Faster Unto Thee

Not As Those Without Hope

We biblical preachers are constantly proclaiming that doctrine has practical implications for life.  On Wednesday, I found out personally that what I had preached the Sunday before really worked.

Just this Easter Sunday I was explaining to my congregation the meaning of  Jesus being the "firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20).  I explained that the resurrection of Jesus was an indicator, a promise, that God did indeed do resurrections and that more were to come.  Just as the very first produce a farmer sees is a promise that the full harvest is right around the corner, so Jesus' resurrection is a promise that all will be raised one day, some to the "resurrection of life" and some to the "resurrection of judgment" (John 5:29).  This means that death as we know it is temporary.  It is still a painful, grief-filled experience for believers, but we do not grieve as those without hope, for there is only a relatively short wait before the resurrection comes.

I then illustrated the point by referring to a beloved saint in our church who died this year.  We had prayed for her healing and yet cancer took her from us.  "But I say to you that her healing is coming," I preached to the congregation.  To further illustrate the point, I explained that I have two grandparents and one beloved great aunt left.  "At their funerals," I said, "when I am sitting in the church pew, I know that I will feel grief, for death is a terrible thing.  But I will also feel joy, because all three are believers in Christ, and that means that they are not lost to me.  For one day, when the trumpet sounds, the dead in Christ will arise first ...." 

After our morning Easter services I came home and saw that there was a message on my answering machine.  It was my mother, letting me know that grandpa had died that morning.  "I just referred to him in my sermon," I thought.  Would what I just preached less than a couple hours ago hold up?

The funeral was Wednesday.  And as I sat and listened to the preacher, viewed the body of grandpa and felt the grief, I did experience what I just proclaimed to my congregation 3 days before: joy.  I knew that death had lost its sting, for death had been defeated with the resurrection of Christ, and that the coming resurrection meant the separation between my grandfather and I was only temporary.  I did not grieve as someone without hope.  By God's grace, the sermon I preached a few days earlier was being proved true in my own experience. 

Praise God that his truth does indeed make all the difference in the world.

John Piper: Hearing From God

John Piper is one of my favorite Calvinists.  And he certainly knows how to make a point.

A little while ago Pastor Piper wrote about an experience of his when he heard God's voice.  The piece  is a response to an article in Christianity Today and is very well-written, like just about anything else he writes.   At first it seems to be saying one thing, but as you read and arrive near the end you see he is saying another.  In the end, the reader finds himself or herself longing for the same experience and realizing that it is available - if pursued.

Our day is a day of endless subjectivism and in this article Piper sounds the note of biblical authority in the devotional life of the Christian.  He reminds me of the late Dr. Stephen Olford  who once said to a group of seminary students that he would love to take time away from his lecture to go through the crowd there and one by one ask this question about their devotional lives: "What did God give you this morning?"  For those who have an active, passionate devotional life centered around Scripture, the answer is usually already at the surface, but for those who do not the question is damning.

Give Piper's article a read and tell me what you think.  Click "comments" right below this post to leave your thoughts.

God's Final Word

Hebrews 1:1-4

 As this Advent season begins, I have been reflecting a bit on the uniqueness of Christ. This is a central theological issue for the Christian faith and speaks to the question of, “Why should I become a Christian and not something else?”, or “why should I continue in exclusive faith in Jesus Christ?”

The author of the letter to the Hebrews wrote to his people to answer those kinds of questions. As one reads through this letter, it becomes apparent that the letter was originally written to Jewish Christians who were under persecution for their Christian faith. Many scholars argue that the historical background of the original recipients of the letter was a time when

Rome

was persecuting Christians and not Jews, or at least significantly less so. Therefore, the temptation of these Jewish Christians was to give up on Christ and revert to their previous status of not regarding Jesus as the Messiah so that they would not be considered Christians and thus avoid persecution.

But the author of the letter to the Hebrews will have none of that! The whole letter gives many reasons why faith in Christ is essential! He explains that salvation is found in Christ alone! And so if the believers walk away from Christ they may save their physical lives but lose their spiritual ones. Three bold truths from these first verses of Hebrews tells us why salvation is found in Christ alone.

