Miscellany

SERMON RECAP. Sunday we talked about ecclesiology.That's the study, or doctrine, of the church. This word comes from the Greek word "ecclesia" which speaks of the assembly of called-out ones. The Church is made up of believers who have been called out by God from the world to serve Him.

The New Testament speaks of the Church in 2 different ways. Sometimes a text will refer to the universal Church, that global community of Christ-following people on earth and in Heaven. Our departed saved loved ones are still a part with us of the body of Christ. We are also connected and related to believers in Jesus that we have never met all over the world. At other times, New Testament passages mention local churches. These are specific portions or expressions of the true, worldwide Church that meet in particular places and are microcosms of the universal Church. Riverside Baptist is a local church as was the congregation in Jerusalem or Antioch or Corinth.

Well...my message attempted to answer the basic question, "whose church is it, anyway?". Who does the church belong to?

We looked at a lot of scripture verses. We examined Acts 20:28, 2:47, 9:4, and saw the tie between 1:8 and 8:1. We considered Matthew 16:18 and I Corinthians 3:16-17 and Colossians 1:18 and Ephesians 1:22. I Peter 2:5 was discuused, too. I offered some conclusions.

For starters, it's obvious that the Church belongs to Christ. Pastors or deacons or SS teachers don't own it. Neither do denominations. It's not even the possession of the members. If that's true, then everything we do "ecclesiastically" should be done to advance His kingdom. We're not to be a religious country club that seeks its own comfort and makes its own rules We're to seek His will, not our own preferences. Our vision and goals and strategies should be developed as we pray, search the scriptures, and consult about what will honor Him. When we think we own and control the church and wrap our fingers too tightly around it we're inviting the Lord's discipline.

We nailed down the truth that the Church is a building but not of brick and mortar. The Church is a building of people. We are "living stones" being constructed into a spiritual temple. The Old Testament temple, a literal, physical edifice, foreshadowed  and pictured Jesus and also God's people. God dwells in us now. For the first 300 years of Christian history, congregations didn't even have their own facilities. They met in homes and caves and on riverbanks. Today local assemblies do have meeting places, but getting overly attached to them and somehow equating them with the church is totally foreign to the biblical understanding
of what church is. This insight has particular relevance to us right now as we begin the process of possibly disengaging from this property and moving elsewhere. A familiar, much-loved and enjoyed facility may be vacated and left, but the people of Riverside would go on and go forward to new opportunities and experiences as the people of God on mission for Him.

Ultimately the Church of Jesus Christ will be victorious. He said that He would build His Church and that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it. Over the centuries the global Church has faced poverty, wealth, scandals, failures, successes and weaknesses, but in the end it will triumph. Our own congregation has had very high times and some very low moments. But we're in this together under the lordship of Christ. As we seek His pleasure He will guide us. As we link arms, put our personal desires aside, and take scary steps of faith, God will reveal to us what's next.

HALLOWEEN. October 31 falls on a Wednesday this year. After discussion, it was the consensus of our Midweek fellowship crowd recently that we not schedule any activities here that night but rather encourage our folks to stay home and meet and greet the families of trick-or-treaters in our neighborhoods. We don't really have the money or the manpower this year to put on a "trunk-or treat" or "harvest fest" event as we do at times. I know that it sounds all pious and spiritual to say "we're not gonna close church just because of Halloween, and hey, isn't that evening the Devil's night, anyway?" but there's another way to look at it. Maybe it's the more spiritual thing to be out there, at home in our communities, as salt and light in the midst of darkness, warmly welcoming folks and perhaps beginning friendships, and maybe inviting people to church. At our place, all the lights will be on! We're gonna make the unspoken point that we're people of the light. Being kind, gracious, friendly neighbors surely is part of the lifestyle that Christ calls us to live, isn't it?

Here We Go

Well, the journey is beginning.

The relocation journey, that is. We voted last April to start the process of selling this facility, buying ground elsewhere, and building a new place. We now move forward with this. Reflect with me for just a few moments about the matter.

   1. Is this really God's will? I don't know. I think it is, and I hope it is, but I can't say for sure. I'm not one
       of those preachers who confidently pontificates about everything he wants to do that it is certainly what
       God has planned. Nathan the prophet made that mistake in 2 Samuel 7. We will learn whether or not
       we're on the right track as we go along. Our sovereign God in His providence will either move this
       process along or shut it down completely. If we can't sell this property or if we can't find suitable land
       somewhere else or if the money's just not there, then we'll have some indication from the Lord that we
       better stop and rethink the whole thing. If, however, as we put one foot in front of the other in faith and
       doors seem to open, that will be a strong signal that we should continue to proceed. With the affirmative
       April vote we've simply been given authorization and a little more freedom and wiggle room to explore
       our options. There's a principle embedded in Luke !4: 28-30 that has some relevance here.

    2. Why are we considering this? Certainly our deteriorating facility has something to do with it, and the
         fact that we're not going to be able to afford taking care of such a large, aging building much longer,
         especially as our attendances and finances have declined. But the main vision and goal is to move to an
         area where we'll be more in the middle of the population and will have the potential of attracting more
         people so that we thrive and don't just survive. We are surrounded by people here but we find
         ourselves at the non-growing far end of our city in more of a transitional community that is very hard
         for us to reach. The aim here is not just to run away and escape but to better position ourselves for
         a future of growth and spiritual harvest. Hundreds of churches across the nation have made similar
         decisions. Congregations on this peninsula that have relocated(First Baptist, Ivy Memorial, Orcutt,
         Liberty, etc.) have experienced significant turnarounds.

      3. It's invigorating to dream of a newer, fresher, somewhat smaller facility with lots of windows letting in
          the sunlight. All on one floor, without stairs and steps. A nice kitchen area. Well-lit classrooms.
          Maybe it would be wise first to construct a large multi-purpose type room that would facilitate lots of
          different activities like worship, concerts, dinners, sports, etc. with SS rooms along the sides. An
          advantage to that would be that if we were unable for years to put up a second stage, we'd still have
          an edifice that would accomodate a variety of functions. That's just my opinion, though. The
          congregation will make that decision, and that's if we get that far. An energy-efficient facility would
          really be nice!

      4. Whether we ultimately go, or are here for years, or remain on this spot 'til Jesus comes, we're gonna
           have to work hard. There's a lot to do either way. We  desperately need to be winning people to
           Christ and drawing them into our fellowship. We need to become stronger spiritually, too. Right now
           neither our evangelism or our discipleship are what they should be. Remember that simply pulling up
           stakes and moving to another part of town is no guarantee that we'll grow! And, as I was wisely
           reminded the other night, we probably haven't prayed over this whole matter as often or as deeply as
           we should have, either.

       5. I am excited, though! This could be a wonderful, exhilarating adventure for our church in this
           generation, much like the excitement and anticipation experienced by Riverside's founders and
           builders in the 1940's. Let's stick together, in unity, as a family. We have the potential here for an
           awesome fresh start. As Moses said to Hobab in Numbers 10, "Come with us. We're going
           somwhere as God has promised. We'll do you good." Decide to be like Caleb, in Joshua 14, who,
            though old. wanted one more great challenge for God, and wanted to leave a strong legacy of
            courage and leadership for the next generation. If we're successful in this venture, we'll really be
            doing it for those who come after us. After all, church is the people, not sentimental memories or a
            picturesque plot of real estate.

Balance In Church Life

Ok, so there's no such thing as a perfect church.

What can we do to make our congregation a Christ-honoring, people-strengthening local assembly?

Christian thinkers and ecclesiastical leaders and ordinary church members would do well to consider the idea of balance as a pathway toward spiritual maturity and congregational effectiveness. Some examples follow.

For instance, maybe church health should be emphasized just as much as church growth. Over the past 50 years the big push has been on getting more and more people into our buildings and onto our membership rolls. That's a good thing(unless we're just swapping members) because Jesus mandated that we share the Gospel and win others to him. The entire New Testament pulsates with the call and challenge of evangelism. Local assemblies should never be content without consistently reaching out to new individuals with the life-transforming message of Christ and accepting them into the fellowship.

But numbers and swelling attendances alone never tell the whole story about a church's success. Sometimes growing and exciting congregations can be dysfunctional and unhealthy on the inside, just like some families. Converts must become disciples who are steadily moving toward greater Christlikeness, which is the true standard of measure. When that is the case there will be increasing trust, intimacy, joy, unity and peace. There  will be fewer secrets and less strife. More spiritual fruit will show up, like gentleness and patience and faithfulness. There will be less running away and off to some other church when conflicts or misunderstandings or disagreements arise and more staying with it and working through to cooperation and harmony. Maybe one reason why so many congregations are splitting and declining is that we bought into some American cultural idea that success is evaluated solely on the basis of competition and productivity and expansion and we neglected to pay attention to the inner quality of life in our churches.That is,spiritual depth that only come from intense prayer, wrestling with temptation, working to really grasp the scriptures, and being accountable to one another in the body of Christ.

