This Is Major!

Over the past several weeks we at Bronx Bethany have heard our pastors speak on the theme of the resurrection of Christ, and on what His resurrection has procured for us.

This past Sunday, Pastor Sam reminded us of the Day of Ascension. Ascension Day often comes and goes quietly. In many denominations the day is not highly celebrated: after all, it falls on a Thursday, and we live in a culture that rarely engages corporate church life on a Thursday. In addition, we live in a church culture that pours its energies into “major” events, and at this time of year Easter and Pentecost tend to capture more of our attention. But, this year, we have the opportunity (and the privilege, and the responsibility) to reflect on Ascension, a day as relevant as the Easter which precedes it and the Pentecost which follows.

Today, let’s read some of the Scripture passages from Sunday’s sermon. As the week progresses, Lord willing, we will take time to reflect on additional Scriptures, as well as the points shared by our pastor.

Hebrews 1:1-4

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Philippians 2:1-11

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Acts 1:1-11

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

All Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Equation For Effective Evangelism

During Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Sam shared from Acts chapter 2. He noted that the disciples experienced a particular dynamic in worship that caused outsiders to witness the miraculous:

Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:7-11)

As we in Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene partner with other New York City churches in evangelism, we can be encouraged by the example of the church in Acts 2. Our pastor summarized this in a statement (paraphrased here): This is the witness: people will come to us to ask what is going on, and we will give them the authoritative word that came forth out of our authentic worship.

Our first task, then, is to be grounded in what ought to be our deepest joy: authentic worship. As we worship our great God, He sends His Spirit to fill our mouths with His authoritative word. When this happens, people will come to us… and we will point them to Christ.

What is the “language” that the Spirit of God has given us? Some of us may have the experience of communicating, clearly, in a language that we never studied. Others of us may have the experience of being able to accurately give travel directions in a region we’ve never lived in. Some may have the experience of full immersion in a culture they’d never been exposed to previously. If the Spirit is present, then we need not be concerned about what we appear to lack. Our lack of experience, and even our lack of education in particular areas, is not a problem for God. If we are found worshiping the Lord in spirit and in truth, then we can trust the Holy Spirit to make a way for the love and grace of God to be shown in and through us in ways that make it clear that the power is His and not our own.

But, we are warned with the same words Jesus said to His beloved disciples: On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.” (Acts 1:4) If we attempt to go out and do the work of the Lord without the presence and power of His Spirit, we will not be effective in evangelism-- even if we are doing things that we believe are easy to get done (see John 15:5).

As we go through our day today, let’s make time to reflect on Acts 1 and 2. And let’s remain prayerful, and let’s be patient, as we wait for the Lord to empower us for ministry in the places He will send us.

All Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Let's Get It Together!

One of the drawbacks of blogging is that it's easy to think of each post as a stand-alone commentary, rather than as being a small part of a larger work.

In that context, let us remember that this past Sunday's sermon was actually the second in a series of sermons about Pentecost. Below are links to a few Scripture passages from the first two installments. Thoughts shared by Pastor Sam are in italics (paraphrase mine). I encourage all of us to take time to read and reflect on the verses and statements below.

I. The Promise-Fulfillment of Pentecost (May 4, 2014)

If the promise of Pentecost has been fulfilled, then it ought be fulfilled in us.
First Corinthians 6:19-20

Sometimes, what God is doing requires a prophetic interpreter.
Acts 2:14-18

To what extent are we fulfilling our experience of this promise?


II. Embracing The Promises of Pentecost, Part 1 (June 1, 2014)

The promise is to "as many as the Lord shall call"... but what is the promise of Jesus?
Acts 1:8

Witnesses have had a transformation of character: not in their own strength, but because of the power of God.
Second Peter 1:3-4

The Spirit-empowered Christian witness has an observable character profile.
Matthew 7:15-20

Lord God, please help us to tell others about the power and love of Jesus that radically transforms human hearts.

Panorama.

A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech." (Mark 9:17, New International Version)

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, He rebuked the impure spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," He said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." (Mark 9:25, New International Version)

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Richard pointed out that the father in this narrative had a partial understanding of his son's problem: My son is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. However, when Jesus addressed the spirit, He addressed it with a complete understanding of the problem. Jesus's name for the spirit? Deaf and mute.

