The Greatest of These is Love - December 22nd, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

Sermon begins with a short clip from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

All the Grinch did was hate. He grumbled and sneered. And especially at Christmas his hate seemed so weird. Anyway, as I was watching this Christmas special not too long ago, I got to thinking that Dr. Seuss sure seemed to know what a hateful person is like. Maybe Dr. Seuss knew someone like the Grinch. Maybe it was his next door neighbor. Maybe his neighbor fussed about all the Christmas decorations. Maybe his neighbor said “happy holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” I don’t know. But one thing I do know is that there sure seems to be a lot of “Grinchy” people in this world today.

It seems like every day we hear stories about anger, hate, vengeance, revenge, and indifference. People are killing people. People are stealing and lying and wounding one another. And many in our society have complete disregard for the life of another person. We are plagued by selfishness, greed, and cynicism. This, it seems, is who we are as a people, as a society; as a nation. At least this is what we are led to believe. And yet if one looks closely they will find a tiny ray of light piercing the darkness of this land. They will find that there is love. And it has not been overcome by the darkness of hate.

When I was in broadcasting, I grew weary of all the negativity in the news. It used to drive me crazy! Death, doom, and gloom was all I ever heard. And that was 25 years ago! The siren song of gloom has grown even stronger and louder today. Yet today, I know better. Today, with eyes fixed on God, I am able to see the love that indifference has tried to smother. With eyes fixed on Jesus, love is indeed easy to be seen; especially the love of God. There is love in this world. We just need to take our eyes off the darkness for a while and start focusing on the love. And I believe that the greatest example of love can be seen during the Christmas season.

I want you to think about the most famous verse of the Bible. Think about what Jesus says in John 3:16. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life". Do you hear what the Savior has said about love? Jesus informs us that God sent His Son to die so that those who believe might have eternal life. God loved us, all of us, so much that He sent His Son to be a sacrifice so that we might have an eternal relationship with Him. God is not against us. God does not hate us. God loves us. He desired that we might be with Him in Heaven forever! And so He takes matters into His own hands and sends His Son to earth (whose birth we celebrate this season), even though this earth is plagued by hate, selfishness, murder, lying, cheating, revenge, greed, and indifference. In spite of this, "God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners" (Romans 5:8); while we didn't know love or even how to love, God sent His love in the form of a tiny babe lying in a manger in Bethlehem.

My friend, I pray that this Christmas season you realize that God does not hate you. He is not looking for ways to destroy you. He's not hoping you mess up just so He can send you to hell. He is not out to get you. He's not waiting to smite you. He is loving you. He is watching and waiting for you to come home. He longs for you. His love for you is so strong that He gave up His Son just so you might find His love, and experience His love for yourself. "This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins" (1 John 4:10).

Love - November 24, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

After serving a group of Christians their lunch one Sunday afternoon, a waitress received this note printed on the merchant's copy of the bill. Because of the size of the party, the suggested tip was 18%. This believer noted that he gave God 10%, and wondered why this waitress should receive more than God. He crossed out the tip, marked it as zero, then made sure he signed the bill as Pastor. Tell me again why the people of this world are rejecting Christianity?

In a world dominated by selfishness, pride, greed, and arrogance, the church has an excellent opportunity to stand out by standing apart from these behaviors. The church has an opportunity to reach people, not just by our words, but by our deeds as well; especially when those deeds are bathed in love.

As we have been looking at Paul's letter to the Roman Christians, we have been looking at various ways a believer should respond to all that God has done for us. Pointing back to verse 1 of chapter 12, Paul continues to teach what a transformed believer should look like. As we have seen, a believer is transformed in the way they see God and in the way they see others. A transformed believer is respectful toward other people, regardless of their status in life. And here, at the end of Romans 13 he says that we are to be transformed into a person who loves others; who looks at the people of this world through the eyes of God. This is a very important text. Our transformation extends beyond our attitude and actions directed toward God, but also in our attitudes and actions directed toward other people as well (read Romans 13:8-14).

Neighbor literally means the second man. We are to love them just as we love ourselves. One has to wonder if the person who has a hard time loving others also has a hard time loving themselves. If that is true, it should change the way we respond to those who hate us. A transformed believer will have the ability to love even those who hate them; not because they are indifferent or oblivious to the hate and animosity, but because they can see past the hate and instead see the person within. As transformed believers, we see their pain. We see their sadness and loneliness. A transformed believer overcomes evil by doing good, but also by choosing love over anger or hate. And what does this love look like? It's not a feeling but a choice to treat others as we want to be treated. It's choosing to recognize the value of another person. It's realizing that they will make mistakes just as we make mistakes. It's choosing to offer the same forgiveness we would want for ourselves. It's treating others with the same dignity we desire. It's looking past our own selfish needs and desires, and instead considering the feelings and the needs of the "second man". Laws cannot change the heart; man’s heart is still selfish and can be changed only by the grace of God. When we practice love, there is no need for any other laws, because love covers it all!

It is important that we allow love to be seen and heard through us because time is running out. Paul not only calls his readers to wake up for their own sake, but for the sake of those still living in darkness. Since the night is almost over, a believer needs to become even more transformed. Like the Roman Christians, we too live in a world that believes in Christ not because of what we say, but because of the way we live. This is why Paul says we are to live decent lives for all to see (verse 13 in the NLT). Think about how different it would be if the people of a church would stop being suspicious of one another. Think of how different it would be for a person of the world to step into a church where there is love; where the people make allowances for one another's mistakes, where selfishness and greed have been replaced with kindness and courtesy and genuine concern for the welfare of others. Think of the difference it would make in this world if the Christian were to live differently than the world.

I understand that this pastor does not represent ALL Christians. And I have also come to understand that there is no law that can change the heart of someone like this (although we can confront them for their obvious disregard for others). However, even though I can't change the heart of someone else, I can do something about my own heart. You can do something about your own heart. You can make the choice to live a life guided by love; a genuine love that does no wrong to neighbor or friend; a life free from selfish ambition or empty conceit (Philippians 2:3). And if we, as a body of believers, can accomplish this together, the world will know that at least in this place and among those gathered in this building, there is love for one another. And together our light will shine in this darkness, and it will not be overcome.

Questions:

Many of us probably realize that we don’t treat others the way we should, and that we don’t love others as we should. We know we need to demonstrate the love of Christ in this world, especially toward those who need it the most. We know that our attitude needs to change, and yet that transformation never seems to happen. What is a Christian to do? How can we learn to love others as we love ourselves?

The answer to these questions will not be found within ourselves. The ability to love others comes not from within, but from above. Paul says that it comes from putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. It comes when we allow our minds to be renewed by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. He is the one who transforms us into the type of person that looks upon others with love.

Christian, here is your answer. If you desire to love others in the way God has commanded, you need to realize that it will come by admitting you can’t, believing that through the Lord, you can, and asking the Lord to transform you into a person who can.

Sanctity of Human Life - November 17th, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

Human life has always been considered sacred, at least from God's perspective, but not from a human perspective. From the world's perspective human life has been and probably always will be viewed as expendable if that other life stands between what the person of this world wants and desires. In ancient cultures, where selfishness and self-preservation ruled, a person felt free to kill another person for no other reason than the other person stood between what the killer wanted or felt they needed. King and tribal leaders, when ascending to the throne, would kill all remaining family members of the former king. At best a person’s disregard for human life only extended beyond their own family. The life of an outsider had little value in ancient cultures.

We do not need to study the history books to learn of this behavior. We can be sure of this disregard for human life simply by looking at the Bible. We can see this in the stories. We can see this when God calls the people of Israel together as well. When God calls Israel out of the world, He instructs them to begin acting in ways contrary to the rest of the world. They were to be His holy people - set apart from all the rest. Several of God's commands to the people of Israel concerned the taking of life, be it on purpose (murder) or accidental (killing). God clearly commanded that His people look at His people through His eyes, for the Lord has said, "Look, every life belongs to Me. The life of the father is like the life of the son—both belong to Me" (Ezekiel 18:4).

As Christ walked the earth He demonstrated just how valuable everyone is to God. He demonstrated dignity and concern even toward those the world would not - even those the world would cast aside. So as His followers, it seems appropriate that we would share that same view; that everyone’s life has value and worth. As a follower of Christ a Christian's actions and attitudes toward another human being should stand apart from the attitudes of the world. The people of the world should be shocked at just how much different our attitudes are when compared to their own. Like David's grace, love, and concern extended to Mephibosheth, our grace, love, and concern for all people should become the talk of the town. It should cause people to stand up and take notice.

