A Focus on God’s Nature

Posted by David on January 16, 2005 under Sermons

Management Training

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Last week we affirmed that the mission of the church can only be God’s mission. We have noother mission than God’s mission. We affirmed this: that this is the church of Christ and he mustbecome greater with no emphasis on us. All that we do and all that we are is by God’s handmoving among us. He secures our future, he saves – we are merely servants of the gospel.

Now, if that is the case. If we are truly striving to be about his mission in every way, what on earthshall we say about the various ways that we spend our money and time? What shall we say aboutthe many wonderful resources that we acquire and manage? How do we manage earthly mattersand spiritual matters at the same time – especially if everything is mission?

Read Luke 16:1-13

If you have ever heard of the hard sayings of Jesus, then this is one of them. This story iscontroversial in the history of the church. It is a tale of thieves and scoundrels. And in itsconclusion, Jesus seems to be noting that there’s some worthy lesson in the action of the clevermanager. [Stories about clever rogues are not unique. Everybody loves Robin Hood because hesteals from the rich and gives to the poor. But however heroic we make him, he is stealing. Heis breaking the law.] The commentaries give so many different views on this text that it is nearlyconfusing. There are attempts to clean this story up, but they always seem to miss the point …

The point is in verses 8 and 9 when Jesus says, “For the children of this age are more shrewd indealing with their own generation than are the children of light.” Jesus is taking a tale about thechildren of this age and placing it in contrast with the kingdom. If the scoundrels, rascals,tyrants, and desperate citizens of this present age have the imagination and determinationto further their causes, then how much more imagination and determination should we havefor the cause of the kingdom?

The controversy about this text mirrors the controversies we have about use of resources andwealth. This saying may be a hard saying not only because it seems that Jesus is applauded ashady character, but because this parable calls us to a singular devotion and commitment thatseems radical and extreme against our thinned out religious traditions. That happens when weview our faith as static and completed rather than viewing it as mission and journey. WhenChristianity is a matter of correctness and formality it becomes a bureaucratic game that attemptsto balance the status quo. It becomes nothing more than a set of rituals that really do not makea difference …

[William Wallace became a thorn in English King Edward I’s side because he didn’t subscribe to the legalformalities of warfare. For him, this wasn’t a game for nobles and lawyers. Wallace wasdetermined to win freedom from England at all costs and would not stop until they executed him. There were no compromises.]

Our controversial little story from Jesus is intended to stir us to thought and press us to makesome important decisions. The story raises two key questions that force us to align ourselvesin the kingdom or the world …

First question – Who do you serve? We need to be clear and certain in this choice. In urgenttimes we cannot be patient with split decisions or wavering. “No one can serve two masters. Foryou will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannotserve both God and money.” – v. 13

For all the shame of it, the dishonest manager was clear about his master. His “boss” in the storywas a means to an end. Don’t assume that this manager was in any way particularly loyal to thiswealthy lord. No, the manager’s “lord” was his own self. He serves “mammon,” and even if theBig Boss was going to fire him, then he was going to use the Big Boss to provide for his future. As a servant of mammon [or his own selfishness] he will do whatever it takes to fulfill his causeand other “so-called lords” will not deter him. He is undistracted!

Kingdom ethics are very different for the children of light, but we need to have a higher level ofloyalty for our Lord is much greater and more worthy. The parable calls upon us to move from thelesser to the greater: If the children of this age are so determined and undistracted in their serviceto a false Lord, why aren’t we, the children of light, all the more determined and undistracted inour service to THE Lord?

Second Question – How will we use the resources we have been given? If our answer to thefirst question is that we serve God, then that determines how we will use what we’ve been given. It is an issue of faith and trust. Listen again to the little proverbial statement Jesus makes and hisapplication: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoeveris dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthyin handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” (v. 10-11)

Sometimes you have to appreciate the enemy’s style. (When an opposing team scores in abrilliant way you have to tip your hat).
The crooked manager is good at something. He’s a good embezzler. Why didn’t he just take themoney and run? Because he sets up a situation in which he cannot lose. If the Big Boss kickshim out of the house, he has new friends who owe him favors. Yet, by being generous andforgiving debts to the Big Boss’ clients he has won their favor for the Big Boss. The Boss hasgreat honor and satisfied clients. He stands a chance of getting in good with the Boss – and if theBoss cans him, then the Boss loses honor and favor among his clients. When the little plan isover, the Boss decides that he wants someone this clever on his team – even if it means riskinga little embezzlement.

Again we are called from the lesser things (little, filthy lucre) to the greater things (much, trueriches): If the children of this age know how to be creative, imaginative, and bold in usingresources for their unrighteous efforts, how much more creative, imaginative, bold and risky shouldwe be for the sake of the kingdom? Don’t misunderstand, I am not saying we should adopt theethics or the tactics of the children of this age, rather I am saying we should outthink them, out riskthem, and outwork them. We can develop our own creative ways of using “stuff” for God’smission.
Too often our concerns are not about ethics and mission. We are more frightened about makingmistakes. We are more concerned about offending our sensibilities. We are limited in our visionand stalled to comfortable inactivity because we think that God has no hands but our hands to dohis work on earth – or we think that God has no pocketbook but our pocketbook. This lack ofimagination and action allows the children of this age to outdo the children of light.

