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Conspiracy, Fear, and God’s Sovereignty
“They are secretly taking over!”
“I think there is a hidden plan to outlaw Christianity…”
“The communists are leading the media to brainwash our populace!”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some behind-the-scenes group of wealthy leaders directing these wars in the Middle East… and they are all cashing in.”
If your environment is anything like mine, I would guess you’ve heard alarming statements like these more times than you can count. Conspiracy theories of all kinds seem to increasingly abound. Alarmist news reporters and columnists rapidly grow their readership through stories that invoke tremors of fear and outrage.
This short, fast-flash film summarizes the top 10 “disturbing conspiring theories” in the USA:
Statisticians claim a whopping 60% of the American population believes President JFK’s assassination was the work of some kind of conspiracy. Some people argue that the U.S. government secretly ordered the planes to fly into the World Trade Center towers on 9/11, perhaps to have an excuse for waging war against Iraq. While I happen to be incredulous to such hypotheses, some human conspiracies seem real and seem to work out… the ISIS group in Iraq obviously conspired to kill or drive out all the Christians in the city of Mosul and they largely succeeded. The self-identified anti-god, anti-Christian lobbying groups in the USA seem to be making a lot of headway in recent years in their attempt to choke out the Christian voice in our nation.
But to be honest, it’s very easy for American Christians to get caught up in fear for tomorrow and who might be conspiring against us. Remember the Y2K days? The church in which I grew up held special Sunday night meetings for months prior to that fateful New Year so that we could learn how to be prepared for the earth-shattering crash that was to come. The operative word was always “preparation” but as a teenager I knew the overall motivation in the room was fear. I knew people who bought multiple wood burning stoves, years of food supplies, piles of guns, the list goes on… I even heard of some families who sold everything and literally headed for the mountains to escape the impending chaos.
The Ultimate Conspiracy
Now I’m not saying it’s wrong to prepare for the unexpected, but our fear drives us to a deeper, ultimate question: In who or what are we hoping? Really.
In who or what are you hoping? America? The constitution? Your job? Your guns? Or…
Jesus and His followers faced the ultimate human conspiracy of all time: Kill Jesus Christ. And in the face of this conspiracy what did God want the followers of Jesus to know… and hope in? As the page turns toward the Cross and the ultimate human conspiracy, where does the Gospel of John takes us to hope?
Here’s a scene-by-scene flashback of where the apostle John leads us up to the half-way point in His gospel account:
Jesus. Man. God. The God-Man.
Word. The Word became flesh and moved-in to live among us.
Life. Light. In Him was Life and the Life was the Light of men.
John the Baptist took the witness stand and testified to the identity of Jesus. Lamb. Lamb of God. The One who would take away the sin of the world. And the story begins to unfold…
Jesus inaugurates his public ministry at a Wedding Celebration and turns water into the best wine. (Ch. 2)
Jesus walked the super-religious Nicodemus out of the darkness of spiritual ignorance and into the light of God’s Good News. (Ch. 3)
Jesus turned the sex-addict from Samaria into a Gospel-telling worshiper of God. (Ch. 4)
Jesus healed a Royal Official’s son, saving him from death’s door. (Ch. 4)
Jesus restored a man by the Pool of Bethesda, who had been disabled for 38 years. (Ch. 5)
Jesus fed 5,000+ people near the Sea of Galilee with a supply of just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. (Ch. 6)
Jesus walked on top of the water on the Sea of Galilee, showing His disciples His power over the elements of creation. (Ch. 6)
Through all of this, Jesus taught with authority and wisdom that amazed everyone – including the Pharisees and Chief Priests! (Ch. 6-8)
Jesus healed a man who had been blind from birth. (Ch. 9)
Jesus raised his close friend Lazarus from the dead, after he had been in the tomb 4 days! (Ch. 11)
But after all of this, the religious leaders threw up their arms and shouted, “What are we doing?” Jesus was doing many amazing miracles. But what were they doing? Sitting on their hands? No more! So with the cunning deceit of the high priest, Caiaphas, they devised a plan – a conspiracy was formulated. Why? Because they feared the loss of their position of power and temporary national peace.
The leaders shouted out: “If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” (John 11:48)
Fear raced through the minds of the chief priests and Pharisees as they looked at the chessboard of their game with the Romans. If a gathering of zealots used Jesus’ popularity to create a civil insurrection, then the Roman authorities would no longer trust their leadership. They would lose everything that was theirs. So they conspired to take swift and final action. With a brash and arrogant tone, Caiaphas pronounced:
“You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” (John 11:50)
Overruled.
Yet with all their cunning conspiracy tactics, God’s sovereignty overruled the leaders’ plans for self-protection with His plan for redemption. God is the master of literary twist and beautifully choreographs the storyline of history to display His sovereignty.
God always writes the end of the story…
The first twist: The Sanhedrin sought to protect their “place” and their “nation” by killing Jesus. But soon after His crucifixion their system quickly unraveled and climaxed in the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. The family of Annas, the patriarch of the chief priests, lost all their wealth, prestige, and power. Gone.
The second twist: Everyone heard Caiaphas proclaim that it would be better for one man to die on behalf of the people so that the whole nation would not be destroyed. But Jesus would die not only on behalf of the people in Israel but also for the whole world, thus bringing the scattered together into the one family of God. One. (cf. John 11:51-52)
Jesus Himself would conquer death and rise as the Victor from the grave. Mouths could not be stopped. The mission would charge forward. The people of God would be purchased through the redemption payment at the Cross.
God always writes the final chapter to the story. Man’s plans fail. God’s plans always win. He always wins. And just as God’s sovereignty overruled man’s conspiracy in the first-century, so God will overrule human conspiracy every time… even today.
God’s sovereignty overrules human conspiracy…every time.
Unstoppable.
Mankind has tried to stop God’s mission from moving forward time and time again, but every scheme will always fail. Because God’s sovereign plan of redemption will always overrule any human conspiracy. How can I make such a bold claim? Take a glance at recent history…
China tried to stamp out Christianity through communism, but the Church only blossomed under persecution. The USSR tried to stamp out Christianity through atheism, but God’s work never ceased across Russia and Eastern Europe. Many South American countries tried to enforce Marxism, but Christianity is continuing to exponentially grow. India has tried to clamp down on national Christians evangelizing and foreign missionaries working among the people, but the Church is spreading at breakneck speed. And even here in the USA, religious liberalism has tried for more than a century to pacify and neuter the Christian faith but instead the mainline liberal denominations are emptying and many Gospel-preaching, Bible-believing churches are growing and spreading across the country. Why? Because God’s sovereignty always overrules any human conspiracy.
