The Practical Nature of Godliness

1Timothy 4:8 For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

In comparison to the limited physical benefit of bodily training, Paul makes a bold claim about godliness.  It is of value in every way for the present life and the life to come. If we really did believe this in practice about godliness, I would suggest that Christians all over the world would know the blessing of life at a vastly elevated level. Unfortunately, many have often relegated godliness to the realm of religiosity and outward shows of piety. Paul, however, has a vastly different understanding of godliness and claims that it is intensely practical. How could he possibly mean otherwise if he is saying that value of godliness is its promise of value for every way of this present life?

The statement Paul is making is in the context of him talking about the way the church lives out the truth of God in this world. Paul had just previously said that he had written the whole letter to Timothy so that he may know how one (any single Christian) ought to live in the world as a member of the church.  He had emphasized and repeated that, in Christ, the church has the truth of God to know how to live in this world to God’s glory. The pinnacle of our life is seen in the confession of Christ in 1 Timothy 3:16 where Paul tells Timothy that Jesus is the mystery of godliness. I believe what Paul is saying is that if you want to know the glory and character of God as shown in human life, look at Jesus. If you want to know the hope and practical reality of godliness, look at Jesus.

So why is this so intensely practical? Well, because a life of godliness is a life that is lived in both the knowledge of who God is and the application of his character in the reflection of him in our own life. The promise being made by Paul is that in whatever you face in this world, godliness is the answer. Really?

1.    In our suffering, godliness is the answer. While we live in a groaning world that brings the weight of suffering in many ways, we look to who our God is. Every human deserves suffering and yet our God is one who came into this world in a perfectly obedient life to suffer on our behalf. While we may not understand our suffering moment by moment, we understand the mystery of godliness in Christ as our hope remains set on a greater glory. We trust that God brings all things for his greater glory. We understand more of the infinite suffering he went through for us as Jesus took on God’s wrath on our behalf. We understand that through suffering came mercy and grace. These are truths that give Christians hope amid suffering. We live through suffering in light of them.

2.    In our sorrow, godliness is the answer. When the world seeks to define our problems by way of labels of disease and disorder, worldly medications and therapies can only promise temporal symptomatic relief (even if they work and don’t create even greater issues). The Christian can assess our own hearts in the light of God’s truth and holiness. We can know a God who both provides hope beyond this world and becomes our greatest source of satisfaction in this one. When we understand God, we understand that there is nothing lacking in him when he is our greatest desire. The application of that truth in our life puts the realities of our sorrows in the light of God’s greater eternal purpose for us. Because of godliness, we can look up in our sorrow.

3.    In our sin, godliness is the answer. When this world counsels us to ignore guilt and live according to your own desire, we suffer in the consequences that our sin inevitably brings. When we understand something of the holy character of God, we see our sinful flesh for what it is. We also see that life in this world is deeper and richer lived in the light of all that God has for us in Christ. We understand deeper and richer relationships, gratitude, and the joy that only comes through a knowledge of grace. Godliness in the face of our sin compels repentance to a reconciled life with God who gives his abundant love to all who call on him.

Godliness is the application of the truth and character of God in our life that can only come through union with Christ. Godliness is the answer for every aspect of human life because it is the only answer that impacts our life now and also has eternal promise. This world seeks answers for our temporal existence, but godliness keeps us holding on to a much greater eternal answer. Through godliness, the things of this world grow strangely dim.

Do you believe that godliness is more than just a religious principle or outward piety? I hope you know it to be true that godliness is intensely practical for our life now and even not yet.

When Holiness Is Not Holiness

Colossians 2:20-23 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations-- 21 "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)--according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

In more than one of Paul’s letters, he found it necessary to deal with the problem of asceticism in the church. Asceticism is an ideology that holds to denying yourself from any sort of indulgence. Those living the ascetic lifestyle were the ultimate killjoys in life. Paul saw this type of life as an impotent attempt to deal with the lusts of the flesh. An extreme focus on self-denial does not transform us from fleshly desire but it can make you pridefully focused on outward expressions of false piety.

Paul’s point for the Colossians was that their own attempts for holiness could only be superficial. Generally, the purpose of asceticism is a joyful and enlightened life.  The problem with asceticism is that an extreme dedication to denial ends up robbing of joy, not giving it. While those in an ascetic lifestyle do see the bankruptcy and damage of an undisciplined life of licentiousness, they cause their own harm in the opposite direction. With either end of the scale, the heart is bound and enslaved in sin.

Paul wanted the church in Colossae to know that true joy and contentment can only be found in and through Christ. In Christ, we neither live in slavery to the flesh or in the hard bondage of denial. We live in the enjoyment of God who opens our eyes and shows us that all can be enjoyed when his glory is the purpose by which we enjoy it. He shows us how to enjoy life without making our own sinful flesh the end goal. We neither seek the impossible task of redeeming our flesh or feeding it. Our Goal is to live in this world and enjoy all that God has given us in a way that pleases and enjoys him. While there is nothing we can do (or not do) that can redeem our flesh and transform our heart, Jesus has done it all. Because of the crucifixion of Christ, our fleshy pursuit is crucified with him, and we are also raised with him in new life. It’s not a life of abstinence, it’s a life of gratitude, love, contentment, and joy. We can enjoy God’s good gifts in life because our greatest desire is to enjoy the Giver.

When your holiness is only depicted by your denial of God’s gifts, it’s not holiness, it’s putrid self-righteousness. When your righteousness is found in Christ alone, his holiness can be on display in our enjoyment of him and all his bountiful goodness.

Word Ministry Is Confident Ministry

In 1 Timothy 3:15, Paul tells Timothy that the church of the living God is the pillar and buttress of truth. That is one of the boldest statements about the church in the bible. It tells us that the transcendent God of the bible is the immanent God of his church. It tells us that the church of God upholds and ministers the truth of God.  The church, as a pillar and buttress of truth, has a ministry of the word.