Perhaps that's why the tandem relationship of truth and grace is so crucial. Jesus modeled that for us according to John 1:17. Paul encouraged it as a tool of ministry in Ephesians 4:15. Some folks are good at telling you the truth but do so without much tenderness or compassion. It comes across as arrogance or condescension and leaves you cold. Others are sweet and humble but are afraid to tell you what you really need to hear. They actually shortchange you by their reluctance to confront and be honest with you. Both sides of the coin are desperately needed in our local assemblies and in the larger Christian community. On one hand we're shouting at one another on the cultural scene. On the other hand we're often afraid to stand up for our convictions and raise a prophetic voice on critical societal issues. We can learn from the example of Jesus in John 8:1-11 how to dispense both truth and mercy. He gave an adulterous woman a strong dose of truth when he told her to "go and sin no more." He offered her sensitivity and understanding and kindness when,in the same sentence, he refused to condemn her. Imagine what it would be like for our congregations to become laboratories where truth and grace freely mix and bring release from old habits and sin patterns and flaws in a loving atmosphere of patience and acceptance in which individuals are constantly challenged to stretch and grow but where the very air breathed is not harsh legalism but prayerful compassion.

Let's not forget, either, that the balance of both inward and outward focus is significant.

Churches must take care of their own. That means developing programs that will build believers up in their faith. It also means attending to the needs of those within the fellowship who are sick, grieving, doubting, lonely, and struggling. It's essential that fellow church members enjoy times of fun and laughter and social outings among themselves that strengthen ties and closeness,too.

But if we ignore those on the outside we fail in our mission. If everything we plan and do is for those already there we miss the point. We can get so comfortable in the trappings of congregational life and so enmeshed in the goings-on of our particular assembly that we don't even see people on the other side of our walls. We can actually become religious country clubs. We have our own verbiage, our own systems and policies and traditions and we can get to the place where we don't want any of that disturbed by having to make intentional, concerted efforts to reach out in various ways to attract outsiders who are not like us. Congregations should instead be wired to be constantly brainstorming about fresh, innovative projects and ministries to impact lives(whether they end up at our church or not!) and mobilizing teams to take initiative and go out to people and extend loving hearts and helping hands. The personal mission statement of Jesus in Luke 19:10 ought to become ours.

One other thing. We simply must, in our preaching, teaching, and faith-sharing, find a way to balance saying the hard stuff along with the bright, positive stuff. There's no doubt that we've got a lot of joyful ideas to pass on. The very word "gospel' means good news. We must talk about how Christ can change sinners by his death on the cross which provides forgiveness and freedom from guilt and the fear of death. We need to speak about how day-to-day living can be abundant and victorious because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in us to comfort, empower, motivate, and guide. The joyful expectation of eternal life in a new heaven and new earth should be frequently discussed as well as the miraculous and sometimes just ordinary ways that God intervenes in our lives now.

But we've got to be real and transparent, too. We've got to jettison plastic smiles and fake hallelujahs and often glib answers and sometimes present the more unpleasant realities that the scriptures reveal. That'll mean talking more about sin. About God's wrath. About judgement, and, yes, Hell. If we're honest, it'll include talking about suffering, and sacrifice, and serving. About how God doesn't always heal or keep us from pain or make us materially prosperous.Even about how sometimes we may experience those "dark nights of the soul" when we can't feel the presence of God at all or go through those seasons where we struggle with problems and wonder where in the world God is. John 16:33 is very helpful here. It certainly doesn't sugarcoat things. It gives us the hope we crave, though. Many Christian commentators are saying that we need to do a better job of preparing believers for hardship that may be coming. I tend to agree.

So, your church isn't going to be perfect.Ain't gonna happen. But with some delicate balancing acts in the Spirit, it can be a soul-nourishing congregation. Perhaps we need the jarring words of 1 Peter 4:12-19 to shake us out of lethargy and selfish desire to use Christ and the Church to just get our own needs met and rather step out into a whole new dimension of Christian living and churchmanship.

More Miscellany

BACK TO SCHOOL. I'm so excited about our new partnership with nearby Crittenden Middle School.

Several weeks ago, our Outreach Committee led us to "adopt" the administrators, teachers, and students over there. Since then we've served snacks to the faculty and offered brief backrubs and placed candy bars in each teacher mailbox. We've collected and delivered gently used belts for use in pupil attire. One of our women's Sunday School classes prepared and took over a gift basket to a teacher who is expecting a baby this week. Two of our ladies went there last week and stuffed each faculty mailbox with a bag of popcorn and a note of appreciation from our church. We are donating money to their Angel Tree project for needy students this year.

And we want to brainstorm and dream up dozens of other creative ways that we can be a blessing and a help to that local institution. Possibilities include tutoring, putting on a special dinner for school staff and teachers, helping with flowers and shrubs on school grounds, asssisting with a planned student garden next Spring, volunteering to help in student athletic programs, and sending birthday cards to all the teachers through the year. We have a chance here to put our arms around those folks and lift and encourage and refresh them.

Why do we do this? Why bother?

Because Jesus challenges us to be salt and light in the culture around us(Matthew 5:13-14). Because our good deeds can open doors and make it a little easier for people to listen to us and believe what we say when we talk about Jesus(Matthew 5:16). Because good works are the signature of the Christian(Titus 2:14: 3:8). And because while we're waiting for Christ to return so we can go home, we're to be actively engaged in being a very positive, caring influence in our society(Jeremiah 29:1-7).

I long to see every person in our congregation find some way or niche to plug in to this undertaking. Each church member has skills and talents that could be utilized to contribute to the overall success of the project. Getting involved will energize you! If this campaign ends up just being an activity that a small handful of our folks work on, then we will have missed a golden opportunity to unite around something significant that enables us to break out of these walls and out of our comfort zones to make a difference, even if a small one, in our community. I also hope that throughout the duration of this outreach we'll have numerous chances to actually interact with students and not just the adults who work at the school.

Please don't get tired of hearing about this labor of love. Pray for its success. Ask God's blessings and favor on the employees and kids over there. Step forward with suggestions and ideas and a willingness to actually get involved in some manner. Remember that we're not going there to witness or evangelize or try to get new members for our church. We can't do that. We go out of the grace and love of Christ to give ourselves away in simple, quiet, humble service. Here is a tangible way to minister that has more traction to it than anything we've done in a long time.

MOVING DAY. Once again I want to encourage all of our folks to sit a little closer to the front in Sunday worship. We have a large sanctuary, and when people are so spread out or clinging to seats toward the back we lose a lot of warmth and intimacy. Please consciously, deliberately decide to begin to relocate to a pew, in either section, within the first 12 or 13 rows from the platform. If everybody did this it would have a transforming effect on our worship times. Do this for the good of the church body.

ADVENT. It's hard to believe that this season has rolled around again, but I sure am glad it has! I love the music and the scriptures and the colors and the decorations of this 4-week preparation time for Christmas. My preaching for these Sundays will come out of Luke 1:26-38 which tells of the angel Gabriel's announcing to Mary that she will bring baby Jesus into the world. Read and reflect on these verses to get ready for the sermons on December 11 and 18. And look, enjoy this whole month! Don't let commercialization or overactivity rob you of the simple joys and wonders of this time of year. By the way, please remember that I love you and my job and this great church more than I could ever express!!!

Will you be on the road, traveling this holiday season, away from your residence?

You'll have a lot of company. Millions will crowd the interstates heading home to visit the relatives. So many of our men and women in the military will be scattered around the world, often in distant places, separated from loved ones. That's true, too, for Christian missionaries, who will go on serving the Lord in far off locales at the cost of being unable to be with family at yuletide. Truck drivers will still be hauling freight. Emergency personnel, like police and firemen and hospital and rescue workers, will be on the job and moving about and out of the house.

It's fascinating to me that most of the persons in the stories of the first Christmas in Luke 1-2 and Matthew 1-2 spent time on the road as the epic events of Christ's birth unfolded. A good bit of traveling takes place in these narratives.

Zechariah, for example, was fulfilling priestly duties, away from home, at Jerusalem's temple when he learned that he and his wife, Elizabeth, were going to have a baby in their old age who would grow up to be John the Baptist. He journeys homeward with the amazing news. Young Mary, upon receiving the angelic announcement that she, though a virgin, has been chosen to give birth to the Christ-child, leaves her house in Nazareth and travels southward to a Judean town to visit Elizabeth, her relative, and she both gives and receives encouragement at their joint and unusual pregnancies.

Then, of course, there is the long, arduous trip that Joseph and Mary take from Nazareth to Bethlehem during the most difficult time of her child-bearing when she is about to deliver. She's a long way from home and her "maternity ward" ends up being in a smelly stable or cave. Later, after the birth, shepherds leave where they are and go to see the new baby. Eventually wise men from hundreds of miles away set out on a road trip to find and pay homage to this small child who they sense is someone of great significance. Ultimately, Mary and Joseph will have to embark on yet another not-completely-pleasant pilgrimage when they hurriedly whisk young Jesus away from their dwelling and to safety incognito in Egypt out of range of king Herod's evil intentions. And don't forget the intriguing story of the family trip to a religious feast in Jerusalem when the now adolescent Jesus is missing for awhile, causing great distress for his parents.

Surely the incarnation itself was the most extensive journey. God stepped out of eternity and Heaven, entered time and space, and took on human flesh in Jesus, all for the purpose of reconciling sinful humanity to Himself. What an incredible distance was spanned. What an awesome love was demonstrated.

Some lessons emerge.

