cars on the way home. Some of you have been so kind to invite me to lunch as you serve up Deep Fried Preacher, which as you know is one of my favorite dishes, next to Charbroiled Elder.

You might think that given the opportunity I would preach a sermon on sensuality, temptation, or how Jesus is NOT the Christ and my great conquests as ruler of this age, but then I thought, no, I’d lose your attention because I’ve seen how you can get when you hear words like “denomination,” and “pastor.” Those are words you have determined to shut out violently. So, today I want to talk about what we have IN COMMON with one another so that I won’t lose you.

You probably wouldn’t like to admit it, but you and I have much in common, I am delighted to say. Believe it or not, I really like church on Sunday mornings in many of the same ways you do. It’s here that I get the latest gossip and feel the most animosity among people who are supposed to be brothers and sisters. It’s also right here that people reduce grace to a law of works when people think they have to live up to doing better and being better as they compare themselves to others. We’ll talk later about this. It’s here where I find offense with one another and your communion is defiled by your distractions.

Another thing we have in common is that we all like material things. I’d rather have a congregation being crushed by debt due to spending outside its means than free to spend liberally elsewhere. I love it that of all your expense categories in your bank account, the spending in your “miscellaneous” category is greater than the amount of your church giving. It’s also good that your resources are concerned mostly with circumstances inside these four walls.

Something else we have in common is certainly a belief in God. Hey, I believe in God and Jesus. I was present at the creation of this earth and know there’s a heaven. In many ways, I believe in God more than a great number of you, that’s why I’m so actively involved in mankind’s annihilation and care care little for your family and neighbors.

In the name of tolerance and love, you and I are more and more in agreement on issues like adultery, divorce, and marriage. Many churches are conforming to a more modern understanding of marriage. Like many of you, I think it’s better to live with someone for various reasons due to the economic advantage, or reasons of loneliness. Why buy the cow since the milk is free, right?

I also can appreciate your self control when it comes to indulging yourself in small ways to such things as the lottery, horoscopes, tobacco, and alcohol. By supporting the vises you do, even in lesser ways as you like to think, you keep the greater destructive industry thriving. The church has finally begun to learn the lesson of the me-attitudes.

The “ME”-Attitudes (Mat. 5:1-12)–I’d like to promote a philosophy that is more self-serving.

Blessed are the POOR IN SPIRIT, the more that people feel sorry for me, the more attention I’ll get..

Blessed are THOSE WHO MOURN, for Dr. Phil will comfort me.

Blessed are the WEAK (meek), because I can take full advantage of them.

Blessed are THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, because if they do all the work, I can sit at the sidelines and do nothing, letting them bear the yoke.

Blessed are the MERCILESS, because by undermining others, they look better.

Blessed are the PURE IN HEART, because they are too good to fellowship with others. In fact, they are “perfect” in their own thinking.

Blessed are the PIECEMEALERS (peacemakers) , because they fragment the church into groups, and by their cliques they keep others out..

Blessed are those who are PRAISED FOR THE SAKE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (persecuted), because great is your reward when you are recognized by others.

All kidding aside, we can get the point of all this. It is funny to think about, yet not so funny when we can admit this is happening among people of God’s church. Ephesians 4:27 says, “Don’t give the Devil an opportunity” (foothold). The play on words from Ephesians 4 to Ephesians 5 and the “opportunity” for good is another sermon I’d like to preach.