When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, he had something similar to say. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Paul was about to tell Corinth some pointed truth.  His ministry was the ministry of the word, and he was passionate for them to resist following the ideas of men. He wanted this church to uphold, defend and preach God’s word, primarily, the crucified Christ. It is in the power of the word of Christ, that God draws, illuminates, regenerates, justifies, and sanctifies his church. This is then what Paul says in his second chapter to the church in Corinth. 1 Corinthians 2:9-13 “But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"-- 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.”

Through the impartation of words, God’s word and the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Spirit is present and working according to his good and sovereign will. The word being imparted comes through the church standing on the truth of the Scriptures and proclaiming it to each other and the world. The transcendent power of God directs his church with his word as his means of grace.

Whenever you hear this statement that the church is the pillar and buttress of truth, it should give you confidence. No matter what opposing philosophy stands before us from the world, when the church relentlessly stands on the word of God, we uphold and minister a truth of transcendent power. We have a responsibility to handle it correctly and preach it boldly.

 In the church, word ministry is confident ministry.  

God is Good

This week our church, Grace and Truth Church Cincinnati, move into our newly renovated building. In reality, we move into our renovation in progress, but we will move with joy and excitement for what God has in store for us. As we move into our new building and new neighborhood it is a great time to think about our focus from here on in. Many things will stay the same.  We will continue to exalt Christ and proclaim his name. We will continue to make much of the gospel and plead for people to know Jesus.  We will continue to be a church committed to all that honors our Lord as we show his love and unity within our body. We will continue stand strong on truth without compromising grace and vice versa. We will seek to point each other to the application of God’s word in our life and the sufficiency of the Scriptures for helping the hurting. We will seek to gather together to celebrate the ordinances, and to pray, preach, and fellowship. We will protect it all through a God ordained structure of partnership through sacrificial leadership and humble submission.

We could go on with so many wonderful realities about what we hope for our church to be and continue doing when we move into our new building.  Before we do that, we should just take time to acknowledge that this has all happened within the providence of a good and gracious God. Before stepping into our new building on Sunday, let’s prepare our hearts by acknowledging that God is good.

Psalm 119:68 You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.

This is such a beautiful thought as we consider gathering this Sunday. We will come again around the word of God.  We hope to hear eternal truth that transforms our lives, but the reason we can so readily meet with confidence in the Scriptures is because we first have confidence in God who gave his truth to us.  The Scriptures are good because God is good, and because God is good, all his works are good. What more can we say but, Teach me your statutes.

Before we move into a new building this Sunday, meditate on the goodness of God.  Meditate on his works because they are good. Consider the works of God in creation and in human history. Consider the works of God with his covenant people. Consider his work of redemption ordained before the foundation of the world. Consider the work of his self-revelation through his incarnation and in the inspiration of his word. Consider his work of a new creation that we are yet to behold. Consider it all. He is good and does good. Don’t you want to learn from him?

When we come on Sunday, please come in anticipation. Let the first Sunday in our new church building be one of anticipation to worship and hear from the good God of the universe as we all come around the wonder of his word and celebrate the glory of his Son.

God is good. Anticipate his good truth. Anticipate his grace. Anticipate his goodness.

The Importance of Church Polity

In 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, Paul instructs these two men about elders and deacons. Paul is concerned for there to be a structure in the church, formally applied, in which the church can be properly cared for and managed. As I was thinking through the calling and qualifications of elders and then the qualifications for the office of deacons, I was yet again convicted by the necessity of formally knowing and understanding the entire church.

We should take note of many Scriptures that require the entire congregation to be responsible for essential matters in the life of the church. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for not taking responsibility for the grievous sin in their midst. The church ought to be very serious about holiness. When a serious sin is overlooked, it affects the entire church. Paul then says to Corinth, “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you." (1 Corinthians 5:12-13).  We ought to take this verse very seriously. If the church is to protect holiness among the body of Christ, we must not be frivolous about knowing who we are and how we as a whole congregation counts who is in and who is not.

In matters of church discipline, the church is the final ground to dismiss an unrepentant sinner from among them (Matthew 18). In 2 Corinthians 2:6, Paul talks about a discipline within the church that has already taken place and he talks of it being brought about by the “majority.”  For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough. The seriousness here is seen that church discipline can only happen in a church that is fully aware and formally knows who is in to clearly show who is out.

As we think of doctrine, Paul instructs Timothy that it is the entire church that is given responsibility for being the pillar and buttress of truth. 1Timothy 3:15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Surely if the responsibility is the hands of the church to uphold doctrine, the church must be serious about knowing that it is in the hands of those we know who truly believe biblical and gospel doctrine.

These are just a few examples of why the church must be serious about formally knowing who we are in the responsibility that Christ has given us.  In this responsibility, Christ has also given elders to shepherd and teach and guide and be an example in leading in the responsibilities of the whole church. He has given deacons to take care of the management of ministry as the church lives to please Christ and reach the world.

There are many who see little importance in the need for a formal identification of the church in membership. It seems to me that as elders lead, deacons manage, and the whole church takes responsibility as a final accountability, it would be negligent for us not to treat the identification of the body of Christ with anything other than utmost care. When elders are to be formally known to the church for a partnership designed by God in leadership and submission, how is that supposed to work without a formal acknowledgement of the body being led?

When we read in Hebrews 13:17 that the church is to let its elders rule with joy, it encourages me to make a plea to those in our body who attend and know Jesus but have not become members.  Please allow our elders to take the leadership of our church family seriously and joyfully by helping us formally protect those who we must know and care for and serve. Please help us joyfully lead us all in the huge responsibility we all have.

A way of doing that is by taking your membership in the church as seriously as those who are called to the offices of elders and deacons. In other words, if you are not yet, please let us formalize your membership.  

To Read Like Amy Carmichael

For the last 20 years of her life, missionary Amy Carmichael was basically immobile. She spent much time in her room reading and writing, and that work produced encouragements for millions around the world.

