Commentary by Clark
In the CYF Sunday School class this past Sunday Russ led a topic over temptation. This topic spun off into several other topics that addressed various issues associated with temptation. One such spin-off was a conversation about how we, as Christians, are often tempted and sometimes fall.
No wonder people outside the church call Christians hypocrites! We preach one thing and end up doing the opposite. While we don’t set out to fall to temptation, we are not perfect people. That is why we need church – just like the sick need a hospital and sinners need a church. Accepting the fact that we are not perfect, and that no matter what we do, we do not warrant the favor of God.
In the book The Reason for God, author/pastor Timothy Keller states, “What if, however, the essence of Christianity is salvation by grace, salvation not because of what we do but because of what Christ has done for us? Belief that you are accepted by God by sheer grace is profoundly humbling.”
How humbling indeed! Jesus, the Incarnate, did not come for the righteous; no, He came for the sinners. For God the Father is a just and righteous judge who cannot allow sin to go freely – for the penalty of sin is death – but through Christ’s death on the cross, our sins are washed away. Knowing and trusting that it is not about us, rather it is all about Jesus, should be humbling! As we strive to become more like Christ, we need to recognize that there will be times when we fall short, but at the same time we must not forget that we are forgiven.
When temptation overcomes you, get up and brush it off. Learn from the experience, ask for forgiveness, turn it over to God, and move on. Keep in mind that Christ came for sinners, and with that, how about inviting other sinners to church?
Josh
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Sunday, December 19, 2010
2010-12-19 -- Christmas
The day is nearly here – you know, the day that the retail outlets started touting in displays back in October; the day that generates more revenue, stress, and debt than any other day – Christmas is here! Oh, how I long for that long-lost child’s excitement and magic of Christmas; instead I hold hardships of planning, preparing, and purchasing.
Christmas is amazing, though. Aside from the primary purpose of the day (i.e. celebrating the birth of Jesus), this one day crosses into secular territory, encompasses believers and non-believers together in mutual traditions and rituals, and gives the masses a day or two off of work. This day has brought mythology to life, even propelling it above the reason for the celebration. Furthermore, this day tends to make people remember how fortunate they are, lends to generous offerings to less fortunate, and makes for great parties.
Is this what it should be? Should Christmas be this blending of pagan rituals with faith-based traditions, inter-twined with a modern incarnation of shopping frenzy? Although I pose that question, I cannot answer it. I assume that the answer is really whatever you want it be.
As for me, Christmas is a time of family get-togethers, eating too much food, and cleaning up shredded paper. Unfortunately my Christmas is more secular than it is a time of remembrance, celebration, and thanksgiving for God’s grace through Christ Jesus. This year I hope to change this a little; I hope that we openly discuss why we are together, what it is we are celebrating, and the importance of the baby in the manager.
Josh
Christmas is amazing, though. Aside from the primary purpose of the day (i.e. celebrating the birth of Jesus), this one day crosses into secular territory, encompasses believers and non-believers together in mutual traditions and rituals, and gives the masses a day or two off of work. This day has brought mythology to life, even propelling it above the reason for the celebration. Furthermore, this day tends to make people remember how fortunate they are, lends to generous offerings to less fortunate, and makes for great parties.
Is this what it should be? Should Christmas be this blending of pagan rituals with faith-based traditions, inter-twined with a modern incarnation of shopping frenzy? Although I pose that question, I cannot answer it. I assume that the answer is really whatever you want it be.
As for me, Christmas is a time of family get-togethers, eating too much food, and cleaning up shredded paper. Unfortunately my Christmas is more secular than it is a time of remembrance, celebration, and thanksgiving for God’s grace through Christ Jesus. This year I hope to change this a little; I hope that we openly discuss why we are together, what it is we are celebrating, and the importance of the baby in the manager.
Josh
Sunday, December 5, 2010
2010-12-05 -- First Christmas
Let’s set a scene here:
Time: Between 6 and 4 BC; Location: Bethlehem; Cast: A young couple among many others; Setting: Village preparing for the census.
