Glossa Water

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

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.”

Friday, May 15, 2015

"Certain" Call.

Pastor Althea referenced Second Timothy chapter 1 in her sermon this past Sunday, and I’d like us to read the chapter today as we close out our few days of reflection. In this chapter, we see that Paul’s words to Timothy are helpful in giving us a “road map” of how faith works in us:

Faith empowers us to use our spiritual gifts.

Faith empowers us to testify.

Faith empowers us to suffer.

Faith empowers us to live the life of holiness.

Faith empowers us to believe that Jesus Christ was raised from death.

Faith empowers us to trust God.

Faith empowers us to partner with the Holy Spirit.

Faith empowers us to speak the truth in love.

Faith empowers us to recognize those God has sent to support the ministry.

As we read, let us pray that we will be people of faith.

Second Timothy 1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

To Timothy, my dear son:

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Work Stoppage?

In Sunday’s sermon Pastor Althea made the point that we cannot produce our own faith, but we can hinder it from growing.

Let’s re-visit one of the verses from yesterday’s post: “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” (Romans 12:3, emphasis mine)

In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25) we see an example of the graciousness of our God. He has given us the faith necessary to work for Him, using whatever gifts He has given to us. He knows our capability to operate in faith, to the glory of His name, and we can choose to joyfully obey His call... or summarily dismiss it. Let’s read this parable today, absorbing its encouragement, and heeding its warning.

Are you growing in faith, or are you hindering faith from growing?

Matthew 25:14-30

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Steady As She Grows...

In Sunday's sermon, Pastor Althea said something I'd like us to reflect on today: "Faith is taking a measured risk."

Our pastor reminded us of our tendencies to demonstrate measured risk in our everyday lives. We expect that when we travel, we will reach our destination. We expect that the chairs we sit in will be strong enough to bear our weight. These are measured risks, and these are expressions of the faith we carry in our hearts. We take these risks every day because of what we believe, and we respond with surprise when our expectations are not realized.

We who are Christians have subscribed to a life of faith. Our faith is grounded in what God has said. We dare to risk because we believe His word. We dare to expect. We go through our days anticipating that God will act on behalf of His people, that He will keep His word, and that He will cause us to see and experience every promise He has poured into our hearts.

As we consider our life of faith, let us also remember that our faith is not solely for our personal benefit. Our faith can serve to build up every member of the body of Christ. If we have faith that God will act on behalf of His people, then we can also have faith that God will allow us to participate in His process.

Today, will you take the measured risk of acting in faith, in whatever ways God has gifted you to do so?

Romans 12:3-8

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Son!

Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. (First Timothy 1:18-19)

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. (Second Timothy 1:5)

On Sunday, Pastor Althea spoke to us about having and leaving a legacy of faith. We took time to reflect on Paul’s second letter to Timothy, in which we see Paul testify to a generational pattern on the maternal side of Timothy's family. Paul says, in effect, Your grandmother had a certain way of living; your mother had a certain way of living; and you, Timothy, are conducting your life in the same way they did... the way of faith.

Our pastor also made mention of Acts chapter 16. In that chapter we see that Timothy’s biological father was identified not by faith-walk, but only by culture:

Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. (Acts 16:1-3)

Perhaps we are not too far from this narrative. We may have come to faith in households where some family members were believers in Jesus and others were not. Some of us may currently be in situations where we are the only Christian in the home. But, we serve a gracious God! In these letters from Paul to Timothy, God has revealed that He can add a spiritual layer to our family tree. For Timothy, the lack of testimony concerning his biological father’s spiritual health was overridden by the apostolic covering of Paul. The Lord who caused Paul to adopt Timothy as a “son in the faith” (First Timothy 1:2) is our Lord, and He still has people of faith living today.

Are you a person of faith?

Friday, May 1, 2015

Starving To Death

On Sunday, Pastor Martha made an observation (paraphrased here) that we as Christians must wrestle with: We have become accustomed to the absence of the presence of God.

Our pastor noted that we live in a time and season where Christians permit themselves to be absorbed in media, technology, entertainment, and labor. However, the attention to a consistent, regular devotional practice is typically nonexistent. The standard response of the overworked (or overbooked) is "I don't have time for devotions." But Pastor Martha countered this excuse with these realities:

We have time to log in to social media.
We have time to take showers and baths.
We have time to choose clothing and get dressed.
We have time to purchase, prepare, and eat food.
We have made time for other things: some necessary, some frivolous.
There are some basics that we have decided will not be absent from our daily lives.
Why is it that we have absented the basics of our faith?