Amy had spent 50 years in ministry, especially to women and children in poverty and slavery. She had maintained a consistent focus on the gospel of Christ. She had great desire to see many come to know eternal hope that only comes through repentance of sin and faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. Her undying stance on the gospel and the truth of God’s word was unwavering.

There was a time in her ministry when her work was under threat of being undermined by people who did not hold to the inspiration and authority of Scripture. It was a time when Amy had to increase her commitment to truth and to be aware of the commitment to truth in others. Whenever the gospel is affected, the stakes couldn’t be higher. It was at this time that Amy would find out more about the people who were sent to help her. One of the questions she would ask them was, “Besides the bible, which three or four books have helped you most?”

Amy knew the importance of influence. The works that influenced people most would highlight the value they placed on the integrity of truth in their ministry. Their best reading would tell her something about how they might influence others. Her own discipline of reading was geared toward her own edification and strengthening in her ministry.  It was said of Amy that, even while she did read some fiction, she had little time for it.  She was a lady who desired to plumb the depths of truth as she hoped to stand strong in truth and know and serve her Lord more.

As I read some of these comments about Amy Carmichael, I found myself wondering how I might encourage both men and ladies in our own church with materials that profoundly edify and strengthen their own ministries to their families and others. Obviously, nothing ever replaces the Scripture for the infallible truth we all need. I do however think that if Amy Carmichael was with us today, she would say there is an enormous difference between an edifying reading schedule and a mind numbing one.

Amy would ask people what they were reading to find out how committed to the truth of Christ they really are. It was a good question. By highlighting this, I’m not saying that fiction is in any way harmful (I suppose it depends on the fiction). Nor am I saying that a reading schedule must be filled with the writings of puritans. However, I do think there is a general question in Amy’s example for all of us. If you were sitting in front of Amy Carmichael today and she asked you, “What besides the bible are you reading?”, how might you answer her question?

An Open Letter to Ladies in Our Church

Dear Ladies of Grace and Truth Church Cincinnati,

Thank you.

As a pastor I could fear preaching through the final verses in 1 Timothy 2, but instead, I am full of joy and gratitude.

1Timothy 2:9-15 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness--with good works. 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Last week we approached the subject of outward adornment. I felt no pressure. It was already proven to me that our ladies don’t resist modesty and they are neither intent on making more rules than God. Paul proposes that the measuring grid for the appearance and demeanor of a lady is a heart of godliness. To preach this knowing that our ladies would embrace the concept with enthusiasm was a blessing to me that many pastors sadly may not enjoy. To witness a response of encouragement in our ladies was indeed a testimony of your godliness in embracing God’s truth. Without a single objection, it seems to me you desire to live with a heart for God and not yourselves. Your response has strengthened and edified me and the other men in our church. Thank you for being a godly witness to us and for showing us a desire for God’s glory despite the competing sentiments of our culture.

This week I am equally confident that the ladies in our church will embrace God’s design for men and women in the church with the same enthusiasm and joy to glorify God. I love being a part of a church family that carefully navigates the waters of rejecting both a licentious culture and a legalist reaction in the church. Abrasive fundamentalism as a movement is dead to us and yet we can still see the sinfulness of worldliness and live with a view to please our King according to his order and design for us. To witness your biblical balance is a joy in my heart.

We know we are not perfect. We all feel the pull of Genesis 3. We know that men can so often gravitate toward an inclination to rule. We know that ladies can incline to ascendancy. We feel the pull of self, and without Christ it would drive our very lives. We know that the responsibility for men (husbands and leaders in our church) is to serve rather than subjugate and protect and cherish rather than oppress. We need your prayer and help for us to resist Genesis 3 temptations to dominate rather than edify you as our sisters. We pray for you that your desire would also be directed by Christ rather than the instinctive consequence of the fall.

Thank you for making it a pleasure to preach a passage that other pastors dread. You are a gift of God’s sweetness to our church. You love and serve us well.

Your grateful Pastor,

Steve.

Our Demeanor in Corporate Worship

I often challenge people that the main purpose for the gathering of the church is truly not so that we can worship God.  The Apostle Paul consistently calls us to gather for edification. However, the main purpose for Christians in all that we do is the worship of God and when we come to gather, we do so corporately in worship and as worshippers. As worshippers gather, what we bring with us into a corporate gathering will impact the worship of others.  Worship is not a secondary issue of music style or liturgical order; it is a primary essential issue of the heart. Our demeanor in worship matters.

Most people agree that one of the most beautiful accounts of Jesus in the gospels is John’s recounting of Jesus with the woman at the well. By God’s grace we in the church get to listen in on a stunning conversation where Jesus shows this lady her own worship problem and allows her to pose a profoundly significant question. John 4:20 “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship." Where do I find true worship?

Jesus’ ultimate answer is… “John 4:23-24 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." Jesus helps this lady to know that worship is not a place or people group issue, worship is a heart issue. It matters much less about the style of music, the beauty of a church building, the smell of the incense, the order of the liturgy, the clothes you wear, the hymn books you use, and much more about your heart that is focused on the God you love through the person and work of Christ Jesus.

When we gather as those who worship God in spirit and in truth even when we are not together, we affect each other in God-centered hearts as we hear the reading and preaching of his word, as we join in prayer, as we partake in ordinances, and sing God’s praise. For the church in this world, this is not an arbitrary, side issue.  This in Christ is the very essence of our togetherness. Your worshipful demeanor in the gathering of the saints matters a great deal.

Confessions are Important

Maybe you’ve tried to look for a church wondering whether you can be confident that a particular church will preach God’s word faithfully.  Will the doctrines I hear from this church line up with Scripture and how can I know something about how they will interpret Scripture? For me, if I ever see a church website where there is not a basic understanding of what they see as the important doctrines in the bible, I am left with a skeptical mind about their commitment to Scripture. Confessions are important for so many reasons and while a confession will never replace the bible, they can be wonderful, unifying, protections against false teaching. Confessions often show that we are not disconnected from 2000 years of Christian orthodoxy. Let’s consider the important place for confessions.

