World Conquest?

Jordanian journalist, Fouad Hussein recently interviewed several al Qaeda leaders, including al Qaeda’s man in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The book is only available in Arabic, but it lays out a very straightforward strategy for world conquest. According to Hussein, al Qaeda has a seven phase plan for taking over the world.

The first five phases include a series of terrorist attacks and wars—which we are already witnessing. Phase 6, Hussein reports, is that by 2022, the world will be conquered by the unstoppable armies of Islam. This is the phase Osama bin Laden has been talking about for years. In the final phase of this plan, all the world’s inhabitants will be forced to either convert to Islam, or submit (as second class citizens) to Islamic rule. This will supposedly be completed near the year 2025. “Islam”—by the way—is a word that means “peace.”

World conquest has been the goal of many groups throughout history. Most notably in the last century, Nazism and Communism held the goal of world conquest. Thankfully, both failed.

In fact, we know for sure that until the very end of time, there will be those who seek to gain control over the whole world. In Revelation 13, the Apostle John was allowed to see into the future and he saw a beast coming up out of the sea. John wrote this about the beast in vs.7 & 8:

It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.

We don’t know yet who this “beast” is, but we do know that this final attempt—like all other attempts for world conquest before it—will fail. How do we know? Because there is only One who is worthy to rule the entire world. There is only One who has complete authority over heaven and earth. And He will not share His glory with anyone else. He, too, has a plan for world conquest. But His plan is motivated by love, not hate. His plan includes a message of peace, not a sword of violence. His plan will be advanced by humble servants, not arrogant terrorists.

It’s true that the Book of Revelation describes a day when God’s judgment will fall on those who reject Him, but He himself will carry out that judgment—not His disciples. As Creator and Lord of the universe, He alone is able to judge righteously. And that day will only come after He has provided numerous opportunities for the world to turn from its wickedness and rebellion and idolatry.

Today is a day of opportunity. In this present time, the people of the world are being presented with a God-given opportunity to avoid God’s judgment. God’s people have been given a mission to present this opportunity to every nation on earth. The clearest explanation of the mission is given in Matthew 28:19-20:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…”

This is such a simple plan, but it is genius. It’s a plan for world conquest and it has impacted the world like no other plan or movement in history. And by “world conquest” I do not mean that every person on earth will one day be won to the Lord. What I mean is that individuals from every tongue, tribe and nation will be won to the Lord. Christianity will sweep across the face of the earth.

The key command here is “make disciples.” “Go” is not an imperative. It is a participle—just like “baptizing and teaching.” “Going, baptizing and teaching” explain how we are to make disciples. Disciples should be “going” into the world, sharing the good news that God offers sinful people the free gift of salvation in Christ. When people accept this truth and trust Christ for salvation, the job of disciples is to “baptize and teach” that new Christian.

“Baptizing” is more than just dunking. It includes water baptism—the first act of obedience—but it also includes what is commonly called “assimilation”—leading someone into a life of obedience. Getting them grounded in the faith.

“Teaching” is often misunderstood. One day it hit me that the third step is not “teaching” but “teaching them to observe…” What does it mean to “observe”? Obey! That’s what a disciple does. So the job of those who disciple others is to teach them to obey the commands of Christ.

This commission—the greatest commission—by its nature categorizes us. Jesus has three kinds of people in mind in giving us this task: Doubters, Christians and Disciples. Evaluate your heart. Examine yourself and be honest—which category best describes you?

Are you a doubter—an unbeliever? Receive the free gift of salvation.

Perhaps you’ve grown up in church and your parents’ faith has never truly become your faith. Perhaps you’ve got doubts and you think all those doubts have to be gone before you can put your trust in Christ for salvation. That’s not true. None of us—if we’re honest with ourselves—became Christians completely doubt-free. But the weight of the evidence about Christ is so strong. Just as in a court of law when the jury decides that a person is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Jesus is God. He has been given authority over heaven and earth and you know that beyond a reasonable doubt. Your part in this world conquest of Christ is to join up. How? By faith. Believing that Jesus is who He claims to be. Believing that His death and resurrection make it possible for you to have eternal life. Receive the free gift of salvation right now.

Are you a Christian? Live a life of obedience.

Can you honestly say, “Yes, I have already trusted Christ and received the free gift of salvation”? The challenge for you is to answer the call of a disciple. Take up your cross daily and follow after Christ! Are you obeying? Are you obeying “all” of His commands or are you purposefully ignoring and choosing not to obey some of them? Don’t be left out of what God is doing. Be not confused: The call to discipleship is to pay a price. To make a commitment to follow and obey Christ.

Are you a disciple? Reproduce yourself.

Can you honestly say, “Yes, I am obeying Christ and living the life He wants me to live”? Great! Are you obeying the Great Commission? Are you engaged in one way or another—either as one being discipled or as one discipling others? The command to “make disciples” demands that we be in relationship with someone. Either we are one who is receiving from someone older and wiser or we are giving to someone younger who needs your wisdom. Someone younger and not as far down the road toward maturity. The call to make disciples is not just living a good and holy life or just doing evangelism. It is pouring yourself into someone else’s life. It is obeying the primary command of the Greatest Commission—“make disciples”. It might be nothing but fun—a great friendship, studying the Bible with good friends. It might be hard work—developing a relationship with someone God has put in your life. Admonishing them and working with them to overcome an addiction. A life-controlling sin. It might mean teaching someone how to be a better mom or wife. A better dad or husband. You might love every minute of it, but you might also experience disappointment and discouragement. You might beg God to let you off the hook and get that person out of your life.

But, there is no condition. Jesus didn’t say, “Make disciples if it’s enjoyable and fulfilling”. No, we need to make disciples no matter what the cost. We need to look around and see who God has put in our lives and get busy—diligently pursuing them for the glory of Christ.

This is the plan of Christ—that you and I would participate in world conquest. Not by military might but by obeying the Great Commission. The mistake has been made—in the history of Christianity—to work for world conquest in wrong, unbiblical ways. The Crusades stand out as the most obvious mistake. But God is Judge. That’s not our job. Our job is to be witnesses. To proclaim good news. To make disciples wherever we are. Let’s get busy.

You Are Lord

I met a lady yesterday who was wearing a scarf on her head. It was obvious she was going through chemotherapy. A family member just went through a divorce. A girl I know lost a dear friend recently. Another friend is discouraged. Can you relate? As I was thinking about these people today, my prayer came out in a song. Here is a poor recording using cheap talent (me), but I hope you find it encouraging.

Click here to listen

Here are the words:

You Are Lord

Does the clay speak to the Potter?

Does it ask, “What are You doing?”

Does the arrow tell the Archer

How and when to shoot?

 

Does a servant tell His Master

YOU don’t have the right?

Does a soldier defy His King

And refuse to fight?

 

Whatever YOU tell me I will do

Wherever YOU lead is my way too

YOU are Shepherd, You are Lord

Whatever YOU speak I will believe

Whatever YOU give I will receive

YOU are Sovereign, You are Lord!