In these days, Caesar Augustus declared that the entire world should be registered. Joseph, the husband of the young couple, was of the house and lineage of David and therefore had to travel to Bethlehem to be registered with his wife, Mary. At this time, Mary happened to be well into gravidity with, as the world would find out later, the most influential and significant person the world has ever known – the Incarnate, the Messiah, the Savior of the World, King of Kings and Lord of Lords – Jesus (Yeshua) the Christ.
Upon arrival in Bethlehem, the young couple sought room and board. However, room and board was not easy to come by; the village was abuzz with commerce like it had most likely never seen before. As a result, the local Holiday Inn was full up. Despite the young woman’s extreme prego condition, nobody really paid attention to them, nor did anyone offer to give up their accommodations. Honesty, nobody probably even gave it a thought; there was much to do – much food to prepare, chores to be done, preparation for the registering of the people, etc.
Little to anyone’s imagination, the greatest gift to the world was set to arrive during all the hustle and bustle. With no available rooms, the young couple happened to find shelter in a storage facility for animals (possibly either a stable or a cave). In this animal sanctuary, God’s grace took its first earthly breath – a baby was born, and He was called Immanuel.
At this moment, the young woman is holding her son: a gift from God given for all people. Her son is her Lord. A teenage girl is holding God’s plan in swaddling rags. Oh, how the emotions run. Does she understand the significance of her son? Not completely. How could she?
Do you understand the significance of her son? Matthew 1:21 sums it up nicely as an angel of the Lord is speaking to Joseph: “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." Do you believe? Do you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior? If you have not already done so, will you at least consider asking Him into your life? Take time this advent season to remember the reason for the season and receive the greatest gift of all.
Josh
Time: Between 6 and 4 BC; Location: Bethlehem; Cast: A young couple among many others; Setting: Village preparing for the census.
In these days, Caesar Augustus declared that the entire world should be registered. Joseph, the husband of the young couple, was of the house and lineage of David and therefore had to travel to Bethlehem to be registered with his wife, Mary. At this time, Mary happened to be well into gravidity with, as the world would find out later, the most influential and significant person the world has ever known – the Incarnate, the Messiah, the Savior of the World, King of Kings and Lord of Lords – Jesus (Yeshua) the Christ.
Upon arrival in Bethlehem, the young couple sought room and board. However, room and board was not easy to come by; the village was abuzz with commerce like it had most likely never seen before. As a result, the local Holiday Inn was full up. Despite the young woman’s extreme prego condition, nobody really paid attention to them, nor did anyone offer to give up their accommodations. Honesty, nobody probably even gave it a thought; there was much to do – much food to prepare, chores to be done, preparation for the registering of the people, etc.
Little to anyone’s imagination, the greatest gift to the world was set to arrive during all the hustle and bustle. With no available rooms, the young couple happened to find shelter in a storage facility for animals (possibly either a stable or a cave). In this animal sanctuary, God’s grace took its first earthly breath – a baby was born, and He was called Immanuel.
At this moment, the young woman is holding her son: a gift from God given for all people. Her son is her Lord. A teenage girl is holding God’s plan in swaddling rags. Oh, how the emotions run. Does she understand the significance of her son? Not completely. How could she?
Do you understand the significance of her son? Matthew 1:21 sums it up nicely as an angel of the Lord is speaking to Joseph: “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." Do you believe? Do you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior? If you have not already done so, will you at least consider asking Him into your life? Take time this advent season to remember the reason for the season and receive the greatest gift of all.
Josh
Sunday, November 7, 2010
2010-11-07 Why Four Gospels
Have you ever thought about why there are four gospels? Referring to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, “each of them deals with the same period of history, each sets forth the teaching and miracles of the Savior, each describes His death and resurrection” (Pink, 2007). Even though each of the four contain many similarities, each book is also unique, “and it is in noting their variations that we are brought to see their true meaning and scope and to appreciate their perfections” (Pink, 2007).
I have always found it interesting that there are so many gaps in time in the biographies of Christ; even when putting the information from all four together, the picture remains far from a complete life biography of our Lord. For instance, after the Gospels reveal the infancy of Christ, Luke briefly describes a situation in Jesus’ childhood at age twelve, and then nothing more is mentioned until Christ is thirty. Furthermore, it is interesting to think of all the other messages and miracles of Christ that were not recorded, even after age thirty. John, in the gospel that bears his name, states in chapter 21 verse 25, “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (ESV). Is this not a fascinating thought?!
