"The Gospel Teaches..."

"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." (Rom. 6:4) The issue is newness of life. By the power of God we are raised to walk in newness, God's newness and power. When we were confronted with the gospel, it revealed the seriousness of sin in our own lives. It seems today, many are minimizing sin while lifting up our human weakness. It makes sin acceptable and the seriousness that God has with sin is lost.

The gospel, the death burial and resurrection of Christ (I Cor. 15:1-4), teaches us that self must go, be buried so the power of Christ can live in us. Many are making the teachings of God on how to preserve self. The gospel points us away from the world and loving the things in the world. Today much of the preaching/teaching is how God will bless your life with wealth during a crumbling economy. The gospel points us to die to self while much of today's beliefs is about overcoming our worldly frustrations we face. The gospel teaches us to give up our pride because God is opposed to the proud. Much of the books and teaching we hear today raises us up in order to build our self esteem. The gospel teaches that our greatest need is atonement which only God can provide through Jesus. We are hearing seminars and sermons on "guilt complexes" that only professional counselors can relieve! It seems there is more and more "therapeutic" preaching which crowds out the need to have a guilty conscience cleansed by the blood of Christ (Heb. 9:14). The gospel teaches us our we must be confronted with our sinfulness while much of today's preaching focuses on self-forgiving.

The center of the gospel: The cross of Christ! Maybe we are becoming a lot like the 1st century when they tried to reach out with the gospel message: "For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." (I Cor. 1:22-24) That's what the gospel teaches!!

"Outreach"

How do congregations grow? Recently I was asked to speak with two different congregations on church growth. What struck me as strange was the preachers in both places had little to no interest in what I was teaching because it was not a formula or program. They left the meeting.

People believe that growth is from some type of program. It is by our efforts, our classes, our outreach programs or hiring a preacher with flare and a personality. It seems congregations are more concerned with numbers than the preaching of the gospel in its purity and simplicity. Often I hear elders or preachers speak of "growing the church" as if we are the ones who gives the increase. It's true we have to reach out but let's listen carefully to Paul: "I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth." (I Cor. 3:6-7) Paul understood his role as an apostle and preacher but he knew where the real power and secret to growth lay.

At another congregation I was visiting, the preacher was speaking about how they were to reach the lost in our present day and time. In his speaking, not once did he mention the gospel of God (Rom. 1:16) but the "buzz" was centered around meeting the needs of the community. It struck me if we believe we have 'out-grown' God and the preaching of His word alone as all important. Feeding and clothing people, seasonal outreaches and financial stability classes offered has become the outreach. I want you to know that I realize we need to help those in need, looking for opportunities to help, but what is happening is our evangelism has centered around these things while the preaching of the gospel to the lost has gone by the way. Classes are offered on coping with anxieties, building self esteem, teen problems and pure bible study has taken second place to these themes.

The greatest danger the church is facing is the voiding of the cross by our own cleverness (I Cor. 1:17). Once we void the cross and its power, the church is reduced to a denomination that must compete for people in an entertainment rich society. Our worship, our classes and studies look and sound like the world. I have witnessed many good things done for our hurting world by the church. But when our outreaches reduce or stand in the way of the power of God to save, the preaching of the gospel to draw people into His salvation, they become the efforts of man and not God.

"According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it." (I Cor. 3:10) We need to be careful how we build. There is accountability before God.

"What Have We Missed?"

Recently I had a preacher write me and gently reprimanded me for using the term "entertainment" when describing some of the outreach programs and worship experiences in different congregations. It motivated me to the following thoughts...

The holiness of God and the power of the gospel seem to be slowly fading into a religion that seems to have 'tamed' God while focusing on our human wants and service. Instead of hearing God's call to holiness, we call on Him to give us peace of mind in our stress-filled world. Instead of hearing our Father call us to servanthood, we call on Him to assist us in our pursuit of health, wealth and success. Instead of hearing our Lord and Savior call us to worship, we call on Him to build our self esteem and charged emotions through our ideas of what we call worship. The bottom line - God has become our great assistant who aids us in our self-chosen ways. Today, with all the religious talk and pursuits, many are trying to shape God into man's agendas and set the terms on how He is to approach us!

