July 21, 2009

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" John14:6

On Sunday mornings this Summer we have been building the case for the Biblical worldview. We have examined strong evidence that God exists and that He is the Creator of the universe. And we have made a strong argument for the veracity and accuracy of the Bible as God's Word. This Sunday we considered the overwhelming evidence that Jesus is the Son of God. Those truths are essential pillars for a foundation of Christian faith.

The point I made in each of these messages is that in addition to all the strong evidence to support our worldview, the most convincing proof is a transformed life. It is hard to argue with that evidence when a person bound in destructive behavior suddenly and drastically changes.

For the next five Sundays were are going to talk about the implications of these five foundational truths. This is where it will get sticky. This is where we will need to really believe what we say we believe.

One of the things that offends people in this modern post-Christian era is the exclusivity of the claims of Christ. In a day when diversity is a sacred value, Christians get serious pushback when they verbalize the absolute claims of Scripture. The secular humanists believe that truth is relative and each individual is the arbiter of their own truth. So whatever seems true to you may be different than what is true for me. But for me to say that my truth is true for everyone and their truth is untrue, THAT'S A PROBLEM for them. Suddenly their exalted value of tolerance disappears.

Here's the problem, when a culture ceases to believe in absolutes, foundational biblical truths such a those we have been studying become incoherent to the very people we are trying to reach. Here are some troubling statistics to illustrate:

1) Almost 80% of all people believe there is more than one way to get to heaven.

2) 91% of Catholics embrace this belief.

3) 68% of "evangelical" Protestants say that a person of a faith other than Christianity will still go to heaven.

4) 65% of "evangelical" teens say that you can't be sure which religion is right.

G. K. Chesterton states, "When people cease to believe in God, they do not believe in nothing, they believe in anything."

Into this atmosphere enter Jesus and His claim that accepting Him as the Son of God and your Savior is the ONLY way to heaven. That is obviously not a popular view. It is becoming more unpopular by the minute.

So, what will you believe? What will be your final answer? Will you stand on the exclusive claim of Christ or join the popular sentiment of the many roads that lead to heaven? Are you willing to bear the rejection for being right?

July 20, 2009

"The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

I recently got to enjoy some time with my almost 10 year-old granddaughter, Zoey. We spent the day at King's Dominion. She rode every roller-coaster she was tall enough to qualify for. She even rode the drop tower - 172 foot high that free-fall drops over 100 feet. I watched. She was fearless. I rode the Scooby Coaster with her.

I was thinking that it would be nice to be that fearless. Then I realized that one reason she was without fear was because she was with her dad and her granddad. The other reason is that she is 9 and doesn't know any better. Plus, she is more focused on fun than she is on fear. Focus matters!

Those of us who have lived a little longer have learned to be fearful because of our failures, our painful experiences, and our losses. We fear the future because we project our past forward.

The Psalmist boasts about his fearlessness. He has chosen to fear no one. How does that happen?

Rather than project his fears forward, he chooses to frame his future with faith. But faith is only as good as its object. Fear is the result of misplaced faith. If I trust in myself or if I trust in a false hope, that faith will fail me.

His faith is in the Lord's light and the Lord's salvation. How does that work?

One of the major fear inducers is darkness. Most of us are afraid of the dark when we are children. Even as adults we are careful about about going into dark areas. Darkness represents a lack of knowledge, a lack of understanding or knowing the wrong things. Darkness indicates a lack of relationship with God.

God is light. He bring us knowledge and wisdom and insight. We are able to see ourselves clearly and understand our need for Him. He exposes our fears so we can replace them with faith. We overcome fear as we walk out of our darkness into His light.

God is our salvation. Saved from what? From ourselves - our self-destructive nature. From our self-will that rebels against God. God's salvation delivers us from our past and secures our future - in time and for eternity.

Is fear an issue in your life? I am not talking about a fear of roller-coasters, I am talking about fear of the future. I am talking about fear that cripples relationships and paralyzes your potential.

These are fearful times. The days ahead look foreboding. How can we not be afraid?

Simple. Make God your Lord! How do you do that? Surrender your darkness to His light. Surrender your self-will and receive His salvation.

All you have to lose is your fear!

July 19, 2009

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Psalm 23

Here is the testimony of one satisfied sheep! The source of his satisfaction? A very good shepherd!

When was the last time you felt satisfied? What would it take to satisfy you? What would have to happen? What would it take? Do you even know?

How did it happen for this sheep? How did he become so satisfied?

The Present Care of His Shepherd

This satisfied sheep had a shepherd who cared for his every need. The shepherd provided for his physical sustenance by leading him to lush green pastures where he can graze to the full. The shepherd provided for his emotional security. Sheep are not built for swimming. They are terrified of rapidly moving water. Should a sheep fall into the water and his wool become saturated, he become seriously top-heavy and sink beneath the currents. But the good shepherd knows that and intentionally leads the sheep away from the swift streams to the quiet waters.

