Preacher 101

If your preacher were to stand before you one day and ask for a show of hands as to how many people know and understand completely, everything there is to know and understand correctly, about the bible in its entirety, I doubt seriously that one, single, solitary hand would go up – and certainly no sincerely honest person (including your preacher) would dare raise one. And so, what does that mean? It means that none of us completely and correctly understand everything there is to know both within, and about, the holy and sacred, God-given scripture. (Please file that point away in your mind for just a moment.)

Secondly; it is that evangelist’s God-given duty, directive, and divinely-delivered responsibility to also study endlessly (because he doesn’t know it all either!) – to: “Be diligent to present [him]self approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15) – and then to deliver that full word of God faithfully to God’s faithful people (2 Tim. 2:2) – to: “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Tim. 4:2).

So what should these two points put together reveal to us? That sooner or later, because no one knows or understands absolutely everything in the bible, absolutely and completely correctly, that if, by the grace of God, any preacher is blessed to stay in one congregation long enough, sooner or later he is going to challenge every single saint in that assembly, no matter who they are or how long they’ve been there, in one area of their biblical understanding or another. It can simply be no other way if he is truly and faithfully preaching the “full counsel of God” (Acts 20:27), as God requires His faithful servant must do. And again, if a preacher is faithfully studying, seeking to understand, and then truly preaching the word of God which he has delved into on a deep and daily basis, sooner or later he is going to challenge every saint’s conclusions and/or convictions in one area or another, in order to help them to learn something new and grow on into the God-required maturity that we all must (Eph. 4:11-16). That is his job (2 Tim. 4:1-5)! As I have heard appropriately observed in the immediate aftermath of an occasionally hard-hitting sermon or two in the past by a good brother: “If he (the preacher) stepped on your toes with that sermon, it’s only because he’s a bad shot. He was aiming for your heart.” Amen!

If a preacher has been blessed enough to be in the same location for a period of years, and has not at the very least, slightly offended, upset, corrected, rebuked, or otherwise challenged each individual saint in some area or another of their biblical knowledge, understanding, and/or convictions (study John 6:60-69), then he should probably apologize because he’s not truly doing his job. He should humbly ask the saints’ forgiveness for apparently slacking in his duties as theirs’ and God’s evangelist and promise to seek to do better from now on to fulfill his God-given commission to more aptly assist the congregation’s God-required growth in Christ.

One reason some preachers fail to preach the full council of God on such a constant and continual basis is because they fear the potential reprisals of their biblically-offended brethren. Let’s face it… many saints brotherhood-wide – not all, but a sizable amount nonetheless – have their own dearly beloved “pet projects,” agendas, and/or understandings and perspectives of particular religious ideas, which NO ONE had better challenge or mess with “if they know what’s good for them.” These understandings and perspectives may have come from “dear old mom and dad,” a beloved Christian teacher or preacher who has long since passed on to their reward, or some other treasured and “protected at all cost” source… And therefore, “God help the Christian preacher or teacher who even dares suggest re-examining and/or re-assessing those conclusions.” But if those pet perspectives are even remotely biblically faulty, or even somewhat scripturally errant, then they need to be biblically challenged and re-examined for the soul’s sake. And this is what preachers, teachers, and true Christian disciples who truly love their Lord, His word and His people, will ultimately and unendingly do – despite whatever the cost or consequences. And mark my words; sometimes the consequences can be pretty severe. Better yet, mark His. One need look no further than the story of Jesus near the end of the gospel accounts; the story of Stephen as recorded in Acts 7; or the story of the apostle Paul as seen throughout the book of Acts to encounter this. In all three of these biblical accounts, deeply pious and religious people with centuries-old convictions and conclusions that could not stand in the light of true biblical scrutiny, both sought to, and then eventually successfully, silenced those who dared challenge them to re-examine their convictions in the all-authoritative light of God’s word (Psalm 119).

While no elder, preacher, or teacher in the Lord’s church today (at least in America) will likely be crucified as was Jesus, stoned as was Stephen, or beheaded as the apostle Paul is believed to have been, all for merely seeking to get people to examine, acknowledge, and dispose of some of their biblically faulty, previously held religious convictions and conclusions so that they might spiritually mature, grow closer to, and get right with almighty God, still, consequences for challenging somewhat popular but yet biblically erroneous conclusions today do still exist. It is unfortunately but yet not uncommonly known today, for some preachers to have to move on because they dared teach the biblical truth regarding such things as “marriage, divorce, and remarriage,” disfellowship, so-called “social drinking,” and/or a whole plethora of other biblical truths even on ‘lesser’ topics, to those few power-and-influence-wielding brethren who did not wish to have their self-justified but biblically-unsupportable conclusions challenged in the light of God’s word and it’s common-sense application.