Does this mean our era will climax in some sort of utopian Christendom? Certainly not. Persecution will rise. Rejection will increase. Violence and immorality will spread. Remember… this world is fallen and faulty and broken. At the end of the age Satan and his cohorts may even think they’ve won, just like the religious rulers thought they’d won the day when Jesus was nailed to an old wooden cross on the outskirts of town. But God’s plan will not be thwarted, undermined, or brought to demise – because He is writing the story. And every page will turn to display the praise of His glory.
Hope.
So even though conspiracy theories are on the rise and evil seems to be triumphing, we can hope in God’s sovereign plan as each new chapter unfolds – even today.
Hope in God’s Sovereign Plan as each new chapter unfolds…even today.
Most every night, I tell our little guy, Hudson, homemade stories about Herman the Hermit, Rusty the Trusty Dog, Flapjack Frying-Pan…all characters my dad developed in his story time with my brother and I when we were kiddos. Hudson soaks up every detail and every turn in each vignette. His eyes brighten with wonder as his mind paints the plot across his imagination. But as is often the case, a tension is left unresolved (especially if I’m tired and want to end it for the night). So I declare with a gusto, “Until next time… we’ll find out what happens with…” Hudson will groan but then quickly bubble over with anticipation and ideas about how he thinks the story will end. His little mind races with anticipation… but I know how the story will end because I’m the author. So I just smile, give him a hug, and enjoy his delight in my story.
Sometimes we can be filled with fear about what conspiracy might be brewing to attack the Church, outlaw our faith, or seemingly stop God’s mission from going forward. But we can trust that God’s sovereign plan will win. He will be victorious. His plan of redemption could not be stopped and will not be stopped. Conspiracy? No conspiracy will ever thwart God’s sovereignty.
The Author knows how the story will begin and end. And our Triune God will win. His plan of redemption will not be thwarted. Hope today in the sovereign Lord because He owns the end of the story…
Listen to the full audio message entitled “Man’s Conspiracy vs. God’s Sovereignty” (John 11:47-57) by simply clicking on the play button below or by subscribing to our iTunes podcast. This message was originally delivered at North Park Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI, on Sunday morning, August 17th, 2014.
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Jesus is Coming for Dinner
Just the other afternoon, my son, Hudson, and I were driving along a roadway near our house in order to run a few errands. We were singing one of Hudson’s favorite songs… loudly, of course. Traffic was heavy, but the sun was shining brightly.
As we looked across the western horizon, a beautiful mosaic of multi-layered clouds quilted the sky. Rays of sunlight shot through the majestic frame, inciting bursts of vibrant color.
Suddenly Hudson shouted, “Look, Papa! It looks like Jesus is breaking through the clouds! Jesus is breaking through the clouds!”
Hudson has a way of commanding everyone’s attention within 100 feet at any given moment, and today was no exception. He could not live one more minute if his Papa did not see the view he was taking in.
“Loooook, Papa! See!!” Hudson yelled again. “See the clouds and the light shining…”
His voice dropped to a whisper, “wow… Jesus is breaking through the clouds…”
“Is He, Papa…right now?” he asked with a deep tone of anticipation.
Before I could get out a response to my little guy, he gripped me with a thought I may never forget: “I want Him to come right now. He is going to come to our house. And I want Jesus to eat dinner with us. Yep, Jesus is coming over for dinner. I want Him to come because I love Him so much….”
“Can He come right now?” Hudson asked again. “I want Him to come… and stay.”
I quickly glanced back to see his eyes sparkling with joy and delight. He was smiling from ear-to-ear with his gaze locked on the exquisite horizon.
Excitement coalesced with peace.
Hope joined with confidence.
Faith seemed on the brink of sight.
Anticipation and hope and love – all wrapped up in my little 5-year-old’s heart and mind.
“Wow, Hudson, it does look like Jesus is breaking through the clouds.” I replied, “But I don’t think He’s coming right now… not just yet.”
“But I want Him to come and have dinner.” Hudson replied through a pout.
“Oh but Hudson, there will be a day – soon – when Jesus will come. And one day He will make everything right. He will restore the earth and make all things new.” I said.
“But you know the best part of it all, Hudson?” I asked.
“What, Papa?” He quickly asked, jumping on my rhetorical question.
“Well, when Jesus comes back to the earth to make everything new and perfect again, we will have dinner with Him… and He will never leave. We will always be with Him – forever and ever.”
“Wow… I can’t wait for Him to come.” Hudson said quietly.
We both silently looked out across the sky – the radiant colors, hues, and textures captivated our attention. Our eyes squinted at the piercing light from the sun, which now fully announced its presence from behind the clouds.
Hope Beyond Hamburgers
And I wondered… do we live with this joy-filled anticipation or would we find Jesus’ return a disruption to our plans and goals? Do we deeply long to rejoice at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:6-9) or are we more focused on grabbing a quick hamburger between meetings?
Do we end every prayer with the desire for Jesus to come today or do we tritely conclude our quiet times with a laundry list of “wants” for a better and happier life right now?
Have we functionally bought into a gospel that promises “stuff” or that which brings us to God…into a personal, real, eternal communion with the God of the universe?
To Christ-followers in a not-so-nice environment, the apostle Peter wrote:
“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God…” (1 Peter 3:18a)
The ultimate goal of the Gospel is not what we have right now. There is something more to come – because Someone is coming. And when He comes we will know and experience and rejoice in the final redemption as God’s sons and daughters. We already have a down-payment – the seal of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence within us, but we have not yet received what all creation is longing for: “the revealing of the sons of God…our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.” (Romans 8:19, 23)
Here’s how Paul described this anticipation-drenched hope:
“For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” (Romans 8:24-25)
Passionately. Eagerly. Captivated. Anticipating…
How we view God’s future plan will determine how we live out God’s will in the present. In other words, our perspective on the end frames how we live right now.
How we view God’s future plan will determine how we live out God’s will in the present.
But are we just preoccupied with the already that we forget about the not yet? I have to confess that I find myself in that disappointing sinkhole more times than I’d like to admit. I get so busy running errands for dinner today that I forget to look across the horizon and anticipate the day when we’ll have dinner with Jesus our Redeemer – face to face.
My little guy, Hudson, gripped me with his hope and longing for Jesus – not just for what Jesus Christ had done for him, but also in what Jesus will do when He comes. His simple longing to have dinner with the One who loves him with unending compassion and mercy is the sincere portrait of Christian hope.
“Yes, I am coming quickly.” – Jesus
I pray Hudson and I echo these words from now until we see our Redeemer: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev. 22:20b).