But why four books? As little as is covered, according to John, why was there not just one account of Christ’s earthly life and His Messianic ministry? I believe the answer to these questions can be found by looking at the other books of the Bible. As Christians, most of us believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. And with this, I refer again to author Arthur Pink:
“Because one or two was not sufficient to give a perfect presentation of the varied glories of our blessed Lord. Just as no one of the Old Testament typical personages (such as Isaac or Joseph, Moses or David) give an exhaustive foreshadowment of our Lord, so, no one of the four Gospels presents a complete portrayal of Christ’s manifold excellencies. Just as no one or two of the five great offerings appointed by God for Israel (see Lev. 1–6) could, by itself, represent the many-sided sacrifice of Christ, so no one, or two, of the Gospels could, by itself, display fully the varied relationships which the Lord Jesus sustained when He was here upon earth. In a word, the four Gospels set Christ before us as filling four distinct offices.”
To illustrate this, think of it this way: if I were tasked to report to you in detail the Statue of Liberty, I wouldn’t simply take a picture from one vantage point and give you only one piece of information about it, say the history. No, rather I would take pictures from multiple angles, reference sources to obtain information about its history, symbolism, location, etc. In order for me to present to you a reliable, complete, and trustworthy report, I must supply to you material from multiple sources, otherwise it would be deemed unreliable. I believe the same holds true for the Gospels.
In Matthew, Christ is presented as the Son of David, the King of the Jews, and everything in his narrative centers around this truth. This explains why the first Gospel opens with a setting forth of Christ’s royal genealogy, and why in the second chapter mention is made of the journey of the wise men from the East, who came to Jerusalem inquiring “Where is He that is born King of the Jews?”, and why in chapters five to seven we have what is known as “The Sermon on the Mount” but which, in reality, is the Manifesto of the King, containing an enunciation of the Laws of His Kingdom (Pink, 2007).
In Mark, Christ is depicted as the Servant of Jehovah, as the One who through equal with God made Himself of no reputation and “took upon Him the form of a servant.” Everything in this second Gospel contributes to this central theme, and everything foreign to it is rigidly excluded. This explains why there is no genealogy recorded in Mark, why Christ is introduced at the beginning of His public ministry (nothing whatever being told us here of His earlier life), and why there are more miracles (deeds of service) detailed here than in any of the other Gospels (Pink, 2007).
In Luke, Christ is set forth as the Son of Man, as connected with but contrasted from the sons of men, and everything in the narrative serves to bring this out. This explains why the third Gospel traces His genealogy back to Adam, the first man, (instead of to Abraham only, as in Matthew), why as the perfect Man He is seen here so frequently in prayer, and why the angels are seen ministering to Him, instead of commanded by Him as they are in Matthew (Pink, 2007)..
In John, Christ is revealed as the Son of God, and everything in this fourth Gospel is made to illustrate and demonstrate this Divine relationship. This explains why in the opening verse we are carried back to a point before time began, and we are shown Christ as the Word “in the beginning,” with God, and Himself expressly declared to be God; why we get here so many of His Divine titles, as “The only begotten of the Father,” the “Lamb of God,” the “Light of the world” etc.; why we are told here that prayer should be made in His Name, and why the Holy Spirit is here said to be sent from the Son as well as from the Father (Pink, 2007).
Although this is only the tip of the iceberg on this topic, I hope it gives you some insight into why there are four gospels of Jesus Christ. I encourage you to also research this topic, while comparing and contrasting the gospels.
Josh
I have always found it interesting that there are so many gaps in time in the biographies of Christ; even when putting the information from all four together, the picture remains far from a complete life biography of our Lord. For instance, after the Gospels reveal the infancy of Christ, Luke briefly describes a situation in Jesus’ childhood at age twelve, and then nothing more is mentioned until Christ is thirty. Furthermore, it is interesting to think of all the other messages and miracles of Christ that were not recorded, even after age thirty. John, in the gospel that bears his name, states in chapter 21 verse 25, “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (ESV). Is this not a fascinating thought?!