 

I don’t like this place YOU’VE brought me

I don’t like what I’m going through

But I know YOU’RE right here with me

And I need to say, “I trust YOU!”

 

Not mine, but Your will be done!

Not mine, but Your will be done!

Not mine, but Your will be done!

Not mine, but Your will be done!

(Shaun LePage, March 29, 2008)

Joy In The Journey

This has been one of my favorite songs for a long time. It’s been on my mind and my mp3 player this week. I’m glad to be able to share it here. Michael Card has many times taken the Christian faith so many of us love and expressed it in simple, yet profound songs. I’ll include the lyrics, too:

Joy in the Journey (by Michael Card)

There is a joy in the journey
there’s a light we can love on the way
There is a wonder and wildness to life
and freedom for those who obey

All those who seek it shall find it
a pardon for all who believe
Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind

To all who’ve been born of the Spirit
and who share incarnation with Him
who belong to eternity, stranded in time,
and weary of struggling with sin

Forget not the hope that’s before you
and never stop counting the cost
Remember the hopelessness when you were lost?

The Scandalon

The cross is an unlikely choice for the symbol of a religion. The Jews have the Star of David as their symbol; the Buddhists a Lotus flower; Muslims display a Crescent and star. These symbols were beautiful or good from the beginning. The cross was a horrible form of execution.

Max Lucado understands: “Would you wear a tiny electric chair around your neck? Suspend a gold-plated hangman’s noose on the wall? Would you print a picture of a firing squad on a business card? Yet we do so with the Cross.”¹

Perhaps you can relate to my experience. I often forget the offensiveness of the Cross. I see crosses everywhere and they are beautiful to me:

• Many years ago in Europe I saw beautiful, ornate crosses decorating ancient cathedrals.
• A few years ago in Hawaii I took pictures of two crosses which are perched up high and framed by the beautiful Hawaiian landscape.
• I think of the tiny crosses on bracelets that I’ve seen on the delicate wrists of my precious daughters.

I have loved the Cross for so long now that I sometimes forget that the Bible calls it an offense, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles:

• 1 Corinthians 1:23 (NASB): “…We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block (skandalon) to Jews and foolishness (moria) to Gentiles…”
• Galatians 5:11 (NIV): “Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense (stumbling block NASB) of the cross has been abolished.”

This Greek word for “offense” or “stumbling block” is skandalon. Greek scholar Walter Bauer defines skandalon as: “…that which gives offense or causes revulsion, that which arouses opposition, an object of anger or disapproval.” Moria—the word translated “foolishness”—is the Greek word from which we get our word “moron” or “moronic.”²

Of course, when we speak of the Cross, we’re not talking here about the original cross—the actual wooden planks upon which Jesus was hung.

Helena, the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the 4^th century and somehow decided she had found the original cross. Soon this cross was said to have miraculous powers and pieces of wood claiming to come from it were found all over the Empire.³

No, the Cross is a symbol. The Cross is a symbol of what some have called the entire “Christ-event”—the death and resurrection of Christ. But, what exactly does the Cross symbolize?

 

The Cross symbolizes the heart of our message.

The Latin word for cross is crux. And, of course, the English-speaking world uses crux as the heart of the matter—The Cross is the crux of the matter—the heart of the Christian message.

“When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:1,2)

Did Paul know, say and teach nothing else but the crucifixion of Jesus? No, he knew, said and taught many other things. He was exaggerating to make a point: This is the very heart of my message.

Look how he put it later in that same book: 1 Corinthians 15:3-6:

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.”

That’s the Cross! When Paul said he knew “nothing…except Jesus Christ and him crucified,” he meant the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. “He died for our sins according to the Scriptures and he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” This is the gospel! This is the good news! This is the Cross—the very heart of our message!

Was this message well-received in the first century? No! It was an offense—a skandalon.

An early Latin apologist, Minucius Felix, tells us that Christians were accused of worshipping “a criminal and his cross.” Jesus was referred to as the “dead God” by Roman historians. “…A stumbling block, an offense, a skandalon to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles…” Is it any better received in our time?

• After nearly four decades, a 30-foot cross that towered above Oklahoma’s State Fair Park (in Oklahoma City) was taken down as the result of two people who were offended by it.
• A 75-foot-tall cross in a public cemetery in Tehachapi, California, was recently removed after a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a Jewish family who had a member buried in the public cemetery. The family said they were offended by the cross.
• In 2004, a McAlester Oklahoma firefighter told the city council he represented a group that was offended by the cross on the city’s seal. They threatened legal action if it was not removed.

There are hundreds of disputes like this taking place all over the country—all over the world. They make me mad; fearful about the future. I think they’re wrong about violating this so-called separation of church and state.

But it occurs to me that these “offended” parties get it! They’re right—the Cross is offensive! The Cross should offend! It is necessarily offensive. It is not just a pretty monument; it is a symbol that carries with it a powerful message.

But the message of the Cross does not offend only Jews and atheists. There are many who call themselves Christians who do not want to hear this message either. What was Paul addressing in Galatians 5:11 when he wrote: “Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense (skandalon) of the cross has been abolished.”

What was he talking about? What error was he addressing? Judaizers—false teachers—were telling the Galatians that yes, Jesus is the Christ and He did His part by dying on the cross, but what Paul teaches is that you must do your part! You must keep the law to be a Christian—you must be circumcised in order to be saved. Paul said, No, that’s not the gospel I brought you! If I told you to keep the law in order to be saved, then why am I still being persecuted by these Judaizers? The offense of the cross has been abolished if the message is Christ plus law—Christ plus works—Christ plus human effort! Paul was being persecuted because his message, the true message of the cross was that the law had been abolished! Christ—and Christ alone—saves.

Look in the greater context of Galatians. This is Galatians 3:1-5 (notice my underlining):

“You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?

Read Galatians 3:11-14:

“Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, ‘The man who does these things will live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree’ (Paul quoted Deuteronomy 21:23 here). He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”

The message then, is that Christ died for our sins—in our place—so that we either let Him be our substitute or we refuse Him as our substitute—we either believe it or we don’t. We either put our faith in Him—and Him alone—or we do not. The offense is that man wants to earn his salvation. He stumbles over the idea that salvation is a free gift from God. He insists on earning his own way and is offended by the charity of God. They say, Jesus did His part, now we must do our part—this is the tainted gospel of a startling number of so-called Christians.

If this is your view. If you are offended by the message of the Cross, or you don’t think that is the message of the Cross, read again. The Holy Spirit, speaking through the Apostle Paul in the third chapter of Galatians asks: “Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?”

The Cross symbolizes the heart of our message and it is a message which will be polarizing. Those who truly understand this message will either find it offensive and foolish—or the good news of the power and wisdom of God.

 

The Cross symbolizes the cost of our salvation.