Today on the front lawn of the church there stands 3,300 flags - a memorial to the babies aborted each day in the United States. This becomes one more testimony of how indifferent the world still is toward human life. Now, not all abortions are performed out of hate for the child or because the pregnancy was unwanted or inconvenient. But many of them are. The option of abortion has become a way to keep a person's life from being inconvenienced or interrupted. A baby's life is terminated for no other reason than it is simply not wanted. Truly nothing has changed in this world. One human life is often sacrificed so another human life can get what it wants. Nothing has changed, except maybe the witness of the church.

In ancient Ephesus, archeologists have uncovered a section of the city known as the "Baby Dump". In that pagan society unwanted newborn babies were thrown away. Some were rescued by slave traders, raising the child until they were old enough to be sold. But Christians, oh those wonderful Christians! They would visit the dump, rescue the babies, and adopt them as their own. Perhaps this is why Paul wrote "God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 1:5). Just as God saw value in us while we were still sinners, the Christians were seeing value in those whom the world would throw away.

In order to justify itself, the world has tried to determine when life begins. But rather than getting caught up in the debate, maybe we just need to start realizing that life does not begin at conception but rather that there is life at conception. The seed of a man and the seed of a woman are not dead when they combine, but fully alive. A new life is not created, but life is recreated. The chromosomes combine completely alive and another human begins to form - an extension of mother and father. If the world wants to debate anything it should be when this recreated life gains consciousness. But let's stop debating about whether it is alive. The child has always been alive.

Here's where the real problem lies. The problem is not whether we are pro-choice or pro-life. The problem facing the church today is how to respond to the abortion epidemic. Unlike the church at Ephesus, babies today are killed before they are thrown away. It’s difficult to adopt what is not alive. And we just have not been able to convince people to keep the baby full term because of how easy abortion has become. Truthfully I see a need not to create a new law or repeal an old one, but a need to preach Christ.

What can the Church do to stop abortions? The answer is found not in protesting abortion clinics, but in being a witness for Christ. This is the greatest need facing the world today. The world needs Jesus. And perhaps just as important, the world needs to see Jesus in you and me. Rather than making someone feel guilty about their choice, maybe we need to help them make the most important choice of their life, and that is to choose Jesus. He is the hope they need. He is the hope these innocent babies need. He alone can change the heart of someone, and transform them into someone who makes a choice for life.

The little flags on the front lawn should become a wakeup call to the church, not to judge the world for its blatant evil and disregard for human life, but to realize the great need to preach Christ to those still living in darkness. Those little flags should stir the church to action, not to protest or complaining, but to evangelism. The flags testify that our work in this world is not done. They become a testimony that there are far more important things we need to be doing in this world than balancing a budget or printing bulletins or identifying who is a sinner and who is not. For the sake of the baby not yet conceived we need to share Jesus with the people of this world who don't know Jesus. Then, when Christ transforms their heart they will not need some law to tell them what to choose, for guided by the Lord Himself, they will choose life.

Respect - November 10th, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

I have no clever stories this morning or funny illustrations to help you understand what the Lord is saying in His word. I don't believe I have to say too much to help you get the point Paul is trying to make in Romans 13. I doubt you need much help making a personal application to these words. I am sure some of you will be deeply offended by what Paul says, and will even question whether it applies to us today. It will make some of you angry this morning. Yet this is the Word of God. And as believers we are to be people living under the authority of God's Word. So our obedience to what is said today becomes a test of our commitment to God and His Word.

Here are Paul’s words from Romans 13:1-7. Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

Did you get that? Read it again and see if it doesn’t smack you up alongside the head. Read it a second time and see if it doesn’t convict you about what you recently posted on Facebook. Read it a third time and tell me that you have no twinge of guilt; no feelings of shame. Read it a fourth time then confess your sin. I know I had to. In my heart there was clear disobedience to this command.

These verses from Romans 13 confront our habits. They challenge our behaviors. They cut to the very core of who we are as people; as Americans. After all, we have a constitutional right, don’t we? We have the Freedom of Speech! Yet here is Paul trying to take that away from us; telling us that we are not to be acting in this way; telling us that we should not be critical nor criticize those in authority over us, even going so far as to say we should submit to those in authority, pray for those in authority, and that when we do disobey those in authority we are rebelling against God.

Isn’t there some way we can just skip over this or discredit these words? Can’t we reason them away? Unfortunately we can’t. There are no loopholes here. Oh I know we would be tempted to make excuses. We might be tempted to say that Paul had no idea how corrupt and ungodly our government is today. Yet if you study the history of the Roman Empire at the time Paul wrote these words we will find not one single king or emperor professing Christianity. The Roman authorities at this time were all theoretical or practical atheists. Many abused their positions of leadership. They exercised corrupt power. The world government at that time was even worse than our government is at this time. And at least we have the freedom of election. The common person in Paul’s time had no say in who would rule. So to say things are worse today is not an accurate excuse. It’s an argument that just will not stick.

Students of the Bible will obviously want to point out what Peter and John told the Jewish religious authorities. When told to stop speaking in Jesus name Peter replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:19-20). So doesn’t this negate what Paul said here in Romans? Doesn’t that throw Paul’s command out the window? This argument does not stick as well, for Peter, years after this event with the Jewish authorities, will write, “For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority—whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right” (1 Peter 2:13-14).

So, how is a Christian to respond when government authorities demand we compromise our Christian beliefs? What is a believer to do when laws are passed that take away the freedom to practice the Christian faith? What do we do when the government demands we stop speaking in the name of Jesus? These verses in Romans 13 point back to what Paul said at the beginning of chapter 12 - to be a living sacrifice. We are to be transformed in the way we respond to God and in the way we respond to others. And that includes those in authority over us. We need not agree with what the authorities think or feel, but as Christians we must be respectful, treating one another with dignity and love. And Paul is simply reminding us that that same degree of respect and dignity we show to others extends to those in authority as well.

Is this hard? You bet it's hard! All around us people are criticizing those in authority. We hear it every single day - on television, on the radio, at work, at school, and in the market place - people criticizing people. And it is so tempting to get caught up in their leadership bashing. But although this might be the way of the world, it is not to be the way of a Christian. As a matter of fact, Christians are called to pray for those in leadership (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

There is no contrast between what Paul says here and what the Apostles said to the Jewish authorities. Peter and John were respectful in their response. They didn't call the Sanhedrin a bunch of idiots. They didn't start criticizing the authorities once they were out of jail. They didn't go back home and start a political smear campaign. They went back home after being arrested and beaten for healing a lame man in Jesus name, and prayed. They prayed for more courage. They prayed for boldness. The issue was not that the government was against them, but that God was using the present government to strengthen the church; to test the level of their commitment. And when they prayed this way, the house in which they were staying was shaken.

Christian, you have the same duty. By calling yourself a Christian you have forfeited your rights and privileges. You have become the Lord's servant. We no longer have the right to treat others any way we choose. And that extends toward those in government authority. We can disagree with their decisions. We can choose to disobey their commands if they demand we compromise our Christian beliefs. But we cannot spew poisonous venom. We cannot be disrespectful. We cannot instigate a riot of hate. We are to be instruments of God's love and peace. We are called to make a difference in this world; to not be conformed to this world but transformed by God. We are not to be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Of course the Bible is not silent about those who are in leadership. Christ Himself told the Apostles to lead not as the Gentiles do, but in following the example He had given them (Luke 22:25). Even husbands and wives are to submit to God's instructions in the roles He has ordained. So let's not make this passage in Romans the only viewpoint on the subject. Christians who find themselves in positions of leadership have a responsibility to lead according to God's standard. Likewise, Christians beneath those in authority have a responsibility to follow according to God's standards. Our responsibility to live as a Christian should be greater than any rights or privileges granted us by humanity.

What does all of this mean? It means that we are still people in need of a Savior. It means we are still a people needing to be transformed. It means we need His grace new each and every day. For this attitude of criticism and scorn and abuse directed toward others, whether they deserve it or not, is an indication of our fallen human nature overcoming the Spirit nature birthed in us by our faith in Jesus Christ. Forgive us Father for our hateful, disobedient attitudes directed this day toward those in authority over us. Instead, Father, guide us to live as you desire - showing respect and treating everyone with the same dignity we desire they show to us.