Have we forgotten the God who spoke: "By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored." (Lev. 10:2)? Have we forgotten that Jesus spoke plainly that "no one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him." (John 6:44)? Have we forgotten where God's power to save anyone is only in the gospel, not some form of entertaining worship, schemes to draw people in and outreaches that are little more than 'government commodities'?

Too many have turned God's holiness and power into a gospel of pop psychology and self help. We have become a people "holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power." (II Tim. 3:5) The people of God grows weaker and weaker spiritually only to gain strength in self-centeredness, self maintained and self serving ways. One can see this when you try to direct them away from self and back to God. It upsets many!

The gospel is God power to save! It is founded in Christ, not in man's ways or manipulations. The gospel expresses the holiness of God and guides us into the grace of God (Col. 1:5-6). The grace of God is what instructs us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires so we will live righteously, sensibly and godly in our day and time (Titus 2:11-12). The result: "If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of stay on earth." (I Pet. 1:17) Reuel Lemmons said it right back in Jan. 1987: "Jesus said we should be the salt of the earth. But I see very few salty churches. We have drawn so heavy upon our culture...that there is little about us that is unique except in our own eyes."

"Unrepentant Sin"

Paul saw his life, his teachings as being spoken "in the sight of God." (II Cor. 12:19) He was aware of God and Christ in every move in his life. That is where so many make their mistakes today. A lot of sin and sinful attitudes are the result of forgetting that we do things "in the sight of God." When one looses that awareness, the controlling factor is lost.

Why would Paul speak such? Because in the case of these brethren at Corinth sin was still abounding. Just listen to the list: "strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances." (II Cor. 12:20) Paul cannot ignore the sinful actions and the worst part is the lack of repentance from those who have practiced such. The result: Paul states they may not like him at all because he was going to call their hand!

Why do people get upset when you call their hand in sin or you take a stand against sin in their lives? There is only one reason: they are living in their sins and have not repented! People continue to live in many of the things listed above, while it may not bother some, it is wrong in the eyes of God. When brethren practice sinful attitudes, it encourages others to not be serious about sin. Unrepentant sin means a person continually lives in their sins and that will doom them eternally. Unrepentant sins are not swept under the rug by the Lord. He gives people time to come to their senses and repent but eventually their time will run out! (See Rev. 2:20-23) All sin will be dealt with at some time and point.

We need to examine ourselves, test ourselves to see if we are really in the faith (II Cor. 13:5). If Christ is in us, what will we do about sins of anger or disputes with another? What will we do in harboring ill feelings? Christ lives by the power of God, who raised Him from the dead (II Cor. 13:4)! That same power is directed toward us in Christ and we can live because of God. If one refuses to repent when they know they are wrong or harboring bitterness in their heart, we will stop the work of God in our lives! We will die spiritually. That is why Paul was so concerned for the Corinthian brethren.

We need to take heed and make certain that we have no unrepentant sin in our lives. If we know we have hard feelings toward another, or there is a rivalry between us and another, we need to repent of that, turning away from it and be reconciled to the Lord and one another. We need the power of God to give us strength in our weaknesses and above all, live our lives in the sight of God!

"Know No Evil"

There is so much sin and evil around us. Sometimes my heart goes out to those who work around more than normal ungodliness. I recently had a brother in Christ share with me that he worked in an office with three professed homosexuals. They spoke openly of it and have convinced other office workers that it is an acceptable lifestyle. It reminds me of what God's word speaks: "And if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds..." (II Pet. 2:7-8) I can only imagine what some of my brethren must go through daily. That's why I pray for you. I wished every preacher would work in the world system before entering preaching for a local congregation. It would open their eyes to what my brethren face on a daily basis.

What are we to do with all the evil? We need to not be touched by it. We don't need to find out more evil and what is going on in the lives of people. Sometimes we know too much, which is not good. Paul reminded the Roman brethren: "...but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil." (Rom. 16:19) The more we find out about evil, it can do us great harm. We need to stay away from evil, from listening to evil and searching out evil. Paul reminded the Thessalonian brethren to "examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." (I Thes. 5:21-22) The form, the appearance of evil needs to be turned away from. What value is there in knowing/learning evil? I once heard a brother in Christ give a short lesson at a devotional and he spoke openly and boldly about sex and the sexual practices of many he had encountered through his profession. What would drive a person to speak such to the holy, pure people of God? What was the spiritual value in knowing such?