Let us determine as a congregation to always remain totally determined to be the kind of faithful Christians who want to continue to have our convictions and conclusions constantly biblically challenged, in order that we might become the mature children our heavenly Father desires (II Cor. 3:17-18). As long as our leaders present the black and white, “book, chapter, and verse” biblical truth, let us determine to always be ready to re-examine our personal opinions and beliefs, not relax our guard, and to remain a Hebrews 13:17 people who: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.”

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Fear Not

Fear NOT

In a portion of First Peter 2:17, Peter simply said, “Fear God.” God has demanded reverential, godly fear throughout the ceaseless ages of time (Deut. 10:12; Eccl. 12:13). Fear is a very powerful, motivating force. It has caused many to run and hide from God, including Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:8), Jonah (Jonah 1:9-10) and all who sin against the divine will of God (Heb. 10:27). It has also caused many to obey Him, including Noah (Heb. 11:7), Abraham (Gen. 22:12), the midwives of Egypt (Ex. 1:17-19), the early church (Acts 5:11) and all who are mindful of the coming judgment (2 Cor. 5:10-11).

While we are commanded to fear God, we are also encouraged in numerous passages not to be afraid. In fact, we find the expression, “Fear not,” more than sixty times in the Bible. Therefore, let us notice more carefully these words of encouragement: “Fear not.”

We should not fear because God promises to bless us through our journey in life. God appeared to Abraham in a vision and told him not to fear, promising to bless him and his generations to follow (Gen. 26:24). While the Israelites battled with King Og at the battle of Edrei, God comforted Moses with the words, “Fear not” (Num. 21:33-35).

We should not fear because God will protect us when in peril. God said in Genesis 15:1, “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield.” Elisha told his servant, “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (2 Kings 6:16).

We should not fear because God strengthens us when we are weak. Moses encouraged the Israelites and Joshua with words, “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not” (Deut. 31:6-8). God reiterates to Isaiah several times, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee” (Isa. 41:10).

We should not fear because God is our companion in our trials. David charged his son Solomon, “Fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord” (1 Chron. 28:20). Isaiah prophesies of the church’s promise by God, “Fear not: for I am with thee” (Isa. 43:1-7).

We should not fear because God cares for his children. Jesus said in Matthew 10:31, “Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” He also said in Luke 12:32, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

We should not fear because God has given life beyond the grave. Jesus told John in Revelation 1:17-18, “Fear not…I am he that liveth, and was dead.” The angel told the women at the tomb, “Fear not ye…for he is risen” (Matt. 28:5-6).

What a great comfort for God to say to his children, “[Fear not], for I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Heb. 13:5-6).

While we give reverential, godly fear to God, let us put our complete trust and faith in Him so that we “Fear not!”

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Grace and an Umbrella

The New Testament is replete with references to God’s grace and mercy.  The word “grace” in this sense means, “unmerited (unearned) divine favor or kindness.”  Accordingly, the word “mercy” means, “divine compassion or forbearance.”  The two terms are relative.  When used together they reflect God’s kindness toward man joined by a willingness to help him.  Hebrews 4:16 conveys this well: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

The apostle Paul reveals to the Christian that they are in a saved condition because of God’s grace and mercy (Eph. 2:4-5).  But can one who has been born again fall out of favor with God?  According to Paul he can.  To some Christians in Galatia he said, “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4).

God’s grace is like an umbrella.  The only way it will benefit you is if you get under it and stay under it. Likewise, if you want to be saved, you must both be in Christ and abide in Him.  If you will not abide in Him you will fall from His grace and be lost (2 John9).  Are you using your umbrella?

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Abortion: Roe Vs. Wade

Another Year, Another Million: Roe v. Wade

It’s that time of year again… 41 years ago tomorrow [January 22, 2014] our nation will see another anniversary of the most grievous ruling our nation, and arguably any nation in history, has ever seen. Roe v. Wade opened the doors for nationwide legalized abortion, and we’ve never turned back since. Sure, we’ve won a few battles from state to state or nationally with regards to late-term abortions, and that’s good, but viewing the issue as a whole we’ve been largely ineffective at changing anything. Christians have been far too silent for far too long. Sure, we might share a pro-life message on Facebook or vote for the right candidates, but we’ve done very little to turn hearts and minds and work towards bringing an end to this mass infanticide.

