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Last Words
I will never forget the last moment of communication I had with my Grandma, Betty Czarnecki, as she lay on her deathbed. I had just finished singing, “It is Well with My Soul” at her bedside, and she looked up at me with those sparkling eyes, and although she was unable to speak she gently squeezed my hand two times, as if to say, “Thank you, I love you…and I know it is well with my soul.” And it was finally well with her soul, because just before her final stroke she had placed her trust in Jesus Christ as her personal Savior.
Perhaps you recall the final words or last wishes of your grandfather, grandma, mother, father, or uncle. And just like my moment with my Grandma, those last words or moments have been forever emblazoned on your mind and in your heart. They sometimes randomly come to mind just when you need them most – that word to “be strong” to “live for what really matters” or to “take time to love.”
I still remember…My great-grandpa Feldbusch praying over me with his big “farmer’s hands” on my head. I remember as this godly, Christ-loving man neared the end of his long life, my Aunt Sharon gave him a tape recorder so he could share his story and godly wisdom with the next generation…
In that moment when everyone knows the end is drawing near, the family gathers close to their loved one and patiently waits and listens for the last words of wisdom from the one who loves them. You know the end is coming, and you don’t want to miss one single moment, for fear you might miss those last words of wisdom and love.
FLASHBACK: In many ways, this is the setting of the apostle Paul’s second letter to Timothy. Near the close of this letter he confides in Timothy, “For I am already being poured out as an offering, and the time for me to depart is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith!” (2 Tim 4:6-7) Paul realizes that he doesn’t have much time left – winter is coming and he’s already feeling the chill in his bones (which is what happens when you get old). This could be why he deeply urges Timothy two times to come see him, “Make every effort to come before winter” (4:9, 21) and he also asks Timothy to, “bring the coat which [he] left at Troas with Carpus…” (4:13). Winter is coming. Paul is seriously feeling the affects of aging and the many dangerous years he’s spent on God’s mission. And the Roman persecution under Nero is escalating. He is cold, imprisoned in a dungeon – not under house arrest as he was earlier, and most of all he is cut-off from those he loves. So he pens these words to the young man he adopted as his spiritual son… Timothy.
Seeing the End
When Timothy received this letter, I’m sure he had the sinking feeling of what was coming. Tears probably streamed down his face as he heard Paul’s voice echo from the pages of the letter and especially over the words, “…the time for me to depart is at hand.” These last words from the heart of Paul to Timothy undoubtedly became emblazoned on Timothy’s heart and mind for the rest of his life. You see, Timothy was an uncircumcised half-breed from Lystra; with a Jewish mother and a Greek father (Acts 16:1) he was a societal outcast, the object of ridicule by the Jews and the punch line of jokes by the Greeks and Romans. To the young boy Timothy, he was “a nobody” with no real future and no hope.
But then this guy named Paul stepped into the city of Lystra on his first missionary journey; and everything changed. Paul walks into Lystra and heals a man that’s been unable to walk all his life (lame; Acts 14:9-10), and in crazy fashion the townspeople start worshiping Paul and Barnabas as Hermes and Zeus!
As soon as Paul and Barnabas figure out what’s going on, they immediately start preaching the Gospel and condemning the pagan religions of the people – but the people kept right on with their fanatical worship. Then some Jews show up from the neighboring cities, convince the townspeople that Paul and Barnabas are imposters and have them hauled out of the city, and they proceed to throw rocks at Paul with such force that they assume he is dead; stoned to death. Wow. What a great start to reaching an unreached people group – so we would think.
Well, apparently Paul thought so, because he got up and went right back into the city and continued making disciples. A couple chapters later during Paul’s second missionary journey, Timothy enters the scene. Timothy had been taught the Old Testament scriptures from his faith-filled mother and grandmother, and he apparently connected with those Paul led to Christ on his first visit to Lystra. Upon Paul’s second visit to Lystra, he hears about how Timothy is gaining a reputation as a follower of Christ and so this great apostle Paul asks the young man to join him as a missionary (Acts 16:1-5). Paul trains and equips Timothy and becomes like a spiritual father to this young man, maybe the father he never really had… later Paul would leave Timothy in charge of the growing church in Ephesus to provide leadership to the congregation. And this is where we find Timothy, with tears of happiness but also tears of sadness, as he reads this second letter from the apostle Paul.
So let’s focus our attention on this letter penned by Paul and inspired by the Spirit – and imagine that you’re Timothy or part of the congregation in Ephesus, and your hearing perhaps the last words you think you will ever see penned by the man who has love and trained and guided you like a father… tradition holds that not long afterward, Paul was beheaded by the Roman empire.
Q: What were Paul’s LAST WORDS and how should we hinge our lives around them?
Central Concept: God’s servants on His mission are strengthened by the Gospel and guarded against sin and false teaching through fidelity to the Word of God – in living, leading, and preaching.
Listen to the full audio message entitled “Last Words: Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy” (Part of the Flyover Series) by simply clicking on the play button below or by subscribing to our iTunes podcast. This message was originally delivered at Evangel Baptist Church on Sunday PM, January 20, 2013.
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Carrot Christianity
Does behavior “A” always result in “B” – every time? Is Christianity just a cause and effect cycle? Does God keep the carrot of heaven’s hope or hell’s punishment out in front of our noses so that we behave properly? Does God say, “If you behave correctly, you’ll be safe and get what you want! So you better be a nice person, give money to the church, and not have sex before marriage!” Or is there something more?
To be honest, a lot of preaching in today’s culture resembles a man dangling a carrot in front of a donkey’s nose – “Just keep going – the carrot is your cause!” I hear many people say, “You want a nice life, with 2.1 kids, a boat in the dock, and a second home in the mountains? Okay, just keep looking at that carrot! Make the carrot your inspiration for being nice to your wife, loving your kids, working hard, staying away from alcohol and porn, etc…” 
For teenagers, the “carrot” may sound like: “Okay, you want a nice life free from STDs? Well, then you better stay away from anything close to a physical relationship with a person of the opposite sex.” Or even closer to home, “You want your parents and God to be happy with you and love you? Well, then you better behave!”
It is so easy to start thinking that God operates through a mathematical equation that looks a lot more like Santa Claus than Jesus Christ. If you’ve been naughty, well, you can’t expect much. Perhaps you’ll just get a lump of coal. But if you’ve been nice, oh boy, it’s going to be a good Christmas.
Cause & Effect Crash
But here’s the deal: We cannot beat the cycle and we cannot win the equation. The people of Israel and all the great saints of old could never fully meet the demands of God’s perfect Law. So the renowned cause and effect sequences of Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26 (the blessings and curses) always crashed upon Israel’s head. They knew their sin was sin because of the Law, but they were still bound under the curse of sin itself.
The great first-century religious zealot named Saul (later named Paul) was born and bred to meticulously follow the Law. He was a Pharisee of Pharisees, born from the respectable tribe of Benjamin (cf. Philippians 3:4-6). He memorized and followed every jot and tittle of the Law, yet even he failed the Law (Romans 7:7-11), because sin is ultimately a matter of the heart.
We are not better than they were. If great saints like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Peter, and Paul could not keep up the cause and effect cycle of the Law, then we won’t be able to either. So just like them, we need grace – full and free. I’m not a better man and neither are you. I’m certainly glad Jesus does not operate like Santa Claus or a donkey driver.
God. Not Carrots.
We can make the carrot of what we can get from God our cause… and we miss the whole point. We miss God. In all our desire to meet the needs of messed up people and motivate them toward behavioral change we have fed them a gospel that misses the entire point. The great end – the ultimate goal – of the Gospel in Christ is not that we escape hell, live a prosperous life, and strut around in heaven with as many as seven crowns propped on our heads. No. The great end of the Gospel of Christ is that we are brought to God.
The apostle Peter shouted out these triumphant words, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit…” (1 Peter 3:18; italics added for emphasis)
We get God! Jesus brought an end to following the “carrot” or some vicious cause and effect cycle of endless religiosity. Through Christ’s death and resurrection we are brought into a relationship with God, a communion – even a friendship – that changes everything, because He is everything that we need and long for.
So instead of gazing at the carrot of a nice American life, or the carrot of fire insurance from hell, or the carrot of half a dozen crowns propped on your head in heaven, instead look at Jesus… everyday. Set your gaze upon His ineffable beauty and grace. Because He is all we need. He is all we hope for. He is our inspiration, our motivation, and power. He alone is enough.