I recall a conversation in the mid-1990’s with church leaders who were certain that the Internet wasa passing fad. One lone voice was trying to convince them that they needed to see the kingdomopportunities with this new form of communication. I would say that the lone voice won out. Idon’t think that conversations like that happened among the opportunists in the porn business. One of the first industries to make major use of the Internet was the porn industry. Some of thechildren of light avoided the Internet because of it.

Why do we let them claim turf that rightfully belongs to our master? Why aren’t we bold enoughand determined enough to establish our Lord’s presence in the midst of hell’s territory? Are wetoo timid or effete? Do we think that it would scandalize God or send the wrong message? Godoffended the sensibilities of religious nobles when he set up shop at the intersection of Sin andShame and chose a cross as his sign. . . his message was clear!

William Willimon tells the story of a Florida church that had once been a great congregation in theheart of the city. But the city changed and the neighborhood declined. The congregationdwindled and the membership was made up of those who commuted from the suburbs. Thecongregation soon had a problem with vagrants and homeless men around the old churchbuilding. They dirtied the place up and on a few occasions they broke into the church building. The congregation put locks on the doors but the vagrants broke the locks. So a meeting was heldto discuss better security and bigger locks. What could they do to keep these homeless peoplefrom damaging their building?

Someone moved the question to a vote and that night they left the doors wide open. Twentyhomeless men showed up. There were all sorts of problems – the kind that require creativethinking and imagination and clever action I am sure – but in time the church worked with thesehomeless people and people realized how new life had come to this church.

Jesus said, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves so that when it is gone, youwill be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” (16:9)

In our service to God’s mission as saved people how are we going to be faithful with the lesserthings? Will we be distracted by our sensibilities, our traditions, our nostalgic past or ourpresupposed future? Will we be distracted by our allegiance to comfort or fear? Or will we befaithful in the things of this world that all belong to God – yes even what is in our own bankaccounts, every penny of it – and will we serve our God so faithfully, creatively, and boldly thatsome of the children of this age may just be drawn to the light of reflected off his children.

The Grace/Works Challenge

Posted by David on January 9, 2005 under Sermons

Who Is Equal to Such a Task?

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Introduction: Who Is Equal to Such a Task?

As another week goes by our news continues to focus on the efforts to help those who suffer following the tsunami in Asia. This week our elders considered the best ways that all of us could participate in relief. One of our local news channels hosted an all day telethon that raised nearly $200,000. Some of you helped out with that. That news channel spoke to Kevin Vaught about CURe and their work to supply material for other relief agencies. On our website we have listed four different Christian agencies that are working with people in Asia. We encourage you to lend your support to them.

There’s a lot of great work going on. It is heartening to see the compassion of good people and an incredible sense of unity. And yet, I have one recurring thought in all of it: Is it enough? Can all our efforts match the scale of this disaster? Will we be able to do enough soon enough? Don’t misunderstand! This isn’t a criticism of the work and efforts that all of us are involved in, it’s just an expression of humility in the face of a daunting mission. Alone none of us could do anything to make much of a difference. United we have a chance at making a difference – and it is still a lot of work. Who is equal to such a task?

It reminds me of the church’s mission to evangelize the world. Faced with the realities of a lost world, a church that is often stymied by conflict and lack of resources, how do we think that we can make a difference? Perhaps we are emboldened by the impossibility of it all. Like Don Quixote we dare to dream the impossible dream and we fight windmills in the misguided belief that they are dragons and we are knights. Perhaps we decide to leave mission work for the experts and those with the resources to do it. Perhaps we decide to leave local evangelism to the professionally trained and those who have the gift for it. The rest of us get to work providing the support structure and the organization wherewithal to indirectly support the Great Commission. After all, "God has no hands but our hands" to do His work on earth." Really? But who is equal to such a task?

The Apostle Paul posed that question to the church in Corinth. He wants them to know that his ministry is no easy thing. He and his fellow messengers of the gospel are pleasing to God, but there are some who receive him like a welcome fragrance and others who reject him as the stench of death. Service to God combined with reception and rejection – "Who is Equal to a such a Task?" (2 Corinthians 2:15-16). So how does Paul do it? How does he continue in the face of such rejection and uncertainty?

 By ourselves we are not qualified to claim that anything comes from us. Rather, our credentials come from God, who has also qualified us to be ministers of a new covenant – (2 Corinthians 3:4-6).