God gave Israel the sacrificial system—the laws about sacrificing animals and pouring the blood onto the altars—as symbolism. At least part of the picture is that sin is a horrible thing which causes death. God wanted them to have a visual reminder of this. Read Hebrews 10:1-4:

“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

But, Jesus was the fulfillment of this—the “reality” behind the shadow. He was the inspiration for the picture. Here’s Hebrews 10:5-10:

“Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.’ Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God.’” First he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them’ (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, ‘Here I am, I have come to do your will.’ He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

So, the animal sacrifices did not “please” God—in other words, they did not satisfy Him. They did not take away the sin because God’s justice was not satisfied. But, Jesus said, “I have come to do your will, O God.” In other words, “I have come to satisfy Your requirement for justice.” Since Jesus was God Himself, He was able to provide both justice and mercy. This is what Paul wrote in Romans 3:23-26 (emphasis mine):

“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

The key here is that God is “just and the justifier” of those who trust Jesus for salvation. He had to be just because He is just. Yet, He was the only one who could justify us (make us righteous). The Cross took care of satisfying God’s justice and justifying hopeless sinners.

His death on the cross was a great injustice because Jesus was sinless. But, it was the greatest act of justice because God accepted it as payment for our sins and declared us “just” or “not guilty”.

Remember tetelestai from John 19:30? While Jesus was on the cross, He cried out, “Tetelestai” which means “Paid in full; it is finished!” What was paid in full? The cost of our salvation! God’s righteous demand for justice was met when Jesus went to the cross.

Remember Galatians 3:13? “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us…” He “redeemed us”—He paid the price to free us from our enslavement to sin.

The picture of the temple sacrifices and the cost Jesus paid on the cross—the cost of our salvation—is offensive. Sin is uglier than we think it is. Sin is a bigger deal than most of us ever realize.

The Cross symbolizes the cost of our salvation. Those who truly understand that cost—that God’s wrath was poured out on Jesus—will either find it offensive and foolish—or the power and wisdom of God.

 

The Cross symbolizes the love of our God.

Some people believe Jesus was nothing more than an unwilling victim of an unjust legal system or Roman cruelty. But read what Scripture says about that:

• Philippians 2:5-8: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!”
• John 12:27-33: “Jesus said: ‘Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.’ The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, ‘This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.’ He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.”
• Acts 2:23: On the day of Pentecost, Peter declared to the nation of Israel that Jesus “…was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.”
• Revelation 13:8: “All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”

No! The Cross wasn’t a mistake or Plan B. Jesus chose to go to the cross—it was God’s plan all along. As Adam’s teeth cut into the forbidden fruit, Jesus was already making plans to go to the Cross.

What was His motive? What compelled Him to take such a dramatic step? Love! The Cross symbolizes the love of our God! Remember what John said in 1 John 4:9,10:

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

But wait, isn’t the Cross supposed to be offensive? Surely the love of God isn’t offensive? But it is! You and I have just forgotten!

The best way to illustrate this is to go to Genesis 22 when God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac! Get the picture in your mind—Isaac strapped down on the altar. Abraham with a knife raised over Isaac fully prepared to plunge it into the chest of the son he loved! Is this love?

“Psychoanalyst Alice Miller claims that Genesis 22 may have contributed to an atmosphere that makes it possible to justify the abuse of children. She grounds her reflections on some thirty artistic representations of this story. In two of Rembrandt’s paintings, for example, Abraham faces the heavens rather than Isaac, as if in blind obedience to God and oblivious to what he is about to do to his son.”⁴

But God spared the life of Isaac! He did not require Abraham to go through with the sacrifice of his son, yet God Himself would make such a sacrifice in the name of love. Why did God plunge the knife into His Son’s chest—so to speak? Love!

Many have found that kind of love to be offensive and scandalous—no real love at all. But they are wrong! Jesus chose to go to the Cross! This Isaac crawled up on the altar of His own free will. Jesus Himself said in John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

Jane Stillson was advised by a doctor to have an abortion in 1997 when virulent breast cancer was discovered three months into her pregnancy. An abortion would have allowed her to begin chemotherapy treatment followed by a bone-marrow transplant. But, she and her husband, Tod, rejected that option based on their belief that abortion is wrong. Stillson had a mastectomy and began limited chemotherapy intended to pose as small a risk as possible to the developing baby. She underwent a bone-marrow transplant immediately after the birth of her healthy daughter May 22, 1997. Initial results of the treatment were encouraging, but the cancer returned. Jane Stillson died February 12, 1998. Her husband, Tod, later wrote, “She was a living example of biblical faith, choosing to daily trust the Lord to meet all of her needs. She was a great woman who was willing to give up her own life for our child.”

The doctor’s advice, though was: “Save yourself! Kill the baby so you can save yourself.” No doubt, they considered her decision foolish. But her love was true love—it was sacrificial. It reflected God’s sacrificial love for us.

The Cross symbolizes the love of our God. I believe the world finds this kind of self-sacrificing love to be offensive at worst and foolish at best. But, to those who believe what the Bible teaches—that God’s love led Jesus to the violence of the Cross—understand that this kind of love is the power and wisdom of God.

 

The Cross symbolizes the call of our Lord.

Jesus’ words in Luke 14 are nothing less than shocking.

“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:25-27)

We’re not told the response of His hearers, but no doubt some of them found this to be hard to swallow—even offensive.The call of our Lord is nothing less than radical. He calls us to an unrivaled love for Him—which will seem like hate for others.

C.S. Lewis (commenting on Luke 14) wrote, “How are we to understand the word hate? That Love Himself should be commanding what we ordinarily mean by hatred—commanding us to cherish resentment, to gloat over another’s misery, to delight in injuring him—is almost a contradiction in terms. I think Our Lord, in the sense here intended, ‘hated’ St. Peter when he said, ‘Get thee behind me.’ To hate is to reject, to set one’s face against, to make no concession to, the Beloved when the Beloved utters, however sweetly…the suggestions of the Devil…So, in the last resort, we must turn down or disqualify our nearest and dearest when they come between us and our obedience to God. Heaven knows, it will seem to them sufficiently like hatred.”⁵

Jesus repeated this call five times in the Gospels. It is significant that after He extended this call, He himself went to the Cross—how vivid the imagery must have been to those who witnessed His crucifixion when they remembered His words: “Follow Me…take up your cross.”

To take up your cross is to willingly (like Jesus) die—not physically necessarily because Jesus said, “daily” (Luke 9:23). It is to choose God and what God wants—over and above yourself and your own wants. Galatians 2:20 is a perfect example: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

The Cross symbolizes the call of our Lord. If we answer that call we might offend some and be labeled as extreme or radical. Family members will often feel personally rejected—even hated—if we answer the call of Christ.

 

The Cross demands a response.

The Cross is a symbol with a very strong message. The Cross demands a response from each one of us.