The Naked Disciple - November 3rd, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

Everyone seems to make such a fuss about their calling.  I remember the stress I faced in high school when asked what I was going to do with the rest of my life.  I remember taking these aptitude tests; exams designed to help you choose a career path.  After one test the school guidance counselor called me to her office to discuss my results.  She said I needed to practice saying "do you want fries with that"?

Anyway, we kind of do the same thing in the church.  We start asking one another about God's will.  We ask senior high students about whether they know God's will for their life.  We have people take Spiritual Gift tests so they can learn how the Spirit has gifted them.  And while these exams mean well, they have a tendency to leave a person saying, "Okay, now what?  So I have the gift of hospitality.  How should I use this?"  And even more importantly, where should I use this?  And I really think that's the bigger question here.  I mean, it doesn't take someone very long to learn that they are pretty good at something or really enjoy doing something.  And a Spiritual Gift inventory will help someone understand that God has also equipped them to serve the Kingdom in a unique way.  But none of this answers the question of where.  Where should I serve?  Where should I be using my gifts, talents, and passions?  "Lord, where would you have me go"?  This, of course, would be our calling; God calling us to do something of significance for the Kingdom of Heaven.

Wouldn't it be nice if God would clearly say "Go here and do this"?  It would be like God saying "Your mission Jim, if you choose to accept it", and then we would be given clear instructions (of course, the tape would self-destruct in 5 seconds).  I mean, He did it for people in the Bible.  Why can't He do it for you and me?  He did it for Jonah.  "Go to Nineveh and preach" (Jonah 1:2).  From all of His followers Jesus calls out twelve for special leadership (Luke 6:13).  And what about Barnabas and Paul.  God called them out of Antioch as missionaries (Acts 13:2). 

So maybe you’ve been wondering if God would call you.  And if He would, where would He send you?  What great and glorious thing might God call you to do for the Kingdom of Heaven?  But what if He doesn't call?  What if God says, “Ask them if they want fries with that”?  What if God does not call you out somewhere, but instead sends you home, just like the Lord did to the naked disciple?

In Luke chapter 8 we meet a man who was demon possessed and lived among the tombs in the land of Gerasene.  This was a Gentile territory on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.  In the story the Lord drives out many demons from this man and cast them into a herd of pigs.  The pigs, now demon possessed, run down a steep bank, jump in the lake, and drown.  This, of course, caught the attention of the townsfolk, who rush out to the area to see what is going on (read Luke 8:35-39).

The first thing that catches my attention in this story is how Jesus tells this man that no, he can't come with them.  Really?  Why can't he come with Jesus like all the other disciples?  And why send this man away yet allow Mary Magdalene tag along?  I mean, put yourself in this man's shoes.  How would you feel if Jesus told you to go on home?  I'd have thoughts like, "Maybe I'm not good enough to be traveling with the in crowd.  Maybe Jesus sent me home because I didn't grow up in church.  Maybe Jesus sent me away because of my past."  If I were this man I'd probably be reminding myself that I should simply be grateful that He freed me from bondage and stop having these lofty ideas about being His servant.  I mean, I'm not someone significant or important.  I didn't walk on the water.  I was simply healed.

Now, I know this is what would go through my mind.  Because I was not able to serve in the way I wanted, I would take this as the Lord rejecting me for some reason.  Yet this man did not.  Luke says he did as he was told.  He went back home and did as Jesus had commanded.

The lesson we need to learn here is that when it comes to being the Lord's servant, a person needs to be prepared for how the Lord calls them to serve.  We might have ideas and visions of our own.  We might imagine glorious things.  We determine in our own minds what a successful calling looks like and then measure our life based upon those standards.  And when these things don't materialize, we draw the conclusion that apparently we just don't measure up; that the fault is ours.  But in reality it is simply that Jesus had something else in mind.

The point is this: each of us, as a believer, has a purpose and a calling in the Kingdom of Heaven.  The problem is whether this calling lives up to our expectations.  We expect one thing, but the Lord gives us something different.  It's not because we are less valuable or not good enough, but because it is all part of the Lord's plan.  He has a purpose in mind when He sends us and to where He sends us.  And, as in the case of this former demon possessed man, He may even send us back home.  Not out in the mission filed.  Not to pastor a church.  Not even to teach a Sunday school class or lead a Bible study.  He sends us home and calls us to tell our family and our neighbors what great things God has done for us.  It's not a glorious calling.  It won't make us famous.  But it does fit within God's plan.

Before I end, I want you to notice something in this story.  Did you notice how the people reacted to Jesus?  After witnessing the miracle of this healed man, the people asked Jesus to leave.  They were afraid.  They wanted Jesus gone.  And it was to these very people that Jesus sent the healed man.  “Go back to those people who are afraid of Me, those people who ran Me out of town, and talk to them about Me”, the Lord says.  Now we might think this man would accomplish nothing; that his calling would be pointless and meaningless.  Yet if we jump ahead a few months we see Jesus returning to this region (Matthew 15:29-31).  Only this time a great multitude came to Him bringing people who were crippled, blind, mute, and sick in many different ways.  And when Jesus healed these people the crowd glorified the God of Israel - this, from the same people who had earlier chased Him.  What changed?  I believe it was this former demon possessed man who, out of obedience, went back home and did as Christ had commanded.

My friend, don't ever think that where the Lord sends you or how He calls you is insignificant.  If your calling does not measure up to your expectations you are still contributing to the work of the Kingdom, just contributing according to the Lord’s plans.  In order to accomplish His will, the Lord will ask us to serve Him today in ways that do not make sense.  And there are times He will send us to places where we think it will not make a difference.  Instead of calling us out of town, He will send us right back to that school or job or career asking us to faithfully serve right where we are.  In order to accomplish His will tomorrow, the Lord asks us to stay where we are today.  In light of this I think we need to straighten up the notion that doing the Lord's will requires climbing in a boat and traveling to some distant place just to tell others about Jesus.  No, most of the time we are simply called to become like the naked disciple - people who remain right where they are and tell the whole town about Jesus.

Therefore, remain steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; knowing that your labor in His name is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Genuine - October 27th, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg


A couple's garage was piled high with duck decoys, fishing rods, hunting boots, waders and outdoor gear of all kinds.  Staring at the mess, the wife sighed, "I hope I die first so I don't have to get rid of all this." "Look on the bright side," the husband said, "If I go first, you can put an ad in the paper. When all the men come by to check out the gear, you can pick out a replacement for me."  Looking at the pile the wife said, "No, any guy who would want all this stuff would not be my type."

Ouch.  This is one of those couples that you meet from time to time.  There is obviously no love in the relationship.  And you wonder what they saw in one another in the first place.  If there is any love at all it must be a fake.  Love does not tear down.  Love does not belittle.  Love considers the feelings of others.  At least authentic love is like this.  But too often the world presents a love that is counterfeit; a poor copy of the real thing; a hypocritical love that pretends to be about the other person but is really self-focused and self-centered.  Sadly, even some Christians have bought into the world’s version of love and rejected God’s standard of love.
As the apostle Paul spoke about being transformed, he not only called his readers to be transformed in the way they loved God, but also in the way they loved one another (Read Romans 12:9-21).

Paul illuminates what genuine love looks like in this section; the kind of love seen in the person who has been transformed.  As Christians we must remember that our relationship with other people is just as important to God as our relationship with Him.  Most of the Ten Commandments speak about our relationship with others.  When asked which of the commandments was the greatest, Jesus responded by saying, “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).  And Paul says that our love is to be genuine toward fellow believers (verses 9-16) and toward the people of this world (verses 17-21).  To really love someone is to be transformed into a person who sees others in this way.

Paul, in his great theological discourse known as Romans, elevates authentic love to equal importance with our authentic relationship with God.  “Therefore” says Paul at the beginning of this chapter.  “And so”, in light of all that God has done for us, a believer should give themselves as a living sacrifice.  As Sons of the Father we are to let no unwholesome word proceed from our mouth (compare Ephesians 4:29).  Our conduct toward other people, be they fellow Christians or our enemies, is so important in God’s eyes that we can even grieve the Holy Spirit by the way we treat one another (Ephesians 4:30).  Therefore, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32). “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.  Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:12-17).