Paul’s answer – It isn’t OUR mission. Because God’s mission has placed us where He wants …

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom.  ^18  As all of us reflect the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, we are being transformed into the same image with ever-increasing glory by the Lord’s Spirit.   Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy shown to us, we do not get discouraged. ^2  Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not use trickery or pervert God’s word. By clear statements of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God. – (3:18-4:2)

We are not the initiators of the mission; we are the targets of the mission just as much as anyone else. We are not the rescuers, we are the rescued. We are not the healers, we are the healed. We are not the senders, we are the sent.

We are just vessels and containers for this good news treasure. We are just clay pots, vessels, garbage bags filled with treasure. (4:7)

For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as merely your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in clay jars to show that its extraordinary power comes from God and not from us. In every way we’re troubled but not crushed, frustrated but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:5-9)

Paul’s answer to the question "Who is equal?" is that none of us are; but rather than drive us to despair, this honest realization that the mission and the power behind the mission belongs to God gives us new hope. Think about it like this, when we thought that evangelism, the mission, the Great Commission was all up to us we get frustrated and feel guilty. One writer noted that this has been the case …
"Too often calls to evangelism overlook the most important element: the empowering of God. We are asked to operate in our own power. When we find that we lack that power, we become frustrated and guilt ridden." – Tony Ash

When we consider, as Paul does, the empowering of God, then we shift the focus and locus of mission off of the church, off of ourselves. This not only relieves us of our burden of guilt and frustration, it empowers us and primes us to do more as participants of that mission than we ever could have imagined. Notice that we actually do more, not less; this isn’t simply checking out and saying "It’s all in God’s hands." But neither are we saying that "God has no hands but our hands." Maybe a better way to put it is that we see the hand of God at work among us and around us. We believe it and we are telling others about it. (2 Corinthians 4:13-14) …

Conclusion:

As we look ahead to 2005 and consider the mission of God that has become our mission – I could start the year by telling you what we need to do. I could even try and cast a vision for what we can do FOR GOD. (As though God has no hands but our hands.) But none of that would be appropriate. Rather we should 1) have a vision for what God is doing (what He has done, is doing and will do) and we should 2) pray that God will work within us. Rather than state that God has no hands but our hands, it is better that we should say that “we shall have no mission but His Mission.”

Since this is true, then all that we do and all that we are is God at work among us. We are the visible evidence of His mission. We are an example of His work. We are the model home for the heavenly mansion estates that are under construction and will be completed soon. Our efforts to maintain an organizational structure must never eclipse the mission. One of the identifying marks of the church is its "sent-ness." You can tell the church by its "sent." "Being here" must never overshadow "being sent." In fact, being here is part of being sent. The distinction between those who stay and those who go is false. The distinction between internal programs and external programs/nurture and outreach is false. If the mission is initiated and controlled by God, then everything is mission. Everything we do is a part of the mission. Every member, every program, every budget, every minister, every ministry is just another clay jar, plastic tub, metal can, or paper bag holding the same glorious gospel treasure.

Here is the one thing that we affirm today and for 2005 and beyond. May this be so in all that we do: Christ must become greater with no emphasis on us. If we really believe that we are the church of Christ then we must believe that this is Christ’s church – not ours. This must be our core belief at West-Ark: that everything we do is in the name of Jesus and it flows from the precious treasure that we carry within us – the treasure of the gospel. Everything from our worship and preaching to the coins, checks and bills we drop in the plate must be about Christ and His power to save. We must believe and speak like we know that’s the real power around here; we’re just a cardboard box to carry it in. Every program from education to budgeting for new carpet must be about Christ and His power to save – we mustn’t give in to the worldly thinking that there is secular business and religious business around here. Rather we must believe and speak that it is all about Christ and we are just a burlap tote sack for carrying His powerful gospel.

The mission is God’s. God so loved the world that He sent His only son and whoever believes in Him will not die but have eternal life. Jesus Christ was crucified, He was buried, but God raised Him to eternal life on the third day and exalted Him. He is Lord, and just as the Father sent Him, He sends us (John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 15, John 20, Acts 1:8).

This is what we believe. This is what we speak. I want to share with all of you who hear this message and read this message the treasure that was shared with me. It is not something that I or even this church can hoard – we are just the container. God can fill you with the treasure of hope and the gift of the Holy Spirit. He can raise you just as He raised Jesus. Trust Him. We believe that if we have buried with Him we will also be raised with Him. Give everything to God – believe it, speak it, submit to it in baptism and let God fill you with new life.

From David’s Heart To Your Heart

Posted by David on January 2, 2005 under Sermons

Act of God

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

New Year celebrations were more solemn than ever this year. In Southeast Asia especially, celebrations were subdued with sadness and grief. Many nations, like Indonesia, suspended official celebrations and urged people to attend be reflective, to be prayerful, and to attend religious services.

Even in countries not directly effected by the force and fury of the earthquake and tsunami, the ringing in of 2005 was perhaps a bit more sober. Many would have liked to "lose themselves" in the party and forget about their cares and worries, but it is hard to ignore 150,000 deaths (one third of them children). It is hard to ignore 5 million left homeless.