1 John 2:16 (Three areas in which the Devil has an opportunity.)

  1. Lust of the Flesh—all that is committed contrary to it’s ordered purpose. Sexual immorality was, is, and will continue to be a problem in the church. The Bible says that the good that is sex is in marriage, and marriage itself is for the rearing of godly children and the marriage bed is to be undefiled. It’s prideful of us to pursue our own interests and sinful of us to even think about uncovering the nakedness that is only for our spouse in the presence of a stranger (Deuteronomy 18).
  2. Lust of the Eyes—entertaining the thought of sin and allowing it to linger. Solomon looked at the wine cup when it was RED. Did you ever see a wine tasting? Taking up the glass, swirling the liquid around, taking in its aroma, all leading up with anticipation of the tasting. Looking, considering, desiring, anticipating, strategizing, rehearsing, justifying, and pursuing are steps before the act.. Men who say, “I’m married but I’m not dead, right?” are victims of the lust of the eyes. Is it any wonder why Jesus reinforced the sanctity of marriage when he said that looking at a woman with lust for her is adultery. (Men, your wife is the only option for you and likewise you wives.)
  3. Boastful Pride of Life—It’s the habit of thinking, “My righteousness is better than your righteousness.” My righteousness will save me. We have a basic misunderstanding about righteousness. We think we have to get people “involved” or we’ll lose them. We are under the assumption that we must have them DO something. And sometimes people are dissatisfied with church because they have nothing to DO, so we put them on the grass cutting list, or have them dig a hole. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but we can give the message that DOING things makes for righteousness. Being active in church isn’t pushing a vacuum, although these are very important jobs. Finding the occasion to minister is BEING ACTIVE whether in this building our outside. Evangelism is service and service comes from equipping. Equipping comes from teaching and if the teaching isn’t there, the membership gets frustrated and some members come forward Sunday after Sunday not having been ministered to and confused about how to live for Christ because as they compare themselves to others, they find that they fall short. The feedback they get is well-meaning. Much of the time they are left to their own and when they fall away, they are condemned based on their inactivity because they are not seen one Sunday and everyone knows that our total righteousness is measured by one or two hours on a Sunday; we have to go to be seen. This is ludicrous of course.

Let’s not be so prideful that God’s Word is not living and active—changing us and changing others. Let God’s Word have its fullness in our lives. With it’s conviction, we will serve out of a faith that works and not a law of works. One of the most famous questions asked by Jesus in Scripture was asked by the rich young ruler in Matt. 19. After just hearing Jesus teach on how one must approach the Kingdom of God, he had the nerve to ask a ridiculous question, “What good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?” It’s ridiculous to me because his question follows a lesson about the Kingdom of God and how it is attained by one like a child. Does a child DO anything to merit the love of a parent? No. What IS important in the story is to understand that knowledge, experience, ability, etc., are all useless. Jesus is saying to the rich young ruler, “You’ve proven yourself a DOER, now prove yourself a DISCIPLE.” Find comfort and satisfaction in the counsel of God’s Word and your obedience to it. Give place to every opportunity for good, not because we have to, but because we get to. Challenge yourself with PIE evangelism. Consider what we have in common with our neighbor.

Main, Strategy

Anger and the Fallen Countenance

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Transformed by Anger

Genesis 4:3-7, Daniel 3

Tonight as we continue our series on transformation, I want to look at the transforming nature of anger. Anger can lead to a fallen countenance. It can lead to a change in physical appearance and altered personality. Examples of a changed image are found in Cain, Pharaoh, and Nebuchadnezzar. Yoda said it best, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Icon is the Greek word for “image” in the Septuagint Icon is the figure of how in God’s image we were created. Letting anger turn to sin is the vandalism that defaces an otherwise beautiful object. (See Romans 1 and 2 and how the incorruptible gets exchanged for the corruptible.)

A wise person once said that holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. When you think about what a grudge does to us, how it occupies our thoughts, hinders forgiveness, defers compassion, and leads us into bitterness, we can admit the effects of a kindled anger are poisonous.

“Why, Cain, has your countenance fallen?” Cain was angry that God did not accept his offering. In asking this question God was attempting to help Cain understand that his anger toward Him was not justified. It was an anger of pride. It’s a simple confusion of whom we are trying to serve. God challenged Cain with taking stock in his convictions. “Doing what is right” will lift his countenance. It could have been that what Cain fabricated (lit. “cultivated”) as an offering was satisfactory to Cain, but not to God. God did not approve of Cain’s approach and his anger was cultivated.

