September 1, 2014

"Then He said to them all: "If anyone would come after me......." Luke 9:23a

I am so encouraged to read the call of Jesus to those who would desire to be disciples!

Notice whom He addesses:

"He said to them ALL".

"If anyone will......"

Anyone can be a follower of Jesus Christ. You don't have to be wealthy or well educated or well adjusted. You just have to be willing! Consider this story from Brooklyn Tabernacle, a great church in metropolitan New York City:

Jim Cymbala preaches at a church in the slums of New York. He tells the following story: It was Easter Sunday and I was so tired at the end of the day that I just went to the edge of the platform, pulled down my tie and sat down and draped my feet over the edge. It was a wonderful service with many people coming forward. The counselors were talking with these people. As I was sitting there I looked up the middle aisle, and there in about the third row was a man who looked about fifty, disheveled, filthy. He looked up at me rather sheepishly, as if saying, “Could I talk to you?” We have homeless people coming in all the time, asking for money or whatever. So as I sat there, I said to myself, though I am ashamed of it, “What a way to end a Sunday. I’ve had such a good time, preaching and ministering, and here’s a fellow probably wanting some money for more wine.” He walked up. When he got within about five feet of me, I smelled a horrible smell like I’d never smelled in my life. It was so awful that when he got close, I would inhale by looking away, and then I’d talk to him, and then look away to inhale, because I couldn’t inhale facing him. I asked him, “What’s your name?” “David.” “How long have you been on the street?” “Six years.” “How old are you?” “Thirty-two.” He looked fifty- hair matted; front teeth missing; wino; eyes slightly glazed. “Where did you sleep last night, David?” “Abandoned truck.” I keep in my back pocket a money clip that also holds some credit cards. I fumbled to pick one out thinking; I’ll give him some money. I won’t even get a volunteer. They are all busy talking with others. Usually we don’t give money to people. We take them to get something to eat. I took the money out. David pushed his finger in front of me. He said, “I don’t want your money. I want this Jesus, the One you were talking about, because I’m not going to make it. I’m going to die on the street.” I completely forgot about David, and I started to weep for myself. I was going to give a couple of dollars to someone God had sent to me. See how easy it is? I could make the excuse I was tired. There is no excuse. I was not seeing him the way God sees him. I was not feeling what God feels. But oh, did that change! David just stood there. He didn’t know what was happening. I pleaded with God, “God, forgive me! Forgive me! Please forgive me. I am so sorry to represent You this way. I’m so sorry. Here I am with my message and my points, and You send somebody and I am not ready for it. Oh, God!” Something came over me. Suddenly I started to weep deeper, and David began to weep. He fell against my chest as I was sitting there. He fell against my white shirt and tie, and I put my arms around him, and there we wept on each other. The smell of His person became a beautiful aroma. Here is what I thought the Lord made real to me: If you don’t love this smell, I can’t use you, because this is why I called you where you are. This is what you are about. You are about this smell. Christ changed David’s life. He started memorizing portions of Scripture that were incredible. We got him a place to live. We hired him in the church to do maintenance, and we got his teeth fixed. He was a handsome man when he came out of the hospital. They detoxed him in 6 days. He spent that Thanksgiving at my house. He also spent Christmas at my house. When we were exchanging presents, he pulled out a little thing and he said, “This is for you.” It was a little white hanky. It was the only thing he could afford. A year later David got up and talked about his conversion to Christ. The minute he took the mic and began to speak, I said, “The man is a preacher.” This past Easter we ordained David. He is an associate minister of a church over in New Jersey. And I was so close to saying, “Here, take this; I’m a busy preacher.” We can get so full of ourselves.

The call to discipleship is to "all" or to "anyone who will". That means even people like David can follow Jesus! Or, people like you and me.

August 31, 2014

"You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  No do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:14-16

You have and influence. I have an influence. All God's children have an influence. The issue is, "Does your influence bring glory to God?"

You were created to glorify God. Nothing else is acceptable.

To bring Him glory you must reflect His light and spread His purifying, preserving and pleasure giving salt on a dark and dying world.

