Morning: We will continue looking at Jesus Our Great High Priest. This sermon, entitled, "The Nature of His Priesthood," will look at Hebrews 7:1-8:13. In this length passage the author explains what it means for Jesus to be a priest in the order of Melchizedek. He invites us to remember that we have a high priest who has sat down at the right hand of the throne of Majesty in heaven (Heb 8:1-2). Jesus' place secures our own before God. In this passage the author will lay out some parallels between Melchizedek and Jesus, explain why God promised this new priesthood, and explain the superiority of Jesus' ministry as our Great High Priest.
Evening: We will not have discipleship training this evening. We will be showing The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything movie (VeggieTales). Everyone is welcome. The movie will start at 5:00 and there will be snacks to follow.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Removing the Clutter
My office is kind of like my Batcave or Fortress of Solitude. However, my office has been in shambles for months. Then yesterday, I had to move some stuff which caused one area of my office to be less cluttered while simitaneously making the rest of the clutter seem greater. So I was compelled to clean my office today--moving books, shelving them, filing papers, throwing stuff away and so on. As the cleanness began to spread slowly, I began to think about how life sometimes get cluttered. Life comes at us fast and we often just react. We push the less urgent things to the side, and think, I'll do that later. However, if we are not careful later comes later than we think. Our to-do lists get longer, and time seemingly gets shorter. As believers, we are not live our lives on autopilot. We are called to make the most out of every moment. This is why self-control is so important.
When trying to rid our lives (and offices) of clutter there are some helpful things we can do. The first step is to slow down and assess our priorities. What really matters? There are two schools of thought on what to do next. First, we can tackle the small stuff, building our confidence with each little victory. Or we tackle the big stuff, knocking out the hard stuff first. A third approach, which is highly ineffective and creates more problems in the long run, is to move the mess from place to place. I used to do this as a child when I cleaned my room. I would pull everything out of the closet and from under the bed spend hours sorting through the mess, get bored and frustrated, and just cram it all back under the bed or in the closet.
The most important thing we can do is to remember we do not possess the power to clean up our lives by ourselves. The Holy Spirit lives within the believer, and works to bring about change in their heart. He works in and through us to bring about in us the image of Christ. Philippians 2:12-13 demonstates the the reality our working in conjuction with the Spirit. Paul state, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." The reality that the Spirit is at work in our lives, bringing about obedience, does not negate our responsiblity to seek to live obedient lives. Nor does the reality that we are called to walk in obedience minimize the Spirit's work in our lives. We must understand that we are called to do the will of God, and that the Spirit enable such work in us.
When our priorities are correct God will bring order to our lives. When we fail, we must confess and continue to trust that Jesus' blood and righteousness continues to secure our right standing before God. As Jesus stated, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matt. 6:33, ESV). Sometimes when we tackle the big issues first, the small ones resolve themselves. At other times the big ones seem so daunting that we need to bolster our confidence through a few small victories before we tackle them. In the end, what we must come to understand is that when we walk in obedience, it is because the Spirit has done a work in our heart. We are held by the grace of God and for that we should be thankful.
When trying to rid our lives (and offices) of clutter there are some helpful things we can do. The first step is to slow down and assess our priorities. What really matters? There are two schools of thought on what to do next. First, we can tackle the small stuff, building our confidence with each little victory. Or we tackle the big stuff, knocking out the hard stuff first. A third approach, which is highly ineffective and creates more problems in the long run, is to move the mess from place to place. I used to do this as a child when I cleaned my room. I would pull everything out of the closet and from under the bed spend hours sorting through the mess, get bored and frustrated, and just cram it all back under the bed or in the closet.
The most important thing we can do is to remember we do not possess the power to clean up our lives by ourselves. The Holy Spirit lives within the believer, and works to bring about change in their heart. He works in and through us to bring about in us the image of Christ. Philippians 2:12-13 demonstates the the reality our working in conjuction with the Spirit. Paul state, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." The reality that the Spirit is at work in our lives, bringing about obedience, does not negate our responsiblity to seek to live obedient lives. Nor does the reality that we are called to walk in obedience minimize the Spirit's work in our lives. We must understand that we are called to do the will of God, and that the Spirit enable such work in us.