First let me say that being angry is not a sin, but notice how the reference to what waits at the door if anger produces hate (Genesis 4:7), the hate that leads to suffering—sin. Anger is a normal part of life. Showing anger is helpful in allowing others to see your disapproval and understand your convictions. We must answer injustice with conviction. Anger turns to sin when in our pride our anger turns from attacking evil to attacking the evil doer. Ephesians 4:15-19 says we are to speak the truth in love and use our words to build others up, not allow rotten or destructive words to pour from our lips. Unfortunately, this poisonous speech is a common characteristic of fallen man (Romans 3:13-14).

What causes anger? Change? Instability? Hurt? Let’s look at Daniel 3.

3:19-23 The king’s anger was WILD. In fact, the Hebrew play on words is that “his image (tzel’m, or icon) changed.” Tzel’m was the word for the image of God in which we were made in Genesis. The same word for the “image” to be worshiped on the Dura Plain (tzel’m) is used of Nebuchadnezzar’ “visage.” Instead of these wise men reviving his convictions in the ONE TRUE GOD, he was exasperated and convicted in the former ways. Exchanging wisdom for folly, his violence increased as seen in the furnace charged seven times hotter than normal. Matthew Henry says, “Nebuchadnezzar, in this heat, exchanged the awful majesty of a prince upon his throne, or a judge upon the bench, for the frightful fury of a wild bull in a net.” The impression made of the furnace temperature being heightened was not to dispatch the guilty sooner, but rather speak of the unequaled nature of the crime itself worthy of seven times more severe a punishment. The lesson is that indulging our brutish passions will lead to a level of violence that changes us physically and mentally.

The three were bound in their clothes, and mantles (in everything present of their image and God’s of their physical appearance). Was it to be consumed more slowly? Was it to strip them of their vestments? How irrationally hard-hearted and mad this tyrant became. The Revelation of John comforts us in the ideas that the second death likened to a furnace into which the tares shall be cast in bundles, to that lake which burns eternally with fire and brimstone. The believer may only experience a few minutes of agony, but the second death will be an eternity of torment from which no one will be delivered. As moved as we are in pity for the three, so much more should we be for the lost in the world.

The Septuagint records the Song of the Hebrew Children a 38 verse prayer which speaks of the elements, land and sea creatures blessing the LORD, with “praise and exalt him above all forever” in every verse. It is not in the original. It is not an outstanding example of Hebrew poetry. The Septuagint also mentions a prayer of Azariah (Abed-nego) who supposedly stood in the midst of the fire while praying a 19 verse prayer. The Septuagint also records that the kings men continued to stoke the furnace with brimstone, pitch, tow, and wood. The flames apparently rose 49 cubits above the furnace consuming nearby onlookers. In the Septuagint, the story goes that the angel of the Lord went down into the furnace with Azariah and his companions, drove out the flames and made the inside like a dew-laden breeze.

The point of this is, the incorruptible image and beauty of the king was tarnished, corrupted, when he kindled his anger hotly. Nebuchadnezzer knew that his earthly image was corruptible and perhaps he was thinking a replacement image would make up for what’s lacking. We would call that hypocrisy today, or “walking behind the mask.” The magnitude of the king’s anger could be paralleled to the range of heat that was ignited against God’s men. However, the image of God can not be corrupted when His faithful remain true. In fact, God’s image is purified by the fire of testing and only one as the Son of God will be seen and bring about a great deliverance. Transformation has an antonym. It’s called conformation. Conformation is changing from the outside in, but transformation is from the inside out. By being transformed by the renewing of our mind, (Romans 12:2) we will begin the change toward Christ-likeness and we won’t have to stand behind a mask, or a wall, or an image or identity on social media that is fake. I have friends who have at least 5 different profiles on facebook. Almost a different identity for every day of the week and for every kind of friend in an attempt to fabricate/cultivate an image. Our countenance is fallen if we don’t cultivate the Lord’s offering.

