Hand In Hand

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30, NASB)

Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message to no one but Jews. But there were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene among them who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks too, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. (Acts 11:19-21, NET)

When Pastor Sam referred to these verses during his sermon, I felt such a reassurance from God. The references touched my heart because we live in a time where the overt, systemic persecution of Christians is no longer only “over there” in the Eastern Hemisphere, but is also firmly ensconced here in the Western world. But, anyone who reads Scripture carefully will assert that persecution of Christians is nothing new. After all, it was the reality of religious intolerance that caused believers in the first-century church to be scattered from Jerusalem into other regions of the earth.

Fortunately, there is an overarching reality that Jesus has told us: “No one has the power to snatch you out of My hand.” That is the reality in which, and by which, we Christians must function. It is the reality that supersedes sufferings and death, because we who believe in Christ have been granted eternal life in Him. It is the reality that causes us to continue preaching and teaching even in the face of persecution.

The hand of the Lord was with the early church.

The hand of the Lord is with His people today.

Rejoice in the reality. Rest in the security.

“Lord, I pray for all who witness for you in this world:

ministers, priests, and bishops,

men and women who have dedicated their lives to you,

and all those who try to bring the light of the Gospel

into the darkness of this age.

Give them courage, strength, perseverance, and hope;

fill their hearts and minds

with the knowledge of your presence,

and let them experience your name

as their refuge from all dangers.

Most of all, give them the joy of your Spirit,

so that wherever they go and whomever they meet

they will remove the veil

of depression, fatalism, and defeatism

and will bring new life to the many

who live in constant fear of death.

Lord, be with all who bring the Good News.

Amen.” (a prayer of Henri J.M. Nouwen)

Imperfect Attendance.

“In church every Sunday for twenty years, but still ‘shacking’.” –Dr. Donovan Case

How can the twenty-first-century church operate with first-century principles? By knowing and doing the will of God.

When our guest speaker, Dr. Donovan Case, made the statement about shacking, he took a bold step to point at the gross, sick, diseased underbelly of the church—not just our local body, but the sickness of church communities across the globe. We are eager and zealous to do some great things for God, but we have neglected to take the time to sit still and allow God to do some miraculous things in us. It seems that in spite of our spending time every day with the Healer, we’d prefer to stay sick.

In reflecting on Bronx Bethany’s 2013 theme Pursuing Holiness, Promoting Healing, we have had almost a year’s worth of sermons, seminars, and community events designed to help people move towards complete healing. There has been much discussion on healing pertaining to physical, mental, and financial areas of life. But, are we as a community also committed to full pursuit of the healing of lifestyles? Are we ready to admit to God (and ourselves) that some of our lifestyles are deeply damaged, and are damaging to the faith community we claim to love?

For those of you who are not familiar with the term shacking, it refers to the pursuit and maintenance of sexual relationships with one or more persons to whom an individual is not married. In some cases, shacking also includes the sharing of a household and finances. For persons who claim to be solid Christians, shacking is a sin that stands in stark opposition to God’s word concerning how we are to live (see Genesis 2:21-24; Matthew 19:3-12; First Corinthians 6:12-7:17).

Dr. Case’s statement, though, goes beyond the issue of an anonymous individual’s choice to ignore God’s commands. It moves all of us to reflection, each holding a mirror to our own faces. We all can take inventory of our lives, and we may see one or more areas in which we have repeatedly failed to walk in obedience to the One we claim as our Lord and Master. What grief have we caused the Spirit of God when we have chosen to spend years, or decades, engaged in actions that He abhors? Whether those actions are as blatant as murder or as subtle as self-righteous pride, the Lord has given us a wake-up call through Dr. Case. It is time to repent.

Lord, You see us engaged in a worshiping community, and You speak to each of us individually. Speak to our hearts today. Give us ears to hear You. Give us hearts that are happy to obey You. Give us wisdom to renounce and reject everything that pulls us away from Your gracious presence. Give us courage to say no to the sins that seem to be satisfying us, when in fact they are destroying us. Spirit of God, we need Your help. Form and reform us: make us reflections of Your glorious image.

Class: Acts.

On this past Sunday, Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene was privileged to have Dr. Donovan Case as our guest speaker. He spoke from the book of Acts, sharing with us the theme "Just Ordinary Saints."

Let's read Acts 11:19-26 as a reminder of Dr. Case's main text:

So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Today, let's consider the question Dr. Case asked at the start of his sermon:

How can the twenty-first-century church operate with first-century principles?