Before Jesus came, it was believed that good works were the way to give God glory. But in His very first public teaching Jesus makes it clear that glorifying God will require "God works" not good works.

The Pharisees relied on good works and built an entire religion around it. But in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus announced a new righteousness, a radical righteousness, a righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees. It is a righteousness is based on a relationship not on a religion.

It is precisely this relationship that is described in the Beatitudes. 

When you realize your utter sinfulness and despise any self-righteousness you have trusted in you are getting closer to a relationship with God. When you mourn over your sinfulness and cry out to God for forgiveness, you are close to the Kingdom of God. When hunger and thirst to be made righteous, you can enter into a relationship with Him. When you meekly surrender control of your will to God, your relationship with Him will deepen.

When you are in a right relationship with God it will impact how you relate with other people. His righteousness will be expressed toward others. You will be merciful, you will be pure in heart, and you will be a peacemaker.

Those are the "God works" that He will manifest through you when you are in an obedient faith relationship with Him.

"God works" are what give God glory because everyone recognizes could only come from Him and not from you. 

It was the "good works" of the Scribes and Pharisees that Jesus rebuked and confronted because they were observing largely man made rules for the purpose of earning glory for themselves.

Radical righteousness comes only from God. Radical righteousness results largely from a radical relationship with God.

Are you living in radical relationship with Jesus?

Why wouldn't you?

Will you?

August 30, 2014

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:14-16

As in the reference to the salt, Jesus is illustrating that you have an influence. Your life makes an impact on the lives of others and when His righteousness is resident in your influence should reflect the light of God for the glory of God.

Here is a powerful illustration from the early days of the Faith:

In the days of the Roman Emperor Nero, there lived and served him a band of soldiers known as the "Emperor’s Wrestlers." Fine, stalwart men they were, picked from the best and the bravest of the land, recruited from the great athletes of the Roman amphitheater. 

In the great amphitheater they upheld the arms of the emperor against all challengers. Before each contest they stood before the emperor’s throne. Then through the courts of Rome rang the cry: "We, the wrestlers, wrestling for thee, O Emperor, to win for thee the victory and from thee, the victor’s crown." 

When the great Roman army was sent to fight in Gaul, no soldiers were braver or more loyal than this band of wrestlers led by their centurion Vespasian. But news reached Nero that many Roman soldiers had accepted the Christian faith. Therefore, this decree was dispatched to the centurion Vespasian; "If there be any among your soldiers who cling to the faith of the Christian, they must die!" 

The decree was received in the dead of winter. The soldiers were camped on the shore of a frozen inland lake. It was with sinking heart that Vespasian, the centurion, read the emperor’s message. 

Vespasian called the soldiers together and asked: "Are there any among you who cling to the faith of the Christian? If so, let him step forward!" Forty wrestlers instantly stepped forward two paces, respectfully saluted, and stood at attention. Vespasian paused. He had not expected so many, nor such select ones. "Until sundown I shall await your answer," said Vespasian. Sundown came. Again the question was asked. Again the forty wrestlers stepped forward. 

Vespasian pleaded with them long and earnestly without prevailing upon a single man to deny his Lord. Finally he said, "The decree of the emperor must be obeyed, but I am not willing that your comrades should shed your blood. I order you to march out upon the lake of ice, and I shall leave you there to the mercy of the elements." 

The forty wrestlers were stripped and then, falling into columns of four, marched toward the center of the lake of ice. As they marched they broke into the chant of the arena: "Forty wrestlers, wrestling for Thee, O Christ, to win for Thee the victory and from Thee, the victor’s crown!" Through the night Vespasian stood by his campfire and watched. As he waited through the long night, there came to him fainter and fainter the wrestlers’ song. 

As morning drew near one figure, overcome by exposure, one man crept quietly toward the fire; in the extremity of his suffering he had renounced his Lord. Faintly but clearly from the darkness came the song: "Thirty-nine wrestlers, wrestling for Thee, O Christ, to win for Thee the victory and from Thee, the victor’s crown!" 

