When You're Spoken To...

During this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Shane made reference to the ministry of Reverend Eliseus Joseph, who blessed our local church immensely during two separate revival services (held a year apart).

At the heart of Pastor Shane's comment was this testimony: Rev. Joseph has a God-given ability to speak prophetically into the lives of people. Though Rev. Joseph did not know the people he was praying for, he was nonetheless able to share very specific information about each individual, the challenges they were facing, their faith journey, their need for deliverance or encouragement, and so on.

It is a joy to know that God speaks as our Christian walk takes us through sorrows and joys. Psalm 30 reminds us that weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning (see Psalm 30:5). Who is the source of this joy? It is the Spirit of Christ, the Comforter who gently draws us to Himself.

God speaks through His word, inerrant and constant through the ages.
God speaks through His prophets-- men and women called to be His ambassadors.
God speaks through His people, the community of faith.

And as He draws us near, as we hear Him speak, there may be moments where we hear His rebuke. Because He loves us, He will warn us when we are found straying from the fold; He will woo us and guide us back into His protective care. "O Lord, you pulled me up from Sheol; you rescued me from among those descending into the grave." (Psalm 30:3) Sometimes the wooing is through relative strangers, as we experienced with Rev. Joseph. At other times the wooing is through fellow believers whom we know well. At still other times, a loving rebuke may come through our Scripture reading or during our personal devotions with the Lord.

I remember the moment Pastor Shane referred to, and can testify with him. It was indeed two o'clock in the morning when he and others were still receiving ministry from Rev. Joseph. And it was about five o' clock that same morning that I had my turn at hearing God speak: not in church, but at a local diner where I and three ministers went after service ended. What did I hear? The warning of God. What did I feel? The most incredible sense of love; a love that drew me in and made me want to be free. How did I respond? I submitted myself to God and to the leaders He set over me... and after a season, I experienced His grace and deliverance. Thank You, Lord.

God continues to speak, woo, love, rebuke, and deliver.

What do you hear?

What do you feel?

How will you respond?

What's In Your Back Pocket?

Pastor Shane, in discussing his previous life as a gang member, said (and I paraphrase) "I was volunteering as a church usher, but I still had my gang's red flag in my back pocket."

Is that our predicament? Do we stand to serve the Lord, but at the same time we harbor an allegiance to some person, group, or system that stands in opposition to God's word?

I have been reflecting on Shane's statement, and have been considering it in light of the Philistines' capture of the ark of God and their subsequent placement of the ark in the house of their god Dagon. Here are a few warnings for us to consider today-- especially those of us who have ministry assignments as volunteers or staff members.

You don't have to be a Christian to appropriate the ark of God. There are many who are unapologetically unsaved-- but they can write excellent Bible commentaries, sing Christian songs in a way that makes you want to worship God, et cetera. Just because someone appears spiritually gifted does not mean their hearts are submitted to the Spirit of God.

You don't always die immediately for doing the wrong thing. In First Samuel 5 we see that the Philistines were able to transport the ark of God into their own community, carry it into the temple of their idol, set it next to their idol... and not one of those persons was struck dead. Just because someone is "unpunished" does not mean they are doing the right thing.

You are given warnings before God acts. For the Philistines, their warning was expressed through the statue of Dagon over a period of two days: through the statue bowing before the ark of God on the first day, then through the statue being decapitated and losing its hands on the second day. Had they returned the ark immediately, they would not have had to suffer through months of torment.

How are we to respond?

Re-assessment: Do we belong to God, or are we merely appropriating his Presence while continuing to serve our own idols? Let us pray and ask Jesus to show us where we stand.

Repentance and Renunciation: We are called to live in complete obedience to the Spirit of Christ. Have we given ourselves completely to Him, or are there areas of our lives where we still refuse to give Him free rein? He calls us to let go of all idols and cling to Him.

Returning: We "return and keep returning" to worship the Living God. Not just carrying His name, but taking on the chabod-- being living expressions of His character, His love, and His grace.

Lord, help us to heed Your voice.

Blessing Our Building, Two Years In Advance.

Our guest speaker this past Sunday was Shane Burt-Miller, a member of Bronx Bethany and a recent graduate of Eastern Nazarene College. Though Pastor Shane is only in his early twenties, he has done much to advance the kingdom of God in his spheres of influence.

Pastor Shane's message was a reflection on Psalm 30. For today, let's take time to meditate on this psalm.

Incidentally, or perhaps intentionally, this psalm is a harbinger of the dedication of our new building. (Most scholars believe the psalm was written around 1042 B.C., intended either for the dedication of the house of King David or the dedication of Solomon's temple.)

I will praise you, O Lord, for you lifted me up,

and did not allow my enemies to gloat over me.

O Lord my God,

I cried out to you and you healed me.

O Lord, you pulled me up from Sheol;

you rescued me from among those descending into the grave.