Because Jesus was strong for me, I am free to be weak;
Because Jesus won for me, I am free to lose;
Because Jesus was someone, I am free to be no one;
Because Jesus was extraordinary, I am free to be ordinary;
Because Jesus succeeded for me, I am free to fail. – Pastor Tullian Tchividjian
Response to Questions:
Q: What about people who use grace as a crutch or “get out of jail free” card to sin?
A: Here’s the crux of the issue as I see it: If a person thinks grace is a license for them to keep on doing whatever they please then they probably don’t really understand or know God’s grace in the first place. Why? Because people in Jesus Christ have been re-made; they are a new creation with new desires, a new hope, and new life. We, as justified believers, are no longer under the law, but under the grace and truth offered through Jesus Christ (cf. John 1:14-18; Romans 6).
This amazing grace is something that is not contingent upon our actions, works, good behavior, or efforts – and this goes for justification (the point in time when we are made righteous in God’s sight through placing our faith in Christ), as well as sanctification (the process of becoming more like Jesus Christ). We don’t get more of God’s love and grace in increments based on our behavior (as Roman Catholics believe). God’s love and grace is absolutely and completely received in Jesus Christ. This is key. This turns the process of becoming more like Jesus into a love-relationship, instead of a cause and effect chart or merit badge system.
Q: Doesn’t God’s Word say to repent and repent often, to turn away from our sin, and we are promised treasure in heaven for our faithfulness and our actions as Christians?
A: Yes, God’s Word does teach that we are to confess our sins and live a repentant lifestyle; in fact, repentance is a gift of God’s saving grace (see 1 John 1:5-10; Acts 17:30, 26:20; 2 Cor. 7:10; Hebrew 6:1). And yes, there is treasure in heaven awaiting the righteous (Matthew 6:20), but if you look carefully at the passages on eternal rewards they are still ultimately because of God’s grace (unearned and unmerited kindness towards us) and a result of Christ’s faithfulness and our union with Him. We are adopted, chosen heirs of God’s kingdom who have been (past tense/passive) “blessed… with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3) Every blessing is given to us not because of what we have done but because of what Christ has done for us. This is the glory of the Gospel.
Ultimately, the question we should be asking ourselves is this: Who or what is our hope? If it’s anything other than God Himself, then we know we have our eyes off the real prize. This is what Peter was getting at in 1 Peter 3:18 – the real hope or even “carrot” per se, is God alone, not what we think we can get or earn from Him but Him alone. This is the heart of the Gospel. “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that [this is the key purpose of Christ’s work] He might bring us to God…” (1 Peter 3:18)
Q: What does Pastor Tullian Tchividjian mean when he says, “Because Jesus succeeded for me, I am free to fail?
A: I fully endorse what Tchividjian is saying. Here’s why: when he says, “Because Jesus succeeded for me, I am free to fail” he does not me “I am free to sin.” What this does mean (within the context of his book “Jesus + Nothing = Everything,” and “Glorious Ruin: How Suffering Sets Us Free”) is that we are free in Jesus Christ to actually abide joyfully in His grace. In other words, I might plan a major church event, and for reasons that I could not foresee, the whole point of the event goes awry. I can freely say, “Yes, I failed on that one… but my identity, joy, and peace is not found in what I do or what I know (or what people might say of me) but in WHO I know and WHO I belong to: Jesus.”
What he is ultimately driving at is not a license for antinomian living, but a life that is complete satisfied and identified in Jesus. Therefore, we can “fail” and humbly say we are not perfect, yet in turn, persistently look at Jesus in whom we are free and through whom we are actually changed more into His likeness by the power of the Spirit.
Just as a side note, Tchividjian is Billy Graham’s conservative Presbyterian grandson who took Dr. D. James Kennedy’s role as pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He assumed his current role when the church he planted merged with Coral Ridge – and he quickly realized how imperfect he was and how perfect Jesus was, and how much he needed to rest in the grace of Christ. That story is the seedbed for the two books above (and the quote).
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Losing My Voice
by Stephanie Anna Breznau…
What would you do if you totally lost your voice? What if you could no longer sing, or even worse, no longer talk? To a singer, your voice is as dear as a pianist’s fingers or a soccer player’s legs. It’s part of our identity. What if those limbs and gifts were taken away in the blink of an eye?
In January of this year, I contracted the flu and became very sick. After the second week of being ill I transitioned toward recovery, however, I noticed my speaking voice was rough and my singing voice was essentially non-existent. Immediately I thought to myself how horrible it would be to lose my voice, yet continued to go about my day (our energetic 4-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter keep me hopping like a jack-rabbit).
Yet after a couple more weeks, I tried to sing and I couldn’t scratch out anything above a C-prime, and what did come out was more a croak than a pleasant note. I admit that I started to get very concerned.
Unexpected Answers…
However, true fear really crept in when, in February, I contracted bronchitis and became severely sick yet again. I optimistically thought the illness would go away and my voice would return. I became well at the end of February… but my voice did not bounce back.
This was not the answer I was expecting from God. I couldn’t understand why He would give me this gift and then take it away, possibly forever. As one who has sung since I was able to talk, and who has had the best vocal teachers possible, my voice is as dear to me as my hand or foot. My voice is a part of who I am – a gift given to me by Jesus. Surely He knew my heart, right?
Then I started thinking about why I was so upset. I realized I had rooted part of my identity in my ability to sing. To be honest, my ability to sing became my idol. It had become essential for living. Obviously there is nothing wrong with singing, especially for God; However, I was more than just a singer. I was a daughter of the King. I was a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, granddaughter, daughter-in-law, etc. I was Stephanie. The most important thing is that I was who He made me to be and I needed to be ok if my voice was taken away. He gave me the gift in the first place, but was I appreciating it as I should?
Learning by Losing
I will never forget the moment that I knelt by our couch in the den and asked God to help me accept who I was in Him and to make me content in who He wanted me to be. And then I choked out the toughest words… that I would love and serve Him whether I could or could not sing at all, and either way, I would also use my voice to tell more people about Him.
Stephanie with Kristyn Getty: Gospel Coalition 2013
I’d love to say that I stood up and sang “Rejoice Greatly,” but it has been a healing process that I am taking a day at a time. My voice is slowly returning, but I am definitely not taking it for granted anymore. I have always strived to use my talent for Him, but even more than that, I now want to do much more. I want to let the world know that not only am I singing for Him, I want Him to sing through me. My voice is His. And I’m so glad I am His. He alone is enough.
“This is my story, this is my song. Praising my Savior all the day long…”
Blessings,
Stephanie
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Death at Church
The beautiful sunshine of spring was gently cascading across the landscape as our little son, Hudson, and I drove across town to worship Christ with the Evangel church family at this year’s Good Friday service. We sang cheerily as we turned northward onto Telegraph road, just a couple miles south of our church campus.
Suddenly the ominous, startling sound of an ambulance rang through our eardrums. Hudson fearfully grasped for my hand as a large EMS vehicle raced past us at breakneck speed. I wondered what we might find up ahead, but I never imagined the scene would be so shocking…
Across the horizon I could see the large intersection where our church’s building covers the northwest corner – it was plastered with flashing lights, police cars, fire trucks, and other emergency vehicles. As we drew closer to the dramatic wreckage, we saw dozens of onlookers crowded around, some of them even standing on our church’s front lawn. Three cars were smashed across the major thoroughfare. One of the vehicles had apparently flipped onto its side and exploded into flames. The blackened, charred remains lay in a heap directly in the shadow of our church’s gigantic cross.
Yet then another scene immediately grabbed my attention. Just beyond the accident was a stream of cars squeezing their way through the congested traffic and into Evangel’s parking lot for our Good Friday service. We joined the stream, rolled into the lot, and quietly walked into church – all the while our necks craned over to the accident and toward the hurting, tear-filled onlookers. Hudson quietly piped up, “Papa, we need to pray for the people…they are hurting!” “Yes, Hudson,” I said, “We need to pray…”
A hushed buzz about the accident echoed around the foyer before we entered the sanctuary – some wondering about survivors, others were inquiring about whether or not someone in our membership was part of the accident. Hudson and I held hands as we sat down in the quiet pew that afternoon. The terrible scene, located just a hundred feet from where we now sat, had marked us both. I just couldn’t seem to shake the shocking image of that blackened, charred car – on its side – right under the shadow of our building.
