God's Tuff Love

God’s Tuff Love.

    “Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe?³² But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.³³ I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”  John 16:31-33 (NLT)

    God is working in us.

    "Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. ¹⁸ For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.” Job 5:17-18

    For us, knowledge means information, facts, and concepts. But in Bible times, knowledge was centered in personal relationships. To know someone is to enter into a close relationship with that person. Knowing God involves much more than simply mastering facts and information about Him. It even goes beyond studying about the nature and character of God. Knowing God means entering into a close relationship with Him. It means identifying with God and learning to view everything as God does. God is our Father.  Getting to know God will transform our thoughts and actions, our priorities and values, and our relationships with our fellow human beings.

    For whom the Lord loves He chastens.

“And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; ⁶ For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." ⁷ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten” Heb 12:5-7

    “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

    “The apostle John makes the same point: "The law was given through Moses, but God's unfailing love [grace] and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). Neither John nor Paul meant that God's grace was not active in the OT, because God has always dealt graciously with his people. But the overwhelming power of God's grace is displayed for us in and through Jesus Christ.”—NLT Study Bible

    “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”  James 1:2-5

    Tests and challenges come at us from all sides. We know that under pressure, our faith-life is forced out into the open and shows our true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let the struggle do its work so we become mature and well-developed, not lacking in any way.

    Job worships God

    “Then Job answered the Lord and said: ² "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. ³ You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ⁴ Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, 'I will question you, and you shall answer Me.' ⁵ "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. ⁶ Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:1-6

    Job was convinced: God can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset His plans.  Job had babbled on about things far beyond him, made small talk about wonders way over his the questions. God gives the answers.  Job once lived by rumors and hearsay about God.  Now he has it all firsthand—from Job’s own eyes and ears!  Through the written word we can see God through Job’s eyes.

    Sin can be forgiven.

    “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. ¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. ¹⁷ All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.”  1 John 5:14-17

                “a Christian brother or sister: Literally a brother; see note on 2:9. • Sins that lead to death are those involving apostasy (see Matt 12:31-32; Heb 6:4-6). In the context of this letter, apostasy involves leaving the apostolic faith and joining a heretical, anti-Christian movement such as those denounced in John's letters (see also "Consequences of Apostasy" at Heb 2:1-4, p. 2085).—NLT Study Bible

COUNTERFEITING RELIGION

 

        Jesus warned about the leaven of the Pharisees.  "Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadduccees."  Matt. 16:12  Compare Matt. 15:1-9.

        What if Simon the Pharisee had been the one to meet the Eunuch on the road???  Would he have said something like this?

 

        The Ethiopian said: "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"  Acts 8:36   "And Simon said, 'First, our scribes have searched the Law and found 613 laws.  You must be taught these and be able to speak to each of these laws.  Further, our scribes have found a hundred or more new laws from the silence of God - from the things He did not say.  You must learn these also.  And then we have another problem.  You need to be circumcised, and that is impossible since you are a eunuch.  So I see no hope at all for you.'"

 

        NOT!!!  The truth is: upon the Ethiopian's confession of faith in Christ -"I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" - Philip immediately baptized him into Christ!  Which included the Holy Spirit of the Living God as a gift (Titus 3:5-6).  And the Ethiopian went on his way rejoicing!  When he got back home he joyfully spread the Good News Gospel that God had acted in Christ to put the world right with Himself!  Old barriers and walls have been torn down. It no longer mattered that he was a Gentile, or that he had been surgically neutered.  Whosoever will may come and be saved eternally!

 

        Damnable heresies come in different forms.  Jesus said of the Pharisees: "And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."  John 5:40  They were intense Bible students.  They carefully read & studied each word, researched the fine print, and read between the lines.  But their minds were already made up against Jesus!  They were “agents of change” while they convinced themselves they were preserving The Old Ways.  Thus they rejected Jesus, and crucified Him.

 

Jesus speaks to the Pharisees

You have your heads in the Bible always.

You studied for degrees in the Sacred Books.

And PhDs in books about the Sacred Books.

And you're convinced this will get you into Heaven.

But you miss The Point: IT'S ALL ABOUT ME!

