The Calling of the First Disciples

“I was speaking at an open-air crusade in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Billy Graham was to speak the next night and had arrived a day early. He came incognito and sat on the grass at the rear of the crowd. Because he was wearing a hat and dark glasses, no one recognized him.

“Directly in front of him sat an elderly gentleman who seemed to be listening intently to my presentation. When I invited people to come forward as an open sign of commitment, Billy decided to do a little personal evangelism. He tapped the man on the shoulder and asked, ‘Would you like to accept Christ? I'll be glad to walk down with you if you want to.’ The old man looked him up and down, thought it over for a moment, and then said, ‘Naw, I think I'll just wait till the big gun comes tomorrow night.’ Billy and I have had several good chuckles over that incident. Unfortunately, it underlines how, in the minds of many people, evangelism is the task of the ‘Big Guns,’ not the ‘little shots.’" (Lieghton Ford, Good News is for Sharing, 1977, David C. Cook Publishing Co., p. 67.)

Who are the “big guns” and the “little shots” when it comes to disciples of Christ?  Who is most qualified to speak the truth of the Gospel message to others?  We may be tempted to think that only a select few (pastors, Sunday School teachers, Bible Study leaders, etc.) are really qualified to speak the Gospel message clearly, but the reality of life as a disciple of Christ is that every disciple is a “big gun.”  This makes each of us a missionary, called to speak the truth of the Gospel to those around us.

Join us this week as we dive into John 1:35-51 where we will learn about the call of the first disciples and what this means for disciples of Christ today.  May we bathe Sunday morning in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself in a mighty way so that the Gospel of Christ is clearly understood by all.  For His glory!

Striving to know Christ and make Him known,

Pastor Mark

Retreat or Reach Out: The Conundrum of Halloween

I grew up torn about Halloween.  As a young child I dressed up as a cowboy and went door to door for candy.  Oh, how sick I was that night.  But as I grew older my parents and my church began to withdraw from Halloween.  We began to see this holiday for what it truly was, a celebration of the demonic forces in this world. 

But as I moved into my college and adult years I began to become torn.  The question I began to ask about my life in general was, "How can the children of God go on the offensive against Satan and his dominion in every aspect of life?"  In other words, how can we reach out to others with the gospel of Christ in every aspect of our lives?

Halloween was no exception.  How can the children of God turn this celebration of evil into a time of gospel living?  David Mathis has a great piece on the Desiring God blog which asks some very good and pertinent questions about Halloween and our reaction as believers.  Check out the small portion of it below and read the entire piece here.

What if we saw October 31 not merely as an occasion for asking self-oriented questions about our participation (whether we should or shouldn’t dress the kids up or carve pumpkins), but for pursuing others-oriented acts of love? What if we capitalized on the opportunity to take a step forward in an ongoing process of witnessing to our neighbors, co-workers, and extended families about who Jesus is and what he accomplished at Calvary for the wicked like us?

What if we resolved not to join the darkness by keeping our porch lights off? What if we didn’t deadbolt our doors, but handed out the best treats in the neighborhood as a faint echo of the kind of grace our Father extends to us sinners?

American Evangelicalism and the Role of the Messiah

"Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ."

Matthew 16:20 (ESV)

During my Bible reading this evening I came across Matthew 16:13-20 where Jesus asks his disciples who they believe he is.  After Peter's confession that Jesus is the Messiah the disciples are given strict orders to not tell anyone "that he was the Christ."  This command was given because the expectations of the people of Israel for the Messiah was one of military conquest instead of spiritual/soul conquest.  This, of course, makes sense.  If the disciples began to openly declare his Messiahship before the appointed time it would "have instigated a political movement that would have hampered his real mission" (ESV Reformation Bible Study Note).

After reading this passage my mind began to take a weird journey.  Trying to bring this passage into our current context of the 21st Century I began to think about the role of American Evangelicalism in our churches.  One area that I frequently have conversations with those I would a part of this ideology is the view of America as a country blessed and protected by God.  American flags are found in the front right next to the cross and books are presented that talk about the Christian history of America.  At times it seems that I have more conversations about how the country is going away from its Christian roots than about how my neighbor will be spending eternity in unimaginable suffering away from the presence of God. 

Which brings me back to the passage in Matthew.  I know how dangerous it can be to take a passage that was for a specific time and place and people and transfer it to a situation nearly two thousand years later.  But I couldn't stop myself in the comparison.  I believe that the main message of this passage was to reveal to the disciples that the call of the Messiah was not what everyone assumed.  His call was not to rule a nation but to rule the heart and soul of the elect.  His call was not to bring Israel back to political and military prominence in the world but suffer and die and be raised to life and ascend to the right hand of the Father.  His call was to reveal to the whole world his love, mercy, grace, justice, and glory.