Here we were… all together. All the Evangel family had streamed into our safe and dramatically spacious church campus to reflect on Christ’s death at one o’clock on March 29, 2013. All of us were unharmed and certainly well-meaning in our affections for Christ, and in our desire to gather for worship. This year’s Good Friday service was particularly beautiful. Our music pastor sang a duet with his dear wife, Debbie, who has undergone the difficult travail of breast cancer and chemotherapy over the last 12-18 months. Our senior pastor preached a poignant, Christ-centered message about the meaning and purpose of the Cross.
And yet, I couldn’t shake away the image of the accident splayed out under the shadow of our cross.
Under the Shadow
People are hurting, crying, and dying a dozen deaths all around us…every single day. Each night, as you and I lay down in peaceful rest, hundreds of people filled with hopelessness choose to end their lives in utter despair. Every hour of every day, men, women, and children die from car accidents, physical injury, or a terminal disease. Men and women made in the image of God are silently heading for an eternity separated from God and all the love that He offers in His Son Jesus Christ.
And we simply and silently go about our lives; perhaps faithful in our personal worship yet incredibly apathetic in our public witness. All-too-often I find myself ignoring and forgetting about the reality of an eternity without God in Christ. Yet this is the state of the entire world apart from the Gospel message being heard and received by faith!
But so often we’d rather gather safely together rather than go out on the rescue mission of God to bring people to the message and mercy of Christ. Just like the dozens of emergency medical workers rushed to the scene of the accident, so you and I are called to run toward people headed for destruction and eternal death with the hope, mercy, and life of Christ.
Now please don’t misunderstand me here. There’s nothing wrong with gathering for corporate worship; in fact, we are called to do just that. However, Jesus never continually dwelt in a safe haven with the chosen Twelve or in the confines of a comfortable synagogue. He lived and ministered and preached among the hurting, crying, and dying. If to be a Christian is to be a Christ-follower, then we are called to follow the same path Jesus trod.
Jesus was the Light of the World who met with a Jewish ruler named Nicodemus and talked with him late into the dark of night (John 3:1-21). Jesus was the Living Water who broke huge cultural and societal barriers by speaking to a woman from Samaria by Jacob’s well (John 4:7-42). Jesus was the Bread of Life who fed thousands of hungry men, women, and children who had gathered to hear the Gospel of the kingdom and be healed (John 6:1-14). Jesus touched the diseased, injured, and broken (e.g. John 4:46-5:17), and we are called by our Messiah to follow the same path, empowered by the Spirit.
Just as the Father sent the Son into the world to make Him known – to glorify the Father – so you and I are called to the same mission. Jesus instructed His disciples this way, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21b). The sending God sent the Son and now sends us on His mission to display the grace and truth of His Gospel by making Him known in the world.
I will never forget the words of one radical missionary from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, “Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell.” – C.T. Studd
Sometimes the hurting, crying, and dying are even crowded around us or even dying right in front of us – under the shadow of our stained-glass windows. Let’s join in God’s mission in the power of the Spirit with the message of His Gospel for His awesome glory. We might just be surprised where He takes us… It might be as simple as your front yard.
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Reality Check.
Sometimes we need a good reality check. The rich culture we live in (yes, we are filthy rich in comparison to 90% of the world) is constantly promulgating the idea that the apex of life is achieving a state of financial independence so that one can enjoy constant ease and recreation.
Is there something wrong with ease and recreation? No, certainly there is place for balanced ease and recreation in the life of a Christ-follower. However, if we focus our mind’s attention and heart’s affection on getting to a place of capitalistic nirvana, we will slowly let our guard down and begin to choose what is expedient for ourselves rather than what is effectual for the mission of God.
Exposing ourselves to this popular ideology and accommodating to the mission of mankind can reap tragic results. Why? Because we forget we live in the middle of a warzone where the casualties far outnumber the survivors. When we let our guard down we begin to forget we have been called to live against the grain of the world system that is opposed to the truth and grace of Jesus Christ.
All-too-often it is so easy to forget about the stark living conditions that Jesus outlined for His followers. I don’t know about you, but I can get caught up in the jazz and pizazz of our glitzy culture. Yet Jesus painted a radically different picture of life for those who walked down His dusty path. As He instructed His disciples before sending them out to declare the Gospel of the kingdom during His earthly ministry, Jesus offered this portrait of reality:
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles…” (Matthew 10:16-18)
To be honest, I would like to believe we do not have it so difficult. I would like to think Midwestern America is the bastion of genuine Christian faith and that we are surrounded mostly by well-meaning sheep, rather than a pack of hungry wolves. But this is not reality. At all. We live in a world no less opposed to Christ and His message.
Proofs of Reality
InterVarsity Removals
Earlier this year, the Asian chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship was reportedly denied officially recognition by the University of Michigan, because InterVarsity requires that leaders of the group adhere to its doctrinal statement. Fortunately, U of M later reversed their decision. However, numerous other schools have chosen to “de-recognize” this broad, evangelical ministry, without reversal. Vanderbilt University, Rutgers, Tufts University, State University of New York at Buffulo, and Rollins College have all argued that InterVarsity should be removed from their official role of student fellowships simply because InterVarsity requires that their leaders adhere to the essential doctrines of Christianity. This, in effect, they claim, violates their anti-discrimination policy.
Chik-fil-A Gets the Boot
The latest news, this week, comes from Emory University, which has chosen to remove Chik-fil-A from their campus restaurant venue due to Dan Cathy’s (Chik-fil-A’s president) public position against same-sex marriage. Despite the gracious and Christ-like tone of Cathy’s comments about his position as a Christian, Emory’s Dean of Campus Life, Ajay Nair stated, “Chik-fil-A has become a symbol of exclusion for some community members… Emory University has a long history of creating access, inclusion, and equity for Emory’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Public positions by Dan Cathy, President of Chik-fil-A, do not reflect these values of access, inclusions, and equity.”
Stomping on Jesus
Just this past Thursday, a report emerged from Florida Atlantic University that a student was suspended from school after refusing to “stomp on the name of Jesus.” This sounds rather ridiculous doesn’t it? Hard to believe? Yeah, that is what I thought too, that is, until I read the article by Todd Starnes at Fox News.
Here’s an outline of the course lesson: “Have the students write the name JESUS in big letters on a piece of paper… Ask the students to stand up and put the paper on the floor in front of them with the name facing up. Ask the students to think about it for a moment. After a brief period of silence instruct them to step on the paper. Most will hesitate. Ask why they can’t step on the paper. Discuss the importance of symbols in culture.”
After FAU student, Ryan Rotella, brought his concerns about the assignment to his teacher’s supervisor, he was promptly suspended. As shocking as it might seem, the school has not rescinded their decision.
Rob Bell’s New Marriage (version)
To make matters even worse, one who formerly served as a pastor and author within evangelical Christianity has now publicly affirmed same-sex “marriage” as acceptable and compatible with his belief system. Rob Bell, former pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, MI, made this pronouncement at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, CA: “Yes, I am for marriage. I am for fidelity. I am for love, whether it’s a man and woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man….I think this is the world we are living in and we need to affirm people wherever they are.”
Living in Love
Now the point of all this sad and tragic news about how the post-Christian culture of America responds to our faith is not meant to send you out in a fitful rage of alarm or conspiracy theorist sensationalism. I do not wish to be a gloomy doomsayer or create little lemming-like doomsayers.
I am also not calling for us to huddle together in isolated flocks of “pure” white sheep, in an attempt to keep away from the danger of wolves. This sort of action would miss Christ’s point entirely. He sent out His followers to live out His mission among people who were opposed to Him and His message. If we run off into the Yukon wilderness to escape the dangers of the mission field (i.e. the entire world), we will fail on God’s mission and eventually find the same stinking stench of sin in our own lives and in the lives of our offspring.
Furthermore, I am not calling for us to form picket lines for political revolution to force wolves to start acting like sheep. Most of us have been there and done that. I, for one, am ashamed of my ignorance and belligerence in treating people outside of God’s love like a political project for personal gain.
