Topical – Page 2 – Gospel Progress

2018-04-16

Cats & Minnows, Dogs & Sows

Just before bed, I sanded the second coat of joint compound on some bedrooms now that we’re empty-nesters. To keep dust from billowing throughout the house, I stapled a plastic sheet between the dining room and the hallway. It also had a second purpose: to keep our cat out of the dust.

That was not to be. When we got out of bed the next morning, we found a very distressed pet covered in white powder meowing on the wrong side of the plastic. Curious, she had nosed her way under the sheet and then found herself unable to exit–much like a minnow would enter a trap.

We were unhappy with her, but because we love her, we got her out and dusted her off. Within minutes of setting her down, though, we were dismayed to find her once again on the other side of the plastic!

As I often do, I saw this as a spiritual illustration. God tries to protect us by giving us clear limits for living our lives, but we rail against the translucent sheet, believing that He is keeping us from worldly ‘fun’ we could be having. Sometimes, we’re just curious. Often we believe that we can just nose under the plastic a little, but a little turns into more until we’re trapped. We cry out for help, and God rescues us, dusts us off, and sets us back to safety. He’s perhaps a bit disappointed that we went past the limits He has set up for us, but He loves us.

But then we do the unimaginable. We return to the very sin that we’ve been saved from. We once more go beyond the plastic and find ourselves covered in white powder. Sometimes we curse ourselves for once more being deceived and think ourselves unloved or incapable of obedience. Often we turn against God, believing Him incapable of keeping us from our situation.

Eventually, we can find ourselves in the situation of those spoken of in 2 Peter 2:19-22:

“… a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”

We must not be a washed sow wallowing once again in the mud or a dog returning to its vomit. Rather, we must submit to our good Father’s limits, knowing they are there for our good. Then we won’t be a minnow caught in a trap — or a dust-covered cat beyond the plastic.

2018-04-06

Who Do You Say I Am?

In our Western culture, we’re used to checklists to remember what items we have to buy at the grocery store or to separate out the tasks we must accomplish at work from who we really are on the weekends! We have even made our Christian walk a checklist of things to do to be right with God and in doing so have connect our heads without our hearts. Christianity is a relationship with the Almighty God, and He wants all of us: heart, soul, mind, and strength.

I. Luke 9:18-22. Peter answered the most essential question. In Matthew 16:16-18, Jesus adds that upon Peter’s confession of Him as Lord and Christ that He would build His church. Peter’s confession became a declaration in Acts 2:36-41 and 3000 obeyed and were added to Jesus’ church that day.

II. Philippians 2:9-11. We all must answer the most essential question. Atheism is temporary as every knee will bow to Jesus as Lord. Even those who ignore or avoid the question are answering it in this life. It is better to confess Him as Lord now while still alive than wait until after death to know the truth.

III. Colossians 2:6-12. As we have received Christ Jesus as Lord, so we are to continue to live in Him. This means that confessing Jesus as Lord is not just words we utter. It goes beyond loving Him from the head; we must love Him from the heart as well: heart, soul, mind, and strength in a close relationship of obedience to Him.

Christianity is what we are, not what we do. We ‘do’ from the belief we hold. We must be ‘all in’ for God, so that our every word and deed shows our answer to the most essential question that Jesus asks each and every one of us: Who do you say I am?

2018-03-28

The Wise Man Built

Having grown up doing a lot of work to cut wood and bring in hay as part of a family, I’ve always been partial to rugged, outdoor clothing–even though now my work is more at a desk rather than stacking brush or throwing bales. I glance at catalogs and shake my head at models dressed in flannels with waterproof boots, completely free of mud and sweat, who look like they’ve never worked physically a day in their lives.

They are a lot like Christians who love to hear the Word of God preached but don’t apply it.

Most have sung “The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock” from Matthew 7:24-27 and at a youth event. There are several principles from this illustration that are important to understand.

I. Both the wise and foolish men were ‘building.’ Both were sincere in picking up the tools and actively engaged in construction. They did not just read a book about house building and agree with the techniques used. They both worked hard and ended up with a place to live. Everything that we say and do–even if we refuse to say and do–we end up with a life, good or bad, that we have built.

II. The distinction between the two men is whether he puts Jesus’ words into practice. Both hear Jesus’ words, but only the wise man applies them to the building of his life, right from the first choice, perhaps the most essential choice: which foundation to build upon. The wise man chose the rock while the foolish one, who probably felt justified and had good excuses, chose sand.

