UNASHAMED!

The other morning I was waiting for my coffee and breakfast burrito at a local coffee shop and over-heard a conversation between two customers. The guy was telling his tale of woe concerning his ex-wife, custody of his kids, going to court, conflict over schools, etc. I wondered if when he first decided to venture down the path of marital bliss he envisioned having those kinds of conversations, out loud for all to hear, with an acquaintance in a coffee shop. Of course not…they never do. Change the names and a few mi-nor circumstances and it’s a conversation repeated thousands of times daily, by the massive community of those trying to deal with the ravages of divorce and broken families.

Although I would never be this bold—bordering on rude—I imagined saying, “Doin’ life without Jesus? How’s that workin’ for ya so far?” Hopefully, I wouldn’t say it out of pride or an attempt to shame him, but he was a young guy; his kids were obviously young and I thought, “This is just the beginning of his problems. How different would his life be now and in the future if he and his “ex” had chosen to be obedient to God rather than going down the path prescribed all-too-often by our culture? His story is repeated over and over again and if the kids turn out okay, it is only by the grace of God.

“Doin’ life without Jesus? How’s that workin’ for ya so far?” Would such a question be totally out of line to ask of someone who shamelessly airs his dirty laundry before unsuspecting coffee consumers like me? Would it really be inappropriate to ask of a person try-ing hopelessly to navigate through the consequences of their poor decisions apart from Christ? If you really believed that what you could offer would really help, would it be wrong to ask?

The reason I’m not ashamed of the gospel is not because it gives me a sense of superiority when I en-counter these situations, but that I know it is truly their only hope. But, if I know they are lost without embracing the gospel, why do I so often stay silent when I should speak up?

I must admit, the coffee shop scenario is not my “cup of tea” when it comes to extolling the benefits of a life lived with Jesus at the helm. I’d much rather stand before a huge crowd of supportive congregants and spout off about what those who don’t know Christ are missing, than offer one stranger the healing power he really needs, while awaiting my cup of java. But, if he’s not ashamed to announce the failure of his marriage and its painful consequences, dare I be too ashamed to speak up? Really, I can’t lose. Even if he rudely rebuffed me, I’d get a good sermon illustration out of it. But, still I’m silent as I stir in my cream and sugarless sweetener.

Being unashamed to share what only God can of-fer has stood between the extinction and the ad-vancement of the gospel for centuries. A few simple words, or a well-placed question has made all the dif-ference, thousands of times. So it is no surprise that the New Testament repeatedly emphasizes not al-ways keeping our mouths shut.

Jesus warned that if we confess Him before men He will confess us before the Father. But, if we deny Him, He will deny us. Paul writes, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel,” and “Do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,” and “I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed” (Rom. 1:16; 2 Tim 1:8, 12). Peter wrote, “Do not fear their intimidation and do not be troubled” (2 Peter 3:14).

So, I ask you and me: Are you ignoring what the Bi-ble says? How’s that workin’ for ya so far?



“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory”

—LUKE 9:26 NASB

The truth and the Truth…

Is it possible that the One Who referred to Himself as “the Truth” was less-than-honest about Himself? You would be hard-pressed to find someone that would call Jesus a liar. Usually, people acknowledge Him as God-made-flesh; the Savior of the world, or as a good guy who taught people about great things like love and peace, or they deny His existence altogether. But, few—if any—accuse Jesus of intentionally trying to hoodwink people.

I can only think of one example of where someone actually referred to Jesus as a liar. In Matthew’s gospel, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’…” (Matt. 27:63, emphasis added). Of course, after three days He DID rise, disproving the deceiver theory.

People may use His name in vain; they may misuse it as an expletive, but it is an extreme rarity for anyone to call Jesus a fraud, fake, pretender, imposter or phony. They won’t say it, but by the way they—and I’m even talking about Christians—relate to Him, they scream it.

In his classic book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis put forth his famous “Trilemma,” (since unlike a dilemma there are three options, not two) arguing that either Jesus was Lord (and God) as He claimed, or He was a liar, or a lunatic. Lewis wrote:

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.

The skeptics will say that this is a “false dilemma” since there may be other choices besides Lord, liar, or lunatic or, as some put it, “Bad, Mad, or God.” The skeptics are wrong, in my semi-humble opinion. The bottom line is that you cannot say that Jesus was a good, admirable person and at the same time say He wasn’t Lord and God, as He claimed.

All other choices fit into the general categories of Jesus being intentionally dishonest about who He was or being Himself deluded about His true identity. Other than these options, the skeptics must try to disassemble Scripture and discount the fact that Jesus ever made the claims. And of course, they try. But, the Bible is just too historically reliable for these attempts at erasing Jesus’ words to stand.