When our priorities are correct God will bring order to our lives. When we fail, we must confess and continue to trust that Jesus' blood and righteousness continues to secure our right standing before God. As Jesus stated, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matt. 6:33, ESV). Sometimes when we tackle the big issues first, the small ones resolve themselves. At other times the big ones seem so daunting that we need to bolster our confidence through a few small victories before we tackle them. In the end, what we must come to understand is that when we walk in obedience, it is because the Spirit has done a work in our heart. We are held by the grace of God and for that we should be thankful.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Have You Been to Jesus for Cleansing Power?
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9, ESV)
A friend stopped by this morning to help us clean the carpets before Sophia comes home. I had know for some time that the carpets were getting dingy, but until I began moving furniture this morning I didn't realize just how dingy. I have vacuumed them a couple of times over the past week and a half and had pretreated some of the stains, but we still had to vacuum the floors twice today to get them ready for cleaning. I went through the house pretreating spots again. Then it was time to begin. As my friend began running the carpet cleaner over the carpet, I began watch the transformation. The low traffic spots (like under the couch) looked brand new after just one pass of the machine.
However, the high traffic and very dingy areas seemed unaffected by the efforts of the machine. The first pass only made them look dingy and wet. Yet, with each subsequent pass and my friend's vigilant care the grime began to fade. Our carpet, once more spotted than a leopard, began to resemble its former soft cream color. The moral to this story is: buy dark carpet-it shows less dirt.
Actually, what really hit me is the parallel between a dingy carpet and a dingy life. Living has a funny way of tracking dirt throughout the houses of our lives. The Bible calls this dirt sin. Sin is when we break God's law (see Exodus 20; Duet 5) by doing what we shouldn't or not doing what we should. Respectively, these are called sins of commission and sins of omission. These sins have separated us from God. They have made us dingy in his sight. And each day our lives accumulate more dirt. The good news is that God, who is holy (think dirt free/clean) and just (flawless/perfect) has provided a way for our sins to be cleansed. God said that all sin must be punished by death. In his great love and great justice, God sent his Son, Jesus, to be a substitute for us. Jesus lived a sinless life that pleased his Father very much and willingly offered to die in our place for our sins. So that, now if we believe that he is the eternal Son of God, who took on flesh, lived a sinless life, died in our place, and was raised to life again on the third day we will have all our sins cleansed.
After we have our sins forgiven the Lord begins the process of transforming us. We call this process sanctification, which means being made holy (set apart/clean). Through justification (God's gracious acquittal of our sins), we receive a positional holiness. God views us, in Christ, as holy. However, our experience teaches us that we are not yet (completely) holy. Many Bible scholars refer to this tension as the already-not yet. In one sense we are already holy, but in another sense we are not yet fully holy, so we await the resurrection when our holiness is made complete. This takes me back to my carpet analogy. When we turn to Jesus, he drops into our lives and begins to the cleansing process. In the less trafficked areas we look pretty clean. But, in those areas where there was the heavy traffic of sin, the first past may leave us looking dingy and wet. However the vigilant care of our friend Jesus will continue to go over those spots until our lives are as clean as his. Much like a carpet our lives will need perpetual cleaning, because something is always getting tracked in. Unlike the carpet our lives won't eventually get discarded, because the Lord preserves them as he cleans. And one day he will finish the task (glorification) and our lives will never be stained again.
I want to thank my friend for cleaning my carpets. Your hard work and service is greatly appreciated. And I want Jesus for cleaning my my life. His gracious sacrifice has brought me to God. Thank you, Lord Jesus.
A friend stopped by this morning to help us clean the carpets before Sophia comes home. I had know for some time that the carpets were getting dingy, but until I began moving furniture this morning I didn't realize just how dingy. I have vacuumed them a couple of times over the past week and a half and had pretreated some of the stains, but we still had to vacuum the floors twice today to get them ready for cleaning. I went through the house pretreating spots again. Then it was time to begin. As my friend began running the carpet cleaner over the carpet, I began watch the transformation. The low traffic spots (like under the couch) looked brand new after just one pass of the machine.
However, the high traffic and very dingy areas seemed unaffected by the efforts of the machine. The first pass only made them look dingy and wet. Yet, with each subsequent pass and my friend's vigilant care the grime began to fade. Our carpet, once more spotted than a leopard, began to resemble its former soft cream color. The moral to this story is: buy dark carpet-it shows less dirt.