However, what you and I do need is a constant reminder that opposition is a reality for everyone who follows Jesus Christ. Rejection should be our expectation. Temptation will be a constant lure. Don’t forget the stark reality of our living conditions as followers of the One who was opposed, rejected, abused, and killed by the people He had created. Jesus went on to say, “A disciples is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master” (Matthew 10:24). If they rejected and bitterly fought against Christ, then we should expect no less for us.
But Jesus loved them. Every single one. He offered His life for people who wanted to see Him die. When they sneered at Him with looks of hate and blasphemy, He loved them. When they spit on his face, He loved them. When they ripped muscle tissue right off His bones, He still loved them. He never returned their curses, hate, spit, or violence. He won through love… even through the love of the Cross.
Christ’s mission calls us to the same love. Don’t run away. Don’t hide. Don’t gather a little following of fear-filled frenetic friends. And certainly don’t fight back by picking up the stones they are throwing at you and, in turn, chucking them at the crowds of people who don’t know God’s love. Win them through the love of God in Jesus Christ.
Do a reality check. Our expectations are often so skewed and the pressure to give into the drive for capitalistic nirvana is so strong. But you and I have been sent out by Jesus to live among people who are more likely to reject us than listen to us. Yet we are to love them anyway… just like Jesus, the One who chose us and loved us in the middle of our mess and offered us hope and life in His name.
Listen to the full audio message entitled “Reality Check” (Matthew 10:16-33) by simply clicking on the play button below or by subscribing to our iTunes podcast. This message was originally delivered at Evangel Baptist Church on Sunday evening, May 19th, 2013, for our annual High School Grad Night service.
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Steve Jobs vs. Jesus
For many years I struggled through the world of prehistoric personal computers – my dad even liked to keep a couple ancient Commodore and TI 386 computer models around the basement for solid doorstops. But then a whole new window of opportunity opened, or so we thought: Microsoft Windows 3.1. Probably everyone born after 1983 doesn’t even remember the simplistic beauty of this revolutionary operating system. Soon came Windows 95, 98, and on the story goes into contemporary history and into Bill Gates’ bulging wallet.
Yet amid my tinkering with numerous Windows-based machines I found that frustration and angst were more common emotional results, rather than ease, delight, and satisfaction. My observation of classmates, relatives, and co-workers who adored their Apple products was first accompanied by looks of doubt and bewilderment – who would want to pay $1200 for a Macbook when you can get a perfectly good Windows-based laptop for $600? But eventually my dirty looks became stares of amazement and even a bit of envy. I marveled at the ease and delight my friends found in their Apple products. They simply worked. I watched them “power-up” their Apple products and almost immediately go to work writing their class assignments or checking up on social media. Meanwhile I busied myself with thumb twiddling while I waited around (trying not to look obvious) for my Dell or Lenovo laptop to kick into gear, launch Windows, and drip into full-operation mode.
Entering the Orchard
The crucible arrived when my rather new Lenovo IdeaPad died from multiple internal diseases caused by poor manufacturing and ever-problematic Windows programming. And so I moved out into the fresh air of the yard – from the mechanic’s shed to the orchard. Sweet breezes seemed to be blowing through my soul as a purchased my first Macbook Pro, then an iPhone, and another iPhone, and then an iPad. My wife and I were thoroughly sold. After jumping over the initial hurdles of Windows-rooted computing arthritis, we were sailing along without a hitch. Writing, recording, editing, and surfing all became simple, smooth, and delightful.
And too be totally honest, we are still enjoying the smooth, simple sailing of the Apple orchard. However, just as soon as we jumped on-board we began to hear rumblings that Steve Jobs was ill – very ill; that the company could be headed for demise; and that the snarling pack of competitors was nipping at Apple’s heels. Prophetic voices from PC think tanks announced dire predictions, sometimes with obvious dereliction. But nevertheless, it seemed they had a point: a few bad mistakes conjoined with the death of the immensely creative and charismatic leader, Steve Jobs, could lead to great collapse. Steve Jobs was the face of Apple. He was the leader of every launch. He was always ahead of the pack. But he soon would be gone.
And rather quickly, he did depart. Gone forever. A few disgruntled gurus said, “good riddance.” But most everyone lamented his family’s loss and honored the work of the incredibly innovative, technological genius.
Falling Fruit
More predictions immediately stormed the blogosphere (most of them probably funded by Microsoft or Google’s Android department). Proving these loud-mouth critics right, several mistakes rapidly piled up on the scale: (1) the iPhone 4s drastically failed to meet expectations and seemed clunky next to the competition, (2) the new Apple maps app for the latest iOS was a complete failure. Everyone (including me) felt the mind-numbing frustration of arriving at the totally wrong location – over and over again, and (3) the newest version of iTunes appears far less intuitive and feels disconnected from the community engagement that was so unique with the old iTunes world. Not to mention promises made by Apple via Jobs before his death going unfulfilled.
Why all of this gum flapping about computers, PCs, and Apple? One reason. The community and context of the Apple world was a socio-phenomenon, a movement, almost a cult in the broadest sense of the term. We didn’t just buy Apple products, we invested in a community of common needs and delight-oriented engagement. But what many investors and computer geeks are realizing is this: Steve Jobs was the core of the movement. He was the leader of the “band,” the final equation between concept and reality. Steve Jobs was Apple.
We should not be surprised that Apple Corporation stands in a precarious, volatile position. Every major company, movement, or nation that has built itself around the singular genius or charisma of one man has eventually crumbled. Sure, Apple can re-build just like many other companies have done over the years. They may even grow beyond their current record-breaking market share. Yet still, generations will pass. People will change. And eventually Apple will be no more. The same will be true of Wal-Mart, Microsoft, McDonald’s, and even the United States of America.
The Romans thought the line of Caesars would prove eternal. The British believed the Royal line would continue with world-conquering power. Adolf Hitler apparently believed his rule of Nazism would take over the universe. Joseph Stalin provoked lofty dreams of never-ending socialistic community among his followers. Yet in the end, each man or woman eventually died – some rather suddenly. And with their deaths came the end of their movements. The end of the man eventually brought the end of the power and the dream. When the leader leaves – either by death or by retirement – so goes the socio-phenomenon. Gone with the leader, gone with the mission. Followers lose purpose when they no longer have someone to follow.
This has been the case for the entirety of human history, except with one singular man: Jesus Christ.
Flipping the Paradigm…Every time.
No other man has had such a short public life with such a perpetually expansive, never-ending affect. In fact, the ultimate mission of Jesus really did not begin within His followers until He was gone from this earth. Jesus throws the entire paradigm of leader-driven movements on its head. He deeply built his life into a small rag-tag bunch of guys for just three years, and then willingly died a despicable Roman cross-death in front of His followers. Confusion reigned. His right-hand man, Peter, denied accusations that he even knew Jesus. His little group scattered and ran into hiding for fear of their lives. I’m sure money-driven, power-lusting religious leaders (i.e. Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, etc.) were sneering with smiles of satisfaction. I can almost hear them rejoice, “Finally this Jesus guy is out of the way. Now we can get back to the normal, pious life we’re called to live. Certainly, we will never hear from those idiotic disciples of his…ever again. Whew.” I’m sure they supervised the whole vile scene to make absolutely certain that nothing went awry. No mistakes on this one. Jesus was dead. Gone.
But three days later the man, Jesus Christ, once again proved that He is both Lord and Christ, fully the God-man: Jesus rose from the dead by the power of the Spirit! After being seen by numerous witnesses over a period of forty-days, He then gathered his close followers together and gave them this last mission statement:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Jesus then ascended into heaven, where He is now seated at the right hand of the throne of the Father. He left. Do not hurry over this. The leader of all leaders was gone. But this time there was no rabid scattering, no running for cover, and certainly no triple-point denials. Instead, they all gathered with faith in prayer to wait for the Spirit power that would transform them and begin the movement of Jesus-followers that would forever change the world.
No other leader in human history has every come close to accomplishing what Jesus has done: more than 2 Billion present-day followers, and despite open and hostile persecution, famine, poverty, and a whole army of critics, the mission of Christ’s Gospel continues on, growing everyday. There is only one explanation for such shocking results: the power of God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ delivered and lived out by the Church on His mission. Jesus has done what Jobs could never do. Followers of Jesus are giving up their lives every single day for the cause of His mission. His kingdom message is expanding every single day.
