Posted by David on December 6, 2007 under Bulletin Articles
Jesus opened his longest recorded teaching (Matthew 5-7) with what most of us know as the Beatitudes. In my opinion, the theme of the entire lesson focuses on how a righteous person looks and acts. In my understanding, the Beatitudes are a composite view of a righteous person who looks to God to define what he/she is and how he/she acts. Jesus spoke of poverty of spirit, mourning, gentleness, hungering and thirsting to understand God’s ways, mercy, inner purity, making peace, and suffering. For many, these are not the attitudes of righteousness.
In my opinion, because we realized the enormous consequences of rejecting Jesus as God’s promised Messiah, we tried to make it as easy as possible to respond to Jesus. While there are many groups who used various concepts of grace to make it convenient to be Christians, we (the Churches of Christ) emphasized a lack of commitment. The commitment to service after baptism did not parallel the importance of being baptized. Thus baptism became the objective instead of the beginning.
We addressed two difficult problems: 1) sincere people who reach different conclusions, and 2) young children who understand basic facts but not long-term concepts (with a strong emphasis on “easy”). Thus, a lot of people became Christians, not because they were committed to a Savior, but because, “It is easy to be saved, and I do not want to go to Hell.” A personal observation: when serving God becomes demanding, many are not committed to the demands of being Jesus’ disciples. Thus, they often wonder, “Where is the ?easy’?”
Jesus did not teach being righteous was easy. He taught that with God’s mercy and kindness it was possible. He who emptied himself of equality with God the Father (Philippians 2:5-7), who endured rejection by people believing they understood God better than he did (Matthew 24), and who endured unjust trials and death on a cross, did not call people to a “convenient righteousness.” It is not easy or simple to recognize personal insufficiency, be gentle, be learning constantly, be merciful, be internally pure, make peace, or be persecuted for righteousness’ sake. Though exhausting, it is possible.
Do not be a Christian because you expect it to be easy. Be a Christian because you are committed to a Savior. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary (Galatians 6:9). Do not get tired of doing good and being godly.
Posted by Chris on December 2, 2007 under Sermons
James 4:1-3
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
James 3
- The responsibility of words (1-2)
- The tongue (3-8)
- Small and powerful
- Small and dangerous
- Consistency (9-12)
- Wisdom and peace vs. Bitterness and disorder (13-18)
Truth or Lying?
- Telling the truth respects others as important persons.
- Lying demeans and dehumanizes others.
Glue or Acid?
- Truth is a glue that bonds us to one another
- Lying is an acid that corrodes our life together
Posted by Chris on under Sermons
The Power of Words
God created the world with words. Of all the creatures he made, only humanity is given the ability to use words. All animals can communicate, but only humans can use words. Words can contain meaning as hold that meaning forever. Words have power. They exist outside of us in some sense.
A single word or sentence can set off conflict — or end it. When a word is spoken, it cannot be unspoken. When heard, it cannot be unheard.
The Ninth Word to Live By (Exodus 20:16) recognizes the power of words and the way that words can create trust and community. It is critical that we speak the truth to one another and about one another. Telling lies about others, or giving false testimony about others, uses words for evil rather than good. It tears apart relationships and breaks down community.
The one graduation speech I can remember was based on Prov. 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Words used rightly are precious things. And word used rightly is truth, because God is truth. And it is good, for God is good. And it is constructive, for God is life and God is love.
- Let us pay attention to what we say …
- Is it true? Even the media misses this. We are so used to accepting as true what is spoken in the media. “Did the president lie?” It doesn’t matter which president, the question hints at the importance of truth. We are unfortunately jaded because we’ve been lied to by government and media. It has eroded trust. So, it is important that we speak truth, but even so there are other responsibilities …
- Is it good? Afternoon scandal shows and gossip magazines at the check out aisle feed our fascination with shocking truth. The stories may be true, but is the telling of it any good? Just because something is truth doesn’t mean we have to speak it or tell it. Sometimes “bad truths” have a way of being circulated. If no good comes from hearing it, why would we tell another? Ben Sirach 19:13-17 …
Question a friend; perhaps he did not do it;
or if he did, so that he may not do it again.
Question a neighbor; perhaps he did not say it;
or if he said it, so that he may not repeat it.
Question a friend, for often it is slander;
so do not believe everything you hear.
A person may make a slip without intending it.
Who has not sinned with his tongue?
Question your neighbor before you threaten him;
and let the law of the Most High take its course.
- Let us pay attention to how we say it …
- We should only speak the truth – and only if it is good to speak that truth. Even still, we have a responsibility for HOW we speak.
- In our age of Talk Radio we tend to think that dialogue only counts if it is arguing. The proliferation of argumentative, combative talk shows is what George Will has called the coarsening of public conversation. This is where we need to be more mature as the people of Christ …
- If we have to speak a difficult truth with someone we should approach the matter humbly. Respect the other by asking for the opportunity to speak and be heard. Don’t be tricky or coy (So, have you stopped beating your wife?). Jesus teaches us that the goal of approaching others is to build community. Winning someone back means that you have fellowship with him or her again. Where 2 or 3 are in agreement, Jesus is with them.
- Let us pay attention to HOW we say the truth for speaking words “unfitly” cause more pain rather than change.
- Let us pay attention to what we hear …
- The thief can steal all the items he wants, but he depends on the “fence” to sell the ill-gotten gains. Without the fence, there would be no market for stolen goods. Likewise, without an willing audience, there’s no market for lies and gossip.
- Just as the fence cannot justify his participation by saying, “I didn’t steal it.” So also, we cannot justify the distribution of half-truths, lies, and gossip by saying, “This didn’t come from me.”
- The doctor told a man that he had a condition that would result in rapid hearing loss and he would have to have hearing aids. The doctor was rather stunned when the man smiled at this news. Doctor: “Most patients are disappointed by this news, why are you smiling?” Man: “Well, my wife is the town gossip and she always tells me stuff I don’t want to hear, now your are installing an ‘off ‘ switch in my ears.”
- Most of the literature on office and school gossip is aimed at the “listener.” The message is clear: Don’t listen to it and it will not continue.
- God’s people have had this literature for ages – the ninth word to live by.
It is a great responsibility to use words. There is a great responsibility in telling the truth, how we tell it, and what we will and will not listen to. If it seems hard, then know this: It is hard. But if words are going to mean anything at all, then we should thank God for the responsibility. And if words and truth mean anything to us then we will pay attention to what we say and how we say it – and we will pay attention to what we choose to listen to …
When someone asked us if we believed “Jesus Christ is the Son of God” and we said yes – and if we were baptized into the name of Christ on the basis of that confession – then we very much must honor the sacredness and preciousness of truth and the responsibility of using words to bring life and build up.
[Sources consulted: The illustration of the thief and the “fence” is taken from Kalas, The Ten Commandments from the Back Side.]
