I was thinking about the love that God has shown us in so many, many ways, and I was comparing it to the love we have for each other. We often define that perfect agape love as one that's willing to die for another but I think there is another way to define it. It's also that we love someone even with all of their faults. There are things about the ones that we love that also annoy us and drive us crazy. Things that if we didn't love that person would cause us to walk away. Couples and congregations often split because they don't really love each other. But when we put up with each others faults we are in essence expressing our love for each other.
I believe the Bible states that love can be learned. There seems to be a progression where God expects us to first show our phileo love and then to nurture it and grow to where it becomes agape love.
God loved us from the beginning, even with all of our faults. And if we love someone, we do so even with all their faults. The problems come when we start focusing on the faults more than the good stuff. Thankfully, as Christians, God does not focus on our faults, but loves us in spite of them.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Laugh or Cry
Following my sermon this morning up at Northeast, a gentlemen walked up to me and said he wanted to talk. He shook my hand, gave me his name, and then identified himself as a former Elder of the congregation. He is no longer a member at Notheast. He then proceeded to tell me that my sermon was very negative and that people also needed to be told the positives of being a Christian. I thanked him for his input but also noted that way too many sermons out there are only positive or they undo the strength by ending with positives so that people don't walk away feeling bad. He restated again that the sermon should end positive and I again thanked him for his input. The sermon may have stepped on his toes as the topic had a good chance of doing that.
He then walked right out the back door and didn't stay for Bible class. Now maybe he had to go to work or something, but we all know that congregation has a problem with people skipping Bible class and services. I guess my main point is that where the shepherd leads the flock will follow. I will take his comment to heart and make sure my sermons are balanced and I have some that are positive and encouraging too. But he lost credibility with me when he walked out the door. And I also see the legacy he left behind in that congregation.
I might add that one of the members came forward this morning, obviously moved by the word of God. Also he was the first response I've ever had.
So was it too negative? I don't know. But it had an impact on one person. And the Gospel is all about one person at a time.
He then walked right out the back door and didn't stay for Bible class. Now maybe he had to go to work or something, but we all know that congregation has a problem with people skipping Bible class and services. I guess my main point is that where the shepherd leads the flock will follow. I will take his comment to heart and make sure my sermons are balanced and I have some that are positive and encouraging too. But he lost credibility with me when he walked out the door. And I also see the legacy he left behind in that congregation.
I might add that one of the members came forward this morning, obviously moved by the word of God. Also he was the first response I've ever had.
So was it too negative? I don't know. But it had an impact on one person. And the Gospel is all about one person at a time.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Every Appearance of Evil? Nope!
Have you ever heard this said by a preacher or a Bible class teacher?
"We need to always make sure that we are never anywhere or doing anything that could make people stumble or cause them to think we are sinning. You shouldn't go into a liquor store to use the phone because people might think you are going in there to buy alcohol and that could cause them to stumble."
Many times they will use I Thess 5:22 to support their point, "abstain from all appearance of evil." KJV. They then say that you must not do anything that anyone could possibly think of as evil. While their intent in teaching this may be honest, the Greek of the passage doesn't support what they are saying.
The Greek word "eidous" means "form". A more descriptive word for us is probabaly the word "type". So the passage is saying, "abstain from every type of evil" which is how the NASB translates it. The ESV uses, "abstain from every form of evil."
Romans 1 and other passages list types of sins: Slander, greed, gossip, strife, deceit, murder. Perhaps also something like pride might might be considered a type or form of sin. The main idea being that no matter what type or category of sin it is we need to not do it. It really focuses on what you do and not so much what people are observing in you.
In fact the context also supports this view. Vs 21 says, "But examine everything, hold fast to that which is good." So it's saying, hang on tight to doing the good stuff and then in vs 22, stay away from the bad stuff.
There is an early Church tradition that says this is a quote of a saying of Jesus concerning money-changers which goes, "As good money-changers, test all things: keep the good and reject the bad." Whether or not Jesus ever said that the Scriptures don't say. But the saying accurately conveys the idea of I Thess 5:21,22.
Now we still shoudn't do things or be in places which might make others think we are sinning. But we can't use this passage for support of that.
In any case - we all have cell phones and the liquor store probably wouldn't let us use their phone anyway.