So pastors and Christian leaders: let’s build the mission and local ministry around Jesus, not around ourselves – no matter how cool or attractive people may think we are. If Jesus is the center of our vision, the mission and ministry will continue long after we’re a sub-line in the annals of history.
And to all Christ-followers: we are part of a movement that transcends all time, language, people-group, and nation. So let’s live like there is no tomorrow for the sake of the Messiah and for the display of His message and mercy to the ends of the earth for the praise of His glory. We are on Jesus’ mission and there is no one like Him…and He is coming again.
*I enjoyed writing this article on my Apple Macbook Pro. Steve Jobs’ legacy of genius will surely be long-remembered. 🙂
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Crying for Daddy
Today we celebrated Hudson’s 4th birthday! Wow, what an energetic and vivacious bundle of joy he has become. Here’s a devotional story originally written when our little Hudson was just 5 months old (published 8/9/2009):
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Have you ever heard that little babies can be great teachers? I never have. However, just several days ago I learned a profound lesson from my tiny munchkin, Hudson. Perhaps this article could be titled: Hudson’s Lesson for Daddy. Of course, Hudson didn’t pull out a whiteboard and some dry erase markers, and pass out a workbook to his Daddy. However, Hudson was used by the Lord to dramatically teach his sometimes “thick-skulled” Papa a much needed course.
Over the past fourteen hot summer days, Stephanie and I have found ourselves often anxious, worried, and stressed. Our housing situation has been somewhat “tight” to say the least. With the arrival of Hudson, we soon realized that 450 sq ft. is quite cozy. With a crib, changing table, swing, amongst other pieces of furniture and hundreds of school books we knew we eventually had to do something. Adding to this, our wonderful little carriage/garage apartment is attached to a tremendously larger house – a house (along with our place) that is for sale at a dramatically reduced price. Obviously a “plan B” needed to be in the works.
Stressed? Yes.
For several months we had been looking at various options, but with the upcoming semester of seminary drawing near, we became much more fervent in our approach to the situation. We had tried moving mid-term before, and had no real desire to repeat the process. I wonder why?
We searched and looked on various listings, but the first week or so went by without finding anything feasible. However, the second week proved to be a roller coaster. On Monday we were presented with one possibility, yet found out later the location was somewhat unsafe, and too far from our church and my place of work. A day later another option came up for on-campus housing. With great excitement we jumped on this opportunity, and believed that this was truly the answer to our prayers… several days later we found out that they would probably give the place to someone else. So with the ups and downs of emotion and unrest we kept searching and praying.
Shortly thereafter we heard about another opportunity that sounded like a perfect fit for our needs. The location was just a couple of miles from our church, and nearly an equal distance to school. With much anticipation we interviewed for this particular residence, and walked away from the meeting very hopeful that it would work out. We knew the folks were going out of town and we wouldn’t hear anything for a little while, but we really prayed that something might pan out very soon.
The day after this meeting, I was surprised to find myself so anxious and worried that this new option might not work out I could hardly find any peace. I prayed throughout the day for the Lord to take away my anxiety and give me assurance of His control – yet the battle in my heart raged on. In the afternoon I called up Stephanie to tell her how I felt, and she promptly told me she was in the same war with anxiety. That evening I arrived home from work still worried and restless, so we again prayed for the Lord to give us peace. We had enough calm to get some rest that night, but at sunrise the worry came back. All throughout the following day the unrest and anxiety continued. Questions like the following swarmed my mind, “Would we be chosen for this new residence?” “Was there something I said in the interview that might have ruined our chances for this position?” “What would happen if we don’t get this new place to live in?” “Where would we go, what would we do?”
Time for a Lesson, Young Man
It is funny how I continually have to learn the same type of lessons over and over again. Yet in my often immature state, I am grateful the Lord has the patience to persistently teach and instruct me in this walk of faith.
After three days of nearly constant fear and anxiety, I arrived home after a long day’s work. As has become customary, I usually find Stephanie working feverishly over the stove making some tasty morsels for supper, and Hudson napping peacefully in his crib. This evening was not unlike any other. I walked in the door, gave Stephanie a big hug and kiss, and then tip-toed in the bedroom to check on our little guy. As I drew near to the crib, I noticed that he was just waking up. After rubbing his eyes with his tiny fists, he looked up right into my eyes and gave me one of the biggest smiles I had ever seen. It was as if Christmas morning had come and I had just given him everything he wanted. The only difference about this case was I was the only thing wanted. He just wanted to be with Daddy.
I scooped his cuddly little body up into my arms and gave him an ole’ bear hug and kissed his smooshy cheeks. It is hard not to do that every second of the day. We sang a little song together, and I told him how much I loved him… “more than anything else in the world.” Just then, Stephanie called to me from the kitchen saying that she had something she wanted me to quickly take care of. So, without thinking twice I laid Hudson down on our soft bed and stepped into the next room.
From Smiles to Tears
Within seconds of my departure I heard Hudson begin to wale and cry. As soon as my shadow had left the room he immediately began crying out for his Daddy. Of course, I was only 10 feet away from him, but because he could not physically see me or be held by me, it was just as if I was completely gone. I hurried back into the room and promised my little buddy that I would be right back. Again, two seconds later he began to wale and cry even louder. Once more, I came over to him, calmed him down, and explained in words he does not yet understand that I had to do something important, but would be “right back”. He was safe because I was near and there was no reason to cry.
I quickly finished the chore that needed to be done, and stepped back into our bedroom to find Hudson still crying profusely and his eyes blurred with a fountain of tears. As I wiped his little tear droplets from his eyes and caressed the top of his head, the Lord suddenly taught me a lesson through the cries and tears of Hudson.
Through the Lord’s mercy, I realized that I too had been acting just like Hudson a moment ago. Every time I stepped into the room where Hudson could visibly see me, he was immediately at peace. However, as soon as I left, he quickly went from smiles to tears. In a similar way, I had found myself over the last couple of weeks searching and waiting for God’s guidance, direction, and provision, yet for all of my prayers I was still waiting to see what he had in store for us. What was my response? Unfortunately, I let my heart be filled with anxiety and fear – fear that God was somehow not aware of my situation or need. In this period of waiting my thoughts were not on God’s present working, but on His seemingly current absence from my problem.
Our Heavenly Father
Yet just as was true for Hudson and his earthly father, my Heavenly Father never really left me unprotected, unsafe, or unloved. Even though I had to temporarily remove myself from Hudson’s line of vision, I never left him – I was just in the other room. In even a much more profound and powerful way, God is always with you and I – even when we do not immediately see His hand at work in our lives. Hudson taught me that there was no need to be filled with anxiety, for God is always near, and He knows every need we have. Yes, I still pray that the Lord is pleased to bless us with this new housing opportunity, but now with great faith that He is always right there watching over me, even when I cannot feel Him wiping away my tears of stress or fear.
That evening as I pondered what God had done in the past and how He had always been ever-present in my times of need, all the stress, fear, and anxiety of the past two weeks suddenly melted away. In place of these, the Lord gave peace and reassurance to my heart that I could trust Him and wait on His omnipotent and all-wise hand. God’s answer may not come when I expect or in a manner anticipated, yet it will always be according to His plan, and result in His glory. God has always proven Himself faithful, why should I doubt Him now?
Psalm 46:1-2 ~ “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. SELAH.
“Psalm 62:1-2 ~ “My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.”
In Christ Alone,
Michael
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Hope for Every Slave
There once was a young slave named Samuel, who was owned from birth by a wicked, evil, abusive master. This master owned Samuel’s siblings, parents, grandparents, and even great grandparents, and made it his point to abuse them, misuse them, and work them literally to death. Every slave owned by this master died in bondage.
Half the property was covered with nameless gravesites. It seemed like there was absolutely no way of escape. No one ever had escaped on their own. Sure, some had tried. But no one ever succeeded.
Death was the end of every story.
But one day, a different master, who knew about how these slaves were oppressed in bondage and grueling slavery, decided to do what no one else had ever done before: enter the property of this evil slave-owner and set the slaves free.
When he arrived in the middle of the night, many of the slaves were scared and couldn’t believe there was another master who wanted them to be free from bondage; they thought he would just kidnap them and put them under even worse oppression. Even though this new master pleaded and pleaded with all the slaves to follow him into a new life of freedom, only a few believed he was different. These few saw something different in his eyes they had never seen before. They heard something different in his voice that they had never heard before. And so these few, including Samuel, began to quietly follow this new master away from the slave house and out across the bloodstained fields.