How far are you willing to go to declare what is an abomination to God? How much of a sacrifice are you willing to make? Willing to boycott a favorite travel destination like New York? During a radio interview last week New York Mayor Andrew Cuomo indicated those who are “pro-life” are not really welcome in New York. In talking about conservatives he declared: “Their problem is not me and the Democrats; their problem is themselves,” he said. “Who are they? Are they these extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay? Is that who they are? Because if that’s who they are and they’re the extreme conservatives, they have no place in the state of New York, because that’s not who New Yorkers are” (see http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/20/governor-andrew-cuomo-pro-life-people-not-welcome-in-new-york/). My point to Mr. Cuomo would be this: the real problem is not conservatives or political parties. The real problem is people who have stiffened their neck against God and His commands. Is that who New Yorkers are?

Adolf Hitler’s Holocaust against the Jews brutally ended 6,000,000 lives. For comparison, imagine the metropolitan area of Houston being wiped out, with no survivors. Since our Supreme Court’s ruling on abortion in 1973, 55,000,000 have been slaughtered, with really no end in sight. For comparison, imagine every single person in Los Angeles being killed. And San Francisco. And Oakland. And Seattle. And everyone else on our entire west coast (California, Oregon, and Washington), along with the state of Arizona. To sum these statistics up in a word – horrifying.

While some statistics are showing a positive turn, millions still hold to the belief that “I would never get an abortion, but I could see why some might need to and I can’t take their rights away.” Even a number Christians think that abortion is acceptable in certain situations. Either one of those should cause us to shudder, because both of those belief sets forget the basic point, the reason why anyone is against abortion in the first place: it’s murder. Beyond that, though, we still face the problem of our stance on life in the church. We’re not pro-life, we’re just anti-death. Don’t believe me? Watch the heads turn and listen in on the words that are said when a family with more than four or five children walk into your congregation. Pay attention to the scorn cast on newly married Christian couples that are “too young” and “have no business” having children. You’ll see that while we don’t want children to be killed, we only accept them in certain situations and in certain numbers. If we are to be people with a Christian worldview, we must be in favor of all life and view ALL children as a blessing from God (Psalm 127).

As in every battle that we have with the culture, there are dozens of compromises we can make between the extreme humanistic view and what the Bible says, or we can start with the Bible and build a Christian worldview based on what it teaches. There can be no compromise when it comes to the protection and celebration of life. God makes it clear in the Scriptures that He knows us and forms us long before we are born, and that we were souls created by His love back to our beginnings in the womb. That goes for everyone.

As a whole, this debate is just another one in the larger discussion of whether or not we can be a Christian nation, a country that holds the values and morals of Jesus Christ. We shouldn’t expect a country filled with people who have no regard for the Bible’s teachings to come around on abortion, homosexuality, or any other moral issue facing us today, and we shouldn’t expect a church that has only a conditional respect for life to succeed as a standard-bearer. Therefore, in addition to legislative efforts, we have to start with informing. We can’t just inform people that abortion is wrong. We have to tell them why it’s wrong, why life is important in God’s eyes, and why it matters to stand up and speak out. As much as ever before, the world needs the love of Christ, and we can’t be satisfied with trying to legislate morality without changing hearts (including our own). Get involved in the pro-life movement, help save lives, and keep the command to make disciples at the heart of it all (Matthew 28:18-20).

 

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John 13: Serving and Judas

The Sovereign Servant

As a preacher, there are times when we have to deliver “farewell messages” to congregations we work with and it is not an easy thing to do. And, while a preacher may not have succeeded, the purpose is to always prepare them for the future. That is the issue with our Lord in Jn. 13-17 as he addresses his disciples.

Now, Jesus had entered Jerusalem on Sunday, and on Monday had cleansed the temple. Tuesday was a day of conflict as the religious leaders sought to trip Him up and get evidence to arrest Him. These events are recorded in Matthew 21-25. Wednesday was probably a day of rest, but on Thursday He met in the Upper Room with His disciples in order to observe Passover. But, the emphasis in John 13:1-5 is on what our Lord knew and what he did. Jesus knew that “His hour was come.” What hour? It was the time when He would be glorified through His death, resurrection, and ascension. From the human point of view, it meant suffering; but from the divine point of view, it meant glory.

In vs. 2, the word translated “put” literally means “to throw.” It reminds us of the fiery darts of the wicked one (Eph. 6:16). And so, Judas had succumbed to the wicked one’s attacks on the heart. But, Jesus knew that the Father had given Him all things (vs. 3). And, what Jesus knew helped determine what Jesus did (vs. 4-5). So, the disciples must have been shocked when they saw their Master rise from supper, lay aside His outer garments, wrap a towel around His waist, take a basin of water, and wash their feet. This was a special mark of affection. But, it was much more than that for as the disciples began to dispute who was to be the greatest (Lk. 22:24-30), he gave them an unforgettable lesson in humility, and by His actions rebuked their selfishness and pride.