The Holy Scriptures are jam-packed with

huge stomping clues about ME!

But you can't find it in your heart to admit it.

Because then you would have to ask ME

for the eternal life you want so much.

Believe ME and live eternally!

[adapted from Rob Lacey]

[compare 1 John 5:9-13]

 

        Counterfeits.  “God has told us in His precious Word that we should know a tree by its fruit.  Wherever we find the real, we find the counterfeit also.  But praise God for the real.  We find in the time of Peter, when men and women were receiving the power of the Holy Ghost, the counterfeit appeared in Ananias and Sapphira.  But God’s power was mightier than all the forces of hell, so their sin found them out.  Be careful, dear loved ones for your sin will surely find you out.  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”   William J. Seymour, 1906

 

        Example of a search for reality:

        Marvin is a guy in the house church and John is one of the main two characters.

 After a few moments Marvin let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t know, John. I always thought the institution I left wasn’t working because it had the wrong principles. I thought we were getting the right ones in place so we could finally experience real church life.” Murmurs of agreement buzzed around the table.

 

“But you don’t see it that way?”

 

“No, I don’t. If it helps, I think you’re finding better principles–ones that reflect more accurately the life of the early believers. But keep in mind that following principles didn’t produce their life together. We can observe what happened as they followed Jesus, but copying that won’t produce the same reality.

 

“Jesus didn’t leave us with a system; he left us with His Spirit–a guide instead of a map. Principles alone will not satisfy your hunger. That’s why systems always promise a future revival that never comes. They cannot produce community because they are designed to keep people apart.”

 

“Why do you say that?”

 

“Because they keep the focus on services or rituals, principles turn most people into spectators. By holding up standards and motivating people to conform to them they only encourage people to pretend to be what they are not, or to act like they know more than they really do. Questions and doubts are discouraged and people can’t deal with the things they are hiding. Thus they only let people see the shadow they want them to see, not who they really are. Feeling isolated, they only become more focused on their own needs and what others aren’t doing to meet them. They fight over control of the institution, however large or small, so that they can make others do what they think is best. It is a story that has been repeated for a couple of thousand years.”

 

Following a pattern or copying whether it is 2000 years ago that you copy or if it is the group whose conference you went to just doesn’t produce the same reality. I love that line about He gave His Spirit instead of a map. And I know the part about people pretending is so true. So whether you are in a big church, little church, house church, fluid church, coffeehouse church or whatever, Here’s to everyone, following the Spirit’s leading and to seeking God’s guidance on every decision.

 

Imitaion or Real?

 

Be careful to turn away from the counterfeit and run to the Living God.  As one has said: “We must recover holiness without legalism, boldness without presumption, and power without pride.  When the church does this she will gain the attention of both the heavens and the earth, because her God will be with her in His manifest presence.”

 

There is an energy, a dynamic, a power, a strength imparted by God through the Holy Spirit, love poured out into our hearts that energizes us to act.  “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.  To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily (Colossians 1:28-29 NKJV).

 

 Christian love and spiritual power are intended to be profoundly linked; when they are not, something less than the fullness of the gospel is present.  Strengthened now, in faith, hope, love, and spiritual power, let us look again at the situation in which we and the whole Church are living.

 

Ralph Martin wrote in 1994: “Seventeen hundred years of Christendom are falling into ruins around us.  An age is coming to an end, not just the end of a remarkable century but the end of seventeen hundred years of Christendom.  The greatest apostasy since the birth of the Church is clearly far advanced all around us.”  Yet at the same time we can see that Africa and India have emerged as a new center of Christendom.

 

God has made all mankind with an instinct for truth, a sense of right and wrong, and most of all a hunger for God Himself.  Eventually, truth will win out.  Perhaps after great suffering and great waiting, but truth will win out!!!

 

God is judging His church.  Judgment begins at the house of God. 1 Peter 4:17.  Our choice:  Throw up our hands in despair?  Or Lift up our  hands in prayer, praise, joy, hope!  Note 1 Timothy 2:8.  We are privileged to live in a time that while exceedingly difficult, is also a time where we have seen and will see yet more of the great interventions of God.  But one thing is certain, God is not worried about the situation.  He is not anxious.  He is not afraid.  He is in control and will see to it that all things work out to the good of those who love Him.  The nations may rage.  Mankind may scheme.  God laughs.  Compare Psalm 2:1-6.