And then there’s the staggering reality than this is just the beginning. Even the media has found it difficult to move past this story and return to the news that matters most (keeping us informed of the latest celebrity marriage, divorce, trial, shooting, fistfight). This story seems to be growing in intensity and severity each day. There’s the inevitable problem of disease and poverty. There are brewing controversies over which nation will help the most and whether or not we are doing all we can. Ironically, the tsunami doesn’t pay any attention to your national origin, your income, or how you voted in the last election. It doesn’t discriminate between Muslim and Christian, Buddhist or Baptist. The severity of this event has humbled humanity and made us ask some important questions; deep questions about the sort of things we would sometimes rather ignore.

A week ago it was Southeast Asia. Last summer it was Florida. A few years ago it was the north coast of Honduras struck by Hurricane Mitch. What will it be and where will it be next time? You may have missed this "lesser" bit of news in the coverage of the tsunami, but last week astronomers discovered an asteroid that had a 1 in 37 chance of striking the earth 24 years from now. They have updated their data recently to revise the path of the quarter-mile wide rock so that it is less likely to hit us. But what if they are wrong again? It’s all a bit frightening and we are not used to being so concerned. We work hard to keep our homes safe and secure, but how do you control the planet? Perhaps our arrogance has convinced us that we can control nature and solve any problem. We are told that we have the power to destroy creation, but maybe we have forgotten that creation has great power to destroy us too. In the insurance business, these events are called Acts of God. I don’t think that the insurance companies are managed by theologians, rather, this term harkens back to the realization that there are some things that only God can control. [Want to read more about the asteroid risk?]

It raises many questions, doesn’t it? The sort of questions that we in our quick-fix world tend to ignore: Is God paying attention? Did God sanction the earthquake? If not, why didn’t God protect against it? Why does the tsunami strike Southeast Asia and not somewhere else? Is there something unique about that place? Is it random or directed by God? Maybe the rain falls on the just and the unjust alike, but sometimes it seems like it falls harder in some places!

These are the sort of questions Jesus fielded in his ministry. The people in the first century were accustomed to the concepts of fortune and misfortune. An act of God was more than insurance jargon to them …

Luke 13:1-5: ¹About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were sacrificing at the Temple in Jerusalem. ²“Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than other people from Galilee?” he asked. “Is that why they suffered? ³Not at all! And you will also perish unless you turn from your evil ways and turn to God. ⁴And what about the eighteen men who died when the Tower of Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? ⁵No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will also perish.”

Background: Jesus is teaching that judgment will come, so be ready. Fear God who has power to end life and eternal life. He is the judge we must deal with. Certainly he is merciful, but his mercy doesn’t deny the seriousness of having a rich relationship with him.

Prompt: In the course of his teaching, someone brings up the tragic news of the day. Pilate slaughtered a group of Galileans at worship. He mingled their blood with the blood of the sacrifices. Pilate went straight into God’s house and killed these people who were doing nothing more than worshipping. Why? Had they done something to offend God? Did God allow it? If God didn’t, then why didn’t he stop Pilate? (It is a question of their fate).

Response: Rather than comment on Pilate’s attack, Jesus focuses on the main issue: the need to repent.

• Jesus adds a tragic event that was "just an accident." A tower in Siloam collapsed and killed 18 people. His question: Are we to assume that the slain Galileans were more sinful than other Galileans because of the tragedy? Are we to assume that the 18 killed by the tower collapse were more sinful than other Jerusalemites?
• Jesus’ answer is no. Before God, we are all sinners and without repentance, we will all perish. It is futile to try and calculate and categorize tragedies as to whether they are random or according to divine law. Who are we to counsel God?
• Act of God: We tend to think violent acts or natural disasters are the judgment of God or the will of God. Did God do this? And if he did why? Jesus calls us away from such fruitless pondering and says "People die and all of you will die. And all of you will perish if you don’t change."

Application:
The 150,000 who died are no more or less sinful than any of us. [Yes, there were children – and like our children they are innocent in their ignorance of right and wrong.] Sometimes, towers collapse. Sometimes, earthquakes strike. Sometimes, tornadoes destroy. Sometimes, planes and cars crash and collide. Sometimes, cruel leaders and desperate psychopaths commit acts of terror. And sometimes they do not. But unless you repent, you will perish.

