Tag Archives: Christ

Nov 17 2009

Not So Obvious Lessons From John 17 #2


As I began reading and thinking my way through this great chapter again I wrote a post “Not So Obvious Lessons From John 17” focusing on Jesus words as he was praying “I do not pray for the world” and the implications of why he said that and what it means to us today as believers.

This lesson comes from the part of Jesus prayer in John 17 verse 24.

“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

Jesus’ request for those first followers and for you and I who believed because of their witness (John 17:20) is that we see his glory. His glory is the infinite appreciation of all that he is. His grace, mercy, faithfulness, love, compassion, truthfulness, justice, holiness, and every other eternal attribute are summed up in a word, Glory! So to see his glory is to see him as he is, to understand and acknowledge, and appreciate and bask in, and be fully satisfied in who he his.

Jesus’ glory is a love gift (John 17:24) from the Father. No stronger case can be made for the deity of Jesus than that God the Father in eternity before creation shared every attribute, every facet of deity with the Son, and thus his glory, all born of love. God is love and the manifestation of that love in creation, in salvation, in justification, in sanctification, and in glorification is glorious, all of his works display his glory.

This brings me to the second aspect of this simple but spectacular portion of Jesus’ prayer. Jesus intends to share his glory with us!

“The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (John 17:22-23)

This declaration corresponds to Paul’s words in Romans

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (Romans:29-30)

How can it be that the Creator God would share his glory with you and me who are flawed to the core? This is why. The redemptive work of God in Christ is so perfect, so complete, that sinners can be counted righteous, and in God’s sight be so infused with the whole of who he is that they are able to share in his glory, the full manifestation of all that he is. And this too is a love gift. Jesus has given us his glory

“so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:23b)

When I begin to get my mind around this truth, (God loves me as much as he loves Jesus!) I can begin to comprehend the glory of God and the expression of his glory in the saints, you and me.

I’ll end with this.

“Declare his glory among the nations,his marvelous works among all the peoples!” (1 Chronicles 16:24)

To God be the glory..

Royce

Nov 13 2009

Christian Leadership – A Biblical Perspective


Paul’s first letter to the believers at Corinth began with thanksgiving as was his custom. He emphasized the superiority of Jesus and chided them because of their immaturity and foolish divisions.

They had done what immature believers always do, they had completely lost sight of God’s perspective on things in favor of personal favoritism. This grievous error is precisely why many of our churches have sects and clicks, one group follows this teacher, another this popular author, and another some famous personality from the past. Each division renders the local assembly ineffective and barren. Paul’s accusation was that they were behaving like children, not like mature adults.

The particular problem in the Corinthian church he addresses especially in chapter 3 was this one.  Three groups were enamored to their favorite preacher. One group liked Paul more while another followed only Apollos, and the remaining group only wanted to follow Cephas.

Problem? Immature believers. Symptom? Divisions based on personal preferences. Paul addressed the situation in chapter 3.

“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

5What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” ( Corinthians 3:1-7)

The view from God’s perspective is humbling isn’t it? My importance and yours? NOTHING! This shocking truth reminds me that human effort only produces human results. To realize God kind of results we must have this mindset, compared to God, we are NOTHING!

What is the cure for this oft’ repeated error in our churches?

Keep Jesus at the center of our thinking, our talking, and our doing. We must follow Paul’s example of purposeful weakness, meakness, and utter dependence upon the power of the Holy Spirit.

“And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (I Corinthians 2:1-5)

Walk in the Spirit. What a humbling rebuke by the Apostle! “I can’t address you as spiritual people but as people of flesh only” (chapter 3:1) In Galatians 5:16 Paul gave the cure for immature squabbling and fighting.”Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

There are two ways every Christian can live, by the rule of the flesh or by the rule of the Spirit. We must ask ourselves continually, Is what I am about to say or do motivated by the Holy Spirit, approved by God, for the good of other believers, and does it honor Christ? If a word or action does not pass this test it is likely best to leave it unsaid or undone.

The Holy Spirit will ALWAYS prompt only those words and actions that honor and exalt Jesus Christ. Never, never, never does God lead one child to hurt another. Be kind, tender-hearted, speaking the truth in love to one another.

Get the Word of God into you. Usually the injunction is “get into the word”. Far too many folks read the Bible of duty and not to let it change them. We must come to the Word with open hearts, sincerely desiring to be taught by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10-13) The Bible is food for a Christian, it is our job description, we must get it into us. As David of old we must “hide it in our hearts”.

Christ is all in all. Never let these truths far from your reach.

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord”

Jesus is all we need to live godly lives in this present world. He is truly all we need. Let us not allow any rule but his in our hearts, in our families, and especially in our churches. Let us each live our lives so that we can say with certainty “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord”

for Jesus,

Royce

Nov 11 2009

Not so obvious lessons from John 17


This wonderful portion of Scripture is a prayer Jesus prayed just after explaining once again about his leaving the disciples, his authority over the world, the coming Holy Spirit, and just before his death on a cross.