But why four books? As little as is covered, according to John, why was there not just one account of Christ’s earthly life and His Messianic ministry? I believe the answer to these questions can be found by looking at the other books of the Bible. As Christians, most of us believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. And with this, I refer again to author Arthur Pink:
“Because one or two was not sufficient to give a perfect presentation of the varied glories of our blessed Lord. Just as no one of the Old Testament typical personages (such as Isaac or Joseph, Moses or David) give an exhaustive foreshadowment of our Lord, so, no one of the four Gospels presents a complete portrayal of Christ’s manifold excellencies. Just as no one or two of the five great offerings appointed by God for Israel (see Lev. 1–6) could, by itself, represent the many-sided sacrifice of Christ, so no one, or two, of the Gospels could, by itself, display fully the varied relationships which the Lord Jesus sustained when He was here upon earth. In a word, the four Gospels set Christ before us as filling four distinct offices.”
To illustrate this, think of it this way: if I were tasked to report to you in detail the Statue of Liberty, I wouldn’t simply take a picture from one vantage point and give you only one piece of information about it, say the history. No, rather I would take pictures from multiple angles, reference sources to obtain information about its history, symbolism, location, etc. In order for me to present to you a reliable, complete, and trustworthy report, I must supply to you material from multiple sources, otherwise it would be deemed unreliable. I believe the same holds true for the Gospels.
In Matthew, Christ is presented as the Son of David, the King of the Jews, and everything in his narrative centers around this truth. This explains why the first Gospel opens with a setting forth of Christ’s royal genealogy, and why in the second chapter mention is made of the journey of the wise men from the East, who came to Jerusalem inquiring “Where is He that is born King of the Jews?”, and why in chapters five to seven we have what is known as “The Sermon on the Mount” but which, in reality, is the Manifesto of the King, containing an enunciation of the Laws of His Kingdom (Pink, 2007).
In Mark, Christ is depicted as the Servant of Jehovah, as the One who through equal with God made Himself of no reputation and “took upon Him the form of a servant.” Everything in this second Gospel contributes to this central theme, and everything foreign to it is rigidly excluded. This explains why there is no genealogy recorded in Mark, why Christ is introduced at the beginning of His public ministry (nothing whatever being told us here of His earlier life), and why there are more miracles (deeds of service) detailed here than in any of the other Gospels (Pink, 2007).
In Luke, Christ is set forth as the Son of Man, as connected with but contrasted from the sons of men, and everything in the narrative serves to bring this out. This explains why the third Gospel traces His genealogy back to Adam, the first man, (instead of to Abraham only, as in Matthew), why as the perfect Man He is seen here so frequently in prayer, and why the angels are seen ministering to Him, instead of commanded by Him as they are in Matthew (Pink, 2007)..
In John, Christ is revealed as the Son of God, and everything in this fourth Gospel is made to illustrate and demonstrate this Divine relationship. This explains why in the opening verse we are carried back to a point before time began, and we are shown Christ as the Word “in the beginning,” with God, and Himself expressly declared to be God; why we get here so many of His Divine titles, as “The only begotten of the Father,” the “Lamb of God,” the “Light of the world” etc.; why we are told here that prayer should be made in His Name, and why the Holy Spirit is here said to be sent from the Son as well as from the Father (Pink, 2007).
Although this is only the tip of the iceberg on this topic, I hope it gives you some insight into why there are four gospels of Jesus Christ. I encourage you to also research this topic, while comparing and contrasting the gospels.
Josh
Sunday, October 24, 2010
2010-10-24 Halloween Thoughts
Halloween is upon us. This is a unique holiday, in my opinion. Think about it – kids dress up and go to various houses to get candy; people set out to scare and be scared; strange games are played, i.e. bobbing for apples; and fiction and death is celebrated. As a Christian, how should we view Halloween, and furthermore, should we participate?