Repent = not just turning away from what’s wrong, but turning toward God. A parable about repentance (turning toward God) from Luke 13:6-9 …

⁶Then Jesus used this illustration: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. ⁷Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s taking up space we can use for something else.’ ⁸“The gardener answered, ‘Give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. ⁹If we get figs next year, fine. If not, you can cut it down.’ “

The owner of the vineyard had every right to expect figs from his fruitless tree. He had been patient with it for three years. He has the authority and the right to cut it down. But he mercifully gives the tree another year. One more year …

The New Year is a time when many of us consider changes we want to make in the upcoming year. There is some degree of reflection and moral introspection. Some of us will resolve to save money, to read a good book we’ve long intended to read, many of us will resolve to be more active and disciplined in our daily lives. Some of us will make a special effort to end a bad habit like cursing, smoking, or eating too much. But we all need to change. We need to repent, to turn toward God and be changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Christian life is not a matter of keeping the rules and keeping up appearances. Life in the Kingdom is not a game with God of gaining favors and avoiding losses. Life in the kingdom is about aligning our lives with God’s purposes. This means that the knee that bows before God is a part of the same leg that walks a life worthy of that worship. Without repentance (turning toward God) all our gains are nothing but loss. Christian life/Life in the kingdom is a changed life rooted in Christ and nurtured by the Holy Spirit. When our lives and our life together are rooted in Christ they yield a harvest of spiritual produce.

Perhaps we have a year ahead of us to bear fruit consistent with changed lives. Perhaps a year – or more – or less. It’s hard to say because Christ could come back ready to clear out the worthless trees – or a tower might collapse, an enemy might strike, the earth may shake, the waters may come crashing down. I don’t know – and neither do you. But we do know this – unless we repent, we will certainly perish.

[The teaching of Jesus is a call for you to turn to God. If you find yourself in sin, turn away from sin and turn to him. And God help us if any of us should be judgmental. Are we more or less sinful than any who respond? If you find yourself in need of help – maybe a crisis of a different magnitude has come crashing into your life, turn to God and let us pray with you. You may have to endure it, but not alone.]

Addendum: I think every Christian should consider this recent article from the London Guardian. In no way am I agreeing with every point made by the author, but I think he sets forth the spiritual and theological challenge that all disciples should spend more than a minute considering. This is especially true if we want to proclaim a biblical worldview.

The Gospel According to Joseph

Posted by Chris on December 26, 2004 under Sermons

Opening thought: "When you see a Nativity scene, what do you look for? Is there a certain individual you are drawn to? Do you want to see how the wise men, shepherds, or angels are portrayed?

The scene at the Nativity – (a pastiche of the many events, a homogenization of the various perspectives – and these days anyone can be a part of the Nativity! Santa, Frosty, Rudolph – even Looney Tunes!)

• Joseph – He is sort of the forgotten presence. What is he doing there? Where is he to be posed? Beside Mary, greeting the wise men, sorting out the gifts, tending to the sheep. What useful thing is he supposed to be doing?

• I think there is a tendency to ignore Joseph because his perspective on the birth of Christ reminds us of the shadowy side of the birth of the Savior. When Luke writes his gospel it seems sure that he told the story of Christ’s birth from Mary, and she kept many of these memories in her heart. Luke’s account of the birth of Christ is by far the most popular and most well known (with the exception of the Star which we get from Matthew).

• For Joseph, Mary’s betrothed husband, the story of the birth is not about things he kept in his heart, but of things he struggled with in his soul. For Joseph, the focus is not on gifts and visits. It is on the trial of it all – on what appeared to be infidelity and his thoughts of a quiet divorce, the weight of the law, the shame of sin and a fear for his family. And though it is a much rougher, shadowy account of things, it is still very much a story of good news – perhaps one very appropriate for us because it is a testimony of the gospel light breaking into the darkness. And with the help of Matthew, I want us to give attention to the gospel according to Joseph.

The Feeling of Shame and Scandal
Joseph and Mary were engaged to be married. It is supposed to be a blessed time as the two prepare for life together. There is already a sacred covenant between them and before the community they have promised themselves only to one another. They are not yet married and the rules about their interaction are guided by the community. Joseph is soon to begin his career with his father’s approval and begin a family with his wife. Joseph and Mary are bound to one another, but Joseph will not take her home to live with him until after the wedding.

However, this time of ordinary happiness is spoiled by scandal. Mary is pregnant. It would be bad enough if Joseph were the father and they had shamed the expectations of marriage, but all Joseph knows at this point is that he is not the father. He is in turmoil. If he ignores what has happened, he will be ignoring God’s law, and the law is very clear –
If there is a young woman, a virgin already engaged to be married, and a man meets her in the town and lies with her, you shall bring both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death, the young woman because she did not cry for help in the town and the man because he violated his neighbor’s wife. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. (Deuteronomy 22:23-24)

Joseph is a righteous man, but he is also a compassionate man. He loves God and God’s law, but he also loves Mary. He does not want to humiliate and expose her as a sinful woman, she would be rejected by the village and it would shame her and her father and she is so young. But worst of all it could lead to the death penalty. If the people were outraged, they could be brutal.

But he cannot marry her either. Joseph cannot simply forgive her and marry her anyway – that’s very storybook and soap opera romantic, but it is not reality in first-century Palestine – certainly not for Joseph. The law demands that he annul the marriage. This is how he shows his love of God and the people of Israel.

