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Cut to the Heart

In Bloom’s taxonomy remembering and understanding are lower levels of critical thinking, yet that’s where most of our sermons, classes … and sadly studies on how to obey the gospel are centered.  It is at the level of applying the knowledge where a person sees how his own sin has eternally separated him from God and only the sacrifice of Jesus can restore the relationship.  Then, when they are “cut to the heart,” they will ask, “What shall I do?”

I. Acts 2:36-47.  The first gospel sermon that was delivered on the day of Pentecost used knowledge to convict the crowd that they were guilty of sin and putting an innocent man to death but that God had resurrected Jesus and made Him both Lord and Christ.  The people were cut to the heart and wanted to apply this knowledge, which required further knowledge about how to obey the gospel.  3000 applied it.

II. Romans 6:3-5.  In an era where many are convinced there’s no such thing as sin, what they’ve done is not that bad, or the preaching they’ve heard deemphasizes it, it’s hard to see the relevance of the gospel.  But even a knowledge-level passage of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 gives the application in the phrase, “for our sins.”  After they’re cut to the heart, we can explain how obeying the gospel unites us to Christ’s death and resurrection.

III.  Matthew 28:19-20.  We each have a job to do.  For we who are already living faithfully, ours is to use knowledge to convict the lost to action.  Then, when we have made disciples and the cut-to-the-heart are asking what they must do, we baptize–when it’s God’s job to add them to His church–and then teach them to obey everything that He’s commanded.  This is how is was for the gentile jailer in Acts 16.

When we push them to obedience before they’re cut to the heart, we risk making low-level disciples who struggle to see the relevance of church and live faithfully.  Never having been cut to the heart and applied the gospel, they never utilize the higher levels of critical thinking in their Christian walk.

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Who Did Not Know the Lord

Influencing children for Christ in this morally decadent culture is much like it was in the time of Judges, but the church can’t make the same mistakes God’s people did then (Judges 2:10-12).

I. Deuteronomy 6:6-9.  The generation that had come out of Egypt was dead, and the generation that entered the Promised Land, the oldest 59 (Numbers 14:29-32), with Joshua failed to teach their kids about God or what He had done for them though they had been told to do so.  Their excuses were probably much like ours–too busy, not enough time, etc.  If we don’t teach them, they will abandon God.

II. Proverbs 22:6.  Demas did that (2 Timothy 4:10) and loved the world instead.  We must make the gospel relevant for a new generation (Matthew 9:17).  We do this by becoming aware of the challenges kids face today and meeting them how Lois and Eunice did (1 Timothy 1:5).  With proper preparation to live for God in a fast-paced and antagonistic culture, we can help our children break the cycle of sin.

III. Matthew 15:1-3.  Far too often we hand children the gospel packaged in our traditions that worked for previous generations but are inadequate to meet the challenges of today’s world that they must survive and serve in.  When we don’t give good gifts to our kids (Matthew 7:9-11) in the form of relevant teaching and preparation, we risk them going after other things and provoking God (Hebrews 10:26-27).

I saw this recently, “The gospel sounds strange to a generation that has been told they are perfect, loving themselves is virtuous, their heart is always right, and nothing is more important than being happy.”  How must we adapt our teaching of the gospel to a new generation that thinks differently than we do because it comes from a secular mindset rather than the sacred starting point that we have known?

 

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Why Do the Nations Rage?

The answer to the question: because it works!  The world is large and scary, and although we see ourselves as Christians as great warriors for the faith standing our ground, it is doing a great job of containing the gospel and our works of service to the walls of our church buildings.  In the 21st century we fear the world more than we fear God (Psalm 2:1-12).

I. John 11:47-50.  “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?” the psalmist asks.  After all, don’t they know that it’s useless to fight against the God that created the universe and sustains us? It didn’t stop those in power from scheming to put Jesus to death and thus falling into God’s plan to bring about redemption for mankind. God’s wrath for them is expected (Romans 1:18-23).  In the 1st century, Christians did not shrink back from the world’s attacks but were emboldened because they feared God (Acts 4:24-26).

II. Hebrews 1:2-8. It’s vain because God has set His Son on His holy hill in Zion, who will destroy His enemies with a rod of iron (Hebrews 10:26-31).  The best that the world could muster to oppose the gospel in the 1st century fell woefully short (Acts 4:27-28) because God had planned beforehand how to bring about such a salvation (Acts 2:23-24).  Since none can oppose His will, we should fear God and not the world.