If you are not a Christian, you can shed yourself of all things false and the guilt that makes you think that God will never love a person as far gone as you. I challenge you to read Psalm 139. For the Christian, especially in these latter days, remember: 1) Attack the problem, not the person (Ephesians 4:29, 31). Along this line, we must remember the importance of keeping the volume of our voices low (Proverbs 15:1). 2) Act, don’t react (Ephesians 4:31-32). Because of our fallen nature, our first impulse is often a sinful one (v. 31). The time spent in “counting to ten” or “planning revenge” should be used to reflect upon the godly way to respond (v. 32) and to remind ourselves how the energy anger provides should be used to solve problems and not create bigger ones. Above all things, we are called to forgive. It is not our place to make forgiveness contingent on another’s repentance. Forgive anyway. Romans 12:1, 2 reminds us what a true offering is; what is holy and acceptable to God. It is nothing we can fabricate of our own, but only when He sees the image of His Son perfected by the sacrificial work of the Lamb of God will he find us acceptable.

Main, Mission, Strategy

Modern Day Indulgences

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I was eating my breakfast, thinking about The Who concert I had attended Friday night and thinking to myself, “What if I were a missionary returning from a 40 years ministry among a primitive people. What would my expectations be?” Yes, I would imagine The Who would still be a known group since they are celebrating 50 years as a group this year. But what about something simple as going to the music store? “Where is your record section? Or possibly, your 8 track or cassette?” If perhaps during their re-introduction to life in the modern west, the missionary is hosted by a Christan family, what kind of impression will there be? They will surely be impressed by the comforts and conveniences we enjoy. If they attend a church whose seeker-sensetivity is so accute that “people” are the predominant center of worship, they will surely be impressed. As far as that goes, any sample of churches having carpeting, a paved driveway, and a sound system will surely be impressive, if even slightly.

Now, think of the 40 years of the missionary, and consider our lives in retrospect. What resources have we squandered in our consumerism that would have been better used in sowing the seed of the Kingdom? What interest has been paid to a mortgage company by way of usery that would have met the dietery needs of an entire community for a year? A missionary, concerned solely with the prospect of saving souls will have the least ambition of consumerism. It is indeed an appalling reality.

Let us consider our attention now on evangelism. It is not the building in which the church meets that God offered the world as a vessel of salvation. The facilities do not save a person, nor does a program. The community of believers met and are to meet for the edification and equipping of the saints. To make a structure into the saving vessel is to put it in the place of a pagan temple, equal in its devotion and the service of its devotees to that of Athena or Apollo. Is it not by the Word we are saved when by faith we came to it through hearing? It was the intruction from a person who took us into the Word and by  the influence of the Spirit through the vessel of a human being that we came to know this faith. It was not through the works of any person nor the waters at any particular location that we were saved through baptism.

To the missionary, the tools that brought about life changes were the scarred hands that worked and knees calloused from prayer. A bedroll was more than adequate for resting from a tiring day of labor. The banquets held with thanksgiving were rice and beans with maybe a small portion of meat when rarely available. The satisfaction was not in the sacrifice of an austere life, but in the produce of God in the Kingdom. Sending money to missioneries has become a modern form of indulgences convincing the giver of a greater holiness that would cover the sins of apathy.

If evengelism is to be an impetus, then let us first consider how to best equip and edify the saint to this holy task, as was the purpose of the church. Let us no adorn the church with the expectation that the furniture or carpeting will win a single soul. All the conveniences that exist in our homes by virtue of our many technological advances can not replace the work of our hands and knees and the personal relation that will make for vessel of God.  “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14)

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The Tradition of Death-Looking for the Living Among the Dead

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Why do you look for the living among the dead? Luke 24:5

What is being a follower of Jesus? If I asked if anyone here were a follower of Jesus, we would all probably raise our hands. Without a raise of hands, can we look at the persons around us and see a follower of Christ? What does one look like, act like, and speak like?

We can “share” Jesus on Facebook, or “follow” Jesus on Twitter, but are there qualities that mark a person today as a follower of Jesus that marked a disciple in the generation that witnessed the life of Christ? The answer that I have come to believe is seen in what we do with life and death. What we do with life will affect how we love, serve, and forgive.