Sing to the Lord, you faithful followers of his;

give thanks to his holy name.

For his anger lasts only a brief moment,

and his good favor restores one’s life.

One may experience sorrow during the night,

but joy arrives in the morning.

In my self-confidence I said,

“I will never be upended.”

O Lord, in your good favor you made me secure.

Then you rejected me and I was terrified.

To you, O Lord, I cried out;

I begged the Lord for mercy:

“What profit is there in taking my life,

in my descending into the Pit?

Can the dust of the grave praise you?

Can it declare your loyalty?

Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me!

O Lord, deliver me!”

Then you turned my lament into dancing;

you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy.

So now my heart will sing to you and not be silent;

O Lord my God, I will always give thanks to you.

Turn The Page.

It is interesting to note in the letters to the Corinthians that, though the apostle Paul exhorted the Corinthians to be generous givers, he did not ask anything for himself.

Let me make a stronger statement. The Corinthian church really should have been embarrassed, because the extremely poverty-stricken Macedonian church submitted themselves to God and supported Paul's ministry while the well-off Corinthians continued in sin and gave nothing. As we move past chapters 8 and 9 and continue to the end of the letter, we see Paul write in detail:

"Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so." (Second Corinthians 11:7-9, italics mine)

"Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you... I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged." (Second Corinthians 12:14 and 12:20b-21)

In the last chapter of Second Corinthians Paul gives a warning of impending judgement: "I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you... our prayer is for your perfection. This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not be harsh in my use of authority-- the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down." (Second Corinthians 13:2-3 and 13:9b-10, italics mine)

Friends, let us take heed. Paul's word to the Corinthians is God's word to us.
Let us obey Second Corinthians 13:11--

Aim for perfection.
Listen to the appeal of God's oracle.
Be of one mind.
Live in peace.

If we do these things, the God of love and peace will be with us. Amen.

Committed Community.

During this past Sunday's sermon Pastor Sam brought out a wonderful point: "When God asks us to do a God job, it can never be done by us alone." Amen.

One of the hallmarks of Paul's letters to the Corinthians is the recurring theme of community. The letters contain appeals to work together, to share the Lord's supper together, to mete out justice together. In chapters 8 and 9 of Second Corinthians, we see Paul speaking of the collaborative effort that spurs on the work of the Lord in that region. He mentions the Macedonians, Titus, an unnamed "brother", and Christ. Our collaboration with other believers on earth are reflective of the perfect collaboration between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in heaven.

So, together, we can get the work done. But what is the process? How do things get done? Pastor Sam mentioned three key components.

Passion. The person whose ministry work is mere routine will never express passion. And, the absence of passion will result in work that is lackluster and unappreciated.

Effort. If one is able to work passionately, then one will be motivated to expend energy. One will be excited about bringing "God projects" to completion.

Commitment. If a person has passion and expends effort out of a heart of love for God, then he or she will have no problem making a commitment to God. God made a full commitment to us through the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Will we do any less for Him?

Pastor Sam said, and I paraphrase here, "We are called to join hands with others." The work is too vast for one person to try to go it alone. Could you imagine trying to build a building alone, with no one to support you? At Bronx Bethany our church is building. We need contractors, plumbers, electricians, designers, inspectors, architects, and more. And the Church universal is built of people. We need pastors, prophets, teachers, administrators, intercessors, and more, working together for the sake of the kingdom of God.

Passion. Effort. Commitment. Are you in?

May I Quote You On That?

In Second Corinthians 9:9, the apostle Paul quotes from Psalm 112:9 ("He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor; his righteousness remaineth forever.")

For today let's meditate on the entire Psalm, which reminds us of the importance of first submitting ourselves in complete obedience to God, then secondly giving from the resources He has blessed us with. (The translation below is from the NET Bible.)

Psalm 112.

Praise the Lord!
How blessed is the one who obeys the Lord, who takes great delight in keeping his commands.

His descendants will be powerful on the earth; the godly will be blessed. His house contains wealth and riches; his integrity endures.

In the darkness a light shines for the godly, for each one who is merciful, compassionate, and just. It goes well for the one who generously lends money, and conducts his business honestly.

For he will never be upended; others will always remember one who is just. He does not fear bad news. He is confident; he trusts in the Lord.

His resolve is firm; he will not succumb to fear before he looks in triumph on his enemies.

He generously gives to the needy; his integrity endures. He will be vindicated and honored.

When the wicked see this, they will worry; they will grind their teeth in frustration and melt away; the desire of the wicked will perish.

When God Doesn't Rescue.

In this blog I periodically return to the theme of "It's too late." That is, Scripture informs us that there is a point of no return for the unrepentant believer who ignores God's warnings and wooings. Who's in the "too late" parade? Cain, Judas Iscariot, the rich man who ignored Lazarus's appeal for alms, the people characterized as "goats" in Jesus's parable of the sheep and the goats, and perhaps some people you may have known who went to their grave without fully obeying Christ in their lifetime.