The best argument…in favor of, or…against Christ being Who He claimed to be is your life. People are watching you to see if you believe strongly that He is actually Lord and God. If you can’t demonstrate by the way you live that you believe His claims, why should they believe His claims?

“He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son” —1 JOHN 5:10 NKJV

Test the Spirits…

In 1 John, the Apostle mentions two opposing entities called the spirit of truth and the spirit of error (1 John 4:6). He encourages discernment when it comes to telling them apart. From the looks of many churches, some calling themselves “evangelical”, there’s a severe discernment deficiency out there.

I ran across an article online about a church in Denver, Colorado. The headline read, Evangelical Church Opens Door Fully to Gays. My first assumption was that this was a church welcoming homosexuals seeking to find help and hope in Christ, and that the church would lovingly lead them toward the truth concerning the biblical view of homosexuality and then encourage change. Never assume.

The article described a church and pastor that had simply set aside the Bible on this controversial topic. At best, they rejected and/or reinterpreted certain passages completely, for the sake of not appearing judgmental about this particular in-vogue abomination. The article described this so-called church as a…

…church guided both by the Apostle's Creed and the belief that gay people can embrace their sexual orientation as God-given and seek fulfillment in committed same-sex relationships.

[The Pastor] said [the church] is not a one-issue church but one committed to social justice. He describes it as "radically inclusive but still rooted in the essentials of the Gospel." The church discourages promiscuity and encourages healthy lifelong relationships.

[He] said he supports gay marriage and would perform same-sex blessings if asked. A gay man in a committed relationship sits on the church's board of trustees.

"Our position is not one of lenience, but a matter of justice," said [the Pastor], a married father of five. "It's not that we don't acknowledge the reality of sin. It's not a sin to be gay or act in accordance with your nature."

Really? It’s not a sin to “act in accordance with your nature”? Where did he get that? This is a PASTOR? Did he miss what Paul said in Ephesians 2:3—that we were once “by nature children of wrath”? Just because we are a certain way by nature, doesn’t mean that we should stay that way.

One way to discern that there is a spirit of error present is when clergy or others claiming to represent the church begin parroting the culturally popular, politically correct view though it stands in direct opposition to the biblical view. Their motives have nothing to do with defending the Truth and everything to do with sounding acceptable in the world’s eyes. Instead of promoting the gospel, they begin promoting nebulous, secular concepts like, “social justice.” Most can’t even tell you what they mean by that, but it sounds so hip!

Some might accuse you of living in the Dark Ages if you hold too tenaciously to biblical moral standards. They may consider themselves enlightened and you, intolerant and ignorant. In fact, if you boldly confront the spirit of error, expect to hear those labels—and worse (bigoted, closed-minded, judgmental, etc.)—hurled in your direction. That’s okay. You’re in good company, “for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:12).

Never embrace the spirit of error for popularity’s sake. Never deny the spirit of truth for fear it might turn someone off or even away from church. If the prophets before you had done that, there would be no true church from which to turn away.
“They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them." —1 JOHN 4:5 NKJV

I Love What?

Since Valentine’s Day 2010 is upon us, let’s talk
about love. Do cards, candy, flowers, jewelry, pajamas,
teddy bears or candle-lit dinners really prove
one’s love for another? All-too-often, those expressions
of “love” are little more than guilt-inspired attempts
to fulfill what many feel is our forced obligation
to participate in another Hallmark holiday. Real
love involves commitment, regardless of the accompanying
trinkets or the date on the calendar.

You make your strongest commitments to that
which you love most. You can say you love something
or some one, but your level of commitment to
that entity will speak much louder than words.

For example, last week we (most of us) watched
the Super Bowl. How can you tell when a person
loves her team? Well, what commitments
is she willing to set aside in order
to express her love?

Christianity Today, in an online article
entitled, Sports Fanatics—How
Christians have succumbed to the sports
culture—and what might be done about
it, told the following story”

“In Warren St. John's Rammer Jammer
Yellow Hammer—a fascinating account
of the lunacy that is University of Alabama football—
the reporter recounts a conversation with a
Mr. and Mrs. Reese in their $300,000 motor
home, purchased exclusively to travel to Crimson
Tide games. The couple, it turns out, had missed
their daughter's wedding because it fell on the
same day as the Alabama-Tennessee game. They
said they had managed to make the reception, and
noted that they had asked their daughter not to
schedule the wedding so as to conflict with the big
game. Asked why he did it, Mr. Reese could only
shake his head and respond: ‘I just love Alabama
football, is all I can think of.’"