The Cross symbolizes the heart of our message, so if you have rejected this message as offensive or foolish; if you have tried to ignore the message, the desired response from you today is to accept it. When Jesus told the parable of the Sower and the Soils in Mark 4, there were four kinds of soil: the soil along the path, the rocky soil, the thorny soil and the good soil. These soils represent different people and their differing responses to the word of God—the message. Jesus said the good soil was people who, “…hear the word and accept it…” Accept—as true—the message of the cross.

If you have already accepted this message, deliver it! Deliver this message to someone—anyone who will listen. Don’t shrink back because you might offend someone—get over that. You don’t want to be unnecessarily offensive, but you will offend some when you present the message of the cross. Others, though, will see it for what it is—good news; the power and wisdom of God.

The Cross symbolizes the cost of our salvation, so if you have never trusted that Christ paid your sin debt “in full” at the Cross, receive the gift! Receive what the Bible calls the “free gift” of salvation. It wasn’t cheap, but it is free. It was a high cost to pay and God Himself paid it. Honor Him. Acknowledge His tremendous sacrifice by receiving this gift. If I gave you a gift and you left it lying on the table, it would not be yours. In order for a gift to be yours, you must receive it.

If you have already received that gift be thankful—live your life in such a way that everything you do is a way of demonstrating your gratitude. Don’t try to pay Him back. To receive a gift from someone then insist upon paying them back is insulting. When you receive a gift, the proper response is gratitude.

Chuck Colson illustrates this point well by referring to the end of the movie, Saving Private Ryan. “(Saving Private Ryan) opens with a harrowingly realistic reenactment of the D-Day invasion of Normandy. We see the action through the eyes of Capt. John Miller, played by Tom Hanks. Following D-Day, Hanks learns that he is to lead a search party to find a certain Private Ryan, whose three brothers have just been killed in action. The last living son is to be sent home to his grieving mother. But no sooner do Miller and his party begin their search for Ryan behind German lines than a startling Pandora’s box of moral questions is opened: Why are all these men risking their lives to save one man? Don’t they have mothers, too? Are they just pawns in some cynical PR maneuver by the Pentagon? As first one, and then another of the soldiers in the rescue party is killed, the questioning intensifies. After all, just how much is one man’s life worth? The answer comes in a stunning scene at the end of the film. It’s now 50 years later and Private Ryan is visiting the graves of the men who saved him, who literally gave their lives for his. ‘I lived my life the best I could,’ he says to their gravestones. ‘I hope in your eyes I’ve earned what you’ve done for me.’ But we can see that he has gnawing doubts. Obviously distraught, Ryan turns to his wife: ‘Tell me I’ve led a good life,’ he implores. ‘Tell me I’m a good man.’ ‘You are,’ she answers him. But the answers are not convincing. And how could they be? Behind Ryan’s question is the inescapable reality that however good you are and however much you’ve accomplished in your life, you can never, ever repay such a debt. It’s a stunning moment, because we, too, think of our debt to the 18-year-old kids who jumped off those landing boats into a hail of bullets. How do we repay a debt like that? We have to admit with humility that we cannot: We can only express our gratitude.”

The Cross symbolizes the love of our God, so if you have never responded to the love of God for you, the proper response is to believe! John 3:16 is as clear as any passage: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” His love prompted Him to give His Son and the response He requests from you is to believe. The biblical word for believe means trust. Not just mental agreement—as “believe” can mean in English. It means to put your eternal destiny in His hands—complete trust. Think of an airplane. When you get on an airplane and strap yourself in and let someone take you 30,000 feet up—you believe that pilot is going to get you back down safely—you demonstrate true “belief” by your “trust”. Whoever believes or trusts—Jesus promised—will have eternal life! God’s desired response from you is to trust Jesus Christ!

If you have already believed, God’s desired response from you is found in 1 John 4:10,11: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Love! What does God want you to do in response to the love He has lavished upon us at the cross? Love one another. Why should you love the unlovable people in your life? Because God loved you first and paid a high price to show it. The natural response to the love of God is to imitate that love.

The Cross symbolizes the call of our Lord, so die. To answer the call of Jesus means we must die to ourselves then live for Him! In other words, we should daily crawl out of bed and tell God, “I’m yours. Whenever my way starts to conflict with Your way, I will yield to You and follow Your way.” Remember what Paul said in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Die to yourself. Then live for Him.

Perhaps my main concern when it comes to the Cross is that we would ignore it. That we would forget the meaning behind the symbol and become numb to the importance of its message. We must respond to it.

I close with another quote from Max Lucado: “Absurdities and ironies. The hill of Calvary is nothing if not both. We would have scripted the moment differently. Ask us how a God should redeem his world, and we will show you! White horses, flashing swords. Evil flat on his back. God on his throne. But God on a cross? A split-lipped, puffy-eyed, blood-masked God on a cross? Sponge thrust in his face? Spear plunged in his side? Dice tossed at his feet? No, we wouldn’t have written the drama of redemption this way. But, then again, we weren’t asked to. These players and props were heaven picked and God ordained. We were not asked to design the hour. But we have been asked to respond to it.”⁶

__________________

1 He Chose The Nails, Max Lucado, p. 113

2 BAGD, p.753

3 The Story of Christianity, Justo L. Gonzalez, p.126

4 God, Abraham, and the Abuse of Isaac, Terence E. Fretheim, Word & World, Volume XV, Number 1, Winter 1995

5 The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis, pp.171-2

6 He Chose The Nails, Max Lucado, p. 139

You Will Never Die

I was asked to conduct a funeral recently. I had never met the deceased. I know his adult son. I was told by another close relative that, “He wasn’t a religious man.”

The night before the funeral I was up late. My thoughts were all over the place. What should I say? How should I say it? How could I be respectful to the grieving non-Christians, but speak the truth without compromise? Here is what I decided to say.

When it comes to death, we all have some things in common. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who disagrees with these three points:

1. All of us will die. We can ignore it, not talk about it, avoid it for a while, but the mortality rate among humans is 100%. We may not know when. We may not know how. But we do know this: We will all die.

2. All of us hate funerals. Let’s be honest. I’m guessing we’d all be just fine if we never had to set foot in a funeral home again. Wouldn’t you rather go to a party than a funeral? Well, wise old King Solomon (the Old Testament king who wrote a couple books in the Old Testament of the Bible) said something that seems a little crazy to us: “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting” (Ecclesiastes 7:2, NASV). Another version of the Bible translates that this way: “Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties” (NLT). I know it sounds weird. Maybe you’re thinking Solomon was senile when he wrote that. But listen to what he wrote next—he tells us why he thinks funerals are better than parties: “…for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.” We all hate funerals, but you’ve got to admit. It forces us to think about some important things. Ask some important questions.

3. All of us have questions. All of us wonder about what it will be like to die. Will we see a bright light at the end of a tunnel? Will we see angels? Will we be able to just hang around our family and friends and haunt them? Have you thought about this today: (The deceased) knows. He knows the answers to all those questions about death and what lies beyond it!

There’s only two ways I can think of to find out for sure what’s on the other side of that door we call death: 1) Die and 2) If someone who knows (i.e., God) tells us.

