July 29, 2015

“It (love) always protects…..” I Corinthians 13:7

Allow me to paraphrase this portion of I Corinthians 13:7 – “God’s Affection Is Your Protection”.

The word translated “protect” means “to cover”. You cover what you want to protect don’t you!

But the truth of this expression of love is much more comprehensive that just protecting something physically, it also has the connotation of protecting emotions and reputations. Nowadays we would express it like this, “I’ve got your back!”

To illustrate this I want to refer to the very example of how God’s love protects:

^“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” Genesis 3:21-24

Keep in mind Adam and Eve had just rebelled against God through deliberate disobedience. Every good and perfect plan God had in mind for these two was now rendered impossible because their sin had broken fellowship with Him. Their sinful act had such devastating consequences that we are still suffering from them. They were so devastating Jesus suffered for them!

But despite their rebellion and fully aware of the destructive impact they would have on humanity for the rest of time, look how God demonstrated His love and mercy through the ways He protected them! Check it out!

1) He made clothing to cover the shame of their nakedness!

Imagine that!

Their shame was the result of their own rebelliousness and it permanently impaired the relationship they had with each other and the relationship they had with Him. But in His great love and mercy He covered their shame and gave them a layer of protection!

God had their backs! (And fronts)

2) He sent them out of the Garden to protect them from the tree of life!

Decisions have consequences and their consequence was to be banished from Paradise. But when you read this in context you see that even though it was a punishment for their sin, God still protected them! In His mercy He kept them from access to the tree of life so they wouldn’t eat from the tree and become forever condemned in their sin. God diminished the impact of their consequences and protected them from themselves!

God had their backs!

3) He placed angels to guard the entrance into the Garden!

Angels are often associated with the role of protecting God’s people. That is precisely what they were doing here. They were protecting Adam and Eve from their own flawed judgment and corrupted heart.

God’s love “covered” them with mercy and grace!

If you will commit yourself to Him today He will have your back! He will protect you from your greatest threat – yourself!

An Amazing Treatise On Faith

"Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations."He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Romans 4:16-25

I was reading in Romans 4 this morning. What an amazing treatise on faith! Hebrews 11 has always been the "Faith Chapter", but this chapter is strong! Let me see if I can help you get your heart and mind around it.

FAITH IS BELIEVING

Abraham believed what he couldn't see. He trusted for something he had never see before. He was committed to a Higher Reality.

Why did he do that?

Because of a promise from God - "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as had been saint to him, 'So shall your offspring be.'" V. 18

Faith is believing what you have never seen - seeing with your spirit - because you trust the promise of God.

FAITH IS BEHAVING

Abraham not only trusted God in his mind and in his spirit, but he acted on what he believed. He took his wife and possessions and left for a place that had not yet been revealed to him. Every day he acted on what he believed God wanted him to do. As James tells us, "Faith without works is dead."

Why did he behave that way? He believed in the Person of God.

If you say you believe it is going to rain but you leave the house without your umbrella, you are not acting like someone who really believes. True belief, faith, expresses itself with action.

To say that you believe that the Bible is God's Word demands that you actually read it, know it, and live according to its truths. If the Bible doesn't shape your behavior, you are not a believer.

FAITH IS BECOMING

Because Abraham believed in the promise of God and the Person of God, but he also believed in the power of God to help him possess what He had promised! 

And because he believed and behaved like a believer - God believed in him.

The power to become is founded in the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead. Abraham's faith was amazing because not only did he experience God's power prior to the Resurrection, he believed it before Jesus was even born!

Abraham became a literal father, but because he believed and behaved as a man of faith, God made Him a spiritual father. If you could look up faith in God's dictionary you would find a picture of Abraham because to God, Abraham = faith.

God counted Abraham as the righteous father of a great nation, even when he was childless.

God loves it when, by faith, we become what He has designed us to become!

It was out of the faithfulness of Abraham that the Hebrew people became a nation. And it was out of this nation that Jesus was born. So not only is Abraham the example of faith, he is the father of THE Faith.

How is your faith?

Do you believe in God's promises? 

Do you behave in a manner consistent with His Person? 

Are you becoming like like Jesus by His power?

July 27, 2017

"The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.” Luke 7:34-35

"How did the Son of Man come? Luke 19:10 and Mark 10:45 tell us why he came – to seek and save the lost; to give his life as a ransom for many. But how did he come? What was his modus operandi? Preaching? Healing? Teaching? He certainly did those things. But Jesus himself says ‘the Son of Man came eating and drinking’ (Luke 7:34). Eating and drinking – a lot. New Testament scholar Robert Karris says: ‘In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal.’ So much so that his enemies accuse him of being ‘a glutton and a drunkard’ – someone who eats too much and drinks too much. ‘The Son of Man’ is a reference to the representative of God’s people who comes in glory before the Ancient of Days to receive authority over all nations (Daniel 7). What is the Son of Man doing when he comes to earth? The Jews expected him to come with a bang, defeating God’s enemies and vindicating his people. Instead he shares a meal. 