III. The reason we must build well is because the storms of life do come. Notice that nowhere in Jesus’ illustration does he say if the hard rains, the rising streams, and the terrible winds come. They will, and only the wise will be prepared for them. Throughout many years of ministry and in my own life, I have weathered and helped others weather life’s storms. Some houses have fallen with a crash.

So, in your life are you the outdoor catalog model in new clothing, holding an unused axe? Or, are your sleeves rolled up in readiness, your knees dirtied from prayer, and calluses lay across cracked and toughed hands? Are you building? Are you building on the rock? Will your house withstand the storm?

2018-03-26

Run For Your Life!

If your home was on fire and someone shouted, “Run for your life!” you would not stop to ask questions about things that didn’t matter like what was for dinner. Nor would you refuse to leave until you found that biology notebook from high school or stroll leisurely past the fridge to check if you needed to buy milk while you were out. No, “Run for your life!” means that you are singularly focused on the goal of getting to safety. And, unless it is to warn someone else who has not yet heard of the danger, you would not stop for anything.

Spiritually speaking, you must “run for your life!”

I. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20. The first running we must do is running away from sin, specifically sexual immorality. Joseph certainly had opportunity to give in to Potiphar’s wife and reason enough to justify sin: his own brothers had faked his death and sold him into slavery in a foreign land. But, he determined, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Then, as she caught him by his cloak, he left it with her and ran out of the house (Genesis 39:6-12). So we must run for our lives!

II. Galatians 5:7-10. Distractions come often from people or circumstances in our lives. A runner may start off well and then discover a rock in his shoe or have someone point him the wrong way. In the Galatian church(es), some were insisting that they needed to observe the old law and become Jews before they could become Christians. There are many things that may not be sinful but “cut in” on our good race. Sometimes it is people or ideas that point us away from God. Remember that we are running for our lives!

III. Hebrews 12:1-3. To “run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” we must have the goal of heaven ever before us. We are told to fix our eyes on Jesus, who kept the joy of eternity with the Father in view in order to endure the cross, so that we “do not grow weary and lose heart.” Peter had the courage to step out of the boat and walk on the water to Jesus, but as soon as he let his focus slip, he sank (Matthew 14:25-33). With perseverance and eyes fixed, we must run for our lives!

Many struggle with their Christian walk because they do not take the race as seriously as Satan knows it is. Instead of a lion seeking to devour, perhaps he is a lot like the gators beside the race marked out for us. The race is deadly serious. Run for your life!

2018-03-21

Whatever You Do

How do we go through life? At our very worst, we look at every moment to see what we can get from people or circumstances. Often, we just exist, drifting through life without really thinking about life or what our purpose is. At our best, though, we see every interaction as a ‘teachable moment,’ an opportunity to build others up and encourage them to draw closer to God.

I. Colossians 3:1-11. We edify others because of what Christ has done for us. We have to be active about setting our hearts and minds on things above. This means we must reject what is wrong and choose what is right in the transformation process to become like Christ (Ephesians 4:22–5:1).

II. Colossians 3:12-16. Before He went to the cross, Jesus spoke of a time later when those with faith would do greater things than He had done (John 14:12-14) as we are salt and light to the world around us (Matthew 5:13-16). We are to walk as Jesus did (1 John 2:6), edifying others by various actions outlined in this passage.

III. Colossians 3:17. To do something in Christ’s name means to do it by His power and authority, believing wholeheartedly in that power and authority. We believe, repent, and are baptized into the name of Jesus (Acts 2:36-38), so we must say and do ‘whatever you do’ in His name, asking ourselves if Jesus would approve.

Every Christian has been given just a short time on earth to walk as Christ did for those we have influence over. Does every word and action that comes from you build others up and encourage them to draw closer to God? Do you see every person you meet and circumstance you are in as an opportunity for the gospel–or a teachable moment?

2018-03-21

Rethink Your Religion

Recently my wife and I attended a high school musical to support some of her students involved. We asked a teacher selling tickets how it was, and her answer was “It’s so good, it’ll make you rethink your religion.” This drastic measure is similar to the southern expression, “It’s so good, it’ll make you slap your Mama.” Here, the food someone is eating is so delicious that the eater will be forced to strike his mother because her homemade cooking doesn’t compare. While it was not intended to be a personal slight against our faith, ‘religion,’ in the first expression, is recognized as something intensely meaningful to people. And so, to describe how good she considered the show, she said the experience would make us reconsider our core values–even the gospel that brings salvation!

I. Colossians 2:6-23. The postmodern world we live in doesn’t believe in God and so has severed itself from Him and His Word as a standard for our lives. It desperately seeks meaning and purpose and so grabs onto emotion and experience to futilely try to quench that need. Sadly, many churches believe they must infuse their worship with the “hollow and deceptive philosophy” of the world as they have missed the deep and sufficient meaning and purpose in the gospel of Christ.

