by Wesley Blackburn
So recently, about a month ago, I was diagnosed with this condition in both of my eyes called floaters (I swear that's the technical term... you would think they'd have something a little more "medical" sounding).
Maybe some of you have this condition as well (we should form our own little Suncrest support group). I can't speak for anyone else, but I find this condition to be one of the most annoying things in the world. Basically, what happens in your eye is that if you're nearsighted (like me), oftentimes the different shape of your eye causes the sack inside your eyeball that contains eye fluid to detach from the back of your eye. Unfortunately, though, when this happens, little tiny pieces of debris are let loose into your eyeball. So, anytime you're in areas where there's a solid, bright colored background (like a wall or the sky) or really when you're anywhere that there's a lot of light (like outside on a sunny day), when you turn your head or move your eyes to look at something, you'll see the shadows of these specks, threads, or dots in your vision that are the "floaters" that are floating around inside your eye.
It is truly one of the most annoying things ever. There are certain rooms in our church building where we have meetings that I hate being in because I find myself being constantly distracted by these little moving objects. When I make my drive to and from Cincinnati every week, I know I'm going to encounter these little guys every time I shift my vision or check my blind spot. While they can be signs of serious eye issues in some people, they're actually normally benign and harmless (that's what they are in my case). It is absolutely, completely selfish and shortsighted, but I can't wait to live in a world where stupid stuff like eye floaters won't affect me anymore... when my life is free from little annoyances like that.
You could say that in a way, my eye floaters are making me look forward to heaven.
But for some of us, we suffer with something way more painful and serious than a stupid little eye condition, don't we? For some, basic things I take for granted like vision or hearing simply don't exist. Maybe some of you reading this right now have heard the sting of the word "cancer" and have been told you only have a short time left. Maybe you were in an accident that will make sure you never walk again, or maybe you're suffering from some painful, difficult to deal with disease that won't kill you, but sure makes your life feel miserable to live. Some of us suffer the pain of being separated from those we love: fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, husbands, or wives.
And it's in these situations that we feel the incredible joy of heaven calling us.
Truly, I don't think there's a more happy, joyful passage in the Bible than this one. It's a fitting way to end our 100 day study together. Truly, it is incredible to think of a world like heaven where things we just take as everyday realities no longer exist: death, crying, pain, anger, hurt, and yes, even eye floaters, will be wiped away. Forever. And those things will be replaced with the incredible joy of a perfect, unbroken, untarnished relationship with our Creator God who loves us. It brings goosebumps on my skin and tears to my eyes.
This is what pushes us. This is what reminds us it is all worth it. In the moments where I am tempted to give up, to throw in the towel, and to live a shortsighted life that values things of earth above the things of God, heaven should be my focus, calling me to remember the incredible riches that lie in store for a person who faithfully follows God. This is probably why the Bible talks so much about us focusing on heaven... it's a reminder to us that things aren't the way they were supposed to be, and that someday, that glorious perfect order will be restored. Someday, we'll be free from all the junk of this world. Someday, we'll get to see our glorious, gracious Savior face to face.
Someday, I'll get rid of these eye floaters.
Showing posts with label E100 Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label E100 Challenge. Show all posts
Friday, October 15, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
99. Hallelujah (Revelation 19:1-20:15)!
By Steve Butera
The book of Revelation almost always evokes a reaction from people. Some see it akin to fortune telling and others find it difficult to understand and would rather avoid it. For sure, it is filled with symbols and realities that require us to pay attention and ask for God’s help in understanding it. One thing I do feel sure about is that there isn’t any part of the Bible that we can ignore, overlook, or pass by. Every word, from the very first to the very last is necessary and has the power to transform us. Each word is intentional by God and is life for us. So, I pray that I don’t ignore any of it…not the lineage of Jesus in Matthew, the complex descriptions in Numbers, or the vision of Revelation.
Revelation was written by the apostle John to Christians in the first century. Christians who were facing great persecution, fears, and even death. Rome, being the epitome of Godlessness and opposition to the Gospel made it very difficult for them. So, Revelation was written for these Christians to help them in their challenges, suffering and fears. But like the entire Bible, it is written for us now as well. The Bible is timeless in that way. Revelation is also about the final destruction of Godlessness and the final destiny of the Church of Jesus Christ. Both of these are associated with the return of Jesus Christ. Chapter 19 is approaching that final moment in all of history when Jesus is returning in Glory. So when you think about it this way, it’s a part of God’s word we as Christians want and need to know about.
So in chapter 19 John’s attention is turned from earth to heaven, and there are some really interesting observations I make in this chapter. First I notice the reaction of heaven to the fierceness that is going on down on the earth. They are not ignoring the unfolding judgments. No, they are singing a chorus about them. They are rejoicing about them. So we see that heaven is not uncomfortable with the judgment of God. If you ponder that, you realize that God’s judgment actually lies at the heart of heaven’s glorying in who God is.
One other thing that’s interesting is that it appears that Heaven is not always a place of undisturbed tranquility. John says “I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in Heaven shouting.” Think about a huge stadium filled to capacity and everyone roaring with shouts. Then multiply that 1000 fold. Can you imagine? Later he says “then I heard again what sounded like a vast crowd or the roar of a mighty ocean.” Notice how he describes it by saying “what sounded like.” It is as if it’s indescribable to him. God and heaven are so beyond our human understanding; John can only give us a sense of what he is seeing and hearing. The reason heaven has this reaction is that God has vindicated His own honor. He has displayed his power.