Meals are a powerful of expression of welcome and friendship in every culture. This is why Jesus’ meals are so significant – they embody God’s grace and enact God’s mission. Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. Tax collectors were traitors not only to the nation, but also traitors towards God for they were collaborators with the Gentile occupiers who had defiled God’s holy land. So the table companions of Jesus led the Pharisees to conclude that he couldn't be from God (Luke 5:30; 7:39; 15:1–2). A reasonable conclusion – unless God’s grace is so amazing that it allows him to eat with his enemies and unless God’s grace explodes all our expectations (Luke 5:27–39). Meals are central to the mission of Jesus because they embody and enact the grace of God."  - Pastor Tim Chester

Maybe you never noticed how many of Jesus’ meals are in the gospels? Meals feature so prominently in the gospels that scholars have commented: ‘Jesus ate his way through the Gospels.’ Herbert Anderson and Edward Foley even claim: ‘… they killed him because of the way he ate; because he ate and drank with sinners.’ Jesus revealed the Kingdom as he shared meals with others. And Jesus’ ‘fellowship meals’ are formative for the mission of the local church today.

Part of the genius of the "BELLS" witnessing habits is that they are common things we all can do and do on a daily basis. In fact, they can become so routine we lose sight of the impact they can have. We tend to underestimate the power of small things done prayerfully, consistently and intentionally over time.

It is good to be reminded that eating meals with others was a PRIMARY method Jesus used for both evangelizing and making disciples!

So, that's why the "E" in BELLS stands for eat. The challenge is to schedule meals with at least three people each week for the purpose of building an evangelistic or a discipleship relationship. The book, "Surprise the World" suggests eating with at least one person in your church, one person not in your church and the third can be either.

If eating was an essential and effective method in Jesus' ministry, shouldn't you give it a try?

Reaching Hearts Through Stomachs

"For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.” Luke 7:33-35

There is an old saying that goes, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

I'd like to think us men are a little more complicated than that, but maybe not. We do love to eat and a well prepared meal has our full attention!

If you know that's true and I know it's true we can be sure Jesus knew it was true and He used sharing meals with men as a powerful primary evangelism tool!

It may amaze you as you thumb through the Gospels how often Jesus ate with others. More often than not His dining companions were publicans, tax collectors and as many others sinners He could gather.

Sure He began His ministry with 40 days of fasting but after that He was heavy into feasting! His first miracle was at a wedding feast in Cana. His last gathering with His disciples was a Passover feast in an Upper Room. 

Following His resurrection Jesus restored Peter from a fisherman back to a follower with an impromptu fish breakfast on the shore of Galilee.

I'm looking forward to the first official event in the New Heaven when all God's people sit down to the Feast of the Ages referred to as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!

Maybe the old saying IS right! Maybe the way to a man's heart IS through his stomach! And if that is true maybe you and I should develop an intentional habit of having meals with those we want to reach for Jesus!

July 25, 2017

"For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.” Luke 7:33-35

There is a communication principle that says, "The more predictable you become the less impact you will have."

One of the reasons Jesus had such a profound impact during His brief earthly ministry was He was anything but predictable. His unpredictable ways allowed Him to reach many people and it also got Him considerable criticism. It also got Him considerable converts!

What was it that brought down such vehement criticism and condemnation upon the Son of God? It was the fact He ate with sinners. Yes, you heard it right, he shared meals with reprobates such as tax-collectors and an occasional prostitute.

That was unheard of for a rabbi. Not only was it unheard of it was intolerable in the opinion of the religious elite of His day! It is precisely why they had become so ineffective and irrelevant in reaching or relating to their culture.

Jesus came to change that! They would have been wise to have copied Him rather than to condemn Him.

So, Brad, are you saying it's good to hang out at bars and night clubs with my friends who drink?

Only if you are prompted clearly by the leadership of the Holy Spirit and only if you are sufficiently spiritually established in your faith to maintain your witness.

But it you want to reach people far from God you have two choices, you can hope they will come to where you hangout OR you can go to where they hang out. Jesus made the surprising decision to hang out with them.

For the sake of contrast it is significant to note that when Jesus wanted to connect with His disciples He also ate and drank with them!

What was the common denominator between eating with sinners and eating with followers? EATING! He understood the powerful bonds that are formed when people eat together.