1.     There are biblical examples of confessional statements.

Within the text of Scripture, we find that the biblical writers often give theological ground for what they say.  The make formal statements of doctrine that reinforce an admonition or command or encouragement. It seems that Paul does this often and a great example can be found in 1 Timothy 2.  At the beginning of the chapter, Paul tells Timothy that he is to pray for all people and for leaders that impact the way Christians can live out their faith in public. This reflects God’s saving heart (vs.4).  Why must Christians have a comprehensive heart of prayer and evangelism for all people? Paul makes a very formal statement in vs.5-6 that would not be out of place in any formal confession of faith - For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

2.     Confessions unify God’s people.

The church is told that it is pillar and buttress of truth (1 Tim 3:15). That means that it is the church’s role to protect the doctrines of Scripture. Each local church is united as a congregation with a God ordained leadership of elders and are responsible for upholding the truth of Scripture together. As a unifying declaration of faith, a confession or statement of faith works to carefully define the doctrines of Scripture for the church to uphold the truth of Scripture. This is then lived out within the body and as we interact with the world. A confession is a formal, intentional, and responsible way of bringing clarity to what will affect the unity of the body of Christ in matters of biblical truth.

3.     Confessions help to give concise statements of doctrine from a big bible.

Everyone should truly understand that only the bible is the inerrant, infallible, authoritative word of God. Confessions can never replace the bible, but the bible is our source of doctrine.  Biblical doctrines take time to develop. As we study through the scriptures and find themes and truths consistently taught through God’s progressive revelation, we find essential and important doctrines that can be clearly and objectively stated with concise precision.  Confessions help us to communicate biblical doctrines central to the Christian faith.

4.     Confessions proclaim strength.

The church holds strong on the truth of Scripture as we live in Christ and in the power of the Spirit. Confessions make a statement to all who read them that this church is founded on the word of God and uphold the doctrines of truth from the word of God. Most confessions will have biblical references to show that each statement has been carefully worded through the study of the Scriptures. When a church unites around statements of truth drawn from the infallible word of God, we declare a position of strength. We say that we obey God and not man.

Here is a link to our statement of faith.  

And here is a link to one of my favorite confessions – the 1st London Baptist Confessions of Faith 1646.

One God, One Purpose

1Timothy 2:3-6 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

What do you emphasize when you read the bible? So often when we read sections of Scripture we can be so distracted by our temporal vision in our own life and culture that we miss biblical statements that force our view to see a bigger purpose. The verses above come directly after Paul telling Timothy to pray for leaders and their effect on our life in the world. 1Timothy 2:1-2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Whenever we come to the Scriptures, we need to read comprehensively to answer the big question – What does God want most out of this? What is God’s big purpose? God’s purpose is always in complete unity with his character.  The verses in 1 Timothy 2 are so helpful for this. We might be tempted to read the first verses in 1 Timothy 2 and put our sights on a moral or ideological transformation of a culture. We might even suggest that these verses compel us to activism for a cultural change. These verses, however, neither condemn nor compel cultural activism. When we read further, however, we see that God compels us to read this encouragement to the church based on Who he is. He is a saving God. His big purpose for his glory is the salvation of mankind. For that purpose, he gave mankind a mediator in Jesus Christ who paid the ransom for our sin. There is a universal call of the gospel in every culture because God is a saving God. The aim of our cultural engagement is the good news of Jesus for all people.

When we read the Scriptures compelling the church to some type of activity in this world, we must always ask what God wants out of it. Why should we pray for leaders? Why should we want peaceful and quiet lives?  Why should we be godly and dignified as we live in the culture? The answer is found in Who God is. He is a God WHO desires all people to be saved.  That is Who he is.  That is his heart. When we realize the big saving purpose of God for his glory, we do everything with that flavor and desire. God is a God of mission and everything the church does in this world is because of that mission.

There is one God with one purpose, and he has called his church to be his means of that purpose in this world – it’s an eternal purpose.

Is Your Fight a Good Fight?

Over the last few years I have been significantly concerned about the practical definitions of what it means to many Christians to be orthodox or conservative as evangelicals. It seems to many that if you are not willing to voice your anger against cultural change in a public way, you are not in the fight you should be. It’s as if some have made this a matter of orthodoxy. I have often been left wondering how we should really define the Christian fight. It’s not that I am against the concept of a Christian war because there are prominent places in the New Testament where Paul uses battle language. It’s in those places we see the nature of the fight to which we are called.

1.     The domain of the fight.

The first reality we find is that it’s a spiritual fight. 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. Paul wrote these words to the church in Corinth as it was being threatened by the influence of those termed as “super apostles.” They were false teachers who were undermining the gospel within the church. It was a spiritual battle for the integrity of the gospel in the church to keep the church committed to authenticity in Christ’s mission.

In the New Testament letters, we constantly find that the focus of spiritual warfare is the integrity of the gospel in the church as it reaches out in mission to the lost in the world. Today many people have attempted to focus the church’s fight on the world, particularly government, to fight against the immorality of a changing culture. When the apostles speak about the government in the New Testament there is a glaring absence of battle language.  In fact, more than anything, there is an encouragement for Christians to live peaceably through respectful obedience in good conscience before God. (* Disclaimer: I am not saying that it is sinful or wrong to speak out against evil/ungodly decisions or use legal or legislative means to uphold God’s holy standard where possible. I’m saying that the core battle lines of the church are not described as such in the New Testament and the priority of our battle language is often distorted when focused away from the integrity of the gospel in the church.)

If we are not foundationally fighting the spiritual battle of gospel integrity in the church for mission in the world, we might want to ask ourselves if we are more concerned about our cultures than we are about God’s glory through salvation of the lost.

2.     A great example of the fight.

One of the best examples of the spiritual war is found in Paul’s letters to Timothy as he entrusts his dear son in the faith to battle (1:18-20). If you just read through Paul’s first letter to Timothy, you find that the false teaching in Ephesus has impacted the church beyond dogma. The consequence of false teaching affects the whole life of the church. Timothy is instructed to fight, and it may not always look like many today expect it to look. As you read through this letter and make a list of instructions for the fight, your list will look something like this.

