Witness - May 26, 2013

By Pastor Greg

I remember singing a song quite frequently when I was a teen. As we would sit around the campfire at Camp Eder often we would sing “They will know we are Christians by our love”. I suspect many of you are familiar with the song. It speaks of Christian conduct, specifically how our unity and love testify that we are followers of Christ; that we are Christians. The idea behind the words in this song speak not about what we say, but how we live. And how we live carries more weight than what we say; an idea that some may not be too excited to hear.

Actually, the idea of Christian conduct is not new. It is quite old. God expected Israel’s conduct to match their beliefs. He not only expected them to know the Law, but to live the Law. Yet the people of the covenant did not live like people of the covenant. And because Israel lived like hypocrites, the other nations of the world actually blasphemed God.

This hypocritical way of living was apparently still a problem when Paul wrote Romans. It is this attitude he addresses in chapter two (read Romans 2:17-29).

Paul corrects a belief that even he would have held in the past. There were Jews who felt that since they had been born into the right family (being Jewish), and since they had followed certain prescribed rituals, they were accepted by God. But a person is not made right with God simply because they were born Jewish or because they followed certain rituals. A real Jew was someone who lived the commands of God each and every day; whose conduct confirmed their beliefs.

The point Paul is trying to make here is that sometimes it is more difficult to get a religious person to repent than it is an unreligious person. And what he means is that someone we would call a sinner knows they are a sinner, sometimes instinctively, while someone who hides behind their religion will often times deny they are sinning simply because of all the religious things they do. But when that religious person’s conduct is outside of the teachings of God, their conduct condemns them just like the sinful person of the world. Just because a religious person goes to church or gives money to the church or even owns a Bible does not mean they are beyond sin. No, it actually means that they have an even greater responsibility. You see those of us who claim to be Christian have the responsibility and the duty to show the world what a Christian life looks like. Our walk needs to match our talk. Our walk as a Christian becomes our witness to the rest of the world. And sadly, our conduct can destroy our witness, especially if we profess to be a follower of God but continue to live just like a person of the world.

Please keep in mind that becoming a Christian is not joining an organization. A person is not a Christian by attending meetings or paying dues. And a person is not a Christian because of what they do. But, there are those in this world who believe this. They actually believe that Christian is something you do rather than something you are. Some individuals believe that Christian is something you do on Sunday, or it means following certain rituals. But giving money to the Church or wearing a cross necklace does not make a person a Christian. To be a Christian is to be reborn. To be a Christian is to be a person who has restored their relationship with God through faith in what Jesus accomplished upon the cross. And to confirm that we are Christian, God “marks” us by pouring out His Spirit upon us and within us. Then, from within a heart that has been circumcised (as Paul describes it in this section), a person begins to demonstrate love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The Fruit of the Spirit becomes a witness that others can see. By our conduct the world will know that we are Christian, not simply because we attend church or wear nice clothes on Sunday or have a Christian bumper sticker on our car. The world knows we are Christian simply by looking at our attitude and our conduct.

Paul does not mince words for those Jews who felt they could preach one thing but live another. Oh, they were Jewish, but you couldn’t tell it by listening to them talk or watching the way they lived. He was pointing a finger to the Jew who knew what God commanded, yet would habitually break these commands, and then come to the Temple offering a sacrifice thinking all would be well. But it wasn’t okay. Their habit of breaking God’s Law demonstrated a heart without remorse. These words are just as important for us today. If we confess to being a Christian then the way we live must confirm this. We cannot live one way six days of the week and another way on Sunday. Actually, the person who has had a change of heart has a changed attitude toward sin: realizing that sin tarnishes their relationship with God, and also destroys their witness for God. So even though there is nothing wrong with wearing nice clothes on a Sunday, attending Church, wearing Christian jewelry and Christian apparel, tithing, and such things, the Christian must realize that none of these will be an effective witness to the people of this world unless their conduct first confirms it. And the way to have our conduct transformed, says Paul, is to allow the Spirit of God to circumcise our heart; to be reborn and transformed by the Holy Spirit.

As Christians, we must take seriously Paul’s words in verse 24. No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.” We must take our responsibility as Christians seriously. Our failure to live a life that honors God not only destroys our witness, but may cause someone of the world to reject God, all because we live like hypocrites. It is a difficult burden to bear knowing that someone rejected God simply because I did not conduct myself as a child of God.