Vespasian looked at the figure drawing close to the fire. Perhaps he saw eternal light shining there toward the center of the lake. Who can say? But off came his helmet and clothing, and he sprang upon the ice, crying, "Forty wrestlers, wrestling for Thee, O Christ, to win for Thee the victory and from Thee, the victor’s crown!" 

Are you on the ice or near the fire?

August 29, 2014

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:14-16

I am an ice cream lover. I would love to eat a lot more of it than I allow myself to enjoy.

How about you?

Imagine this, the only ice cream you have ever known is simply crushed ice with some cream poured over it. It is cold and it is refreshing and it's all there is.

But one glorious day you happen past a little store front place with an sign out front declaring, ICE CREAM!

Since it is a warm day you decide to grab a couple of dips on a cone. So, you walk into the store and say, "I would like two dips on a sugar cone please."

The kid behind the counter asks, "Would you like vanilla or chocolate?"

You are stumped. You don't know what to say. No one has ever asked you that before and crushed ice is all you've known.

Could I have a little sample please?

"Sure! Which would you like to try?"

"Uh, I don't know. Which do you like?"

"Here, try the chocolate it's my favorite and he hands you a spoonful and it is love a first lick!"

Before you leave the establishment you have consumed a double scoop of chocolate AND a doubled scoop of vanilla! Your whole ice cream appetite has been changed forever. Never again will you even think about that crushed ice stuff.

That is what Jesus intends for His followers who are "the salt of the earth". Those who have been revolutionized by His righteousness are to shock the spiritual taste buds of a world devoid of flavor.

You are on I-95 heading toward D.C. You are bumper-to-bumper and door-to-door in traffic. It is a pitch dark night with no trace of the moon or stars. When I say pitch dark I mean no one has headlights dark!

Those of you who regularly drive I-95 know how nerve wracking it can be in broad daylight under the best of conditions. Can you imagine driving it in zero visibility conditions?

Think what a relief it would be to suddenly discover you had headlights! You would be relieved because you could see and others would be relieved because they could see you and see others in the light of your headlights.

Jesus said, "You are the light of the world".

I share these hypothetical situations with you to help illustrate the importance of being "salt' and "light".

If you are a follower of Christ He makes it clear that you ARE salt and you ARE light. You will have an impact on your world. Will you flavor your world or will you leave a bad taste? Will you dispel the darkness or add to it?

August 28, 2014

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:14-16

"A well-known Bible teacher has just finished speaking to a large class of business people on the Christians' responsibility to be light in the world. He had emphasized the as believers we all have the obligation to reflect the Light in the world, the Lord Jesus. 

After the class, one the members related to him an experience he had in his home that impressed upon him the same truth. He said that in the darkest corner of his basement he had made a surprising discover. Some potatoes in that darkest corner had sprouted and where growing. At first he could not figure how they had gotten enough light to sprout and grow. Then he noticed that the hung from the ceiling near the basement window was a shiny copper kettle that was brightly polished and it was in the perfect position to reflect the sun's rays onto the potatoes in that darkest corner of the room. 

The person relating the story said, "When I saw that, I thought, I may not a preacher or a teacher with the ability to expound Scripture, but a least I can be a copper kettle catching the rays of the S - O - N and reflect His light to someone."

It is instructive to realize when Jesus calls His disciples to be "the light of the world" He is not calling them to produce light but to reflect His light like the copper kettle did in the story.

Here are some practical truths that are illuminated by this shiny kettle:

Christians are called to be in the light. This kettle was hung near a basement window where it could be exposed to the light during the day.

You cannot be a follower of Christ unless you are in the light because He IS the light and He dwells in His believers.

Christians are to keep their lives clear and shiny. Though the kettle was positioned in the light, if it had been all tarnished and dull it would not have reflected sufficient light to give life to the potato.

Is your life dulled by the tarnish of sin and unable to reflect His light or is it pure and polished to brightly reflect God's light to others?

Christians are expected to be positioned between His light and the darkness of the world so they can strategically and effectively penetrate the darkness with God's light and life.

Are you remaining close enough to the darkness that you can impact it with the reflection of God's light?