For starters, we probably ought to shed our naive, warm, cuddly,sentimental notions of what that first Christmas was like. It was not a Hallmark, comfortable, cozy, "chestnuts roasting on an open fire" kind of experience for the cast of characters living through it, even though they were tremendously blessed. There was fear, uncertainty, loneliness, hardship, and separation involved in history's most momentous event. Let that be of some comfort to you this holiday season when you're stuck in traffic or just can't find that perfect gift or have to put up with cranky or obnoxious family members around the Christmas dinner table or are haunted by dark, hurtful memories of past holidays that were very painful or when you have to be far, far away from the people you love most. Let's face it--Christmas is not always "the most wonderful time of the year." Remember, too, that there will be other Christmases. More than likely this is not your last one!

Let the journey motif in the Christmas stories remind you that the Christian life itself is a pilgrimage. Spiritually speaking, we are to be on the move. We're to be growing and stretching and advancing. We're in a maturing process, progressing toward the goal of becoming like Christ. The Bible describes our relationship with Jesus as a walk and a race. Sometimes that's hard and sometimes it's easy, but we're not just to sit and wait until we go to Heaven! There are lessons to learn, sins and bad habits to give up, virtues to acquire, and service to render.

In your literal moving about this Christmas, whether it's crosstown or across the nation, take some cues from the personalities you meet in the birth stories of Jesus. Like Mary, for example, find someone(an Elizabeth) that you can lift and refresh and affirm. Nursing home, maybe? A lonely homebound individual, perhaps, or a scared little child? You might find, as Mary did, that encouragement and inspiration flow right back to you. Like the shepherds and the wise men, make ample time for worship. How tragic to spend so much money on self and others and schedule so many holiday activities for ourselves that we forget about Christ and his amazing entry into this world and ignore opportunities to give him praise. He can be adored, incidentally, just as much in a family car trip on I-64 or I-81 as in a magnificent Christmas Eve candlelight service in a church if you are genuinely focused.

We can learn from Joseph that sometimes you may have to change your plans in order to serve the Lord. I'm sure that he would have preferred to assist his wife in her childbirth at home rather than on a long trip. I feel certain that a sudden, unexpected trek to Egypt to protect his new, young son wasn't on his calendar for the upcoming year. He wanted to please God, though, and so he was flexible and pliable. See your interruptions this season as perhaps divine appointments. Think about making maybe one major sacrifice to help someone in dire need. Like Zechariah, realize that there is great value in simply being silent sometimes, too. Carve out some down time as he and Elizabeth did to be alone and quiet and reflective, to let your soul be renewed in the midst of a hectic few weeks. That'll be tough on the highway when the kids are quarreling in the backseat. It'll be hard, too, if you think you absolutely have to go to every Christmas party. Personal times for solitude and retreat work wonders for our spirits, though.

Even if you're not going anywhere this holiday, travel back in your mind's-eye at least once to the rich happenings of that first Christmas centuries ago. It may completely change your perspective.

Miscellany, yet again

DON'T WASTE HALLOWEEN. This year we won't be having any activities here on October 31. In times past we've had Fall Fests on that night for the enjoyment of our own church family. In recent years we shifted to "Trunk 'n' Treat" events outside on our parking lot with outreach to our neighborhood as a focus. We'll take a break this time around. We'll not schedule a happening inside our facility or out on our grounds.

It's okay not to do the same thing every year!

We could use a breather. Traffic and walk-ups for the outdoor event had seemed to decrease some in the last few cycles, and the needed participation of our own folks was a little down, too. Maybe we should reevaluate what would be a better approach next year. Churches ought to be constantly studying and dreaming and brainstorming new and creative ways to minister and do mission. Staying in a rut is useless. ( I'm so very excited, for instance, about our latest project--adopting and partnering with nearby Crittenden Middle School and attempting to be a blessing to faculty and students there. That endeavor began last week.)

So...stay home this Halloween. But use the evening for God's glory. Turn on all the lights in the house so that your residence is ablaze with illumination(we're people of the light, not darkness!). Make your dwelling shine like a Thomas Kincade painting!Meet your neighbors as they come bringing their little "trick-or treaters" to your door. Put a gospel tract or a New Testament in the kids' bags along with the candy. Invite some folks to visit our church. Enjoy being with your family. Breathe a silent prayer for each one who stops by your place that night and then shuffles back into the autumn darkness. If it's chilly, build a fire in the fireplace, make some popcorn, and watch a scary movie...and be so grateful that because we know Christ we don't have to be people who live in fear(ever counted how many "fear nots" there are in God's Word?)

CHRISTMAS IS COMING. If you don't believe me, go visit Cracker Barrel.

It's only 8 or 9 weeks away. And Advent begins on November 27. Just my usual reminder that if you're going to buy a new Bible for a friend or family member this holiday season, consider purchasing a study edition. Those cost more but offer lots of very helpful explanatory notes alongside the scripture text. I heartily recommend the ESV Study Bible. There's now a student edition of that wonderful product, too, if you're looking for a good spiritual tool to give a teenager.

PBA. In a day when many are discounting the value of district Baptist associations any more, and when some of those groups are even disbanding(one in central Virginia did recently) our own local grouping of churches is doing very, very well. Some of us attended last week's annual meeting of Peninsula Baptists and I have to tell you that I came out of that 2-day event greatly encouraged. There's new energy and passion and focus. Chuck Harrison, our new Director of Missions, is doing an awesome job of leading us. He's very committed to church planting and to existing church revitalization. Lift a prayer for him occasionally. He's a man with a vision! I'm thrilled that we've already had him here 3 times for visits and that he's now a good friend to us.

New Grandson

William Shaphan(2Kings22) Davidson was born at 12:22am August 20! Praise the Lord!

This is Ryan and Christie's third child, and our third grandchild. We were able to be present in the hours leading up to delivery and then just after the birth. His size? 8lbs., 14oz. at 21 inches long. And...he was born on Vicki's birthday. We're proud, ecstatic, and honored about that.

We're excited to see what God is going to do with this new young life. Welcome to the world, baby Shaphan. We're so glad you're here!

Miscellany...Again

STATE DENOMINATIONAL NEWS: Word comes this week that Dr. Jeff Ginn, Executive Director of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia for the past 3 years, has resigned to accept a pastorate in Baton Rouge, LA.

Ginn has been, in my opinion, a good leader. He is dynamic, articulate, and creative. He has led the SBCV in some fresh directions. He has had, apparently, a desire to return to pastoral ministry in a local church(which is really where it's at in kingdom work) and so will leave our state at the end of July. I didn't know him well. We've only had a few conversations. I assisted him once in a funeral in another city. He's a pretty sharp guy. My guess is he'll be missed. I wish him well in his new assignment.

As you know, Virginia is one of a small handful of states that have two state Baptist conventions. Here it's the SBCV and the BGAV. Local congregations can be either uniquely aligned with one or dually aligned with both. We have voted to affiliate with each of these 2 great entities. Both of them are led by and made up of terrific people and do really good work for Christ in our state. We divide up our Cooperative Program giving between them. Of late I suppose I've been a little more involved with the older BGAV because of personal friendships, but I'm a fan of both groups and am delighted that our church has the opportunity to draw from the resources of each.

In case you've forgotten, each Southern Baptist church is autonomous. We're not in some denominational hierarchy. We make our own decisions under the guidance and lordship of Christ. We do, however, voluntarily choose to relate to other congregations as partners in mission and ministry. Locally, that's through associations(for us, the PBA). Statewide, that's through state conventions. Nationally, we're linked to the Southern Baptist Convention. All of that gives us the chance to unite with likeminded believers and intensify our efforts to reach the world for Jesus. After all, that's our real business. Our churches are not to be cozy, comfortable country clubs that exist solely that we might get our needs met. Instead we're to be constantly finding new and effective ways to spread the Gospel of Christ all over the globe, often in sacrificial approaches. That's why working together in these larger groupings helps local fellowships carry out their mandate.

In recent years, denominationalism has fallen on hard times. Everything is in flux. Many Baptists across the land are turned off by bloated bureaucracy and loss of focus and division over sometimes minor issues. It remains to be seen what shapes our cooperation will take in the future. If you're a church member and serious about the Great Commission, all of this should be of at least some concern to you. This isn't something that just pastors should be interested in. Stay tuned.

CULTURAL DECLINE. The action last week by the New York state legislature to legalize same-sex marriage there next month is regrettable and one more indication of the decay and deterioration of the culture around us. This should not surprise us, though. We live in a fallen world that is mostly alienated from God. Lost people have no other means of making their decisions except by relying on their natural, fleshly reasoning which is set against God's will. In other words, unbelievers are just acting naturally. Spirit-filled, scripture-immersed Christians know that homosexuality is sin and that marriage is to be between a man and a woman.

All of that said, though, I hope by now you know my heart. We're not to be condemnatory people. We're to shower gay and lesbian individuals with love and grace with the hope of reaching them for Jesus. One of my favorite Bible texts on this is 2 Timothy 2:24-26. I'm appreciative of some of the humble, gracious remarks that Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president Al Mohler made on this issue in response to a questioner at the SBC in Phoenix the other week. Though adamantly opposed to homosexuality, he reminded us all that we've got a lot of work to do in terms of extending understanding compassion before we can expect to gain a hearing. We've been loudly judgemental.But each of us is a sinner. Every one of us struggles still with some sin. We're going to have to exchange our shouting and our rhetoric for humility and listening ears and loving tears. We're going to have to come down off our legalistic pedestals, where we tend to rank sins,and admit that before God we're all desperately wicked and in need of His mercy.