As believers, we are left with only two choices. Either we surrender ourselves to God’s commands, circumcising sinful practices from our lives, or we change God’s commands so that they no longer convict us of sin. Sadly, I see a trend in the North American Church where there is a call to change God’s commands rather than a call to change our behavior. And what is unfortunate in all of this is that the people of the world (those who are truly sinners) know what today’s church is doing. And it destroys the Church’s witness.

I wonder how shocked some would be to see us in church today. As we live out our lives Monday through Saturday, does our conduct confirm that we are Christian or does it condemn us as a sinner? And if our life the other days of the week condemns what we profess to believe, we must stop hiding behind our religion and confess our sin. We have been called to be witnesses to the people in this world. The Church is to let the light of Christ shine through her, and that by this light the people living in darkness might see and repent and believe and be saved because through the Church the world saw Jesus.

And now to the questions:

1. If I understand these verses correctly what he is saying is that Jew or Gentile what matters to God is not our deeds so much as the condition of our hearts?

Answer: What Paul is trying to point out is that the condition of our heart should transform our actions. The Jews felt they could act any way they pleased yet still be right with God. Paul says absolutely not! Their actions testified that they really were not right with God. Their actions condemned them. It is the same with the religious person today. Although they go to church, are a member, and do religious things, their actions testify that they are not right with God. So if we want to be a Christian faithful to God, our actions should confirm that we are believers. Our deeds do matter to God.

2. Even though we don’t have the Law, yet obey the Law, we are circumcised, not externally but internally in the heart. Is that what Paul is trying to say?

Answer: I think the bigger question here is what or who causes us to obey the Law in the first place. To be circumcised in the heart is to allow God to cut away the old person and be made anew. Our old attitudes are replaced with new ones. This is part of what the Holy Spirit does for us. He creates within us a new nature; a heart that desires to love and obey and honor God; a heart willing to admit sin. It is this new nature that is at work in the hearts of true believers that cause them to strive to do what is right and honorable and godly. When the Holy Spirit is poured into a believer, the prophecy God spoke through Jeremiah is fulfilled. But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. ³⁴ And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:33-34).

Fear - May 19th, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

I am a book guy. Always have been and probably always will be. The book is always better than the movie. Such is the case with the recent miniseries on the History channel called The Bible. The Book is so much better. For example, in the one episode I did see, the movie omitted the great speech Moses gave as Israel was trapped next to the Red Sea. If you remember the story as it is told in the book, the Egyptian army began to chase Israel, and closed in against them at the Red Sea. With their back to the sea and the Egyptian army before them, the people of Israel began to fear. But that’s when Moses addresses that fear. He says, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” And it is at that point the great pillar of cloud and the Angel of the Lord came and stood between Egypt and Israel; something the History Chanel forgot to include. I thought it was the best part of the story.

Fear had gripped the nation of Israel. And as they began to fear they began to fight with one another. They turned against Moses, the very man who only days before had led them out of slavery. But that’s what fear does. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. So Moses calls the people to Faith. It is only faith that can cause a person to be still, and calmly wait upon the Lord.

What you may not know about this story is that the Angel of the Lord had led the nation to this very spot. The Lord brought Israel to this place knowing full well that the Pharaoh would harden his heart once again and pursue Israel. Yes, the Lord brought them to this place where they would be trapped. But He did this for a reason. He did this to teach Israel to place their faith in Him, and to demonstrate that if He is with them, who could ever be against them. And I find this lesson extremely interesting because it appears God will bring His people to a place where He is their only hope. And He will challenge His people to move from fear to faith.

You would think that after witnessing the plagues back in Egypt and experiencing the first Passover that the people of Israel would be long on faith and not struggle with fear and doubt. But fear continued to plague them; to define who they were. The sin of fear poisoned Israel so deeply that a whole generation was denied entrance into the Promised Land. They held on to fear and missed all the great promises of God.

I think that is where we are today. We are at a place as a church where God is trying to move us from fear to faith. And I fully believe He has brought us here today to in order to teach us faith; to help us become a people who do not live in fear, but a people who place their confident trust in Him.

I truly believe God is working among us and has been doing this for some time now. A short glance inside the Family Life Center right after church will reveal the number of children God has brought to this place. Truly we should rejoice over this; rejoice that the Lord has indeed found us faithful enough to allow us to love, care, nurture, and teach these children. It's as if God has said to us "I trust these children into your care. And I have faith that you will do the right thing". If you take the time to watch these children you will see a desire and passion for God. Such enthusiasm is contagious! I hear children talking about their friends in this place and about their church. They squeal with delight when they are in this place. And they want to be here. Praise God!