Joseph is seeking a way through his dilemma. Since he learned of the pregnancy he has been trying to figure a way out. He is righteous, but he is merciful. His best option – to fulfill his obligations to God and to Mary – is to give her a "quiet divorce." He can send her away to her relatives down in the hill country of Judea. She can go down there until the child is born and Joseph will prepare the divorce with a few trusted officials. It’s not a perfect solution, but it is the best that he can do – nothing else is possible.

The Dream of a New Possibility
While Joseph is trying to figure it all out, he has a dream. This dream is gospel – that is, good news.

• Don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife – the child is born of the Holy Spirit
• Name him Jesus – for he will save his people from their sins

Now Joseph has a possibility that wasn’t there when he was trying to figure it out on his own. Matthew says that this fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 7) that the virgin will be with child and give birth to a son and he will be named Immanuel – God is with us.

• The first time that prophecy was spoken it was meant to convince King Ahaz to trust in God and not worry about Israel’s foes. To rely on God and not his own treaties. But Ahaz chose to figure it out himself; he preferred his own solution. He decided that he would rather not bother God with this business.
• When Joseph awakes from the dream, he has to decide what he will do – follow his own solution, or accept the dream and the "God is with us"/Immanuel alternative. It won’t be easy to accept the dream. If he takes Mary as his wife it means that onlookers will say that he has been with Mary before the wedding or they will be ashamed because Joseph has ignored the sin. (There are also risks to come that he cannot yet imagine – the aggression by Herod and the need to flee, but God’s messenger is there for Joseph once again).

For Joseph, the dream is truly a gospel – good news. It means that more is possible than he would have ever imagined. It means the burden of the law has been lifted.

• Can you sympathize with Joseph? He is a good man, a righteous man and compassionate. But he is faced with (what he thought was) sin and the law doesn’t just "allow" him to break off the betrothal – the law and honor demand it.
• Haven’t we been there? That crossroads between righteousness and mercy? Even in our benevolence we know that we are helping, but the reason we must help might be the result of sin. How are we to be merciful without ignoring sin? In our church and in our family, we want to be merciful to those who lie and betray us who hurt us. We love them so much that we want to forgive and forget, but how can we, even in love, ignore the sin? How do we demonstrate our compassion and concern without seeming as if condone sin? What will people think? What will people say? What message will it send? In Joseph’s case he is comforted with the revelation that Mary has not committed a sin, but the people Mary and Joseph know will not have shared that revelation. And what do we do when we are in turmoil over those who have indeed sinned.What do we do then?

A New Possibility – "God is With Us"

O, how we need Immanuel – God is with us. How we need Jesus! He will save! Joseph receives the word of God in this dream as good news. He welcomes the possibility that this child is the Messiah – the Son of God. Yes, there will be scandal – not because of Joseph and Mary’s sinfulness but because of the sinfulness of humankind – but the possibility of the gospel that Joseph receives means that he and Mary and all their people will be saved.

• Would you like to share Joseph’s dream?
• Would you like to hand your struggle over to God and just be obedient?
• Would you like to overcome the fear, worry, and shame and trust in God?
• Would you like to welcome the possibility that God is with us and he is on our side?
• Would you like to let go of the burden of finding your own solution to your problems and trust in God’s possibilities – things that you and I cannot even imagine?

Joseph did all of that. He relied on God and trusted in God even when it seemed difficult or questionable. Unlike King Ahaz, Joseph sets aside his very logical, pious, and reasonable solution and pledges himself to God’s risky, but amazing, solution.

The gospel according to Joseph is the good news that God’s works are greater than our limitations. We are sinful and the law is often not on our side, and even when it is it is a burden God is with us!

So when you see Joseph in a nativity scene look for a man who trusts in God, look for a man who’s been saved from a dilemma between righteousness and mercy. Look for a man whose dream came true – God is with us! He will save us!

Leave Sincere Christians Alone!

Posted by David on December 19, 2004 under Sermons

(Open the assembly with reading of Romans 14:1-12.)

Please remember tonight’s lesson is a continuation of the thought in last Sunday evening’s lesson.

As a movement, we have deep roots in protest and confrontation. Our first layer of historical roots sink deep into the Protestant Reformation. In what I realize is an oversimplified observation, the Protestant Reformation was a religious movement that ultimately protested against the Roman Catholic practices in the late middle ages by rebelling against Roman Catholic control in Europe.

As a historical movement, the roots of the Church of Christ in America began just before 1800 as a number of people in a number of different places were distressed by the forms of control that were expressed in different Protestant churches. In different places, back-to-the-Bible movements began as a means of seeking unity. In time, most of these movements merged into a single outcry.

However, from early in the American back-to-the-Bible movement, there was strong disagreement. In time it became a part of the nature of the movement to be critical. In time the movement divided in three primary directions. One group became the Disciples of Christ. One group became the Christian Church. One group became the Church of Christ.