Walk in Hope.
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From Terror to Hope: My Little Story
Hiding in Terror
Here I was again, cold, alone, and in the dark; trying to get away from the sound by plugging my ears from the banging of metal hitting human flesh. Even though I could not see anything from where I sat huddled underneath the kitchen table, I tightly closed my eyes with the echo of every pounding blow.
“Why would they be doing this?” I thought.
“Why would these people be so evil as to do something so terrible and gruesome to an innocent man? Oh please stop, please stop!”
In utter desperation to run far away from this terror I scurried out from underneath the dining table. But before I could leave the room something made me pause in my little tracks. Maybe it was simply my five-year-old curiosity that made me look, but quite possibly it was something more significant, for there He was nailed to a cross made out of old, splintered wood. He had been whipped, torn, beaten and even spit at!
I saw that He was wearing a crown, but even the crown was made out of thorns that had pierced His forehead and now blood freely ran down His face. As my eyes welled up with tears and stark fear, I hopped into the comfort of my mother’s lap. And, this time I did not once again jump under the table, but instead fixed my young eyes on the whole scene that was being depicted for us on our little television set.
In the Midst of Despair
As I continued to watch with a sense of despair, I could not help but ask my mother why they were doing something so awful. She explained to me that Jesus went through all this torture, shame, and ultimately death to save me and rest of the world from sin. As young as I was, I still knew I had done many bad things, in fact the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I “probably” sinned everyday.
The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that “we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” And in Isaiah 53:6 it says, “all of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us turned to his own way.” In hearing this verse, it is clear we simply cannot measure up to God’s holiness, or in other words, perfect-ness. We all miss the mark. So I knew that I was a sinner but what was I supposed to do? If I tried to be really good, and not sin very much would that let me into Heaven?
As the movie on the crucifixion of Jesus came to a close, a man began to explain from the Bible that no matter if we have sinned just a couple of times, or if we did many evil and wicked things; we were all sinners in God’s eyes. In Romans 6:23a it says, “For the wages of sin is death…” So according to God’s Word the only thing you and I deserve is death… we’ve been separated from God by our sin – our rebellion in unbelief. Life beyond this life is doomed for a destiny of eternal, horrible separateness from God and His love. Hell.
Words of Safety, Words of Hope
But, then when all hope seemed lost for this little brown eyed five-year-old, I heard the words of grace and hope:
“But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8)
I found that salvation from the wrath and tears of hell is not obtained by doing good works, religious deeds, or any other thing except simply trusting in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. The Bible says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph 2:8-9)
Salvation is a completely free gift directly from the hand of God.
But the good news does not end at the point of Christ’s death on the cross of Calvary. For Christ rose again after three days of being in the grave and now sits at the right hand of God (Eph 1:20).
That day in early April I found peace, power, and eternal life through trusting in Jesus Christ. He came into my life and has made me a brand new person who is no longer under the power of sin, but now empowered through the grace of God. And even more than being freed from the impending judgment of hell, Jesus the Rescuer brought me into a real, always-and-forever relationship with God the Father. I heard a pastor once say, “the great end of the Gospel is that we get God…” And it’s true. We are now His children and He is our Father. Forever.
The apostle Peter wrote, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God…” (1 Peter 3:18a)
Hope for You
If you have not already trusted in Christ as your personal Savior, you can do so right now! For it says in God’s Word, “that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:15-16)
Jesus Christ is the perfect and holy Son of God, and He alone could and has paid the penalty for your sin and for mine. Do you see the reality of your sin? Do you realize your need for God’s rescue plan: Jesus Christ? All you must do is believe in Christ as your personal Savior and you will receive the free gift of eternal life, and be forever free from the penalty of sin! You and I can know for certain that this is true because it is exactly what the Word of God teaches. In John 5:24, Christ reassures us by saying, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does come to judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” Will you now believe?
If you have now made a decision to trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, would you like to simply tell Him so? Here is a prayer suggestion:
“Dear God, I have seen in Your Word that I am a sinner who is completely unable to measure up to Your holiness. I have also read that unless I am made perfect in Your sight I will not be allowed to live in Your perfect, holy Heaven with You. So, I have decided this day to trust in Jesus Christ as my personal Savior from the wrath and eternal sadness of hell. Thank you Jesus for dying for my sins and rising from the dead, so that I can spend eternity with you. I thank you, Jesus, for saving me, and I now welcome you as Lord of my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
If you just took the life-changing step to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, I’d love to hear about!
In God’s Vineyard,
Michael
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Our Family Fight
Family fights run in my family tree. Yes, you heard that right. A schism runs in the veins of my family line.
Long, long ago… the fabled story is told, but tis’ true, the Brezina clan arrived in northern Michigan from the faraway province of Bohemia (now part of the present day Czech Republic). Near the turn of the 20th century a sizable group of Czechoslovakian farmers banded together and formed a small settlement outside of East Jordan, Michigan (now known for just about every sewer and drainage plate cover in the USA).
The tiny farming community busied herself by constructing a sturdy stone church and numerous brick farmhouses that still dot the hilly landscape. Winters were (and still are) brutally cold and snowy in northwest Lower Michigan. The hillsides were rocky and consisted of a sandy-loam type of soil that didn’t naturally burst with abundant crops. Established civilization would seem days away in an age predating the common use of automobile transportation. But these hard-working, disciplined, and sturdy Czechs kept plodding along in their newfound homeland.
But just when life’s horizon appeared to be brightening upon the little community, a cloud of dark emotions filled the sky. A feud, deep and fierce, broke out among the Brezina family. Perhaps the winter just wore on too long. Maybe the isolated atmosphere was going to everyone’s head. Whatever the case may be, a family fight opened up full-bore.
Specific details are scarce and likely inflated with creative imagination, but the core of the fight holds proof right down to the spelling of our name. The schism grew so hateful and embittered that half the family decided to change the spelling of their last name; hence, Brezina became “Breznau” in a split that carries on to this day. In fact, no one on my side of the family really knows anything about the other Brezina family members, besides a lonely cemetery that bears the names of our ancestors in the original spelling. They were gallant people and, no doubt, of some means to be able to traverse the Atlantic and settle together on their own land in Michigan. But somehow pride invaded the scene. Hate rose to the surface. Bitterness split open the love and divided the once tightly knit group that traveled more than 4,300 miles to make a community together. And now the one family is a distant two.
Open Wounds
When family fights break into the skin of our lives, our usual tendency is to make a grand attempt at escape. Ironically, that’s just the avenue my great-grandfather took when he picked up his family and moved to Detroit during the epicenter of the Industrial Revolution.