There is a strong call in this section of Romans to be kind, considerate, and patient with fellow believers; something seldom seen nowadays.  What Christians today have forgotten is that by becoming a believer we are to be transformed.  We are to forfeit our freedom to behave like the rest of the world.  As authentic Christians who possess an authentic love, we no longer have the freedom to criticize, slander, lie, or speak a foul word to or about any another person.  We lost the freedom to criticize another believer behind their back.  We have no rights or privileges to speak slanderously about someone or to someone.  We lost that freedom when we called Jesus Lord.  At least we should have lost this freedom.  This is what should happen to the Christian who has allowed the Lord to transform them.

Sometimes it seems that we Christians take too lightly the Lord's command to love one another.  “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).  This is the one single thing that separates a Christian from the rest of the world.  Non-Christians feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the sick, work for peace, give to charities, and care for the environment.  So a Christian cannot point to these deeds as evidence of our faith, for those without faith do these as well.  But the one single thing that stands a believer apart from the world is the humble, loving way a believer treats those who hurt him, those who are against him, those who have wronged him, and those who are his enemies.  A believer is easily identified by a peaceful, forgiving spirit: one that keeps no record of wrongs and that makes allowances for other people's mistakes, and that understands people will have a bad day from time to time.

You can certainly tell when a husband and wife are not getting along by the way they treat one another, what they say about one another, and what they say to one another.  The same can be said about the Church.  What do you think this community might say about us as they observe the way we treat one another, or listen to what we say about one another?  Do you think the people in this community might see us as hypocrites?  Or do they see that we possess genuine love?

Transformed - October 20th, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

Once upon a time there was a shepherd tending his sheep at the edge of a country road. Suddenly a brand new Cadillac Escalade screeches to a halt next to him. The driver, a young man dressed in a fancy suit gets out and asks the shepherd, "If I can guess how many sheep you have, will you give me one of them?" The shepherd looks at the young man, then looks at the sprawling field of sheep and says, "Okay." So the young man connects his notebook and wireless modem, enters a NASA site, scans the ground using his GPS, opens a database filled with algorithms, and then prints a report on his high tech mini printer. When finished he turns to the shepherd and says, "You have exactly 1,586 sheep here." The shepherd answers, "That's correct! You can have your sheep." So the young man takes one of the animals and puts it in the back of his vehicle. However, the shepherd looks at him and asks, "If I guess your profession, will you pay me back in kind?" The young man answers, "Sure." So the shepherd says, "You’re a consultant." "That’s exactly right! How did you know?" asks the young man. "Oh, that’s simple," answers the shepherd. "First, you came here without being called. Second, you charged me a fee to tell me something I already knew. And third, you don't understand anything about my business . . . and I'd really like to have my dog back."

There is something the shepherd says in this story that really stands out to me, and that is the phrase, “Pay me back in kind”. Often we see the words “payback” in a negative way. The Bible teaches us to “Love our enemies”, “Never repay evil for evil, or “Pray for those who persecute you”. But what if we looked at this from a positive viewpoint. What about those who love us. What about those who are kind and merciful toward us. How should we repay them? How should we payback those who have done so much for us? Should we not “Pay them back in kind”?

I suspect many of us would agree that this is true. But what of God. How should we repay Him for all the blessings He has given us? How should we repay the greatest gift of love—the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross? What can we give back to God for His gift of Salvation? Is there anything we can give Him for all that He has done for us? Now, although we might be tempted to say there is not, the Bible says that there certainly is.

There is a huge gap between knowing God and living as a godly person; a gap many Christians never seem to cross. Content to merely know, many never transition into the kind of Christian who puts their faith into practice. James has said “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). Without action, all the faith in the world is useless (compare James 2:20). Paul talks about this as well in Romans 12 (read Romans 12:1-8).

It is good that we have accepted the fact that we are sinners in need of a Savior. And it is commendable that we have accepted the Man God sent to save. We have believed in our heart and confessed with our mouth that Jesus is Lord. And because of our conviction and confession, God accepts us as His child. We are reborn. Knowing this Paul says “and so” (or “therefore”), indicating that there should be a proper response to all we have learned. And he says that this knowledge should not just remain in our mind. We are to respond to this knowledge. And the proper response to this new birth is transformation; a transformation of the mind, heart, body, and soul.

Romans Chapter 12 talks about living in a way that honors the Lord. It does not talk about living in a way that earns God’s love or earns salvation. Paul has already dismissed the idea of a works-based salvation. But he does stress that as a believer the appropriate response to what God has done is to become His transformed servant; to give all of ourselves back to God.

Paul says that we are to give Him our bodies. They become a living sacrifice. And this is not just merely what we do to our bodies, but what we do with them. A genuine believer recognizes that God is worshiped not just by singing His praises but also in what we do. We submit to His standard of physical holiness, not to earn salvation, but to honor His name. Paul also says that we are to give God our minds. We are to transform the way we think, not just about God or about ourselves, but about other people. We are to see others as God sees them. We are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us so that that world might regard us as God’s children (Matthew 5:44-45). ‎If the world controls your thinking, you are a conformer; if God controls your thinking, you are a transformer. And finally Paul says we are to give Him our heart, or perhaps better described as “who we are as a person”. We each have different skills and passions. We all have unique talents. And Paul says that we are to take these and offer them back to God so they might be used to strengthen His Kingdom.

If our conversion has been genuine, there should be a noticeable difference in the way we live, in what we do, and how we serve the Lord. But as I said at the beginning, this is a transition that is quite rare nowadays. Far too often we will meet Christians who have only ever given God their soul. There is faith, but there is no transformation. And I sometimes wonder about the person who withholds so much of themselves from God. It just doesn’t seem to make sense to me. God gets so much and no more. And we are left to wonder if they do truly love God. I wonder if God will eventually cut them off because they bear no fruit (compare John 15:2). I wonder if these are the people who cry out “Lord, Lord”, but will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven (compare Matthew 7:21)? I don’t know for sure, but if this were me I would certainly take God’s warning seriously and start getting busy becoming a transformed Christian.

If your conversion has truly been genuine, you will want to give something back to God, thanking Him for all that He has done for you. Knowing that there is no condemnation from God, that nothing can separate you from God’s love, and that He has adopted you into His family even though you were an outsider, you are naturally going to feel affection for God. You will wonder how you can ever repay such blessings. Those who seem content to merely know the path might say that His is a gift you can never repay, so simply receive it with thanks. But those who have walked the path (those like Paul) will tell you that there is something you can do; something God does desire from you in response to these rich blessings. And that is to allow yourself to be transformed; to give Him not just your heart, but your mind, your talents, your gifts, and your bodies. What does God desire from those He has redeemed? He desires that we begin demonstrating our love for Him by giving back to Him in kind; that we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, giving Him our heart, body, soul, and mind.

What this kind of life looks like is discussed in the rest of this chapter. We will explore this next week.

Adopted - October 6th, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

When the doctor asked Chuck about what he did yesterday, he told him about his day: "Well, yesterday afternoon, I waded across the edge of a lake, escaped from a bear in the woods, marched up and down a mountain, stood in a patch of poison ivy, crawled out of quicksand, and jumped away from an aggressive rattlesnake." Inspired by his story, the doctor exclaimed, "Chuck, you must be an awesome outdoorsman!" "No," Chuck replied, "I'm just a lousy golfer."

People have a tendency to draw the wrong conclusion about someone who is Jewish as well. They assume that since they are Jewish they must not be a believer. But this simply is not true. Most of the first Christians were Jewish. Peter and James and John and the Apostle Paul were quite Jewish. Barnabas was a Jewish Priest. Even today there are a large number of people who are Jewish (by birth) who are born again Christians. So just because someone has a Jewish heritage does not mean they are unbelievers. And neither has the Church replaced Israel. The promises God made to the nation of Israel have not been redirected to the Church because Israel refused to accept Jesus as the Messiah. This simply is not true as well. But it seems that some Christians in the Roman Church felt this was true, which is why Paul corrects their theology in Romans 11.

Corporately, Israel rejected their Messiah. As the Nation of Israel, Jesus was rejected as the promised Messiah. However, individually many Jews accepted Him. They were the Jewish believers who became part of the early Church. But because the Nation rejected Jesus as Messiah, God chose to dispense His grace to the other people in the world. He permitted Himself to be found by a people (Gentiles) who were not looking for Him. In other words, those individuals who believe in their hearts and confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord will be adopted into the family of God. They don’t become a new family, but are adopted (or grafted in, as Paul describes it). The church does not replace Israel. God has declared this. “I am as likely to reject my people Israel as I am to abolish the laws of nature!” (Jeremiah 31:36).