I see this is getting long, and I try not to do that, but what God is revealing to us through Revelation is so amazing, that it is hard for me to encapsulate it succinctly. So, I will try to wrap this up.
Going back to the persecuted Christians I mentioned initially, you know how it is when you face persecution and great fears? You begin to wonder “how is God going to deal with this?” “Is He aware of what I’m going through?” You ask yourself “Is God involved, does he really care, is evil going to win in my situation?” I think we can see Revelation as being about hope. You may ask “what are you talking about?” Revelation is filled with judgments, horror and destruction. Hope? Yes, hope! For the simple reason that God is showing us in Revelation how things are going to end. We get to see that God is the one who has the final word, that evil does not triumph, but God does. Think about it, all the questions we have about God’s justice, his faithfulness, and whether evil or God will win in the end are answered. We are assured that God has the last word. This is what the chorus in heaven is all about, that God has demonstrated His salvation in His judgment.
If you think of salvation as rescuing people from the bondage of Satan and the powers of darkness, we see that God has saved us; he has defeated our enemy, he has broken the power of satin and cast him down. So it is like salvation and judgment go together in a sense. We see that God is true to His word. God has vindicated His name and glory is brought to Him. We see GOD has control. So Revelation is both a comfort to me and also helps me stay motivated to be set apart from the world. As I think of all of these things, all I can really do is be in awe of God’s awesome, wonderful, and incredible plan that will unfold. It makes me want to worship Him and give Him the Glory that is due Him! Praise God!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
98. The Throne of Heaven (Revelation 4:1-7:17).
by Wesley Blackburn
What was the most terrifying moment in your life?
I don't know that I can remember all of mine. I remember passing out on stage one time during a choir number at church growing up. That was kind of scary. I remember feeling really terrified when I was in Brazil on a bus that was going up steep mountain hills on the side of the mountain in the middle of a big storm, wondering if we were going to fall off. I remember the feeling of terror sitting in a hospital emergency room only a few months ago wondering if something serious was wrong with me and if I was perhaps enjoying some of the final moments of my life.
Heck, I actually got a chance to go out with a girl recently and that was pretty terrifying to me, too.
Whatever your terrifying moment is, I think we can all be confident that it will pale in comparison to the sheer terror we'd experience if we were in John's shoes before the throne of God in heaven.
There's a lot you can say about God. Here at Suncrest, I feel like we do a pretty good job talking about God as a healer, forgiver, lover, and friend. All of those things are true. All of them are great. God's identity as those things are some reasons why I worship and serve him each week. I'm glad we focus on those a lot.
But there's another side of God that I don't think we focus in on very much, and that's the scary side (yeah, you read that correctly). One of the most frequent commands in the Bible we are given is the command to fear God... that we would have a good idea of how vast and huge he is and how incredibly tiny and small we are. The Bible tells us in Proverbs that the beginning of wisdom is for us to fear God; to have a proper and reverent respect for who he is.
A few years ago I was reading some reflections from David Crowder, a popular worship leader who's written many songs to help the church worship (some of which we even use at Suncrest). He was writing on an experience he had in France one time where he got a chance to walk around in an old, Gothic cathedral in the city. Crowder noted the very ominous, imposing architecture (both on the inside and outside), but what was most interesting to me was his description that this cathedral "was build to resize you." In other words, that when you would walk into this church, you would be reminded of how teeny-tiny you are and how enormous, large, and powerful God is.
That's always stuck with me. It's great to have God as your friend. I think that's nice and comforting. I'd even say that through the sacrifice of Jesus, we can even argue that it's biblical. But let's not forget the grand, huge, enormous God we also worship. The very same God that is our friend is also the being we should fear the most. Maybe sometimes, it's good for us to get a view of God like the one David Crowder was reminded of. Or maybe the one John was reminded of here in Revelation.
God is great, and greatly to be praised. He is mighty and powerful and to be feared.
Maybe we need to remember sometimes to worship him solely for that.
What was the most terrifying moment in your life?
I don't know that I can remember all of mine. I remember passing out on stage one time during a choir number at church growing up. That was kind of scary. I remember feeling really terrified when I was in Brazil on a bus that was going up steep mountain hills on the side of the mountain in the middle of a big storm, wondering if we were going to fall off. I remember the feeling of terror sitting in a hospital emergency room only a few months ago wondering if something serious was wrong with me and if I was perhaps enjoying some of the final moments of my life.
Heck, I actually got a chance to go out with a girl recently and that was pretty terrifying to me, too.
Whatever your terrifying moment is, I think we can all be confident that it will pale in comparison to the sheer terror we'd experience if we were in John's shoes before the throne of God in heaven.
There's a lot you can say about God. Here at Suncrest, I feel like we do a pretty good job talking about God as a healer, forgiver, lover, and friend. All of those things are true. All of them are great. God's identity as those things are some reasons why I worship and serve him each week. I'm glad we focus on those a lot.