III. Matthew 10:26-28.  It is with fear and trembling that mankind should approach God.  The world can only kill the body, not put body and soul in hell.  Therefore, it is God we should fear.  We should work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) and take refuge in God, not the false friendship of the world.  When the world sought to intimidate early Christians, they prayed for boldness and it was given to them (Acts 4:29-31).  We too must be of those who do not shrink back and are destroyed but of those who through faith preserve their souls (Hebrews 10:35-39).

Is the church (and not God) a refuge for you to escape the world or a gathering of warriors regrouping to battle the world?

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Let Us Do Good

The fire on a lit match casts no shadow.  If Christians are light, then why do we often rely exclusively on worldly means–signs, advertising, an attractive facility–to compete with the darkness to get noticed?  Jesus and the 1st century disciples didn’t have billboards or business cards.  And, while some of this is useful (Luke 16:8) for us, the greatest periods of growth in the Lord’s church came about by preaching truth and doing good (Galatians 6:7-10).

I. Acts 10:36-38.  Jesus reaped what He sowed.  While on this earth, He viewed every interaction as an opportunity to advance the gospel, so much so that He was known for going around and doing good.  Even when He spoke, He wasted no effort to show the world that God was among them (John 7:40-46).  So, our every word and deed ought to show the world Jesus (Colossians 3:17) to increase His kingdom.

II. Matthew 25:37-40.  Preaching truth and doing good is light in a world of darkness, and so different than any of the worldly efforts we could employ to get noticed.  And, because it is hard, we may grow weary.  Jesus promises to be with us (Matthew 28:18-20), so we are never alone.  If we persevere as a church and in our personal ministries to shine our light on a stand for all to see, we will be rewarded.

III. Ephesians 4:15-16.  So, we must view every interaction we have out in the world and with each other as an opportunity to show Jesus by preaching truth and doing good.  Rather than seeing the church as a refuge–God is instead (2 Samuel 22:2-3)–to escape the world, we must see it as a base to regroup (Acts 13:1-3) so we can serve.  Only by shining light can we compete with the darkness to overcome it and grow.

We must pray that God will give us opportunities to preach truth and do good and that we will see them.  Then we can serve as a church and develop personal ministries in every interaction and situation.

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Like a Bear Robbed of Her Cubs

It’s common knowledge that it’s a bad idea to bother bear cubs.  So fierce is the expected retribution that determined and fierce ‘soccer moms’ who seek advantages for their human kids are often called ‘mama grizzlies.’  Normally referring to Himself as male in scripture, God does refer to His love for us and how He feels when we sin in more feminine terms–as a bear robbed of her cubs.

I. Hosea 13:4-8.  With His people falling into spiritual adultery, God has Hosea, in the 8th century BC, take a prostitute for a wife to illustrate how His people’s unfaithfulness hurts Him (Hosea 1:2-3).  Then, in a series of comparisons, God shows His justice as a lion devouring them, His patience as a leopard lurking, and His love and hurt as a bear robbed of her cubs.

II. 2 Samuel 7:12-16.  It is the unfaithful and who drag others away by their unfaithfulness who have robbed God of His cubs–us who strive to be His treasured possession.  And like a true mama grizzly, He is angered and hurt by how we turn away from His commands.  That’s how He loves us!  David desired to build a temple for God, but God said it would be a son who would do this.

III. Romans 8:31-39.  Fulfilled at first in Solomon, we see that this is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus whom He disciplined by the cross.  God’s love was so fierce for His Son … and for us that He had Jesus bear our sins in the punishment that should have been ours.  This love for His people today is so strong and fierce that nothing can separate us from it in Jesus Christ our Lord.

So, we must imagine that our sin has the same effect on God as it did so long ago, that when we are dragged away by it, He is a bear robbed of her cubs.  How fitting that the closest thing on this earth to explaining how He feels towards us is a mother’s love.  Happy Mother’s Day!

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And They Prayed

One hymn we sing brings prayer into a never-ceasing part of our daily lives by asking us four questions:

Ere you left your room this morning, Did you think to pray?

When you met with great temptation, Did you think to pray?