Some may want to stick it out and wade into the fight, hoping for peace to come. But most of us just put up our hands, step back, and ignore the center of the squabble. Sweeping the issues and symptoms under the rug of busyness seems very convenient. And slowly the gap widens between persons and families. Conversations skip along the surface between uncomfortable smiles and awkward chuckles, never achieving any depth or meaning. We look across the room and catch glances of the “other side,” but rarely cross the room for more than a casual greeting. We Band-Aid the deep fracture with the topical medicines of separation, ambivalence, and good ole’ American individualism. Yet the burning pain deep inside never goes away. The fighting and splitting is not what we really want, but somehow ends up being what we learn to tolerate… and live with for years and years.
Our modernized, technologized culture also provides easy ways to escape into the individualistic life of our own making and desire. Facebook recently advertised a new app first available on HTC phones simply called “Facebook Home.” The commercial is all too realistic of our escapist, individualistic culture. The implied message is clear: if you don’t like what’s going on around you, if people annoy you, bore you, or are simply uninteresting… then simply check out of the situation! And Facebook, with a virtual world of modified reality, is the perfect escape. You can watch the video here:
Being Human, Being One.
We can even spiritualize our coping mechanism with an emphasis on personal Bible study, personal response, personal prayer, individual devotions, etc. Yet while none of these practices are wrong (in fact, I encourage them), God is always pushing His people toward one another in community, not further away into isolation or individualism.
Jesus Christ leads the family of God, the Church, on a path together. Ouch. You mean we cannot escape from fights in the family of God, but should instead dive-in toward authentic, lasting reconciliation? Yes, in the power of God’s Good News.
Here’s how Milton Vincent reminds us of God’s reconciling power: “The gospel is not just a message of reconciliation with God, but it also heralds the reconciliation of all believers to one another in Christ. Through the death of Christ, God has brought peace where there was once hostility, and He has broken down the racial, economic, and social barriers that once divided us outside of Christ . . . when God saved us, He made us members of His household, and He gave us as gifts to one another.” (A Gospel Primer for Christians, pg. 23)
One Family.
God’s way for His people guides us to stick together, work together, and love one another through the raw difficulties of being human. God in Christ is continually gearing His Church to be together – not separate or individual – but one in Him.
Why is this so vital? Because being together in communion through Christ is how we become more like Christ. Becoming mature in Jesus Christ is impossible in isolation from the rest of Christ’s Body (cf. Eph. 4:13-16).
While there is some level of notable disagreement between the two or three major interpretations of sanctification (the process of becoming more like Jesus Christ),[1] none can argue the fact that the Bible places the corporate edification of the Body, the Church, as the locus from which sanctification flows (Eph. 1:4-12; 2:19-22; 4:1-16; 1 Cor. 12-14; Rom. 12:1-8). The place where sanctification occurs most explicitly is the Church – among the members of Christ’s Body. Even further, the corporate edification and spiritual growth of the Body is also the goal of sanctification.
Becoming mature in Jesus Christ is impossible in isolation from the rest of Christ’s Body.
This is precisely why God inspired the writers of the New Testament to paint pictures of His Church with terms like “household,” “holy temple,” “body,” and “family” (Eph. 2:19-22; 4:1-16; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Romans 12:1-8; cf. Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11; Rev. 5:9). Being individually different is part of the beautiful mosaic of God’s tapestry. Each member in God’s family is wonderfully diverse in role, function, and gifting. Yet every member is also united in the one family of God through the work of the Spirit and by the sacrifice of the Son.
The believers in ancient Corinth had all sorts of fights and problematic issues, but the root of the struggle was their disunity grown out of spiritual pride. They were splitting and dividing, as a result, they were not maturing together into the likeness of Christ. So the apostle Paul wrote these words, cutting to the heart of the fight:
“For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).
The people of God are one body because God has drawn us together by one Spirit through the one Rescuer, Jesus the Son. Perfect unity within diversity…
With a good laugh, Paul continues:
“…If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member [one body part], where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body.” (1 Cor. 12:17-20)
God has sovereignly arranged His people in Jesus Christ to function as individual members united in one body. No one is more important than another. No family fights can flourish under the headship and humility of Christ. Perfect unity within diversity…
The apostle Paul then gives the purpose of the whole talk:
“…so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.” (1 Cor. 12:25-27)
Why do we need to hear about being one body in Christ? Because division is not the way of God for the people of God in the kingdom of God. Oneness, together in humility and joy, is the announcement of our witness to the reconciling work of Jesus. The mission of Jesus moves forward when Jesus-followers operate as one.
…division is not the way of God for the people of God in the kingdom of God.
Two Superstars or One Team?
I remember watching the Detroit Pistons play against the Los Angeles Lakers for the NBA championship in 2004. The Lakers were banking on their two super-style rock stars: Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. These two guys dominated any court and had carried the Lakers to the playoffs again and again. Reporters also told us that these two spent most of the season feuding over who was the most valuable player for the Lakers. I suppose Sports Illustrated needed something to publish. 🙂
Enter the Detroit Pistons. The 2004 Pistons squad was comprised of a lot of great players – even well above average – but no real superstars like Kobe or Shaquille. But they were a team. They played with precision. Their ranks were deep. Their plays were seamless and full of energy – together. They rejoiced in each other’s successes. They loved their coach. And as one team with one goal they squarely beat the Lakers 4 games to 1. Al Michaels, the play-by-play announcer for the NBA on ABC during the finals, observed that even though the Lakers had Hall of Fame players, the Pistons beat L.A. by using players that nobody else wanted. I doubt there was ever a more stark contrast in all of NBA history. It sure was fun to watch, too.
God chose every single member of His family by the kindness of His will to the praise of His glorious grace. And no one is more or less important, valuable, or significant in the sight of God. God took the nobodies – you and me – and made us somebodies, together – His sons and daughters, His family.
Our mission hinges on our unity. The ultimate mission for the family of God is to glorify God, to make Him known. And the way we put God on display (glorify Him) is by living by His Spirit in unity within diversity because this is the picture of our Triune God.
God, as One in Three, displays perfect unity within diversity – the essence of team. The Father is not the Spirit, the Spirit is not the Son, nor is the Son the Father. Yet all three are equal in power and authority, and all Three are One in essence, together, One God.
In the New Covenant community of the Spirit, the Church, God has called us to be one in mind, action, and attitude. Inevitably, we will not always live in perfect harmony. But the goal is nevertheless the same: glorify God by living out unity within diversity. Step across the room. Clear the air by addressing that rift between a brother or sister in Jesus. Walk in grace towards one another knowing you, too, act in stupid and selfish ways (more than we’d like to admit). Speak with love. Be quick to forgive and show mercy. No family fights.