Actually, what really hit me is the parallel between a dingy carpet and a dingy life. Living has a funny way of tracking dirt throughout the houses of our lives. The Bible calls this dirt sin. Sin is when we break God's law (see Exodus 20; Duet 5) by doing what we shouldn't or not doing what we should. Respectively, these are called sins of commission and sins of omission. These sins have separated us from God. They have made us dingy in his sight. And each day our lives accumulate more dirt. The good news is that God, who is holy (think dirt free/clean) and just (flawless/perfect) has provided a way for our sins to be cleansed. God said that all sin must be punished by death. In his great love and great justice, God sent his Son, Jesus, to be a substitute for us. Jesus lived a sinless life that pleased his Father very much and willingly offered to die in our place for our sins. So that, now if we believe that he is the eternal Son of God, who took on flesh, lived a sinless life, died in our place, and was raised to life again on the third day we will have all our sins cleansed.
After we have our sins forgiven the Lord begins the process of transforming us. We call this process sanctification, which means being made holy (set apart/clean). Through justification (God's gracious acquittal of our sins), we receive a positional holiness. God views us, in Christ, as holy. However, our experience teaches us that we are not yet (completely) holy. Many Bible scholars refer to this tension as the already-not yet. In one sense we are already holy, but in another sense we are not yet fully holy, so we await the resurrection when our holiness is made complete. This takes me back to my carpet analogy. When we turn to Jesus, he drops into our lives and begins to the cleansing process. In the less trafficked areas we look pretty clean. But, in those areas where there was the heavy traffic of sin, the first past may leave us looking dingy and wet. However the vigilant care of our friend Jesus will continue to go over those spots until our lives are as clean as his. Much like a carpet our lives will need perpetual cleaning, because something is always getting tracked in. Unlike the carpet our lives won't eventually get discarded, because the Lord preserves them as he cleans. And one day he will finish the task (glorification) and our lives will never be stained again.
I want to thank my friend for cleaning my carpets. Your hard work and service is greatly appreciated. And I want Jesus for cleaning my my life. His gracious sacrifice has brought me to God. Thank you, Lord Jesus.
Sermon Reveiw 11-16-08
Morning: The sermon was entitled, "Behind the Curtain" and came from Hebrews 6:13-20. The author of Hebrews reminded us to be encouraged, "for it is impossible for God to lie." The author explained in this passage the great assurance we have as the inheritors of the promises of God. The promise spoken to Abraham, and fulfilled in Christ, are unbreakable. God demonstrates this by first making the promise and then by swearing an oath. The oath demonstrated God's solemn intention to keep the promise. That promise is the anchor for our soul, because it is unshakable and cannot be broken. That unshakable hope in the promise of God allows us to follow our Great High Priest, Jesus, behind the curtain into the Most Holy Place, into the very throne room of God to find the help we need to live for him. Jesus' atoning death secured for us a place in the presence of God. God cannot nor would he break his promise.
Evening: We zeroed in on the fallenness of man. Romans 5 discusses the entrance of sin into the world through Adam's rebellion, and the subsequent condemnation of his descendants. Romans 3:10-20 sketched a very dark picture of human nature leaving us to conclude there is none good, no not one. Ephesians 2:1-10 describes the human plight as being dead in transgressions and sin, and being by nature objects of wrath. The evidence of Scripture is that man is a fallen creature incapable of rescuing himself. The good news is good precisely because it presents the remedy to our situation. Man is dead and needs life. God in his grace extends to man life through faith in the gospel message. In order to fully appreciate the gospel, we must understand the depth of our sin and how far God went to remedy it. The brutality of the cross was because of the exceedingly sinfulness of sin.
Evening: We zeroed in on the fallenness of man. Romans 5 discusses the entrance of sin into the world through Adam's rebellion, and the subsequent condemnation of his descendants. Romans 3:10-20 sketched a very dark picture of human nature leaving us to conclude there is none good, no not one. Ephesians 2:1-10 describes the human plight as being dead in transgressions and sin, and being by nature objects of wrath. The evidence of Scripture is that man is a fallen creature incapable of rescuing himself. The good news is good precisely because it presents the remedy to our situation. Man is dead and needs life. God in his grace extends to man life through faith in the gospel message. In order to fully appreciate the gospel, we must understand the depth of our sin and how far God went to remedy it. The brutality of the cross was because of the exceedingly sinfulness of sin.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Never Alone
Growing up I loved The Incredible Hulk t.v. show. I guess even as a kid I related to David Banner's loneliness. Here was this poor, nice guy who had to move from town to town to protect himself. He couldn't really get to know anyone. He could never be himself. David Banner's secret kept him on the move.