Miscellany

REFLECTION STATEMENT: Every now and then I have Marian print up some sheets of paper with thought-provoking sentences on them and post them at different points around our facility. The idea is to stimulate our thinking.

Regrettably, no one ever comments on them, at least to me. This is true, too, for newsletter columns and bulletin inserts. No one asks "What did that mean?" or says"I didn't agree with that" or "That really impacted me" or "That was a waste of time and paper" or "That gave me a new perspective". It's a little discouraging and makes me think that these sincere efforts to provide seed and fertilizer for inspiration and motivation and spiritual challenge are futile.

Well, anyway, currently there is a 14-word saying attached to some of our doors and hallways and bulletin boards around here that poses a question: if our church ceased to exist would it make any difference to this neighborhood?

That inquiry stirs up still other questions. Does the community all about us even know that we're here? What is their impression of us? Do they sense that we care? Are we really ministering to them in any meaningful way? And again, if we folded up or moved away would that have a negative impact on them? Do they harbor the impression that we just drive in for a couple of hours on Sunday morning and then drive out without any real concern for, or interest in, them?

All of this is important to consider. If God planted us here, and wants us to remain here for at least the foreseeable future, then this is our mission field. We're to reach out and get to know and influence and bless the persons on these streets close by our property. I don't know that we're really doing that. We take a stab at it occasionally but have no ongoing, concerted, consistent strategy in place to just love on those folks with the love of Christ and touch their lives in helpful, practical ways whether or not they ever come to our church. Somehow we've got to seek the mind of the Lord and come up with some plan to accomplish that.

I'm excited about the desire of our Outreach Committee to attempt another small step in that direction with the milk-and-eggs project on June 25. This is something we all can get behind in different ways. Let's not leave this to the few members of this team. Let's plug in. Let's be here that morning to meet our neighbors and help them in a specific,tangible area of life. And let's develop dozens more creative approaches to extend a hand. Matthew 25:31-46 comes to mind here. God never intended for us to have a comfortable, country club mentality but rather to shine as lights in the darkness. Seed, and salt, in a hurting world.

NEW BOOK: In just a few weeks California pastor, writer, and conference speaker Francis Chan releases his latest work, Erasing Hell(David C. Cook, 2011). It will be a brief but thorough examination of what the Bible says about eternal punishment, and will be a great antidote to the seemingly universalistic distortions about that subject in the controversial book by Rob Bell that came out in March. I hope you'll get a copy(about $15) and read and review it very carefully. It will give you thoughts to share with unsaved friends. Chan's perspective will be a humble, not arrogant, one.

SBC. I didn't attend the annual meeting this year, held out in Phoenix. Messenger count was expected to be quite low, and no major matters seemed to be on the agenda. I do think it is important for pastors(and laypeople, too) to go to these conventions. There were many years when I never missed. Oh, well, maybe next year, in New Orleans. You do need to be aware that there is real concern in our denomination these days over declining baptisms and attendance in our churches.

Not Camping With Camping

Well, May 21 came and went and California radio preacher Harold Camping's prediction that the rapture would occur and God's judgement would fall on that day didn't materialize.

Regrettably, the 89-year old Family Radio head is not deterred. He's simply "recalculated", again, and now says that all of this will take place in October. News people are having a jolly field day with this stuff, and hundreds of folks who believed this man's declarations now feel crushed and deceived.

Some observations:
1.He blended ignorance and arrogance in his claim to know when these major prophetic
events would happen. Matthew 24:36,42, and 44 make it clear that no one but the Father
has that information. We're given signs but not the date.
2. He has to be labeled a false prophet now if you take Deuteronomy 18:21-22 seriously.
Jesus warned that lots of spokesmen like that would turn up in the endtimes(Matthew 24:
24).
3. He has given the culture around us one more reason to laugh at our faith. In the minds of
many, all preachers, churches, and Christians are lumped together with this guy and
others like him as silly and backward and thus deserving of ridicule rather than a hearing.
That's unfair because there are millions of believers who are faithfully living the Christian
life and are involved in serving, sacrificial ministry. There are thousands and thousands of
Christ-followers who are careful, responsible, capable students of the scriptures who
present God's Word accurately(2 Timothy 2:15).
4. The more I study the Bible, the more I doubt the validity of a pretribulational rapture
anyway. It's just my opinion these days but I don't see a lot of scriptural support for it.
Jesus is coming back visibly, bodily, gloriously...but it's hard to hold to a 2-stage second
coming. And just believing in that because that's always what you've been told,without
doing your own diligent study on it, is not wise.
5. Unwittingly, Mr. Camping may now have caused a lot of Christians to lose hope in the
return of Christ. He may also have made it easier for many unbelievers to doubt the sure
reality of coming judgement for this earth . Evidences abound that we are living in the
last days. Signs seem to be intensifying that our Lord will soon be appearing and millions
of lost people will be doomed forever. That's why it was so hard for me to hear media
people mock and scorn Camping, even though I knew he was wrong, because I was
saddened that they were missing the larger point that one day final endtime events are
going to take place and so many won't be ready(2 Peter 3:1-13). Jesus said that society
would be pretty much like it was in the days of Noah(Matthew 24:37-39) when He comes
again.
6. While we're waiting, we're to be ministering to people, winning souls, and growing in
Christ-likeness. That ought to keep us busy.

Summer Reading

The summer season is arriving and with it comes more relaxed opportunities for reading.

Christians should be in the forefront of those who allow their minds to be expanded and their souls stretched by good books. Obviously the Bible is our first priority but God plants truth in the writings of contemporary authors, too. Their works can sharpen and refresh us and give us greater understanding not only of pertinent life issues but of the scriptures themselves.

Allow me to recommend some literary offerings that have impacted me recently and that could be helpful in your faith journey as a believer.

For starters, try Russell Moore's Tempted And Tried(Crossway, 2011). It's a brief study of the 3 major temptations of Jesus in the wilderness. Those critical tests are unpacked and explored skillfully and then their relevant applications to our lives today are discussed. It makes for good devotional reading. We tend to forget that Jesus himself experienced temptations and yet was victorious over them, giving us a pattern to follow in overcoming our own tests after we are born again and have a new spiritual nature.

Paul Enns has written Heaven Revealed(Moody Publishers, 2011). After the death of his wife this seminary professor set out to study anew the wonders of the afterlife for the child of God. His work considers many of the basic questions that Christians have about our eternal destiny, such as what we will do there and what we will see. His answers are based on biblical teachings and offer an exhilirating view of our future that rules out the common misconception that Heaven is just a glorified retirement village where Christians will sit on clouds and strum harps.

There is another dimension in the life beyond, though, that has gotten a lot of attention in recent months due to a controversial book by Michigan pastor Rob Bell that seemingly eliminates the idea of eternal punishment for some and apparently espouses universalism. A good, scholarly antidote to Bell's ideas comes in an earlier published work, Hell Under Fire(Zondervan, 2004), edited by Christopher Morgan and Robert Peterson with contributions by several leading evangelical academicians. This book examines the scriptural perspectives on Hell from a wide variety of angles. It's interesting that in July popular California pastor and author Francis Chan has a new work coming out on this fascinating subject, entitled Erasing Hell, in which he will defend the reality of this unpleasant otherworldly destination.

Two short but insightful books should be of special interest to church leaders. The Case For Antioch(B&H Books, 2011) investigates some of the characteristics of one of the early churches presented in the New Testament book of Acts and how that particular ancient congregation offers clues on how to develop transformational churches today in our culture. David Platt's Radical Together(Multnomah, 2011) deals with ways that modern churches can model serving, sacrificial ministry in society and make a profound difference. This work is a followup to a previous bestseller by Platt.

Interested in family concerns? Try the helpful, practical book How We Love Our Kids(Waterbrook Press, 2011) by Milan and Kay Yerkovich. The authors describe several different love styles that show up in homes and how those approaches affect children. Using the increasingly popular attachment theory, this book reveals how the early childhood experiences of parents determines how they will rear their own kids. Sometimes that's good and sometimes it isn't. This couple offers very specific suggestions on how to best show healthy love to our children.

Tired of shallow, trivial formulas for living the Christian life? Read the new book by Gary Thomas, Thirsting For God(Harvest House, 2011), in which he blends scripture and the reflections of some great Christ-followers in church history who discovered depth and maturity in ways unexpected to us who live in an insipid, fluffy, celebrity-and-entertainment oriented environment that often infects our view of Christianity. Two other works, Counterfeit Gospels(Moody Publishers, 2011) by Trevin Wax and Revise Us Again(David C. Cook, 2010) by Frank Viola also diagnose some of the glaring misunderstandings about our faith and practice as evangelical Christians and propose how we can live authentic spiritual lives as believers. Wax's book exposes some of the alternative brands of Christianity that do not match up to the biblical portrayal of the genuine gospel. The work by Viola, succinct and fresh, cuts through some of our behaviors as Christians that aren't very real and life-giving.

On these lazy, hazy days just ahead don't simply pamper your body. Do something good for your soul, too. Read a stimulating book.

Treasures From Tertius

I love finding short texts in scripture and digging out some insights from them for preaching. Notice I said short texts, not necessarily brief sermons on them!



This past Sunday I brought a message from Romans 16:22. Just a little verse, but loaded with lessons and applications.