Our pastor shared that if we don't eat spiritual food, we are going to die. Our souls must be nourished... and perhaps that is a key reason why many believers never move into the realm of discipleship. Their souls are famished, and have been famished for so long that they've grown comfortable with the emptiness. In the light of Christ, who has modeled for us the importance of being connected to God through meaningful spiritual disciplines, the response "I'm too busy" is a demonic mantric that no Christian should be comfortable saying.

But, there is hope: we can be filled with the presence of God today! We can draw closer to Him today! My hope, my prayer, is that the Lord will renew in all of us a deep desire to eat at His table and drink from His well. Pastor Martha noted that Jesus first called His disciples to be with Him-- to follow Him and to observe His consistent devotion in ministry and in prayer, so that they might be empowered to model His example. If we long to be disciples of Christ, then let us model His example. Love God. Love spending time in God's word. Love communing with God in prayer.

Can we pour out God's love if we're spiritually empty?

Lord, cause us to hunger and thirst for You. Give us grace and courage to make whatever changes are necessary in our schedules, and in our mindsets, so that we might be nourished by Your word every day and transformed by Your presence every day. We thank You for helping us. Amen.

Matthew 7:24-27

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

The Real Confidence Monitor.

But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. (Matthew 13:6)

In Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Martha said something that I’d like us to reflect on today. She said (paraphrased here), It’s not our complaints that move God. It is when we declare the word of God that God responds. She then asked us: How can we declare the word of God if we’ve never read it, or if we aren’t sure of what it says?

As we learn the word of God by reading Scripture, rehearsing it through meditation, and declaring it with our mouths, we can be confident that our Lord will fulfill His word in the earth. However, if we don't learn His word, we won't grow in faith and we won't increase in our knowledge of God. We must remain aware that our depth of devotion to God impacts the confidence with which we can declare His word.

Let's consider the parable of the sower, found in the books of Matthew and Mark. We see in the narratives that the process of seeds developing into mature plants could be cut short by various things: the soil, the sun, the roots, the rocks. Seeds grounded in deep, fertile, rock-free soil had a better end result than those that fell along the path. We also see in these narratives that Jesus used the parable to describe the ways in which people develop spiritually (see Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20).

How are we doing in terms of our spiritual development? Do you and I carry, in our hearts and minds, a knowledge of what God’s word says? Do we live in obedience to His word? Do we rejoice in the expectation that God will fulfill His word? Are we committed to being “deeply rooted” in the word of God? Are we willing to extract and discard the things that are harming, stunting, or otherwise blocking our spiritual development?

Recitation. Meditation. Declaration.

Isaiah 55

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples. Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.”

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Are You In The "D" League?

In Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Martha shared with us the need for every believer to be committed to discipleship.

Our pastor noted that, for many Christians, there is a tendency to ignore or postpone spiritual disciplines that ought to be central to our lives. If we are not devoted to personal development as disciples, it becomes virtually impossible to effectively disciple others.

Pastor Martha reminded us of Jesus’s words: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19a). And, in reminding us, our pastor also cautioned us. She said (paraphrased here), We were not told to go and make believers. We were called to go and make disciples.

So, as we continue our faith-life, let us be diligent in obeying our Lord. If we are aware that our current state of spiritual development is not where it should be, we have an opportunity today to draw nearer to God.

Read the word of God, every day.

Pray, every day.

Look for opportunities to share His love, every day.

Will you, believer, live the life of a disciple?

Lord God, please forgive us for having drifted away from Your presence. Renew in us the desire to do Your will in the simple, basic, necessary acts of the Christian faith. Help us to connect with You: not merely in times of crisis, but every day. Help us to be true disciples, so that we can make true disciples. We ask this in Jesus’s name. Amen.

Friday, April 24, 2015

Clarion Call

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. (Luke 24:50-53)

Pastor Sam shared with us that Jesus responded to the disciples’ doubt with a clarifying mandate. The mandate was to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19a). The Luke account of the disciples’ commission describes how the disciples returned to Jerusalem: “with great joy” (Luke 24:52b). Their ministry was launched not in fear of the Pharisees and religious leaders of the time, but with praise to their Lord.