First, the author explains that nothing that came before Christ is adequate (vs. 1-2). Verse 1 tells us that in the past God spoke to the fathers of the faith and that he did so in many and various ways, which includes prophets, divine speech, miracles, events, etc. Repeatedly, God made himself known.

But while God spoke in many and various ways in the past, now, in these times, he has spoken again by his Son. But notice that in his Son, God only had to speak once. The Word of God was never full, complete, fulfilled or fully captured by the chosen medium in the past, but now God has spoken through his Son Jesus whose life, words and deeds communicate fully and completely for the Father. Therefore, to go with an older “edition” of God’s revelation is incomplete, inadequate. Like using a map that is outdated, going with what God revealed before Christ will lead one astray.

This is wonderful news to some and fighting words to others. In a BreakPoint commentary back in 2000, Charles Colson wrote, “It wasn’t easy, but we managed to do it: in the space of a few weeks last fall, Christians set off raging controversies with almost every major religious group … We [Southern Baptists] then published a booklet asking Baptists to pray for the conversion of Jews. And Jewish leaders were incensed, accusing us, as one rabbit put it, of “spiritual racism” (commentary no. 000223).

Why should Christians seek the conversion of Jewish people and risk being called “spiritual racists”? Simple: what they believe in is not adequate. The Messiah has come. They have an incomplete, out-of-date theology that is missing the latest and final edition of God’s revelation: Jesus Christ.

Note the contrasts in verses 1-2: Those who spoke before were prophets, Christ is the Son of God, a much higher authority. What was spoken before came in bits and pieces; Christ is the fullness of God’s revelation. What was spoken before Christ was sent in various ways; the revelation of Christ was a one man and therefore one medium event.

Second, the author explains that nothing beyond Christ is needed (v. 2). Those two words in verse 2, “last days,” are loaded with meaning. Over and over in the Old Testament that phrase refers to a time when God will act decisively and bring salvation and judgment. Well, the author of Hebrews is saying that is just what has happened in Christ. God has spoken clearly in Christ.  This is a way of saying that the whole Old Testament finds its fulfillment in Jesus. Nothing more can be added.

There are those who think more needs to be added. We could list folks like the Mormons who believe that God spoke again about salvation, in their Book of Mormon. Many other cults and groups build upon Christianity and add to it.

But nothing else is needed because you cannot improve on what God has done through Jesus Christ. This is what these first few verses of Hebrews tells us:

Verses 1 & 2 - what God spoke before came through prophets, but what God has spoken in these last days came through his Son, close to the Father. There is no one of higher rank, thus no room for improvement.

Verse 2 - This Son is the heir of all things - everything in all creation has been given to Jesus. No one else can claim that.

Verse 2 - through this Son all things were made. As the theologians say, Jesus is the co-creator of the universe. No one else can top that.

Verse 3 - Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of God’s nature. That is, Jesus is divine. This cannot be topped.

Verse 3 - Jesus sustains or holds all things by His very word. That’s power.

Verse 3 - Jesus made purification for sins. The priests of old had to continually offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. Jesus offered such a perfect and complete sacrifice that he had to do it only once. Thus he was able to sit down at God’s right hand, his work being done.

Verse 4 - his name is more excellent than any angel.

All these truths are stated in part to persuade us of the superiority of Christ’s ministry and to push us never to think that something beyond Christ is needed. How could anyone improve on Jesus?

Third, the author explains that nothing besides Christ is acceptable (v. 2).  One of the hardest things for people to do is accept authority. In our pluralistic and relativistic culture the most offensive thing you can say is, “I’m right and you are wrong” about a moral issue or especially to claim that there is universal, absolute truth.

But the author the letter to the Hebrews would tell us that God has every right to tell us what to believe and will punish us if we reject his authority. Verse 2 reads, “he has spoken to us by his Son.” His word is definitive, laying out the one and only path. No other option is mentioned, no room for negotiation is given. It is simply submit, conform, or perish.