The Apostle Paul is concluding his massive, comprehensive tome on the doctrine of salvation, his letter to the church at Rome(a great choice for a Bible book to spend 2011 in, reading and studying and reflecting). Because of poor eyesight or illegible handwriting or both, he had secured the services of an amanuensis, or secretary, to do the actual writing for him as he dictates. Thus in this little verse we are introduced to Tertius, the scribe, who in one sentence interjects his own short, warm greeting to the readers at the very end of the epistle.



After careful meditation, I discovered ten practical insights to pass on to you from that tiny statement that most readers would pass over as insignificant. God's word is so rich, isn't it(2 Timothy 3:16-17)? My own heart was warmed as I shared these thoughts with you. And the sermon wasn't that long! The ideas were meant to deepen faith.



Take lesson #5, for example. Based on the example of Tertius, I said the Christian walk is not just about meeting obligations and doing jobs but about building relationships and being part of a community. This secretary was working hard, listening carefully to Paul's words and then meticulously copying them down. In so doing he is serving the Lord and helping to advance the kingdom. He is laboring behind the scenes in a faithful way. Nevertheless he takes the opportunity to greet the readers and to personally, intimately interact with them. Perhaps he knew some of them, perhaps not. He saw the value of being connected and bonded to God's family. He was not just task-oriented and duty-conscious but was interested in people and being in relationship with them.



We miss something if we quickly exit the church building as soon as the benediction is pronounced without briefly lingering to spend a little quality time with our fellow believers. We're only cheating ourselves if we don't take advantage of chances to get into close-knit huddles(S.S. classes, choir, Bible studies, small-groups) with other Christians where we can be nourished and challenged and encouraged. We need one another! We draw strength from each other. It's quite possible to sit in a pew every Sunday or to hold some major church position and not really know or be known by, any other disciples who can refresh and inspire us and hold us accountable in our growth. Like Tertius, we must take the initiative to reach out and build networks of friends that can laugh with us and cry with us and pray with us and offer wise counsel when we need it. Lone-ranger Christians eventually crash and burn!



I like application #8, too. It also draws on the experience of this humble amanuensis in reminding us that not everything in the Christian life will be fun. There surely must have been some moments for this guy when the job of taking dictation got tedious. Certainly his fingers probably got tired and ached. It wasn't a glamorous, out-front, on-the-platform kind of Christian service. It definitely wasn't emotionally titillating, even though Paul's Spirit-inspired thoughts and words must have fed his soul. But Tertius was ministering. He was making a difference. He was pleasing the Lord. He was playing a part in God's great overarching plan to get the glorious message of the gospel out to the world. The task may have seemed at times to be dull and mechanical but the Lord would use his efforts.



Regrettably, the entertainment-saturated, success-oriented culture around us today has so crept into the Church that many believers have the idea that if something in the Christian life doesn't turn you on or pump you up it must not be of God. If the sermons don't excite you or the worship music doesn't thrill you the Lord must not be at work.If we go through some trial of illness or suffering we conclude that God doesn't care or if a church can't report big, glowing statistics it's labeled a failure. What happens is that we base our walk with God so often on our feelings and emotions, which are fickle and up-and-down. If we're not careful, the menial, routine chores(taking a turn in the nursery or mopping the fellowship hall floor or rehearsing for weeks on one choir piece or bagging groceries for the needy or diligently preparing a Sunday school lesson) begin to look like uninteresting and unimportant assignments that we'd rather avoid on our way to the next scintillating Christian concert or dynamic seminar. If we're not paying attention, we end up seeing our faith as a way to get our needs met and to feel good instead of as a channel for serving Christ and promoting His purposes. We have to understand that even though prayer and Bible study and sitting with a sick friend and working through a relational problem toward reconciliation or explaining the plan of salvation to a lost friend may not always give us a giddy high they are still beautiful, significant, soul-building acts that honor the Lord and bring glory to His name. Usually it's the slow, methodical, often grinding stuff in our Christian pilgrimage that stretches us and shapes us into godly character.

Make no mistake. Mostly unknown Tertius was rewarded for his work. That's insight #6. He had the great privilege of sitting with, and assisting the Apostle Paul. He had the joy of knowing his contribution to the crafting of this letter would have an impact. His name, because of the inserted greeting in verse 22, would forever be associated with this foremost piece of biblical writing. And in Heaven there would be trophies, too. You, as well, will be richly rewarded, both now and in eternity, for whatever you do to advance the cause of Jesus. In Matthew 10:42 you have our Lord's word on that!

Broad Shoulders

One of the most popular biblical texts at Christmas time is Isaiah 9:6-7.

From the Old Testament, these verses show up on seasonal greeting cards and in pastors' sermons and even provide a slice of Handel's Messiah. The words "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given" offer tremendous hope and speak of God's greatest gift to the world, Jesus.

But another line in that passage is quite intriguing. It says "and the government shall be upon his shoulder". In these days of strong, populist anti-government sentiment, that phrase really grabs your attention. Politicians and legislators and leaders of all political parties as well as the executive branch are widely distrusted and seen as incapable of effecting wise, effective leadership right now. Confusion and division and inertia abounds. Polls suggest that very few people have confidence in what's coming out of Washington, and similar feelings seem to exist among citizens of other nations about their governing authorities. What does it mean, then, for the ancient prophet to predict that the government shall rest on the shoulders of Christ? What could that portend?

Obviously the main point here is the kingship of Jesus. All of scripture develops that idea. He is referred to as "king of kings and lord of lords" and the apostle Paul, in Philippians 2, affirms that everyone eventually will recognize Christ's authority and yield to it. All of the threads of biblical teaching appear to indicate that Jesus began to establish his kingdom when he came to earth centuries ago. At present he reigns, invisibly and often imperceptibly, through acts of divine providence and through the workings of the Holy Spirit in and on the hearts of people. Both Old and New Testaments, in various ways, promise that one day Christ will return to this world for a second time and his kingdom will ultimately triumph over the nations and be fully manifest to all. According to texts like Isaiah 9:7 and 11:1-10 his victorious, eternal reign will be marked by peace, justice, integrity, and prosperity. Evil and inequities and war and deception will all be banished. So will poverty and racism and crime.

It's pretty clear from scripture that even now Jesus is at work behind the scenes on the world stage impacting the affairs of nations, leading everything to a final conclusion. We may see only chaos or tangled lines but Christ is slowly and surely weaving out his design for restoration and healing for this bruised and battered planet. History will have an endpoint. Good will win. Imagine how different this world would be today if it looked to him in submission and obedience. The halls and chambers on Capitol Hill would have a refreshing new tone if Jesus was in charge. North Korea and Iran would no longer be worrisome. The pundits and media talking heads would have vastly new and positive topics to discuss.

Of course this business of the government being on his shoulder has a bearing on the Church, too, whether we're speaking of the worldwide fellowship of true believers or local assemblies. This insight reminds us that the Church belongs to him. Members don't own it, he does. Members can't really build it, only he can. Check Matthew 16:18 on that. We can't take credit for successes. That goes to him. Ephesians 3:20-21 is emphatic here. Surely this idea should warn us about trying to run the church. A man named Diotrephes in 3 John was strongly rebuked about that. Jesus is the head of the Church. Individual Christians should work hard in it, doing their very best to share the Gospel and develop new believers and reach out in all kinds of people-helping ministries, but when all is said and done, we must look to Christ for guidance and strength and leave the results in his hands.We ought not be endlessly pushing for new rules and policies that choke out the missional vitalty of the church and quench the Spirit's moving among us. We shouldn't plot and maneuver and scheme to attain power in our congregations but should have servant hearts under the leadership of Jesus. How many church fights and splits could be avoided if we remembered that? How much burnout among parishioners could be prevented if we realized that we're not responsible for the harvest, just the planting?

And certainly this conviction that the government shall be placed on Christ's shoulders has implications for our personal lives, too. So many of us are control freaks. We tend to be worry warts. We obsess over a lot of stuff. We have to learn sooner or later the value of letting go. You know what I'm talking about:our adult children sometimes make decisions we can't understand or friends may verbally wound us and not even seem to notice or the aging process slows us down and wears us out and holds us back or prolonged illness in the family robs our joy or some folks just don't like us regardless of how hard we try to please them or unresolved sibling rivalry rears its ugly head or lack of financial resources keeps us from doing some of the things we'd like to do. Sometimes we feel helpless. We want things to go our way, to be just right. That's an echo from Eden and a hint of Heaven but we're caught in the in-between and so we get anxious and uptight and often angry at the circumstances we face. In this present fallen world, there are some things we'll not be able to change.Many times we fret over things that end up not happening. We stress out over stuff that's none of our business or we get bogged down in other people's junk.

Like Peter in John 21:20-22 we need to be reminded not to get overly worked up over things we're concerned about needlessly. Like Paul in Philippians 4:12 and 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 we have to learn the secret of contentment and trust, regardless of our situation. Jesus talked in Matthew 6 about stopping foolish worry. The ancient sufferer got to the place in Job 13:15 where he could have confidence in God however dark his problems were.