One interesting thing I find at the resurrection of Jesus was at the garden tomb. I have been drawn to the statement of the messenger to the women, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” At the resurrection of Christ, it was said in Isaiah,

But your dead will live, Lord;
their bodies will rise—
let those who dwell in the dust
wake up and shout for joy—
your dew is like the dew of the morning;
the earth will give birth to her dead. (Isaiah 26:19)

Likewise in Hosea 13:14 it says,

“I will deliver this people from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death.
Where, O death, are your plagues?
Where, O grave, is your destruction? (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

We can all admit it is better to be alive than to be dead. Wise Solomon even stated in Ecclesiastes 9:4–”for a living dog is better than a dead lion.”

Tradition had taken the women at the tomb to a place where their teaching had forsaken them, even though they had the Living Word in their midst. It was in their habit of dealing with the despair of the dead that caused them to miss the hope of the living.

Death has always been a fascination of humankind. The earliest known literature contains stories of men trying to understand death and find acceptance, or resolve, in it. The struggle of life and death led to epic heroes who became men of renown as a result of being resigned to the fact that death is a certainty and glorious life must be embraced to the fullest. Being marked by deeds of greatness would cause one to attain to a name that will endure forever in the halls of immortality.

Jesus would have more to offer than a name, or legacy, like Hercules, Achilles, Muhammad, Buddha, and Confucius.

The life of Christ was marked by His light. He was the light of life among the walking dead. Being reflections of that light means that we stand out from the world as ones NOT dead.

Today, because of humanistic indoctrination and the teaching of evolution, life is a worthless existence. The atheist is left with struggling in the arena of an epic hero at best.

n the last century, there was a very prominent British philosopher named Bertrand Russell who had a interesting view of life and death. He wrote:


“The life of man is a long march through the night, surrounded by invisible foes, tortured by weariness and pain, towards a goal that few can hope to reach and where none can tarry long. One by one, as they march, our comrades vanish from our sight, seized by the silent orders of omnipotent death.


Brief and powerless is man’s life, on his and all his race the slow, sure doom falls, pitiless and dark. Blind to good and evil, reckless of destruction, omnipotent matter rolls on its relentless way. For man, condemned today to lose his dearest, tomorrow himself to pass through
the gates of darkness, it remains only to cherish, ere yet the blow falls, the lofty thoughts that ennoble his little day.”

In our world of worthless life, we have suicide and substance abuse in exchange for it. I remember a movie from the eighties called “Better Off Dead,” and a theme song to a hit TV show was entitled, “Suicide is Painless.” Death is the obvious and rational choice of a broken life devoid of hope and not worthy of redemption.

The women, like some in the church, were in the tradition of death. I could spend many hours talking about other characteristics of a disciple which follows in the tradition of death like fear, faith. and forgiveness. Fear is a product of a culture of death. Faithlessness likewise is a fixation on fear and ultimately that of death. I could talk for hours on the affects, symptoms and characteristics of a dead church, for instance:

One of the basic reasons people leave a church is that they simply never let Jesus “plant” them so their roots can go down deep and bring forth fruit. Coinciding with that is a lack of furtile soil within the local body to facilitate growth. The Bible suggests that without roots, we cannot flourish: “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God” (Ps. 92:12-13).

God, through Jesus, established the church. And people are like trees: They must develop a root system to grow and flourish. I have noticed this over the years and have talked about it with other preachers. There are those who attend church services, and who even get counsel, but they always seem to be on the fence. Shepherds call sheep such as this “fence” sheep because they stay close to the fence, always looking for a way to get out. The danger of death is not real and the appeal of life is not enough to keep a sheep from leaving the fold.