Part of the problem here is that the Church then and even today has difficulty in understanding the difference between the promise to Israel as a nation, and the offer of grace to individuals. Israel is the nation of the covenant. We Gentiles are offered to become adopted into the covenant. We become part of the family of God because of our faith in Jesus. Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders. You were called “uncircumcised heathens” by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts.  In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:11-13).

The lesson we need to learn from this is one of humility. We Gentile Christians need to be grateful for the grace God has granted us through Christ. And we need to be respectful to our step sister – the nation of Israel. She is the child of the covenant. We, as the church, are the adopted ones. As Gentile Christians we possess an individual salvation. We have received promises from God on a personal level. But the nation of Israel alone is the only nation that God has promised never to abandon. The promise God made in 2 Chronicles 7:14 is for Israel alone. No other nation can claim, “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land”. America, along with all the other nations of this world, will one day fall. Israel will not because this is what God has declared.

We might wish that God would give the same blessing to America that He has given to Israel, but He has not. He has extended His blessings to us. He has not written a new covenant for America. God established His covenant with Israel, and people like you and me can become part of that covenant by placing our faith in Christ. God’s covenant has not changed, only the way it is given has changed. In Old Testament times the covenant was written on two stone tablets. In New Testament times it is written on the hearts and minds of those who believe.

The relationship between God and the Gentiles and God and Israel is similar to the story of the Prodigal Son. It was the Prodigal who understood the Father’s love and grace. The older brother did not, and remained distant and aloof. Yet one day it seems Israel will see and believe what the Gentiles already know. When Christ returns, Israel will see their Savior. And this time they will believe. Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died (Zechariah 12:10). This is why the Church must never develop a sense of arrogant superiority over the nation of Israel simply because WE accepted Jesus as Lord and they did not. We must be grateful and humble and respectful toward the nation of Israel. The blessings and promises of God have been extended to us through her. And what we, the Church, know today, Israel will know tomorrow. The Older Son will learn tomorrow what the Prodigal learned yesterday.

Hearing - September 29th, 2013 sermon

By Pastor Greg

To know love and to feel loved; to know and believe that you have value and worth as a person. This is the desire of every heart. We all long to feel loved and valued. We all long to know that our life has purpose and meaning. Some people seek to find fulfillment in personal relationships. Many people turn to religion to find value and worth. And in Christianity a person who is thirsty for love and value and purpose and significance can find their deepest longings fulfilled when they believe in their hearts that Jesus is Lord and confess faith in the promises of God. Only in Christianity will you find that, “nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). But as beautiful as this promise is, many reject it. Many refuse to accept it. Their reasons vary, but many people chose to remain thirsty; still longing for the desires of their heart while the answer is right in front of them.

For those who have tasted the glorious things of God, it is hard to believe that someone would refuse. It makes no sense at all, which is exactly the way the Apostle Paul feels about his fellow countrymen. He just can’t understand why many Jews refuse to believe that their Savior had come. It is this lament that Paul talks about in Romans 9, 10, & 11. In chapter 9 he points out that the Jews have a long history of rejecting God. And in chapter 10 he points out that instead of believing in God’s promises they believed in God’s rules and regulations. The Jews were striving to make themselves right with God when in reality all God was asking for was faith.

As Paul talks about this rejection, he asks several questions. Maybe someone asked him these question. Maybe it was an issue within the Roman Church. I mean, if I were a Gentile Christian and learned that God had already revealed Himself through the Jewish people, I too would wonder why these people did not accept Jesus as their Messiah. My mind would be filled with a ton of questions. So to answer them, Paul writes to these Gentile Christians in Rome with his answers. And we’ve heard some of the questions already. “Did the Jews need a Savior”? Absolutely, says Paul. Everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. “Maybe the Jews were right with God because they followed His rules”. Not at all, says Paul. It has been and still is faith which makes a person right with God. And in this next section we hear another question the Gentile Christians must have been asking (Read Romans 10:14-21).

The question apparently asked was, “Did the Jews hear and understand the message of faith”? Absolutely, says Paul. They heard and understood, yet chose not to believe. And God knew they would choose not to believe (Isaiah 53:1). God continually called the people of Israel to first believe in their heart then follow His commands. Yet they refused. Many of the Jews simply went through the motions, or worse. Some even ignored the commands of God; simply believing that they were right with God because they were born a Jew. And in light of this, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah that He would permit Himself to be found by the Gentile nations because Israel continued to rebel (Isaiah 65:1-2).

What did all of this mean to the Gentile Christian’s in Rome? That’s what Paul discusses in the next chapter. But what does this mean to you and me today? Is there a lesson here that we need to hear? Absolutely. Perhaps the most important lesson for a believer is found in verses 14-15 – the idea of being sent.

It seems to me that our society has missed the main point in Paul’s command here. Even the Church has a tendency to miss the point. Paul is not talking about the professional minister here. The idea of telling others about the Good News is not limited to only those who have been professionally trained and skilled and called. Maybe it’s because some translations use the word preacher in verse 14. This word is not a title used to describe a person, but a verb used to describe an action. Notice that Paul merely speaks of being sent to proclaim, not called to lead. This is a significant difference. Some are called to lead. All are sent to proclaim.

This idea of being sent to proclaim is easily seen in the demon possessed man from Gerasene. In Luke 8:26-37 we meet a demon possessed man who lived among the tombs. This is the story of where Jesus cast the demons into a herd of pigs. Once healed, this naked disciple, now in his right mind, wants to travel with Jesus and the apostles. But instead Jesus sends him back home with the command to, “describe what great things God has done for you.” So he (the man) went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.” Jesus did not call the man to be a leader, but He did send Him to proclaim; to preach. And this man faithfully obeyed.

This story takes on greater significance when we realize the affect his telling had on those who heard him. Sometime later Jesus again travels to the region (compare Matthew 15:29-31). However, rather than chase Jesus away like they had done earlier, Matthew says that many came to Him. They glorified God because the lame, the sick, the blind, and the mute were healed by Jesus. And the difference in the crowd is because this former demon possessed man went back home proclaiming Jesus as the Christ.

One important truth we must remember is that God calls a few to specific leadership responsibilities within the Church. But He sends everyone to preach the Good News. And we do not preach only within the walls of a church building. We can proclaim this Good News no matter where we are or what we are doing. A person need not become a set apart minister in order to share the gospel. As a matter of fact, a person is probably more effective when they proclaim this Good News right at home; right where they live or work.

Our responsibility is to go and tell. Sure, not all who hear will believe. But that doesn’t mean we stop telling. And neither should we delegate the telling to only a few individuals. All have been sent to preach; to proclaim what great things Jesus has done. Wherever we are sent, we must tell others about the wonderful things that God has done. We do not know what will happen WHEN they hear the Good News. But we do know that they must at least hear it.

Belief - September 22nd, 2013 sermon

By Pastor Greg

There’s a good chance we all know someone who has extraordinary passion. Some are passionate about becoming the best athlete. Others are passionate about a talent, or becoming rich and famous. Most people seem passionate about something. The video I just showed asks the question about whether we will decide to become passionate about the Kingdom of Heaven; passionate about serving, worshiping, speaking, and living for Christ. And I would echo that call. Why do we live as ordinary Christians instead of striving to be extraordinary Christians? Why can’t we show the same passion and zeal for Christ that we do for the other things of life? Yet with that passion and zeal, we must be careful that it is not misplaced. If we are going to passionately believe something, that belief must be directed in the Truth.

Misplaced passion (or zeal) was something that had plagued the Jews for a long time. When they returned from Babylonian captivity, they no longer struggled with idol worship. They learned their lesson. Their faith transformed, they became quite passionate in following all of God’s commands. They even came up with a few of their own. Yet this passion for God was misdirected and misunderstood. Many Jews, especially the Pharisees, felt that following all of God’s Laws and commands would earn God’s love and earn them eternal life. And just like the wealthy ruler we meet in Mark 10:19, many Jews believed that they would gain eternal life because they did not murder, did not commit adultery, did not steal, did not lie or cheat, and honored their father and mother. But in spite of all that passion and zeal, they had missed God’s lesson in Micah 6:6-8. “What can we bring to the LORD? What kind of offerings should we give him? Should we bow before God with offerings of yearling calves? Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins? No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”. The Jews were passionate about God, but searched for righteousness in the wrong way.