Samuel’s mind spun with all sorts of worry and fear and doubt. Was he making the right choice? Was all that this new master said really going to be true? Was life going to be different, free, and filled with peace? His heart raced with dozens upon dozens of questions.
Then suddenly he heard the all-too-familiar, ear-bleeding thunderclap of a gunshot. The evil slave master flashed through the darkness and sneered into the face of this new master, “Where do you think you’re going?! These people are mine and no one can take them from my grip. Not even you!”
But the voice of the new master was steady and calm, “No, I will remove them from the clutches of your bondage and evil. No more will they be bound for death by your stain of wickedness.”
“Is that so?” said the old master, “You know the punishment for being my slave, don’t you… It’s always death. Everyone dies here. I love death, in fact, it is sort of my idea,” cackled the old master.
“Then I will die,” said the new master, “I will die in their place and they will go free.” The old master laughed with glee, “Really!!? This is better than I ever could have imagined! The master die for the slave?! Ha, I’ve won!”
And with that the old master stuck the end of his rifle into the new master’s chest and pulled the trigger.
With his last breath, this new Master, whose eyes pierced the darkness and whose voice could calm the seas, turned to those who had followed Him into that bloodstained field and said so softly, “It is finished. Now go…. You’re free.”
Ultimate Rescue
And this is Christ’s love for you and me. Now the death that Christ died was actually more shocking, for it was at the hands of you and me. According to the Father’s plan, Christ the Son died in our place so that out from the bondage of sin we could be free.
Yet death was not the end of His story. Sin-driven Satan thought he had won. He thought he would coerce billions of slaves into greater bondage and evil and death. But God had another plan.
With a great shout of victory in the heavens, Christ took the keys of sin and death, and rose from the dead by the power of the Spirit. And the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in all who believe in the Christ, who alone sets us free. Satan has been defeated. Love has won. Death is conquered. This is Christ’s love for you and me.
Have you followed Him out of the bloodstained fields of sin and trusted in His perfect and complete work of grace on the Cross? If not, God’s shocking invitation is open to you today. You can be free. You can receive the rescue by simply turning from your sin and trusting in Christ alone for the redemption and forgiveness that only He can give.
Jesus offers hope for every slave. I invite you to simply take the step of faith in Him for the new and eternal life that He offers to everyone who believes.
Freedom-Living
Now turn with me to the land of freedom in God’s grace: If you have been rescued and redeemed, your salvation in Jesus Christ was not cheap, trite, or trivial. It cost God everything. Salvation cost the very life and blood of God the Son, Jesus Christ. So, if you and I have been buried with Jesus Christ in His death and raised to new life through His resurrection, then we are to live out our new nature through joy-filled obedience in love.
How could we, who were enslaved to sin, and in the bondage of Satan’s deceptions and seduction, continue living as if we are still enslaved to the old master? The thought is unthinkable, for it was Christ Himself who set us free. So do not go on living like you are dead, but alive and free!
Now please don’t misunderstand me here: you and I are not on a rat’s race to repay God for His gift of grace. A gift is a gift, clear and simple. I am not so woodenly saying, “The Christ figure died to set me free, so now I leave the plantation of sin and… obey Him.” In a very real sense, Jesus paid it all and we do not owe Him anything (I am not proposing that we rip that wonderful song out of our hymnals, but we must understand it in the correct context). Christ did not rescue us from the domain of darkness in sin and then enlist us with a “duty-ethic” burden by which we toil away in order to plunk tokens into His hands for the gift of redemption. No! Nothing could be further from the Gospel truth. Our attempts at repaying Him only prove we don’t understand the depth and riches of His gift. Christ’s nail-scarred hands wish for no token repayments; they simply want to hold us in love through our faith in His amazing work of grace.
Our rescue and freedom in Jesus Christ brings us into a love-relationship, not into a duty-oriented obedience. And yet, our Rescuer does call us to display our love and affection for Him through following His will in the obedience of faith. We come to Christ – daily – with nothing in our hands to bring, simply clinging with tears of joy to the One who paid our debt with His blood. From this posture of faith in Christ, He moves within us by the work of the Spirit to act on the obedience of faith.
So let’s honestly ask ourselves, does our obedience – our actions, words, and lifestyle – show that we love Christ more than anything or anyone else on this earth? Who or what do we obey and trust? Do we follow the obedience of sin unto death or obedience unto righteousness?
God’s grace in Jesus Christ, through our new identity with Him in His death, burial and resurrection, changes what we value, what we love, and what we desire. This is what the apostle Paul was talking about in Romans chapter 6.
Paul wrote to the believers in Rome:
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life….
Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:1-4, 8-14)
Paul’s implication of God’s amazing work of saving those who believe in Christ is clear: You have a new life! You have been radically changed! You have been raised to walk in new life! You have a new Master! So, it is ridiculous to think (mei genoito – “may it never be”) that we should go on living like we are still in the bondage of sin – we have a new mission and a new purpose.
So when we are struggling with living like one still in sin-slavery, and instead of appearing as one “alive in Jesus Christ” we look more like the walking dead, let’s consider these three responses to the Gospel rescue: (1) Recognize your sin as sin (what is contrary to God’s will, design, and character) (Romans 6:15-19), (2) Look to Christ’s work of love for you on the Cross (Romans 6:1-11), and (3) Turn from your sin toward the love of God in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:20-23).
Embrace the Good News in Jesus by loving Him through joy-filled obedience. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead and brought panic to Satan will give you the strength to obey God’s will and way in freedom, life, hope, and peace. Because He is the God who came to set us free. May you and I walk in the freedom that only Christ affords to the praise of His glorious grace!
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffersIt was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finishedI will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrectionWhy should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransomFrom “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” by Stuart Townend
In Christ Alone,
Michael
**P.S. For the theology buffs out there, I’ve heard numerous analogies and stories about humankind’s position in sin and Christ’s freeing sacrifice that seem to portray the erroneous “Ransom-to-Satan” theory of the atonement. While I’m sure that many teachers, skit-makers, and video-clip makers are not intentionally trying to teach this theory, I did my best to position the “old, wicked master” as sin itself, not Satan. Christ did not pay out a ransom cost to Satan for our sins or souls. He instead took the penalty of mankind’s sin upon Himself through the Cross in order to satisfy God’s just judgment against sin – that which opposes His intrinsic design, character, and will. Thus, Christ’s sacrificial death was the means of a penal, substitutionary atonement.**
Listen to the full AUDIO message entitled “Obedience in Grace: VITALS Series” by simply clicking on the play button below or by subscribing to our iTunes podcast. This message was originally delivered at Youth Unleashed (the Jr. and Sr. High ministry of Evangel Baptist Church in Taylor, MI) on Wednesday, February 13, 2013.
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A Tribute to Howard “Prof” Hendricks
There are tears of joy and tears of sadness in my eyes this morning. I am torn between the tension of this present life and the life in the world to come. Early this morning marked the passing of the dearly loved Dr. Howard Hendricks, who was affectionately known as “Prof” to those closest to him. He was a teacher of teachers, a pastor to pastors, a mentor to mentors, and left an incredible legacy of faithfulness to God. May God’s peace reign in the hearts of his family as they grieve the loss of this one they loved so much.
His love for Christ’s mission, his family, and his students was heard and seen through every message, lecture, and discipleship session. His passion for life in Jesus Christ was infectious. There was absolutely no question that Prof loved every moment of his job.
For more than sixty years Prof served on the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), where he taught more than ten thousand students. He also ministered in person in more than eighty countries. Through speaking engagements, radio, tapes, films, the sixteen books he authored and coauthored, countless journal and popular-market articles, his service on numerous boards, and his work as a chaplain to the Dallas Cowboys (1976–1984), his reach was and is worldwide. His legacy, in partnership with Jeanne, his wife of more than sixty-six years, includes four children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Holding large audiences enthralled at venues such as Billy Graham’s conference center or Promise Keepers’ stadium rallies, Prof would confide, “It’s wonderful to be here with you, but I have a group of delicious students waiting for me back at the seminary.” ~ by Dallas Theological Seminary on Feb. 20th 2013 in Profiles (http://www.dts.edu/read/howard-hendricks-prof/)
Update: His funeral will be Saturday, March 2nd at 11:00 a.m. at Stonebriar Community Church.