 

At her best the Church is full of faults, many warts and wrinkles.  An ideal church is nowhere to be found, but a church with an IDEAL is found wherever there is a church in which the Holy Spirit dwells.  She - the Church - believes that great things are struggling to birth in the womb of the present.  She “abounds in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” ([Romans 15:13].  The Holy Spirit fills her life with a never failing hope.  “Then he said to  me, ‘Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’  And he said to me, ‘These are the true saying of God.’”  Revelation 19:9.

 

 

JESUS TAUGHT IN PARABLES

Jesus taught in Parables

    God’s Book of Nature shows the pattern of how things work in our world.  Jesus used these as a pattern of spiritual things.  Some are dark sayings with hidden meanings.  Some are more easily understood.  In the NT Jesus used 50 parables in His teaching.

    “Then Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?" ⁴² And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? ⁴³ Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.”  Luke 12:41-43

    “Jesus is not disclosing truth to some while hiding it from others.  He proclaims the Good News of the Kingdom openly to all, but only those who repent and believe can perceive the power of the Kingdom in Him and in their eyes.  The Gospel of God’s Kingdom is powerful, but our heart response determines its fruitfulness in our lives.”  Wallerstedt

    The word of the Kingdom.

    The farmer walked through the fields.  He would dip seed from his bag and fling it across the area.  The seed was always the same.  But the soil received it in different ways.

    "Therefore hear the parable of the sower: ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. ²⁰ But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹ yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. ²² Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. ²³ But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." Matt 13:18-23 (NKJV)

    At harvest time all available workers were pressed into service.

    “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. ³⁶ But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. ³⁷ Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. ³⁸ Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."  Matt 9:35-38

 

    The Good News of the Kingdom of God.

    It is important to understand that the Gospel (Good News) is not merely an announcement of what Christ has done in the past to save a lost world.  It is an announcement of what Christ wants to do now, and is able to do, in the present time.  It is not merely an announcement of Bethlehem and Calvary, it is an announcement of a living Saviour, a Saviour who is able to save to the uttermost.

    He is our Eternal High Priest.

    “But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. ²⁵ Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”  Heb 7:24-25

    He is a Saviour who can save not merely from the penalty of sin but from the power of sin.  “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”  Titus 2:11-14

    He is a Saviour who not only forgives but cleanses from sin.  “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

    He is a Saviour who is able to keep us from yielding to temptation.  “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵ To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.” Jude 1:24-25

    He is a Saviour who ministers on our behalf in the heavenly sanctuary.  “Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, ² a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.” Heb 8:1-2

GOD - THE CHANGE-AGENT

GOD THE CHANGE-AGENT

 

But something got hold of me,

Yes something got hold of me.

I went there to fight, but O my that night

God certainly got hold of me!

        [from old song]

 

1. Some think God is playing Hide & Seek.

    “Jesus therefore answered and said to them, "Do not murmur among yourselves. ⁴⁴ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.”  John 6:43-45; Isaiah 54:13

    “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, that you love one another.”  John 15:16-18

 

2. Paul – Damascus Road - God had plans for Paul. 

    “Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name." ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake."  Acts 9:13-16

    “So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶ But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. ¹⁷ I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, ¹⁸ to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'”  Acts 26:15-18

    A direct call from God constitutes the highest authority.

    “Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.  Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; ¹⁰ for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city." ¹¹ And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.”  Acts 18:9-11

 

    3. Timothy – a second-generation Christian. 

    Timothy grew up in a Christian family, mother & grandmother (and father?).