I think many of us understand that sense of isolation. Many of us feel alone, unable to connect, unable to feel comfortable or be ourselves. We shuffle from place to place emotionally, in the hopes of avoiding heartache. Sometimes it is the fear that others may discover that we have a secret. We desperately want them to think that we have it all together. We don't want them to find out.
The irony, for the believer, is that the sensation of isolation is an illusion. While we may feel (deeply) alone, we are never alone. When we are in Christ, God is always with us. It is precisely for this reason that we must learn to make our relationship to God the focus of our lives. It has been said that we play to an audience of one. When we concern ourselves with pleasing the Lord, the fear of man will drift away. For some the desire to please others will fade more slowly. For others, such liberation may come with welcomed speed. But may it be that it comes.
I think many of us understand that sense of isolation. Many of us feel alone, unable to connect, unable to feel comfortable or be ourselves. We shuffle from place to place emotionally, in the hopes of avoiding heartache. Sometimes it is the fear that others may discover that we have a secret. We desperately want them to think that we have it all together. We don't want them to find out.
The irony, for the believer, is that the sensation of isolation is an illusion. While we may feel (deeply) alone, we are never alone. When we are in Christ, God is always with us. It is precisely for this reason that we must learn to make our relationship to God the focus of our lives. It has been said that we play to an audience of one. When we concern ourselves with pleasing the Lord, the fear of man will drift away. For some the desire to please others will fade more slowly. For others, such liberation may come with welcomed speed. But may it be that it comes.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
In Search of Wisdom
A wise man once said, "Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. The fear of the Lord is instruction is wisdom, and humility comes before honor" (Prov. 15:32-33). I have a sneaking suspicion that God is trying to tell me something. It seems that everywhere I turn in the Scriptures I am confronted with the concept of being teachable.
I have always assumed I am teachable, but I am beginning to have my doubts. I know that by reading a chapter of Proverbs a day that I will face a fair amount of references to being teachable, but even in my studies elsewhere this issue has been visited and revisited. I think there is a danger in studying that often goes unaddressed. I fear that we often forget that learning facts is not the same a being teachable. We may sit in Sunday school and hear something we had not known before, and yet our lives might not be changed. Or we may hear something in a sermon that we had not previously considered, and yet we often do little about it.
Being a disciple is not about collecting facts like an encyclopedia. It is more like being a toolbox. Information, knowledge, and experience are gathered together like tools, so that we may effectively accomplish the tasks set apart for us by the Lord. Being teachable means that we not only possess some tools, but we are willing to gather more with the full intention of learning to master the new ones, as well as the old. When the Scriptures call us to teachability, or discipleship, they call us to become apprentices who study under the Master. We study the tools that he has given us. We learn all their uses. We watch to see how he uses them and we imitate his actions. He watches us as we use them and corrects us when we err. Skill comes through constant, consistent, correct practice.
I want to be more teachable. I want a humble heart that handles correction with gratitude. I want to learn the art of skillful living, often referred to as wisdom. Lord, open my heart to your Word that I may be corrected, purified and wise. Amen!
I have always assumed I am teachable, but I am beginning to have my doubts. I know that by reading a chapter of Proverbs a day that I will face a fair amount of references to being teachable, but even in my studies elsewhere this issue has been visited and revisited. I think there is a danger in studying that often goes unaddressed. I fear that we often forget that learning facts is not the same a being teachable. We may sit in Sunday school and hear something we had not known before, and yet our lives might not be changed. Or we may hear something in a sermon that we had not previously considered, and yet we often do little about it.