But today, let's reflect on what happened this past Sunday. As soon as Pastor Sam began preaching in the early service, he shifted from his topic and took a few minutes to remind us of the plight of Joseph. Joseph's story is found in Genesis 37 through 50 (we can debate at some other time whether chapter 38 should be excluded from the tally). Chapter 39 recounts the unfortunate incident in which Joseph is falsely accused of attempted rape. He is sent to prison for many years.

Pastor Sam then proceeded to encourage us to keep our faith and continue our praise even when it appears that God has not brought deliverance to our situation. He asked us to reflect on Joseph's state after eight years, ten years, twelve years of imprisonment. Was he forgotten? Was his opportunity for freedom forever lost?

Friends, we have good news. Our God who sets times and seasons has everything under control.

We read that Joseph is eventually released from prison and elevated to a position of high rank. What joy must have consumed his heart!

Fast-forward to today. Are you a believing, obeying Christian who is waiting to see God's hand of deliverance? Don't worry and don't be dismayed. He may delay your rescue, but He will surround you with His love and speak words of peace and comfort to your soul.

Lord, thank you for turning our pastor's heart to Your prophetic word: "I have not rescued you yet. It's too early. But I see you and I know your plight. Continue to wait and trust Me. What is five, ten, fifteen years in the face of One who stands outside of time? Be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."

Yes Lord, I am trapped today. But I love you and choose to obey You completely. Thank You for sending rescue at Your appointed time.

Where Are You?

What is God's assessment of our giving?

I should mention that this is not a question about money. As Pastor Sam said during Sunday's sermon, "God wants me more than He wants my help." And when God says He wants us, He means every fibre of our being. Our nature, our character, our will, our behavior. God wants every area of our life submitted to Him.

One of the consistent tactics of the devil is to convince God's people that they do not need to give themselves to God completely. So we have Christians who say they love God, but whose lives lack evidence of complete surrender and submission to Him.

God is so good: He has given us, through the apostle Paul, a detailed list of the nature, character, will, and behavior of those whose lives are not fully submitted to God. (The bracketed words are from the footnotes found in the NET Bible, accessible online at http://bible.org.)

"For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh [which is dominated by sin], but through love serve one another [in a humble manner]. For the whole law can be summed up [fulfilled] in a single commandment, namely, You must love your neighbor as yourself. [Leviticus 19:18] However, if you continually bite and devour one another [that is, if you are harming and exploiting one another], beware that you are not consumed [destroyed] by one another. But I say, live [conduct your life and behavior] by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition [hostile] to each other, so that you cannot do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious [clear and evident]: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery [witchcraft], hostilities [acts of hatred], strife [discord], jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying [acts of envy], murder [murders], drunkenness, carousing [orgies], and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!" (Galatians 5:13-21)

Perhaps the most disturbing part of this passage of Scripture is not the list, but Paul's comment: "I am warning you, as I had warned you before." His beloved church in Galatia seems not to have heeded the first warning. Perhaps some of us are in the same position-- we have heard this before, but we have not heeded.

Paul says in Galatians 1:6, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ, and are following a different gospel." Based on the Galatians 5 list, this "different gospel" is rooted in the worship of self and self-satisfaction, even at the cost of exploiting other Christians in the process. In short, it is serving as an assistant to the devil. No wonder God, through Paul, says "Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!"

So as we pray and prepare to give towards our Lifestyle Stewardship campaign on October 28, let's remember that the giving campaign is ultimately a question of our lifestyle.

Take my body with its passions,
Raw emotions coursing through,
Tempted to follow worldly fashions;
I submit this flesh to You.

Take my mind, its selfish thinking,
Envies of those I should love,
Angry outbursts, gross self-serving;
Purge my heart, my dross remove.

Test me in Your precious desert,
Try me in the Garden prayer:
"Not my will, but Thine, my Father!"
Though it costs, please take me there.

Make my mind the mind of Jesus.
Make my body Your delight.
Fill me with Your gentle Spirit.
Woo me to the good and right.

-G.A.R.

Reid On. Read On.

Yesterday's service was a living example of the church at work, with all its joys and flaws. I encountered hard-working greeters, apathetic congregants, hall-walkers who seem to never make it from the lobby to the sanctuary, self-centered "volunteers", passionate worshipers eager to pray the will of God, and everything in between. Just another Sunday? Well, no.

Political candidate Andy King spoke of his assessment of the Bronx as an "ethnically diverse community"; Bronx Bethany can be assessed as an ethnoculturally diverse community. We gather together under the banner of Christ, which is Love, but we also bring to the table a truckload of other identifiers. And our challenge is to crucify self, lay aside our worries and our propensity to sin, stop focusing on our differences, and instead focus on our glorious Risen Savior who longs to pour His Spirit into us.