Of course, I believe He (God) has. The Bible claims to be “God-breathed”— spoken by God Himself. It claims that God moved men to write down exactly what God wanted them to write. Look, I have no desire to force my beliefs on anyone. But, I do think everyone should at least be aware of and consider what this book–the Bible–has to say. It is an undeniable fact that the Bible is very different than any book ever written. It is an undeniable fact that the Bible has changed the world since it was written. It is an undeniable fact that the Bible has been the best-selling, most respected spiritual text of all time. It is an undeniable fact that the Bible speaks with great authority about the most important subjects that have ever occupied the thoughts of mankind—including death. So, rather than give you my opinions and speculations about what happens after death, I want to give you a short list of what the Bible tells us. (I encourage you to read it for yourself—check to see if I’ve read it correctly). If God has truly spoken to us in the Bible, then the implications about death and what lies beyond it are immeasurable. And if it’s all true, then knowing beforehand is infinitely valuable information. The Bible has answered most of my questions about death—I hope this brief list will answer some of your questions:

1) Death wasn’t part of the original plan. It is the result of sin. Sin infected all of us like a disease—the wages (result) of sin is death. I don’t like that. It seems unfair to me at times, but it doesn’t change the fact that this is what the Bible tells us. God allowed sin and death. But it wasn’t what He really wanted for us. And, the Bible promises that it won’t always be this way.

2) Death is not the end. The Bible is very clear that our spirits or souls live on forever after our physical bodies die. Death is simply separation of our spirits from our bodies. (The deceased) isn’t there anymore—that’s pretty obvious. That’s an empty shell in that casket. But if the Bible can be trusted, he still lives. His spirit is still alive even though it has been separated from his body.

3) Death is followed by judgment. In other words, we are held accountable after we die for how we lived in this life. After death, we are either with the Lord in heaven or separated from Him in hell. I’m not saying you have to like this, but I am saying the Bible could not be clearer on this point. I can’t say for sure what hell will be like exactly, but I do believe the worst part will be eternal separation from God and all that is good. I can’t say for sure what heaven will be like, but I do believe that the best part will be living forever in the close, constant presence of the God who made us; Who designed us to find fulfillment and true satisfaction only in Him.

4) Death was conquered by Jesus Christ through His death and resurrection. I won’t go into all the details this morning–you’ve probably heard all this before. But there’s a lot of confusion over this. Most people believe that people who live pretty good lives go to heaven and people who live pretty bad lives go to hell. But, if the Bible is true (and I’m convinced it is), then none of us are able to live good enough lives to earn heaven. But, if we go to the One who conquered death, He will give us eternal life as a gift. In other words, if we’re willing to trust Jesus Christ with our eternal destiny, He will give us life in heaven with God forever. If not—and we don’t want Him to interfere with our lives—then He gives us what we want: separation from Him.

I love the story of when Jesus went to a funeral. His friend Lazarus had died and Jesus went up to the tomb where they had put his body and called out, “Lazarus, come out!” And Lazarus did. Imagine that—imagine how that would change the atmosphere of a funeral? But Jesus didn’t show up at every funeral. He showed up at that one to make a point. In fact, everyone—including Lazarus’ family—thought He was way too late. They thought He should have come in time to keep Lazarus from dying in the first place. But Jesus waited until Lazarus died so He could raise him up. He said this to Lazarus’ sister: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26). Do you see? Jesus didn’t say “if you live a good life, you will never die.” He said, “He who believes in me will live…” It’s all about who He is and the life He offers as a gift.

I hope you’ll take to heart what Jesus said: “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies…” And I hope you’ll think about how you would answer that question if Jesus looked in your eyes and asked: “Do you believe this?”

Flying North

A couple days into the new year, I noticed about 30 geese in perfect formation. Beautiful. Flying in a V-pattern helps them cut through the cold wind better. The geese in the back have less wind resistance. The geese in front work harder, but they take turns being in the lead. They can fly farther distances if they fly together. I’ve often thought this is a testament to the creativity of God. Even the goose is fearfully and wonderfully made. A well-designed creation. Maybe the writer of Psalm 19 should have written another verse: “The geese declare the glory of God.”

But something looked wrong. I had to think about it for a second, but then it came to me: That gaggle was flying north! Now, I’m no gooseologist, but I think geese fly south in the winter. Why were they flying north? I’m sure there’s a good explanation. Maybe they left a buddy behind at the last pond and they were going back for him. Maybe the warm temperatures are throwing them off and they think its time to head north already. Maybe someone tried to shoot them and they fled in the wrong direction.

I’m like that. We’re like that, aren’t we? Sometimes we’re just headed in the wrong direction. I’m not talking about traffic problems. I’m talking about life. Our spiritual walk with the Lord. Sometimes we get turned around. Sometimes we get lazy. We get caught up in our circumstances. Sucked into the sensual offerings of the world one M&M at a time. Before we know it we’re flying north for the winter. We’re spending less and less time in prayer. Less and less time with an open Bible in front of us. Less time thinking about God and what He thinks of us. Less time with our church family. More and more time in front of the TV. More and more time thinking about ourselves. More time looking in catalogues and store windows. More concerned about what other people think of us. The whole time we keep getting colder and colder.

We have to be careful. It’s so easy to get turned around. Sometimes we don’t even realize its happening. But something else crossed my mind when I saw those geese. They were in trouble! If they didn’t get turned around quick, they were headed to serious danger. That’s true for us, too. If we’re headed in the wrong direction, we’re headed for trouble—serious danger.

Ephesians 5 gives us a great tool. A compass to help us get turned around. Look at verses 15-18:

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit…”

Notice five words. Five markers that help us move in the right direction:

Walk. Life is a walk. Moving in one direction or another. Heaven is our ultimate destination, so our goal in this life is not destination. It’s direction. God will take us to our destination when He’s ready. We’re supposed to be heading in the direction of spiritual maturity. Perfection. Completion. We’ll never make it in this life, but our goal is to keep heading in the right direction. Spiritually maturing. Perfecting. Completing. The Christian life is about process. It’s walking in the right direction. What direction?

Wise. In contrast to “unwise men,” we are to walk wisely. What does it mean to walk wisely? Simple—God’s commands, imperatives, principles, directives. God is the only source of true wisdom. His Word is rich with guidance on how to walk through life. We must start with knowledge (knowing what God’s Word actually says). Then we must gain understanding (knowing what God’s Word means). Wisdom is the final stage (knowing how God’s Word works). I said walking wisely is simple—not easy. Simple in that we simply trust God to show us how to live. How to enjoy our youth. How to find meaning in our work. How to make sure we don’t have regrets. How to be a man. How to be a woman. How to love! How to live! That’s not easy, but it is important. Why? Look at our next word.