What would happen if the Church rose up not for political gain or influence, but rose up to be used by God for the work of souls?  How would the Church look different if preached the Gospel with our lives and mouths instead of picketing at political rallies?  How would the world look different if we focused on Christ as the Savior of Souls instead of the Savior of Nations?  This is a dangerous topic, but I want your input.  Am I off base?  Am I misinterpreting the call of the Messiah? 

Don't hear me wrong.  I believe we should stand up for what is right politically, especially those things blatantly against scripture.  I hold very strong conservative political views and continue to pray for our President and leaders.  But where should our real focus be as believers: the saving of America or the glory of God through his work of salvation?

I report . . . you decide.  (Sorry!)  Let me know what you think.

I'm a Poor Example and It Sucks

1 Peter 5:1-3 (ESV)
"So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock."

I will have to admit something to you all. I struggle with staying focused on my vocation and ministry of being a pastor. There are days that would rather sleep in until 10:00am, go to bed early, and do nothing but watch football in between. And would have to admit that I don't do the best in fulfilling the scripture above.

Peter lays out some basic principles for elders/pastors: shepherd the flock, serve eagerly, and be an example to the flock. But the principle I feel that I need to focus on the most is the final principle. Honestly, there are weeks where I feel like such a hypocrit. During my sermons on Sunday mornings I preach the a true believer in Christ can't help but live their life for Christ. In other words, reaching out and preaching the gospel of Truth through their words and actions. And yet, as I live my life during the week I would have to admit that most of my time is spent with believers. I mean a 99-1 ratio believers-unbelievers. And usually that 1% unbelievers are those I run into at the grocery store and our conversation doesn't go past "Hello. How is life? Oh, that's good."

And then I get frustrated with my leadership because they are unwilling to even think about getting out of their comfort zones, go down to the bar, buy a coke, and sit with "sinners." I am certainly not being a good example.

So, why don't I get out of my comfort zone enough? Yes, God has called me to lead the people of this church in spiritual growth, intimate relationships with each other and Christ, and challenging them in their beliefs about their faith. That is my vocation, my job. But that job does not give me a pass on evangelism. Man, I frustrate myself. God has called each of us who believe in Him to make disciples, help expand His kingdom (not ours), and bring Him glory through our lives.

Sometimes I just feel like I'm riding the fence. I want to be on fire for Christ, but my own selfishness and depravity get in the way. How do I get past this hump in my spiritual life and ministry? How do I jump in the game and hit the line with all my might? (Sorry for the football analogy.) How do I give Christ all of me instead of most or just some of me? That is the real question.

Suffering for Jesus (Sort Of)

1 Peter 4:12-13 (ESV)
"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed."

I remember receiving a phone call from my dad a number of months ago. He was on the west coast (I believe in Oregon) standing in front of the Pacific Ocean. He was there for some type of Regional Minister's Conference. When I asked him what he was doing right at that moment he said, "I'm breathing in the ocean air and walking on the beach." My response was very sarcastic. "So, you're suffering for Jesus, eh?"

We in America have no idea was suffering for Christ is all about. Or maybe a different way of stating it is that the suffering for Christ that Peter is talking about in 1 Peter 4 is not something we can relate to. All over the world people are dying because of their faithfulness to the call of Christ in their life. But the most we suffer, outwardly at least, is to be told "no" when we invite others to a Bible study.

I say outwardly because I feel that the persecution that we normally suffer here in America is inwardly (Is that even a word?). For example, as men we walk into a grocery store and we walk past the lingerie section. Our mind wanders and we begin to lust in our hearts. Or we struggle with any type of sin and the fight is not usually between on individual and another, but between one individual and their own inner thoughts and desires. Yes, those around us may be affected by our sinfulness (especially close family members and friends), but most of the suffering comes from the inner turmoil that occurs in our heart and mind.

We have no idea what it means to suffer for Christ, at least outwardly. Maybe that's the problem with us in America. We've become too relaxed and see our faith as an inward struggle between us, our desires, and the desires of Christ. When in actuality we should also be suffering for Christ outwardly. When was the last time I asked a "God Question" to someone outside of the Church? It's been a while. And I'm ashamed of that.

Do I Know God?

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (ESV)
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Knowledge of God is very much underrated these days. I can understand why many would take this stance because so much of our world today relies on knowledge and science that we can't help but fight against that. First of all, though, we have no reason to be afraid of science. God created this world and so in the end science will only prove the existence of God. Second, unless we know God we cannot really know God. In other words, to use modern Christianese, if we are to have a relationship with God we must know who God is.