In prayer, we often seek to name our difficulties. We can't afford groceries. I have to go to court today. My boss is a tyrant. Our requests often center around what we can see with our physical eyes. Our requests often center around what we consider to be immediate, urgent issues. Our requests are often spoken out a partial understanding, because we have not taken time to seek God's perspective on the issues we face.

As Pastor Richard shared, this is why we are so in need of being submitted to the Holy Spirit of God. Spirit-led prayer is the only way in which we can pray with complete understanding. Why? Because in Spirit-led prayer it is God, not us, who sets the prayer agenda. Our pastor said that we might be earnestly praying for a new home or for healing in our body, while God is urging us by His Spirit to pray for forgiveness in relationships or for obedience to His will.

For a few minutes in Sunday's second service we were able to see a practical application of Spirit-led prayer through another pastor. As Pastor Althea stood and addressed specific problems and difficulties by name, she made it clear that no human being had spoken to her. She simply was in a process of saying aloud what the Holy Spirit had said to her heart. Prophetic prayer is not reserved for pastors: it is God's desire that all His people pray with accuracy and complete understanding. This is a prayer stance that is impossible to achieve apart from the indwelling presence of God's Spirit in us.

In Mark 9:14-29 we have a narrative that shows how ineffective ministry becomes when it is engaged without a full understanding of the issues at hand. Perhaps this is why Jesus, as noted in Acts 1:4-5, directed His disciples to do no ministry until they were empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Is our ministry empowered by the Holy Spirit in us, who knows all things, or are we simply operating out of our own, partial, limited understanding?

A Prism Of "Ism"s.

A blessed Saturday to my readers who remain in the faith! Here are a few "Pastor Joy-isms" for today (paraphrased from this past Sunday's sermon). May her words- which flow from the word of God- be a source of reflection, contemplation, and assurance for you.

• God caused unlearned men to become linguists.
• Are we broken over our brokenness?
• The first public appearance of the apostles started a Christ Revolution.
• Reluctance to take risks is replaced with reliance on God.
• Victory is assured when we remain in Christ.

Beyond The Sing-Sway-Shout.

As we wrap up our reflections on Pastor Joy's sermon, let's take away an alliterative reminder of "Prerequisites for the Power of Pentecost":

• The disciples were penitent. They were sorry for their own sins, they understood the painful but prophetic role that Judas played, and they procured his replacement in obedience to Scripture.
• The disciples were positioned. They took measures to be on one accord, resting in holy interpersonal relationships, and they remained unified in prayer and purpose as they waited for the promise of the Father.
• The disciples went public. After they were filled with the Holy Spirit, the disciples immediately began a ministry of preaching, healing, and speaking the truths of Christ to everyone from pauvres to sociopolitical powers.

Who embraces Pentecost? Ordinary people walking in obedience to our extraordinary God. May we be found in their company.

The Look Of Acts: Is It Seen In You?

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Joy noted an important evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life. She said: “When the Holy Spirit is in control, we are moved from cowering and complaining to conquering.”

We see this in the life of the disciples. Prior to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they were found bickering over position (see Mark 9:33; Luke 9:46) and hiding in fear of man (see John 20:19). In contrast, the apostolic experience in Acts was marked by fearless, victorious action (see Acts 4:13).

Scripture exhorts us to live in the same way.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing. Then you will be pure and innocent children of God. You live among people who are crooked and evil, but you must not do anything that they can say is wrong. Shine as lights among the people of the world.” (Philippians 2:14-15)

“In everything we are more than conquerors through Christ, who loves us.” (Romans 8:37)

Lord Jesus, give us the grace of Your Spirit, so that we might walk unencumbered and unafraid. We anticipate victories this day because of Your work in us and through us.

Accord That Cannot Be Broken.

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Joy noted that the people who were waiting for the Father’s promised Spirit were “in one accord” (see Acts 1:14). Their oneness in spirit and purpose was necessary before the Holy Spirit came.

What were the evidences of the oneness of the community? Our pastor used the examples of stewardship of self and of personal relationships.

Stewardship of self. God sends His people as gifts to to the world. Our love for ourselves, if solid, will facilitate our love for our neighbors.

Stewardship of interpersonal relationships. The Acts 1 passage indicates that the gathered community was on one accord. There was no indication of  hidden agendas, posturing for position, or disagreement over the process by which they would wait.

