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"But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24)
Anyone who has ever loved baseball is familiar with the sound of Chris Berman's voice calling out as a home run ball makes its way toward the bleachers - "Back, back, back, back...gone!" This week my grandson who is an avid baseball fan and player and wants so much to make a career of it called me to let me know with great pride that he had just hit his first "over the fence" homer in competitive baseball. For those of you who love the sport and want details, it was a drive over the left centerfield fence and carried over 300 feet. For a thirteen year old, that is quite a poke! In fact, he let me know that he was so intent on just watching the ball disappear that he almost failed to touch first as he rounded the bases!
The Apostle Paul in his final remarks to the elders of the church in Ephesus spoke of the importance of "rounding the bases" in his own life spiritually as a Christian. He stated first that he did not consider his own life - dreams and aspirations - to be anything that should stand in the way of what the Lord Jesus had given him to do. His one overriding purpose in life was to "finish" his course and to fully carry out the ministry to which he had been called of God. That ministry, of course, was simply to let the Gentile world know of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross and the gift of eternal life by God's grace through that sacrifice.
Each one of us who are Christians today is "standing at the plate" ourselves, beloved. This is our turn at bat and our focus needs to be on rounding the bases and making it home, accomplishing fully what we ourselves have been called by God to do. We need to make it our intention to cause our living to so attract people to Christ that those who know us will come to know Him as well because of us. To make this ministry happen, however, we are going to have to adopt Paul's own attitude toward our personal lives, not to consider what we want as so dear to us that we would allow anything to interfere with the fulfillment of our mission for the cause of Christ.
This same apostle who stated here so emphatically his desire to live completely for Jesus Christ would one day write to his young protege and declare as he looked back over his life that he had "fought the good fight," that he had "finished the course," that he had "kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7). Oh, that one day you and I will look back on our lives and be able to say the same thing as did Paul! Or to put it in this present baseball vernacular, to know that we have made full contact and that we are sailing homeward - "Back, back, back, back....gone!" May God bless you as you impact upon your world for the cause of Jesus Christ!
Ron
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
The Problem with Fig Leaves
"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings" (Genesis 3:7)
God has a real problem with fig leaves, beloved! How many of you have ever taken time to note what happened immediately after Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together to make loin coverings for themselves to hide the stark reality and shame of their nakedness? Do you recall the statement about their innocence recorded in the closing verse of the second chapter?
"And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed" (v.25)
But as soon as they disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden tree, that wonderful innocence was lost to them and they became acutely aware of their guilt and their shame became centered in their nakedness before God and one another. Quickly sewing fig leaves together to form crude aprons, they covered their sexuality and just as quickly ducked in among the trees to hide themselves from God.
In the actions of those first parents, beloved, we discover fallen human nature gloriously displayed for all to see. Take first the fact that they tried to hide from God. Sinful man has been hiding from holy God ever since! Do you recall what the Apostle John recorded in the third chapter of his Gospel?
"For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed" (John 3:20)
The second thing that Adam and Eve did was to try to "cover up" their guilt and shame with something their hands had made. I once heard someone define "religion" as man's attempt to reach out to whatever his own concept of God might be. That's a pretty good definition! As stated, all of the organized religions of the world amount to nothing more than "fig leaves" before God. They are man's attempt to hide his true need from God, to earn God's favor by his own merits, to appease God's offended holiness by any and every means possible.
But did you notice what God did with the fig leaf aprons that Adam and Eve had made and with which they had adorned themselves?
"The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21)
Pay very close attention to the term "garments of skin." What kind of "skin" did God harvest from which those garments could be made? The only choice He had was the hides of some of the animals of the garden. In other words, blood had to be shed...something had to die in order for the sin of Adam and Eve to be properly covered. And when God slew those animals that day, beloved, He took the first historical step toward an old rugged cross and the final sacrificial Lamb that would ever have to die for anyone's sins. You see, there is a problem with "fig leaves," with any and all of man's attempts to make himself acceptable unto God. And one day fallen man will realize that truth, but it will be too late!