Truly the Lord is at work among us. He has brought us children. He has created within us a desire to minister to these children. He placed within us the idea of calling someone to leadership for this ministry. And the Lord has brought us a man willing to pour his life into these children, helping them build a sense of belonging, an understanding of God, and to direct them to Jesus. I am convinced that the Lord has brought us to this place today. He has been leading and directing us, which is exactly what we have been asking Him to do. We’ve asked Him to send us children, and the Lord had heard our request. But as we stand at this place, I am sensing something other than excitement for what God is about to do. Instead I am sensing great fear.

As we stand at this crossroad today, I sense great fear among us. Fear that we will not be able to afford this ministry, fear that perhaps we are calling the wrong man, fear that this ministry might fail, and fear of how this ministry will change us. Just like the people of Israel, it is fear which is causing us to quarrel among ourselves. And fear will cause us to miss out on what God has in store for us. Fear will cause us to fight and devour one another. Fear will cause us to resort to politics and manipulation in order to make sure things go our way. Fear creates an Us vs. Them mentality. Fear generates suspicion and distrust. Fear creates anger. Fear divides. Fear enslaves us and holds us captive. Have we learned nothing from all that God has done for us in the past? Will we really sin against God by not believing He can do what we cannot do on our own? Will we sin by questioning what God is already doing? Will we sin by telling God we don’t trust Him? This is why we must not let fear guide us or direct us. We must be a people who walk by faith.

The Angel of the Lord did not lead Israel to the banks of the Red Sea so they might parish, but so that they might witness the depth of His love and His strong arm of protection. They were called to move from fear to faith, and in the end found their faith confirmed. I strongly believe the Lord still does the same today. I am convinced that the Lord leads His people to a crossroad (or perhaps a cliff) not to destroy us. God forbid! He is not against us, He is for us. But He leads us to these situations to call us out of fear and into faith.

The Lord has led us here, and here we find ourselves struggling with fear. The only solution is to move our hearts toward faith, and watch what God is about to do in this place. As a church we must be at peace this day and remain calm. The Lord is in control. He is about to do something (although no one knows what that might be). So we dare not stand here trembling in fear. We must stand in faith believing that God is at work and that God is in control. We must have faith believing that since the Lord brought us here, He will do something to bring us through. In faith we stand lifting our hearts to Him, allowing Him to mold us and make us according to His will.

In a few moments we will be taking a vote whether to call a man to this ministry. How you vote is between yourself and God. But may I simply remind you that God has brought us to this place. So He must have something good planned in all of this. So please, make a decision out of faith and not fear. To chose fear is to deny that God can and will overcome all that we might worry about.

Trust - May 12th, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

                I was sitting in my office one day last week, and as I looked out across the parking lot, I noticed a couple of young boys playing by the furnace room at our neighboring church across the road.  They must have been outside for recess (there is a Christian school that meets in that church).  As I watched them play I began thinking that this was a part of the church parking lot where the playground monitors could not see them.  And at any moment a stranger could drive up and kidnap these three young boys.  Or they could dart out onto the road into traffic.  Truly this was not a safe place to be playing.  The bottom line is that I simply did not trust that these boys would be safe on their own. 

          There was a time in our lives when we did trust, especially when we were young; when we were children.  And it was our mother who taught us to trust.  She provided everything for us.  We trusted our mothers to feed us, to cloth us, to hold us, to comfort us, and to love us.  She was someone who would not abandon us nor turn us away.  She was there to guard and guide us.  As a child we honored our mother as we trusted her.  And every time we opened up our heart in unrestrained trust, we confessed to the rest of the world that our mother was truly a woman of noble character.  But then we grew up.  And sadly some of us have lost that ability to trust.  Oh, we may still trust our mothers, but that’s about it.  We don’t trust strangers.  We don’t trust politicians.  We don’t trust salesmen.  And it seems the list of people we no longer trust grows longer and longer, making us more miserable day by day.

          As I watched those boys play I began to realize just how much I miss having their kind of trust.  I want to have that same level of trust that I used to have when I was young; like back when I had unwavering trust in my mother.  When a gentle kiss and those loving arms could make all the troubles of the world go away.  But I have grown up; we have grown up.  And in the process we have forgotten what it means to trust.  We've become self-sufficient, self-reliant, and independent.  We no longer trust anyone.  And the problem is that this lack of trust has affected our relationship with God.