Our Lord has strong, broad shoulders. He can handle our burdens and fears and doubts and longings. He is sovereign and is using the bits and pieces of our lives, both good and bad, to develop us and mold us.He knows what he's doing! Our part is to yield to him, opening up our clenched hands and releasing control to his authority.Our task is to learn what his commands are by studying the Bible, and then obeying. With that comes incredible peace. After all, it's not about our image but rather his image being formed in us. Turning over our messed up lives to him in a new birth is the beginning point of a journeythat will find us repeatedly surrendering matters to him and that winds up at that moment when we breathe our last and commit our spirit to him in death and enter into the eternal adventure awaiting us beyond.

The picture of a child being carried on the shoulders of his big, strong dad is apt here. Ah, the exhiliration, the freedom, the sense of relaxed abandon, and that awesome view!

Miscellany

SEPTIC TANK THEOLOGY. In our current Sunday morning sermon series on popular cliches, sayings, and expressions in everyday conversation evaluated in the light of scripture, we recently considered the oft-used phrase, "misery loves company".

That line can be taken 2 different ways. It may mean that sometimes hurting people want others around them to listen to them and comfort them. Or it might be suggesting that bitter, miserable folks often want to spread their toxic attitudes to others so they won't be all alone.

How does this saying look from the perspective of God's Word? Perhaps we should examine it from some varying biblical angles.

It is safe to say that cranky, negative, unhappy individuals do sometimes seek out others to align with them in their misery. A swamp, a cesspool of emotional and relational poison is then formed. Through gossip and complaining, resentful and frustrated persons build a coalition of folks who then stew in their juices and spew out their venom. The ancient wisdom teacher warns us frequently not to be drawn into these webs that can turn us into angry, whiny people. Check out Proverbs 13:20, 16:27-29, 21:19, 22:10, 24-25, 26:20-22, and 29:22. Read Hebrews 12:15, too. Two Old Testament characters, Korah in Numbers 16 and Absalom in 2 Samuel 15, stand out as spiteful, critical persons who tried to get others to link up with them in their meanness.

We do have a biblical mandate to go to and try to help hurting people, though. Texts like Romans 12:8, 15-16, and James 1:27, and 2 Timothy 1:16-18 all stress that. So does Galatians 6:1. But we better make sure we're strong in the faith when we attempt to minister to those who are bogged down in sin or grief or anger or guilt. We need to be constantly getting spiritually re-charged by prayer, time in the Word, and fellowship with positive, emotionally healthy individuals or we'll be vulnerable to getting sucked into the pain of those we're attempting to rescue.

I suppose that Hell will be the ultimate and eternal misery. Sinners who die without Christ have that as their unending destiny. My impression, though, is that even with that horrible place being heavily populated, there probably won't be any companionship there. That's the sense I get from reading Luke 16:19-31. Hell will be a destination of utter loneliness.

It needs to be said that all of us are miserable spiritually until changed by Jesus. Jeremiah 17:9 and 31:33 and Romans 3:23 and Mark 2:16-17 and Matthew 11:28-29 and John 10:10 make that point powerfully. How blessed we are that Christ came to us and beside us in our weakness and hopelessness and began to transform us! In the 4 Gospels, Jesus spent a lot of time in the company of miserable people and when they were willing to be changed(John 5:6) He lifted them.

NEW BOOK. Kerry and Chris Shook have written Love At Last Sight(Waterbrook Press, 2010). It is a helpful, practical, 30-day guide to growing and deepening relationships, whether marital or with friends. It's simple and straightforward but very insightful. The discussion on pages 151-152 of how certain types of aquatic life illustrate how different people deal with their anger is worth the price of the book. Puffer fish, hermit crabs, angelfish, electric eels, sharks, and piranha all picture the wrong approaches to expressing angry feelings. There are lots of constructive tools here for building stronger ties with those we love.

YOGA. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president Al Mohler stirred up a hornet's nest with his recent blog post(reprinted in our worship guide the other week) criticizing the practice of yoga by Christians. He's gotten a lot of response, much of it negative. Maybe what he wrote will drive folks to the Word to see if what he said is right(Acts 17:11) or just personal opinion.

Vision Correction For Relationships

In my pulpit, over the last few months, I've been preaching a series of messages on popular cliches, sayings, and expressions that we tend to use and overuse in everyday conversation. We've been examining them from a variety of angles through the grid of scripture and a biblical worldview to see if they accurately describe the realities of life.

It's been fun!

I've probably enjoyed preparing and delivering this collection of sermons more than any other in my ministry. Gotten a lot of positive feedback, too. We've considered "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" and "don't count your chickens before they hatch" and "misery loves company" and "don't burn your bridges behind you" and lots more. We've dug into a lot of texts that sometimes support and sometimes refute these clever, catchy phrases.

The other Sunday we put this one under the microscope: love is blind. When folks toss that line into their talk they mean that generally people do not notice the faults of those they love. Well, is that true or false, good or bad? It would seem that it makes a lot of difference in dating and marriage relationships or business partnerships or friendships or church life whether you accept the validity of that cliche or reject it. Does God's Word provide any help here?

I think so.

Scripture does appear to suggest that we are to overlook a lot of stuff. In our dealings with those close to us we shouldn't take up every offense or get bogged down in every issue. Proverbs 10:12 and 19:11 as well as I Peter 4:8 make that clear. Remembering that each of us is fallen, human, and thus not perfect ought to keep us from being irritated at the little mistakes and idiosyncrasies of those around us. The realization that we don't always know what another person's going through can prevent us from getting upset or walking away or lashing out, too. Those we care about might be wrestling and struggling with some painful trial of which we're totally unaware, and their hurt might be behind some of their reactions that we do not understand. We just have to let a lot of things go. We need to be more patient. After all, in any of our relationships it ought to be our goal to build up and encourage the other individual.

It must be said, though, that the broad sweep of biblical counsel urges us to be observant, discerning, and careful in our ties with one another. Surely that's what Paul stressed in Philippians 1:9-10. We're to go into our relationships with our eyes open and probably should avoid making the closest, most intimate alliances with those who pose a danger to us spiritually, emotionally, and physically. It would be a most profitable exercise, for example, to take our children and teens through a crash course in the book of Proverbs, when we talk with them about close pals and dating, to help them observe all the warnings there about certain types of persons with whom they probably shouldn't link up. The foolish the angry, the lazy, the mean, the proud, the alcoholic, the violent, and the one bitterly alienated from his parents are just some of the individuals we should be aware of when it comes to forging our deepest bonds. Their toxicity could spill over onto us. In Genesis 24, Abraham sent his servant Eliezer out to find a bride for his son, Isaac. He gave him very careful instructions as to what to look for and what to avoid. It may be sweet and sentimental to get all caught up in warm, fuzzy, romantic feelings and refuse to see any negatives and potential trouble spots but it is a most unwise practice fraught with dire consequences.

We must not forget, either, that sometimes we have to confront and correct those we love. That's a biblical responsibility given to us in the body of Christ. It's not easy, and never fun, but often out of deep concern for others in the family of faith who may be straying or drifting we have to go to them and gently but firmly draw them back. This is where a grace/truth balance is vital. Proverbs 27:6 and Galatians 6:1 are pretty emphatic about this. We can't overlook or ignore serious sin or error in family or fellow church members but instead must do the difficult and genuinely compassionate work of restoration.

How blessed we believers are, though, that Jesus loves us inspite of our sins. A line from an old Gaither song reminds us that the "One who knows us best loves us most". It's kinda like the Old Testament prophet Hosea. He was fully aware of his wife's despicable adultery and yet chose to buy her back out of slavery and bring her home and shower her with love just as God forgave and loved Israel. According to verses like Romans 5:8 and Psalm 103:12 and Jeremiah 31:34 Jesus came to us completely cognizant of our ugly sin but chose to die in our place, paying our debt, that we might be forgiven and bask in God's love. Even now He knows all of our habits and inclinations and thoughts and even our motives and yet stays in love with us and works in us to gradually change us to be what we ought to be. What a Savior!

All of us probably ought to get our spiritual eyes examined when it comes to appreciating God's love for us and applying our love(2 Corinthians 5:16) to others.

Miscellany

AT THE MOVIES: The new film, "Eat Pray Love" is the basically true story of writer Elizabeth Gilbert and her decision to drop out of her marriage and travel abroad to find herself. She tours 3 countries(Italy, India, and Indonesia), enjoys great food, dabbles in some Eastern spirituality, and falls in love. The scenery is beautiful. The story is interesting. I have some real concerns, though.

Elizabeth offers a very poor example when it comes to marriage. The husband-wife thing is not just about love but about commitment, too(Genesis 2:24). Walking out and running away when there are misunderstandings or when one's partner's personality quirks irritate or when the grass looks greener someplace else may seem heroic or courageous or romantic but it's far from the ideal that God put in place. Part of genuine, mature love is working through our issues with our spouse, not bailing out at the first sign of trouble or discontent. Actually God may use our partner's weak points or irksome ways to refine and strengthen us! You'll rarely find the deep happiness you seek by gingerly skipping away from your mate or your family or your church in search of some fantasized better life elsewhere.

Jonah the prophet learned that lesson the hard way. God gave him an assignment in one place but he boarded a ship and went in the opposite direction. The Lord had to lead him through an exacting discipline process after that. Another Old Testament prophet, Hosea, obeyed God's command when it came to marriage and garnered vital insights about real love in the midst of great difficulty and personal pain. The very idea that joy and success and fulfilment in life can only be found somewhere else from where God has planted you is highly foolish and potentially dangerous.