Don’t get me started on the love of sports supplanting
faith commitments like attending church,
serving the body of Christ and committing resources
to accomplish His work. Please don’t get me going
on the “Church of AYSO” with open-air services and
throngs of congregants on any given Sunday.

It was obvious I loved basketball from the beginning
of high school, on through college. How could
you tell? I was committed—committed to long practices,
challenging seasons, hours-on-end practicing
lay-ups, rebounding and hook-shots in my backyard
and even inside my garage (when it rained). I actually
received the award for “Gym Rat” on my high school
team because of countless hours voluntarily spent on
the hardwood. Was that wrong? Not necessarily, but
things I loved less (dances; dates) were sacrificed for
my love of basketball. (Okay, terminal shyness
had something to do with that too).

So, as a Christian, can you honestly
say—not with words but with what you’re
willing to sacrifice—that you love Jesus
most? If not, may I repeat something with
which I challenged the LOCC flock in my
most recent sermon? “Make doing His will
the most satisfying thing in your life; the
thing you love most.”

Oddly enough, the hungrier I’ve become
for doing God’s will, the more my appetite for
things like basketball, temporal pursuits and
worldly recognition has diminished. I’m not saying
one must abandon all recreation, hobbies and pleasure
to truly commit to God. But, unless those things
take a distant second by word and deed, we might
well imagine Jesus asking us what He asked Peter:
“Do you love Me?” (John 21:15, 16, 17).

“My little children, let us not love in word
or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
—1 JOHN 3:18 NKJV

Praising or Pouting?

In the gospel of Luke, there is a story about some very unthankful guys (Luke 17:11-19). Jesus heals them of a deadly, debilitating disease and they simply go on their merry, healthy way. Are we sometimes guilty of going on our merry way through life, forgetting the Life Giver Himself?

To illustrate how we often fail to give God the thanks he deserves, Chuck Swindoll told the following story of a man he visited in a dismal veteran’s hospital:

“The day I arrived to visit, I saw a touching scene. This man had a young son, and during his confinement in the hospital, he had made a little wooden truck for his boy. Since the boy was not allowed to go into the ward and visit his father, an orderly had brought the gift down to the child, who was waiting in front of the hospital with his mother. The father was looking out of a fifth-floor window, watching his son unwrap the gift.

The little boy opened the package, and his eyes got wide when he saw that wonderful little truck. He hugged it to his chest.

Meanwhile, the father was walking back and forth waving his arms behind the windowpane, trying to get his son's attention.

The little boy put the truck down and reached up and hugged the orderly and thanked him for the truck. And all the while the frustrated father was going through these dramatic gestures, trying to say, ‘It's me, son. I made the truck for you. I gave that to you. Look up here!’ I could almost read his lips.

Finally the mother and the orderly turned the boy's attention up to that fifth-floor window. It was then the boy cried, “Daddy! Oh, thank you! I miss you, Daddy! Come home, Daddy. Thank you for my truck.” And the father stood in the window with tears pouring down his cheeks. How much like that child we are.”

Have you ever prayed fervently for something and then received the exact answer you wanted, only to be so excited about the outcome that you forgot to thank God? “Oh please Lord, let me do well on this test!” Then you score an “A+” and realize that you’ve told everyone you could possibly tell before you remember the One to whom you prayed! Been there; done that.

Then there are those who not only forget to thank God, they complain about nearly everything. It’s not unlike what Pastor John Beukema of Illinois experienced:

“One spring afternoon, an older couple came to the church looking for a handout. They were ragged, dirty, and claiming to be homeless. They said they didn't want money, just some food.

I took them across the street to ‘Chateau 7-Eleven.’ While they waited outside, I bought them each a sub sandwich, chips, and a Coke. I watched as they ravenously attacked the food. The man took a big gulp of his drink and made a face. From his seat on the pavement of the 7-Eleven he looked up at me and said, ‘What is this? Diet?’

I laughed right out loud because I immediately saw myself. How often I react that way, even to the gifts of God.”

The Bible says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). Have you taken stock of the many gifts with which you have been blessed? How about that breath you just took or the meals you’ve had this week? Gratitude starts with the seemingly small and insignificant things.

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!” —Psalm 136:1 NKJV

Unmistakable Love

               

How do you know when somebody really loves you? Sadly, some people go through life without ever feeling loved. This is no surprise since Jesus made it clear that in the last days, “the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). Have you seen that played out in our culture?