Pastor Sam took the bold move of having the congregation read aloud two chapters of Scripture. For some in our community, it was the most Scripture they had ever read. For others, it was just a warm-up. My prayer is that it was not a mindless reading for us, but that we all were able to reflect on what we were saying with our lips.

Our pastor encouraged us with the fact that when the word of God is read, different verses stand out for different people. The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, gently speaks His truth through this life-giving Word of God. And as we hear and obey, we grow up. The mature Christian is able to embrace the engagement of spiritual disciplines-- one of which is extravagant, joyful giving.

We have an example of extravagant, joyful giving in chapters 8 and 9 of Second Corinthians. Let's ask God to speak once more through His word, telling us exactly what we need to hear and reflect upon for today. God bless us as we read these chapters.

Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also. I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality— at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality; as it is written, “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus. For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. We have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches; and not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness, taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ. Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you. For it is superfluous for me to write to you about this ministry to the saints; for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the Macedonians, namely, that Achaia has been prepared since last year, and your zeal has stirred up most of them. But I have sent the brethren, in order that our boasting about you may not be made empty in this case, so that, as I was saying, you may be prepared; otherwise if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to speak of you—will be put to shame by this confidence.

So I thought it necessary to urge the brethren that they would go on ahead to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised bountiful gift, so that the same would be ready as a bountiful gift and not affected by covetousness. Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written, “He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever.”

Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Sinners Saved With Sermons.

How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.” But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ.

But I ask, have they not heard? Yes, they have: Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. But again I ask, didn’t Israel understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; with a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.” And Isaiah is even bold enough to say, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I became well known to those who did not ask for me.” But about Israel he says, “All day long I held out my hands to this disobedient and stubborn people!” (Romans 10:14-21)

This past Sunday, Reverend Courtney spoke about the power and efficacy of the gospel. The gospel of Jesus Christ is presented through the preached word: that is, sermons. The above passage from Romans indicates this.
But, what does a sermon look like? Is it always someone standing behind a pulpit, well-dressed, with or without notes, reading and commenting on Scriptures? Perhaps not. Reverend Courtney mentioned two instances where conversion occured in unusual places.

Instead of offering commentary, I simply offer you the word of God for today. I invite you to ponder your own thoughts on sinners, sermons, and salvation as reflected in the two passages below.

Jesus and Zacchaeus.
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. Now a man named Zacchaeus was there; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to get a look at Jesus, but being a short man he could not see over the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, because Jesus was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, because I must stay at your house today.” So he came down quickly and welcomed Jesus joyfully.

And when the people saw it, they all complained, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!” Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this household, because he too is a son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:1-10) 

Jesus and the unnamed woman at the well.

A Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me some water to drink.” (For his disciples had gone off into the town to buy supplies.) So the Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you – a Jew – ask me, a Samaritan woman, for water to drink?” (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you had known the gift of God and who it is who said to you, ‘Give me some water to drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

“Sir,” the woman said to him, “you have no bucket and the well is deep; where then do you get this living water? Surely you’re not greater than our ancestor Jacob, are you? For he gave us this well and drank from it himself, along with his sons and his livestock.” Jesus replied, “Everyone who drinks some of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.” (John 4:7-14)

Passion For Judas.

As we continue our reflection on the responsibility and accountability of the sent (John 20:21-23), let’s consider the sad end of an infamous ambassador of Christ: the betrayer, Judas Iscariot.

Iscariot was neither a fake nor a fraud. He was a bonafide disciple of Jesus. But he was also a selfish and self-serving man. And as Reverend Courtney shared with us on this past Sunday, “the life lived for self is a very small life”— a life stunted in its spiritual growth, stunted in accomplishments, and stunted in years. In other words, the devil takes selfish people and makes sure that they never fulfill their calling. Like Iscariot, their brief moments of ministry accomplishments are subsumed by their overarching penchant for disobedience and selfish gain.

Why did Jesus permit Judas Iscariot to retain his share in the ministry?

The following passages show us that Iscariot was granted a share in the ministry, and his share was never revoked. For the sake of context, here are the two passages of Scripture that discuss the concept of share.

Just before the Passover feast, Jesus knew that his time had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now loved them to the very end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray Jesus. Because Jesus knew that the Father had handed all things over to him, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, he got up from the meal, removed his outer clothes, took a towel and tied it around himself. He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel he had wrapped around himself. Then he came to Simon Peter. Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not understand what I am doing now, but you will understand after these things.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” (John 13:1-8)

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty people) and said, “Brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through David concerning Judas – who became the guide for those who arrested Jesus – for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry.” (Acts 1:15-17)

Here is what some of us would like to have read: “Jesus and His disciples held a board meeting. They confronted Judas Iscariot, chastising him for his embezzlement of funds and his collusion with corrupt priests. They dismissed him from his ministry position, and began the process of launching a lawsuit to attempt to recoup the money that Judas had stolen.” Friends, that is what we might be inclined to do… but that is not what Jesus did.