We are part of one family. Not two. Not three. Just one. This is the Trinitarian, God-glorifying, Christ-exalting lifestyle for which God has geared and chosen His sons and daughters: one family, on one mission, together for the glory of the one, true and living God. So together we gather in communion around our Lord’s one Table to celebrate His work of reconciliation that brought us to God and healed the deepest wounds of mankind’s fight.
[1] Undoubtedly, there are far more than just two or three views. However, it seems apparent that in a broad sense, only perhaps three “major” views undergird much of the arguments at hand. Sanctification is understood as a process, a one-time crisis event, or a series of crisis events. Still other interpretations could be raised here, but space does not allow for further elaboration. See further: Melvin Easterday Dieter, Five Views on Sanctification, Counterpoints, ed. Stanley N. Gundry (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996).
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Cross Hope
A Holy Week Reflection
Jesus took upon Himself what we deserved,
through the Cross that we ourselves had earned,
so we’d not dwell in a spiritual urn,
but have everlasting life in return…
He is the Message, He is the Mercy, He is the Hope that makes us alive and free.
We were without a thread of hope,
spinning through the cycle of our little god-less world,
when Light broke through the darkness…
and offered peace by His Cross to all bound in utter lost-ness.
He is the Message, He is the Mercy, He is the Hope that makes us alive and free.
Jesus rose in vic’try from the grave,
through the same Spirit that now dwells within my frame,
so we’d hope for the time when all will be remade,
and live right now to the praise of His great Name.
Death was swallowed up in Victory.
Fear was replaced with Hope.
Doubt was overcome by Grace.
Hate was conquered by Love.
Promise fulfilled.
Life given.
He Arose.
He is the Message, He is the Mercy, He is the Hope that makes us alive and free.
“For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” (Colossians 1:20)
“When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13-14)
I’m trying out my poetic, or shall I say, rapping skills. 🙂 What do you think?
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Always Forgiven
The air was bone-chillingly cold and the wind might have bitten right through your knit hat, had you stepped outside. The winter season had stretched long and dark across West Michigan and Stephanie and I were beginning to sense the cabin fever syndrome setting in around our little bungalow.
Go outside and play? Well, it just was too bitterly cold today. And as any parent might expect, a direct symptom of cabin fever among small children is a varied assortment of antics that usually result in some kind of injury.
And today, our five-year-old son, Hudson (the usual creator and instigator of crazy and injurious antics), decided to try a little stunt: throw cars at his little sister’s head or better yet, begin a gallant sword fight against the young fair maiden who has no shield or sword with which to defend herself. With one bonk on the head and a well-timed sword swipe on the arm, our two-year-old girlie, Everlynn, had finally endured quite enough.
With a loud wail and a waterfall of tears, our daughter, who now lay crumpled up on the living room floor, quickly summoned Stephanie and me from the kitchen.
“Hudsy…ahuh…Hudson hit – he hit me!” sobbed Everlynn.
The offending knight-in-shining-armor had conveniently (and quite rapidly) darted across the room to his favorite hiding place behind a large stuffed armchair.
“Hudson, did you hit your sister?” we asked.
“No… I mean yes, yeah I hit Everlynn,” Hudson remarked with a pouty lower lip.
Stephanie leaned down to look our little guy in the eyes, “Hudson, you need to ask Everlynn for forgiveness and you need to ask Mommy and Papa for forgiveness, too, because you have disobeyed us by hurting your sister.
Hudson hemmed and hawed, desperately trying to change the subject. But finally the words slowly trickled out of his mouth with a great sigh, “I’mmmm soorrry, Everlynn, will you forgive me?” Our spunky little daughter gleefully soaked up his sign of remorse and gave Hudson a big hug around the neck.
Hudson then turned to look up at us with his glassy, puppy-dog eyes that were now brimming with tears and squeaked, “Mommy, Papa, will you forgive me for hurting Everlynn?
Stephanie and I immediately reached down to cover our munchkin in warm, reassuring hugs, and said, “Yes, Hudson, we forgive you. Thank you so much for apologizing to Everlynn. We love you so, so much.”
You could see a cheeky smile surprise his tears as they rolled down his face. Hudson reached out for another hug and wiped his tears away on my shoulder.
“I love you, Papa.”
“I love you, too, Hudson.”
Before Hudson ever confessed to hurting his sister we already knew what he had done and before he requested our forgiveness we had already forgiven him. The forgiveness was and is always and already present in our hearts for him. Why? Because he is our son and we love him! He is ours and we are his.
Our doctrine of salvation states that we believe God has already forgiven us of our sins: past, present, and future, through the completed work of Jesus Christ (cf. Col. 2:13; Psa. 103:12). Yet so often we think and act as if we need to earn his forgiveness – as if His love is conditioned by our words and actions. We so easily get caught into the trap of believing that God loves us more or less on the basis of what we do. And we get very busy performing, rather than growing in the hope of our believing.
But God says, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:1)
The apostle Paul boldly declared, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
We wanted to hear Hudson admit to hurting his sister and to request our forgiveness. It’s incredibly important that he learns to recognize his failures and hurtful actions. He needs to admit, confess, repent, and receive mercy. However, the forgiveness was already given from the overflow of our love before he ever mouthed the words, “will you forgive me.”
God draws us to recognize and confess our sins, too. Knowing and expressing the depth of our sin-struggle draws us back to His unending mercy. Turning in humility to God is His Spirit-led path of changing us to becoming more like Jesus Christ.
So we repent.
We fall to our knees in desperate need.
Tears flow as we see our own inadequacy.
But in this Father-son-daughter relationship, His forgiveness is always and already present in His heart for us.
Pastor Milton Vincent wrote, “In justifying me, God declared me innocent of my sins and pronounced me righteous with the very righteousness of Jesus. God also allowed His future and present wrath against me to be completely propitiated by Jesus, who bore it upon Himself while on the cross (1 John 2:2). Consequently, God now has only love, compassion, and deepest affection for me, and this love is without any admixture of wrath whatsoever . . .
When I sin, God’s grace abounds to me all the more as He graciously maintains my justified status as described above (Romans 5:20-21). When I sin, God feels no wrath in His heart against me (1 Thess. 5:9-10; 1 John 2:2). His heart is filled with nothing but love for me, and He longs for me to repent and confess my sins to Him, so that He might show me the gracious and forgiving love that has been in His heart all along. (1 John 1:9).” From A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of God’s Love, pg. 62-64.