The disciples had been through extreme crisis. They saw their Lord Jesus falsely accused and crucified, they experienced the shock of His resurrection, and they experienced the emotion of watching Him ascend to heaven and leaving them to wait for the Holy Spirit. But, in spite of their personal emotional upheavals, they chose to band together in agreement. They understood that Jesus’s word to them was true, and they followed through on His word by endeavoring to remain in oneness of spirit.

What about us?

Pastor Joy shared that if we are struggling while we are waiting, or if we are in strife-filled and fractured relationships, then there will be an absence of the spirit of unity which is necessary for the Holy Spirit to dwell in and among us.

Today is a good day for us to do a self-check concerning our relationships. “As much as it is up to you, be in peace-filled relationships with everyone you know.” (see Romans 12:18)

Amen. Lord God, we long to live in unity with Your people. Give us grace, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, to be and become a community on one accord.

Power Trip.

In her “introduction to the sermon introduction”, Pastor Joy shared a wonderful statement concerning the power of God:  No iPhone or iPad alarm woke us up this morning. The I Am woke us up.

As we contemplate Pentecost, we must be in a position to acknowledge that, as Psalm 62:11 says, “power belongs to God.” This is what God has said concerning Himself. And Jesus said to His beloved disciples, Wait for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit…the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power (see Acts 1:4 and 1:8).

Our pastor noted that Pentecost, for Christians, is an evidence of unstoppable, God-led, God-infused power. It was God who empowered unlearned men to become linguists. It is God who empowers us to become what we were not. Why? Not for us to show off “our skills” for our own glory (because in fact these are not “our skills” if it took a miracle of God to set them in motion), but for us to speak of His wonderful works in order that others might be drawn in to His glorious kingdom.

Today is a good day to thank the Lord for His promise of power, the glory of His kingdom, and the privilege of participation in His Divine work.

Lord God, thank You! Continue to awaken us, by Your power, to Your power.

The Domine Effect.

Let's end this week with a few more notes from Pastor Sam's sermon, "Preparation For Pentecost... And Beyond".

-We experience the presence and power of God every day. As all creation worships Him, we are made conscious of His activity in the earth. However, there are occasions when He reveals Himself in ways that have an effect on the human community, creating what Pastor Sam termed "a colony of heaven": that is, we experience God's grace in such a way that our lives are transformed, and we also become "change agents" who are able to bring transformative change to others in the community.

-The Pentecost experience of enduement with power by the Holy Spirit gave the disciples of Jesus a boldness to obey God even in the face of death, and also gave them "beyond belief" actions that were clear manifestations of God's power at work in and through them. This experience of Pentecost was not random, but was "tediously prepared" by Jesus who made His disciples the custodians and the conveyors of the Pentecost experience.

-The Holy Spirit has given each of us gifts individually, but there is also the concept of "corporate giftedness", where change is effected by the act of an entire community of believers operating their spiritual gifts in humility and meekness and love.

-The spiritual gifts we have received are not a right; they are a privilege. If we choose to continually say no to God's promptings, He will bypass us and use someone else to get His work done. Remember the warning of Judas, who abandoned his apostleship and embraced arrogance and apostasy.

WOW! God is so amazing! My friends, I hope you have been blessed this week as we've reflected on this past Sunday's sermon. Lord willing, I'll be back with new blogs starting next Tuesday.

Love,
Genise

Judas Rising, Part III: From Apostle To Apostate

"And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place" (Acts 1:24-25, italics mine).

"For he (Judas Iscariot) was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry" (Acts 1:17).


Well, in the mouth of two or three witnesses everything is established.

We've already had two blogs concerning Judas: "Judas Rising: Indignation and Insurrection" (February 27, 2009), followed by "Judas Rising, The Sequel: Messiah in One Hand, Mammon in the Other" (April 8, 2009). I thought we were finished with the Judas thing. Guess what? I was so wrong. Judas resurfaced at the end of Pastor Sam's sermon this past Sunday, and there is no doubt that God is warning us!

You can't see me while I'm typing this, but there are occasions when I just have to stop and cover my mouth with my hand because of the shocking implications of revealed Scripture. This Judas Iscariot, this betrayer, is described by Peter. Peter, what's that you say?