Jesus praised the faithful brethren at the church at Thyatira by saying: "But I say to the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them - I place on other burden on you." (Rev. 2:24) We don't need to be studying or looking into the things of Satan! We need to be keeping our minds and heart pure for the Lord.

This world is difficult with error and evil all around us. We can't escape the world but we need to live as light in the dark world of sin and death so people can see the true light of God through the gospel. Sometimes we know too much about evil and not enough about the purity of the Lord. "To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled." (Titus 1:15) Let's live for the Lord and know no evil!

"I Want Your Time"

The father came home from work late, was tired, irritated and frazzled. His 5 year old son was waiting at the door. "Daddy, may I ask you a question?" The dad was shuffling his things away, "Ok, what is it?" "Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?" It caught the father off guard and he quipped, "That's none of your business. Why would you ask me such a thing?" The little boy asked again, pleading with his father. The father said in a huff, "I make about $20 an hour if that will answer your question!" The little boy looked at his dad and said, "Daddy, may I borrow $9 please?"

For some reason this infuriated the father and he bluntly said no and told his son to march right to his room and go to bed. The words came out, "I work long, hard hours and I don't have time to deal with your silliness!"

The little boy went to his room and shut his door. As the father sat down, it began to bother him how his son had asked the question only wanting to get money from him. After settling down for a while, the father realized rarely did his son ask for money and maybe he had a good reason for the $9. The father went to his son's room asking, "Are you asleep?" The 5 year old said, "No, daddy, I'm awake."

"I'm sorry for being so harsh to you earlier. It's been a long day and I shouldn't have been so unkind. Here's the $9 you need." The little boy sat straight up, beaming, "Thank you!"

The little boy reached under his pillow pulling out some crumpled bills. He began counting the money and looked up at his father saying, "Here daddy, I have $20 now...can I buy an hour of your time?"

I am generally not into a lot of stories but I thought this incident made a great illustration of how much our heavenly Father wants our time! God demonstrated His own love toward us (Rom. 6:8). Paul proclaimed that God demonstrated such great love by giving us the gift of Himself (Gal. 2:20). In all His giving, the majority walk along their lives with little thought or concern. We get caught up in the world, our business of events and pleasures while God and His love gets pushed to the side. We falter, struggle and fail while the whole time we could have a wonderful, endearing relationship of power, strength and courage. A relationship that would lessen our stresses, renew our minds and give us an inward strength to move forward.

Jesus died that we might live. That is for NOW, not the future. What are you doing in your relationship to the Lord? How much devotion are you giving Him? Our heavenly Father longs for us but He will not take second place to anyone or anything else. He gave His all and expects us to give our all back. That will lead us upward into God and the relationship will be beyond human words. "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil." (Eph. 5:15-16)

"The Greatest"

The disciples asked Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus calls a child, sets him before them and says, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 18:2-3)

The greatest...man has their own ideas of the greatest. Some say Elvis Presley was the greatest of the music industry. Others say John Wayne is the greatest in the movie industry. Some say Albert Eisenstein is the greatest mind that ever lived. Fred Astaire was hailed as the greatest dancer of all time. People have their personal likes who and what they think is the greatest.

Yesterday, I sat and held my new born grandchild, my fourth. My mind raced around as I looked upon the life of the purest thing we will ever have on this earth in regard to God and Christ. A baby, a small child has accomplished nothing in our world. All they know is humility and love. We develop them to fear what we fear, to seek what we place emphasis on, to react to how we react and to love the way we love. That is rather sobering, wouldn't you say? But as a baby, a small child, Jesus said they were the greatest without one ounce of accomplishment. The message: we as adults need to be humble and converted as a child or we aren't going to make it. Your job, your accomplishments, your college education, your wits or smarts, your friends, your money, your home is not drawing any of us closer to the Lord. It might mean something to us but it doesn't to the Lord. To the Lord, a baby, a child is the greatest and we need to learn that the only thing we are leaving this world with is our souls. And that translates to one thing: if we have humbled ourselves before the throne of the living God, letting Him convert us according to His word and ways, depending on Him completely for making us whole and one in Jesus and walking in that newness. That's the greatest!