God is ready and waiting with a never-ending, overflowing forgiveness for His children. And by His grace, we can turn to Him, look up into His glorious and loving face, and let our tears fall upon His shoulders. For those who are in God’s family through believing in Jesus Christ, the forgiveness never runs out. His love never stops.
We are always forgiven. Turn to Him today and receive His love and Life anew.
————–
I highly recommend Milton Vincent’s small yet profound book (quoted above). By purchasing his book through the Amazon link below you will partner with us in meeting the growing technology costs required to maintain www.GraceExposed.org:
Listen to the audio devotional “Always Forgiven” delivered at North Park Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI on Sunday evening, 4.6.2014 simply by clicking on the play button below:
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Life or Death?
Life or Death? I recently took a few moments to observe the mortality rates for the USA, which are charted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The most recent available data is for the calendar year 2010. Here’s what I found:
- Number of deaths: 2,468,435
- Death rate: 799.5 deaths per 100,000 population
- Life expectancy: 78.7 years
- Infant Mortality rate: 6.15 deaths per 1,000 live births
Number of deaths for leading causes of death:
- Heart disease: 597,689
- Cancer: 574,743
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 138,080
- Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 129,476
- Accidents (unintentional injuries): 120,859
- Alzheimer’s disease: 83,494
- Diabetes: 69,071
- Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 50,476
- Influenza and Pneumonia: 50,097
- Intentional self-harm (suicide): 38,364
Look at it this way: If the average annual death rate is essentially 800 people per 100,000 in population, then we can expect approximately 1,600 people to die within our city limits (Grand Rapids, MI) this year (population: 190,411 in 2012). The current metro-Grand Rapids population recently crested at 1 million, therefore, we could estimate that 8,000 people in our neighborhood will leave this life in 2014. These statistics should give us great pause.
I recognize and rejoice that God is sovereign in salvation. The apostle Paul reveled in God’s gracious election of His people in Ephesians 1:3-8a:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.”
We praise our great God for choosing us, drawing us, and regenerating (bringing us to new life) us by the Spirit. We have been made alive together with Jesus Christ by the unmerited and unconditional favor of God! And yet, God has also commissioned us to go in the power of the Spirit to the ends of the earth with the Gospel, for the sake of His glory. Our purpose is clear and our mission simple.
But we tend to balk; don’t we? All-too-often we are sort of a like a baseball pitcher who winds up, steps forward, and forgets to throw the ball toward the plate. We rationalize. We complain. We get really “too” busy. Or even worse, we theologize our way out of following through on the mission of Jesus.
The great English Baptist missionary, William Carey, strongly believed in God’s sovereign grace in salvation. He firmly believed in God’s foreordained election of those whom He would call His own. Yet as a young man he attended a minister’s meeting and brought up the point that “it was the duty of all Christians to spread the Gospel throughout the world.” As the story is told, another minister in the meeting rebuked him with these chilling words:
“Young man, sit down; when God pleases to convert the heathen, he will do it without your aid and mine.”
I’m quite thankful to God that William Carey bluntly disregarded this man’s unbiblical theologizing and went on to translate the Bible into the very language of the people I ministered to in Andhra Pradesh, India (the Telegu language). Carey would later respond at length with the now famous treatise for modern missions entitled, “An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians, to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens.”
In His sovereignty God has chosen you and me for the great mission of sharing the message and mercy of His Son Jesus Christ. Every day our neighbors, co-workers, and friends are heading toward death’s door without the hope of life forever with God. 8,000 people will face the cruelty and pain of death in my area of greater Grand Rapids this year. What about your city or locality? And so to echo Paul’s words, “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14-15a)
God’s good news for the world goes forth through His Church – and that includes you and me. Let’s go!
Steps We Can Take…
- Pray. Ask the Lord of the harvest. We cannot accomplish anything of eternal significance or value without the power and strength of God. God’s mission is God-initiated. Pray He guides your steps and opens opportunities for you to share the message and mercy of Jesus. But get ready…
- Invest. Build a relationship. Take a moment out of the day – everyday for the next week – to talk with someone who is living without the life and hope of Christ.
- Invite. Bring someone to church. You might be surprised that most people are open to attending a church service during the Easter Celebration season. So let’s take this opportunity to bring them to a church home where they’ll hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Thanks for listening! I can’t wait to see how God’s mission will go forward through His people.
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Squirmy with God
Giggly, bubbly laughter filled the air and echoed throughout our living room like a scurrying breeze on a warm autumn afternoon. A special (and very large) shipment of discount diapers had arrived on our doorstep from Amazon – and you know what that means, don’t you? Why, the greatest adventure ship known to child-kind!
We quickly emptied the contents of our giant ‘smile’ box and our two chubby-cheeked children gleefully began sliding around in their new favorite toy: a giant cardboard box.
Oh sure, they have heaps of toys in every variety, shape, color, and size. But a big ole’ box will easily entertain them for at least two hours. Storms will billow against the sails of their grand sea ship. The sun will stand still as they travel back in time to faraway lands of danger and intrigue. Screams of joy will ripple through the house as they race ahead of the competition in their 500 horsepower stock car. I suppose Papa has a wee bit of fun with the adventure, too, especially as we speed past Mommy’s stocking feet and jump across rooms like a rickety roller coaster.
Little did we know what tragedy might await us…
Suddenly our ship spun out of control and collided with a humble chair (who thought she was minding her own business). With extraordinary theatrics Hudson and Everlynn (and Papa) tumbled across the floor with a melodramatic flair that would undoubtedly raise Steven Spielberg’s bushy eyebrows.
All seemed in good fun until I realized the fair Princess Everlynn had abruptly stopped breathing, in fact, she appeared to be storing up nuclear energy.
“Ummm… Papa? Is Everlynn going to explode?” Hudson chirped.
“Uh no, Hudson. Everlynn is not going to explode…” I replied with a deep sigh.
Apparently, the most natural reaction for two toddlers in a crashing cardboard box is to BONK heads together with tremendous thunder. Because “Mr. MegaMind” Hudson was blessed with a generous-sized head made of heat-tempered steel, Everlynn stood at a clear disadvantage.
I already saw a purple bump forming on her delicate brow as she finally shook the house with her first good wail. Tears streamed down from her sparkling eyes as she looked up at me with arms outstretched.
“Paaaapaaaa… I waaant Paaaapaaa,” she sobbed.