I will never forget the morning when Prof Hendricks told me, “Young man, if I don’t have time to meet with you, then I don’t have time to meet with anybody!” His personal investment in my life continues to impact how I think, pray, preach, teach, disciple, and study God’s Word. While all my teachers at Dallas Theological Seminary played a significant role in guiding my walk with Christ, Prof Hendricks was used by God to radically change my entire outlook on ministry.
Here’s a reflection from a discussion I had with Prof Hendricks on a biblical philosophy of ministry...
“I Am Done Building Churches!”
One cool, spring afternoon I had the privilege of sitting down with Prof. Hendricks for a little while so I could probe his wisdom and ask a few questions. I will never forget one of his statements during the course of our discussion. He said, “Michael, I am done building churches!” After letting the shock of his statement sink in, he looked me right in the eyes and finished his thought, “I am now building men.”
While he certainly was not saying that building churches was no longer a worthy goal, he was forcefully getting the point across to me that personal, mentor-based discipleship is the key to, in fact, building the Church and expanding the kingdom of God with great impact. Thus, it was a dramatic change of “how” the church is to be strengthened and built. My philosophy for how a local church (and at large, the worldwide Church) is formed, has been tremendously impacted by men such as Howard Hendricks.
I wholeheartedly believe that the structure of a local church should primarily be about deeply committed, self-sacrificial service in the disciple making of others. Such ministry is most explicitly exemplified through the life of our Savior. In Philippians 2:5-11, Paul makes clear to us how Christ literally “emptied Himself” of what was and is certainly and rightfully His, so that He could perform the will of the Father and save so wretched a soul like yours and mine. He ministered in such self-sacrificial love, not for His own glory or reward, but that the Father might be glorified through His own sacrifice (v. 11).
In like manner, we now as the Church of the living Jesus Christ are to live as He lived. We are called to lay down our own needs, wants, and desires for the good of others and the glory of God the Father. Tangibly, this is where “the wood meets the sandpaper.” I believe the church is built by those who in their devotion to Christ, have laid down their own will for the will of the One who saved them. This could mean putting on the brakes before we whiz passed a person in need on the side of the road with a broken-down car. Or, this could entail foregoing a self-satisfying career for the self-sacrificing foreign mission field. Even more importantly, God might lead another to take two or three younger believers under a wing of mentorship for several years, or even decades. Whether this forces some to lose vacation time or just extra personal relaxation, it truly is worth all the effort – for God will be glorified through such self-emptying love.
I believe the church is not built by man-made programs and convenient structures, but by men and women humbly ministering in Spirit-empowered evangelism and discipleship. This means that the church, in its services, is to be utilized for the establishment, encouragement, and sending out of members into the world to shed the light of Christ. Through these members working and serving as ministers of the Light in the world, they by their love will be a beacon of hope that will draw people to the Savior. Then, in an exponential way, the Church will increase as these same people disciple those around them and these new believers in turn, repeat the process of their mentors.
Through the lives of just a dozen men, Jesus Christ changed the world forever. This kind of day-to-day discipleship is what I believe Howard Hendricks was getting at when He spoke with me that spring afternoon. Through a Biblically strong, worshipping church who wholeheartedly loves their Savior and is willing to lay down their temporal needs for the eternal needs of others – this world will be changed and the Gospel will go forth with great authority and power. For the world will see and know the difference. The very words of Christ command you and me to do just this, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
Hendricks-isms
Here’s my personal collection of favorite quotes from Prof Howard Hendricks. Some may not be entirely original from him, but he was – at the very least – the first person to touch my life with these words.
- “Conviction by the Truth is not the same as being changed by the Truth.”
- “This Book – will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this Book.”
- “Master the Master’s life.”
- “God has handpicked you to be His mouthpiece to this generation.”
- “I’m done building churches! …I am now building men.”
- “God calls us to faithfulness, not productivity.”
- “You will not build disciples if you pastor like a coo-coo bird in a coo-coo clock!” Don’t come out at the appointed time; say what you have to say, then pop back into your little chamber. You cannot miss the person-to-person – man-to-man ministry!”
- “The Bible wasn’t given to make you a smarter sinner, but rather to change your life.”
- “Personal Bible Study is not a course, it is a lifestyle!”
- “You cannot be holy in a hurry! …Bible study calls not for snapshots but, for timed exposures.”
- “The secret things belong to God and don’t pry Him. The revealed things belong to us and you rest content with that.”
- “Stop star gazing and when the Bible speaks you speak, when the Bible is quiet you shut up.”
- “The biggest problem with praying is praying for someone else and not including you.”
- “Pray short in public and long in private.”
- [Regarding Bible study] “Observation and interpretation without application is abortion! Don’t perform an abortion on the living Word of God!”
- “Everybody wants forgiveness, but nobody wants repentance.”
- “Many Christians are like poor photographs. They are over-exposed and under-developed.”
- “It’s not God’s word because it works; it works because it is God’s living Word.”
- “Don’t ride on your past [education], only build on it!”
- “He didn’t call you here to hang you; he called you here to teach you!”
- “It is a crime to bore people with the Bible.”
Feel free to comment with your personal favorite reflections and quotes, and I’ll add them to the list. I’d love to hear your memories of Prof!
In Christ Alone,
Michael J. Breznau, Th.M (11′)
P.S. Joey Cochran, my friend (and former classmate at DTS), has also written a brief tribute to Prof Hendricks HERE.
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Change: It’s Wrecking My Life.
Change. Change is not something widely appreciated by most people – including me. I like my socks to be in the same place in the same drawer each morning. I enjoy kissing my wife and children at the same time each night before we go to sleep.
I’m the type of guy who tends to order the same thing at Cracker Barrel or the local diner – at least 8 or 10 times – before my awesome wife finally coaxes me into being “adventurous.” I guess I’m just a man who likes finding a good rut and staying in it for as long as possible. The repeated, consistent rhythms of life give calm to soul. There’s just something peaceful about using the same Bible I’ve read from for years or wearing my favorite pair of jeans that just seem to look better with age, at least I think so.
Change? Well, it just seems like more hassle than it’s worth or perhaps too risky. What if I lose something I highly value when I change what I eat or wear, or how I behave?
But it gets even worse: our current politicians are constantly talking about change – changing tax brackets and percentages, changing laws governing drugs, healthcare, marriage, military rules, even our personal religious freedoms. So we despise the label “change-agent,” and mutter threats and frustrations about anyone trying to change us. We shout, “There’s no way that is going to happen!”
And then, as if changes in clothing, diet, schedules, and politics were not enough, we find out the church wants us to change everything too! Emergent-liberal progressive change-agents like Brian McLaren, Doug Pagitt, Rob Bell, Tony Jones, Leonard Sweet, Phyllis Tickle, among others all proclaim we should deconstruct everything about the established evangelical church, including the fundamental doctrines of the historic Christian faith.
And so, we justifiably retaliate against the “emergent” change. [I wrote my master’s thesis on the subject of the “emergent church movement” and pointed out the dangerous trends of the movement and it’s proponents. You can access it by clicking here: Emerging from the Emergent. Thesis. Michael Breznau]
Yet still others, who maintain fidelity to sound doctrine and the Gospel mission, say we need to embrace changes in music, apparel, worship, and even preaching style, in order to reach the changing culture around us with the unchanging Gospel of Christ. And like many of you, I balked, ranted, and squawked at the very idea that the church needed to change at all. In fact, I gathered a little following of people who would listen to my rants with nods of approval.
I was proud to be unchanged, strongly traditionalistic, and most importantly – right. I needed to know that I was right.
Strange Change
But then a rather strange thing happened. I started to deeply study God’s Word, and I noticed that the Bible – from beginning to end – was filled with change. In literary terms, God is the static, unchanging character. Yet His goal throughout the biblical story is all about change: redeeming, re-creating, and re-forming humans into the likeness of God the Son, Jesus Christ. You see, you and I are the dynamic, changing characters in God’s story.
Abram and Sarai are changed to the faith-filled Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 17; Heb. 11:8-11, 17-19). Jacob, the Deceiver, becomes Israel (Gen. 32:28-32; Heb. 11:20-21). A bitter, doubting woman named Naomi is restored to joy and faith (Ruth 4:14-17). A Moabite widow named Ruth is brought into Israel’s royal line (Ruth 4:17-22). A young shepherd boy becomes King David (2 Sam. 5:1-5).