But to even move it farther, to be able to stand against this world's knowledge and the false teachers that surround us we must know the truth. We must know God. Now, I will be the first to acknowledge that we will never truly know all of God. To truly know all of God is to in a way be God and that is not possible. But we can know enough about God to fight the spiritual war of knowledge and souls with God as our power.

The Smell of Christ

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (ESV)
"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life."

Last Sunday morning we studied John 12:1-11. In this section Mary pour perfume upon the feet of Jesus and wipes it with her hair. The humbleness of Mary speaks to her willingness to face the danger of such an act (letting her hair down in public was a sign of loose morals) and the expense of her actions (the perfume cost one year's worth of wages). But what I tried to focus on most was the fragrance of her actions and what that means for us.

Then this morning I came across this passage in 1 Corinthians. Paul here is talking about how we are perceived by those around us. Those who follow Christ cannot have any option but to smell like Christ. The fragrance of Christ permeates everything about us. Our actions, language, priorities, relationships, they all will have the smell of Christ. Others who follow Christ or whom the Holy Spirit is working on can smell the beautiful fragrance of Christ on us. But to those who don't know Christ we are an annoyance, old fashioned, and stink to high heaven.

I ended my message with this statement, "Do we have the smell of Christ on us?" We all have vises and we all sin, but as a man who follows Christ I have no option but to live for Him and smell like Him. What other option do I have?

The fragrance of the knowledge of God is all around us and is us. That sounds a little too Star Warsish, but I still believe it is true. What do you think?

Too Smart For Their Own Good

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (ESV)
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

Being a graduate of seminary I have come across many individuals who are "smart" by any standard. Many of them are professors and some of them were students. They desired knowledge of God and His Word and in the process of learning over the years they became too smart for their own good. They over analyzed and in so doing sought more complicated answers to very simple questions. Many of us know people like that.

The world and our society is the same way. They seek answers from learned people and take them at their word without much scrutiny. Evolution has been accepted as a viable start to the universe and many Christians have been brought along side in agreement. Take a look at any basic understanding of Evolution and you will see that it goes completely against what scripture teaches. Frank Switzer from Phoenix, AZ has commented that over the years people have "found" the missing link when in reality they haven't or have faked it to create the missing link. Now, why would you have to fake something if your theory is true?

Now, let's take it into the realm of salvation. The world says that we are god and when we die either we vanish into nothingness or we go to a place that we believe exists. This is why the world scoffs at the notion that God came to earth, died for our sins, made his glory known through murderers, fisherman, and common folk, and by putting our faith and trust in him we too can receive eternal life.

In seminary I learned through experience that sometimes the simple answer is the right, true answer. Don't make it too complicated. In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul is talking about how God has used the simple people of the world to reveal his glory and preach his truth. What a comfort to know that our effectiveness in preaching the Gospel to the world is not dependent upon my intellectual knowledge. Yes, we need to and should continue to further our understanding of God, but people coming to belief in Christ is not dependent upon my special words of wisdom. God's glory is revealed through me, despite me. And thank goodness for that.

Mr. Calvin's Thoughts on the Lost Sheep

Matthew 18:12-14 (ESV)
What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

I had always thought that this passage was talking about people who had not come to Christ. So, I finally convinced myself to look up Calvin's commentary online. Here is what he had to say about it because he speaks much more intelligently than myself.

"Christ therefore intended to show that a good teacher ought not to labor less to recover those that are lost, than to preserve those which are in his possession; though according to Matthew the comparison proceeds farther, and teaches us not only that we ought to treat with kindness the disciples of Christ, but that we ought to bear with their imperfections, and endeavor, when they wander, to bring them back to the road. For, though they happen sometimes to wander, yet as they are sheep over which God has appointed his Son to be shepherd, so far are we from having a right to chase or drive them away roughly, that we ought to gather them from their wanderings; for the object of the discourse is to lead us to beware of losing what God wishes to be saved The narrative of Luke presents to us a somewhat different object. It is, that the whole human race belongs to God, and that therefore we ought to gather those that have gone astray, and that we ought to rejoice as much, when they that are lost return to the path of duty, as a man would do who, beyond his expectation, recovered something the loss of which had grieved him." (Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2)

So, where is the fine line between outreach and discipleship. We are called to reach out to those who have not heard or have not accepted the Gospel as truth. But here we are also called to be ready to bring those who have accepted the Gospel as truth but have walked away from the truth for a time. Churches today focus really well on training and teaching those who are already in the church. Outreach usually takes a backseat to inreach. So, how can a church remain on guard to balancing outreach and discipleship? Because there has to be a balance. Both are needed.