In my research, I came across an article by Elliott Watson on CBN.com, “Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?” The article is found below, followed by my personal comments:
The origins of Halloween are Celtic in tradition and have to do with observing the end of summer sacrifices to gods in Druidic tradition. In what is now Britain and France, it was the beginning of the Celtic year, and they believed Samhain, the lord of death, sent evil spirits abroad to attack humans, who could escape only by assuming disguises and looking like evil spirits themselves. The waning of the sun and the approach of dark winter made the evil spirits rejoice and play nasty tricks. Believe it or not, most of our Halloween practices can be traced back to these old pagan rites and superstitions.
But what about today? Perhaps we can still learn from history. In the fourth century, Christians attempted to co-opt the holiday by celebrating the lives of faithful Christian saints the day before Halloween. This was a conscious attempt to provide an alternative and re-focus the day away from ghouls, goblins, ghosts, witches and other “haunted” experiences. Since that time many Christians have decided to allow their children to dress in more “innocent” costumes of pumpkins, princesses, Superman or as a cowboy. Part of this is due to the simple reality that in today’s Western culture it is nearly impossible to “avoid” Halloween.
Just before reaching a conclusion on the subject, I was struck with the thought that I ought to further my search and find out what Wicca, the official religion of witchcraft, has to say about Halloween. Perhaps they viewed the day as a simple fun and innocent neighborhood activity?
“Shock” is the only word to describe what I found. Halloween is a real, sacred day for those who follow Wicca. In fact, it is one of two high and holy days for them. The Celtic belief of spirits being released is current, along with the worship of Samhain (the lord of death) – both are promoted as something to embrace on that day. There is no question in my mind that to those who believe and follow the practices of witchcraft, Halloween represents an opportunity to embrace the evil, devilish, dark side of the spiritual world.
So after discovering this, what is a reasonable conclusion? As Christians you and I are placed in this world to be a light in a world of darkness. There is no lasting benefit to ignore a holiday that exists around us, but it also does harm to celebrate Halloween as it has originated and grown over the centuries.
My suggestion? Christians should be teaching their children (age appropriately) that:
•there is a spiritual world filled with goodness from God and evil from Satan (Eph. 2:1-10);
•life with Christ has power over darkness (I John 4:4); and
•those who celebrate Halloween either are unaware of its roots, or are intentionally promoting a world where evil is lauded and viewed as an ultimate power.
To counter the evil influence of Halloween, we need to join together and celebrate the reality of the heroic efforts of Christian saints over the evil in their day. Many leaders in the past -- and present -- have fulfilled the mandate of destroying the works of the devil through their sacrificial commitment to Christ and His Kingdom.
Too, rather than “hide” in the face of evil, we should unabashedly and boldly create an alternative that is positive and uplifting; that celebrates good over evil and the triumph of God over Satan. We need to provide an environment that also makes room for heaps of fun while using the day as a “teachable moment” to celebrate God’s protection, provision and purpose for our lives.
As for my personal feelings about Halloween, I can recall one thing about the holiday from my youth – it was fun. Even when I dressed as Dracula, it was still fun, and I never once burned anyone at the stake. My word of advice is simply this: Let the kids enjoy the holiday, but make sure they enjoy it safely. Furthermore, before or after the Halloween festivities, use this as an opportunity for teaching about God and Christ’s power over darkness.
Josh
In my research, I came across an article by Elliott Watson on CBN.com, “Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?” The article is found below, followed by my personal comments:
The origins of Halloween are Celtic in tradition and have to do with observing the end of summer sacrifices to gods in Druidic tradition. In what is now Britain and France, it was the beginning of the Celtic year, and they believed Samhain, the lord of death, sent evil spirits abroad to attack humans, who could escape only by assuming disguises and looking like evil spirits themselves. The waning of the sun and the approach of dark winter made the evil spirits rejoice and play nasty tricks. Believe it or not, most of our Halloween practices can be traced back to these old pagan rites and superstitions.
But what about today? Perhaps we can still learn from history. In the fourth century, Christians attempted to co-opt the holiday by celebrating the lives of faithful Christian saints the day before Halloween. This was a conscious attempt to provide an alternative and re-focus the day away from ghouls, goblins, ghosts, witches and other “haunted” experiences. Since that time many Christians have decided to allow their children to dress in more “innocent” costumes of pumpkins, princesses, Superman or as a cowboy. Part of this is due to the simple reality that in today’s Western culture it is nearly impossible to “avoid” Halloween.