The gospel prospect of a new birth is a win-win for all. Salvation is a result of putting the old life to death. Baptism and suicide are very similar. In fact, Knofel Staton used to put it this way. The best thing that could happen to a new Christian would be to hold them under at baptism. “I . . . baptize . . . you . . . in the name . . . of the Father . . .” At baptism, the faithful one gives his life and God takes his life and he is raised in the newness of life. Baptism puts to death the old and raises the new in the likeness of the resurrection of Christ (Romans 6).

Like the movie The Matrix, we have two choices: the blue pill, which takes us back to a lie, or the red pill which leads us to the truth by putting to death the past. One of those memorable quotes by the character named Morpheus describes the absence of life if the blue pill is taken, is compared to the life of a “Slave, born into bondage.”

The cross which was streaked red with the blood of Christ is the path to Truth and end to the bondage into which sin had bound us. At the resurrection, tombs were opened and a proclamation was heralded to those chained in the prison of death. Jesus is ALIVE!

In the beginning, asked what does a follower of Christ look like? He walks not in the tradition of the darkness of death but in the liberation of the freedom of life (Luke 1:79).

Life is in the love and encouragement of others because we first knew the love of Christ who saved us from death. We encourage death, however, when we refuse to love. We kill when we tear down and discourage another. A Christian with a tendency toward death will neither love, nor forgive. He will discourage because life is not in him. “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12)

Death is in the spectators who sit in the pews and do nothing but expect death. Life is in the expectation of the exercise of our faith by losing our life to find it. Would you forsake the tradition of death and for life’s sake:

• Would you take on a ministry you’d never considered doing before?
• Would you forgive that person you’ve hated for years?
• Would you talk to that friend or relative who you know would end up in hell?

Does Crawford County know of an alive church with all the discussion of the “cancer of poverty” and the Crawford Conversation—how great on opportunity is there?

Leave here today walking in the knowledge of life not in the tradition of death. There is a famous song that has the line, “I’m alive because He lives.” Is Jesus alive? Yes. Is His Word alive? Yes. Is the body of Jesus alive? Yes. Be alive.

Be the light and love of Christ that his life may be in you and the world will know that there is life among the dead.

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Freed for Freedom

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Galatians 5:1

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

It is easy to read about the children of Israel and scoff at their infidelity to God and wonder, “Why did these stiff-necked people ever want to return to slavery?”  Let’s look in the mirror closely. If Christ’s freedom was to set us free then why do we ourselves return to the bonds of sin? Do we appreciate the freedom for which Christ died to make us free? I would dare to say there is some level of comfort, or some confine of familiarity that beckons us to return to bondage. How little we understand the promise to which God has called us and how great we diminish the rewards for which God has prepared us.

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Vulcan Meditation

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A Meditation for Communion

(Show the Vulcan sign)

This is arguably the most recognizable symbol to come out of movies or television. The Vulcan salute is a symbol recognizable across generations.

Leonard Nimoy died Friday at the age of 83. The actor, known for many roles, was best known for his for his portrayal of Spock in the hugely popular Star Trek franchise. Spock became one of the most recognizable characters in television and movie history.

Nimoy injected the greeting to help better the identity of the Vulcan people, separating them as unique among the universe recognizable by a common symbol–a salute. The Vulcan greeting is based upon a gesture of blessing used in certain Jewish worship observances known as the kohanim (koe-hah-NEEM). The hand forms the Jewish letter “shin.” This stands for the Hebrew word for “Shaddai,” meaning “Almighty [God].” Nimoy discusses this and other information regarding the symbol and it’s significance as a symbol for peace. Kohanim comes from the same Hebrew word for priest—Koheleth. In remembrance of a lost priestly line, Kohanim signifies the endurance of the priesthood. Jesus likewise serves an eternal priesthood.

Spock’s catch phrase was “Live long and prosper.” Fittingly, Nimoy had a long and prosperous life.

During our time of communion, our focus is not merely on the symbols of the fruit of the vine and the loaf, but on recognizing our identity in Christ as unique among the universe.

Christians understand that the only way to live eternally and prosper in the after-life is through Jesus Christ. We believe that he is the Savior of the world and the key to everlasting life. Look to the symbol of the cross for the inspiration of hope and your life will be everlasting and your prosperity will be an eternity with Christ whose life death and resurrection made for peace between God and us.