Jesus, in granting Judas Iscariot a share in the ministry, "kissed" him. The kiss Jesus gave to Judas was not physical, but was a spiritual act of grace. How gracious was our Lord? So gracious that He lovingly gave a spectacular gift to a man who had already determined to betray Him.

Behold the accounting: “Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin.” Judas, it’s over: you are destined for hell. You ignored My teachings. You chose to love your sin more than My salvation. But even though you have betrayed Me, I still love you! I cannot return your life to you, but I will give you one last gift: you will always be counted as a disciple of Mine. You have aligned yourself with Satan; your selfishness has destroyed your soul. But I will wash your feet and serve you your last meal—a meal that celebrates your culture, a meal that celebrates My passion. Messiah has come and you have given Him second place behind yourself. But I still choose to show you My love. Though the devil has consumed your heart, he will never consume your share in the ministry. I choose to allow you to die with your ministry position intact.

What kind of love is this? It is absolute, astounding, amazing passion.

What was Judas Iscariot’s response to this spiritual kiss of grace? A physical kiss of betrayal. And in the greatest instance of irony, Judas’s kiss--- intended to hand over Jesus to death-- turned and hurled Judas himself into hell.

Jesus is kissing you. What will you do?

Kiss the Son! Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him! (Psalm 2:12)

Too Forgiving?

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.” And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23)

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Reverend Courtney shared several points. Today, let’s reflect on the responsibility and accountability of the sent.

Sent as Stewards. Jesus calls us to serve as His building managers. He says, “I will build My church… I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” (see Matthew 16:18-19) Though He is the one who builds, we are the ones who act on His behalf in the earth.

Sent with Resources. “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:7) Jesus, who breathes His Spirit into us (John 20:22), has given us spiritual graces—gifts of God, intended to be used for the glory of God.

The System of Forgiveness. “If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.” (John 20:23) We are ambassadors of Christ. We, like Him, have the authority to absolve. And, in order to retain our position as ambassadors, we must forgive. The Lord’s Prayer shows that our state of being forgiven is bound with the state of our own heart concerning forgiveness: “and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.” (Luke 11:4a)

Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother who sins against me? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, I tell you, but seventy times seven!

“For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. As he began settling his accounts, a man who owed ten thousand talents was brought to him. Because he was not able to repay it, the lord ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made. Then the slave threw himself to the ground before him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’ The lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt.

After he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred silver coins. So he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’ But he refused. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt.

When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place. Then his lord called the first slave and said to him, ‘Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me! Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?’ And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him until he repaid all he owed. So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:21-35)

May I See Your License Please?

Listen to what the Lord says: “Get up! Defend yourself before the mountains! Present your case before the hills!” Hear the Lord’s accusation, you mountains, you enduring foundations of the earth! For the Lord has a case against his people; he has a dispute with Israel! “My people, how have I wronged you? How have I wearied you? Answer me! In fact, I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I delivered you from that place of slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.” (Micah 6:1-4)

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Reverend Courtney shared several points. Today, let’s reflect on the sovereignty and primacy of the Sender.

The Sender. Who is it that commissions us? Jesus says in John 20:21, “Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.” In the same vein, Acts 13:2 indicates that “while they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ ” Our Sender is the triune God, in whom all things begin and end.

His Sovereignty. Micah 6 shows us the heart of our Sender. He is Sovereign, and as such He is to be obeyed. In Micah 6:4 God says “I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you”—in other words, God sends prophetic people into our community. These men and women are our spiritual leaders. They serve as ambassadors of Christ and representatives of God. As King, He has commanded them to speak on His behalf.

His System. The use of “Moses, Aaron, and Miriam” in Micah 6 is significant. It was Miriam who God struck with leprosy after she disrespected Moses (Numbers 12:1-10). It was Aaron who fashioned the gold calf and supported ancient Israel’s grand episode of false worship (Exodus 32). And lest we try to deify Moses, Moses’ failure to honor God kept him out of the Promised Land (Numbers 27:12-14). But these leaders’ moments of failure did not negate their responsibility to lead in the roles that God had assigned to them.

This is difficult for us. We can write a fairly long list of flawed leaders who have failed miserably and discouraged the faith of many. But what do we say to God? It is His prerogative whether to allow the evidence of His Presence to be taken away from a person (First Samuel 16:13-14), or a place (First Samuel chapters 5 & 6), or whether to manifest His power through a man’s ministry for the duration of his life (Acts 1:15-17). In the face of flawed leadership, we are still called to obey God. Our prayer is that we will confess our faults to one another, that God will mercifully deliver us, and that His glorious Light will shine in spite of us.