When your heart was filled with anger, Did you think to pray?

When sore trials came upon you, Did you think to pray?

I. Acts 1:1-26.  Told to wait in their time of transition, God’s people prayed.  For about ten days, Jesus’ followers waited for the Holy Spirit to come upon them, and in that time they decided to find a replacement for Judas.  Rather than just picking someone whom everyone liked and might give their group a morale boost after Jesus had ascended, they prayed about it first, and prayer characterized Christians’ lives throughout Acts.  So, we who are waiting for our coming transition to eternity when Jesus returns (Hebrews 9:27-28) ought to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

II. John 14:12-14.  When God’s people don’t inquire of Him, bad things happen (Joshua 9:14-15).  On the other hand, we have record of great encouragement and growth when they do (Acts 4:31).  Jesus invites us to submit to Him in prayer, promising that He’ll do what is within God’s will and not our own (James 4:3-4), so that glory will go to the Father.  It pleases God when we pray without ceasing for ourselves and others to be filled with the knowledge of His will and are saved (Colossians 1:9-10).  But, we have to believe that God will work powerfully through our prayers for His purpose.

III. 1 Timothy 2:1-4.  We have to believe that powerful things will happen when His people pray.  When the Israelites sinned with the golden calf, Moses prayed, recognizing that their only distinction from other peoples in the world, was God’s presence working powerfully in them and through them (Exodus 33:15-17) and God did all that Moses had asked.  We in the New Testament time are told to intercede on behalf of others in all situations and circumstances because God desires all people to be saved.  So, are you praying that the saved may be strengthened and the lost led to Christ?

Jesus’ church today is a continuation of what we can read about twenty centuries ago.  Since prayer was so much a powerful part of their daily lives, shouldn’t we pray without ceasing as well?

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His Delight is in the Law

The person who waits until he’s in the midst of a struggle to turn to God is like the one who doesn’t repair his roof when the sun shines because it isn’t raining.  The rain will come; crises hit our lives like storms.  The question is: are you prepared spiritually to meet them (Psalm 1)?

I. 1 John 2:3-6. The righteous don’t go through this life like the wicked do.  They don’t stand up with sinners nor sit with the scoffers.  Rather their delight is in the law of the Lord.  On this they meditate as they seek His commands (Psalm 119:10-16).

II. Galatians 5:18-24.  Just as a willow tree drinks deeply from a nearby water source, so we must drink deeply from God’s Word.  Just as the righteous and wicked are contrasted in Psalm 1, so they are here.  But, like the deep-drinking willow, we can grow the fruits of the spirit.  Those who don’t are like chaff that is gathered only to burn (Matthew 13:27-30).

III. Matthew 25:41-43.  The wicked will not stand with the righteous in the Judgment, but often they don’t realize they are wicked.  “When did we see you in need?” they ask, but they are guilty of not grasping the opportunities to do good that God has given them.  Instead, the righteous seek first the kingdom and righteousness of the Rock of Ages (Matthew 6:31-33).

Psalm 1 serves as wisdom to guide godly people.  It’s no wonder that Psalms is a favorite book of many.  It gives comfort if you’ve made godly choices and warning if you’ve strayed.

 

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Carried Up into Heaven

Often the gospel is only viewed as Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, but while that is of first importance (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), our salvation could not be possible without the incarnation (the Word becoming flesh and making His dwelling with us) or the ascension.  Several things are possible because Jesus is alive forevermore (Revelation 1:8) and seated at the right hand of the Father.

I. Luke 24:50-53.  Because He ascended, we can have a change of address.  What a beautiful picture it is of the alive Jesus being carried away to the Father.  It’s very similar to the poor man in Luke 16:22.  Both are fully conscious when they ascend, and Jesus tells us He’s going to prepare a place for us (John 14:2-4), something that is done for alive people.  Furthermore, for those who are part of the first resurrection, the second death has no power over them (Revelation 20:6-15).

II. Acts 1:6-11.  Because He ascended, our questions have good answers.  No doubt we live in a time when Christian faith is under attack by scoffers (2 Peter 3:3-4), yet we can give an answer for where our Savior we claim is alive currently is and the work He is doing at the right hand of the Father.  We can also say with certainty that Jesus will indeed return, not to bear sin (He’s already done that), but to bring to the Father those who are eagerly waiting for Him (Hebrews 9:26-28).