Evil. Why do we need to walk wisely? Because the days are evil. This is why we’ve got to “be careful” how we walk. The world is trying to pull us down. Suck us dry. Turn us in the wrong direction. Can such things happen to real Christians? You bet! That’s who Ephesians was written to—real Christians. There is real evil out there and it will do anything necessary to try to get us to walk in the wrong direction. The problem is, the evil is usually disguised in something that appears harmless. You won’t find a sign that reads, “Turn right for lots of evil fun!” or two free bus tickets to Evilville. We spot those things. No, the evil that drags Christians off the road is usually very subtle at first. That’s why we don’t pick up on it until we’re off the path and wondering where we are. How’d we get so far from where we should be? One step in the wrong direction leads to the wrong direction. No matter how small.

Lord. The answer is to “understand what the will of the Lord is.” The exact opposite of “foolish”! It is foolish to ignore what God wants. What God wants is what is best for us. So when we’re faced with a choice, and we understand what the will of the Lord is, we choose the Lord’s choice. It’s really pretty simple. But, what do we do when we don’t know what the will of the Lord is?

Spirit. In our own limited, human minds, we will not know what the will of the Lord is. Even if we study the Bible from sunup to sundown. The Spirit leads us into all truth according to Jesus in John 16:13. In Paul’s prayer for the Colossians, he prayed “that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9). The contrast between us without the Spirit’s leading—our natural, human selves—and us with the Spirit’s leading is great. Paul said, “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things…” (1 Corinthians 2:14,15). The point is, if we’re “walking wisely.” If we’re walking with the Spirit, we’re “making the most of our time.” If we’re not walking with the Spirit, we’re in trouble. We’re flying north in the winter. God’s wisdom will look like foolishness to us!

The great thing about Ephesians 5 is that we’re given some clear landmarks. There are signs you can look for to see if you’re headed in the right direction. Right after the command to “be filled with the Spirit,” in verse 18, Paul tells us (in the rest of the book) what you’ll look like if you are. You’ll be “singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” That’s joy! Do you have joy? He tells us you’ll be “always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Gratitude! Are you thankful for “all things”? He tells us we’ll be submissive. Wives will submit to husbands “as to the Lord”. Husbands will love their wives sacrificially. Children will obey and honor their parents. Parents will be gentle and spiritually involved with their children. We will serve our masters with good will and masters will show no partiality. That’s the perspective only the Spirit can give. Does that describe you? If so, you’re headed in the right direction. If it doesn’t, you’re in danger—like those geese. The good news is you can turn it around.

Start with prayer. If we’re praying and asking God to fill us with His Spirit we’re walking wisely. If we’re studying our Scriptures while we pray, “God speak to me!” we’re storing up wisdom for the journey and we’ll know what God’s will is—His directions for us. If we’re turning our backs on our sin so we don’t grieve the Spirit, we’re not getting sidetracked. If we’re following the Spirit’s lead—yielding to Him by obeying Him and responding to His leadership—we’re headed in the right direction. We’re walking wisely. South in the winter. North in the summer.

Two January days later—in almost the exact same spot—I saw another gaggle of geese. They were flying in a V-pattern and I once again stopped to enjoy the sight. I smiled. They were flying south.

How Will You Celebrate?

[All images from our Christmas Eve candle light service.]

Three decades after D-day, Gen. O.N. Bradley wrote that he returned to the beaches of Normandy many times to remember the men who fought and died there—as well as those who survived and won the day by the slimmest of margins. He said, “They should never be forgotten.”

Some historical events are like that. They’re so important we should never forget them. And that’s why we celebrate Christmas—to return once again to the familiar story of Christ’s birth. As surely as the Allied forces invaded Europe in June of 1944 during her darkest days in modern history and freed her from the darkness of Nazi oppression, God Himself invaded the darkness of planet earth long ago through Bethlehem and liberated us from the oppression of sin. The darkness did not prevail.

I invite you to return once again to Bethlehem. To remember.

Read John 1:1-18. Like John, remember that the baby in Bethlehem was so much more—He was the Word made flesh—the Creator God.

Read Matthew 1:1-17. Like Matthew, remember that the son of a humble, Jewish girl named Mary, was also the Son of King David, the Son of Father Abraham, the long-awaited, pre-announced Messiah of God.

Read Luke 1:26-38. Like Mary, remember that an angel declared that this baby was great, the Son of the Most High who will sit on the throne of His father, David, and will reign forever.

Read Matthew 1:18-25. Like Joseph, remember that the baby Mary carried was conceived by the Holy Spirit with a heaven-given name, Jesus, because He would save His people from their sins—and that He should be called “Immanuel” because He was God with us.

Read Luke 2:1-20. Like the shepherds, remember that this one whose birth was announced by a host of angels was born in a place where men kept animals.

Read Matthew 2:1-12. Like the Magi, we invite you to remember that Jesus was announced by a spectacular light in the sky and that He was a newborn King. Also, like the Magi we invite you to worship—fall on your knees! To hear the angel voices! To remember that holy night. That divine night—the night when Christ was born.

But, the fact is, this child those Magi saw demands much more than just remembrance. He demands a response. The very nature of His incarnation, life and teaching, death and resurrection demands that we make choices. One cannot be ambivalent about Jesus. One who said the things Jesus said and did the things Jesus did should either be denounced as a cruel deceiver or worshiped as Lord and Savior.

Somehow the Magi knew that this star, this light would lead them to Jesus. When they knew that or believed that, they had a choice: Follow or not. Go and see or stay and wonder what might have been. Those Magi—Gentiles—traveled hundreds of miles to see the King of the Jews. The Jews they met in Jerusalem refused to travel just six miles—from Jerusalem to Bethlehem.

Will you, like the Magi, make great sacrifices, give expensive gifts and bow to worship Jesus?

Will you, like the Shepherds, believe that this child in the manger is exactly who the angels declared Him to be—Christ the Lord? Then, will you glorify and praise Him, and tell everyone who will listen?

Will you, like Mary and Joseph, believe what the angel said—that Jesus is Immanuel, God with us, born of a virgin and that He saves people from their sins and that He will sit on the throne of David and rule forever; and believing, will you obey God no matter what anyone thinks of you—just like Mary and Joseph?

Will you take to heart what Matthew wrote of Jesus—that He was the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, the Messiah, who displayed great humility by being born into a family of sinful, undeserving people though He Himself was without sin?

Will you, like John, receive Him. Do you remember what John wrote in 1:12? “…To all who received Him, to those who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of God…” John had received Jesus. He had believed that Jesus was who He claimed to be. That He had died for our sins and risen from the dead that we might have eternal life. Only then did he become a child of God. We are not children of God simply by virtue of being human. We are born into the human race. We must be born again to become children of God. John repeatedly invited his readers to “believe”—to trust Jesus Christ with their eternal destiny.

How will you respond to Jesus Christ as we celebrate His birth? Seek Him. Trust Him. Worship Him.

The Gift of Chewing?

You’ll hear a lot of crazy things this time of year. Advertisers of various sorts telling us all about the real meaning of Christmas.