And, the good shepherd protects the safety of his sheep. He guards them with his rod and his staff. The rod is the weapon used against would be predators and the staff is used to steer a wandering sheep back to the safety of the flock.

If you are not sure what it would take to satisfy you, think about these three things: having a shepherd who provides for your sustenance, your security and your safety. That worked for this shepherd, what would that do for you?

The Promised Care of the Shepherd

The satisfaction this sheep is experiencing is attributable to the care he is presently receiving from his good shepherd. His physical needs, His emotional needs and his spiritual needs are all being met. That's helpful today, but what about tomorrow? Can I continue to count on my shepherd?

The fact is, when the Lord is your Shepherd, the future is your friend! He promises to care for you in the future just as He currently cares for you!

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

This satisfied sheep shows you that if you can find contentment in your Shepherd with His current care, you can have confidence in His continued care in days to come.

Want some satisfaction? Follow the Good Shepherd!

July 18, 2009

"Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might." Psalm 21:13

I once had a sofa bed that I needed to move up to a third-floor apartment. There was no elevator. Fortunately I had a friend named Jack who was a power-lifter. His strength and might helped me get the job done.

When I was 14 and too young to get a real job, I got hired on to bale hay. At the crack of dawn I was on duty and the work began. I will never forget the loading the first few bales onto the wagon wondering how I would have the strength to do this for the next twelve hours. I did it for twelve hours for the next three days. I had more strength than I thought. This new found strength gave me confidence.

Not that long ago, I could wrestle with my boys and win. Now they are stronger than I am. They could crush me like a soda can except they love me too much.

One of the things that make the Virginia Tech Hokies a perennial power in football is that they have one of the best strength and conditioning programs in the country. They take strong heathy young men and make them much stronger. When the ball is snapped at the line of scrimmage, strength matters!

We honor strength in our culture. In fact, our world is governed by the aggressive use of force. The nation with the strongest values, and the strongest economy, and the strongest will, and the strongest military will win. It is a fact of life. History bears it out.

As I was reading this Psalm this morning it dawned on me that I worship God for His holiness and for His love and for His grace and for His goodness and His mercy, but the Psalmist here exalts Him for His strength.

Meditating on that I realized he is right! If it were not for the strength and power and might of our God, none of these other virtues would matter. God can manifest all of His goodness and righteousness because He has the power to execute it! If He were unable to overcome evil, His holiness would be of no consequence.

Remember when you were a child boasting that your dad could beat up their dad? The Psalmist is essentially doing that. He is exalting in the fact that His God is greater than all other gods. God is more powerful than evil, more powerful than time, more powerful than nations, more powerful than death, and always will be!

There is only one thing that God can't overpower - your will. He wants you to surrender that to His strength. Like the Psalmist, God wants you to "sing and praise His might".

If you sing about salvation - praise Him for His might. If you sing about deliverance - praise Him for His might! If you praise Him for healing - praise Him for His might! If you praise Him for provision - praise Him for His might! If you praise Him for protection - praise Him for His might!

Martin Luther had it right - "A Mighty Fortress IS Our God!"

July 17, 2009

"The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward." Psalms 19:7-11

My son-in-law is on the road a lot because he drive a truck for Coca Cola. For the most part he goes to the same places during the week, but occasionally he will be assigned another route. For those days when he draws an unfamiliar route, he has a GPS device to help him find his way. It has never led him astray!

The Psalmist is celebrating the fact that God has given him a spiritual GPS system. What is that system? The law of the Lord, the statutes of the Lord, the precepts of the Lord, the commands of the Lord, and the ordinances of the Lord.

Of course, "GPS" are initials that stand for "global positioning system". However, in reference to this Psalm "GPS" means "God's positioning system". David wanted to be where God wanted him to be so he recognized his need to be positioned by God.

When David wrote these verses he was on the run from King Saul. He had to figure out how to stay alive, how to protect his men, how to honor God and at the same time respect the King who was hunting him down. Not unlike the challenges and pressures you face each day.

Life is difficult to navigate on a good day. David was not having many good days. He needed the guidance of God's positioning system. How does that work?

God's law. Every positioning system ever devised from the ancient sextant to the modern satellite guided ones depended on a fixed point of reference. Whether it be the sun during the day or the North star at night, accurate guidance depends on a fixed point. God's law flows from God's character and that ain't changin'!

God's statutes. A statute helps with the application of the law. It gives it definition. The law gives you the true north but the statute aims you five degrees to the right or left. Face it, your internal guidance system is flawed. When you follow it you end up lost. You need God's law and statutes to guide you through the complicated directions of relationships and obligations.