            - Correcting false doctrine and teachers within the local church.

            - Living in dignity for the sake of the unsaved.

            - Having ordered gatherings that respect God’s will for men and women.

            - Having a leadership that matches the calling and integrity of the gospel.  

            - The protection of truth.

            - Correcting misconceptions about holiness.

            - To keep the reading and preaching of God's word central in the church.

            - To keep his own teaching in check.

            - To ensure the church is properly caring for widows as a witness to the community.

            - To lead and put measures in place for an authentically faithful eldership.

            - To correct the greediness of false teaching to encourage a generosity to the gospel.

Paul tells Timothy to fight the good fight. I think if we asked the Apostle Paul what his definition of a good fight is, he might simply tell us to read the rest of the letter and see for ourselves. He may also more personally tell us to read Romans 7 where he discusses a battle against his own sin. We engage in the good fight to protect the historical Christian faith that has stood the test of time now for 2000 years. The church is still alive and the gospel is spreading because the good fight is enduring in the power of Christ.

As you read Paul’s letters to Timothy, perhaps also listen out for the loving sincerity of the Apostle as he sincerely guides his spiritual son to navigate his mission with a goal of love.

When Mercy Overrides Your Theology

Sometimes we come to hotly contested bible passages and find that the contest blinds us to the context. When we see the bigger point of the context, we find that our contested theological systems pale in significance to a much greater wonder in God’s Word. When we see how God has revealed himself to us, his character is placed on glorious display over our debatable theological positions. A classic example of this is found in Romans 11 where we see that God’s mercy is infinitely greater than our debates about Israel.

Consider for a moment these statements from Paul specifically addressing gentile believers about the hope for Israelite non-believers. Rom 11:30-32 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

These and even more specifically the verses leading up to it are hotly contested as theologians attempt to resolve what Paul means when he says in Romans 11:26 that all Israel will be saved. They debate about what “Israel” means and when and how it will happen. Some theologians think that all national Israel (living at the time of the second coming) will be saved sometime in the future just prior to or at Christ’s return. Others think that the total number of saved national Israelites occurs as each individual elect Israelite comes to faith during the era of the New Covenant prior to the second coming (my personal preference). Still others think that Israel has been fulfilled in Christ and now all who come to Christ, both Jews and gentiles, show the whole salvation of Israel. Other people believe that these verses will only be fulfilled in a national Israel in a future millennial age.

I’m not saying the consideration of these details is unimportant. What we believe about Israel and the church affects a lot and shows something about how we interpret Scripture. Even so, this debate is secondary to the main point about our saving God who saves both jews and gentiles. God in his eternal purpose and plan has ordained that his saving mercy is to be on glorious display as he saves both disobedient gentiles and disobedient jews. Consider again vs. 32. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

In verses 30-32, Paul uses the word mercy four times. He helps us to understand the nature of mercy. Mercy is mercy because it is given to disobedient people who deserve judgment. Mercy is mercy because disobedient creatures have no way of their own to appease the wrath of their Creator. Mercy is mercy because nothing can place you in a position of privilege to receive it – not the birth right of a jew and not a gentile claiming favor over disobedient jews. God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all (both gentiles and jews).

Mercy is ordained by God, bestowed by God, to people chosen by God. Mercy is given to people who deserve judgment, and God has clearly displayed that his mercy shows no partiality in the working of his sovereign grace. If you have received the mercy of God, it has been all of God and it has shown his love and grace in choosing that you will no longer be under his eternally, righteous, wrath where you deserve to be in your flagrant love of sin.

Paul doesn’t end chapter 11 in a doxology of praise because he knows the definition of Israel and the timing of their salvation. Paul ends in a doxology of praise because whether jew or gentile, if you in your disobedience receive the mercy of God, it is his glory alone on display in your salvation. Therefore, every redeemed soul on earth can join Paul as he brings his discussion of the sovereignty of God in mercy and grace to an end.

Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" 35 "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

The Gospel is Not a Request

Do you share the gospel? Do you make an appeal for the gospel? Do you offer the gospel? I’m not saying that wording it that way is wrong – not in the slightest. We talk in these terms because we know we cannot force belief upon people. We know that the saving response to the proclamation of the gospel comes through the work of God on man’s disobedient heart. It comes through the illuminating, regenerating work of the Spirit through his word. We also know that every human being is individually responsible before God to repent of sin and have faith in Jesus.

Sometimes our rhetoric about gospel proclamation ignores a very important reality.  The gospel is not really a non-obligatory offer for someone to be reconciled to God, it’s a command.

Act 17:29-31 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."

When Paul went to Athens (Acts 17) among all the philosophers surrounded by their idols, he told them about the unknown God of the universe who created all things and to Whom they are accountable. He showed them that they are looking in all the wrong places and that the only way of being right with the Creator is through the Savior who died and rose from the dead. Paul called them to a right response. It was not a response to an offer, or even a hopeful appeal. Paul called them to respond to the command of the gospel in obedience through repentance (Acts 17:30).

We are commanded to repent of our sins and believe upon his Son as our only way of forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. This is a command of love from God who takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

The gospel as a command might seem strong until you realize that without faith in Jesus Christ, there is no forgiveness of sins and an eternal judgment awaits. Unbelievers are disobedient do the gospel, not simply unconvinced or preferring something else.

Writing to Timothy, Paul also urges his true son in the faith to command some in Ephesus to stop teaching other doctrines that conflict with gospel integrity (1 Timothy 1:3). Again we see that the strong language of command is necessary because any teaching that conflicts with the gospel undermines the saving reality of the gospel. Commanding gospel response and gospel integrity is important because there is no other name under heaven by which we might be saved. Doesn’t that require better than a weak offer? It requires a command of love.

The Faith and Your Faith

Jude 1:3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

1Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

Throughout the New Testament Scriptures, we find a distinction in the way the New Testament authors talk about faith. Sometimes they talk about THE faith and sometimes they talk about YOUR faith.