"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'" (Matthew 7:22-23)
Prophecy? Casting out demons? Miracles? Nothing but "fig leaves," beloved! Just like church membership and baptism and money in the offering plate - if that is how we are attempting to make ourselves acceptable unto God. It didn't work for Adam and Eve and it won't work for us today.
Redemption is God's gift to us, beloved, not our gift to Him. Redemption must be God's idea, not ours. And redemption always requires a sacrifice. But God loves us so much that He was willing to make that sacrifice Himself in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. He was willing to become sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (1 Corinthians 5:21). Or to put it in keeping with our theme here, He was willing to strip away the "fig leaf aprons" of our own righteousness and clothe us in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Forget the fig leaves, beloved. The Lamb's garments are ready for us to receive and wear for all eternity! Praise God for such a glorious salvation!
Ron
God has a real problem with fig leaves, beloved! How many of you have ever taken time to note what happened immediately after Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together to make loin coverings for themselves to hide the stark reality and shame of their nakedness? Do you recall the statement about their innocence recorded in the closing verse of the second chapter?
"And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed" (v.25)
But as soon as they disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden tree, that wonderful innocence was lost to them and they became acutely aware of their guilt and their shame became centered in their nakedness before God and one another. Quickly sewing fig leaves together to form crude aprons, they covered their sexuality and just as quickly ducked in among the trees to hide themselves from God.
In the actions of those first parents, beloved, we discover fallen human nature gloriously displayed for all to see. Take first the fact that they tried to hide from God. Sinful man has been hiding from holy God ever since! Do you recall what the Apostle John recorded in the third chapter of his Gospel?
"For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed" (John 3:20)
The second thing that Adam and Eve did was to try to "cover up" their guilt and shame with something their hands had made. I once heard someone define "religion" as man's attempt to reach out to whatever his own concept of God might be. That's a pretty good definition! As stated, all of the organized religions of the world amount to nothing more than "fig leaves" before God. They are man's attempt to hide his true need from God, to earn God's favor by his own merits, to appease God's offended holiness by any and every means possible.
But did you notice what God did with the fig leaf aprons that Adam and Eve had made and with which they had adorned themselves?
"The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21)
Pay very close attention to the term "garments of skin." What kind of "skin" did God harvest from which those garments could be made? The only choice He had was the hides of some of the animals of the garden. In other words, blood had to be shed...something had to die in order for the sin of Adam and Eve to be properly covered. And when God slew those animals that day, beloved, He took the first historical step toward an old rugged cross and the final sacrificial Lamb that would ever have to die for anyone's sins. You see, there is a problem with "fig leaves," with any and all of man's attempts to make himself acceptable unto God. And one day fallen man will realize that truth, but it will be too late!
"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'" (Matthew 7:22-23)
Prophecy? Casting out demons? Miracles? Nothing but "fig leaves," beloved! Just like church membership and baptism and money in the offering plate - if that is how we are attempting to make ourselves acceptable unto God. It didn't work for Adam and Eve and it won't work for us today.
Redemption is God's gift to us, beloved, not our gift to Him. Redemption must be God's idea, not ours. And redemption always requires a sacrifice. But God loves us so much that He was willing to make that sacrifice Himself in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. He was willing to become sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (1 Corinthians 5:21). Or to put it in keeping with our theme here, He was willing to strip away the "fig leaf aprons" of our own righteousness and clothe us in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Forget the fig leaves, beloved. The Lamb's garments are ready for us to receive and wear for all eternity! Praise God for such a glorious salvation!
Ron
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Shooting Hoops in the Sanctuary
"If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 'Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!' (which all refer to things destined to perish with the using) - in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence" (Colossians 2:20-23)
At the risk of violating sacred traditions when it comes to the sanctity of church sanctuaries, beloved, let me confess to you that I had a wonderful time with my son and grandson this past week as we were "setting up" the Life Center at their church near Richmond in preparation for the Thursday night youth ministry. A part of that preparation involved pulling out and setting up (Get ready! Here it comes!) a full-sized professional basketball goal for the teens to use. And after all the preparations had been done, we grabbed a b-ball and had a blast shooting hoops together right there in the Life Center.