Being a disciple is not about collecting facts like an encyclopedia. It is more like being a toolbox. Information, knowledge, and experience are gathered together like tools, so that we may effectively accomplish the tasks set apart for us by the Lord. Being teachable means that we not only possess some tools, but we are willing to gather more with the full intention of learning to master the new ones, as well as the old. When the Scriptures call us to teachability, or discipleship, they call us to become apprentices who study under the Master. We study the tools that he has given us. We learn all their uses. We watch to see how he uses them and we imitate his actions. He watches us as we use them and corrects us when we err. Skill comes through constant, consistent, correct practice.
I want to be more teachable. I want a humble heart that handles correction with gratitude. I want to learn the art of skillful living, often referred to as wisdom. Lord, open my heart to your Word that I may be corrected, purified and wise. Amen!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Preoccupied
Have you ever found yourself not wanting to think? Have you ever wished your brain could just stop the wheels of thought long enough for you to catch your emotional breath? I admit there are times I don't want to think. I have tried for the last several week not to think about how long it will be until Sophia comes home. As the days stretch into weeks and August crawled into November another day approaches. It is a day that stays at the back of my mind, lingering around like some inconsiderate guest who doesn't realize the party is over and it is time to go home. That day lingers there unwelcomed and, in reality, uninvited. It is the day of Ellie's death. This coming Monday will mark the 2nd anniversary of her going home. It is a day that I will never forget, no matter how hard I try. The irony is that it feels like I have to struggle to remember much of the days we had with her.
I am a man caught between straining forward and looking back. The hope of celebrating Sophia's homecoming does not eradicate the grief of Ellie's homegoing. Sometimes the grief is tangible like a blanket or a weight. It is not a burden I bear alone, but it is one I seldom talk about, yet never stop thinking about. I miss my daughters. I know that I will see them both again; Sophia in a few weeks and Ellie when I get to heaven, but that reality only makes the pain bearable. However, I continue to rely on the Lord; I know that he is with me and that he will sustain me.
But, I find myself trying to stop the thinking. I'll watch some tv or a movie. I'll read a book. I'll daydream from time to time. These things however do not help. They only prolong the inevitable. I am trying to find a better way--a way that doesn't seek to empty my mind, but fill it. I meditate on God's character and nature. I think about the Scriptures a lot. I desire to start memorizing Scripture again. As Christ's servant I want to be fruitful and effective. I want these experiences to help grow closer to the Lord. We can't bear fruit if we are always trying to escape. Fruitfulness comes from hard work and perseverance. We must, however, strike the right balance as Paul reminds us, ". . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work in his good pleasure" (Phil 2:12-13, ESV). As we abide in the Lord, he brings fruit to bear in our life (John 15). Sometimes the sweetest fruit comes from the darkest circumstances.
Again Paul states, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Phil 4:8). When the burdens that wear you down tempt you to empty your mind, give them over to the Lord and rest in him. Begin filling your mind with his Word, and allow the knowledge of his presence to fill your heart. He cares for you, and he is with you.
I am a man caught between straining forward and looking back. The hope of celebrating Sophia's homecoming does not eradicate the grief of Ellie's homegoing. Sometimes the grief is tangible like a blanket or a weight. It is not a burden I bear alone, but it is one I seldom talk about, yet never stop thinking about. I miss my daughters. I know that I will see them both again; Sophia in a few weeks and Ellie when I get to heaven, but that reality only makes the pain bearable. However, I continue to rely on the Lord; I know that he is with me and that he will sustain me.
But, I find myself trying to stop the thinking. I'll watch some tv or a movie. I'll read a book. I'll daydream from time to time. These things however do not help. They only prolong the inevitable. I am trying to find a better way--a way that doesn't seek to empty my mind, but fill it. I meditate on God's character and nature. I think about the Scriptures a lot. I desire to start memorizing Scripture again. As Christ's servant I want to be fruitful and effective. I want these experiences to help grow closer to the Lord. We can't bear fruit if we are always trying to escape. Fruitfulness comes from hard work and perseverance. We must, however, strike the right balance as Paul reminds us, ". . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work in his good pleasure" (Phil 2:12-13, ESV). As we abide in the Lord, he brings fruit to bear in our life (John 15). Sometimes the sweetest fruit comes from the darkest circumstances.
Again Paul states, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Phil 4:8). When the burdens that wear you down tempt you to empty your mind, give them over to the Lord and rest in him. Begin filling your mind with his Word, and allow the knowledge of his presence to fill your heart. He cares for you, and he is with you.
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