As Pastor Sam says from time to time, and I paraphrase here, “God uses fallible people to speak on His behalf. ” That is the system God uses.

Will you submit to the Sovereign Sender?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

Impartations.

The Lord God formed the man from the soil of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.” And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:21-22)

In Sunday’s sermon, Reverend Courtney Richards emphasized that when God gives His people vision, He also gives them provision. It is God who equips us to do what He has called us to do.

And, lest we might be tempted to pretend we don’t understand, Reverend Courtney shared a number of very practical applications. It is God who gives us the capacity to recognize His sovereignty. It is God who gives us the desire and longing that we have for Him. It is God who empowers us to testify of His goodness even under the threat of death. It is God who imparts the ability to be and to do. It is God’s air we are breathing, physiologically and spiritually. There is no good thing we have that He did not grant us.

So, in light of God’s provision, what hinders us from achieving His vision?

We are hindered when our lives are not submitted to His Spirit.

We are insensitive when our attention is taken by the world.

We are fools when, in the face of God’s knowledge, we choose to disobey Him.

This might be a good time to use another practical application. Reverend Courtney spoke on the topic of giving to God. He posited that a lack of giving to God is particularly dangerous for the person who has unabashedly given themselves to the world and the world’s system of excess. While Courtney did not condemn anyone for having things, he warned of the dangerous state of things having us. It is a state in which we brag about the things we purchased “on sale” for hundreds of dollars, but we whine about the appeal for giving to the work of the Lord.

And in the tenor of Pastor Sam, and even more so in the tenor of Scripture, Reverend Courtney warned against the act of giving to God’s work with a heart of resentment. Courtney said, and I paraphrase, “If that’s your attitude, keep your money. God has no lack and He will provide what I need, with or without your participation.” Amen.

God has given to us: His life, His Spirit, His provision.

What are we giving to Him?

In The Court of Kings.

 Yesterday’s guest speaker, Reverend Courtney Richards, spoke on the topic “Commissioned To A Mission”. At the core of his theme was the fact that we are called to be missional, visional, and relational. For Bronx Bethany, this has been a recurrent theme of our local ministry.

Over this week we will reflect on different points from the sermon. For today, let’s remain conscious of the Scripture reference from Sunday:

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.” And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23)

Be conscious of the peace of God which He has made available to you.

Be conscious of the Spirit of God which He has made available to you.

Be conscious of the forgiveness of God which He has made available to you.

Be conscious of your deep need to accept all that He freely offers.

Take A Look Around.

Today, let's celebrate what God is doing in two other churches: Christ Church in New York and MetroWest Church in Orlando.

Christ Church

A few days ago I visited Christ Church (United Methodist), located on 60^th and Park in Manhattan. The Executive Pastor, Rev. Dr. Javier Viera, is a colleague of mine. We did not get a chance to interact much during our study at Columbia University, so we scheduled this time to dialogue about our dissertations, our work aspirations, and about what God is doing in our respective denominations.

God has been speaking to Christ Church just as He has been speaking to Bronx Bethany.  Here are just a few parallels:

v  Christ Church has been encouraging its congregants to observe the Daily Office, and has even printed its own Daily Prayer booklet (just 8 pages, with prayers for four times a day). Copies are available for free in their church’s lobby.

v  Christ Church has a ministry arm in South America—specifically, Colombia.

v  As a regular part of ministry, the church has two pastors available in an area just off the main chapel. After each Sunday’s communion service, their role is to pray with any congregant who desires personal prayer.

v  Christ Church is slated to spend well over a million dollars to replace the ornate doors of its main entrance, which were badly damaged as the result of an attempted break-in.

If you'd like to learn more about Christ Church, please click here.

MetroWest

MetroWest Church of the Nazarene, located in Orlando Florida, is pastored by another of my colleagues, Rev. Ronald Benjamin. The church recently began a forty-day intensive study of the nature and characteristics of the kingdom of God. The Forty Day Kingdom Focus seeks to be a means of spiritual growth for the members and friends of MetroWest.

The study includes two main learning strategies: corporate meetings held every Wednesday during the forty-day period, and forty devotional readings which congregants can use as lessons. Each reading reinforces certain aspects of the kingdom of God.

Reverend Ronald welcomes everyone to log in to his church’s website and join them in this forty-day educational and spiritual endeavor. MetroWest can be found by clicking here.

 I thank God for Javier, for Ronald, and for all who faithfully minister in the name of the Lord! Father God, give us grace to do Your will in the earth through the church You have established. Amen.

Gracious, Generous, Grateful Givers.