          Luke chapters 18 and 19 speak about trust, and how it affects our relationship with God.  Jesus calls us to pray trusting that God will hear our prayer no matter who were are.  Jesus says we should not trust in ourselves for righteousness, but trust in the mercy of God.  He tells a rich young ruler to stop trusting in his money and wealth for security in life.  We read about a blind man named Bartimaeus who trusted Jesus and had his sight restored.  We read about a small man named Zacchaeus who was asked to trust Jesus. But most notably, there is the incident with the children in Luke 18:15-17, where He calls every believer to regain that trust which they had when they were young.

          And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”   Jesus is calling us to completely trust Him; to place all of our life into His hands, believing that He will supply all our needs, watch over us, protect us, comfort us, and love us (things we used to do with our mothers).  And He says that if we don’t or if we refuse we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  That’s because if we don’t trust Jesus with all of our heart, then we are trusting in ourselves.

          Right after this lesson about child-like trust with the children, a wealthy young ruler asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus says to trust in Him, not in his wealth.  Yet the man would not let go.  He trusted in what he could hold in his hand instead of letting go of these "things" and trusting Jesus.  Zacchaeus, on the other hand, let go of what he was holding on to (wealth), took hold of Jesus with both hands, and found the joy that he had been looking for.  He learned to trust all over again; to trust in Jesus with all of his heart, mind, and soul.

          I am convinced that God is looking for opportunities to teach us to trust in Him as we did with our mothers when we were children.  I’m not exactly sure why we have lost the ability to trust, but I do know that God asks us to simply trust Him.  Yet that trust is so hard for some to give.  Some trust only in part; trying to hold on to the world in one hand and hold on to God with the other.  Some claim to trust; saying that the Lord is in control, yet they have no peace in their life.  They continue to worry and fret about things they cannot control.  Some claim to trust in the Lord, but believe with all their heart that the Lord helps those who help themselves.  But the truth is this; to trust Jesus is to allow Him to be the only Master in your life. No one can serve two masters.  To trust Jesus is to let God be in control.  To trust Jesus is to realize that we are indeed helpless.

          Trust in the Lord is so very important for us.  And this trust is something we must work to regain.  We had it once, and with daily submission, I believe we can have it once again.  I believe God places us in situations where He simply asks us to trust Him.  Through these times of testing and proving, I believe we can learn to trust the Lord to provide what we need, even though the economist in us says we can’t.  We can learn to trust that all things will work together for the good of those who love God.  We can learn to trust that He will take care of all things in His time.  And we can learn to trust in the Lord for our salvation, not our good deeds or our good name.

We must take the words of Jesus very seriously.  If we refuse to place all of our trust in Jesus, we will not enter the Kingdom of God at all.  Like an infant who cannot walk or cannot speak or cannot even feed itself, we stand before the Lord.  We need to learn to trust Him.  Just as we trusted our mothers when we were young, we must relearn this ability when it comes to trusting God.  

Judged - May 5th, 2013 Sermon

By Pastor Greg

Two weeks ago I was asked “How can people who have never heard God’s Word live up to it”. A great question, which is answered in today’s text from the book of Romans. I trust you did your homework and read Romans 2:5-16. If not, let’s read over it now (Read Romans 2:5-16).

The implication Paul makes in this section is that there will be judgment. Specifically he is pointing his finger at the Jews who felt they would be excused simply because they were Jewish. They grew up hearing the Law. They grew up being told of God’s promises. History had proven time and time again that God was indeed their champion; rescuing them and redeeming them and providing them with all they ever needed. But Paul warns that simply because they had heard the Law did not mean they would be spared the Judgment. He says that they will be judged based upon the fact they DID hear the Law (by the way, the Law is the commands of God handed down to the nation through Moses).

Paul places the Jew on one side (who had heard the Law) and the Gentile on the other (who had not heard the Law). And he says that judgment will be based upon the knowledge a person had while still alive. The Jew will be judged on their response to the Law which was revealed (verse 13). The Gentile, on the other hand, will be judged on their response to the Law which was instinctively known (verses 14-15). And these few verses point back to Romans 1:19-20. Both the Jew and the Gentile are without excuse. One does not need to look very hard to realize that some great divine being was responsible for all that we see around us (this is why humanity has “instinctively” searched for the god responsible for all things. And why only a fool would look at the cosmos and say “chance”).

In the same way today there are those who grew up hearing of God’s plan of salvation through Jesus. And there are those who are oblivious to this fact. The judgment will follow what Paul has stated here. Those who have heard will be judged based upon their response to what they heard, not the fact that they merely stayed awake during a sermon. And those who have never heard the Good News will be judged based upon their response to what they “instinctively” know. This, of course, is Paul’s answer to the question “What about those born before Jesus came to earth and those who died never hearing the Good News of Salvation”. All will stand before Jesus. No one can come to the Father but through Jesus. That does not change. But how a person is judged by Jesus is what Paul is addressing here. And what some may not like to hear is that Paul is warning those who did hear yet disobeyed that this judgment will not be very pleasant. “Shame on you”, he says. “These Gentiles who never heard the teachings of God are acting godlier than you who have heard!” Likewise, sometimes a person of the world behaves more Christ-like than an individual who grew up in church. And this truly condemns.