God changes the great King Nebuchadnezzar from an egomaniac to a humble worshiper (Dan. 4:28-37). He changed fishermen like Peter and tax collectors like Matthew into legendary missionaries and pastors. Societal outcasts and prostitutes became devoted followers and evangelists. God changed Saul, the hate-mongering, racist, religious fanatic, into the apostle of grace, Paul. And the list could go on and on with names like Joseph, Moses, Mary, Peter, and Timothy, John Mark, James, Thomas, and John.
God changes lives and calls every Christ-follower into a journey of change.
More than all the dynamic, human examples from the Bible, stands the God-man, Jesus Christ. Jesus came to offer Himself as the Way, a way to new life – a total change from something old to something radically new (John 14:6). His forerunner (the announcer or appetizer, per se), John the Baptist, lived and ministered totally outside the accepted religious system as an intentional picture of this new presentation that was about to arrive: Jesus Christ (Matthew 3:1-12).
And when Jesus arrived on the scene everything changed. The conservative religious leaders (the Pharisees) were madder than hornets on a hot summer day, the liberals (the Sadducees) scoffed and mocked; but the needy, hurting, and broken flocked to hear His words of grace, hope, and forgiveness.
My Following or His Mission?
And this is what is wrecking my life… in a very wonderful way. I found I was fighting the wrong fight and my life was only looking less and less like Jesus Christ. The lost, hurting, and needy were not flocking to receive help, hope, and love from me. Instead I only had my following of people just like me.
And the church across the Western hemisphere? Well, by and large we are really good at being “us.” But are people with diseases, hurts, needs, and bruises flocking to us to receive the mercy and message of Jesus Christ, the One we are supposed to fully put on display for the entire world to see?
It is time to change. Yes, it is going to be risky – and I probably will still have my balking and squawking moments. But God the Father has ordained the mission of Jesus to be accomplished by His people as they change into the full, mature picture of His Son Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Christ’s call to unity in love and truth will only happen through Spirit-wrought humility and grace. This is exactly what God inspired Paul to write about for the church in Ephesus:
“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:11-13)
The singular purpose of God’s gifts for the Church is life-change: real, lasting growth toward Christ-likeness. Our lives together should actually begin to look and sound like Jesus. To this, one of my teachers and mentors said rather simply, “Change is the calling of every Christ-follower” (Dr. Howard Hendricks). Change is the goal, not stagnation, fermentation, preservation, or isolation.
Mission Life-Change
But here’s where change gets risky and difficult: Christ’s mission to reach the lost with His life-changing message will only occur through us when we release our cultural idolatries of clothing styles, musical preferences, embedded racisms, and myriad ethnocentricities, and, in turn, embrace change for the sake of the Gospel through the power of the Spirit. Christ’s call to change is part and parcel to Christ’s mission. The early Jewish Christians could have clung to their cultural traditions and prior religious system and enforced them on their Gentile brothers and sisters. And some sure tried to pull this pious looking stunt. Yet such cultural idolatry was sharply rebuked by the apostle Paul and ultimately found to be an enemy of the Gospel itself (Galatians 1:6-10, 2:1-21; Acts 15).
To the church in Galatia, Paul wrote, “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery. Listen! I, Paul tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! …For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight – the only thing that matters is faith working through love.”
Paul had zero tolerance for people who tried to enforce extra-biblical standards, traditions, and cultural idolatries. Jesus Christ radically changed Paul, and for him there was no going back to the old system. He had been changed forever.
Sub-Culture Pop Quiz
So what about us? What does God want to change in you? Maybe like me, you’re still holding onto Christian sub-culture idolatries that create unnecessary barriers between people without Christ and His message – lived and proclaimed through us, the Church:
Perhaps we still believe…
…Types of clothing equate to inward holiness or the absence of holiness.
…Styles of Christian music connect to spiritual maturity or the lack of maturity.
…Applying food restrictions and diets will bring God’s smile upon your life or His frown if you don’t fit the mold.
…Time spent at a church building always correlates to the depth of your relationship with God or the shallowness of your relationship.
…Sizes of homes, investment portfolios, and bank accounts always point to the blessing of God or the lack of His blessing.
…Quantity of Bible-reading and prayer will cause God to love a person more or love them less.
…Punctuality within an American-driven framework is akin to God-likeness (i.e. godliness). Note: the average person did not own a wristwatch until the early 20th century.
…Safety and relative ease is promised by God for us – in this age – if we are extra-obedient.
…Shows of poverty must mean the person has greater humility.
…Apparent wealth usually means the person has a great deal of pride.
…Watching television or going to a movie theater is inappropriate or even sinful for someone who is “sold-out” for Jesus.
No Way!
Now, I might know what some of you are thinking right now: “Hey, wait a minute! God says for us to do everything “decently and in order,” so we ought to be punctual… and doesn’t this apply to how we do our music too?! The Bible also talks about showing modesty in what we wear; right? And sheesh… going to church is something I love to do! Am I supposed to change that!?”
I have no doubt a thousand other arguments could be raised against this short list of cultural expectations and idolatries. But hear me clearly: I am not saying that modesty, healthy diets, church attendance, punctuality, Bible-reading, and financial wisdom do not matter. They certainly do. However, God’s love for you and me in the Gospel of Christ does not hinge on any of these practices, qualities, or expectations, no matter how noble some of them may be. I love walking into a church building for worship. But it is very possible to spend lots of time in a church building and not even have a relationship with God. I love reading the Bible and spending time in prayer, but my motivation for doing so has radically changed. I do not attend church, read the Bible, or pray in order to gain more of God’s love, instead, I simply love God in return for the love with which He completely loves me in Jesus Christ. And most importantly for our mission: if we use our cultural preferences or expectations as cinder-block partitions between each other and those outside of Christ, we will never be living as God intended. We will fail to demonstrate unity and humility in His love and truth (see John 17), and thereby will never offer the world a clear message of hope in Jesus.
God-made Change
This is the change that is wrecking my life… in a wonderful way. Knowing and following God is not a frenetic chase to earn his favor and blessing; it’s a relationship rooted in His always-abounding and never-ending grace. This change is lowering the altitude of my nose. It’s cutting off my policing action that can become so common among pastors. Yes, pastors are not policemen – we are shepherds. And now, most of all I pray, hope, and desire that everyone under my care will not try to fix all their issues in order to fit a cultural mold, but instead fall wildly in love with the Savior who can change everything. He alone can fix all their issues, addictions, and sin. He is that good, that grace giving, and that powerful. So let Him change you…
Maybe you are not struggling with “Christian” sub-culture idolatries. But, like me, you see other huge areas in your life that need God-made change.
Perhaps you find yourself acting like…
…Having people ask you about the hope of Christ in your life is only supposed to happen on rare occasions.
…Radically engaging in the mission of Jesus (to “go therefore and make disciples…”) is something only pastors and official leaders are supposed to direct and pour their lives into.
…People immigrating to the USA from other continents – especially the Muslim world – should sometimes be looked upon with fear and frustration.
…People who speak clear English deserve more respect than immigrants who severely struggle to communicate (especially when they are trying to give you over-the-phone tech support).
…People with lots of tattoos, piercings, and “a past” should always be watched with wary eyes and asked to cover up their paraphernalia when in “your” church building. You don’t want them to scare away any other visitors…
…God’s love for you gives you license to live totally as you please, rather than in a return-act of love for the God who saved you.
…Your addiction to lust or pornography doesn’t really matter to God.
…Persistent anger, screaming matches, and gossip in your home are less offensive to God than an addiction to nicotine or alcohol.
The Tension
Do you feel the tension between the God of grace and the problems in your life? You and I need change. God-made change. Perhaps like me, you’ve been creating more walls than bridges when it comes to the Gospel mission. Together, let’s ask God to change us for His glory through the power of His Spirit. Let’s fall wildly in love with the Savior who can change everything. He alone can fix our issues. He is that good, that grace giving, and that powerful. It’s time to embrace Gospel-driven change as God’s people. Change is the call of every Christ-follower. I just cannot believe I resisted His call for so long. May God’s radical grace change you more into the likeness of the Son as you follow His will.