When Jesus began teaching, He often scolded the most religious for their misplaced passion. Talking to the religious leaders Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me” (John 5:39). And what He meant was that following a long list of rules and commands will not bring salvation. Salvation was not far from them. Salvation was right in front of them, yet they refused to accept the truth and be saved.

The Apostle Paul used this example to teach a valuable lesson to the Roman Christians. A person might believe something quite passionately, but they just might be passionately wrong. In Chapter 10 of Romans he teaches that being religious will not save anyone; that making up our mind to follow a long list of rules is not the method to gain salvation (Read Romans 10:1-13).

Quoting from Deuteronomy 30, Paul reminds his readers that even Moses understood that getting right with God begins in the heart (by faith), not by obeying a list of Laws and commands. Moses argued that the Jews had no reason to disobey the Word of God because it had been clearly explained to them and it was not far from them. In fact, Moses urged them to receive the Word in their hearts (see Deuteronomy 5:29; 6:5–12; 13:3; 30:6). It is the same with the Gospel of Christ. The Word of faith is available and accessible. The sinner need not perform difficult works in order to be saved. All he has to do is trust Christ.

Paul, a former Pharisee, would understand this. He too once had a passion for the Law. He had lived it for many years. But Christ came along and opened his eyes. And now, fully understanding the truth, Paul says that salvation has always been a matter of belief, not religious practices.

The church today does a pretty good job of teaching that salvation comes by believing. We often quote from Romans 10:9-10. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved”. But there are times when we don’t believe quite like we should. Oh, I’m not saying that we doubt that Christ paid the penalty for our sin, but I do believe we begin to doubt the depth of God’s love for us. There are times when we actually believe that God’s love is conditional; that as long as we behave like a Christian and act like a Christian and give up doing all those bad things, that God will love us. Of if we make sacrifices and become active servants that He will love us more. Some believe that God loves missionaries and pastors and nuns more than He loves the person who only comes to church once and a while. Some people believe that God loves the Christian more than He loves the atheist. But even though we might be passionate about this belief, it is misplaced. It simply is not true.

Just as we dare not categorize sin, neither should we categorize Good Deeds. An abundance of obedience might please God (compare Romans 8:8), but all our good deeds do not increase God’s love for us. Yet it seems to me that many Christians believe this. They work and serve and make sacrifices with great zeal, yet it is misplaced. They either puff themselves up or tear themselves down by comparing their work with the work of other Christians. These people believe quite passionately that they are either earning God’s favor, or are searching for excuses why their life is a wreck. They believe that they have either earned God’s love or deserve God’s anger. Both are wrong.

Paul claims that there was no distinction between Jew and Gentile (see verse 12). All have sinned, both Jew and Gentile (Romans 3:23). But all are loved (Romans 5:8). And all might be saved through faith (Romans 10:13). We give God the glory when we submit all of ourselves to Him. But we do not earn salvation, nor do we earn His love. He has already demonstrated His love while we were still sinners. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). You are already loved. Stop trying to earn the Father’s love and start living believing that you are loved.

Predestined - September 15th, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

Sometimes it seems to me that there are more people rejecting God than accepting God. I have cousins, former classmates from school, aunts and uncles, former coworkers, nieces and nephews that appear to be turned away from God. And it breaks my heart. I don’t try to pass judgment on their salvation, but I just wish there was some way to convince them to respond to God, something the Apostle Paul wishes as well.

As Paul has taught us, salvation comes from God, and it happens when we believe by faith that Christ died for our sins. But how does that belief process begin? What causes a person to fall on their knees and confess their sin in the first place? I mean, we have all seen this; two people hear the same message yet one turns away while the other turns to God. Why does that happen? Some people believe it has to do with election - God willed the one to be saved but willed that the other would reject salvation. Other people feel that we do the choosing; as if the offer of salvation is presented and we have the freedom to choose or reject that offer.

Whether you believe in predestination or free will, it is essential that you and I realize that God is the One who makes this initial step in a person's life. Election is not a human act or achievement. God is the One who convicts, calls, illuminates the truth in our heart, and enables us to find faith. Whether this initiative is resistible or irresistible is where theologians disagree. John Calvin said it was irresistible. When God initiates this process within a person's heart they will be saved. Jacob Arminius said we still have the freedom to choose. If we were not free, then we could not be held accountable for our thoughts, words, or actions.

So whether grace is irresistible or resistible, the point is that we don't reach up to heaven, God reaches down into our hearts and ignites a spark when we hear the Good News preached. Once that happens, the debate is whether we have the ability to choose (free will) or that we will be saved (predestined or elected). However, the debate between predestination and free will does nothing to reach those who are still lost or those whose hearts remain hard toward God. Making up our mind about predestination will not lead someone to Christ. So it is important that we have a healthy perspective about this debate. About the only thing this theological debate will accomplish is to bring peace to those who grieve over an unsaved friend or family member. And this, I believe it what Paul was trying to address in Romans chapter 9 (Read Romans 9).

Grieved that many of his fellow Jews have rejected salvation through Christ (Romans 9:1-5), Paul points out that God had revealed Himself to them. But even though the People of Israel had been chosen, many still rejected. This is an important lesson. Of all the nations in the world, God elected to reveal Himself to Israel. Yet many of Israel's descendants rejected God. They rejected Him in the Old Testament and here we see them rejecting Him in the New Testament. But Paul is not talking about an individual in this section of Romans (specifically Romans 9:6-13). He is speaking about a nation.

In choosing Jacob over Esau, God was making a choice to fulfill His will through Jacob’s descendants, not Esau’s. God made a choice based upon His divine will and plan, not based upon human achievement or good deeds. In verse 13 Esau was rejected as the one through whom the line to Jesus would continue. It had nothing to do with Esau being rejected as a person. It had nothing to do with God rejecting the descendant of Esau. As a matter of fact the descendants of Esau were present in Jerusalem during Pentecost when God poured out His Spirit into the church. Acts 2:11 says there were Arabs present. They were the descendant of Esau. There is a good chance that some of these Arabs heard Peter's sermon, were convicted, and baptized as believers. So God's election of Israel was a matter of choice. Israel could not boast that they had earned this or deserved this. It was simply part of God's plan. And He worked in ways to fulfill His plan.

Paul gives another example of how God elects people to be the instruments through which His will is accomplished (Romans 9:14-24). God used the Pharaoh and his hard heart to fulfill His plan for Israel. Yes, Pharaoh’s heart was already hard (“There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God” – Romans 3:11). God’s plan was for Israel to leave Egypt and settle in the Promised Land. If the Pharaoh had a soft heart toward the Jews, they would not have had the desire to leave. God used the Pharaoh’s hard heart to accomplish His will. The same could be said about Paul. His heart was hardened toward Christ and toward the gospel earlier in his life. Yet from the stoning of Stephen and Paul’s persecution of the early disciples, we see the Apostles taking the message of Jesus out to other nations. In other words, God desired that the message of Jesus would be spread throughout the world. But had there been no persecution, the disciples of Jesus would have been content to stay in Jerusalem. God chose to use unsaved Paul to accomplish His purpose. Later, God revealed Himself to Paul and chose to use Him for another purpose. The main emphasis here is not on salvation, but being used to fulfill God's plan. Some are used to reveal His glory and some are not. Even the potter/clay reference does not speak about rejecting. Paul is not saying some jars are treasures and some are garbage. He is saying that there is a difference in the way they are used. Neither jar was useless.

The point is that God elects according to His will and His timing (Romans 9:25-29). In the past God did not reveal Himself to the Gentile people. But that did not mean they would stay that way for eternity. As a matter of fact, Paul mentions several Old Testament scriptures that hint at God's plan to include them in on His promises. But just as some Jews would choose to reject God, the Gentiles would be warned not to reject Him as well (Romans 11), even though God has chosen to reveal Himself to them.

The whole point to this section is this: God choses to reveal Himself to some and not to others, but it has nothing to do with whether they deserve this or not. It has everything to do with His will and His timing. Based upon the character of God, we know that He is not mean-spirited, vindictive, or angry. God, as revealed in the Old Testament and as revealed in Christ Jesus, is filled with goodness, justice, fairness, and love. And God has predestined that those to whom He has revealed Himself and who have responded to His invitation, that they might be conformed into the image of the Son (Romans 8:29). This is the heart of predestination. God intended all along that those who respond to His invitation of grace would become justified and glorified.

