Connecting Points

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Current Study: Advent

Today’s Topic:  Grace Motivates

Scripture Reading:  1 Corinthians 4:2   Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

Please permit me to review for a moment. Last Sunday we started the season of Advent – the time of the year when we remember the coming of Jesus to the earth in humility and we prepare for His return to earth in glory.

There is a specific pattern to our remembrance and preparation. We start with hope – the hope of the prophets and people that their Messiah would come, and the hope that we have as an anchor of our soul that He is coming again.

During the second week of Advent, we will focus on faith – specifically the faithfulness of our lives as we wait for Jesus to come back.  

Faithfulness, or rather the lack of faithfulness, is all over the news in the past week. A famous sports celebrity has been unfaithful to his wife. As a result, his family is being pounded by the press who get their pleasure from invading people’s privacy. The unfaithfulness of the man towards his wife has resulted in people’s unfaithfulness towards him. Is one more wrong than the other? I’m not saying that his sin should be overlooked, but as Socrates said 400 years before Christ was born, Think not those faithful who praise all thy words and actions; but those who kindly reprove thy faults. Tiger Woods needs to be corrected, but it needs to be done gently with love, not in the destructive fashion of the media.

Unfaithfulness is a serious problem. It reaches far beyond the marriage covenant. Unfaithfulness is common in the workplace. It’s found in the life of the employee who calls in sick when they’re not, or uses work time for personal business. The manager who doesn’t use every resource he’s been given to produce the greatest profit for the owner is being unfaithful. Jesus even used that example to teach faithfulness in the parable of the talents. “The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’   His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

But should we expect faithfulness in a faithless world? Probably not. At least not from faithless people. Back in the 18^th century, George Horne wrote, When men cease to be faithful to their God, he who expects to find them so to each other will be much disappointed.

But we who have faith in Jesus Christ must model faithfulness for the rest of the world.  God has called us to faithful living, and has equipped us with the indwelling power of His presence in the Holy Spirit to be able to do it.

Let me highlight a couple of areas where I think we all need to work on faithfulness. Please remember that we have already laid the foundation for faithfulness yesterday when we discovered the motivation for faithfulness – GRACE. Please put all of these items in that perspective or you will simply be ridden with guilt and will resist change.

• Faithfully Persevere in Ministry – Years ago, a veteran missionary was returning home to the U.S. after several terms on the field. Aboard a ship bound for New York harbor, a secularist challenged him by pointing out the futility of giving one’s life in missionary service. He continued by noting that no one on board ship was paying any attention to the veteran missionary, a sign they apparently considered his efforts quite wasted. The servant of God responded, “I’m not home yet.” The agnostic assumed the missionary was referring to a large crowd that would meet the ship, and he scoffed again when they disembarked—not a solitary person welcomed the missionary. Once again, the missionary said, “I’m not home yet.” A lonely train ride lay ahead as he made his trek from New York City to his small Midwestern hometown. Reaching his destination, the missionary could no longer fight back the tears as the train pulled off. Again, he stood alone. It was then that the inner voice of God’s Spirit brought comfort by reminding the faithful servant, “You’re not home yet.”
• Faithful church attendance and ministry involvement – All God asks is that we apply the same standards of faithfulness to our church activities that we would in other areas of our life. If your car started one out of three times, would you consider it faithful? If the paperboy skipped Monday and Thursdays, would they be missed? If you didn’t show up at work two or three times a month, would your boss call you faithful? If your refrigerator quit a day now and then, would you excuse it and say, “Oh, well, it works most of the time.” If your water heater greets you with cold water one or two mornings a week while you were in the shower, would it be faithful? If you miss a couple of mortgage payments in a year’s time, would your mortgage holder say, “Oh, well, ten out of twelve isn’t bad”? If you miss worship and attend meetings only often enough to show you’re interested but not often enough to get involved, are you faithful?
• Faithfully represent Christ in everyday life and lifestyle – An author in Leadership has written, The story we’re called to tell and live and die by is one of risk confronted, death embraced. What’s more, Jesus calls us to walk the narrow way, take up a cross with him, daily. It’s terribly risky business. Ask that bright company of martyrs that quite recklessly parted with goods, security, and life itself, preferring to be faithful in death rather than safe in life. (William H. Willimon) Don Wildman of the American Family Association said it this way – At the very heart of the Christian gospel is a cross—the symbol of suffering and sacrifice, of hurt and pain and humiliation and rejection. I want no part of the Christian message which does not call me to involvement, requires of me no sacrifice, takes from me no comfort, requires of me less than the best I have to give. The duty of a Christian is to be faithful, not popular or successful.

I must stop there, although we have only scratched the surface on this subject. Let me close with this challenge. The Marine motto is Semper Fi, which is Latin for “Always Faithful. In November of 1990, Newsweek magazine ran an article titled “Letters in the Sand,” a compilation of letters written by military personnel to family and friends in the States during the Gulf War. One was written by Marine Corporal Preston Coffer. He told a friend, “We are talking about Marines, not the Boy Scouts. We all joined the service knowing full well what might be expected of us.”

We are in the service of the King. Semper Fi.

Pastor John

Connecting Points

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Current Study: Advent

Today’s Topic:  Grace Motivates

Scripture Reading:  Titus 2:11-14   For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 
It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

What motivates you to do what you do? What does it take to give you the ambition to want to do more? These are not just irrelevant questions with insignificant answers. Each one of us is driven by something. Whether we do it carefully and consciously or automatically as a result of years of learned behavior, we all make choices that evaluate the product before we enter the process. Human nature is consistent and motivates us with outcomes.

