Help!

‘O Lord, please help me in this situation.’

That sounds like a really good prayer. David thought so.

In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. Psalms 18.6

How good to know that we can call upon our God for His help.

However…

There is the possibility of a problem. And this is because of the subtle deceitfulness of our hearts. There is a way of calling out to God for help that we are to pursue as a part of everyday life. But there is a way of asking for His help that is deceptive and evil. This is when we ask for God's help thinking that all we need is just a little boost. We're confident that we have things mostly under control, but there is that one little tidbit that isn’t working the way that we want. And it’s for that little bit that we ask God’s help.

When we do that, when that is what's going on in our hearts, we are sinning. We are believing the lie that we are able to handle life, at least most of it. We are convinced that we really can do this. It’s just that we need a little assist – and that’s what God is for, isn’t He?

We don’t need a little assist. We need the grace of God without which life just won't work.

I've adjusted my prayers because of this. While it actually is okay for a Christian to ask God to 'help' him, more and more I'm leaving that word out. So, I don't ask Him to help me trust Him, for example. No, now it's, 'Make me trust You in this situation.' And I'm working at asking for that with the understanding that if He doesn't act, life won't work for me. I am in desperate need of His grace.

The State of the Church

To Change the World

One likely response to hearing, ‘We are to change the world’, just might be something like, ‘But we’re too small to do much about changing the world’. But saying that reveals some important misunderstandings about this calling.

First, there’s the goal of the Church. To change the world is our calling. That’s clear if you remember the words that Jesus taught us to pray, ‘Thy kingdom come’. What is this but a prayer that God would bring about the ultimate change, the coming of His complete rule over the affairs of humanity. Then, consider Jesus’ parting command to His Church, ‘Make disciples of the nations’. What is this but how God brings about the coming of that kingdom. This is our calling. It’s very important to distinguish this from working for the ongoing existence of Faith Reformed. There have been plenty of churches that were very faithful in working toward this goal which no longer exist. They will be rewarded.

Then, there is the method. How are we to do this? Here’s a key thought for doing this in this culture. These days the Church will make progress in this by Christians working at living well as disciples and being ready for any opportunity to explain their lives, and thus the Gospel, when people ask. If we do a good job of this kind of living, they will come to us, wondering how we do it. This does not mean that we are to be passive in this, but rather that our greatest weapon these days - what will open doors of opportunity for us - is how we live before the watching world.

Last, how long will it take for us to do this? Well, who is that ‘us’? It’s the whole Church throughout history. This is something that we’ve been working on since Jesus told us how to pray and gave us that final command. This is something that has been taking - and will continue to take - generations. Our expectations need to match that. We need to work at this not necessarily expecting to see the result of our labors in this life.

This is how we change the world.

This is the last of a series of bulletin inserts that I wrote for my church.

State of the Church

Real Friendships as an Evangelistic Tool

Our deep friendships (aka 'fellowship') can be a tremendous means of doing some very powerful evangelism. In saying this I am making an assumption. Because of the rapid shifts in our culture, people's lives are not working well and they are becoming increasingly aware of that. Quite apart from any sociological studies, we know this happens because the further that people move away from living based on some sort of biblical standards the further they move from reality. And lives based on something other than God's reality will not work.

In the days of my youth, our culture was by no means Christian, but there were certain Christian notions about living that were generally accepted. That is no longer the case. Take marriage for one example. People without a shred of Christian belief will still benefit when they have long-term, faithful marriages, something one time commonly enjoyed. Consider the damage that divorce and promiscuity cause these days.

So, how do we do evangelism in this cultural context? It isn't by the old methods of going door to door or by using little booklets. Today, we broadcast the Gospel first by leading lives that work, by becoming increasingly whole people. Over time, as their lives aren't working and they see that ours are, we will draw them to Jesus.

But this way of doing evangelism won't work without our being a community of really good friends. That's true because, first of all, we cannot develop into whole people without the aid of the group. That's one reason Jesus has a Church. And second, we need to invite those people who will become interested in the Gospel into a group of people who are really there for each other. Our witness is not just individual but also corporate. Being really good friends ('fellowship') is an evangelistic tool.

Next time: Changing the world?

This is from a series of bulletin inserts that I wrote for my church.

State of the Church

How Do We Become Whole People?