I gently scooped her up into my arms and snuggled her close to my chest. I could feel her little fingers clutch onto my shirtsleeves and her rapid heartbeat press against my shoulder. She quickly calmed down, the tears began to dissipate, and soon she was again anxiously watching Hudson (who was already back inside the box playing to his heart’s content).
With a squirm and worm-jiggle Everlynn zipped out of my arms and ran right back over to her voyage in the box. Unfortunately, this time the fun didn’t last as long. Now that Hudson had tasted the freedom of a sister-less cardboard box, he decided a good shove would keep her out of the way.
Smack. Everlynn hit the floor with a loud THUMP. Here we go again.
“Ummm… Papa? Is Everlynn going to explode?” Hudson chirped again, this time with his eyebrows turned down with a rather fake look of guilt.
“Uh no, Hudson. Everlynn is not going to explode…” I replied with a deep sigh (again).
Deal with the abuser or care for the wounded? Which would you choose in the moment of urgency? I decided to go with the latter, at least for the moment.
I again picked up Everlynn off the floor and carried her sobbing self over to the couch to soothe her. Suddenly, much to my surprise, she switched back into her squirmy mode. This time she looked fearfully over at the box and at her rather hurtful compatriot.
But she kept right on squirming, wiggling, and kicking.
Her tiny voice piped up, “Geeeddddown, I wanna get down…”
“But Everlynn you…” I reminder her.
“Noooo… Geeedddown,” was her reply.
Reluctantly, I set her back down on the floor. While she sniffled and surveyed the situation from a distance, I seized the opportunity to administrate corrective measures to Mr. MegaMind. Ahem.
Restless in our Loss
But all the squirming, wiggling, and kicking from our little Princess got me thinking…
How many times have I been squirmy with God, my Father in heaven? Do I ever find myself growing impatient in His arms? Have I grown restless with God, supposing I must be missing out on a great adventure of my own making?
How about you? Do you feel anxious about tomorrow? Is panic becoming a more natural response than prayer? Are you ready to jump out on your own again as soon as the pain or uncertainty subsides?
The storms of life and the reality of suffering bring tears to my eyes. Our suffering has been very palpable this week. I’ve wiped dozens of droplets from my wife’s eyes as we’ve grieved and cried through another miscarriage – our fourth to be precise. We hurt. We have sensed the abuse and pain of living in a fallen world.
And so we run into the arms of our loving God and He tells us we’ve never left His hand or His heart. He reminds us of His presence, His nearness, and His plan for a redeemed earth when all things will be remade.
But I so quickly get squirmy with God. And yet again I find myself anxious, concerned, and even fearful about life in this fallen, sin-riddled world. Are you there today?
Has God brought you through difficulty, sorrow, or tragedy but you quickly revert back toward your control panel? Are you filled with anxiety and concern because you cannot possibly know what might happen tomorrow or next week or next year? Do you feel beat up and bruised by life but don’t know how to completely rest in God’s arms?
You are not alone. We all suffer. If someone claims to be without suffering of any kind then they must already be in heaven with God (and even then they must groan, awaiting the final redemption of their physical bodies at the resurrection of the righteous, cf. Romans 8:18-25).
I think the young David was sometimes a bit squirmy with God, too. Listen to his words when he fled from King Saul in a middle-of-nowhere cave:
“Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until destruction passes by.
I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me.
He will send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches him who tramples upon me. SELAH
God will send forth His loving-kindness and His truth.” (Psalm 57:1-3)
For all his very human fears, David chose to not run to the methods and tools of his enemies but instead trusted and rested in YHWH, the Lord. Like a mother-bird nesting with her young ones, so the Lord gives refuge and peace in the middle of suffering and conflict.
Here’s how God continues to promise refuge for His people:
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!’
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” (Psalm 91:1-4)
Staying and resting in the refuge of God may not look safe. Life will still hit you and me. Sin and tears and disease will still assault our lives.
But we can know that God is with us in our suffering. We can go in the confidence that God is good and in control – even when we desperately want to squirm, wiggle, and kick our way into performing our own damage control. God is looking upon you and me with eyes of love and care. His refuge is present. His arms are strong and His plan is good.
Yes, we do find ourselves squirming sometimes, don’t we? We find ourselves growing impatient in His arms. We may grow restless with God, supposing we must be missing out on a great adventure of our own making.
But just like I reassured Everlynn she could rest and trust and be at peace in my arms, so our heavenly Father is reminding us to place our confidence in His refuge, His strength, and in His good plan… even if we don’t see it or understand.
Be faithful to the faithful God.
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Discipleship through Relationship
As I was recently reflecting on the way Christ worked with his closest followers, the Twelve, a thought came to mind: How did Christ primarily develop the Twelve into men who would “turn the world upside down” (Acts 17:6) for the cause of the Gospel? Then I remembered a simple phrase in Mark 8:34, “…follow me.”
This was the centerpiece of how Jesus trained and taught His ragtag crew of men. He called and commanded them to follow Him and they followed. They followed Him everywhere He went. They ate what he ate. They walked where He walked. They slept where He slept. They taught what He taught.
Jesus walked His disciples through streets, towns, and villages full of people who did not recognize Him as the Savior and Messiah. He took them into circles of sick, hurting, needy, crippled, leprous, antagonistic, and even hostile people. To all of these He demonstrated the truth and the infinite love and grace that could change their lives – forever. Then he sent His followers out on the same mission: “as the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you…” (John 20:21)
Ultimately, most of them would even die as He died – for the sake of His name.
Here’s the whole phrase from the mouth of Jesus:
“If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” (Mark 8:34-35)
All but one of these men (that’s a pretty good ratio of success, by the way) gave up family, house, and home to follow the Master, no matter the cost – and were faithful to the end. They remained faithful in their “following” and the world will never be the same.
But it all started with relationship. Jesus offered them a path, a journey in His own footsteps. The Twelve disciples did not simply join a curriculum study group – they followed a person, Jesus Christ. Discipleship happens through relationship.
Discipleship Happens Through Relationship
Now certainly, I don’t think there is anything wrong with good curriculum or study groups. They can be useful tools of discipleship. Yet for too long the average evangelical Joe and Jane have relied on curriculum sales or attendance records of classes as proof that discipleship is happening. And yes, I recognize that Jesus Christ is the God-man, not just a mere person like you and I. He was perfect in all that He said and did when He walked this earth. His ability to build disciples and train them through the journey of His life is an amazing thing to behold.
Yet, the point still stands. If Jesus developed the Twelve through hard-core, real-life, accountable relationship, perhaps we should take our cues from the Master Teacher himself….
So, engage the question: how will you and I develop a relationship with one or two or three younger or newer believers and go beyond the arm’s distance of attendance records and formal study groups? How can we develop others so that they exponentially reduplicate the process of discipleship we began with them?