Predestination speaks of God’s plan to transform believers into the image of Christ. It does not speak of God’s permanent rejection of an individual or permanent acceptance of an individual. And Paul’s life is the perfect example. Based upon his actions, we could have judged Paul as predestined for judgment when we first meet him in Acts 8. Yet here in Romans we see a whole different man. What was a vessel of wrath has become a vessel of honor. And God is praised because of the transformation.

You and I cannot know what God knows. We cannot look into a person’s heart and determine if they are ready to believe or if they ever will believe, even if someone were to rise from the dead. Only God knows this. And we do not know if God is planning to glorify Himself by waiting until a future day to reveal Himself to someone; to transform a common vessel into one of honor and glory. So perhaps what appears to be God's rejection of someone is in reality God simply waiting until the time is right. Or maybe He is waiting for one of us to be His messenger – something Paul will address in the next chapter.

As I think about the people I know who seem to have rejected God or those who simply do not care, I must keep in mind the character of God. I do not believe God purposefully desires that someone be condemned to hell. From God’s own mouth He has said, “As I live!” declares the Lord God, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11). I do believe that God will raise someone up to be used by Him in order to accomplish His will, however, that is completely different that God predetermining their condemnation. So as said before, it’s important that we stop worrying if grace is resistible or irresistible, and instead make a choice to respond when God reveals Himself to us. If you have felt the tug of God within your heart, by all means open yourself up to Him. You will not be disappointed. And for our unsaved friends, continue to pray. Pray that when God does reveal Himself to them that they would be ready for the invitation; when God invites them to enter into a relationship with Him through Christ Jesus the Lord.

Uncondemned - September 8th, 2013 sermon

By Pastor Greg

‎At the end of a revival in Chicago, Dwight Moody noticed a young man still seated in a pew in the back of the church: his face in his hands and obviously deeply troubled. Being the compassionate man that he was, Moody walked back, placed his hand on the young man’s shoulder, and asked “What’s troubling you son?” But instead of the expected response of conversion, the young man replied “Sometimes I don’t think I am a Christian. Sometimes I don’t act like one or even feel like one”. Moody sat down next to him, opened his Bible to John 5:24. He asked the young man to read the verse. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life”. [1] Moody asked the young man if he believed and accepted Jesus as Lord, and the young man said that he did, to which Moody asked “Are you a Christian?” But the young man replied “Sometimes I think I am, but other times I’m not so sure”. Moody asked the young man to read the verse again, and then asked the same question: “Are you a Christian?” But still the young man had doubts. He began to mention circumstances and trials in his life. He mentioned his struggle with faith and in living the way a Christian should. As he began listing all the reasons that caused his doubt, Moody interrupted the young man and said, “See here, whom are you doubting?”

There are appropriate times in our lives to focus on our sin. Without conviction there can be no salvation. But once a person has confessed their sin and believed in the work of Jesus upon the cross, there needs to be separation from that sin; an understanding that it is no longer held against them. But from time to time a believer has a tendency to dwell on the sin and forget the salvation. Too often we remind ourselves of who we were. Sometimes others remind us of whom we were as well. But this is not true of God. If we have heard the promises of God, believed that in Jesus we have salvation, and have confessed Him as Lord and Savior, there is no condemnation. A person is no longer judged and has moved from death to life.

I believe what we read in Romans is Paul’s own personal struggle with condemnation. I believe Paul struggled to put his past behind him and instead embrace the affirmation of God. I say this because the words of Paul at the end of chapter 8 seem to be very personal - as if Paul was reminding himself of God’s magnificent promise; a reminder to not doubt the promises of God no matter what he did, how he felt, or what others might say about him (read Romans 8:31-39).

Paul is not talking about a prosperity gospel here. Give us all things in verse 32 is not speaking about possessions, wealth, and prosperity, but grace, love, forgiveness, mercy, and peace. Even though God would be justified to condemn us when we stumble in our walk or are weak in our battle over the flesh, He chooses instead to see the righteousness of Christ. When we are weak; when we stumble and fail, God listens to Jesus who is at the Father's right hand pleading on our behalf. Paul suggests that believers should never see trials and hardships as God's punishment for our sins. Either God permits our trials and sufferings to strengthen and conform us, or He uses what is evil to bring about that which is good (compare the response of Joseph in Genesis 50:20).

Missing from this section is the thought that a Christian will never make mistakes or never fail. Christians do fail. Christian do sin. Nowhere are we taught that as a Christian we will live perfect lives. Oh, we are to strive to live as holy people, but we will slip up and mess up from time to time. However, even though we may sin while we are believers, that sin will not change God’s promise to us. God’s declaration about us never changes. Even though the world may accuse us of being hypocrites when we fail to live as a Christian, and even though we may condemn ourselves when we fail and fall in our Christian walk, God will not summon us to court and accuse us. That’s because Christ has already paid the penalty.

Doubt of salvation and self-condemnation should not be found in the heart of a believer. Even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we should fear no evil. Why, you may ask? It’s because God is with us. It’s because God is for us. It’s because Christ died for us. It’s because God has declared us innocent. It’s because Christ intercedes for us. It’s because Christ loves us. And nothing can or will keep God from loving us. Nothing. Yet how often do you struggle believing that God is for you? How often do you doubt that you are really saved; really a Christian? Do you ever wonder this? Do you ever look at the situations and struggles’ in your life and think that God must be pretty upset with you right now? Do you ever feel that God is against you because you’re living a miserable life filled with suffering, are afraid of death, or are under attack from the adversary? Well, you are not alone. I struggle with this, and I believe Paul struggled with this as well, which is why he needed this reminder. If God is for us, who is against us?

As a Christian, you and I must live each day accepting this and believing this regardless of the circumstances. And even though others may condemn, or circumstances may give us the impression we are being condemned, we do not stand condemned before the Father. This He has promised. Because of Christ we stand before Him as His child. This He has promised. He wraps us in festival robes and pours out His love upon us. This He has promised. In all things and through all things, don’t ever forget this promise of God. If God gave us His best while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8), imagine what we will receive from Him now that we are believers!!!

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^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. 1995 (Jn 5:24). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Redemption - September 1st, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

Often times the message Jesus proclaimed is called the Good News. And perhaps you’ve wondered what that Good News really is. According to the Apostle Paul, in the book of Romans, the Good News is that from the very beginning God had a plan to restore humanity’s broken relationship with Him. It begins by revealing our sin, condemning our sin, and judging our sin. And although we object to being judged, our actions demonstrate our sinfulness. We might argue that God’s judgment is unfair, but in the end His judgment is justified. Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s holy standard of living. But . . . rather than leave us eternally separated, God established a way to restore that broken relationship. Because of our faith in Jesus, we can finally be at peace with God. And this peace results in a new life, a new master, in being conformed and in being comforted. God grants us His Spirit which equips us with the ability to become sanctified; set apart and holy, and to act in ways that please God.

This is the Good News found in Jesus the Messiah. Because of His sacrifice upon the cross, we have been delivered from the penalty of sin, and because of the Holy Spirit we have been delivered from the power of sin. Yet there is more. God’s plan for humanity does not stop there. Paul actually speaks of a day when we will be delivered from the presence of sin; when sin is cut away, no longer having its influence in our lives. There is to be a glorious redemption for those who have placed their faith in Jesus (Read Romans 8:18-25).

There is a central point Paul is making in this sections, and that can be seen in the word groaning. Creation groans. We groan. The Spirit groans. But what are these groaning's? It is the longing to be free from the presence of sin, and for God to finally fulfill His promise. There is a longing to make things whole again. There is a deep desire within us to be holy and set apart, and a growing weariness within us as we are daily confronted with sin, death, and moral decay. We groan and desire to become the kind of person that honors God. And yet even though there is the desire, sin is still present. And we are faced with it every day.

My heart aches. My heart aches because I know that life can be, should be, so much better than it is. Some days I feel powerless to overcome the darkness around me and within me. From the depth of my soul and with every fiber of my being I long for the day when God’s great plan will finally be realized and the world will be free of sin. But not only the world, for you and I and all who have confessed their sin and believe in the work of Jesus upon the cross, we too will be finally free from sin. And the Good News is that this is what God had planned all along.

How deep the Father’s love is for us that he would not merely free us from sin’s penalty and sin’s power, but that He planned all along to free us from sin’s presence. This was God’s plan all along. He predestined (or predetermined) this from the very beginning. For those who have been adopted into the family of God through their faith in Jesus Christ, God planned from the very beginning that they would be conformed into the image of the Son, that the penalty of their sin would be covered by the Son, and that they would be glorified when sin’s presence is removed.