Jesus has come so that we can become whole people. And that’s a process that we are to continually work at. How do we do that? Here’s one thing: to continually work at friendships. Here’s something to help us understand what to aim at. ‘A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.’ Proverbs 17.17

To really get this, we need to be clear on that word ‘love’. This is more than being nice or being someone to hang out with. The people who truly love us are people we know that we can depend on - like in times of adversity. And if we are going to be real friends to others we need to love like this.  

But please note that if we’re going to be able to love people in this way, we will need to know them, really know them. Real friends know each other. So, how do we do that?

First, we need to listen. We need to listen to what people are saying. We need to listen for what they’re not saying. We need to listen to what’s behind the words. We need to listen.

Then, we need to ask good questions. The fact is that people want to be heard. They want to tell you about what really matters to them. But they are afraid to do that. What if they open up a bit, and you don’t care or you step all over something that is precious to them? But the right questions will show them that it’s okay to talk about these things. It tells them that you will listen and treat what they treasure with care.

We might need to be gently persistent in pursuing this. Most people are used to others not caring to listen. We’ll need to gain each others’ trust.

Oh, and by the way, this used to be called fellowship before that word was re-defined to something about coffee and donuts.

Next: Fellowship has so much to do with evangelism.

This is from a series of bulletin inserts that I wrote for my church.

State of the Church

What Does God Want Us To Be Doing?

The question in the title has an important element in it. It doesn't ask, 'What Should We Be Doing?' It asks, 'What Does God Want Us To Be Doing?' That guides us to the place we are to find the answer: the Bible. That might sound obvious, but, sad to say, there is a growing problem of Christians not looking to the Bible for the answers to important questions like ours.

Let me add a clarification lest there be any confusion. The 'Us' in our question isn't us as individuals, even if we are a group of individuals. The 'Us' is the church. The Bible has some things for individual Christians to do and then, other things for churches to do. Confusion here can become a real problem.

So, how does the Bible answer our question? I think that a really good place to start to look for an answer is those letters to churches that take up the second half of the New Testament. When you read through these letters what you find is that they boil down to two important themes. The first is the Gospel stated, clarified, defended: doctrine. The second is the Gospel applied in different kinds of situations: life. (Think: Romans chapters 1-11: doctrine, and then chapters 12-16: life.) And what is the point of these two themes? The stress in those letters is on what kind of people we are to endeavor to become. It's about growing in things like character - aka Christian maturity. So, a good beginning to an answer to our question is that we should be working at becoming a certain kind of people, whole people. And that makes sense since that’s one reason Jesus has come.

Next: Can we get a little more specific, please?

This is from a series of bulletin inserts that I wrote for my church.

 

State of the Church

‘We Don’t Do Anything’

We’re once again taking a look at ourselves as a church. This time it’s about the claim, ‘But we don’t do anything’. Let’s be clear. I don’t think this is saying that we do absolutely nothing. We are obviously doing some things that every church absolutely must do. And at the top of the list is the worship of God. There are other things that we also do, but the point of that comment is that we aren’t doing some sort of ministry out in the larger community. And let’s face the facts; we aren’t.

So, is that a problem? Is some ministry out in the community something we really should be doing? After all, lots of other churches are doing ministry in the community. But does that mean that we are supposed to?

Churches, like people, are all different. And one aspect of their being different is that God has called each of them do certain things, this one to this thing and that one to that thing. So, the right question isn’t, ‘Shouldn’t we be doing what that church over there is doing?’ Rather, the right question is, ‘What has God called us to be and to do?’ And whatever that is, that’s what we need to be sure to be working at. At this point, as far as I can tell, God has not called us as a church to create and maintain some sort of community ministry. However, when He does, we’d better listen up and get busy doing it.

Next: What does God want us to be doing?

This is from a series of bulletin inserts that I wrote for my church.

State of the Church

Who Are We?

Well, it's a new year and something that people often do at this time of year is to take stock of things. It occurred to me (by the Spirit?) that it would be good for me to do that in terms of our church. So, this is the first of several short inserts reflecting on our church. This insert looks at the question, 'Who are we?'

Here's one thing that is obvious about us. We are a small church. Is that a problem? Is that something that we should be embarrassed about? The fact of the matter is that, for the longest time, I was embarrassed by our size. 'Successful pastors lead (numerically) growing churches', or so I was led to believe. But really, should we see our small size as a problem? It is a problem if the goal is to get bigger. But is that Jesus' goal for His churches? I really don't think so. Size is never mentioned as a measure of success in the Bible.