But there's another side of God that I don't think we focus in on very much, and that's the scary side (yeah, you read that correctly). One of the most frequent commands in the Bible we are given is the command to fear God... that we would have a good idea of how vast and huge he is and how incredibly tiny and small we are. The Bible tells us in Proverbs that the beginning of wisdom is for us to fear God; to have a proper and reverent respect for who he is.
A few years ago I was reading some reflections from David Crowder, a popular worship leader who's written many songs to help the church worship (some of which we even use at Suncrest). He was writing on an experience he had in France one time where he got a chance to walk around in an old, Gothic cathedral in the city. Crowder noted the very ominous, imposing architecture (both on the inside and outside), but what was most interesting to me was his description that this cathedral "was build to resize you." In other words, that when you would walk into this church, you would be reminded of how teeny-tiny you are and how enormous, large, and powerful God is.
That's always stuck with me. It's great to have God as your friend. I think that's nice and comforting. I'd even say that through the sacrifice of Jesus, we can even argue that it's biblical. But let's not forget the grand, huge, enormous God we also worship. The very same God that is our friend is also the being we should fear the most. Maybe sometimes, it's good for us to get a view of God like the one David Crowder was reminded of. Or maybe the one John was reminded of here in Revelation.
God is great, and greatly to be praised. He is mighty and powerful and to be feared.
Maybe we need to remember sometimes to worship him solely for that.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
97. Messages to the Churches (Revelation 2:1-3:22).
by Wesley Blackburn
So, after hearing about John's initial vision, we now hear some messages from God to several different church communities of the day. Some of these messages contained high praise. Some contained points of rebuke; places where God wanted to see these communities do better. Nevertheless, I think that would have to be a great thing to hear from God himself with some advice for the church you are a part of. Definitely scary and humbling, but cool nonetheless. Reading these writings to churches, it made me wonder what God might write to Suncrest. What would God say about the things we are doing well? Poorly?
But through reading these letters, I noticed a couple of different things. First, I saw that a common theme was for many of these churches to just hold on. Several of these churches were undergoing some severe persecution from local Jewish groups that saw them as a threat, as well as some in the Roman government who saw Christian worship as strange, out of place, and a threat to the worship of their gods. And what does God say to these persecuted followers of him? Hold on. Keep at it. I think that today, in our moments of pain and difficulty, God is saying the same thing to us... hold on. Stay with it. Remain faithful.
I'm also just personally always haunted by God's words to the church in Laodecia in Revelation 3:14-19. God was hard on these people because they were so lukewarm in their response to him; they could simply care less. Based on the description, it seems like this church was filled with wealthy, well to do individuals who felt they didn't need anything from God. They felt pretty self-sufficient. And yet, they were the only church out of all the ones here in Revelation where God didn't say a single positive thing. God still loved and cared for them (see verse 19), but cared too much about them to let them continue in their ways.
I think that the church in Laodecia is scary to me because in a lot of ways I think a lot of American churches are in a similar situation. Has our excessive wealth (and believe me, compared to any other country on the planet, America's wealth is excessive no matter how little your assets are) made us complacent? Are we in danger of needing God's rebuke, just like the Laodecians? Definitely a question to keep thinking about as we continue on as part of God's church here in America.
So, after hearing about John's initial vision, we now hear some messages from God to several different church communities of the day. Some of these messages contained high praise. Some contained points of rebuke; places where God wanted to see these communities do better. Nevertheless, I think that would have to be a great thing to hear from God himself with some advice for the church you are a part of. Definitely scary and humbling, but cool nonetheless. Reading these writings to churches, it made me wonder what God might write to Suncrest. What would God say about the things we are doing well? Poorly?
But through reading these letters, I noticed a couple of different things. First, I saw that a common theme was for many of these churches to just hold on. Several of these churches were undergoing some severe persecution from local Jewish groups that saw them as a threat, as well as some in the Roman government who saw Christian worship as strange, out of place, and a threat to the worship of their gods. And what does God say to these persecuted followers of him? Hold on. Keep at it. I think that today, in our moments of pain and difficulty, God is saying the same thing to us... hold on. Stay with it. Remain faithful.
I'm also just personally always haunted by God's words to the church in Laodecia in Revelation 3:14-19. God was hard on these people because they were so lukewarm in their response to him; they could simply care less. Based on the description, it seems like this church was filled with wealthy, well to do individuals who felt they didn't need anything from God. They felt pretty self-sufficient. And yet, they were the only church out of all the ones here in Revelation where God didn't say a single positive thing. God still loved and cared for them (see verse 19), but cared too much about them to let them continue in their ways.
I think that the church in Laodecia is scary to me because in a lot of ways I think a lot of American churches are in a similar situation. Has our excessive wealth (and believe me, compared to any other country on the planet, America's wealth is excessive no matter how little your assets are) made us complacent? Are we in danger of needing God's rebuke, just like the Laodecians? Definitely a question to keep thinking about as we continue on as part of God's church here in America.
Monday, October 11, 2010
96. A Voice and a Vision (Revelation 1:1-20).
by Wesley Blackburn
Revelation is an incredible book of the Bible, and without a doubt, one of the most hotly disputed. I'm really looking forward to you all getting to hear some of Steve and Beka's thoughts later on this week about it, but in kicking our brief jaunt through this book, I just wanted to note a couple of things in my reading of Revelation 1.