When Jude writes to the beloved saints he does so acknowledging that they have a common salvation and appeals to them to contend for THE FAITH that was once and for all delivered to the saints.  When he talks about the faith in this respect he is talking about all matters of truth that pertain to an understanding of the Christian faith. It is difficult to reduce this matter to the simple and irreducible message of the gospel, but the gospel is certainly the very center and thrust of the faith. The faith associated with our common salvation is surrounded by the historic setting and doctrines and life of the gospel upheld by and lived out in the church. There is one faith which is the faith and it alone is the basis for a common salvation that everyone in the faith obtains.

In other Scriptures we find the biblical authors showing that this faith must have an individual, personal component of ownership.  It is my faith or your faith. When we read the personal pronouns associated with faith, we know that the biblical author is asking us to consider the individual belief we have in Jesus Christ that brings us into the faith in which we live. Paul tells the believers in Corinth that if Jesus has not been raised, their faith is in vain.  In other words, their individual belief in Jesus would be for nothing if he has not conquered the grave to give us hope of our own future resurrection from the dead and life everlasting. Through faith in the risen Christ, we are saved.

The distinction is important because those who come to faith in Christ become responsible for the faith in which we stand. The faith delivered to the saints is delivered through them having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  When we come to faith in Jesus Christ we become members of the corporate custodians of the faith to this world. Through the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and Christ himself, he has commissioned a succession of the faith to be upheld, protected, lived and proclaimed by the church. For those who have faith in Jesus, they do not just have an individual responsibility to trust in him, but are part of a corporate responsibility with all believers everywhere to uphold the faith with the integrity and purity that the gospel message demands. Every Christian who walks in a profession of faith has a weight of responsibility to contend for the faith in this world. We do it as a corporate body (the church) helping each other to live it, protect it, proclaim it, teach it, and uphold it in every way possible.  

The Great Commission Defines Mission

Matthew28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

The moment anyone recites these wonderful verses, we all instantly think of one word – Mission. The reality is that it is not wrong for us to think of this word.  In fact, if there is one sole word to explain the great commission, it’s mission. The problem comes not in our identification that the main point is mission, but in that the great commission also defines mission.

I am hopeful that most Christians would agree that mission is more than sending someone overseas to proclaim the gospel and make converts. Of course, we all want to see converts to Christ, but Jesus commands us to so much more in these few verses.  He commands us to go and make disciples, baptize disciples, and teach disciples to observe his commands. The point we must see when we read the great commission is that Jesus is commissioning his disciples to go and grow healthy churches.

In baptizing disciples, believers are publicly identifying with a community of believers.  They are being baptized into identification with a family. They are declaring their death to former allegiances, their burial of the old life and resurrection with him to new life in a new family. That Jesus commands baptism implies that there is to be an identifiable church being planted and grown in the name of the Tri-une God.

When Jesus tells his disciples to teach disciples he gives the specific instruction for training these new believers to observe/obey his commands.  They are not just teaching dogma but actually discipling/counseling new believers in the application of the truth of Christ in their life of obedience to him. This means that the process of discipleship is implied as an ongoing relationship of disciples helping each other grow in the sanctification of Christ’s truth. That implies a maturing church. As you read on in the New Testament, that also requires the appointment of elders/overseers to watch over that flock under the authority of the Great Shepherd.

Modern missionary strategies that ignore the hard work of one to one discipleship, sanctification, identification with a local body, and biblical leadership miss the point of the great commission.  The great commission is the mission of the church, not simply individuals.  It is the mission to grow the church, and while that takes individual believers, baptism and maturing discipleship takes a commitment to the establishment and growth of a local church.

Where many have an insufficient understanding of the great commission, we must see that there is a greater sense to mission. Jesus is growing his CHURCH and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

Why I Have NO Fear About My Church

Upon the great declaration from Peter that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus declared that he is building his church and the gates of hell would never prevail against it. Jesus has given a great promise to the church that it will never die and in fact, it will always be victorious in the gospel according to the sovereign grace of God.

When we think of promises like this, we underestimate that the promises of God are backed up by the faithfulness of God in keeping them. God’s Word is true and all that he says will happen because his word and his will are absolute.

On many occasions Jesus told his disciples that he was going to die and be raised from the dead.  Upon hearing this, they (especially Peter) attempted to refute the will of our Lord, but Jesus’ word is final. Satan attempted to tempt him away from it in the wilderness, but Jesus withstood Satan’s attack and proceeded toward the cross. The crowd in Galilee attempted to take him by force and make him a king who would overcome Herod and even Rome. Jesus dispersed the crowd and kept proceeding toward the cross. Peter seemed ready to stand with his sword and fight against Jesus’ arrest, but Jesus healed the ear of the guard that Peter cut and willingly gave himself over. Jesus refrained from giving a robust defense before the Jewish and Roman courts as he willingly went to the cross. Jesus said he would die and rise again, and this is exactly what he did.

On Easter Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead and the angel described this event as happening just “as he said.” (Matthew 28:6).

How do I know that Jesus will keep his promise to protect and grow his church? How do I know that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead? How do I know that Jesus will complete his work that he has promised to finish in us? How do I know that there will be ultimate and final perfection of his saints? How do I know that the church will stand in wonder before the shining brilliance of God? How do I know that there will be a new heaven and earth without the stain of sin and suffering? How do I know that the church will live forever in the presence of our Savior and Lord? BECAUSE no mere man can come to life after death. Upon the will of our Savior, he died for sin, was buried, and rose from the grave in victorious life as King and Lord forevermore. It’s not that he simply promised to do the impossible, he DID the impossible.  

Whatever Jesus promises, it’s worth believing. It’s worth staking your whole life on it.

Have no fear. Jesus is with his church.