We, too, are called to go and make disciples. It is not solely a call to those who hold the ministry office of apostle, evangelist, or pastor. Every Christian holds this call to share the gospel.

Let us approach our evangelism mandate with great joy.

Let us praise God, completely freed from the fear of man.

Let us share, everywhere, the truth of the gospel.

Lord God,

You have called us;

You have saved us;

You have sent us.

We praise You!

We rejoice in You!

God, search our hearts and find no fear.

Find in us pure adoration of Your Grace.

Find in us pure desire to do what makes You smile.

We love You… and we will go wherever You send us.

Empower us to draw the world to You.

We ask this in Jesus’s name. Amen.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Thomas And “Them”…

When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. (Matthew 28:17)

On Sunday, Pastor Sam gave us an encouraging word: there can be authentic worship even in the face of doubt.

When we think of the word “doubt” in Scripture, most Christians familiar with their Bibles tend to default to Thomas, the disciple who had missed the first post-Resurrection meeting between Jesus and the other ten disciples. Thomas was very vocal about his unbelief concerning the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. But Thomas was present for the second encounter, and he believed. These eleven disciples then met the Lord in Galilee, having walked about 90-100 miles from where they had seen him in Jerusalem (see John 20:19- 21:14).

So, we have this curious post-Resurrection situation: Thomas had seen Jesus twice. The other ten disciples had seen Him three times. And, in the face of these multiple appearances, there was still doubt… and not just in the heart of Thomas. Other disciples felt it too.

What about you? Do you feel it? Have doubts clouded your discipleship? Do you have things happening in your life that make you question whether you've really had an encounter with the living God?

The prescription for doubt is authentic worship. Pastor Sam said (paraphrased here), If you are obediently worshiping instead of disobeying by staying away, if you are doing your best even in the face of doubts, if you are engaged with God through sincere worship of Him, then your doubts will be addressed by the resurrected Christ.

We serve an amazing Lord. In the Matthew 28 account, Jesus responded to the doubt with a declaration of His power and with a dispatching of His disciples: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:18-19a). In other words, doubt could not disqualify the disciples from service so long as they were found obedient in worship.

Is there doubt in your heart today? Don't let it deter you from your devotion.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Easy Money?

“The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” (Matthew 26:24)

I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord. (Zechariah 11:12-13)

“You should take warning so that when the disciples gather, it is not “eleven” with you missing.” –Rev. Dr. Sam Vassel

In Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Sam spoke about the tragic problem of small, private compromise inevitably becoming public betrayal. We learned that Judas’s downfall was rooted in his belief that he could continue in seemingly minor indiscretions while continuing his life as one of the Twelve. And, although Judas heard the same teachings and warnings as the other disciples, he continued his indiscretions.

In reviewing the details of the betrayal, our pastor indicated that Judas was being asked to betray Jesus by doing a couple of simple things that Judas did every day: identify Jesus, and greet Jesus. In agreeing to do this, Judas received thirty silver coins. It was a small amount in comparison to Mary’s extravagant offering of perfume worth a year's wages. It was a big amount in comparison to the two simple things he was being asked to do. It was a prophetic amount: Judas's agreement fulfilled the word of God that had been revealed in Old Testament scriptures.

On the surface, the betrayal of Jesus by Judas had presented itself as just another minor indiscretion. But, as we learned on Sunday, it blew up into something much greater. Pastor Sam noted that, in reading the text, we can infer that Judas’s suicide was an indicator that Judas did not really expect Jesus to be condemned to death. We see this inferred in Matthew 27:3-5:

When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

Judas, who had expected to keep both the money and his Lord, lost both.

But, what of us today? Are we walking through our discipleship while maintaining secret devotion to selfish gain? Are we, as our pastor said of Judas, playing with “little compromises” that are preparing us for massive betrayals? Or, worse, are we justifying our indiscretions by claiming that Scripture shows that some will be lost? Pastor Sam said, and I paraphrase here, Certainly all Scripture will be fulfilled. But God has given everyone free will, and we can choose to do what is right.

You don’t have to be the Judas of your day.

Lord, You are more precious than silver;

Lord, You are more costly than gold.

Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds,

And nothing I desire compares with You! (Lynn DeShazo, 1982)

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Unexcused Absence.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)

As we read Matthew 28:16, we see that Jesus told the disciples to go to Galilee. In the narrative, though, we see that Matthew begins the verse with a significant head count: “Then the eleven disciples…”

In Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Sam encouraged us to reflect on a question: Who is missing, and why? Most people familiar with Christianity know that Jesus called twelve disciples, and that Judas Iscariot was the disciple who was missing from the head count. But, have we taken the time to really consider the “why” of Judas’s absence?

It is not simply that Judas had committed suicide after his betrayal of Jesus. Pastor Sam noted that, prior to the betrayal, Judas exhibited certain behaviors that indicated he was not exclusively devoted to our Lord. We were asked to remember the story of Mary’s offering in John 12:3-6. It says:

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Let’s consider three points that our pastor shared:

Judas loathed authentic worship. In the face of Mary’s offering, Judas responded not with praise of God, but with a harsh criticism of Mary’s worship: Why did she give to Jesus what could have been given to someone else?

Judas lied about his motivation. Though his mention of the needs of the poor seemed noble, Judas was using the plight of the poor as a cover for his own indiscretions.

Judas lived a life of compromise. Entrusted with the role of treasurer, Judas had grown comfortable with embezzlement. He maintained his position as a disciple while also being able to satisfy his desire for money.

Pastor Sam gave us an important warning (paraphrased here): Judas was a ranking disciple, and yet he was derailed by his unwillingness to renounce his love for monetary gain. And so we ask ourselves the hard questions:

v Are we, at the risk of our soul’s salvation, modeling the way of Judas?

v Is there something, or someone, that we have permitted to overtake our desire for Jesus?

v Is there something, or someone, that we have decided to embrace even though we know our decision is in disobedience to the commands of Christ?

Saturday, April 18, 2015

A Witness To Sufferings

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)

“We understand that in a broken world there will be suffering. But our God promises to be with us.” –Reverend Richard Griffiths

During Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Richard gave voice to the thought that resides in the hearts of many Christians in the western world: I’ll take power and I’ll take blessing, but I’m not taking suffering.

Why embrace suffering? Our pastor reminded us of the beginning of Romans chapter 5. In the first five verses of the chapter, the apostle Paul encourages believers to view suffering as a catalyst to hope. The embracing of suffering for the sake of Christ is the first step in a developmental process. What does suffering develop in us? Perseverance; character; hope.

The world, though, lives in opposition to the word of God. The world says that we ought to be free to be, say, and do whatever we please. The world says that if we don’t like something, we ought to drop it-- after all, why suffer? That is the way our world operates.

However, there is a more dangerous opponent of the tenets in the book of Romans. That opponent is found in the church. The model of suffering has grown odious in some spiritual circles. So, instead of a call to suffering, there are pockets of church culture in which Christians are told that the evidence of their spiritual prowess is found in their avoidance of suffering. But if we seek to avoid suffering, then how will we develop spiritual maturity?

Paul was willing to suffer for the sake of Christ. Much of his apostolic influence came not from his in-person visits to churches, but from the precious letters he wrote while imprisoned and held under house arrest. His transparency about the sufferings he endured served as encouragement to his fellow believers... and to us as well! Here we are, thousands of years later, still learning and growing from this example of a man who was happy to embrace suffering as a catalyst to spiritual growth.

Are you willing to suffer?

Lord God, help us to joyfully embrace the fellowship of Your sufferings.

Friday, April 17, 2015

A Witness To Salvation

This past Sunday, Pastor Richard shared that religious activities and rituals don’t ensure right relationship with God; rather, it is faith in Jesus Christ. Our pastor said, and we ought receive it as a creedal truth, “What has been accomplished in Christ Jesus is complete.”