And this whole business of "finding yourself" is suspect, too. Usually that's code for "doing what I want to do", being free, having no restrictions, satisfying my personal desires. In Matthew 10:39 Jesus said, "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Apparently, then, the key to contentment is discovering what God wants and getting on the same page with Him. Even if that ultimately calls for serious sacrifice, a richness and a depth in living will result.

Mention is made in the movie about the "god within". That ought to raise a red flag among discerning Christian film watchers. Our God, the one true, living God, is transcendent. He is other than us. He is above and beyond and greater than us. He chooses to come near us, and to indwell us by His Holy Spirit, but that is not what Gilbert is talking about. We are not divine. We are not deity. That false idea is pantheism and must be rejected. It has many unsettling implications and is a demonic doctrine. It may sound all spiritual and mystical, but it is totally false!

Opportunities to travel and the appreciation of delicious foods and taking time to get away for vacations and rests that offer refreshment are all good things. They are gifts from the hand of a gracious God and should be gratefully received. Gilbert's approach misses the mark, however, and goes too far afield.

SERMON SERIES: I'm continuing to delight in the preparation of this collection of Sunday morning messages on popular sayings, slogans, cliches, and expressions in everyday conversation as we examine them through a biblical lens from various angles. We'll keep at this for a while. Thanks for your response...and for your suggestions of sayings to be included.

STUDY BIBLES: Christmas is less than 4 months away, and if you are considering purchasing a new Bible for someone this year let me encourage you to buy a study edition. They're more expensive, but the reader gets the benefit of not only having the text of scripture but many, many helpful explanatory notes, too.My favorites are the ESV Study Bible, the MacArthur Study Bible(now available in the great ESV translation) and the Life Application Bible. The NIV Study Bible is good, too.

Bedroom Redecorating

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Don't count your chickens before they hatch. God helps those who help themselves. Don't burn your bridges behind you.

These and hundreds of other popular cliches and sayings are spoken in everyday conversation to wittily make points.

In my pulpit ministry this summer I've been bringing messages on several of those clever phrases and slogans and expressions. We've been taking a look at them through a scriptural lens, examining them with a biblical worldview to see if they offer anything in the way of truth or if they are just catchy statements used to spice up routine chats.

The other Sunday we put this oft-used saying under the microscope: You've made your bed, now lie in it. Apparently first recorded back in the late 1500's, this trite cliche seems to be a critical, sarcastic way of telling an individual that he must put up with the unpleasant results or effects of a foolish decision made or action taken.

Is it wise or helpful to speak these words to someone who has just made a mistake or a mess?

Well, actions do have consequences.Galatians 6:7-8 makes that clear.King David in the Old Testament learned this the hard way after his sexual sin with Bathsheba. Even though he got God's forgiveness for the heinous act, he had to live the rest of his life with the devastating personal and familial aftereffects of his wrong choice. Sometimes in the passion and recklessness of youth our kids don't see that their deeds have longterm effects. We adults have to help them connect the dots. And we have to be reminded of the same lesson ourselves. Regardless of whether it's an adulterous affair or overeating or smoking or abusing drugs or gossipping or playing around in school and not studying, our actions will produce unintended negative results. Mark it down.

However, it may not be the best or most useful thing to condescendingly, condemningly exclaim this expression to a person who has bungled something or blundered in a big way. Our words have tremendous power. People who stumble or who flubb up need hope and redirection, not caustic barbs. Judgemental statements may actually harden and seal them in their poor behavior. Verses like Proverbs 12:18 and 15:23 and 18:21 suggest that with our tongues we can either wound and bruise and cripple or refresh and encourage and inspire. As Christians our homes and churches should be "grace places" where people who have floundered and failed know they'll be loved, accepted, picked back up, and pointed to a better path. Flippantly uttering this cold, heartless cliche to an individual who botched it only sentences him to regret and stagnation. We just leave our hurting friends in ditches when we blurt out that phrase in our frustration or exasperation at their actions. Many an adult still lives under the burden and curse of hearing "You'll never amount to anything" or "I wish you'd never been born" shouted at them in childhood.

It needs to be understood, too, that sometimes our beds are made for us.

There is such a thing as generational sin, patterns and practices that get passed down in families. It's possible to be predisposed to bad choices as a result of growing up in a dysfunctional home. Anger or alcoholism or laziness or abuse in a family tree can be transmitted through several generations. God seems to address this in Exodus 20:5-6. The patriarchs of Genesis could tell us about how parental favoritism and sibling rivalry, for example, kept cropping up in succeeding eras until finally Joseph broke the cycle and halted the downward spiral by forgiving his hateful brothers. His example teaches us that we don't have to be victims or stay stuck in habits or trajectories that we inherited. We can acknowledge, and choose to move out of, harmful patterns and forgive those who handed them down to us, and then go forward in a new, positive direction.

It's hard to imagine Jesus using that cynical slogan. He didn't usually leave people as they were, in their mess. Even when the rich young ruler of Mark 10 ultimately rejected Christ and went his own way, which was a recipe for life failure, Jesus had a heart of tender compassion for him.

Jesus didn't consign the paralyzed men of Mark 2 and John 5 to permanent disability. He healed them. He didn't push away the adulterous woman of John 8 or the frequently divorced woman of John 4 but rather forgave them and offered them a new lease on life. Ditto the despised, cheating tax collector Zaccheus of Luke 19. These persons had no hope or had failed or had sinned miserably but Jesus lifted them instead of spouting off harsh words about their status. The power of salvation in Christ is life-transforming. So says 2 Corinthians 5:17. By placing our faith in Jesus we can be completely changed, despite our past or our failures. Spiritually speaking, we don't have to stay in "bedbug- infested cots".

Of course making the choice to refuse God's freely offered mercy in Christ finds us "making our bed" for an eternity of horrible exclusion from all the wonderful blessings and benefits of knowing the Lord. Revelation 20:15 describes that in stark terms. The uniqueness of Christ for salvation and the exclusivity of the Gospel are ideas hotly debated these days but texts like John 14:6 and Acts 4:12 are hard to refute.

When it comes to making our beds, we all could use a little help.

Leader Lab

All of us involved in ministry should take advantage of opportunities to hone our skills. Pastors, staffers, deacons, and Sunday School teachers ought to jump at chances to attend seminars, conferences, and training events where insights and methods for more effective leadership are presented, whether offered by the state convention or the local association or some parachurch organization.

But right in our own backyard, so to speak, and much closer at hand, is an excellent resource for picking up hints and tips and strategies for successful Kingdom work. I'm referring to the Bible. As we scour the scriptures, studying the biographies of the major characters found on its pages, we can develop profiles of the men and women who led well, and, applying what we learn, can enhance our vision and sharpen our approaches as we guide groups and serve people.

Think about Elijah, for example.

This famous Old Testament prophet stands out as a model of productive leadership. Practical lessons abound as we examine his ministry style and techniques.

Obviously it needs to be said that the key to his success was prayer. Even a New Testament writer comments on that, in James 5:16-18. We see illustrations of his commitment to conversation with the Father in 1 Kings 17:20-21, 18:36-37, and 19:4, 10, and 14, and it seems like he carried on a running dialogue with God throughout his tenure of work. To dare to think that we can accomplish anything of lasting spiritual value without a dependance on the Lord in supplication and intercession is sheer folly. Overreliance on human tactics to the exclusion of waiting on God for direction is a dead end.

Elijah appeared to grasp the reality, too, that there are polarities in ministry which require balance. Sometimes you deal with individuals(17:1,10;18:7-8;19:19) and at other times with groups(18:19). Occasionally the situation calls for confrontation(17:1; 18:40;2 Kings 1:16) and at other moments for mercy and compassion(17:10-16). There are seasons to be with people(18:19) and periods of being alone(17:2-7). Sometimes the presence and intervention of God is dramatic and almost overpowering(!8:38;2Kings 2:11) and then at other times He speaks gently(19:11-13) and works slowly and progressively(18:43-45). There will be days of routine and waiting(17:2-7) and then bursts of intense activity(18:20-40; 2Kings 2:1-11). We're wired and gifted by God in certain ways to serve Him along definite pathways, but to keep us on our toes and to surprise us with His greatness and creativity and to expand and grow us and keep us out of ruts He'll take us through some ministry patches where we have to develop and utilize some different skill sets. In God's work, you soon learn to expect the unexpected!

Let's not forget, either, that God had to teach this prophet to take care of himself. In body and in soul. Read all about it in 1 Kings 19. After Elijah's supernatural victory on Mount Carmel he got depressed and stressed and anxious and burned out(ever notice how spells like that sometimes arise after revivals or building campaigns or serious counseling sessions or painful committee meetings?) He was tired and he was lonely. He was ready to quit and prayed to die. The Lord was patient with him, though, and took him through a gradual healing process that restored him physically, mentally, spiritually, relationally, and vocationally. Only then did he recommission and reassign him. We make a grave mistake if we don't protect and safeguard our spirit and our body. If we're always pushing and rushing and don't take time for proper diet and exercise and periods of slowing down and reflecting we're probably gonna crash sooner or later. It is a smart minister who builds into his schedule ample time for rest, recreation, family outings, vacations, and seasons for just listening to God. And the lesson that God taught Elijah in 19:11-13 shouldn't be lost on us--it's not just in the big churches or the big days or the spectacular miracles or the loud, exuberant worship gatherings that the Lord is at work. He works in a myriad of ways. That concept ought to free all of us up!