Jay Leno’s book Headlines shows an advertisement for a dentist offering a special on dentures. The ad is tagged, “After all, the gift of chewing is what the holidays are all about.” Leno’s comment is, “That’s right. It’s not about helping people less fortunate than yourself. It’s about chewing.” Leno doesn’t seem to know the real meaning of Christmas either, but he came a lot closer than the dentist.

It’s so hard to stay focused with all the sales and commercials and parties and movies—ah, the movies! So many of them try to make you feel like Scrooge for not believing in Santa Claus.

Santa’s sleigh can’t get off the ground in Elf. Why? Because there’s not enough Christmas spirit—which Papa Elf tells us is directly related to the fact that “a lot of people down south don’t believe in Santa anymore”.

Of course, the classic Miracle on 34th Street won 3 Oscars for convincing a little girl—who knew there was no Santa Claus—that there really is a Santa Claus. The U. S. Judicial System and the Post Office proved it!

Get the sense people in Hollywood secretly want to believe in something? Anything?

Don’t get me wrong: these movies are entertaining. But they do add to the Christmas white noise—the mountain of distractions that can keep us from focusing on the Christ of Christmas.

Lt. Gerald Coffee spent seven years as a POW during the Vietnam war. During his second Christmas in camp he made an amazing discovery. He had been stripped of everything by which he measured his identity: rank, uniform, family, money. Alone, in a cramped three-by-seven-foot cell, he began to understand the significance of Christmas. Removed from all commercial distractions, he was able to focus on the simplicity of Christ’s birth. Although he was lonely and afraid, he considers that Christmas his most meaningful, because more than ever before, he understood the event.

You know what Christmas is all about. I should say: You know Who Christmas is all about. God became a man! I think I’ll write that again: God became a man. He stepped down from His throne—so far down that He became a human zygote. A microscopic fetus. “Immanuel” (God with us).

Why? So He could save us from our sins. So He could rise from the dead and secure eternal life for us. If that’s what Jay Leno had in mind, maybe he wasn’t so far off. Jesus Christ—the Second Person of the Triune God—humbled Himself to “help those less fortunate”. Those alienated from God. Sinners. Us.

Enjoy the Christmas season—giving and getting gifts, going to parties, watching the movies. If you get a new set of dentures, enjoy the gift of chewing. But refuse to be distracted. Help others stay focused. Worship. Remember. Thank the One called “Immanuel”—the real meaning of Christmas.

Lovers of Self?

Numerous websites offer “Tips for How to Love Yourself”. A google search for “love yourself” produces more than a million hits. One site—written by a psychotherapist—gives such an extensive list of ways to “boost your self-love” that if you followed all the directions, you would be constantly talking to yourself. Writing yourself notes. Indulging your every whim and desire.

Another site includes a quote from Iyanla Vanzant: “I am the one I have been looking for,” she said. One lady suggests putting this on your bathroom mirror so you can say it to yourself every day: “I look in the mirror and what do I see? a beautiful lady staring back at me. Oh wow! I thought, who could that be? (then smile and say), oh! It’s only me.” She also includes this warning: “Don’t become too narcissistic or people will shun you.” One has to wonder: how narcissistic is “too narcissistic”?

So, what do you think? Is all this good and healthy? Are we supposed to “love ourselves”? To listen to the great spiritual leaders of our time (i.e., psychologists, psychiatrists and psychotherapists) one would think so. In fact, many Christian psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychotherapists (who shall remain nameless) agree and tell us we should indeed “love ourselves”. To listen to them, you’d think Jesus Himself commanded it. Remember the time Jesus was asked, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” (Mark 12:28)? Of course you do. Do you remember that He answered with a three-fold answer: “Love God, love your neighbor and love yourself”? Of course you don’t. He never said that.

When Jesus was asked, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” He gave a two-part answer: “Love God and love your neighbor.” Many teachers—some I respect very much—have tried to find three commandments in Jesus’ words. But “love yourself” just isn’t there. Jesus mentions only two commands: “The foremost…and the second.” The word “second” certainly limits the list Jesus gave us.

Nowhere in the Bible are we instructed to love ourselves. But the Bible is not silent on the subject. Self-love is addressed in two ways in Scripture:

Self-love is assumed
This passage is a good example—Jesus assumes you love yourself. He told you to love your neighbor “as ourself.” As much as you love yourself. Another example where Scripture assumes we already love ourselves is Ephesians 5:28-30:

“So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body.”

Notice that Paul—under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit—did not write “…love their own wives as their own bodies, and if you don’t love yourselves, husbands, get busy and love yourselves!” Notice that Paul—under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit—did write, “…no one ever hated his own flesh…” Scripture assumes we love ourselves—and it is true. Even those who are self-destructive love themselves. They are willing to harm themselves to get someone to notice them. Some are even ready to take the drastic step of suicide in order to put themselves out of their own misery. What looks like self-hate—in reality—is self-love.

Self-love is sinful
The second thing the Bible teaches about self-love is that it is sinful. A negative thing. Usually, when you find “self” in front of another word in the Scriptures it is a bad thing. There are, of course, some exceptions. When the self is controlled and limited in some way, it is good. Self-control. Self-restraint.

But usually, self + something = sinful. Things like self-willed, self-exaltation and self-indulgence are a few examples that come to mind.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 is an excellent example: “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self…” Is this a good thing as many would have us believe? No. “Lovers of self” is the first item in a list that will characterize people who live in “the last days.” The rest of the list tells the complete story:

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.”

Self-love here is clearly sinful. It is “holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power”. Self-love is a counterfeit virtue. “Lovers of self” is in contrast to “lovers of God”. That’s the real love we should be pursuing. And that’s the real issue—the real battle. Sinful mankind is constantly faced with the temptation to dethrone God and exalt self. If you love self, you are not loving God. If you love God—really love God—you cannot love self. “Avoid such men (and women) as these.” I don’t think it would be inaccurate to say that first and foremost, we must avoid being such men and women.

What is a proper view of self?
Please don’t misunderstand. The Scriptures do not teach self-hate either. Self-hate is satanic. It is just as much a lie as self-love. Satan is a thief and a liar. He wants us to be “self-destructive.” Self-hate is not Biblical either.

The Scriptures teach us to have a proper self-worth. Not self-love. Not self-hate. Self-worth is an understanding that God has created us in His own image and He loves us. Paul wrote in Romans 12:3, “…I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment…” We should not think too highly of ourselves. Nor should we think too lowly of ourselves. We should think rightly about ourselves. Soberly. With sound judgment.

On the one hand, we have been created in the image of God and God loved us so much that He sent His only Son—the Second Person of the Trinity—to pay a high cost to reconcile us with God. Does that make you feel pretty special? It should. But don’t forget the other hand.

On the other hand, we are sinful and rebellious. We were created in the image of God, but we are not God. There is nothing in us that makes us worthy of God’s affection. Our worth is not found in ourselves, but in the fact that God created us and loves us.