I would love to hear your answers to these questions!
I also highly recommend reading “Follow Me: A Call to Die. A Call to Live” (by David Platt and Francis Chan). Click here to purchase it from Amazon and, in turn, partner with us in the overhead costs for www.GraceExposed.org:
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5 Ways to Encourage a Young Pastor’s Wife
When I was growing up, I remember all my friends telling me they wanted to be a veterinarian, doctor, ballerina, or fireman. I never really would answer back, except for the occasional desire to be a mermaid. Obviously, that didn’t work out well, especially since I’m not the best swimmer.
However, one evening I remember my mom asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I responded, “a Pastor’s Wife”! My heart’s desire never changed since that night. As the years went by, I met guys who were interested in me, but none of them impressed much or seemed to be heading into full-time ministry. I started wondering if I would have to let go of my dream of being in ministry with the man I loved…
I thought all hope was lost until a beautiful afternoon on August 2006 in Flint, Michigan when I met an incredible man who I now have called my husband for almost 6 years. Life with him has been an incredible journey of growing love, faith, and joy in valleys of hardship and on mountaintops of happiness.
I love my man 10,000 times more than I did when I became his wife in June of 2008, and my love for him as grown in each of the special moments that stand out to me; when I handed him a positive pregnancy test ONE month after our wedding, when I accidentally ran over the curb at our seminary housing and damaged our pick-up truck (our only vehicle) and he was just happy I was okay, when he laid beside me at the hospital as we watched our baby struggle to breathe and he promised he wouldn’t leave my side for those ten and a half days, when he protected me from false accusations, when he was my rock during both of my children’s births, when he let me cry on his shoulder as I miscarried our babies, and I could go on and on. We’ve been in full time ministry for over 3 years now (not including all of the years of single service we both did before we met each other, and then the part time ministries we were involved with in Dallas), and it just gets better and better. I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life, and there could be nothing better than serving God alongside this amazing man, who I not only call my husband, but my pastor (and how many women actually get to say they are married to their pastor?).
Breznau Family – Autumn 2013
So you’re wondering how to encourage your young pastor’s wife? Are you unsure how to connect with her on a personal level? Perhaps you’re not certain how to “become friends” with the wife of your pastor – simply because of the unique role they have in your congregation? Does she sometimes appear a bit frazzled, worn or distant, but you’re not sure what to say in order to show her how much you really care? Here are some ideas and steps you might take:
1. Pray for Her
A pastor and his wife will endure many hardships and difficulties that they won’t (or can’t) share with others. These struggles are also marked with aloneness – more often than not. Being a leader can be lonely. Remember this and pray for them. I know I’ve struggled with many things as my husband went through four years of seminary, transitioned to an associate pastor role for three years, and now serves as a lead pastor: miscarriages, loneliness, postpartum depression, and other battles; some of which I never shared with anyone. She needs prayer. You don’t always need to know the details, just pray and pray often! Pray for their marriage, children, parents, finances, etc. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”(Hebrews 4:16; see also Eph. 6:18; 1 Tim. 2:1; Col. 1:9; 1 Thess. 5:25)
2. Encourage Her
Maybe she has little kids, or maybe she is struggling with infertility, or she is depressed, or missing her far away family. Pastor’s wives are real women with real struggles. Don’t just assume they have it all together just because they are in full-time ministry. Remember that a younger pastor’s wife is probably in a different season than the average older pastor’s wife whose children are grown. Most of the younger wives who have little ones are most likely overwhelmed and feel like they are in a fishbowl. Let her know you have been there. She might or might not want or need advice, but don’t act like she is a child or totally inept at parenting. Don’t treat her children with distaste because they are acting like most children. Come alongside her and be a support for her! “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
3. Include Her
Don’t assume she won’t come, or that she doesn’t want to come to different functions. Ministry can be very lonely, especially when you are not invited to things. But sometimes she is home with the kids because her husband is out on a call, or is at the office doing sermon prep. Pastors often keep hours similar to an ER doctor. Maybe offer to babysit her children so that she can go to a ministry event, or help find a babysitter for her (obviously ask her permission). Ask for her help on projects according to her talents but don’t get offended if she declines. I guarantee it isn’t personal. She is a human being just like you and needs friends too. A lot of people belong to cliques, and while it naturally happens that you want to be with certain people (and there is nothing wrong with that), remember that you wouldn’t want to be the outsider. “Be hospitable to one another without complaint.” (1 Peter 4:9)
4. Accept Her
Is she free-spirited? Accept her. Is she disorganized? Definitely accept her. Is she super overly organized? Accept her with a smile. Is she opinionated? Be patient as you accept her. Is she type A and ultra extroverted? Accept her. Is she quiet and emotional? Accept her. Does she like contemporary music? Accept her. Does she wear clothing that you wouldn’t wear? Accept her. Period. Not much else to say here. Treat others as you want to be treated. “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Romans 15:5-7
5. Love Her
I think this depends on the woman’s personality in how she best feels loved. Do research on what makes her happy. Does she appreciate hugs? Then hug her. Is she shy? Then don’t hug her, but tell her you love her. Let her know she is loved as much as you can and in a way you are able and that you know she would like to receive. Also remember what Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Obviously this is not a complete list of ways to encourage your pastor’s wife. Also remember that older pastor’s wives need encouragement, as well, so try to find ways you can do that, too. Remember to ask Jesus how you can encourage her, no matter her age or level of experience. We all need compassion, love, joy, humor, and acceptance.
I really appreciate the advice of godly and older women in my life. I’ve learned so much from them. We, as younger women, can learn a lot from these amazing ladies and I truly believe they are a treasure trove of wisdom! It doesn’t mean you have to take and apply every single piece of advice ever given to you, but listen to them anyway! You never know what gem you might take home.
And to all of those younger beautiful pastor’s wives out there (and missionary wives too!), keep your chin up and be of good courage! Embrace your calling, but remember who you are… a daughter of the King, wife to a godly man, and maybe even a mother too. Don’t change your personality, likes/dislikes, etc. to put yourself into a mold of what people think you should be. Shine and sparkle and be yourselves!
I am blessed! I am immensely grateful for the beautiful and grace-filled people who my husband and I are privileged to minister to every day at North Park Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan. I am happy to say that I definitely feel prayed for, encouraged, included, accepted, and loved by you. May God fill us with passion – together – to go on His mission!
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
This article of mine was originally published at www.justoneoftheboys.com. Thanks, Ginger, for giving me the opportunity to contribute on your great blog!