#1. Jesus comes on the clouds. At least, that's what it says in verse 7. Christ will come on the clouds. This is significant for a few reasons, probably the most important being that this is Messianic-type imagery. In other words, Jesus being this figure who comes on the clouds is something that is actually a fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy and actually makes a statement about his lordship.
But I also think that there's a real significance to the fact that Jesus is portrayed coming on clouds in a somewhat metaphorical sense as well. In a time in my life several years ago where God seemed really distant, my friend Brent shared with me Revelation 1:7 and shared that he felt there was symbolic truth there pointing to the simple fact that when the clouds and storms of life come, there we often find Jesus as well. In that point in my life, I was in great pain emotionally and spiritually, but it brought me comfort to think that in the midst of that "cloud" in my life, there was Jesus. He was coming right alongside. And he would use this situation for his glory and purposes.
#2. John was listening for the call of the Spirit. The book of Revelation was actually a letter written by the disciple John, explaining a vision that he had of the end days. This letter would then be sent to several different churches in order to offer some hope and encouragement that in the end, God wins. We have nothing to fear.
But what kind of struck me was the fact that John was truly listening for what God was seeking to do in his life. Could you imagine what would have happened if God gave John a vision, but he simply ignored it or chalked it up to just being some weird dream? John was sensitive to what God was wanting to say to him, and out of that sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, I believe we find the book of Revelation.
So many times, I think that we totally miss what God is trying to do in our lives. We don't find him, often because we aren't looking for him. Of course, you could take that too far, trying to find God giving you some special message in everything, which is probably just as dangerous a habit to get into. But I just wonder how many things I potentially miss, not because God isn't speaking, but because I'm not listening. I don't want to miss out on what God wants to say. And that means having a receptive and open heart that's looking and waiting for God to speak at any moment.
Revelation is an incredible book of the Bible, and without a doubt, one of the most hotly disputed. I'm really looking forward to you all getting to hear some of Steve and Beka's thoughts later on this week about it, but in kicking our brief jaunt through this book, I just wanted to note a couple of things in my reading of Revelation 1.
#1. Jesus comes on the clouds. At least, that's what it says in verse 7. Christ will come on the clouds. This is significant for a few reasons, probably the most important being that this is Messianic-type imagery. In other words, Jesus being this figure who comes on the clouds is something that is actually a fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy and actually makes a statement about his lordship.
But I also think that there's a real significance to the fact that Jesus is portrayed coming on clouds in a somewhat metaphorical sense as well. In a time in my life several years ago where God seemed really distant, my friend Brent shared with me Revelation 1:7 and shared that he felt there was symbolic truth there pointing to the simple fact that when the clouds and storms of life come, there we often find Jesus as well. In that point in my life, I was in great pain emotionally and spiritually, but it brought me comfort to think that in the midst of that "cloud" in my life, there was Jesus. He was coming right alongside. And he would use this situation for his glory and purposes.
#2. John was listening for the call of the Spirit. The book of Revelation was actually a letter written by the disciple John, explaining a vision that he had of the end days. This letter would then be sent to several different churches in order to offer some hope and encouragement that in the end, God wins. We have nothing to fear.
But what kind of struck me was the fact that John was truly listening for what God was seeking to do in his life. Could you imagine what would have happened if God gave John a vision, but he simply ignored it or chalked it up to just being some weird dream? John was sensitive to what God was wanting to say to him, and out of that sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, I believe we find the book of Revelation.
So many times, I think that we totally miss what God is trying to do in our lives. We don't find him, often because we aren't looking for him. Of course, you could take that too far, trying to find God giving you some special message in everything, which is probably just as dangerous a habit to get into. But I just wonder how many things I potentially miss, not because God isn't speaking, but because I'm not listening. I don't want to miss out on what God wants to say. And that means having a receptive and open heart that's looking and waiting for God to speak at any moment.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
94. Faith and Works (James 1:1-2:26).
by Wesley Blackburn
If someone were to ask me my favorite passage of Scripture I would quickly say James 1:22 “do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves, do what it says.” How wonderfully simple, to the point, and practical is that…like most of the book of James.
There are few other favorite convicting verses of mine from this section. See if they convict you in the same way they do me:
-1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds… If I want to be stronger and better, I have to go through trials. I’ve noticed that often when people come from difficult backgrounds they often have a strength of character that others can only admire. My mom is one of these people. She has continually risen above tough circumstances to become one of the strongest people I know. Consider the equation: trial of faith = perseverance = maturity.
-1:19 everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. If only I could get past the quick to listen, then I’ll start to work on slow to speak and slow to become angry. I think I could spend my entire life on that one verse. You know the people that don’t shoot off their mouth or say immature things, those are the people everyone else wants to listen to.
-1:22ff That whole mirror imagery is cool to me. Do I look into the Bible, the mirror, and see a reflection of myself? I wish.
-2:1 don’t show favoritism. How often I cling to that which is familiar, or like me, or safe and comfortable. How much God calls us to love the outcast, the poor, the weak.
-2:13 mercy triumphs over judgment. When it is all said and done, I am failing a lot. Which is why I’m so thankful for verse like this that remind me that God is just as strong in His mercy as He is in His judgment of us.
One of the main points of this e100 HAS to be that we don’t merely listen to the Word, but that we do what it says. How will you put into play something that you are reading/learning/experiencing about God this week?