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”—John 14:6.

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Oh How Great God’s Testimony Is

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We are very familiar with Psalm 19 and the fact that all creation speaks of God. Now let’s consider the voice of redemption in Romans 8. Beginning in verse 22 (NASB) For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. . . even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. . .in the same way Christ helps . . . the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

We have the testimonies of the calling of God, the intercession of the Spirit and the Son, the groaning of creation and the groaning within ourselves as witness. What a wonderful thought for us to consider. God in His masterful plan of redemption has pulled all the stops for our adoption.

The will of God is that mankind respond to the predestined plan of His calling. There lies within each of us a groaning for this since at creation we were predestined for a relationship with God.  As Paul strategically does on other occasions, a courtroom scene has been arranged and we are left as the jury to decide a verdict. Bringing the case to rest, the jury is asked for a decision in verse 31  “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” Finishing with verses 33, 34, “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. ”

Yes, the God of the universe is mindful of us. What is the false witness that speaks otherwise?

Please consider responding to this with your own ideas.

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The Difference IS One

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The Difference IS One—A strategy developed by Joe Thomas for the corporate world, but applicable to the church.

Mathematical equation—the answer to subtraction is the DIFFERENCE.

Not, “The difference OF one,” which is a slogan for benevolent/philanthropic organizations but “IS one.” I didn’t choose the “power of one” because it may detract from the dynamic of a team.

Two choices, one difference—In the world of customer service, there is a lot of competition. A customer’s choice between two difference suppliers can be determined by many things including price, warranty, convenience, and satisfaction. For most if not all people, their choice boils down to a selection of TWO. By eliminating the competition, you can stand out as the difference and answer to the customer’s needs.

What does the ONE difference mean? It means repeat business and the integrity of all the legs of the proverbial “three-legged stool.” The first leg is the benefit to the customer. The second leg is the benefit to the company. The third leg is the benefit to the employee. If I could add a fourth leg, it would be the benefit of the community by maintaining a retail business with all the benefits that add to the local economy.

A reputation is valuable. If person leaves a place of business with a bad experience he will tell another person when the subject of choice is discussed. The person with the bad experience will likely persuade the other to make a purchase elsewhere. Two people have decided not to patronize your store based on one experience. How can this be changed? Your strategy is to cancel out the one bad experience by producing a positive one.

As I said before, I deliberately chose to use the difference IS one and not the phrase “the power OF one.” A TEAM with common interests as in the above three-legged stool will also be the ONE difference. You can easily find other various differences that conflict and cause a team to be divided. Teams may be divided by a few things, but mostly by policy and management. Payroll, practices, wages, hours, etc., all fall under the umbrella of policy and management. The best resolve to bringing about a positive solution is being the ONE difference. Addressing the situation, finding the source of the conflict and determining the solution will bring unity back. If it’s a policy conflict, the organization must come to an agreement that it rarely, if at all, can change and finding a way to comply, without complaint, is the best solution.

As far as the church is concerned, the basic need of people is the same. Whether or not the expectations are correct, visitors still have expectations of why they came to church. Facilities, teaching, accountability, fellowship, challenge, and direction are but a few examples that most people have. Of course, doctrine is built into all these things and will be understood of all the above expectations are translated properly through the dynamics of a functional church. The worst thing that can happen is for a church to be doctrinally sound with no conviction found. Yes, conviction is probably the highest expectation a visitor has when coming to a church. A reputation is built on the integrity of it’s team. Men of God, integrity IS the ONE DIFFERENCE. It is all you have left after everything else is taken away, as in the story of Job. Consistency with God’s Word is a reasonable expectation. When your life and His Truth are resonating at the same frequency, then the world will know the cost, the worth, the satisfaction, reliability, benefit of godliness and like the pearl merchant of Matthew 13, seek its purchase and own it.

Please feel free to add your thoughts to this strategy.