Just before reaching a conclusion on the subject, I was struck with the thought that I ought to further my search and find out what Wicca, the official religion of witchcraft, has to say about Halloween. Perhaps they viewed the day as a simple fun and innocent neighborhood activity?
“Shock” is the only word to describe what I found. Halloween is a real, sacred day for those who follow Wicca. In fact, it is one of two high and holy days for them. The Celtic belief of spirits being released is current, along with the worship of Samhain (the lord of death) – both are promoted as something to embrace on that day. There is no question in my mind that to those who believe and follow the practices of witchcraft, Halloween represents an opportunity to embrace the evil, devilish, dark side of the spiritual world.
So after discovering this, what is a reasonable conclusion? As Christians you and I are placed in this world to be a light in a world of darkness. There is no lasting benefit to ignore a holiday that exists around us, but it also does harm to celebrate Halloween as it has originated and grown over the centuries.
My suggestion? Christians should be teaching their children (age appropriately) that:
•there is a spiritual world filled with goodness from God and evil from Satan (Eph. 2:1-10);
•life with Christ has power over darkness (I John 4:4); and
•those who celebrate Halloween either are unaware of its roots, or are intentionally promoting a world where evil is lauded and viewed as an ultimate power.
To counter the evil influence of Halloween, we need to join together and celebrate the reality of the heroic efforts of Christian saints over the evil in their day. Many leaders in the past -- and present -- have fulfilled the mandate of destroying the works of the devil through their sacrificial commitment to Christ and His Kingdom.
Too, rather than “hide” in the face of evil, we should unabashedly and boldly create an alternative that is positive and uplifting; that celebrates good over evil and the triumph of God over Satan. We need to provide an environment that also makes room for heaps of fun while using the day as a “teachable moment” to celebrate God’s protection, provision and purpose for our lives.
As for my personal feelings about Halloween, I can recall one thing about the holiday from my youth – it was fun. Even when I dressed as Dracula, it was still fun, and I never once burned anyone at the stake. My word of advice is simply this: Let the kids enjoy the holiday, but make sure they enjoy it safely. Furthermore, before or after the Halloween festivities, use this as an opportunity for teaching about God and Christ’s power over darkness.
Josh
Sunday, September 19, 2010
2010-09-19 -- Reaching the Un-Churched
Commentary by Clark
The current state of the society, in regards to spiritual fitness, is in dismal shape. Like Ray had mentioned in his sermon this past Sunday, there are generations of people who are out of the church and only a small percentages of Americans actually attend church compared to the numbers that attended years ago. As a country, one that was founded upon Christian faith, we are following suit with many European nations as we experience an increase in agnostics and atheists.
In the first chapter of Romans, Paul writes about wrath of God upon the Jews and Gentiles for their wickedness. Paul explains how the sinful desires of men overcame the obedience of God, even though they understood knew God's commands. Verse 21 states, "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened." Then in verse 28, Paul wrote, "Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done."
Is this not what is happening in our society today? Because we have strayed from His teachings, our hearts have been hardened and we have become one with sin -- both in embracing it and exploiting it. However, we as the Bride of Christ can make a difference, but we must find a way to reach the un-churched.
In the ninth chapter of Corinthians, verses 19-23, Paul writes,
"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
Following Paul's example, we should do the same for our community. We must reach them, but we have to reach them on their terms. Now I'm saying that we become like the foolish, dark-hearted sinners, but rather we offer to them an experience to meet God and begin a relationship with God in a manner that is not so foreign to them.