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
92. A New Creation In Christ (2 Corinthians 4:1-6:2).
by Scott Skowronski
Sit and think about the following for a moment:
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
When we feel like quitting, when we get frustrated, when we get angry, when we question going forward, we place our faith ahead of our flesh remembering that "our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." We are living a temporary assignment away from home and work to please God so that when it is our time to be with him we can confidently await the promise of heaven.
We must recognize that our sins will not be held against us. We become a new creation when we accept Christ as our Savior. We become reconciled to God. "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."
As I read these passages today, I could not help but to think about how God's mercy has allowed me to arrive exactly where I am. It became clear to me that I must take the light shining in my heart and help others find it too. I am fully able to "Let light shine out of darkness." I was helped to find the glory of God through the face of Christ and am determined to help others also find this saving grace.
When I think back over the past two years of my life, I see a transformation that has reformed who I am and what I stand for on a daily basis. It amazes me how a desperate honest conversation with God guided me to becoming a new creation in Christ forever changing the rest of my time spent in this world and therefore eternity.
The once dark, sick and isolated world of my life has become filled with hope relentlessly bright and shining with love from every angle. I trust obediently and through that trust I am provided with all that I need to experience the joy I was meant to receive to bring glory to God. I am so grateful and invite all of you to join me in pursuing God's will living with this dedication at the forefront of our actions.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
88. Good Soldiers of Christ (2 Timothy 2:1-26).
by Wesley Blackburn
As I sit and get ready to write this post, I just have to laugh. If there's been one passage of Scripture rolling around in my mind and heart recently, it is actually from 2 Timothy 2. The words here definitely carry a lot of weight. Obviously, they're the words of Scripture, so that makes them important in and of themselves. But there's something interesting about 2 Timothy; it is believed to be the final letter that Paul ever wrote (at least that we have and know of today). Paul was writing to Timothy, a young man (probably in his late teens or early to mid twenties) who had trained under Paul for a long time and had become one of Paul's most trusted friends and ministry colleagues. Paul knew the date for his trial before the Roman emperor Nero was coming, and that that could very well be it for him. So, before potentially dying, Paul wanted to make sure he left his best friend Timothy some words of wisdom.
And that's what we have here... Paul's advice to Timothy on how to be a servant of God. It all comes to a summary in verse 15: Paul asks Timothy to do everything in his power to present himself before God as one who did the job given to him and handled the message of God's truth with care.
But I'm also struck by something else in this chapter. Paul spends a lot of time asking Timothy to remember things that he already knew about Christ. That Christ is resurrected, that Christ died for us, that Christ gives us our salvation. Our identity is found in Christ. When we keep Him and His promises at the forefront of our minds, everything else has a way of falling into place. I think that's the biggest thing I take from Paul's words here; we need to keep Christ at the center. That's when we know we are good soldiers of Christ.
As I sit and get ready to write this post, I just have to laugh. If there's been one passage of Scripture rolling around in my mind and heart recently, it is actually from 2 Timothy 2. The words here definitely carry a lot of weight. Obviously, they're the words of Scripture, so that makes them important in and of themselves. But there's something interesting about 2 Timothy; it is believed to be the final letter that Paul ever wrote (at least that we have and know of today). Paul was writing to Timothy, a young man (probably in his late teens or early to mid twenties) who had trained under Paul for a long time and had become one of Paul's most trusted friends and ministry colleagues. Paul knew the date for his trial before the Roman emperor Nero was coming, and that that could very well be it for him. So, before potentially dying, Paul wanted to make sure he left his best friend Timothy some words of wisdom.
And that's what we have here... Paul's advice to Timothy on how to be a servant of God. It all comes to a summary in verse 15: Paul asks Timothy to do everything in his power to present himself before God as one who did the job given to him and handled the message of God's truth with care.
But I'm also struck by something else in this chapter. Paul spends a lot of time asking Timothy to remember things that he already knew about Christ. That Christ is resurrected, that Christ died for us, that Christ gives us our salvation. Our identity is found in Christ. When we keep Him and His promises at the forefront of our minds, everything else has a way of falling into place. I think that's the biggest thing I take from Paul's words here; we need to keep Christ at the center. That's when we know we are good soldiers of Christ.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
87. The Love of Money (1 Timothy 6:3-21).
by Wesley Blackburn
So, in Bible college, I had this professor named Steve Yeaton for a class called Intro to Ministry. Basically, it was this freshman-level course that talked about random pastoral stuff... how to do a wedding or funeral, good basic tips for pastoral counseling, how to do pastor taxes (yeah, exciting stuff) and that sort of thing. But Professor Yeaton had a really witty sense of humor, and I'll never forget one day how he told our class that a guy only gets into ministry for two things: chicks and money. We laughed pretty hysterically (I can assure you, as a pastor on staff at Suncrest, I have neither chicks or money in abundance... just in case you were wondering).
I think everyone kind of makes jokes like that about money. I don't know that I have ever had a conversation with someone where they said, "Wes, I just have more money than I know what to do with!" That just doesn't happen. But some people let that lack become a real driving force for them. They do everything with money in mind. We probably have all known a person who has seen their life wrecked by a continual greed and desire for more and more money. Just as Paul says in this letter, the love of money truly is the root of all evil. When money consumes us, we'll destroy anything in our path to get more and more stuff. And the cruel irony that Paul observes is simply that we don't get to take our stuff with us when we die anyway (1 Timothy 6:7). We're literally spinning our wheels for something that's here for a moment and then... POOF! It's gone.