Some time ago I watched an episode of In the Actor’s Studio. The program interviews at length an accomplished actor, probing them for insights about the craft of acting itself. On the show was the actor Johnny Depp. At one point Depp gave an illustration about how he goes about developing and taking on a persona for a role. He said, “It’s like religion. You pick and choose what works for you.” I sat there and thought, “he just exemplified how people today think about religion. They think the terms are up to them, that one simply surveys the faiths available and picks and chooses off a smorgasbord of beliefs, assembling what they think will make them happy without putting restrictions on their behavior except tolerance [except for conservatives!].”

But smack against that thinking comes the book of Hebrews, which tells us that God spoke in his Son, laying out the path of salvation, and that he has laid out no other path. God chooses what works, not us. We deviate at our own peril.

So this Advent and Christmas season ponder the uniqueness of God’s revelation in Christ. Nothing that came before him is adequate. Nothing that beyond him is necessary. And nothing besides him is acceptable. The way is narrow, but the path is clearly laid out. 

 

 

Don't Take a Vacation from God

The spring flowers are all in bloom around our church building adding their beautiful color to the greened-up grass.  These and other signs of spring lift our spirits as the drab, gray skies of Indiana winter are now over.  As the church shifts now into the schedule of summer, one pastoral concern comes to mind: vacation time and the Lord’s Day. 

Vacations are a time to get away from the normal activities and pace of life and to do something else that refreshes us.  Some folks love to travel a long distance for their vacation and some just love to stay home to get projects done and get some rest.  But whether we travel away or stay home, we Christians are Christians year-round.  And one thing that is central, crucial and essential to the Christian life is gathering for worship.  Under the leadership of the Apostles, the earliest Christians “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42).  Note that word devoted.  They did not gather sporadically or just when it was convenient, but public worship and fellowship was central to their lives.  Remember too that the author of the letter to the Hebrews wrote, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).  Consider also that the Lord’s Day, the Christian Sabbath, occurs every Sunday.

          

So the pastoral concern is this: when you go on vacation, do you take a vacation from God?  Or do you plan your vacation so that you can gather with believers on Sunday to worship?  Some believers live as though worship is optional when they are on vacation, thinking, “God understands.” But God never “understands” disobedience to commands and neglect of principles in his Word.  How we spend our time while we are on vacation tells God how important he is to us and tells our family how important God is to us.  What is more, exercising the discipline to attend worship when we are away from home is great witness to non-believers!  Imagine the potential impact on your fellow vacationers, the family you are visiting, or whoever notices when you arrange your vacation time so that you can be in worship on Sunday.  You will be telling them that God deserves attention anywhere, anytime.

          

So, what can we do?  Simply, plan your vacation so that it includes worship.  If you are away from home, visit a Bible-believing church on Sunday morning. Go to the campground worship service.  Hold your own family-worship time. Somehow, someway, give God the worship he deserves.

            

Thank God he never takes a vacation from us.

Faithful Over the Long Haul

This is a picture of my paternal grandmother and my step-grandfather who have been together for many years.  They are in the twilight time of life now.  That stage of life often stirs deep reflection of those in it and those (hopefully) around them.

I am blessed to have had good, solid Christian grandparents in these two.  People who know them will speak of their kindness, faithfulness and love.  But what has centered them and given their lives stability is a deep commitment to Christ and his Church.  That commitment has always been expressed through steady, faithful participation in the life of the church, especially in attending worship services and finding ways to serve through music, care of the building and more.  They are the kind of people every pastor wishes he had more of - people who simply showed up without fail and found significant ways to contribute to ministry and would never think otherwise.

Such people are hard to come by today.  Too many folks see church life as an add-on to their real life, not the center of it.  Over and over I see among younger families the idea that there is little connection between their commitment to Christ and their commitment to public worship and service in the local church.  My grandparents would say the two go hand-in-hand, that one fundamental way commitment to Christ is expressed is through public worship and service in the church.  To put in another way, irregular worship attendance and lack of service through the local church is evidence of a weak or non-existent commitment to Christ. 