In the news we often hear stories that remind us of Jesus’ prophecy about love growing cold. One I heard was about a little girl was beaten to death by her stepfather, evidently for taking a cup of yogurt from the refrigerator. Another, two teens beat a homeless man to death with a baseball bat, apparently just for fun. What would lead people to do such cold, heartless things to other human beings? I don’t know, but somewhere in their twisted psyche is a lack of love. Perhaps they either didn’t feel loved or they truly weren’t loved in a way that would allow them to love others.

Love is the most potent tool God has given us for the healing and shaping of people’s hearts. His love is so powerful that the Apostle John reminds us, “God is love” (1 John 4:16). He doesn’t say, “God is logic,” or “God is speaking ability,” or “God is persuasiveness.” But many believers work much harder sharpening their skills in those areas, in hopes of winning souls to Christ, that they do honing their ability to demonstrate God’s love.

The power of God’s love is proved unequivocally in the story behind a movie that came out a few years ago called “End of the Spear.” I remember being part of an audience back in 1979 when Elisabeth Elliot shared the story of her husband, Jim Elliot, and four other young missionaries who were brutally speared to death by a band of young, primitive Waodani (formerly known as Auca) tribesmen in a remote area of the Amazon River in South America. All that the young missionaries were trying to do was share the love of Christ with them. They literally showered the tribe with gifts and supplies from their small plane in an attempt to establish contact before approaching them. Their acts of love were ignored and their young, twenty-something lives were snuffed out by the savages. Satan no doubt took momentary delight in the seeming defeat of God’s most powerful tool: His love.

As the movie evidently aptly shows, the story didn’t end there. It was only the beginning. Family members of the slain missionaries, including Elisabeth Elliot and her young daughter, actually went to live with their loved ones’ killers, translating the Scriptures into their previously unwritten language, demonstrating the love of God and leading many, including the leader of the murderous band of Waodanis, to Christ.

How do you know when somebody really loves you? Jesus gave us the answer by dying on the Cross for us. It is the unmistakable message behind the story upon which “End of the Spear” is based. When someone is willing to die for you, the power of that kind of love is undeniable. That love changes things. As for the Waodanis, it changed murderers into missionaries! It has likely changed you too.

In Luke 13, we see Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem and His longing for His people to receive His love. He may have shed tears over Israel’s failure to acknowledge His love but He’s coming back triumphantly, to gather those who allowed themselves to receive and experience that love.

           

“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” —Colossians 1:13 NKJV

Travel Light!

Its pitch dark and you are trying to make your way through a room with obstacles on the floor that you can’t see; no flashlight, not even the glow from your cell phone to help guide you. How do you feel? Or, you’re walking along a very dark street, alone. In the open space to your right, you can faintly see grave stones, making you aware that you’re passing a cemetery, when you’re startled by a strange sound. Suddenly you realize you’re not quite as alone as you thought. What’s going on inside you?


Experiencing fear, uncertainty, insecurity, even terror under such circumstances would not be un-natural. If fact, it would be quite natural. So, what one component could change everything? It’s simple and you’ve likely guessed it: light.

Without light, you would not only be justified in the feelings you experience, but a stilted or cautious stride would be understandable. Introduce light into those circumstances and it would allow you to walk differently than when you were hoping to avoid ob-stacles you couldn’t see, or briskly make it past an intimidating scenario, like a cemetery at night.

Light changes everything. It exposes hidden things. It helps define visible things. Light can help things grow. It can even disinfect. The dark does none of that.

So, if light can be so good and dark so bad, why do so many stay in the dark spiritually, by choice? Spiritual darkness can lead to many of the same is-sues presented by physical darkness: fear, uncer-tainty, insecurity, even terror. Then, how can some living in the dark appear so confident? Let’s just say they’re whistling past the graveyard. They may ap-pear to have it together, but ultimately they must face the reality of their hopelessness.

There is only one Light that can dispel spiritual darkness. The same One that said, “Let there be light” and there was light. God is light. People will attempt to stay in the dark, living in the shadows, trying to hide from God. Even Christians convince themselves that God can’t see in the dark. But, Light can always see in the dark.

So, if we say we’re in the light and walk in the dark, we’re only fooling ourselves; we’re only hurt-ing ourselves; we’re only lying to ourselves while thinking we’re faking out God. And worst of all, we lose the fellowship we could be having with God. Plus, we have to question whether or not we’re in Christ, because “in Him there is no darkness at all.” But, thankfully we are given the opportunity to erase the darkness and restore that fellowship. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

What is it in your life that you believe God can’t see? Is there something you keep in the dark, or a dark place you go to hide from God? Expose it to the light. Agree with God about that thing and regain the courage, certainty, security and joy God intended for you.

“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”

—1 JOHN 1:5 NKJV