Peter said that Judas was an apostle. Peter said that Judas had a ministry.

Judas, you healer, you preacher, you chief financial officer! Judas, you with the curious gift-mix that would have made you the darling of the postmodern church age! Judas, you thief and conspirator! You who operated in the gifts God gave you, then turned around to look for opportunity to betray the one and only Beloved Son!

Friends, let's heed this warning: a man who was a full participant in the work of Christ lost his place in the Kingdom of God because of his own desire for power and position.

God help us all to live for Him only, so that we might avoid falling into error.

"Wait" Room.

"There is a time when people realize... that there is nothing more important than to seek the Lord until He comes" (Pastor Sam, during the first service's sermon this past Sunday.)

The disciples went to Jerusalem, as they were told, and they prayed. They did not put God under a time constraint, nor did they give Him a deadline. They waited, and they prayed.

My friends, remember the admonition from the sermon: we dare not attempt to handle the things of God without first waiting on Him in prayer! There are many instances where persons have "ministered" through preaching, music, teaching, or serving, but it has been done without the anointing of the Holy Spirit- and in the ensuing years there has been the indictment of no fruit resulting from the work that was done.

First Corinthians reminds us that all our work is tried by fire: "the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is" (see First Corinthians 3:10-15). The third chapter reminds us of the necessity of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the importance of humility, and the danger of engaging in a "cult of personality" situation where we are exalting men instead of exalting Jesus.

As Pastor Sam said on Sunday, "prayer is the proof of dependence on God, not ourselves": a concrete, obvious expression. When we approach God through prayer, in a spirit of humility, and with an understanding that we cannot place God on a timetable, we experience this grace of intercession. We come to God, we 'ask, seek, and knock' (Matthew 7:7), and we remain in His presence until His Spirit equips and empowers us to do the work of His choosing.

Friends, let us not end our days with the realization that our work was nothing but wood, hay, and stubble. I pray we will all wait patiently, and pray earnestly, to the glory of God.

If You Knew, What Would You Do?

Pastor Sam asked a thought-provoking question in both services, which we would do well to reflect on today.

If you knew that Jesus was going to return five minutes from now, what would you do? Or, to put it another way, where do you want Him to find you?

If we are conscious of the Lord's return, then our behavior should be consistent with our consciousness. Scripture informs us, through the word of Christ Himself, that no man knows the day nor the hour when He will return.

He might return while you're in the Bronx Bethany prayer room.
He might return while you're at the board meeting.
He might return while you're maligning your boss, your brother, or your pastor.

As we were reminded on Sunday, Matthew 24:45-51 warns us of the fate of those who live as if their Master is never returning. As Pastor Sam said, "your eschatology will determine your ethics".

There are only two options: either you believe what Jesus says or you don't. If you're a Christian, you're wearing a label that says "I am a follower of Christ". Let's pray that, if someone follows you through your day, they'll see Jesus in you at every step.

Oh, and remember what Pastor Sam shared? We don't know the time of Christ's return, but we do know the truth of His return... He Is, and He's returning.

You do know.

No Powerpoint, Just Power Points.

On Sunday we were so blessed to again experience the presence and power of God in our services. Pastor Sam brought a clear, timely word from Acts 1. In the service he mentioned the possibility of expanding on this sermon in some alternative format, and it's possible that Pastor Sam's sermon will become a full-fledged School of Christian Maturity course this fall. For that reason, I won't be digging too deeply this week- let's pray that we get to revisit this subject in the fall. In the meantime, though, let's recap the 6 major points of the sermon:

-Be convinced of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead;
-Be clear about the rule and kingdom of God;
-Be conversant concerning the role of the Spirit;
-Be conscious of the return of Christ;
-Be committed to real dependence on God through prayer;
-Be cautious, careful to remember the warning of Judas's apostasy.

Pastor Sam used the term "structurally different", and it's a good place for us to start as we reflect on Acts 1: do you have a longing to see something structurally different in the body of Christ? Do you want to experience a church like the one we read of in Acts? We learned from the sermon that it doesn't happen randomly: Jesus teaches us His reality, and as we move into an understanding of His truth He is able to cause us to experience His presence and power in a way that transforms us, and also makes us agents of transformation.

Tomorrow we'll revisit the hard question from the sermon.