"We need to always make sure that we are never anywhere or doing anything that could make people stumble or cause them to think we are sinning. You shouldn't go into a liquor store to use the phone because people might think you are going in there to buy alcohol and that could cause them to stumble."
Many times they will use I Thess 5:22 to support their point, "abstain from all appearance of evil." KJV. They then say that you must not do anything that anyone could possibly think of as evil. While their intent in teaching this may be honest, the Greek of the passage doesn't support what they are saying.
The Greek word "eidous" means "form". A more descriptive word for us is probabaly the word "type". So the passage is saying, "abstain from every type of evil" which is how the NASB translates it. The ESV uses, "abstain from every form of evil."
Romans 1 and other passages list types of sins: Slander, greed, gossip, strife, deceit, murder. Perhaps also something like pride might might be considered a type or form of sin. The main idea being that no matter what type or category of sin it is we need to not do it. It really focuses on what you do and not so much what people are observing in you.
In fact the context also supports this view. Vs 21 says, "But examine everything, hold fast to that which is good." So it's saying, hang on tight to doing the good stuff and then in vs 22, stay away from the bad stuff.
There is an early Church tradition that says this is a quote of a saying of Jesus concerning money-changers which goes, "As good money-changers, test all things: keep the good and reject the bad." Whether or not Jesus ever said that the Scriptures don't say. But the saying accurately conveys the idea of I Thess 5:21,22.
Now we still shoudn't do things or be in places which might make others think we are sinning. But we can't use this passage for support of that.
In any case - we all have cell phones and the liquor store probably wouldn't let us use their phone anyway.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Only One
In John 6:65-69 Peter makes a very profound statement, although I'm not sure that he intended it to be profound when he made it.
"And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” "
We need to remember that the Disciples really didn't understand the mission of Jesus at this point. That really didn't happen until Pentecost. It must have been very discouraging to the remaining disciples to see so many walk away due to something they couldn't accept. And I'm not sure that even Peter was fully embracing the message of Jesus as it was intended. After all - Peter was still filtering everything based on the concept that Jesus was going to establish an earthly kingdom. So his statement was probably generated out of desperation tied to his well-known stubborn streak.
But it happened time after time in the Bible where people said things that were very profound and they had no idea that they were saying something very important. The statement by Peter is really one of those instances.
"Lord, to whom shall we go?" He is the only one - the only source. We don't have the words of life, nor our parents, Elders, preachers, or friends. There is NOWHERE else to go. And so many people are looking in so many other directions and finding absolutely nothing. Now Satan the great deceiver is creating mirages and people think there is something there, but just when they think they have a hold of it, the mirage disappears.
But Peter did do one thing that we can learn from. He had a seed of belief, and even though he didn't fully understand, he held onto that seed with all his might. And then one day (Petecost) he understood and by all acounts was never shaken again. So when things happen to shake your faith, or discourage you in your Christian life, just hold onto that seed with all your might. That there is nowhere else to go except to hold onto Jesus as the only means of survival. The money, the big house, the expensive car, the promotion at work all hold no salvation. They are mirages. Hold onto that log you are floating on out in the ocean with all your might. If you kick away from the log for that island in the distance, it will disappear. Hold on and one day you will find yourself on the shores of Heaven.
"And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” "
We need to remember that the Disciples really didn't understand the mission of Jesus at this point. That really didn't happen until Pentecost. It must have been very discouraging to the remaining disciples to see so many walk away due to something they couldn't accept. And I'm not sure that even Peter was fully embracing the message of Jesus as it was intended. After all - Peter was still filtering everything based on the concept that Jesus was going to establish an earthly kingdom. So his statement was probably generated out of desperation tied to his well-known stubborn streak.
But it happened time after time in the Bible where people said things that were very profound and they had no idea that they were saying something very important. The statement by Peter is really one of those instances.
"Lord, to whom shall we go?" He is the only one - the only source. We don't have the words of life, nor our parents, Elders, preachers, or friends. There is NOWHERE else to go. And so many people are looking in so many other directions and finding absolutely nothing. Now Satan the great deceiver is creating mirages and people think there is something there, but just when they think they have a hold of it, the mirage disappears.