We also can learn, too, from the way this man of God closed out his ministry. In 1 Kings 19:19-21 the prophet chose and summoned his successor. 2 Kings 2:1-14 indicates that he spent time with and mentored Elisha as well as some prophetic bands in different cities. He stuck close to the guy who would take his place and explained the ropes to him. He strengthened his connection with Elisha as the day of his departure grew closer(rather than emotionally pulling back). A very smooth transition was forged and a great ministry was continued even though Elisha was his own person and pursued his service a little differently. It has often been said that the real test of the success of our labors is what happens after we leave. We bequeath a legacy of effectiveness and ensure a bright future for those who will take up our task if we prepare carefully and give them the tools they'll need to be at their best when we're gone. And by the way, when we say goodbye, we need to leave! Elisha's ministry was every bit as scintillating and productive as Elijah's had been even though he served along some alternative tracks. But there is no record that Elijah ever swooped back down from Heaven to ask his successor why he wasn't doing his job just like Elijah had done it!

Go off to those classes and symposiums and learn all you can about strong leadership. Make sure, though, that you don't overlook that best manual on spiritual service ever written,right there at your fingertips--God's Word. Sure saves on travel expense, too.

Release

One of the critical lessons about life that we learn as we get older is the value of letting go.

There's a lot of stuff over which we have absolutely no control. It does no good to get all twisted up in knots over it or rage about it or lose sleep or precious time because of it.

You know what I'm talking about. Adult children sometimes make decisions we can't understand. Friends may verbally wound us and not even seem to notice. The aging process slows us down and wears us out and holds us back. Lack of financial resources might prevent us from doing some of the things we'd really like to do. Spouses, as they get older, may say or do this or that and where once we may have overlooked it, these days it is a real irritation. Long standing dreams may now seem out of reach with little or no hope of fulfilment. Unresolved sibling rivalry might be rearing its ugly head. Prolonged illness in the family may be robbing our joy.

It shows up in church life, too. Sometimes members up and hop off to some other congregation without saying why or even good-bye. Often programs and ministries limp along because of a lack of volunteers(a case could be made that if there isn't passion for some event or project in the fellowshIp then maybe God isn't in it and it should be scrubbed or avoided or put on hold). And there are the ever present whiners and complainers and negativity forces.

It's easy for any of us to feel helpless and powerless at what life throws at us from time to time. We have that sense that we have no control over our situation. We want things to go our way, to be just right. We're subconsciously longing for perfection. That's an echo from Eden and a hint of Heaven but we're caught in the in-between and so we get anxious and uptight and occasionally angry at the circumstances we face. That's totally human but it sure does hurt.

Someone wisely said once that if you can do something about what's troubling you, don't worry about it and if you can't do anything about some problem or thorn then likewise don't worry about it. That's good advice, even if hard to practice. Some things aren't going to improve. Some people are not gonna change(regardless of your pleading or pressuring or placating). Actually some of our painful issues are probably going to get worse. That's just the nature of life in this fallen world. It does us no good to get bitter or to sit and stew in our own juices and waste the valuable time we have and miss out on all the joys that this existence does offer.

We have to discover the practice of letting go.

The Apostle Paul, in Phillipians 4:12, speaks of having learned the secret of contentment. It encourages me that this greatest, most mature and godly Christian of all time, had to struggle and wrestle with this and learn it like we do. He suffered and sacrificed and had to release so much that had been of value to him previously(reputation, educational attainments, position). But he fell back on the sovereignty of God. The Lord knows what He's doing and only permits or allows what is for our good and His glory. God is carrying out His plans and purposes for us as He works in us. Check out 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. If we gradually lose our health or our long-cherished hopes and ambitions, or if we find ourselves stuck in circumstances that we wouldn't have chosen and cannot remove, then we must trust in the midst of the darkness or discomfort like the ancient sufferer testified in Job 13:15. All this is part of our sanctification process.

Jesus on one occasion had to gently rebuke Peter for being overly worked up over something that he was concerned about needlessly(John 21:20-22). Our Lord told him that he shouldn't be in a tizzy about it but instead should just focus on following Him. Many times we fret over things that end up not happening. A lot of times we stress out over stuff that's none of our business or we get bogged down in other people's junk.

As we practice letting go of foolish worry(Matthew 6:25-34), and as we start giving away more and more of our treasures and trinkets and tools now and as we yield up our fears and anxieties over losses and distresses to the Father(the famous Serenity Prayer comes to mind) we rehearse for that moment when we will have to surrender everything in death. Perhaps that is why Jesus could so effortlessly cry from the cross "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." Likewise Stephen, in Acts 7:59. When you've lived in simplicity and generosity and humility and obedience and abandoned self-interest, you can die without fear or regret

Breathing in, breathing out. Accept with gratitude what God gives. Release back to Him what you cannot cling to or handle on your own. After all, it's not about our image. It's about His image being formed in us.

Prince Of Persia

It hasn't exactly been a box office blockbuster, but the new movie "Prince Of Persia" has been seen and enjoyed by thousands since it opened in late May.

The action adventure film, based on a video game, tells the story of a young street boy, adopted into the family of an ancient Persian king, who becomes a prince alongside 2 brothers. He grows up to be a man of integrity and courage, and with the help of a beautiful princess saves the kingdom, and perhaps the world, from the evil schemings of a power hungry individual in pursuit of a sand-filled dagger that gives its possessor the ability to turn back time.

This cinematic piece is great fun. It's also complete fiction.

It may surprise you to learn, though, that a "prince of Persia" is mentioned in the Bible. This one is for real.

The reference comes in the Old Testament book of Daniel, chapter 10, verse 13. It speaks not of a human being but of an evil angel who temporarily thwarted the attempt of a heavenly angel to deliver, from God, an answer to Daniel for a prayer he had prayed seeking information and counsel about the future of his countrymen, the Jews. The narrative implies that wicked territorial spirits under the command of Satan were assigned to nations to seek to influence them in opposition to God's will and people. This prince of Persia, then, who evidently was responsible for trying to manipulate the decisions of that kingdom that had just chosen to release many of the Jews long held in captivity, managed to struggle with God's angel and delay a response getting to Daniel for 3 weeks. His evil machinations were overcome by the assistance of Michael, God's chief angel, who came to the aid of the heavenly messenger, who may have been Gabriel. It's interesting that a Hollywood film, "Legion", earlier this year, in its plot had Michael and Gabriel pitted against one another. Nothing could be further from the truth. They're on the same page, the same team, serving God!

All of this sounds so far-fetched and hard to believe in our sophisticated, technological age. But evangelical theology affirms the truthfulness of it. Some lessons emerge.

For starters, spiritual warfare is a reality. There is a titanic, cosmic battle going on in the supernatural, invisible realm all around us. We can't see it but good angels slug it out with demonic forces in a conflict to determine who will persuade and control peoples and nations and individuals. In the admittedly pictorial, apocalyptic book of Revelation you get strong hints of this in chapter 12, verses 7-9, and elsewhere in the New Testament, in Ephesians 6:12, the Apostle Paul makes it clear that a monumental, ongoing struggle is being waged between spiritual forces. National and international philosophies, policies, and actions could well be influenced and shaped more by what we can't see than by what we can. Personal choices, too, are often impacted greatly by this continuing wrestling between good and evil beings over a fallen world whose ultimate redemption has already been won and victoriously assured by the saving death of Christ on the cross. The outcome of the war has been determined but skirmishes go on. Christians must decide each new day how to respond to the temptations faced so that they cooperate with God's plan.

This old, old story also reminds us that prayer is really important. Daniel was so concerned about his people that he prayed for them, seeking God's purposes for their future. Regrettably, most believers pray very little and in our churches prayer is often the spiritual discipline that is emphasized the least. Someone has said that the devil is unhappy but not overly troubled when we go to church or read the Bible or share our faith but he trembles when we pray! It is probably in our praying that we have the greatest opportunity to actually make a difference in this world and partner with God in what he is up to. You could team up with God when you intercede for a grieving family whose name you read about on an obituary page. You work alongside the Lord when you pray for those who might be injured in that car accident that you come up on as you're driving the interstate. When viewing the nightly news you could petition God about people and situations, even of global significance, that are mentioned and play a possible role in potential divine interventions. You might silently converse with the Lord about that hurting person sitting across from you in a doctor's office waiting room and thus be involved in heavenly activity.

There's no doubt that spiritual battles will continue on in the invisible supernatural regions and in individual Christian lives until history wraps up. The angel lets Daniel in on that crucial fact in chapter 10, verse 20. But as was true for that towering Old Testament character, we can have hope and strength. Just as the heavenly being reminded Daniel that he was loved and valued by God, believers should know that they are prized and protected by the Father. As Daniel received a lifting touch from the angel, so we can learn to draw encouragement from the often needed physical hugs and embraces that the Lord uses our human companions to bring to us when we're down and depressed or lonely and confused. And the most vital source for peace and strengthening as we face the challenges and uncertainties of life will come to us, as it did for Daniel, in the truth that God reveals to us in his word. That truth clues us in that the events happening on the world scene, though so often troubling, are ultimately in the hands of a wise and sovereign God and are being worked together toward a grand and positive conclusion. Immersing ourselves in Bible study can increase our confidence and stability.

The days of the real prince of Persia are numbered!