I say this to make a single point: it is in the nature of our back-to-the-Bible movement to be critical. There are some who believe being critical even among ourselves to be an evidence of faithfulness. Being critical is so ingrained in the basic character of our movement that we even form a concept of unity that recognizes and sometimes encourages confrontation among ourselves. It is literally impossible for some of us to realize that God gave much indication that He is not as critical as we often are. We expect every follower of Christ to be exactly like us. God does not expect every person in Christ to be identical.

Let me use a humorous illustration from this week in this congregation. Each morning this week our campus ministry has offered a free pancake breakfast to any student taking his or her finals at the University of Arkansas in Fort Smith. John Priester and Patti Anderson were the cooks and greeters. Every morning this week the whole office complex was filled with the pleasant aroma of cooking pancakes! Every morning when I walked through I had to resist the temptation to eat free pancakes!

Each time I passed by, there was the hot griddle, the pancake batter, several breakfast beverages to go with the pancakes, and a line of toppings to place on your hot pancakes: syrup (okay), jelly (okay but questionable), and peanut butter (yuck!). You see, I am from “the old school”–where I grew up, you just did not eat peanut butter on pancakes. In fact, the first time I ever saw peanut butter offered as a topping for pancakes was this week!

Then I learned that people have been eating peanut butter on pancakes for generations! I may even be in the minority! It is possible that “the right way to eat pancakes” is not with syrup! The fact that I cannot imagine eating peanut butter on pancakes (and I love peanut butter!) does not exclude combining peanut butter and pancakes for breakfast!

Allow me to focus your attention on something far more serious.

1. I am convinced that we have failed to realize the enormous conflict between first century Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians over the “right way” to approach and serve God.
   1. There were major differences in the ways Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians did things as children of God.
      1. Jewish Christians often looked upon the ways of Gentile Christians with disgust.
      2. In numerous ways Jewish Christians often tried to intimidate Gentile Christians.
   2. To illustrate how deep and serious this conflict was, consider Galatians 2:11-14.
      [I am quite aware that the illustration involves a confrontation between two mature Christians. I direct your attention to three things: (1) the conflict between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians was significant and prominent; (2) Cephas [Peter] who knew God’s intent to save Gentiles let himself be ruled by fear instead of faith in God’s objectives. Romans 14 does not involve God’s objectives in Christianity. (3) Cephas [Peter] did the thing Romans 14 declares must not occur.]
      But when Cephas [Peter, the same Peter we discussed last Sunday night] came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?
      1. Paul publicly said, “Peter your are wrong in your behavior.”
      2. When Peter first came to Antioch, he ate with [had total fellowship including table fellowship] Gentile Christians.
      3. But, when a group of Jewish Christians came to Antioch from Jerusalem, Peter stopped eating with Gentile Christians–and he encouraged other Jewish Christians [including Barnabas!] not to eat with Gentile Christians.
      4. Paul declared this attitude to be hypocrisy!
      5. Why did Peter act that way in those circumstances? Because he was afraid of the Jewish Christians!
   3. This conflict between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christ was the major reason that Paul sent the letter we call Galatians and an important reason for Paul writing the letter we call Romans.
      1. In the mostly Gentile congregations of Galatia, this confusion created a major problem.
      2. In the congregations in Rome, this confusion was an important problem.

2. For a moment, allow me to focus your attention on Romans.
   1. The book falls into three obvious parts.
      1. The first part is contained in chapters 1-11.
         1. It focuses on God’s part in human salvation.
         2. In that part Paul definitely includes in that focus the fact that God always intended Gentiles to be saved in Christ–without converting to Judaism!
      2. Listen to two statements from Romans 11.
         1. First, to Jews including Jewish Christians: Romans 11:1-6–I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.” But what is the divine response to him? “I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
            1. The fact that God extends salvation to Gentiles through grace does not mean that God rejected Israel.
            2. This is not the first time God opposed Israel!
            3. Do not interpret God’s love for Gentiles as abandoning love for Israel!
         2. Second, to Gentile Christians: Romans 11:17-24–But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
            1. If God grafted you Gentile Christians in the tree, He can surely graft Israelites who believe in Jesus back into the tree.
            2. Do not be conceited! Do not believe God loves you more than He loves them!
         3. I called Romans 11 to your attention for this reason: I wanted you to see this conflict between Jewish believers in God and Gentile Christians was a real, prominent problem.
      3. The second part of the book runs from chapter 12 into chapter 15.
         1. This section discussed how a person lived or behaved because he understood God’s actions in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
         2. It is in this section that we encounter Romans 14, the first part of which you heard read as we began.
      4. The third section is the ending contained mostly in Romans 16.