III. Hebrews 1:2-4.  Because He ascended, we now have a heavenly advocate.  Jesus told us that unless He went away we would not have certain advantages (John 16:7).  As our High Priest in heaven (Hebrews 8:1-6), He can be a great help to us in our current lives because He was made like us in every way (Hebrews 2:14-18), but He can be a perfect intercessor for us at the Father’s side (Hebrews 7:22-26) as Satan is constantly accusing us before this very throne (Revelation 12:10).

We need Jesus every moment of our lives.  Because He is ascended alive into heaven, our Savior is in a greater position to help us in every need that we have.

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Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

In this greatest of stories, a righteous God redeems sinful man.  In its beginning, man is pitted against God, other men, and himself because of sin and faces an eternity separated from his Creator in hell.  But in the suspense-filled climax, when it looks like Satan has won by putting our Savior on the cross and in the tomb, Jesus rises from the dead, so that we may too!  What a resolution!  It’s no wonder that “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” is one of our most beloved hymns:

Christ, the Lord, is ris’n today, Hallelujah! Sons of men and angels say, Hallelujah! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Hallelujah! Sing, ye heav’ns; thou earth, reply, Hallelujah!

I. John 19:38-30.  As the second stanza states, love’s redeeming work was certainly done (1 John 4:9-10). Never having to face death again, it no longer had mastery over Jesus (Romans 6:9) and so not us either as we are ransomed from our futile ways (1 Peter 1:17-18):

Love’s redeeming work is done, Hallelujah! Fought the fight, the battle won, Hallelujah! Lo! Our sun’s eclipse is o’er, Hallelujah! Lo! He sets in blood no more, Hallelujah!

II. Matthew 27:63-66.  Concern from the Jewish leaders that Jesus’ followers would steal the body and claim that He had risen from the dead prompted them to lie when Pilate eliminated all explanations for the empty tomb except that Jesus had actually risen (Romans 3:21-26):

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Hallelujah! Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Hallelujah! Death in vain forbids His rise, Hallelujah! Christ hath opened paradise, Hallelujah!

III. Luke 24:5-7.  The angel proclaims this fact as well.  We should not look for the living among the dead anymore for Jesus is risen and will never again die (Revelation 1:17-18).  Because He overcame death, so can we.  Death can have no hold on us ever again (1 Corinthians 15:54-57):

Lives again our glorious King, Hallelujah! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Hallelujah! Once He died our souls to save, Hallelujah! Where’s thy vict’ry, boasting grave? Hallelujah!

And that is indeed good news! Having obeyed the gospel, are you living as if Jesus is risen or still in the tomb?

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Should Not Trouble

We want the community to obey the gospel and come into the church, but we don’t want the church to compromise truth and become the culture.  U.S. church attendance has fallen from over 70% around WWII to less than 47% today.  This means that the aging baby boomers (ages 60s through early 80s), who have lived through very challenging societal changes in their decades of life, are the ones filling our pews.  How can the church today hope to grow?

I. Acts 11:19-21.  Antioch saw changes in the church.  Exclusively Jewish in its traditions and knowledge until God opened the door to the gentiles, Jesus’ church was suddenly overwhelmed with believers who had obeyed the gospel but came from a denominational (pagan) and unchurched backgrounds.  Today’s faithful don’t fear opening our buildings to our communities without reason.  During the turbulent ’60s, divisive ’80s, and combative 2000s, the culture deviated from truth while the church held fast but became unrecognizable to each generation.  Sadly, a church that no longer looks like the community it is in soon dies.

II. Acts 15:6-20.  Leaders in Jerusalem told the Antioch church to extend the same grace to those from the outside coming in as God had already given to those who had been in the church.  It was God’s church, not theirs, and He was restoring His fallen tent.  Giving grace means WORK for us as we convert the fallen away, the denominationalists, and the unchurched, who are all products of the current culture we live in.  The easier ways of growth closed off to us, the church must return to the method that worked when it last looked like its communities.

III.  John 15:16-18.  While doing the difficult work of going into our communities and making disciples, we “should not trouble” those escaping the corruption of the world by keeping them from returning to it.  We can extend grace and love as Jesus loves without compromising truth.  If we do this, His church will be forever changed, yes, but it will thrive into the future.