But Peter did do one thing that we can learn from. He had a seed of belief, and even though he didn't fully understand, he held onto that seed with all his might. And then one day (Petecost) he understood and by all acounts was never shaken again. So when things happen to shake your faith, or discourage you in your Christian life, just hold onto that seed with all your might. That there is nowhere else to go except to hold onto Jesus as the only means of survival. The money, the big house, the expensive car, the promotion at work all hold no salvation. They are mirages. Hold onto that log you are floating on out in the ocean with all your might. If you kick away from the log for that island in the distance, it will disappear. Hold on and one day you will find yourself on the shores of Heaven.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Dinosaurs
Our Bible class teacher this morning was talking about dinosaurs for a bit. He mentioned that he did believe that they existed. Good thing since there are so many fossils. There are some members of the Church who don't believe that dinosaurs ever existed because they think that equates to also believing in trans-species evolution. Sad but true.
He also stated that he wasn't sure about some of the artists conceptions of what they looked like. While it may be that they were pink. or blue with yellow polka dots, it would not be the norm for reptiles as we know them today. And I think that the overall lay of the skin that they propose is pretty well proven science. When the forensic artists put features on a human skull it's pretty amazing as to how close they get to the actual persons looks.
He also said he wasn't sure that they were as big as what scientists say they were. Well just think aout this. What animal is smaller than its skeleton? Only animals with exoskeletons - like lobsters and crabs. And even at that their inner mass fills the shell. All the really big dinosaurs had endoskeletons and that means their skin was on the outside of their bones. And most of us have seen the fossil skeletons - and some are huge. So either the fossil skeletons are faked - or they were as big as the artists draw them.
But maybe he's just never stood next to one of those things.
He also stated that he wasn't sure about some of the artists conceptions of what they looked like. While it may be that they were pink. or blue with yellow polka dots, it would not be the norm for reptiles as we know them today. And I think that the overall lay of the skin that they propose is pretty well proven science. When the forensic artists put features on a human skull it's pretty amazing as to how close they get to the actual persons looks.
He also said he wasn't sure that they were as big as what scientists say they were. Well just think aout this. What animal is smaller than its skeleton? Only animals with exoskeletons - like lobsters and crabs. And even at that their inner mass fills the shell. All the really big dinosaurs had endoskeletons and that means their skin was on the outside of their bones. And most of us have seen the fossil skeletons - and some are huge. So either the fossil skeletons are faked - or they were as big as the artists draw them.
But maybe he's just never stood next to one of those things.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
The Bent Clothes Hanger
Go to the closet and get a wire clothes hanger. Now put a few bends in it with your hands. Now straighten it out to what it looked like when you pulled it from the closet. You'll never get it perfect (although if I know James he will try it just to prove me wrong). And the more you bend it, the harder it is to get it even close.
Our words are the same. When we speak in anger or spread gossip it's just like bending the hanger. And the more anger there is, or the more hurtful the gossip, the harder we have to work to try to make things right. And even then the relationship is never the same as it was before.
You can't put the hanger back because your alter the molecular bonds in the metal when you bend it. Hurtful speech also alters bonds, and in some ways, on a molecular level.
Our words are the same. When we speak in anger or spread gossip it's just like bending the hanger. And the more anger there is, or the more hurtful the gossip, the harder we have to work to try to make things right. And even then the relationship is never the same as it was before.
You can't put the hanger back because your alter the molecular bonds in the metal when you bend it. Hurtful speech also alters bonds, and in some ways, on a molecular level.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Favoritism
Why is it that so many preachers today continually mention the names of past "famous" preachers but rarely mention Elders or members of the congregation? The accolades usually start like this, "The great Gospel preacher, Brother F.E. Hardemann once said...."
But what does the Bible say about holding certain people in higher regard than others?
James 2:1-4 "My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, "You sit here in a good place," and you say to the poor man, "You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool," have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?"
Where is the passage that says we are to honor preachers? And yet we see the following in I Tim 5:17:
"Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching."
What about the elders who don't work hard at teaching and preaching? Well that's a topic for another post.
But what does the Bible say about holding certain people in higher regard than others?
James 2:1-4 "My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, "You sit here in a good place," and you say to the poor man, "You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool," have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?"
Where is the passage that says we are to honor preachers? And yet we see the following in I Tim 5:17:
"Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching."
What about the elders who don't work hard at teaching and preaching? Well that's a topic for another post.
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