A fellow pastor once told me of a young family in his church that always "took summers off" from church.  As soon as the wife said that to the pastor, she felt obliged to quickly add, "but we're still Christians."  She knew what the pastor was thinking but wanted to insist that the link between church involvement and true faith in Christ is not very strong.  Her idea was that everything could be a-okay between her and God even if she voluntarily chose to "take a vacation from church" (thank God he doesn't take a vacation from us like we sometimes try to do from him, as though he is a burden!). True, not everyone in the younger generations is this extreme in their apathy, but how easily sports, recreation, etc. are allowed to crowd out what is most important in life: the worship of God.  We are raising a generation of kids right now who are being taught that sporadic church attendance is "good enough."  For what?

How very different the author of Hebrews felt.  "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging each other all the more as you see the Day drawing near" (Hebrews 10:24-25).  Consider also Acts 2:42-47, where the new believers spent considerable time together worshiping, learning, serving, caring and reaching out.  Church life was life.  Other things were scheduled around church, not vice-versa. Consider too that when a believer neglects to come to church that others are potentially robbed of whatever benefits their presence and spiritual gifts might bring.  And consider how the soul drifts from God when sitting under the ministry of the Word is neglected (2 Timothy 3:15-16).  On and on this list could go.

If anyone has a solution to this problem, let me know.  While I wish we could extend the influence of my grandparents' generation a few more decades in the hopes that others will catch on, that will not happen. 

Thank God for the folks who model that there is a connection between faithfulness to Christ and steady church life. 

May Christ revive his Church.

Palm Sunday: The Saving King

Mark 11:1-11

Zechariah 9:9

Today is Palm Sunday.  On this day, the beginning of Holy Week, Christians remember the purposeful entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on a donkey.  Jesus rode into Jerusalem to in full knowledge that he would be betrayed, suffer and die an excruciating death.

Zechariah prophesied of this entry in 9:9 of his book: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!  Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvtion is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Of all the many things this event tells us it makes clear Jesus is on a mission to bring salvation.  He goes to Jerusalem to suffer and die for the sin of the world.

You know, when someone fixes something for you that you cannot fix for yourself, you are particularly grateful.

I think of the nice man who helped my wife when she was stranded alongside a highway in Kentucky with a flat tire and her keys and cell phone locked in the car.  Thank God there are still a few trustworthy folks out there.  If I knew him, he would be my buddy today.

I think of the various hostage situations we keep hearing about in the middle east.  Sometimes our special forces are able to go in and rescue the hostages.  Thank God for our men and women in uniform.  If interviewed, the hostages always sing the praises of the military folks who saved them.

I think of firefighters rescuing people from a burning building.  Firefighters end up on a lot folks’ Christmas card lists permanently.

I think of two friends who always fix my computer when yet another thing has gone haywire with it! I am loyal.

Well, how much more has Christ fixed for us something we cannot fix for ourselves: the fact that we all deserve hell for our sin!

            

Think about how terrible our situation is and how impossible it is for us to fix it.  First, the Bible says that we are born in sin, “in sin my mother conceived me,” David wrote in Psalm 51.  Because of that our very nature is twisted with sin.  Without Christ as our Savior we are doomed to the bondage of sinful nature that is draw to twisted things.  We can’t fix that anymore than a flat tire can re-inflate itself or that a man with no arms can shake hands.  We are powerless.

Second, the Bible says we are born rebellious against the things of God.  We want to run our lives the way we want to run them and we really don’t want God telling us what to do until we get saved.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” the Apostle Paul wrote (Romans 3:23).  Yet, even though we humans are rebellious by nature, God did not just write us off as he well could.  No, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).  He, the offended party, reached out first to fix the problem that we could not.

This is how Christ is.  That is why he rode that donkey into Jerusalem, so that he could die on a cross for our sins, fixing something we cannot fix: us.

You know, it is easy to envy people who are passionate for the Lord.  They are usually people who have been forgiven much and they know it.  “He who has been forgiven much, loves much,” Jesus said.  The truth is, however, that every believer has been forgiven much more than we realize, enough to send each one of us to hell.  Ponder that for a while and see what it does for your devotion to this donkey-riding Savior.