Do we believe that Jesus’s death and resurrection have procured salvation for us? Or are we trying to add on our own “salvific” efforts to the work He has already done? Pastor Richard noted that as Philippians 3 begins, the apostle Paul speaks out against the spiritual leaders of his day. These leaders held the notion that new believers could not claim authentic salvation unless they also embraced the ritual of circumcision, which was a central component of Judaism. As Paul refuted this notion, he said, “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” (Philippians 3:7)

What were Paul’s gains in regard to his religious life?

v Legacy: Paul could boast that his parents circumcised him in infancy, on the eighth day of his life, in keeping with the Mosaic law.

v Lineage: Paul had been born into the tribe of Benjamin, and had a proud heritage as a Jew sold out to Judaism.

v Legalism: Paul had been taught and trained by Gamaliel, the most gifted Pharisee of his day, and was highly educated in religious law.

v Leadership: Paul had been an influential leader, persuading other Jews in and around his region to persecute Christians.

v Lifestyle: Paul had been diligent to maintain all the religious regulations and expectations common to Pharisees.

But, as our pastor said on Sunday (paraphrased here), God can change everything in a moment. For Paul, that moment happened on the road to Damascus. Years later, Paul continued to share the testimony of how that encounter with the living God changed his life forever (see Acts 26). Life was no longer all about religion: it was all about Jesus.

Let’s consider what Paul said in Philippians 3. The apostle never denied his religious education. He never denied his spiritual heritage. He never denied that he was well-versed in the rituals common to his life as a “Hebrew of Hebrews”. But he said, in effect, Compared to all that Christ is and all He has done, all my personal efforts at religious ritual are like dung—I dare not put them on display. I know that my rituals did not contribute to my salvation!

In all of Sunday’s English-language services, Pastor Richard quoted from a hymn that has the following stanza:

“My faith has found a resting place—not in device nor creed:

I trust the Ever-living One – His wounds for me shall plead.” (Lidie Edmunds, ca. 1891)

For our reflection today, let’s ask ourselves: Where does our faith rest? Is it resting on Jesus’s death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, or is it resting on the unstable frame of our own religious efforts?

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

A Witness To Deliverance

When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:14-20)

“Just stay a little longer in the presence of God. He’s taking it away right now. I know some of you can’t see it. But I can see it. And He’s releasing some things right now, and He’s delivering some people right now.” – Rev. Richard Griffiths

In Sunday’s sermon Pastor Richard noted that, sometimes, hard times come after having had a high experience. We who serve the Lord Jesus have experienced the “high” of Lent, Holy Week, and the first Sunday of Easter. But by the second Sunday in the Easter season, Christian individuals and organizations often experience a “low” on several fronts: decreased attendance, a reduction in giving, fatigue from having done the extra services common to Holy Week, increased spiritual attacks from those opposed to God’s agenda, and so forth.

Our pastor referenced the experience of the three disciples who had been with Jesus as witnesses of His transfiguration. After the “high” of seeing Jesus in dialogue with Moses and Elijah, these disciples descended the mountain and immediately encountered a “low”: a demon-possessed child, a distressed father, a crowd of spectators, and the confusion of fellow disciples who couldn’t understand why their attempts at deliverance were unsuccessful. (see Matthew 17:1-20; Mark9:2-29; Luke 9:28-43)

This past Sunday, we experienced what it means to minister and overcome in the face of the “low”. In our second service we heard specific testimonies of how some of God’s people had suffered. But, in the face of discouragement, they emerged victorious. God released them from their burdens! And just as Jesus was present to exact deliverance for the child who was under oppression, His Spirit is present to exact deliverance for us today. We, as His disciples, have been given the authority to speak words of healing in the name of Jesus. We have been empowered by the Holy Spirit who has given us grace-gifts. When we are united in faith and love and purpose, our gifts serve to glorify God; and, as happened on Sunday, we can partner with God in lifting the burdens of the oppressed.

I have been doing church life for a long time, and I confess that over the years I had fallen into the trap of expecting the second Sunday of Easter to be a “low”… but this past Sunday changed all of that. I am happy to report that this time around, for me, it was as dynamic and inspiring as the first Sunday of Easter. I have experienced a resurrection of faith and expectation. I’ll never be the same again.

Let's follow our pastor's lead: Stay in the presence of God. Wait on Him as He works in us. Look with eyes of faith and see deliverance, even if the spectators and naysayers only can see discouragement. Praise our King who does all things well.

By faith, I see the deliverance... and I am rejoicing. How about you?

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

A Witness To Process

“We resign to the Holy Spirit, but He calls us to divine partnership.” – Rev. Richard Griffiths

I have been struggling with how to begin this week’s posts.