Family bonds are the closest bonds and families eat together to strengthen those bonds!

Friendship bonds are also very close bonds and friends often eat together to deepen those bonds!

Fellowship bonds are strong within a church and church members often eat together around the dinner table as well as the Communion Table!

Unless you think about it, eating with sinners may seem like a surprising thing to do. But if you understand the power of the table and the power of relationships it shouldn't surprise you that combing the two is and effective way to reach people!

Just another thing to learn from Jesus!

July 24, 2017

"Thy Word is truth." John 17:17

How do you reconcile two seemingly contradictory concepts? For example, how can we claim we believe the Bible is free from error when it was written by fallible men?

As Roman Catholic theologian Bruce Vawter writes, "A human literature containing no error would indeed be a contradiction in terms, since nothing is more human that to err" (Biblical Inspiration, Philadelphia, Westminster 1972).

As Wesleyans we steadfastly maintain that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. Is that a defensible position? How can we reconcile these perceived inconsistencies?

Let's think about that for a few moments.

My washing machine was made by imperfect men, but when I follow the manufacturer's instructions and push the right buttons it works perfectly.

Jet aircraft are built by fallible men and 99% of them fly millions of air miles and carry hundreds of thousands of passengers with no malfunctions.

Imperfect men are capable of creating machines that operate perfectly because they faithfully follow specifications and instructions that have been meticulously designed. Perfect plans followed perfectly can take men's imperfections out of play.

An imperfect man and an imperfect woman can produce a perfect baby.

Consider this: The testimony of Scripture is clear. God used fallible men to receive and record His infallible Word so that it would reach us, correct and without error. Sounds difficult? With our God it's not. As He said (Jeremiah 32:27, NASB), "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?"

The Bible is inerrant not because of man's infallibility or scholarship. It is inerrant because they had hearts and minds perfectly tuned with God's Holy Spirit so that God's perfect Holy Spirit could perfectly plant God's perfect thoughts into the willing minds of imperfect men. The same Holy Spirit directed the writing, the canonizing, the translation, and the compilation of these Scriptures that we know are true. Praise God for His faithful Holy Word!

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," II Timothy 3:16

If you can believe in a perfect, infallible, and holy God, you can believe in the inerrancy of the Bible because you will know that the perfection of God is greater than the weaknesses of man!

Like they say, even a stopped clock is right twice a day!

July 23, 2017

“I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me. Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to you, LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.”   Psalms 142

So, here you are in a dark, damp, desolate, disgusting cave and you don’t like it. You feel like you are trapped because you are. That's how commitment works, which is why you need to work on your commitments.  So when you feel trapped and you don't like the feeling what do you do?

The Psalmist could have given up and turned Himself in to the King and hope for mercy. He could have killed the King and do away with his enemy. But His commitment to His God would allow Him to do neither. So he decided to bear the consequences of His commitment to serve God, even though it was terrible in the cave.

You do what David did:

Complain - “I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble.”

You don’t have to like it in the cave. Who would? David was innocent. He had done nothing to deserve being hunted down like a stray dog, but he had managed to get on the wrong side of an insecure king.

I imagine it would be hard enough to be public enemy number one if you were guilty but it is very unfair to be totally innocent but still have your life totally disrupted.

Pour out your complaint to the Lord. But when you complain, don’t curse the Lord or don’t accuse the Lord. When you complain, let it out and get it over with – keep it short.

Cry – “Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name.”

Being trapped in a cave and having your life completely disrupted is very difficult. Long dark lonely nights in a damp cave can take an emotional toll on a person. The natural way to release emotional pain is to cry out. The Psalmist cried out.

I can think of another innocent Man Who was brutally treated and cried out to God in His agony. His Name was Jesus and He was the Son of God, Who became your Savior. He cried out from the Cross and complained to His Father.

Frankly, most people these days, including Christians bail on their commitments at this point. When they are feeling trapped and life is very uncomfortable they "cave in" rather than stand true to their commitment.

David cried and complained in the cave but did not cave on his commitment. Jesus cried and complained on the Cross but He did not cave-in. How about you? Are you feeling trapped and thinking about caving in on a commitment? This is where character is built and integrity shows. What will you do?

Calm Down and Connect - "LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

Once the Psalmist dealt with his ragged emotions and calmed down, he fixed his focus back on His God and reconnected with his faith. He remembered why he had committed to God in the first place. Just when he felt like getting out he got back in. The good news is that when we can't leave the cave, God can come to us! He can comfort and encourage and strengthen so we don't cave in on our commitments.

If you have feeling trapped in a faith commitment or a family commitment or a financial commitment - you don't have to cave in. The Psalmist proves it!