One difficulty in this text is our misunderstanding of the Day of Judgment. Many often believe there will be one single general judgment of all humanity. Scripture does not support this understanding. Actually the scriptures speak of at least three general times of Judgment. There is the initial Judgment of Israel when Christ returns to the earth (see Ezekiel 20:32-38; verse 37 says “I will examine you carefully and hold you to the terms of the covenant”). There is the judgment of the Gentiles. They will be judged based upon their deeds and their faith when Christ returns (see Matthew 25:31-36; separating the sheep from the goats). And then there is the Great White Throne Judgment mentioned in Revelation 20:11-15. This mentions the dead being summoned from the sea and from the grave. They too were judged according to their deeds. And any of the dead whose name was not listed in the Lambs Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

These three Judgments do not specifically mention the Believer; the person who has confessed their sinfulness and has turned to Christ in faith. So, when are Believers judged? When will a Christian be summoned to the Trial? Well, if we truly believe the words of Jesus, the answer is this: they are not judged. A Christian is not called to stand before God and be judged because they had believed in God’s only begotten Son in this life. Jesus says in John 3:18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”. Oh sure, the Believer’s works are sent through the fire. And those works that survive will determine their rewards in Heaven. But it is only the Christian’s works which are evaluated (compare 1 Corinthians 3:11-15), not their salvation.

The main point behind this is that even though a person may not be feeling the wrath of God today, they will be held accountable for their behavior one day. They are “storing up wrath” for a later time. And an absence of punishment today does not mean He approves of sin or that He has chosen to look the other way. The person who practices sinfulness will be held accountable for their behavior one day. Jesus warned of this quite often. And even John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”. This is God’s plan to spare humanity His judgment. John 3:17 says “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” And in the original language, this verse literally means: Jesus came not to summon us to trial yet, but to spare us the trial altogether; a clear indication that there will most certainly be a trial.

But as clear as this message of judgment is, there are still a few verses in this section of Romans which can cause some confusion. Paul says in Romans 2:6-7 “He (God) will judge everyone according to what they have done. ⁷ He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers”. At first glance it might appear that Paul is promoting a “works-based” salvation. But we know this is not true. Even Paul has said that it is not by works but by faith. Galatians 2:16 says “a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law”. What Paul is saying here is that a person’s habitual conduct either confirms or condemns the condition of their heart; it is what they “Practice”.

One final word on all of this. When we read the word “judgment” we often see it in a negative context. But truthfully it should be viewed both ways. A person may be judged innocent. So when we start reading about the Judgment of God, we need to keep in mind that it involves God’s evaluation of each individual. Some will be judged unworthy, but some may be judged worthy. And according to what Paul says here, some may be judged worthy even if they never had an opportunity to hear the Good News preached. But I feel sorry for that individual, I really do. I can’t imagine standing before God all by myself and hoping that my life has merit on its own. Don’t forget what Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it”.

And now to the questions.

1. Why does the verse say the Jew first and then the Greek if God shows no partiality?

Answer: the statement is not addressing a period of time, but it is Paul’s way of clarifying his point. Just because a person was Jewish did not mean they would escape the judgment. All who continue to practice evil will be judged. It’s kind of like us thinking that since we are American we can behave in any way we want and still escape God’s judgment. But Paul drives the point home by saying “yes, the people of the world will be judged, but so too will you”.

2. It says we will be judged by the deeds we do. Does that mean all the deeds we do or are the ones we have repented from & asked forgiveness for not included? 

Answer: Just to remind you that a person comes to Jesus for Salvation, not to merely have their sins forgiven. The death of Jesus pays the penalty for our sinful nature, and the sins we commit are the symptoms of that sinful nature. But once a person becomes a Christian they no longer need salvation, only forgiveness. We are saved by Faith, not by the absence of sinful behavior or by having all our sinful behavior forgiven. Paul says that it is what a person practices (what they continually do) which demonstrates the attitude of their heart. And it is the attitude behind a person’s behavior which either saves them or condemns them. This is how they are judged. But the Christian has Christ pleading to God on our behalf. John says, “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous” (1 John 2:1).