This is not a new idea for church. This is not a new idea for evangelism. The way, in my opinion, to reach this lost society is to use tried and true techniques of the past. The techniques I am referring to revolve around the word contemporary. Encarta defines contemporary as "modern person or thing: somebody or something in existence at the present time." For instance, our worship services on Sunday were contemporary at one time, and for some in the congregation it may still feel contemporary. But for the average un-churched person below the age of fifty, I'd venture to say that this particular style feels out of touch.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we should change our Sunday worship services. On the contrary, I am proposing that we investigate the possibility of adding a worship service; one that follows the time-proven aspects of church growth: modernizing. I envision a mid-week praise and worship service featuring instruments of various types, audio/visual experiences, communion, and a message brought to the congregation via a speaker, whether it be a pastor, a lay member, elder, deacon, or a spirit-filled youth member.
It is my belief that many young families and college age people would be more likely to attend a church service during the week so that they maintain an open weekend. As society becomes busier and more involved with various activities, I believe many un-churched people are unwilling to give up one of their weekend mornings to attend something that feels foreign to them. If put together and promoted properly, I believe that a mid-week service at FCC-Shawnee could be a very successful form of evangelism and worship.
I propose that we follow the example of Paul and the churches before us and investigate into this option. And as always, I'd love to hear feedback from you on this idea.
Josh
The current state of the society, in regards to spiritual fitness, is in dismal shape. Like Ray had mentioned in his sermon this past Sunday, there are generations of people who are out of the church and only a small percentages of Americans actually attend church compared to the numbers that attended years ago. As a country, one that was founded upon Christian faith, we are following suit with many European nations as we experience an increase in agnostics and atheists.
In the first chapter of Romans, Paul writes about wrath of God upon the Jews and Gentiles for their wickedness. Paul explains how the sinful desires of men overcame the obedience of God, even though they understood knew God's commands. Verse 21 states, "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened." Then in verse 28, Paul wrote, "Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done."
Is this not what is happening in our society today? Because we have strayed from His teachings, our hearts have been hardened and we have become one with sin -- both in embracing it and exploiting it. However, we as the Bride of Christ can make a difference, but we must find a way to reach the un-churched.
In the ninth chapter of Corinthians, verses 19-23, Paul writes,
"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
Following Paul's example, we should do the same for our community. We must reach them, but we have to reach them on their terms. Now I'm saying that we become like the foolish, dark-hearted sinners, but rather we offer to them an experience to meet God and begin a relationship with God in a manner that is not so foreign to them.
This is not a new idea for church. This is not a new idea for evangelism. The way, in my opinion, to reach this lost society is to use tried and true techniques of the past. The techniques I am referring to revolve around the word contemporary. Encarta defines contemporary as "modern person or thing: somebody or something in existence at the present time." For instance, our worship services on Sunday were contemporary at one time, and for some in the congregation it may still feel contemporary. But for the average un-churched person below the age of fifty, I'd venture to say that this particular style feels out of touch.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we should change our Sunday worship services. On the contrary, I am proposing that we investigate the possibility of adding a worship service; one that follows the time-proven aspects of church growth: modernizing. I envision a mid-week praise and worship service featuring instruments of various types, audio/visual experiences, communion, and a message brought to the congregation via a speaker, whether it be a pastor, a lay member, elder, deacon, or a spirit-filled youth member.
It is my belief that many young families and college age people would be more likely to attend a church service during the week so that they maintain an open weekend. As society becomes busier and more involved with various activities, I believe many un-churched people are unwilling to give up one of their weekend mornings to attend something that feels foreign to them. If put together and promoted properly, I believe that a mid-week service at FCC-Shawnee could be a very successful form of evangelism and worship.
I propose that we follow the example of Paul and the churches before us and investigate into this option. And as always, I'd love to hear feedback from you on this idea.
Josh
Sunday, August 29, 2010
2010-08-29 -- Be Bold
First, please allow me to thank the church, spiritual life committee, and Pastor Ray for allowing me to preach this last Sunday. The kind words, handshakes, and hugs that many of you shared with me after services were very much appreciated. FCC-Shawnee has had a great influence on my life throughout the past 12 years. Without God and this church in my life, I simply do not know where I’d be. You have all given so much and I personally thank each of you for that.