God's precepts. A precept gives you moral guidance. For example, you can get the right directions but if you exceed the speed limit or run stop signs while heading in that direction, you will not succeed in your journey. You are morally bankrupt, you have little natural regard for laws. Unless you are guided by His precepts you will be arrested in your journey. The precepts are like traffic signs posted along the way.

God's commands. Sometimes you travel unfamiliar roads that are narrow and winding. You worry about staying on the road and keeping in your lane. God's commands are like the guard rails one either side of your road. They are there to protect you. They are like the white lines and the yellow lines on the highway that mark your lane and define the other lane. The lines tell you when you are free to pass and when you must stay in your lane.

God's ordinances. An ordinance refers to something that is done regularly for your benefit. In a spiritual sense, Communion is an ordinance. As you navigate through the complications of life, relationships, responsibilites and obligations, you need some "routine maintenance" to stay in good condition. If you don't stop to check God's road map occasionally, you will veer off course. If you don't pray regularly, your attitude will drift. When you don't worship on a continual basis you will forget why you are on the journey.

Life is a complicated journey. It was for the Psalmist and it is for you. There is no time to make wrong turns or get off course. David successfully navigated his course. He honored God, respected the King, cared for his men, and eventually arrived at God's destination for his life - the throne of Israel. He was able to steer God's nation because he had learned to follow his "GPS".

Do you have a "GPS" - God's positioning system? Is it turned on? Are you commited to His laws, statutes, precepts, commands and ordinances? If not, no wonder you're lost!

July 16, 2009

"On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!" Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted. " Acts 20:7-12

This morning I read in the Psalms and continued reading in Acts. Of course, I found a number of inspiring verses. But, this amazing incident caught my attention for two reasons: because it IS amazing how Paul raised this young man from the dead, but also, I found it encouraging that as great as Paul was, someone actually fell asleep on him when he was speaking. Maybe you have to be a preacher to appreciate that!

Pardon me for indulging myself in this moment, but there is a much greater point to be made in all of this. God's power is made perfect in the weaknesses of our humanity. Maybe Paul had this incident in mind when he wrote:

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." II Cor. 4:7

Paul was in the midst of a gruelling travel schedule and the hour was late. He had been teaching intensely for hours. No one can be at their best under those conditions. Our bodies and minds get tired. And Eutychus had been sitting and listening for hours, now the hour was late. He dozed off. It is not a good idea to doze off when you are sitting in a third-story window. So, when he fell asleep he FELL - ASLEEP. The fall killed him.

Needless to say, that killed the meeting. When Paul received word of what had happened, he switched from preaching the Word to practicing it. Undeterred by the gravity of the situation, Paul simply called on God to revive this young man. God did!

Wow! It is one thing to put people asleep when you preach - it is quite another to raise them from the dead!

Here's the big message in the midst of these ramblings, GOD'S STRENGTH AND POWER ARE GREATER THAN YOUR WEAKNESSES! When you are doing your best to serve Him, He will be His best for you. Don't hide your weakness. Don't apologize for it. Praise God for revealing Himself through your limitations.

Have you surrender to God - weaknesses and all?

July 14, 2009

"For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring." Acts 17:28

The Apostle Paul was preaching in Athens and noticed that they were very religious but did not know the One true God or His Son Jesus. In their shrines they had many idols to many idols and to make sure they did not miss a god or offend a diety they built an idol to "the unknown god".

Paul saw an opportunity to proclaim the Gospel and began to tell them about this God Who was knowable, Who wanted to be known, and Who "was not far from them."

What Paul told them about God, we could stand to hear. Let's examine it more closely:

The Centrality of God - "In Him....."

God will not settle for being "a" god. He must be "the" God. There is no god like our God. He is beyond compare. He created you for Himself. He put within you a "God-shaped" void that nothing else can satisfy. You were never designed to be happy or fulfilled without having God squarely in the center of His will.

The Vitality of God - "....we live and move......

When God identifies Himself as the "Alpha and Omega", the beginning and the end, He is acknowledging that all life begins and ends with Him. Since that glorious and ancient day when He commanded, "Let there be....", life has flourished on this beautiful planet. And He personalized life when He sent His only Son, Jesus, so that His life could flourish within us.

The Identity With God - "....and have our being."

Paul was speaking to men who were very religious and somewhat superstitious. They wanted to make sure that they covered their bases spiritually. If there was a god they needed to know - they wanted to know him. It was important for them to be right with their gods. I imagine that the Great Apostle was moved by their sincere desire to be right with a God they had yet to know. So he sweetens the deal by promising that this unknown God, his God, is One Who knows you, can be known by you, and wants to dwell in you. This God is so vast and so good that you can lose yourself in Him - and only when you lose yourself in Him do you find yourself! Some of them did!

Have you?