Now most churches, at least the ones I know, don't allow children to run in the sanctuary, must less do something as radical as shooting hoops. But this church is different, a refreshing exception for one simple reason - they believe that the church should be more about people than about buildings. Now please don't misunderstand. On Sunday mornings members and visitors gather in that same Life Center to worship God and then it is set up as a sanctuary of worship. They have taken the term "multipurpose" to new heights. On those occasions the basketball goal is nowhere in sight and not a single b-ball is dribbled.
The Colossian church had sadly been infiltrated by those who taught them that true spirituality consisted of rigid external rules for living - rules concerning what they could not eat or even touch as Christians. They in essence handed out a list of "don'ts" for the Colossian believers to carry around with them in order to fulfill daily righteousness! Today many churches do the same thing, burdening their members with man-made rules and regulations concerning everything from keeping the church sanctuary "holy" to places they might frequent when not at church. Paul wanted them to know that, while such rules might appear spiritual, they are really useless in helping us to live for Jesus Christ. He urged them rather to allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to be their guide in such matters of exemplary living. Today we have the inerrant and infallible Word of God applied to our living by the Holy Spirit to direct our living for God's glory.
So if reaching your neighbors with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ requires you to grab a b-ball and shoot some hoops, beloved, even if it might be in a multipurpose church sanctuary, then by all means go for it. I assure you that the church of Jesus Christ will survive! And you might have the joy of leading some lost one to the Savior who loves them and gave His life to set them free from sin.
Ron
At the risk of violating sacred traditions when it comes to the sanctity of church sanctuaries, beloved, let me confess to you that I had a wonderful time with my son and grandson this past week as we were "setting up" the Life Center at their church near Richmond in preparation for the Thursday night youth ministry. A part of that preparation involved pulling out and setting up (Get ready! Here it comes!) a full-sized professional basketball goal for the teens to use. And after all the preparations had been done, we grabbed a b-ball and had a blast shooting hoops together right there in the Life Center.
Now most churches, at least the ones I know, don't allow children to run in the sanctuary, must less do something as radical as shooting hoops. But this church is different, a refreshing exception for one simple reason - they believe that the church should be more about people than about buildings. Now please don't misunderstand. On Sunday mornings members and visitors gather in that same Life Center to worship God and then it is set up as a sanctuary of worship. They have taken the term "multipurpose" to new heights. On those occasions the basketball goal is nowhere in sight and not a single b-ball is dribbled.
The Colossian church had sadly been infiltrated by those who taught them that true spirituality consisted of rigid external rules for living - rules concerning what they could not eat or even touch as Christians. They in essence handed out a list of "don'ts" for the Colossian believers to carry around with them in order to fulfill daily righteousness! Today many churches do the same thing, burdening their members with man-made rules and regulations concerning everything from keeping the church sanctuary "holy" to places they might frequent when not at church. Paul wanted them to know that, while such rules might appear spiritual, they are really useless in helping us to live for Jesus Christ. He urged them rather to allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to be their guide in such matters of exemplary living. Today we have the inerrant and infallible Word of God applied to our living by the Holy Spirit to direct our living for God's glory.
So if reaching your neighbors with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ requires you to grab a b-ball and shoot some hoops, beloved, even if it might be in a multipurpose church sanctuary, then by all means go for it. I assure you that the church of Jesus Christ will survive! And you might have the joy of leading some lost one to the Savior who loves them and gave His life to set them free from sin.
Ron
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Teaching Your Kids How to Fish
"And Jesus said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men'" (Mark 1:17)
Did you ever try to teach your kids how to fish, beloved? I had that singular and truly glorious experience many years ago when they were all small. In fact, my son actually fished while sitting in his stroller! I remember buying for him one of those plastic fishing poles that came complete with string, plastic hook, and even a plastic fish. Of course, I replaced the string with real fishing line and carefully tied on a real hook when it was time to go for the real thing. What I remember most about that day at the coast was that they caught so many pin fish so quickly that Dad never got his line in the water! They went home smelly and dirty, but they went home grinning from ear to ear.