“I had tried to drive certain long brass-headed nails into a wall but had never succeeded except in turning up their points, and rendering them useless. When a tradesman came who understood his work, I noticed that he filed off all the points of the nails, the very points on whose sharpness I had relied, and when he had quite blunted them, he drove them in as far as he pleased. With some consciences our fine points in preaching are worse than useless. Our keen distinctions and nice discriminations are thrown away on many; they need to be encountered with sheer force and blunt honesty. The truth must be hammered into them by main strength, and we know from whom to seek the needed power” (The Quotable Spurgeon Copyright 1990 by Harold Shaw Publishers).
Oh, how true the aforementioned analogy is! Far too often we are too politically correct and afraid of hurting feelings or stepping on toes when we should really be blunt and to the point. The image of Christ that I have in mind is not of a limp-wristed, feminine, soft spoken male that many artists have portrayed over the centuries; no, the image I have in mind is of a brute, real man’s man, who was both physically and mentally strong. I picture the incarnate as a man who didn’t shy away from confrontation or honest-to-goodness bluntness.
Many times in Christian teaching we try to use the subtle approach of sharpen brass nails – a feel good way of teaching the good news – when maybe we should be more like the tradesman and use a blunt straight-forward approach, just as Christ did. For instance, Christ didn’t shy away from confronting the Pharisee’s about their heresies, nor should we shy away from teaching His straight-forward message. However, I do feel like I need to add a disclaimer here: Don’t use this as an excuse to seek out confrontations! Choose your battles wisely, my brothers and sisters, but when the time calls, be ready to go to bat with the sword of the spirit.
Another caution though: watch out for man’s rules on God’s words. Many Christians and denominations have suffered from using the blunt approach of teaching inerrancies of God’s holy word. Don’t let your own personal afflictions get in the way of God’s truth. This can be difficult, especially as a member in the Disciples of Christ church, where we are all called to seek and understand the scriptures according to our own understanding through the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Ultimately what I am stressing here is simple: speak truthfully, honestly, earnestly, and openly about Christ as the Savior of the world. Don’t back down from the world when the world wants to teach differently. Be strong in your faith.
“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Acts 4:29-31
Josh
“I had tried to drive certain long brass-headed nails into a wall but had never succeeded except in turning up their points, and rendering them useless. When a tradesman came who understood his work, I noticed that he filed off all the points of the nails, the very points on whose sharpness I had relied, and when he had quite blunted them, he drove them in as far as he pleased. With some consciences our fine points in preaching are worse than useless. Our keen distinctions and nice discriminations are thrown away on many; they need to be encountered with sheer force and blunt honesty. The truth must be hammered into them by main strength, and we know from whom to seek the needed power” (The Quotable Spurgeon Copyright 1990 by Harold Shaw Publishers).
Oh, how true the aforementioned analogy is! Far too often we are too politically correct and afraid of hurting feelings or stepping on toes when we should really be blunt and to the point. The image of Christ that I have in mind is not of a limp-wristed, feminine, soft spoken male that many artists have portrayed over the centuries; no, the image I have in mind is of a brute, real man’s man, who was both physically and mentally strong. I picture the incarnate as a man who didn’t shy away from confrontation or honest-to-goodness bluntness.
Many times in Christian teaching we try to use the subtle approach of sharpen brass nails – a feel good way of teaching the good news – when maybe we should be more like the tradesman and use a blunt straight-forward approach, just as Christ did. For instance, Christ didn’t shy away from confronting the Pharisee’s about their heresies, nor should we shy away from teaching His straight-forward message. However, I do feel like I need to add a disclaimer here: Don’t use this as an excuse to seek out confrontations! Choose your battles wisely, my brothers and sisters, but when the time calls, be ready to go to bat with the sword of the spirit.
Another caution though: watch out for man’s rules on God’s words. Many Christians and denominations have suffered from using the blunt approach of teaching inerrancies of God’s holy word. Don’t let your own personal afflictions get in the way of God’s truth. This can be difficult, especially as a member in the Disciples of Christ church, where we are all called to seek and understand the scriptures according to our own understanding through the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Ultimately what I am stressing here is simple: speak truthfully, honestly, earnestly, and openly about Christ as the Savior of the world. Don’t back down from the world when the world wants to teach differently. Be strong in your faith.
“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Acts 4:29-31
Josh
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