But I also don't want us to go too far to the extreme and say the wrong thing here, either. Paul says that the love of money is the root of all evil. Money itself is not. I really like what Dave Ramsey has to say on this issue. He compares money to a brick. In itself, it's neutral. It's what we do with it that makes it good or bad. We can use a brick to do something bad, like break a window or destroy someone's property. But we can also use a brick to do something great, like build a home or a hospital. The same is true with money. We can use it for terrible things, like purchasing so much junk we don't need putting us into deep debt, or we can use it for great things, like giving to someone in need, giving to our church, or providing for our families.
As Christ followers, I believe that God wants us to be people who are driven by a deep desire to use what God has given us in the greatest way possible to make a difference in the world that He would be proud of. So if you've got money, great! Don't hoard it... use what you need and give the rest away. You're not going to hold onto it for long anyway. And if you're like me, where you don't have a ton of money, don't fret! God will continue to provide for us (read Matthew 6 if you don't believe me). Let's just make sure we aren't driven by a desire to gain more and more for ourselves.
So, in Bible college, I had this professor named Steve Yeaton for a class called Intro to Ministry. Basically, it was this freshman-level course that talked about random pastoral stuff... how to do a wedding or funeral, good basic tips for pastoral counseling, how to do pastor taxes (yeah, exciting stuff) and that sort of thing. But Professor Yeaton had a really witty sense of humor, and I'll never forget one day how he told our class that a guy only gets into ministry for two things: chicks and money. We laughed pretty hysterically (I can assure you, as a pastor on staff at Suncrest, I have neither chicks or money in abundance... just in case you were wondering).
I think everyone kind of makes jokes like that about money. I don't know that I have ever had a conversation with someone where they said, "Wes, I just have more money than I know what to do with!" That just doesn't happen. But some people let that lack become a real driving force for them. They do everything with money in mind. We probably have all known a person who has seen their life wrecked by a continual greed and desire for more and more money. Just as Paul says in this letter, the love of money truly is the root of all evil. When money consumes us, we'll destroy anything in our path to get more and more stuff. And the cruel irony that Paul observes is simply that we don't get to take our stuff with us when we die anyway (1 Timothy 6:7). We're literally spinning our wheels for something that's here for a moment and then... POOF! It's gone.
But I also don't want us to go too far to the extreme and say the wrong thing here, either. Paul says that the love of money is the root of all evil. Money itself is not. I really like what Dave Ramsey has to say on this issue. He compares money to a brick. In itself, it's neutral. It's what we do with it that makes it good or bad. We can use a brick to do something bad, like break a window or destroy someone's property. But we can also use a brick to do something great, like build a home or a hospital. The same is true with money. We can use it for terrible things, like purchasing so much junk we don't need putting us into deep debt, or we can use it for great things, like giving to someone in need, giving to our church, or providing for our families.
As Christ followers, I believe that God wants us to be people who are driven by a deep desire to use what God has given us in the greatest way possible to make a difference in the world that He would be proud of. So if you've got money, great! Don't hoard it... use what you need and give the rest away. You're not going to hold onto it for long anyway. And if you're like me, where you don't have a ton of money, don't fret! God will continue to provide for us (read Matthew 6 if you don't believe me). Let's just make sure we aren't driven by a desire to gain more and more for ourselves.
Monday, September 27, 2010
86. Elders and Deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-16).
by Wesley Blackburn
Based on outward appearances, there's not a whole lot very flashy about this passage. As a pastor and Bible college student, I get to hear a lot about people's favorite Bible verses and things about Scripture that inspire them, and I don't recall anyone ever saying, "Hey, you know the passage that talks about elders and deacons? 1 Timothy 3? Yeah... that's definitely my favorite part of the Bible."
But despite its lack of flash, I think that this passage gives us some important considerations. Namely, that God really values leadership, especially within his church. In laying down the things that qualify a person to serve as an elder or deacon in the church, Paul really pushes people toward something great. He pushes them to go above and beyond the call in many ways. To me, this shows that God doesn't just want us to slip by, especially if we are wanting to be leaders in His body. In fact, God calls us to something far greater as leaders. The whole "be above reproach" idea is strongly communicated here. God wants us to be people that are far beyond being even one bit close to being dragged down accusations that might haunt us!
Reading this passage also just makes me thankful to get to serve with such great leaders at Suncrest. We've got some great people serving on our staff, and some even better people in our church who serve as elders and leaders. We've been truly blessed with people who have stepped up to the plate and done such a great job casting direction and vision for our church, serving faithfully, and boldly following wherever God leads!
Leadership is important. 1 Timothy 3 encourages me to keep aspiring to be a better leader, and it also makes me thankful for the great leaders that we already have at Suncrest!
Based on outward appearances, there's not a whole lot very flashy about this passage. As a pastor and Bible college student, I get to hear a lot about people's favorite Bible verses and things about Scripture that inspire them, and I don't recall anyone ever saying, "Hey, you know the passage that talks about elders and deacons? 1 Timothy 3? Yeah... that's definitely my favorite part of the Bible."