Dr. Jay Adams—pastor, professor, counselor and author—got it right when he wrote, “Christ declared: ‘He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for my sake shall find it’ (Matthew 10:39), and ‘For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake shall find it’ (Matthew 16:25). Clearly the one who seeks his identity in himself or in his relationship to other men will never find that which he seeks. It may be found only by the abandonment of one’s own desires and a willingness to follow Christ. Identity is found in Him; in letting loose of all else for His sake. One finds a satisfying identity nowhere else. Thus, love of self is not a biblically legitimate end. One is satisfied with himself only when he is in the proper relationship with Christ, having a clear conscience before God and men” (The Christian Counselor’s Manual: The Practice of Nouthetic Counseling; Zondervan: 1973; p.147).

One night when David was looking up at the stars, he whispered, “What is man that you take thought of him?” (Psalm 8:4). It didn’t make sense to David that God even thinks about us. It really doesn’t make sense that God loves sinful, rebellious, lowly mankind. But this is one of the great truths God Himself has revealed to us in His book. Our response should be the same one David had: Praise! “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:1,9).

Our Roots

Is Christianity more like golf or football?

Someone might say, “Golf because Christianity is like walking through life and it helps you deal with one problem after another until finally you arrive at that great club house in the sky.” But I think Christianity is more like football (don’t overanalyze my metaphor too much here). I think Christianity is like football because success—as a football team—requires great teamwork. Golf is an individual’s sport. It’s just you against the world. A golfer can be successful without depending on anyone else. But no football player can have success by himself. For a football player to be successful, he has to be part of a dedicated team of guys who know what success is and are willing to do their job to help get the team across the goal line.

For a Christian to be “successful” (for lack of a better word), he or she has to be part of a dedicated fellowship of believers. Those who know what success is and are willing to do their job to help get the church across the goal line. Success for a church is maturity. A healthy church is a church that is growing in maturity. Not necessarily growing in numbers, but growing up. This is why most of the New Testament books were written to churches—calling the church to maturity in Christ.

But what does maturity look like? How do we get there? How do we stay there? How do we help others get there? Let me start with a little history. Our history.

If you’re a member of Community Bible Church, you’re part of what is often referred to as the “modern day Bible Church movement”. Early in the 20th century, most Christians were part of a mainline denomination. But a great division was taking place at that time between the liberals and the fundamentalists. If I may say it this simply, the liberals were those who didn’t believe the Bible. The fundamentalists were those who did. The fundamentalists believed in a literal or plain interpretation of the Bible. They believed every word of it was true and valuable. The liberals wanted to throw out the parts they didn’t like. During that time Bible conferences and Bible institutes—such as BIOLA (Bible Institute of Los Angeles) sprang up as fundamentalists began leaving the mainline denominations. This is probably an oversimplification of things, but this is basically where Bible churches were born. Of course, all Biblical churches were born at Pentecost in the first century. But I’m referring to the modern Bible Church movement. The primary motivation behind this movement was proclamation—a focus on declaring the Biblical message.

Our church—Community Bible Church—in a very real way was born out of that movement. But there’s more to the story. Something significant happened at Dallas Theological Seminary in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Gene Getz was a professor at Dallas Seminary at that time and describes what happened in the introduction of his book, Building Up One Another:

“Several years ago, I made a wonderful discovery. It happened when I was a full-time professor interacting with my students at Dallas Theological Seminary about God’s plan for the church. Their questions were penetrating and challenging! What is a healthy church? What does God expect from all believers? What makes a church a dynamic witness in the world?

All of these questions motivated me to investigate more deeply what is recorded in the letters written to the various New Testament churches. As I pursued this journey through the New Testament epistles, one major concept kept jumping off the pages of Scripture. Again and again I noticed exhortations regarding what believers are to do for one another. Paul, particularly, used the Greek word allelon nearly forty times to instruct Christians regarding their mutual responsibilities to their fellow believers…

More than I realized, my initial discovery of these ‘one another’ exhortations was destined to impact my life dramatically for years to come—and the lives of many others. First, it became a key in unlocking the process Paul described in his Letter to the Ephesians. This great first-century church planter made it crystal clear that the ‘body of Christ’ will never become a growing and dynamic community reflecting Christ’s love unless ‘each part does its work.’ God’s plan is that ‘the whole body’ is to be ‘joined and held together by every supporting ligament’ (Ephesians 4:16). Total body function is absolutely essential if a local church is to become all God intended it to be!

During my initial interaction with my students at the seminary, several of them challenged me to start a church and to apply these ‘one another’ injunctions at the grassroots level. At first, I was hesitant. After all, I had been a professor for nearly twenty years. But, I took this challenge seriously and helped several families start the first Fellowship Bible Church in Dallas. I served as pastor. Attendance exploded and I knew rather quickly I’d have to make a vocational decision. After a lot of reflection and prayer, I decided to give up my full-time professorship and become a full-time church planting pastor.

Since starting the first Fellowship Bible Church in 1972, it has multiplied into over a dozen churches in the Dallas metroplex and several hundred throughout the United States and even into foreign countries—such as Fellowship Bible Church in Warsaw, Poland…

During these years of church planting experience, I’ve discovered that no emphasis is more important than to teach Christians what the Bible says about these ‘one another’ injunctions.” (Building Up One Another by Gene Getz, Victor Books: 2002; pgs.7-9)

Dr. Getz simply detected a shortcoming of the Bible Church movement. Those churches had been established to proclaim the Biblical message at a time when that was desperately needed. But the shortcoming for most of these Bible churches was a lack of emphasis on fellowship—true, Biblical “body life.”

At the same time out in California, Ray Stedman, another Dallas Seminary graduate and pastor of Peninsula Bible Church, was exploring a similar emphasis in that congregation. He published a book in the early 1970’s called Body Life. God used both these men and their books to influence many pastors. Many churches were planted as a result—including Community Bible Church of Lawrence, Kansas.

This is your history—and mine. I think this history is very important because my hope and prayer for CBC is that we would hang onto our roots. That we would strike that healthy balance by boldly and accurately declaring the Biblical message while we diligently pursue Biblical fellowship. That’s a healthy church. Those are our roots.

Are we doing pretty well? Yes, we are. Can we do better? Yes we can. So, let me remind you that you cannot obey the one-another commands alone—therefore, you cannot obey much of the New Testament if you’re not plugged in to a local body of believers. You can win at golf all by yourself. But you can’t win a football game by yourself. And you cannot “win” at Christianity by yourself. There’s no such thing as a Lone Ranger Christian. Christianity cannot be lived out in isolation.

Do you know what else? I don’t want to try. The kind of Christianity where we all see each other only on Sundays. The kind of Christianity where we say little more than, “Nice day, isn’t it? Not as hot as it was last week.” The kind of Christianity where we sing a half-dozen songs and sit and listen to a sermon together then part ways ’til next Sunday—is not the kind of Christianity I’m looking for. I don’t know about you, but I want a family. I want to be part of a healthy body that is functioning as it should. I want true fellowship. Let’s not settle for anything less.