When Jesus says, "You are the light of the world" He could have said, "I am the light and you are to be the reflector of My light into a dark and dying world."

August 27, 2014

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your  good  works, and glorify your father which is  in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

I found this today and thought it made the point well.

PARABLE OF THE CANDLES

There was a blackout one night. When the lights went out, I fumbled to the closet where we keep the candles for nights like this ... I lit four of them. I was turning to leave with the large candle in my hand when I heard a voice, 

"Now, hold it right there."

"Who said that?"

"I did." The voice was near my hand.

"Who are you? What are you?"

"I'm a candle."

I lifted up the candle to take a closer look. There was a tiny face in the wax. "Don't take me out of here!"

"What?"

"I said, Don't take me out of this room."

"What do you mean? I have to take you out. You're a candle. Your job is to give light. It's dark out there."

"But you can't take me out. I'm not ready," the candle explained with pleading eyes. "I need more preparation."

I couldn't believe my ears. "More preparation?"

"Yeah, I've decided I need to research this job of light-giving so I won't go out and make a bunch of mistakes. You'd be surprised how distorted the glow of an untrained candle can be..."

"All right then," I said. "You're not the only candle on the shelf. I'll blow you out and take the others!"

But right then I heard other voices, "We aren't going either!"

I turned to the other candles, "You are candles and your job is to light dark places!"

"Well, that may be what you think," said the first one, "You may think we have to go, but I'm busy ... I'm meditating on the importance of light. It's really enlightening."

"And you other two," I asked, "Are you going to stay, too?"

A short, fat, purple candle with plump cheeks spoke up. "I'm waiting to get my life together, I'm not stable enough."

The last candle had a female voice, very pleasant to the ear. "I'd like to help, "she explained, "but lighting the darkness is not my gift ... I'm a singer. I sing to other candles to encourage them to burn more brightly."

She began a rendition of "This Little Light of Mine." The other three joined in, filling the closet with singing.

I took a step back and considered the absurdity of it all. Four perfectly healthy candles singing to each other about light but refusing to come out of the closet.

Here is a question for you--when was the last time you shared the gospel to someone? This world is full of darkness, with many people stumbling around trying to find their way. You can be a light for them, and believe me, there's a light waiting for you. It can all happen with something as sharing the faith, to just a smile across the room, to a quick hello to a forgotten friend.

August 26, 2014

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

When Jesus declared His followers are "the salt of the earth" and the "light of the world" He is using the indicative mood in each case. In other words, He is stating a fact! He is not saying "you might be" or "you could be" or "you should be" he is saying you ARE salt and light!

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

So, If you are a believer and Jesus is in you and Jesus is light you will be light! 

How could it be otherwise?

What is the nature of this light?

First, the light is His Word

Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by me." (John 14:6)

John wrote, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  (John 1:1-5)

In the Bible truth is represented by light and ignorance is represented by darkness.

When Jesus referred to Himself as the "Light of the world" He is declaring He is the truth! And when He calls you "the light of the world" He is stating that you are a bearer of His truth to a dark world.

Second, the light is your witness

Jesus tells us in these verses that our good works are a witness to the light of God in us. The purpose of our witness is to glorify God.

What are those good works?

Being merciful is a good work. When someone gives you grief and you give them grace, that glorifies God!

Being pure in heart is a good work. When love motivates your thoughts, words and deeds that gives glory to God!

Being a peacemaker is a good work. When you step into discord or dissension and bring peace, you bring glory to God.

Third, the light is a warning

I was driving back from the Richmond airport last week and a light flashed on in my dashboard. It said "maintenance required". 

I took that as a warning and got it checked out as soon as I could. It turned out to be a false alarm but I was glad I had it looked at.

Jesus places His "lights" in the world to share the Word and to show a witness but also to give a warning to those lost in darkness.

The only way I knew that I had fallen short of the glory of God was because His people by the Word and by their witness shined light on my darkness.

I am very thankful God sent a warning light to lead me out of darkness into His light!

You are the light of the world!

Will you shine His light today?

Will you show His light today?

Will you send a warning light?