But despite its lack of flash, I think that this passage gives us some important considerations. Namely, that God really values leadership, especially within his church. In laying down the things that qualify a person to serve as an elder or deacon in the church, Paul really pushes people toward something great. He pushes them to go above and beyond the call in many ways. To me, this shows that God doesn't just want us to slip by, especially if we are wanting to be leaders in His body. In fact, God calls us to something far greater as leaders. The whole "be above reproach" idea is strongly communicated here. God wants us to be people that are far beyond being even one bit close to being dragged down accusations that might haunt us!
Reading this passage also just makes me thankful to get to serve with such great leaders at Suncrest. We've got some great people serving on our staff, and some even better people in our church who serve as elders and leaders. We've been truly blessed with people who have stepped up to the plate and done such a great job casting direction and vision for our church, serving faithfully, and boldly following wherever God leads!
Leadership is important. 1 Timothy 3 encourages me to keep aspiring to be a better leader, and it also makes me thankful for the great leaders that we already have at Suncrest!
Friday, September 24, 2010
85. The Supremacy of Christ (Colossians 1:1-23).
by Wesley Blackburn
I sincerely believe that there is no decision that a person can make that is more important than the decision a person makes about Jesus.
I say that for a couple of different reasons. Number one, I think the Bible teaches us that the decision of what we do with Jesus has ramifications for our eternity. But secondly, I think that a decision to say that Jesus is the Son of God and is more than worthy of me following Him will force a fundamental change in the way we live our lives. All of a sudden, we find the motivation to be more loving. More forgiving. More compassionate. More joyful. More peaceful.
Colossians 1 contains one of the most important statements about who Jesus is. Paul tells us here that He is the very image of God Himself, and all things were created through Him. All the fullness that lies within God the Father can be found in Jesus. He is supreme over all things and in all things (a great reminder, especially when we walk through difficult times in life).
But quite possibly, the greatest thing that Paul says about Jesus in this passage is that He is active member in the ministry of our reconciliation. We were once enemies of God because of the terrible choices that we made; we disobeyed His commands, chose to do our own thing our own way, and overall, just chose to say "no" to whatever it was God asked of us. But through Jesus, we have been reconciled with God. No longer is this a relationship on rocky terms... it is a relationship filled with the incredible love of God for us! The all supreme, all knowing, all-powerful God chooses relationship with us. We never have to worry if He is on our side... we know that He is always working things together for those who love Him.
I sincerely believe that there is no decision that a person can make that is more important than the decision a person makes about Jesus.
I say that for a couple of different reasons. Number one, I think the Bible teaches us that the decision of what we do with Jesus has ramifications for our eternity. But secondly, I think that a decision to say that Jesus is the Son of God and is more than worthy of me following Him will force a fundamental change in the way we live our lives. All of a sudden, we find the motivation to be more loving. More forgiving. More compassionate. More joyful. More peaceful.
Colossians 1 contains one of the most important statements about who Jesus is. Paul tells us here that He is the very image of God Himself, and all things were created through Him. All the fullness that lies within God the Father can be found in Jesus. He is supreme over all things and in all things (a great reminder, especially when we walk through difficult times in life).
But quite possibly, the greatest thing that Paul says about Jesus in this passage is that He is active member in the ministry of our reconciliation. We were once enemies of God because of the terrible choices that we made; we disobeyed His commands, chose to do our own thing our own way, and overall, just chose to say "no" to whatever it was God asked of us. But through Jesus, we have been reconciled with God. No longer is this a relationship on rocky terms... it is a relationship filled with the incredible love of God for us! The all supreme, all knowing, all-powerful God chooses relationship with us. We never have to worry if He is on our side... we know that He is always working things together for those who love Him.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
84. Rejoice In the Lord (Philippians 4:4-9).
by Wesley Blackburn
To me, Philippians 4:4-9 is one of the passages in the Bible that has the most to say to how I live my life and to provide the peace that God wants us to have through Jesus Christ. Paul's advice here has an incredible bearing upon our lives and I know that if we apply what Paul says here, it could totally revolutionize the way our lives look.
For me, though, the biggest thing we learn from this passage is the importance of us not worrying. Worry is an absolutely destructive force in our lives. When we worry, stress, fret, and fear, we can feel like we are living an absolutely miserable life. Things fall apart. Every waking moment is spent thinking about what is going wrong or what could go wrong. It is rough. It's also consuming.
Paul advises, though, instead of us worrying, we should pray. We need to come to God first with our problems, with our issues, and with the things that are weighing us down. Paul assures that when we pray, we will discover an incredible peace that overtakes us and reminds us that everything will be okay; that God is still in control and still on His throne. We never have a reason to fear when we remember that God is in control and is working out all things for the good of His kingdom and His children! What's even better is that Paul doesn't put some limit on what we can pray about. Simply anything that is a concern can be brought to God, asking for His help and His provision. Several books in the Bible remind us of that awesome fact.
I know that recently, my life has went through a real season of worry. It's been rough. But I also know that (sadly) in my worry, I often don't take my concerns to God in prayer. But when I do, I know that somehow, someway, I experience a real peace. And that is wonderful, especially in seasons of worry. So keep praying! God is listening. And that gives us a great reason to rejoice in the Lord.