We're not big, but we are the communion of the saints. The Gospel is being taught and increasingly believed here. We are working at being faithful disciples and good friends. All of those things are good. There actually is much about us that is good. To be sure, there still is much to work on, but that shouldn't stop us from feeling good about who we are.

Next insert: 'But we don't do anything?' 

This is from a series of bulletin inserts that I wrote for my church.

The Lord’s Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer is basically separated into two parts. The first part is what we request for God’s sake and the second part is what we request for our sake. Here is what we are asking for in the first part of this prayer.

First of all, we pray that God’s name be hallowed. In this we are asking God to act so that all people would honor and praise Him for who He is and what He has done.

Secondly, we pray that God’s kingdom arrive. In this we are asking God to act so that all people would give their allegiance to Him as their only God and King.

Third, we pray about God’s will. In this we are asking God to act so that all people would submit to what God has commanded in the Scriptures.

Our ultimate goal in this prayer is that these three things occur here on earth to the same degree that they have already occurred in heaven, that they would be true of all people. We persist in offering up these requests to God until He grants them.

Creeds

What's a creed?
A creed is a statement of what a person or a group of people believe. For Christians it's specifically what they believe about the Bible. Every Christian has a creed. This is because there are things that every Christian believes about the Bible. One example: 'Jesus is the Savior.' Most Christians have lots more included in their creeds. They'll include things about who God is, what faith is and more. Some creeds are quite detailed in scope while others are very limited. Some Christians have creeds that have been written down. But written or not, all Christians have a creed.

Why is it good for a church to have a written creed?
When a church has a written creed it is simply being clear about how it understands certain topics found in the Bible. This can help avoid confusion. It provides for a measure of consistency in the teaching of the church both in worship and in things like Sunday school. A creed also has a role to play when a church is selecting a new pastor. It would be confusing to the congregation if a new pastor taught things that directly contradicted important themes of the previous pastor. And a creed makes clear to those interested in joining the church where the church stands on important topics. A creed can also protect the church from false teachers.

Why are there so many different creeds?
There are several reasons for this. Here’s one. Creeds deal with different questions that are being raised. The Apostles’ Creed deals especially with the human life of Jesus. Later, there were questions about the deity of Jesus. The Athanasian Creed is one creed that answered these questions

The Lord’s Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer is basically separated into two parts. The first part is what we pray about for God’s sake and the second part is what we pray about for our sake. Here are some thoughts about what we are asking for in the first part of this prayer.

First of all, we pray that God’s name be hallowed. In this we are asking God to act so that everyone would honor and praise Him for who He is and what He has done.

Secondly, we pray that God’s kingdom would arrive. In this we are asking God to act so that everyone would give their allegiance to Him as their only God and King.

Third, we pray about God’s will. We express our desire that God would cause the world to submit to what He has commanded in the Scriptures.

Our ultimate goal in this prayer is that these three things occur here on earth to the same degree that they already occur in heaven. We are to persist in offering these requests up to God until He grants them.

Joseph

Her growing stomach struck me as grotesque.

Some other seed than mine engendered this:

Some stolen love, some alien, wretched bliss

Raped all integrity, all trust suppressed.

To consummate my pledge, by honor pressed,

Would violate that honor, transform kiss

To custom, love to duty, prove remiss

In truth, and make of joy a jest.

    Exhausted by despair's fatigue, I slept

    The torment of the God-forsaken dead.

    I tossed and turned, or when I woke, I wept,

    Until an angel stilled my fears, and said:

"Abandon doubt, and take this quiet boast:

The child she bears is by the Holy Ghost."

D. A. Carson

Matthew 1:18-25

A Different Look at Mary

It was not a silent night.
There was blood on the ground.
You could hear a woman cry
In the alleyways that night
On the streets of David's town.

And the stable was not clean.
And the cobblestones were cold.
And little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
Had no mother's hand to hold.

It was a labor of pain.
It was a cold sky above.
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love.

Noble Joseph at her side.
Callused hands and weary eyes.
There were no midwives to be found
In the streets of David's town
In the middle of the night.

So he held her and he prayed.
Shafts of moonlight on his face.
But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move.

It was a labor of pain.
It was a cold sky above.
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love.
For little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
It was a labor of love.  

Labor of Love
Andrew Peterson

A Cry for His Advent

Our enemy, our captor is no pharaoh on the Nile.
Our toil is neither mud nor brick nor sand.
Our ankles bear no calluses from chains,
    yet Lord, we're bound.
Imprisoned here, we dwell in our own land.