This past Sunday was unusual, and yet at the same time it has been in keeping with a pattern of the unusual way that our God has been working through Pastor Richard in recent months. For those who don’t worship at Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene, I’ll try to explain.

Over the past several years, Pastor Richard has been the pastor from whom we’ve expected certain things: witty anecdotes, brilliant insights, and the ability to preach short sermons (that is, “short” by Bronx Bethany standards) while maintaining the depth and profundity we experience from all our pastors. But, in the last few times Pastor Richard has come to the pulpit, we’ve seen God move our pastor to speak and act in ways that are very different from what we were used to experiencing. The sermons are longer. The anecdotes are fewer. The amazing insights that our pastor has gained from his studies are being made to take a back seat as the rhema word of the Lord takes precedence. And, as God has been moving, our pastor has responded in obedience—even though the obedience requires that he do things that are vastly different from his personality, personal preference, and pastoral training.

So, on Sunday, before the sermon, a number of different things happened. Our pastor called us to prayer for releasing people from the burdens they were carrying. Our pastor led us in worship and praise and adoration of God. Our pastor called people to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. And our pastor suspended his concern with time, because he realized that God was changing the ministry agenda to suit His divine purpose.

In light of what we see God doing in and through our pastor, will we follow his example? Will we embrace the act of complete obedience to God? Will we set aside our own agenda in favor of God’s agenda? Will we let go of our skill sets and comfort zones in order to make a clear path for God’s glory to move through our midst?

We’ll be focusing on Pastor Richard’s sermon in the remaining posts this week, but I want us to reflect on his sermon in light of what happened before the sermon could be preached. So, let’s re-read Philippians 3:1-14 with a recollection of the awe and reverence we experienced in our services: an awe and reverence that our God demands and deserves.

The God who can change the order of our worship service, and who can call us to prayer, and who can inhabit our praise, is the God whose resurrection power is available to us. As we learn of Him, let’s worship Him.

Philippians 3:1-14

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reasons for such confidence.

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Please, Don't Just Grab Something And Wave...

“He is our King. Where are your gifts?” – Reverend Andy Rubin

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’s feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. (John 12:3)

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!” (John 12:13)

I was asked a question this morning by a worship leader from another locale. She asked, “Why is it that when I begin worship, the people are not involved?”

Well, there’s several possible answers to the question. It may be that the people don’t know, or don’t like, the chord progressions (or musical instruments, or musical styles) being used to support the worship atmosphere. It may be that the people don’t want a woman, or don’t want this particular woman, leading them in adoration of our Lord. It may be that the attendees are not present for worship, but are merely present to give moral support to a family member or colleague who’s being baptized (or given an award, or granted some other distinction) during the service. It may be that there is some competing event in the room, or in the minds of the people, that has distracted them.

But, I believe there is an answer that cuts to the core of the issue: It may be that the people do not view their worship as their personal offering to God.

As we learned on Sunday, attendance at a worship event is not the same thing as personal engagement in worship. In John 12:1-19 we read of two worship events that took place shortly before the Passover feast. And, as Pastor Andy noted, there were distinct contrasts between these two expressions of adoration. A few are summarized here:

v One featured a woman; the other involved crowds.

v One was expressed in tears; the other in shouts.

v One evoked disdain from fellow believers; the other evoked distress from unbelievers.

A key contrast, though, concerned attitude, motivation, and expression. In Sunday’s sermon Pastor Andy made the following point (paraphrased here): The crowd waving palms gave a worship that cost them nothing. The woman gave a worship that cost her something.

Mary’s worship stands as an incredible example of adoration. Her focus was on Jesus, and Him alone. There were plenty of other people and things in the room that could have distracted her, but she entered the space with an agenda to worship her Lord. And, she did not merely pour tears onto Jesus. She poured out a container of perfume: an expensive, carefully considered gift, worth a year’s salary.

The crowds, in contrast, carried a mixture of agendas. One crowd was present because they had wanted to see who healed Lazarus. The other crowd was asking Jesus to declare His Kingship and save them from Roman oppression. The Pharisees were simply spectators, watching the procession without participating in the worship. The palms were a handy, convenient article: impulsively grabbed, and summarily tossed, free of cost.

What about us today? Are we as intentional as Mary, or as bothered as the Pharisees, or as fickle as the crowd?

Where is your worship, and what does it cost?