3. For a few moments, I want to focus your attention on Romans 14.
   1. I want to begin by calling your attention to the fact that Rome had very different groups of Christians. Some Jewish Christians:
      Religiously, complete vegetarians
      Religiously, observed special
      holy days: Sabbaths, Passovers,
      Pentecosts, etc.
      1. They were so fearful of idolatry and eating a meat that was used in a sacrifice to an idol, they ate only vegetables to be safe religiously.
      2. They were so conscientious in not wishing to offend God that they observed Jewish holy days as was Israel’s practice for generations. Some Gentile Christians:
         They ate anything (God sanctified it all–1 Timothy 4:4,5)
         To them, there were no holy days.
      3. A sacrifice to an idol was a sacrifice to nothing (1 Corinthians 8:4).
      4. Observance of holy days does not bring a Christian closer to God.
   2. It should be obvious that these two groups were fundamentally different.
      1. They expressed faith in God differently.
      2. It was because of their faith in God they behaved differently.
      3. One group literally did things the other group did not do–and for religious reasons!
   3. Today, who would we say were the most conscientious, the most committed?
      1. Those who were vegetarians, who refuse to buy meat from the market.
      2. Those who observed holy days to be certain they did not offend God.
      3. But Paul classified them as the weak!
   4. Today, who would we say were the least conscientious, the least committed?
      1. Those who ate anything.
      2. Those who said there were no holy days.
      3. But Paul classified them as the strong! Why? Because of the faith they had!

4. Listen to Paul’s instructions:
   1. God did not save you to pass judgment on Christians who disagree with your position.
   2. God knows your motives, why you do what you do.
   3. God in Christ can and will make each of you stand–He can and He will!
   4. Your responsibility is to see that you do not discourage each other by judging each other!
   5. When a Christian is doing something to honor God, encourage him, do not find fault with what he is doing! He or she will answer to God, not to you.

As I said last week, this is a difficult time of the year for some. Honor your conscience in what you do, but do not pass judgment on your fellow Christian. God can and will make stand those who honor Him. You do not prove the superiority of your faith by confronting those in Christ who disagree with you.

Reality Check

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

What is Real?

Have you noticed how reality shows aren’t really real? What’s real about lying in a Plexiglas box full of roaches or getting stranded on an island? What’s real about falling off a bridge on a wire or racing around the world with a little person? What’s real about spoiled socialites working on a cattle-farm? What’s real about a fictional millionaire dating 30 women in a week so he can get married? Why are we shocked when we find out that reality shows are staged, scripted, and edited?

Have you noticed how so much of so-called "real life" isn’t really that real? Have you noticed that I don’t wear the clothes I want to, but often dress the way you expect me to? Have you noticed that we don’t really tell each other about the movies we go see or the books we read, but we may talk a certain church talk that we reserve for our time together? Have you noticed how we sometimes don’t tell each other what we really think or feel but often give the answer we think someone else wants to hear? Have you noticed how we will not tell each other about the things that we need help with – the mismanaged money, the addiction to pills or something to drink or something to smoke, the need to visit certain websites "just out of curiosity," or the need to be accepted by others and to have someone like us, love us, or praise us. And even though we would love to be as honest as to share all of this sincerely with another person, have you noticed how we seem to manufacture an "image" for ourselves and others? Have you noticed that "real life" sometimes isn’t real?

Perhaps that is because we think that if others knew the truth about us, they might hold that against us. Maybe each of us is concerned that someone else might use us as a step ladder to get up on his or her moral high ground? Then again maybe some of us are just as real as we can be – when in reality we are angry, disappointed, and perhaps a bit cautious with all the other hypocrites in this so-called real world. However you put it, sometimes the world isn’t that real.

Keeping It Real

Don’t think for a moment that "false reality" is just a problem on TV or in the church. There’s plenty of hypocrisy in the world. In fact those who claim to be "keeping it real" are often putting up a rehearsed front. They are playing the part of the strong individual who doesn’t care what anyone or anybody thinks about him or her. If that’s so, then why do they make a strong point of this in everything they do? I am convinced that if you want to find reality and the type of person who is real and not just "keeping it real" you have to draw close to the people who are close to God …

Among all the saints in our cloud of witnesses, no one is more real than John the Baptist. (Read Matthew 3:1-12) With John, what you see is what you get. John’s a preacher, but he doesn’t dress up for anyone – except God. I have heard every joke about preacher’s being the first in line for a potluck (which has never been true in my experience). John’s a preacher, but he doesn’t have time for potlucks and dinner on the ground and church socials. And even if he did, you may not want him to come: "Oh look here darling, someone brought roasted grasshoppers drizzled with raw honey. I wonder who that would be." If John went to preaching school he missed the classes that taught you how to dress for success. It’s obvious as he preaches without a tie for his camel hair shirt and leather belt – unshaven, for days and the only bath his constant baptizing. John’s not much on communication either. He must have skipped the rhetoric and conflict courses. I don’t know about you, but I always heard that you don’t win over your congregation by calling them a "brood of vipers" in your sermon.