Deliver us, deliver us.
Oh Yahweh, hear our cry.
And gather us beneath Your wings tonight.

Our sins they are more numerous
    than all the lambs we slay.
These shackles they were made with our own hands.
Our toil is our atonement
    and our freedom yours to give.
So Yahweh, break your silence if you can.

Deliver us, deliver us.
Oh Yahweh, hear our cry.
And gather us beneath Your wings tonight.

from Deliver Us

Andrew Peterson

What's a Benediction?

The practice of pronouncing a benediction started with something that God wanted Aaron to do.

Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them. Numbers 6.23ff.

Aaron and his sons, the priests of Israel, were to declare this benediction before the people of God. In this way they became a means that God used for the good of His people. By Aaron’s benediction God blessed the people.

We see the same sort of thing after Jesus shows up. So, Paul wrote,

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13.14

This is a benediction in the same way that what Aaron said was a benediction. And, again, by Paul’s benediction, God blessed the people.

This explains why I pronounce a benediction at the end of our worship service. And God blesses you by it.

An Encouragement

Something I read in a book: ‘The Four Gospels never depict Jesus in a hurry. Never.’ I have thought about this. I think it’s true. He was never rushing about. It is impossible for ‘Scurrying’ and ‘Jesus’ to fit in the same sentence, unless there’s a ‘Never’ in the sentence also. And yet, at the end of His ministry Jesus was able to say that He had completed the work that the Father had given Him. Never in a hurry, yet He completed it all.

Now, according to received wisdom, this is where all the ‘shoulds’ and ‘oughts’ are supposed to come in. ‘Here are the things that you need to do to have a better organized life.’ But how is that encouraging? Law kills.

What is encouraging, however, is to think that we can complete the work the Father has given to us, and do that without scurry about, rushing here and there, pushing, pushing, pushing. Jesus did it. And since the point of the Gospel is to make us like Jesus, then the Spirit is already at work to make us like Him this area also. He is doing this without our help.

Now that’s encouraging.

Family Devotions

Family devotions can include lots of things. At the very least, it is a time when the father gathers his family for a time of Bible reading and prayer. It seems to me that doing this on a regular basis is a great idea. Here are some reasons – in no particular order –  why I think so.

·          It’s a good way for parents to keep that vow they made when their children were baptized which included:

+         setting before the children a godly example

+         praying with the children

+         praying for the children

+         teaching them the Gospel

·          This is one way to establish the habit of talking about spiritual things, something that too many feel awkward about.

·          It’s another opportunity to read the Bible and pray – and that’s always good.

·          It’s an opportunity for the father to show his leadership. The children, both the boys and the girls, need to see male leadership in action, especially when it is a matter of caring for the spiritual welfare of the family.

·          It’s a time when the children get to see their father’s own piety being expressed. They need to see piety in action and not just hear about it.

·          It will show that the Bible is actually practical as the father relates the Gospel to the children’s daily living.

·          It establishes the importance and habit of prayer. Fathers will teach their children how to pray as they listen to him pray.

·          It provides an opportunity for the children hear their father pray for them. This can become a rock of assurance to the children that they are loved.

·          And maybe best of all, Jesus deserves to be worshipped and the family needs to see that.

Angels

Angels have mystified me over the years. I’ve thought about them a good bit, and I have my share of questions. Recently, I thought about Peter’s rescue from prison, Acts 12. The events there are straightforward. Peter is imprisoned by Herod. I’m guessing that he is expecting to be put to death just like James was. But that doesn’t happen. An angel shows up. No name; just, ‘an angel of the Lord’. He finds Peter sound asleep so the angel hits him to wake him up. (I found that interesting.) And off they go walking past unseeing guards and through locked gates that open by themselves. (Here, think: the doors at the Giant Eagle.) And once they are both outside the angel disappears. No further instructions. No explanation about why not James. Not even a, ‘Fare thee well.’

So, what is there to learn from this? Well, even though there are still lots of questions, here’s a thought. Angels like this one are a reminder to us. There is more going on in our world than what can be seen or measured. And after we have done all our homework about some decision and considered all the angles, it’s good to remember that there are angels. And they can show up at some of the oddest times. That can humble us and encourage us. The angels are watching and are ready to help whenever Jesus sends them our way.

‘Are they [That would be the angels.] not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation [And that would be us.]?’ Hebrews 1.13