Now God who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow. You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous on every occasion, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God, because the service of this ministry is not only providing for the needs of the saints but is also overflowing with many thanks to God. Through the evidence of this service they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing with them and with everyone. And in their prayers on your behalf they long for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown to you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (Second Corinthians 9:10-15)

Continuing our thoughts on giving, it is God “who provides seed for the sower.” (Second Corinthians 9:10) God gives graciously to us, and in return we give joyfully to Him. Paul says, “the service of this ministry is not only providing for the needs of the saints but is also overflowing with many thanks to God.” (Second Corinthians 9:12)

In verses 13 and 14 of this passage, Paul states a fascinating sequence:

*Giving serves as a proof of the authenticity of one’s ministry.

*God is glorified by our confession of Him, in conjunction with our demonstration of generosity.

*People who receive what we give are moved to intercession: they pray to God on our behalf.

Interestingly, and Pastor Sam reinforced this in his sermon, our act of giving is really intended to reflect God, Who is the ultimate Giver. If we submit ourselves to Him, then tithing and giving are not a problem. These acts, when rooted in His grace, are a reflection of God’s characteristics. As our pastor said, “We become partakers of the Divine nature.”

God’s grace is demonstrated in the congregant who joyfully gives one dollar. What a contrast from those who grudgingly toss one dollar into the offering plate.

Some may ask, Does attitude really matter? After all, the church still got a dollar from the happy giver and the giver with an attitude. God netted the same amount.

Psalm 50, a psalm that discusses the proper attitude toward giving, makes it clear that God promised destruction to those who, as reluctant givers, misrepresent His nature and character. “Carefully consider  this, you who reject God! Otherwise I will rip you to shreds and no one will be able to rescue you.” (Psalm 50:22)

Our pastor shared with us that “it is a privilege to be in charge of resources that are given for God’s purpose.” Let us take joy in our privileged status! Let us give as God gives, extravagantly, for the fulfilling of His purpose in the earth.

Give, joyful giver! Overflow with thanks! Receive God's commendation and the saints' intercession.

A Grace To Give...

So here is my opinion on this matter: It is to your advantage, since you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give, to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly, you can also complete it according to your means. For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality. At the present time, your abundance will meet their need, so that one day their abundance may also meet your need, and thus there may be equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.” (Second Corinthians 8:10-15)

"…you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give… "

The apostle Paul notes that giving is an honorable act in the sight of God. He makes an important statement: “If the eagerness is present, the gift is acceptable.” God, rather than assessing the size of the gift, assesses the state of the giver. Later in Second Corinthians Paul reinforces the point:

Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work. (Second Corinthians 9:7-8)

It seems the implication here is that if we are not happy and eager to give to the work of the Lord, then no aspect of our lives will show the grace of God. Or to put it more succinctly, our lack of love in giving shows the world that the Spirit of God is not resident in us.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” (John 3:16). Our senior pastor commented on this verse some months ago, and his point bears repeating in this context. God, who owns everything, gave us the thing of which He had only one. Jesus was torn out of the love-fest resident in the Triune God, and was sent to this earth to live and die for people- many of whom who had no love for Him and no sense of His greatness. That is the ultimate gift. That is the ultimate good work, which overflows to this day.

So, in light of His gift of eternal and abundant life to you, God is asking you to eagerly and joyfully give Him a portion of what He has blessed you to receive.

What will your response to Him be?

I Agree WIth You!

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam reminded us of the response of Mary to Gabriel's message.

Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God. For nothing will be impossible with God.” So Mary said, “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:34-35,37-38)

When given the chance to participate in God's project, Mary said" yes". Moreover, she said yes from a heart of understanding. It is a powerful lesson for us to consider today.

What can we give to God when He visits us?

Honesty. Mary did not understand how she could possibly be a participant in God's project. After all, the prospect of having a child defied logic, reason, and biology. But rather than telling the angel "That's impossible!", she shared her perspective and asked him to clarify his message. She was neither afraid nor embarassed to state that she was unable to see how God's project would come to pass.

Honor. After Gabriel helped her to understand that God was going to perform a miracle in her, Mary gave a wonderfully mature response: "I am a servant of the Lord." For Mary, her status as a servant of God meant that His agenda was to be followed. A key characteristic of a true servant is that they honor their master. What the master says, the servant does.

Happiness. Although Mary's participation in God's project would cause her to experience profound personal challenges, her response was to sing praises to God (Luke 1:46-55). Like Hannah of ancient Israel, Mary raised a song that spoke of the mighty power of God to do wonders and to establish His kingdom in the earth. Her song had no tinge of fear or embarassment. Her joy overshadowed and subsumed any concerns for her personal well-being or reputation.

When God sends His word to you, how do you respond?

"Well God, wait until my kids finish school, then I'll do what You say."
"God, I can't work with him- people will think something's going on."
"Lord, we don't know anyone in that city. How can we leave our family and friends?"
"But I can't resign. I need the money."