Jesus was someone else who taught His "kids" how to fish, beloved. In fact, much like my experience with my three, He taught them something about which they knew absolutely nothing. The force of the construction in the verse above is that He made them into something they were not before. They knew nothing about sharing the gospel with people and that is what He taught them to do. You see, Jesus was a Master "fisher of men." I love watching a heron fishing along the pond that is at the golf course. I don't know if you were aware of this or not, but a heron is a master fisher! He can actually see the fish swimming beneath the surface of the water as he stands so very still upon the bank and stalks his next meal. Jesus is a Master "fisher" of men. No one could teach His followers what He could teach them. And clearly He did a "masterful" job because of how the Holy Spirit was able to use them to turn their world upside down with their preaching.
But has the Master "fisher" of men been able yet to teach you how to fish, beloved? What impact are you having with the gospel upon your world? Are people who know you coming to know Him because they know you? That's how it is supposed to work! We know Him. They know us. They know Him. Isn't that a glorious plan? I recall a story told years ago about an imagined conversation between Jesus and Gabriel once He had returned to the Father's right hand. According to the story, Gabriel really wanted to know what the plan was now that Jesus was separated from His disciples. What were they to do? Jesus explained that He had instructed His disciples to make it their business to tell the people they met about Him, generation after generation it would go. Gabriel asked the Master, "What if they forget or simply don't tell? What is your plan then?" To that question Jesus replied, "I don't have any other plan. I am really counting on them."
He is really counting on us, beloved, you know? If we are truly believers, then He has taught us how to fish! Now we need to do it. He doesn't have another plan if we don't. It is up to you and me to be "fishers of men" just as He made His disciples to become. They were masterful fishers of men and so must we be as well. So much is counting on our faithfulness! The souls of lost people are too precious to God and we are His instruments, His messengers. And, by all means, as you carry out the command to take the gospel to the world, be sure you teach your "kids" how to fish as well!
Ron
Did you ever try to teach your kids how to fish, beloved? I had that singular and truly glorious experience many years ago when they were all small. In fact, my son actually fished while sitting in his stroller! I remember buying for him one of those plastic fishing poles that came complete with string, plastic hook, and even a plastic fish. Of course, I replaced the string with real fishing line and carefully tied on a real hook when it was time to go for the real thing. What I remember most about that day at the coast was that they caught so many pin fish so quickly that Dad never got his line in the water! They went home smelly and dirty, but they went home grinning from ear to ear.
Jesus was someone else who taught His "kids" how to fish, beloved. In fact, much like my experience with my three, He taught them something about which they knew absolutely nothing. The force of the construction in the verse above is that He made them into something they were not before. They knew nothing about sharing the gospel with people and that is what He taught them to do. You see, Jesus was a Master "fisher of men." I love watching a heron fishing along the pond that is at the golf course. I don't know if you were aware of this or not, but a heron is a master fisher! He can actually see the fish swimming beneath the surface of the water as he stands so very still upon the bank and stalks his next meal. Jesus is a Master "fisher" of men. No one could teach His followers what He could teach them. And clearly He did a "masterful" job because of how the Holy Spirit was able to use them to turn their world upside down with their preaching.
But has the Master "fisher" of men been able yet to teach you how to fish, beloved? What impact are you having with the gospel upon your world? Are people who know you coming to know Him because they know you? That's how it is supposed to work! We know Him. They know us. They know Him. Isn't that a glorious plan? I recall a story told years ago about an imagined conversation between Jesus and Gabriel once He had returned to the Father's right hand. According to the story, Gabriel really wanted to know what the plan was now that Jesus was separated from His disciples. What were they to do? Jesus explained that He had instructed His disciples to make it their business to tell the people they met about Him, generation after generation it would go. Gabriel asked the Master, "What if they forget or simply don't tell? What is your plan then?" To that question Jesus replied, "I don't have any other plan. I am really counting on them."