There are many wonderful truths here that are often overlooked. I want to share my understanding of  a few of them.

There is only one method, one plan for world evangelism.

As Jesus was praying he said

“they have believed that you sent me. 9I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.” (John 17:8b-9)

God so loved the “world“. Christ died for the sins of the “world“. And yet, in one of his last prayers on earth Jesus plainly stated

“I am not praying for the world..”

Without question he loves the people of the world so why would he not pray for them, and even say it in such a public way that today it remains a record of the sacred Text?

This is why,

“I am praying for them (those who had believed), “those you have given me, for they are yours.”

God has but one plan to reach the whole world with the good news. It is the church. It is those who have believed who will spread the message to every tribe and tongue. In Matthew 28 when Jesus gave the great commission he said

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples…” (Matthew 28:18b-19a)

Here we can ask “What is the therefore there for?” Christians can go into a hostile world, right in the midst of Satan’s stronghold, and make disciples because Jesus has “all authority in heaven and on earth“. And he has passed on that authority through the agency of the Holy Spirit in and upon the believer’s life.

Just before his ascension into heaven Jesus told his followers

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8)

When the Holy Spirit anointing comes there is a transfer of power and authority to the one who has believed and waited on the Lord. God has no other plan, it is up to you and me and our brothers and sisters of every age who have put our trust in Jesus. But not really. I am not that dependable and neither are you, but God is faithful! Jesus said “I will build my church…” and the devil and hell can’t stop Him.

Nothing will thwart God’s plan to reach the world with the gospel. Those who have not yet heard are in good hands. God uses an inspired and all-powerful message (the gospel) given by the mouths of imperfect saints who are empowered by the Holy Spirit and out of the listeners those whom God has chosen will believe.

Jesus prayed for those who belonged to God, to Him. He did not pray for the world. Their salvation is complete because of His perfect obedience and sacrifice. They can have life because He ever lives. They only need to know it.

I suggest we get in on God’s plan and chunk our own upon the heap of human failure. The focus is never on a plan or a program. It is always about an empowered people. So, may I suggest then that we too pray for the church, for our brothers and sisters, at least more than we do for the lost. God’s way is always best.

Royce

Nov 10 2009

The Invitation


It is a tradition in traditional churches of Christ, and perhaps others, to announce the number of the “invitation song” before the preacher begins his sermon. It is a practice as ingrained as the Lords’s Supper. What is almost as certain is that no one will accept the “invitation“.

How is it in your church. Do you have an invitation each service? What is it like? Is it necessary? These are odd questions huh?

Why have an invitation just for the sake of having an invitation just because that is the way we do it?  The preacher can preach on any subject, and with no personal application, and then tack on a statement like “If you are not a Christian or if you have just gotten off course this is your time to respond”. I want to ask “Respond to what?”

Sunday morning worship is not a good time for evangelism. Unless the good seed has been sown at some other time of the week there is not likely going to be a great harvest of new converts on Sunday. It seems to me the invitation is an opportunity to respond to the Bible lesson just completed. At a minimum it is primarily that. My experience is that many sermons have no challenge to life change. A twenty-minute devotional is not bad but does not require an invitation in my view.

Unless the preacher actually preaches the gospel (good news about Jesus and what he has accomplished for sinners) it is very odd indeed to ask people to respond to an offer that has not been presented. Lost people do not learn the good news by osmosis, they have to hear it or read it to know it. Don’t claim to be a “gospel preacher” unless you frequently preach the gospel!

Invitation as family time. Many of us at White’s Ferry Road church refer to our congregation as our “forever family“. And, indeed they are. When the invitation is given at WFR it is unlike most other churches I have ever experienced. People come forward to openly confess sin and ask forgiveness, they come to ask for prayer about some health issue (and often to be anointed and prayed for be the elders), they come to solicit prayer for marriage troubles, job loss, wayward children, etc. And, of course, some to come to make their decision to follow Jesus public and we baptize them and welcome them into our forever family with a loud applause and cheers.

What is interesting about the invitation time at WFR is that no one ever comes alone. Usually they are accompanied by close friends who got to know that person in a small group or a shared ministry experience. Or if it is someone new to our church those sitting on the pew beside them will go forward with them when they respond. This family time is a cherished event, often taking 20 or 30 minutes and no one seems to mind. It is safe place where people know in advance they will be loved and not judged, forgiven and not expelled. It is a wonderful illustration of a church with no pretenses of sinless perfection, but rather is real, authentic followers of Jesus, loving each other and together moving toward Christ likeness.

What is it like at your church? Is it something you look forward to? Or is it something you dread? One thing is sure. If the leadership of your church is not transparent about their own lives the invitation will likely be just a formal part of the service each week with few ever responding. Good leaders lead by example and not one leader in any church is perfectly righteous. It is good for everyone to just admit it and stop pretending it isn’t true.

Now for the invitation….your comments are welcome and encouraged.

Royce