    “Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. ² He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. ³ Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.”  Acts 16:1-3

    “I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, ⁴ greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, ⁵ when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”  2 Tim 1:3-5

                Born of a Jewish mother and a Greek father, and had been taught the Scriptures from childhood (2 Timothy 3:15) by his devout mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5). J. G. Malphurs thinks Timothy's father was a "Gentile converted to Judaism," and that he was in the crowd on Pentecost and was baptized into Christ. Timothy's mother and grandmother were Christians as well, and this explains why such devout people had not circumcised Timothy. 1 Corinthians 4:17 shows us that Paul brought Timothy to Christ. Timothy could not have been more than fifteen at that time. Here he is probably sixteen or seventeen. So he circumcised him. Timothy was part Jewish, so Paul did this to prevent trouble with the Jews. Because Timothy was a descendant of Abraham, he could be circumcised as a civil rite. Since circumcision is without meaning (1 Corinthians 7:18-19), this could be done on the principle of 1 Corinthians 9:20. But in the case of Titus, who was a Gentile, the case was different. To have allowed him to be circumcised would have damaged the messianic community (Galatians 2:1-5), At this time Timothy was also "identified" [“ordained”] (1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6).  [BSNT] 

PLAN OF SALVATION

The Plan of Salvation that Paul preached.

   Paul looked out on a World where God Has Acted!  This is Fact which cannot be changed.  God fulfilled His Covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by Raising Christ From The Dead. 

 

  “The Darkness has turned to Dawning, and the Dawning to Noonday Bright!  For God’s Great Kingdom has come to Earth, the Kingdom of Truth and Light!”  [old song]

    “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, ¹⁰ and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"  Rev 7:9-10

 

Hear – What God has done

    “Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. ³⁰ But God raised Him from the dead. ³¹ He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. ³² And we declare to you glad tidings--that promise which was made to the fathers. ³³ God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.'”  Acts 13:29-33

    “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”  2 Cor 5:18-19

 

Believe – JESUS

    “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God ² which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, ³ concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, ⁴ and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”  Romans 1:1-4

 

Repent – turn to God 

    “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. ¹¹ For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”  2 Cor 7:10-11

 

Confess – Jesus is Lord 

    “...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."  Romans 10:9-11

 

Baptized – Into Christ

    “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, ⁶ knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁷ For he who has died has been freed from sin.”  Romans 6:3-7

    “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”  1 Cor 12:12-13

     

Plan of Salvation Paul preached

The Plan of Salvation that Paul preached.

   Paul looked out on a World where God Has Acted!  This is Fact which cannot be changed.  God fulfilled His Covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by Raising Christ From The Dead.

 

   “The Darkness has turned to Dawning, and the Dawning to Noonday Bright!  For God’s Great Kingdom has come to Earth, the Kingdom of Truth and Light!”  [old song]

    “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, ¹⁰ and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"  Rev 7:9-10

 

Hear – What God has done

    “Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. ³⁰ But God raised Him from the dead. ³¹ He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. ³² And we declare to you glad tidings--that promise which was made to the fathers. ³³ God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.'”  Acts 13:29-33

    “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”  2 Cor 5:18-19

 

Believe – JESUS

    “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God ² which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, ³ concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, ⁴ and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”  Romans 1:1-4

 

Repent – turn to God 

    “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. ¹¹ For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”  2 Cor 7:10-11

 

Confess – Jesus is Lord 

    “...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."  Romans 10:9-11

 

Baptized – Into Christ

    “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, ⁶ knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. ⁷ For he who has died has been freed from sin.”  Romans 6:3-7

    “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”  1 Cor 12:12-13

     

DISCOVERY

It's OK To Let Go!      R.D.Ice  6-04

        This is a composite, but it is based on true events which took place in two large metropolitan areas plus some other places.  Names are of course changed.  I have borrowed ideas from other writings and filtered them through my mind.

        "Through the years, Central Church of Christ [not the real name] in Mytown, PA, gradually declined in attendance, from 200 to 45 or 50.  Looking out over her 80-year-old pews, you saw only beloved senior citizens, and they were dwindling fast."

       "What to do???  The gates of Hell cannot destroy the Lord's One Spiritual Church.  But individual churches can lose their candlestick.  After talking about money and trying to raise support, another patch to a leaky roof, and seeking advice from respected brethren, the church hired a young (very young) preacher who knew nothing of the difficulties.  He made plans, hired an architect and contractors, built some new classrooms, and added a second Sunday morning service."