He is really counting on us, beloved, you know? If we are truly believers, then He has taught us how to fish! Now we need to do it. He doesn't have another plan if we don't. It is up to you and me to be "fishers of men" just as He made His disciples to become. They were masterful fishers of men and so must we be as well. So much is counting on our faithfulness! The souls of lost people are too precious to God and we are His instruments, His messengers. And, by all means, as you carry out the command to take the gospel to the world, be sure you teach your "kids" how to fish as well!
Ron
Friday, May 21, 2010
Writing Your Own Love Songs
"And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth'" (Revelation 5:9-10)
I absolutely adore those great love songs of the 50's and 60's, beloved! One of my personal favorites will always be "The Twelfth of Never" by Johnny Mathis. And who could forget that soulful sound of the Righteous Brothers singing "You've Lost That Loving Feeling"? Have you ever wished that you could put words on paper and turn them into songs that express the love of your heart for the love of your life? Who hasn't?
Writing your own love songs may seem rather trivial and even childish in the context above, beloved, but we actually are to be spiritual "lyricists" in our own right every moment of every day. How much do you as a Christian love Jesus Christ? The last time that you opened your mouth and sang a song of praise to Him whether by yourself in the car or in an act of public worship, did it come from your heart? Was it something that you really felt or just something that you were singing because it was the scheduled time in that service for everyone to sing?
John the Revelator said that the day is coming when those standing in the presence of the Lamb will "sing a new song" unto Him, extolling His worthiness to execute God's judgments against a Christ-rejecting earth. They will sing His worthiness because He has redeemed sinful man and has transformed those whom He has saved into an eternal kingdom, priests who will serve God forever. What a love song that all of heaven will hear on that day!
The psalmist declared that the Lord had "put a new song" in his mouth (40:3) and that is certainly true for every genuine believer! Is that what Jesus Christ has done for you, beloved? Luther Bridges, a Methodist pastor and evangelist from Georgia, wrote these words in 1910 following the deaths of his wife and three sons in a fire at his parents' home while he was conducting revival services in Kentucky:
I absolutely adore those great love songs of the 50's and 60's, beloved! One of my personal favorites will always be "The Twelfth of Never" by Johnny Mathis. And who could forget that soulful sound of the Righteous Brothers singing "You've Lost That Loving Feeling"? Have you ever wished that you could put words on paper and turn them into songs that express the love of your heart for the love of your life? Who hasn't?
Writing your own love songs may seem rather trivial and even childish in the context above, beloved, but we actually are to be spiritual "lyricists" in our own right every moment of every day. How much do you as a Christian love Jesus Christ? The last time that you opened your mouth and sang a song of praise to Him whether by yourself in the car or in an act of public worship, did it come from your heart? Was it something that you really felt or just something that you were singing because it was the scheduled time in that service for everyone to sing?
John the Revelator said that the day is coming when those standing in the presence of the Lamb will "sing a new song" unto Him, extolling His worthiness to execute God's judgments against a Christ-rejecting earth. They will sing His worthiness because He has redeemed sinful man and has transformed those whom He has saved into an eternal kingdom, priests who will serve God forever. What a love song that all of heaven will hear on that day!
The psalmist declared that the Lord had "put a new song" in his mouth (40:3) and that is certainly true for every genuine believer! Is that what Jesus Christ has done for you, beloved? Luther Bridges, a Methodist pastor and evangelist from Georgia, wrote these words in 1910 following the deaths of his wife and three sons in a fire at his parents' home while he was conducting revival services in Kentucky:
"There's within my heart a melody,
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
'Fear not, I am with thee; peace, be still
In all of life's ebb and flow.'
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest name I know!
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go!"
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
'Fear not, I am with thee; peace, be still
In all of life's ebb and flow.'
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest name I know!
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go!"
How are the love lyrics of your life coming along, beloved? What does the "melody" within your heart sound like? And just how often do you sing your own personal lyrics to the One who loves you so much that He went to the cross, took the full weight of your sins upon Himself, and hosed you down in the precious crimson flow? Jesus is listening for your lyrics, beloved. What is your heart singing to Him right now?
Ron
Ron
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