II. Acts 9:1-22. There is a time to ‘rethink our religion.’ Saul, who became Paul, encountered such a time on the road to Damascus as he was “breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.” When he realized he was persecuting Jesus who not only gives eternal life but a second chance on life, he was baptized and became a powerful preacher in the early church, who was willing to be persecuted for Jesus instead (Philippians 3:10-11).

III. Acts 18:24-28. Complacency or misdirected zeal is another reason to ‘rethink our religion.’ There was no doubt that Apollos was a bold preacher already, but his knowledge was insufficient. After Priscilla and Aquilla took him aside and “explained to him the way of God more adequately,” God used him to debate and prove from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. A similar story happens with those still called “disciples” that Paul encountered that didn’t know about the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7).

Although the acting and musicianship of my wife’s students were superb, we didn’t much care for the worldly message of the musical. The good and enjoyable experience was not enough for us to ‘rethink our religion,’ and we left sad for the wonderful packaging wrapped around ungodly themes but still holding onto our core values of the gospel of Christ. What else could compare to it?

2018-03-16

Sticks & Stones

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me. Anyone who was ever told this old adage by a well-intentioned person after hearing some really hurtful words knows that they are just a tiny bandage on a gushing wound. Words do indeed hurt, hurt right to our heart most times, and God has a lot to say about them and how we should use them.

I. Proverbs 15:1 says this about the nature of words, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” After David and his men had helped to look after Nabal’s sheep while in the wilderness, Nabal’s insulting refusal to allow them to attend the festivities at shearing time caused David to order his men to strap on weapons to seek this fool’s life (1 Samuel 25:10-13). Abigail, Nabal’s wife, however, prepared food and quieted David’s anger with her words (23-31).

II. Ephesians 4:29 reminds us, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” This same passage gives us great examples of what God means by “unwholesome talk,” and we all struggle to control our tongues (James 3:3-9). But, this verse is a great guide for the Christian: say it if and only if it will build the person up according to his needs, benefitting him in some way.

III. In Matthew 12:36, Jesus gives us this harsh reality, “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.” Like most sins, speaking careless words that cut people down, gossip about them, are shouted at them, or are coarse or foolish, make us temporarily feel better but have a devastating eternal consequence. If we choose to live by faith like so many recorded in the Bible, we too will receive what is promised (Hebrews 11:39-40).

Aside from praying for others who may hurt us with their words and seeking opportunities to teach them God’s way from His Word so that their hearts might change, there’s not much we can do to stop them. We can, however, control ourselves and our responses to such people. And if we do, we not only show that Christians live differently than the world does, but we have the promise of eternal life.

2018-02-05

God Sees Our Hearts

Hebrews 4:12-13 (NIV)
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

God sees our hearts. I have heard that phrase uttered to discount deliberate deviation from God’s Word. But most often it is used as an excuse to not try to do His will.

Some people cannot walk into a house without straightening a picture they see crooked on the wall. The homeowner doesn’t shrug and say it was the thought that counted or mutter that he had a level but was too lazy to use it. God sees in what ways our lives are crooked and doesn’t accept our fumbled excuses. Rather, He tells us to “be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” Matthew 5:48.

But there’s grace, we cry out! Sure there is, but we cannot be like the Roman Christians who thought they could keep on sinning so that grace might increase (Romans 6:1). His grace, freely given and possible through the death of God’s Son on the cross, cannot be our excuse to sin.

True worshipers, Jesus tells us, worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). This means that our Christianity cannot just become a checklist and be pleasing to God. Neither, though, can it be just whatever feels good and right. Emotion and experience, in our assemblies or our personal lives, do more to please ourselves than they do God.

In my toolbox I have a plumb line that my dad gave me when I left home. In a world of transits and laser levels, we’ve forgotten how our grandfathers used to build things square. God had the prophet Amos tell His people of the Old Testament before the Assyrians swept through that He was going to set a plumb line among them and spare them no longer. They had the Law to tell them how to live to please Him. “God sees our hearts” was not good enough.

And so we have the plumb line of the Word of God that judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. We may deceive ourselves with our motives and excuses, but nothing is hidden from God. To Him, our heart is laid bare. He knows if we are true worshipers, worshipping Him in spirit and in truth.

We must correct our lives in accordance with the plumb line of His Word because it is true, what we say—God sees our hearts.

[This article will also appear in the next issue of Christ For Today, David Tarbet editor.]

2018-01-11