Oh how I long for that day; to finally be free from the presence of sin within this world and within myself. What an amazing day that will be! We will no longer struggle to do what is right. Overwhelming victory will be ours. On that day we will no longer see ourselves through the eyes of sin, but through the eyes of God. And on that day we will see ourselves as God sees us. We will not be identified by our weaknesses, our sin, our hurts, and our sadness. We will know ourselves and be known as the person God intended us to be all along. This is why there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). God sees us already as we will be, not just as we are.

What Paul is talking about in this section speaks about God’s plan of redemption, which means to purchase back something which was lost. And as Paul points out here it is not merely our souls which have been redeemed, but our bodies as well (verse 23). However, it is not just humanity that will be redeemed but also all of creation. One day even this earth will be free from the presence of sin. Just as we are promised a new glorified body, so too will there be a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1).

God causes redemption to happen. He causes sanctification. And He planned this from the very beginning. And a believer can be assured that this has happened, is happening, and will happen. So no matter what a believer might face in this life, they must persevere knowing that regardless of the circumstances, the fact remains that God has adopted us as His children, and that He has confirmed this by pouring out His Spirit. We have been, are being, and will be redeemed. And nothing will ever keep that from happening. That, my friend, is the Good News.

Epilogue: this section of Romans, along with chapter 9, leaves many theologians with a difficult question. Where does the desire to begin this whole process come from in the first place? What happens in a person’s heart to convict them that their sin has separated them from God? You see, a person who has no desire to restore their relationship with God will not begin this whole process that leads to redemption. Theologians throughout the ages have endlessly debated this topic. It’s one of those questions we wish we could ask Jesus. “Hey Jesus, so did I become saved because you predestined me to be saved? And what about the person who seems to really hate You? Did God make them hate You?” But somehow I get the feeling that even if you and I did have the opportunity to ask Jesus about predestination and free will, I suspect Jesus would respond by saying “What is that to you? As for you, follow me” (John 21:22).

By focusing on predestination and free will, I believe we miss the main point here. Regardless if God predestined you to be saved or if you have the free will to be saved is not the point Paul is trying to make. His point is that God intended all along to purchase you back, all of you; mind, soul, and body. He intended to free this world of sin. And honestly, maybe we should be reading this section in a positive note instead a negative one. Instead of focusing on who is excluded, maybe we should be looking at who is included. Maybe we should be praising God that once former sinners are now hungering and thirsting for righteousness. I can picture Paul pointing to the repentant Gentile and asking the Jew, "You can deny it all you want, but the truth is that God planned all along to bring these people into His Kingdom. He didn't just choose you. He chose them as well. And we know that He has because He placed within them the same Spirit He placed in you".

Sanctified - August 25th, 2013

By Pastor Greg

‎Last December there was a pretty insignificant cross-country race held in Spain. Several word renowned runners were participating, using it as a training event. But at this race something significant happened that caused the news media to stand up and take notice. Abel Mutai, Olympic Bronze Medalist from Kenya, mistakenly thought he was finished with the race, but actually had about 10 more meters to go. That’s when the second place runner, Ivan Fernandez Anaya, impressed the world by giving up victory to do the right thing. He caught up to Abel Mutai, and pointed him to the finish line allowing him to finish first. Ivan didn’t think it was a big deal, but the world stood up and took notice. I believe this is because amid a world of corruption, deceit, and greed, our world is thirsty for something good. I believe the people of this world are longing from the depth of their souls to find a reason to hope; any good deed that shines in this weary world.

I believe the Christian has an opportunity to be the light that shines in a dark world. But the problem is, as we have learned by Paul, is that even within the Christian the selfish, corrupt, greedy, sinful self still remains. Paul, in his letter to the Roman Christians, taught us about Truth and Grace – the standard by which God calls us to live, and the grace He grants us as we strive to reach that standard. However, considering the fact that our sin nature still remains, and that our sin nature is working against us, how can we possibly “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10)? How is it possible for us to separate ourselves from the world? How can we become set apart and holy? How can we become sanctified? Paul has reminded us that because of our sin nature we do not possess the ability to live according to God’s Laws. “For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it” (Romans 7:18). So what is a Christian to do? Do we admit defeat and never try to live according to God’s Holy standard? Do we merely rest upon grace? Well, the good news is that God equips us for this very task. He grants us what we need to overcome the weakness of the flesh. He grants us His Spirit which becomes a source of strength and power to actually live in a way that pleases God (Read Romans 8:1-17).

Paul says a believer is not condemned. And that’s because our sin nature is covered by the sinlessness of Christ. But this section of Romans is not addressing our salvation, it is speaking about our ability to please God; to be the kind of person that lives as a Christian should. To stop living as a person still held hostage by sin, God equips each believer with the ability to become sanctified; set apart from sin, and instead reflecting the Holiness of Christ. It is the Holy Spirit living within us that enables us to live in a way that honors God, reflects God, and pleases God. It is the Holy Spirit that enables us to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength (Mark 12:30). So if you want to step away from sin and please God, submit and surrender to the guiding of the Spirit

This gifting of the Spirit is something very significant. Pouring out His Spirit into each Christian was no afterthought by God. It is one of the more significant events in your salvation. Think about this: within each true believer dwells the Holy Spirit. But also within each believer there is still the fallen human nature. So we find within each believer not only the Holiness of the Spirit but also the sinfulness of the flesh. Warren Wiersbe points out that, "Daily He {Spirit} endures our carnality and selfishness; daily He is grieved by our sin; yet He loves us and remains in us as the seal of God and the “down payment” (compare 2 Corinthians 1:22) of the blessings waiting for us in eternity". The Spirit marks us as God’s very own. By pouring out His Spirit into our lives God confirms us as His very own. But the Spirit also conforms us into the kind of person who lives in a way that honors God. A person surrendered to the Spirit will be guided away from the sins of the flesh. They will be transformed into a person who can please God. This is what it means to be sanctified; to be transformed daily into the image of Christ. And the more we allow the Spirit to do His work within us, the more we reflect the holiness of Christ.

As a Christian we must work daily to submit to the urgings of the Spirit within us and suppress the urgings of the flesh. It takes diligence, work, and determination. This is why Spiritual disciplines are so important to the Christian. They help us focus on the Spirit rather than the flesh. To walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, we need to immerse ourselves into the things of God’s Kingdom. We do this through prayer, Bible study, and participation in acts of service or in acts of worship. Some are strengthened through fasting, while others are strengthened by journaling. The point is that these spiritual exercises strengthen our ability to be controlled by the Spirit of God rather than by the flesh.

‎So, what does a life led by the Spirit look like? It is one that shows fruit; evidence that can be seen and heard. Paul says a life led by the Spirit calls God "Abba Father", an affectionate term similar to calling our own fathers "daddy". We move from selfishness to selflessness. We move from hate to love, anger to peace, sadness to joy, irritability to patience, meanness to kindness (compare Galatians 5:22-23). These characteristics are evident within the Christian who listens to the Spirit as He works to help the believer become more sanctified; more like Christ.

William Shakespeare wrote "That light we see is burning in my hall. How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world”[1], or, as Willy Wonka puts it, “So shines a good dead in a weary world”. This world is longing for righteousness. The people of this world are constantly fed a diet of corruption, selfishness, greed, hate, anger, and indifference. They are starved for even the tiniest glimmer of light. This is why the stories of people like Ivan Fernandez Anaya cause such a stir. Here are people acting contrary to human nature; people acting with love, caring, patience, and understanding. And the world seems a little less corrupt; a little less wicked when the light of a little candle throws its beams for all to see. This is what happens when you and I allow the Spirit within us to transform us. We become a little more like Christ and a little less like the world. That’s what it means to be sanctified. And when this happens I believe the world will stand up and take notice.

Question: Then what does it mean when we see a professing Christian acting as a person of the world instead of acting according to the Spirit? What does it mean when we see no “Fruit of the Spirit” in their lives?

Answer: It could be one of 3 things. They have either grown indifferent to the urgings of the Spirit within them, do not know that what they are doing is contrary to the teachings of God, or do not have the Spirit within them in the first place. In other words, it’s either a matter of the heart, mind, or soul. They need to be encouraged to change, taught to change, or evangelized. They either need to be convicted, convinced, or converted.

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^[1] The Merchant of Venice, Act 5, Scene I