The Silence of Jesus or The Babylon Bee

I definitely do have a sense of humor and love to laugh. If you ask anyone in my church or family they will tell you that I love a good joke. I’m also aware and concerned about the speed and ferocity of the cultural shift that is happening around us all. I know that this world is not a friend of Christians. Christian media voices like the Babylon Bee have used satirical humor to expose social ills and cultural oppression. Is mocking the world the right tactic for a Christian, even if we are just trying to have a sense of humor?

It is impossible to read through the Easter narratives and not see an intense and persistent mocking of Jesus. In Matthew 27 Jesus was given over to be scourged and crucified and was then mocked by the Roman soldiers and brought to his place of crucifixion where the scornful mocking continued with the Jewish crowd, Chief Priests, Elders, and Scribes. From Matthew 27:27-44 we notice a continual onslaught of scoffing at Jesus with him consistently responding with silence.

Jesus’ focus was to die on a cross. There is little doubt about what this Jewish crowd most wanted. They wanted a King who would help them restore the Jewish way of life and overcome the domination of Rome. They wanted a King who would lead them in rhetoric against the cultural oppression of their dictators. Jesus had no intent in making that his goal. His concern was that the only way a sinful world could know the forgiveness and mercy of God was if the justice of God would be satisfied by One who could actually bear it. The cross was his central focus.

When we understand the one big purpose of Christ, it puts human problems in perspective. Political and social ills in this temporary world are only a peripheral view compared to the central focus and purpose of the cross. Because Jesus’ pinpoint focus was saving a people from sin, he was intentional about his humility before those he was coming to save. Unfortunately, when we have a more worldly focus, it tends to ignite more worldly responses. If Jesus were fighting in the battleground of cultural wrongs and Roman oppression, no doubt his responses may have been different. What we find though is that Christ, focused on his success in the cross, does not join in the worldly fight using the same mocking tactics as the world. What we see in Jesus as we look at his progression to the cross is a picture of the ultimate blessed man from Psalm 1.

Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

What we find in this Psalm is that the tactic of scoffing is one that the Blessed Man does not engage in. That’s a worldly seat that he avoids. Mocking and scoffing does not bring godly success. All that the Blessed Man does prospers because he is aligned with God’s great purpose. As we look at Jesus and how he responds to a mocking world, we find that he does something amazing. He silently focuses on the only way those mockers might know grace and peace in right relationship with God. Jesus doesn’t use satirical wit to show the stupidity of his opposition with scoffing laughter. Jesus doesn’t weaponize humor in a way to incite hatred toward those who are against him. Actually, Jesus says, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” Jesus is exponentially more concerned about individual souls than his opposition’s social ills or oppression. He goes silently toward his focus on the cross and we should imitate him in this way as we go taking the message of the cross.

This Easter I have been even more convinced that Christians should avoid the mocking tactics of the world and take the heart of Christ to a mission field that we are not meant to scoff but to evangelize. We are not meant to incite opposition, even through humor, but to encourage mission with a pinpoint focus on the cross and a desperate love for an opposition who need Jesus.

Get Real About God's Wrath

I make no apologies for this post, and neither did the men in their quotes below.  Please read and consider all the way through. Sometimes the most disturbing of truths is exactly what we need in order to see the most glorious of truths.

“If the biblical doctrine of the wrath of God is true, then it is the most important fact confronting every one of us at this moment; infinitely more important than any international conference that may be held, infinitely more important than whether there is to be a third world war or not. If this doctrine is true, then we are all involved in it, and our eternal destiny depends upon it. And the Bible states everywhere that it is a fact.”

                        Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones

“The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose. It is true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed hitherto; the floods of God’s vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the meantime is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are constantly rising, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, that holds the waters back, that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward.”

                        Jonathon Edwards

“wrath is the holy revulsion of God’s being against that which is the contradiction of his holiness.”

John Murray.

“What fools are they who, for a drop of pleasure, drink a sea of wrath.”

Thomas Watson.

“He is angry with you this moment – and always.  You go to sleep with an angry God gazing into your face.  You wake in the morning, and if your eye were not dim, you would perceive His frowning countenance.  He is angry with you even when you are singing His praises, for you mock Him with solemn sounds upon a solemn tongue.  He is angry with you on your knees, for you only pretend to pray; you utter words without heart.  As long as you are not a believer, He must be angry with you every moment (see Psalm 7:11).”

                        C.H. Spurgeon

“God’s wrath is present in God’s giving people over to their licentiousness, their sin, their bondage to evil. And he is saying they are storing up more wrath, as he gives them up to wrath.”

John Piper.

“The wrath of God is not ignoble. Rather, it is too noble, too just, too perfect – it is this that bothers us.” 

James Montgomery Boice

“Wrath, unlike love, is not one of the intrinsic perfections of God. Rather, it is a function of God’s holiness against sin. Where there is no sin, there is no wrath-but there will always be love in God. Where God in His holiness confronts His image-bearers in their rebellion, there must be wrath, or God is not the jealous God He claims to be, and His holiness is impugned. The price of diluting God’s wrath is diminishing God’s holiness.”

                        D.A.Carson.

“Without the black backdrop of our sinful nature and its consequences (God’s wrath), the gospel is a big yawn.”

William Farley.

“God’s holy wrath is poured out on what He hates because it damages and destroys what He loves.”

                        Sinclair Ferguson

“As God’s mercies are new every morning toward His people, so His anger is new every morning against the wicked.”

                        Matthew Henry

“There is no need for God to be in a hurry – all eternity is at His disposal… He is in no haste to execute judgment because He knows the sinner cannot escape Him. It is impossible to flee out of His dominions! In due time every transgression and disobedience shall receive “a just recompense of reward.”

                        A.W.Pink

“Not all the vials of judgment that have or shall be poured out upon the wicked world, nor the flaming furnace of a sinner’s conscience, nor the irreversible sentence pronounced against the rebellious demons, nor the groans of the damned creatures – give such a demonstration of God’s hatred of sin – as the wrath of God let loose upon His Son!  Never did divine holiness appear more beautiful and lovely than at the time our Savior’s countenance was most marred in the midst of His dying groans – when God had turned His smiling face from Him, and thrust His sharp knife into His heart, which forced that terrible cry from Him, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me!”