Yes.
I am a servant of the Lord.
Let this happen to me according to Your word.
Amen.

Package Deal.

Therefore, as you abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that you abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. (Second Corinthians 8:7-8)

As we shared in yesterday's blog post, there is a grace of giving and a gestalt of giving; that is, when the Spirit of God empowers us to give, there are other signs of Christian maturity that mark the sincere giver. Giving does not occur in a vacuum; it is part of a package of excellence. The above verses give us a breakdown of what a giver looks like.

As you abound...
The giving Christian gets more than a mere passing grade. Pastor Sam used the word "excellent" several times during the sermon. The giver is a person who demonstrates all-around excellence. Second Corinthians 8:7 provides a brief list of the areas in which such persons excel.

In every thing...
Well, the apostle Paul seems to leave no room for slacking off. What area of our life can be left out of "every thing"? I recently got a very unfortunate comment from a person who has been a Christian for almost forty-five years. In justification of holding on to anger, the person said that holding on to their personal feeling was more important than obeying God's command to forgive and to "not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity... Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger." (see Ephesians 4:26-27 and 4:31) If we are to abound in every thing, then we are to pursue excellence in every area of Christian living. God has not given us leeway to be less than 100% obedient to Him.

In faith...
As the apostle Paul digs deeper and begins picking out certain topics from the overarching umbrella of "every thing", he first details faith. The classic faith passage, Hebrews 11, is an excellent source for understanding what faith is and how faith is lived out in the lives of God's people. Earlier in Second Corinthians (5:7) Paul writes that "we walk by faith, not by sight". A sign of excellence is that we do what God says even when we can't see Him in our circumstance.

And utterance...
As Scripture informs us, "out of the mouth the heart speaks" (see Matthew 12:34-35; Luke 6:45). Our speech is a confession of our heart. The Christian in pursuit of excellence speaks words of comfort, blessing, encouragement, honor, fidelity, and love.

And knowledge...
In some popular cultures it is not fashionable to be intellectual. But, as we review these markers of excellence, we see that our intellect is not excluded from the list. God has said that we are to love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). Paul exhorts us to have the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5-12). Jesus, Holder of all knowledge, found it necessary and essential to obey His Father. We should do no less.

And in all diligence...
Other translations use the words enthusiasm, earnestness, dedication, carefulness, and zeal. The pursuit of excellence is something done with passion! It is neither obligation nor chore; it is a joy. What could the world become if all self-proclaimed Christians were passionate in their pursuit of God's desires?

And in your love to us...
Some translations expand this thought to say "the love from us that is in you." The excellent Christian is all about loving his fellow believers, loving the lost, loving his leaders, and loving his Lord. Paul, however, is specific in discussing the love relationship being laity and leadership. Our act of giving to the work of the Lord is an echo of the love our ministers have shown by obeying God and entering into full-time ministry as a service to Him and to us.

Paul ends this thought by saying a very curious thing in verse 8: "I am not commanding you." Though Paul is writing and has made a clear, sound, Biblical argument, he then steps back and says, in effect, that each believer is responsible to respond: not to Paul's words, but to the word of God. Or to say it another way, as much as we love our pastors, our ultimate task is to love God and obey His word. The truth is that if we obey God's word, we will certainly be a blessing to our leaders, to the body of Christ, and to the world. Part of that blessing is demonstrated by our joyful giving of ourselves and our substance to the work of God.

Are you in passionate pursuit of excellence?

I’ll Have Seconds, Thanks.

Yesterday Pastor Sam began a series of sermons based in Second Corinthians chapters 8 and 9.

These two chapters contain several verses that have become, for many Christians, part of their cache of memorized Scripture verses, such as:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. (Second Corinthians 8:9)

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things and at all times, having all that you need, you will abound to every good work. (Second Corinthians 9:8)

But simply learning individual verses outside of the context of the chapter leaves us lacking in wisdom. The most powerful aspect of yesterday’s sermon was that our pastor took the time to clarify the context in which this letter to the Corinthians was written, and thus the context in which we should understand the call to give to God.

The grace of giving. These groups of Macedonian believers were living in extreme poverty (Second Corinthians 8:2), yet they were extravagant participants in the act of giving from their limited resources in order to be a blessing to the impoverished Christian community in Jerusalem. God had touched their hearts with His grace, and they responded out of their love for Him.

The gestalt of giving. The Macedonian believers did not merely take up a collection. Scripture informs us that they “first gave themselves to the Lord” (Second Corinthians 8:5). The act of extravagant giving of finances was possible because they already engaged in extravagant giving of their hearts, souls, minds, and strength to the Lord. There was complete obedience to God; He was Lord of their entire being. No area was “off-limits” to Him.

Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed in Jesus?

Have you been a recipient of God’s grace?

Do you know what it is to completely give yourself to God?

Are you allowing Him to rule every area of your life?