        "But, as we found out, Central Church had wonderful facilities, but no children left to enjoy them.  The day was coming, and could not be postponed.  The candle was about to sputter out."

        Closing One Door to Open Another.  "Turn it around or close it down."

           My computer has a "refresh" button.  It resets to the original default program.  But how to do it in this case???  We could imagine the Lord saying, "OK.  You did a good job.  But the inning is over.  It is time to move on and restart anew."  It was time to abandon the past and move on to the future to accomplish the Lord's purpose.

        Central sold the building, liquidated all the assets, and gave the money to a church-planting group overseen by a large church in the Midwest.  Leadership and planning was to be completely in the hands of the church-planting group. This sort of church-planting had been done in Bay Shore, Long Island, NY, some years ago.  Begin something new and fresh, free from the past and with a new identity. 

        This new church began meeting in a movie theater.  Discovery Church of Christ spends no money on building upkeep, and rent is not all that expensive.  Some who would not come into a church-building did come to the movie theater church.  The bulk of those who came were young, skeptical, and curious.  To them the established church was irrelevant, bureaucratic.  But these same young people were, however, hungry for truth and starving for a spiritual connection with God.

          Things are happening.  Our challenge is: How do we connect with a generation starving for God but disillusioned with what little they know of the church?  How do we eliminate barriers between a dying world and a living Savior??? Every Sunday morning the lobby of the movie theater is transformed into a meet-and-greet area for the Discovery Church of Christ.  Like Paul, we preach Christ Crucified, Risen, Coming Again!  The church went back to basics, not "issues".  Sermons focused on the purpose and mission of believers in Christ (the church).  We studied fundamental doctrines (the apostles' teaching).   We set about to discover and use our spiritual gifts.  Evangelism classes and evangelistic methods were taught.  A home-cell group was begun - meeting from house to house just like in Acts.  In the first six months, Discovery Church of Christ is averaging more than 250 in worship attendance. 

        Some times a computer must be restarted.  It shuts down and then reboots.  Central shut down and then restarted in the same community - but with a new identity and a new future.  Discovery Church of Christ is just the first phase.  Additional seed money left by the Central Church of Christ will be used to start two more new churches in 2007 and 2010.

        "Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23 NKJV).

        [Note: Mytown, PA, is near a large population center and in a fast growing area.  But this fact did not help Central Church of Christ to this point.  Something drastic and new was needed.  Discovery Church of Christ was that new beginning.]

         There is more than one way of doing things.  Paul tailored his approach to fit those whom he was trying to reach (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).  We can do no less.  What Central Church did would probably not work in the rural area where I live.  But we ourselves are experiencing a time of renewal following a fire in our church-building (and we do have a younger generation coming on).  We praise the Lord and ask Him for wisdom and vision for the future.

         What can we learn from “Central - Discovery”???  How can we step away from the past and reach out to the future?  Paul said: “but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). 

         First, a quotation from Augustine.  "Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to His love, and the future to His providence."  And, as we say: "Keep on keeping on!"

         1. Why did this work?  The gospel is the same.  What really changed to make the difference in reaching out to the community?  What can we learn from this?

         2. It is always our intention to worship God and obey Him!  But we might have been more focused on "the building" than on the Lord Jesus.  Perhaps we have been trapped by the past.  Paul wasn’t.  Phil. 3:9-11; 1 Cor. 9:19-22.

         3. Someone said: “Success is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it.”  Someone also said: “Life is what happens while you are making other plans.”

         4. We always remember that Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God made the plant grow.  Compare Psalm 127:1

         5. It is dangerous to allow the recent Past to be an albatross around the neck of the church.  We always look back to Jerusalem, which is right, but we also look forward to the future.  We are not to allow the world or the Past to squeeze us into its mold.  We are to be transformed (Romans 12:1-2).

         6. Truth cannot change!  But methods may change, and may need to change.  Paul was all things to all men, “that I might by all means save some” (1 Cor. 9:19-23).

         7. When we stand before Him, might He say: “If you knew it would draw the people in to meet Me, why didn’t you do it?”