                        Stephen Charnock

Titus 3:3-7  For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Preparing Your Heart For The Lord's Supper

How do you approach what we call, “The Lord’s Table?” Most times we come to church and are often unaware that this is the Sunday that we are celebrating this meal together. Perhaps we should do a better job at giving our church family notice that this celebration is coming up. I say this because it seems that the Apostle Paul had some very big concerns about how the church of Corinth was approaching the Lord’s table. As we read 1 Corinthians 11, we might want to object to being compared with the Corinthians. They were treating the Lord’s table like a self-indulgent meal for the rich.

1Corinthians 11:17-22 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

I have never actually been in a church that matches this description, and I am very thankful for that. Even so, as we consider this passage, it does tell us some important aspects of communion that we should consider.

Vs. 17 – It is supposed to be about coming together.

Vs. 17 – It is supposed to be for the better – (for edification/building up of the body).

Vs. 18 – It is specifically the coming together as the church – the united family of God.

Vs. 19 – It is a meal that is supposed to be shared by all who are genuine in Christ. (not just some).

Vs. 20 – It is not our supper, it’s the Lord’s supper.

Vs. 21 – It is supposed to show the unity of all believers, rich or poor or otherwise.

Vs. 22 – It is not supposed to be like any other meal.

The first point of concern for Paul is that the Lord’s supper in Corinth had become a display of sinful indulgence and division in the church. This was to their shame. Even if we are not displaying the same type of visible division among us, it does give us pause to remember that we come to the Lord’s supper with a common bond. That bond is found in the broken body of Christ and his blood shed for us. To come to the Lord’s table with others is to consider that those others share this meal having experienced the same infinite grace that we also desperately need. This means we must not approach the celebration of Christ’s sacrifice for us with a heart of bias against another. In Corinth it seems there were differing factions, and while our church may not have such clear divisions (praise God), it can be easy for us to think lesser of others based on our own selfish criteria. Before we come to the Lord’s table, we should check our hearts of love for our brothers and sisters as we prepare to share it in unity and love.

1Corinthians 11:27-30 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

We should also seriously heed the warning that Paul gives to the Corinthians and consider ourselves before the Lord lest we take this supper in an unworthy manner. In one sense, we are never worthy. None of us can ever claim our own holiness before the Lord, but the Lord’s supper is about remembering that Jesus died for the unworthy. Paul is saying that if we are truly in Christ, we will check our lives and consider if our lives are representative of our faith in Christ. Is our walk, worthy of the calling to which we have been called. Do we have unconfessed sin? Are we guilty of sinful bias against our brothers or sisters? Are we living as if the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice doesn’t matter?

Getting some notice about the Lord’s supper is a great thing. Check your heart. Confess your sin. Put your mind right about your brothers and sisters, and in need, ask for forgiveness where you have been showing your sinful biases. Pray and ask the Lord to ready your heart and mind to share together in a remembrance of Christ with others. Remind yourself that they are your brothers and sisters in the broken body and shed blood of our Lord Jesus, Savior, and King.

This is your notice for Sunday.

Passover: A New Family Photo

In Matthew 26:14-25 we come across the account of Judas betraying Jesus and the Passover meal. It starts with Judas doing the sinister deal with the Chief Priests in order to deliver Jesus to them for 30 pieces of silver (vs 14-16). It finishes with Jesus making it known that one of the twelve disciples would betray him, and it’s obvious it’s Judas (vs. 21-25). Sandwiched in the middle of these two sections is a picture that makes the treachery of Judas even more appalling. The setting for Jesus’ announcement was an intimate Passover meal with his family, a family that redefines the normal Jewish understanding of family in an infinitely more intimate way.

17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?" 18 He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, 'The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'" 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. 20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve.

The Passover feast and the entire festival of Unleavened Bread was a huge family deal. In the original Passover, family units were gathered in their dwellings after sacrificing a lamb and smearing its blood on their doorposts. As they ate safely inside, God passed over their homes, and they were safe from the judgement that was wrought on the Egyptians. Through this, God delivered them out of Egypt. Through the wilderness, God gave Israel safe passage and provision as they camped and moved in family units. As Israel then dwelled in the promised land, they were attributed land according to family and tribe, and as they remembered Passover, they came together in intimate family gatherings to recall what God had done. The Passover meal was about as intimate a gathering for families as could possibly be. Fathers would explain the elements of Passover and sons and fathers would recite scriptures in response to each other. The Passover was a great feast of family units convergent upon Jerusalem.

Why weren’t the disciples gathering with their own individual families at this time? Because in Jesus the disciples found something new. Jesus makes Passover all about him. He gives us what we now know as the Lord’s supper. Jesus is not with a group of disciples all disconnected from their families at Passover. Jesus is with his true family at Passover, and he defines it in the explanation of a New Covenant. The New Covenant is not a covenant made to those who have connection to a physical descendancy and tribal connection to the sons of Jacob. The New Covenant is the covenant in Christ’s blood. His family is not identified in the bloodlines of Israel.  His family is identified in the blood shed by Christ himself.

This intimate setting is indeed the most intimate family setting we could possibly explain. This is even more intimate than a family connected by physical heritage. It’s a family connected by an eternal Savior. Jesus shares the most intimate meal with the most intimate family. They share the bowl and dip their hands into it. They pass the Passover lamb and they contemplate together how God is a deliverer. Then Jesus basically says, “This is me. I am this Passover Lamb for you.”

It is in this family setting that Judas sits as a betrayer and would soon prefer that he had never been born. It is in this family setting that we now gather all over the world to remember Christ’s body broken and his blood shed for us. With the New Covenant fulfillment of Passover is a New Covenant definition of what a covenantal family of God truly is. The New Covenantal family is in Christ’s blood alone. The New Covenant is a participation in one Lamb for all who will believe.  What a glorious covenant and what a gloriously beautiful family of the Lamb.