I believe that the primary outcome that our human nature uses to motivate us is acceptance. Whether we are lost in our sin and seeking a way to cover it with performance, or whether we are saved but continue to try to earn the favor of God and people with our spiritual knowledge and legalistic performance, our flesh overwhelms us with the need for acceptance. In the case of the unsaved person, I can understand their pride that manifests itself in performance to earn acceptance. It’s the only hope they know. But in the case of a saved person, especially in myself, I’m convicted by the power of pride I see when we are motivated to serve our Lord by anything that even remotely resembles the pursuit of acceptance. Unsaved people live to earn acceptance. Saved people are to be free from that bondage and are able to live because they are accepted.

Let me speak to what I think is probably the majority that are reading this – the saved people. What motivates you to serve Jesus? What motivates you to want to know Him more intimately? What motivates you to grow in your knowledge of doctrine? What motivates you to live a holy life? What motivates you to be involved in leadership in your church? Come on, be honest, what motivates you?

I confess I’m motivated far too much by the need for acceptance and to earn the approval of people. The measuring stick of my value is severely warped. I don’t think I’m all that unique. Take at look at how you determine your value as a person. Reflect on how your need to measure your value motivates your choices and behaviors. Go ahead – dig deeper and evaluate how you live your spiritual life and you might discover that your maturity is being measured with a warped stick.

• You take pride in your theological position because it adds self-determined value to your life and meets some need you have to prove yourself by improving your position.
• You harbor resentment against others who don’t agree with you because you know you are right, and being right means you have value.
• You feel obligated to serve in the church because you’ve experienced the guilt trip that comes with most appeals for help. You know that if you don’t serve you’re not as valued as those who do.
• You believe that your acceptance in the church is somehow connected to the number of ways you are involved. You sense the existence of an inner circle of the elite and wish you could be in it.
• You strive to live a life of victory over the passions of the flesh and to be upright and Godly, all because you want to feel good about yourself and want others to notice how faithful you are to God.

Now compare your current motivations to the one and only motivation God provides for us – His grace. God reached down from eternity and connected with us at the point of our desperation in sin. God’s grace motivated Jesus to give up His value and become nothing so that we who were nothing could have God’s value. (Philippians 2:4-8) Because of Jesus we who were unacceptable have been accepted. And it is that same grace that is our motivation to live for and serve the One who saved us.

It is the grace of God that teaches us to say no to the passions of life. It is the grace of God that teaches us to live righteous lives. It is the grace of God that makes us eager to serve Him. It is the grace of God that has unconditionally accepted us and qualified us for all eternity to be joint heirs with Jesus of all things. Grace motivates from a position of permanent acceptance. Grace motivates us to serve because we are already valued and have no need to earn more. The grace of God should be and can be your only answer to the question of motivation.

But is it?

Pastor John

Connecting Points

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Current Study: Advent

Today’s Topic:  Jesus is Coming!

Scripture Reading:  Titus 2:13   We wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Times have changed. Things are different now. Some of it is good. Much is not. I miss some of the old things. I think I miss plain old common sense the most. My brother sent this to me the other day and it reminded me that some things have not really improved with time. It is a comparison between high school life in 1958 and the present.

Scenario 1: Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck’s gun rack.

In 1958 – Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack’s shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.

Today – School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.   

Scenario 2:

Jeffrey will not sit still and be quiet in class, he disrupts other students.

1958 – Jeffrey is sent to the Principal’s office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2008 – Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The school gets extra money from the state because Jeffrey has a disability.   

Scenario 3:

Billy breaks a window in his neighbor’s car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1958 – Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman.

2008 – Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy’s sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy’s mom has an affair with the psychologist.  
  
Scenario 4:

Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed.

1958 – Ants die.

2008- ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates his parents — and all siblings are removed from their home and all computers are confiscated. Johnny’s dad is placed on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.  

I also miss some of the simple truths that used to be prominent in the teaching of the church. I know that’s a self-condemning thing to say, because I’m the guy doing the teaching, so I am responsible. I assure you I will work on it. But as I recall my spiritual heritage, there was one topic consistently at the front of everyone’s thinking and teaching – the return of Jesus to take us to heaven. I remember starting most days as a child thinking “could this be the day?”

In our attempt to make Scripture relevant to our modern culture, we have neglected to teach the simple, common sense truths of Scripture. We focus on self-help rather than spiritual hope. We develop multi-step plans rather than depend on God’s majestic purpose. In our attempt to increase our knowledge of God in our personal devotional life, we have put the foundational truths of our faith on the shelf where they only gather dust. We study theology and doctrine at the expense of grace and love. We solidify our stand rather than surrender to the Spirit. We take pride in what we believe when we should be giving praise to the One in whom we believe.

For me personally, the most ignored truth of today’s modern church is the blessed hope of the return of Jesus to rapture His children out of this world into His eternal presence. The Apostle Peter warned us this day would come when he wrote, “You must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4)

Now we may not be guilty of scoffing, but we are guilty of following our own evil desires and neglecting to look upward every day for the return of Jesus. And if His people aren’t looking for His return, how will the unsaved people of the world ever be exposed to real hope?

Jesus is coming! This world is not our home. This life is only a preparation for eternity with Jesus. Get your eyes off the race and onto the finish line, where the author and finisher of your faith awaits. Any day now, He will appear in the sky, and we will go to meet Him face to face, in all His glory.

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen. (Jude 24-25 NLT)

Pastor John