But, as Peter watched the Lord wash his friends’ feet, he became more and more disturbed and could not understand what He was doing (vs. 6-17). We can admit that Peter was often impulsive out of ignorance and often had to be corrected by Jesus. Jesus here was trying to teach his disciples the importance of a holy walk and was washing, which meant “bathing all over” here showing how necessary it was to be cleansed, similar to the priest in the Old Testament (Ex. 29:4; 30:18-21). Of course, the Lord cleanses us through his blood (Rom. 6:3-4) and it is through his words that our hearts and minds can be kept clean so as to avoid the pollutions of the world. And, if a Christian does sin, we have a loving Advocate, which forgives (1 Jn. 2:1-2). But, Peter did not understand what his Lord was doing and when he discovered that to refuse the Lord would mean to lose the Lord’s fellowship, he went in the opposite direction of Judas (vs. 11) and asked for a complete bath! But, our Lord was teaching that real joy comes from serving, the mark of true Christianity (Jam. 1:25).

But in vs. 18-35, a dark shadow now fell across the scene as Jesus dealt with Judas, the traitor. It is important to note that Judas had become a hypocrite. It was told of him that he would not believe in Jesus (Jn. 6:64-71) and had not been completely clean (vs. 10-11) and was there to fulfill the Scriptures (vs. 10-11; Psa. 41:9). Still, Judas was responsible for his own decisions, and those decisions fulfilled God’s Word. Judas had been disloyal.

Now, the remarkable thing is that the others at the table with Jesus did not know that Judas was an unbeliever and a traitor. Up to the very hour of his treachery, Judas was protected by the Saviour whom he betrayed. Had Jesus openly revealed what He knew about Judas, it is likely that the men would have turned on him. Remember what Peter did to Malchus when soldiers came to take Jesus! Jesus knew what Judas would do, but He did not compel him to do it. Judas was exposed to the same spiritual privileges as the other disciples. Jesus had spoken before about a traitor (Jn. 6:70), but the disciples did not take it to heart. Now when He spoke openly about it at the table, His disciples were perplexed.

Peter signaled to John, who was the closest to Jesus at the table, and asked him to find out who the traitor was (vs. 22-24). But, the Lord’s reply to John was certainly not heard by all the men (Lk. 22:23). Now, when Jesus gave the bread to Judas, it was interpreted as an act of love and honor. But for John, no doubt he was stunned by this revelation, but before he could say or do anything, Jesus had sent Judas on his way (vs. 27). Keep in mind that Judas knew what he was doing and that he did it deliberately. He had already met with the Jewish religious leaders and agreed to lead them to Jesus without any public disturbance (Lk. 21:37-22:6). He heard Jesus say, “Woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born!” (Matt. 26:24). Yet, he persisted in his unbelief and treachery. In vs. 30, John mentions it was night. It is interesting here because Jesus is the Light of the world (Jn. 8:12), but Judas rejected Jesus and went out into darkness and those who do evil hate the light (Jn. 3:18-21). The Lord’s warnings go unheeded by Judas.

The instant Judas was gone, the atmosphere was cleared, and Jesus began to instruct His disciples and prepare them for His crucifixion and His ultimate return to heaven. In vs. 31-35 he speaks of the glory of God and how he would be glorified through the Son of Man. The Father was glorified when the Lord finished the work that he was given to do (Jn. 17:4). This is the way all of us glorify God, by faithfully doing what He calls us to do. In our Lord’s case, the Father’s will was that the Son die for lost sinners, be raised from the dead, and then ascend to heaven.

Now, one day the believing disciples would go to be with Him (Jn. 14:1-3), and they would also see Him after His resurrection. But during this time of His suffering and death, it was important that they not try to follow Him. Instead, the disciples’ responsibility was to love one another just as Christ had loved them. They would certainly need this love in the hours to follow, when their Master would be taken from them and their brave spokesman, Peter, would fail Him and them. In fact, all of them would fail, and the only thing that would bring them together would be their love for Christ and for each other. This bond is mentioned 44 times between Jn. 13-21. And this new command meant that this was a new experience in that this love would take on a new meaning and power because of the death of Christ on the cross (Jn. 15:13) and because of the power in the Gospel (Acts 2; Rom. 1). This section begins and ends with love: Jesus’ love for His own (vs. 1) and the disciples’ love for one another (vs. 35). It is love that is the true evidence that we belong to Jesus Christ. And how do we evidence that love? By doing what Jesus did: laying down our lives for the brethren (1 Jn. 3:16). And the way to start is by getting down and washing one another’s feet in sacrificial service.

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