To me, Philippians 4:4-9 is one of the passages in the Bible that has the most to say to how I live my life and to provide the peace that God wants us to have through Jesus Christ. Paul's advice here has an incredible bearing upon our lives and I know that if we apply what Paul says here, it could totally revolutionize the way our lives look.
For me, though, the biggest thing we learn from this passage is the importance of us not worrying. Worry is an absolutely destructive force in our lives. When we worry, stress, fret, and fear, we can feel like we are living an absolutely miserable life. Things fall apart. Every waking moment is spent thinking about what is going wrong or what could go wrong. It is rough. It's also consuming.
Paul advises, though, instead of us worrying, we should pray. We need to come to God first with our problems, with our issues, and with the things that are weighing us down. Paul assures that when we pray, we will discover an incredible peace that overtakes us and reminds us that everything will be okay; that God is still in control and still on His throne. We never have a reason to fear when we remember that God is in control and is working out all things for the good of His kingdom and His children! What's even better is that Paul doesn't put some limit on what we can pray about. Simply anything that is a concern can be brought to God, asking for His help and His provision. Several books in the Bible remind us of that awesome fact.
I know that recently, my life has went through a real season of worry. It's been rough. But I also know that (sadly) in my worry, I often don't take my concerns to God in prayer. But when I do, I know that somehow, someway, I experience a real peace. And that is wonderful, especially in seasons of worry. So keep praying! God is listening. And that gives us a great reason to rejoice in the Lord.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
83. The Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20).
by Wesley Blackburn
I remember when I was a kid, our Sunday School class had to memorize all the parts of the armor of God. I wish I could say that I did so really willingly and that it was a truly transforming thing for my life. Unfortunately, though, that was not the case. I was more excited about the Pop Tart I would get from my teacher after reciting them properly.
But years later, I think I've been able to shed that childlike idea about the armor of God. Now as I think about it, if we could master all of the stuff that Paul talks about being part of the armor of God, we'd be in good shape. Truth, righteousness, peace, and all of the other things Paul talks about in this passage are things that could truly transform our lives if we'd truly grasp them and live them out.
But I think the thing we need to latch onto in this passage is actually before Paul even lists out the armor of God. It comes in Ephesians 6:12, where Paul writes "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
I'm really not a fan of the people who pawn all of their life's difficulties off onto Satan. But I think I often go to the other extreme. I live so much in this world that I oftentimes forget that there's a whole spiritual world that I can't see. And that world has a real effect on my world. Sometimes the best tactic of the enemy is to lure us into forgetting that he really exists, and that I believe he really is oftentimes trying to work against us. He can put real obstacles in our way.
But the good news? We have a God who has overcome the enemy! We don't have to worry. And we can know that we will overcome as well, if we will only put on the armor of God.
I remember when I was a kid, our Sunday School class had to memorize all the parts of the armor of God. I wish I could say that I did so really willingly and that it was a truly transforming thing for my life. Unfortunately, though, that was not the case. I was more excited about the Pop Tart I would get from my teacher after reciting them properly.
But years later, I think I've been able to shed that childlike idea about the armor of God. Now as I think about it, if we could master all of the stuff that Paul talks about being part of the armor of God, we'd be in good shape. Truth, righteousness, peace, and all of the other things Paul talks about in this passage are things that could truly transform our lives if we'd truly grasp them and live them out.
But I think the thing we need to latch onto in this passage is actually before Paul even lists out the armor of God. It comes in Ephesians 6:12, where Paul writes "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
I'm really not a fan of the people who pawn all of their life's difficulties off onto Satan. But I think I often go to the other extreme. I live so much in this world that I oftentimes forget that there's a whole spiritual world that I can't see. And that world has a real effect on my world. Sometimes the best tactic of the enemy is to lure us into forgetting that he really exists, and that I believe he really is oftentimes trying to work against us. He can put real obstacles in our way.
But the good news? We have a God who has overcome the enemy! We don't have to worry. And we can know that we will overcome as well, if we will only put on the armor of God.
Friday, September 17, 2010
80. The Trip to Rome-Acts 25:1-28:31
...by Kay Roberts
Whew! That was wild and crazy reading! Is your head spinning? I know mine is.
I can’t imagine the ordeal that Paul went through on this trip. The trip itself was no picnic and to throw in on top all he had endured prior to setting foot on the ship. But what I can imagine is his faith in God. Throughout this entire reading, Paul never waivers. He is the one encouraging the sea captain and advising him even though he is prisoner. He doesn’t try and escape or manipulate those around him for his own agenda. He could’ve absolutely taken advantage of his position in offering counsel to this in charge of him but didn’t. Not once! What a beautiful example Paul has left us especially for this day and age when everyone is out for number one…themselves! His faith and trust in God was so strong that he didn’t waiver.
How can we apply this to our lives today? What steps do we need to take to move forward with our faith? How can we live more boldly in our lives like Paul did?
Whew! That was wild and crazy reading! Is your head spinning? I know mine is.
I can’t imagine the ordeal that Paul went through on this trip. The trip itself was no picnic and to throw in on top all he had endured prior to setting foot on the ship. But what I can imagine is his faith in God. Throughout this entire reading, Paul never waivers. He is the one encouraging the sea captain and advising him even though he is prisoner. He doesn’t try and escape or manipulate those around him for his own agenda. He could’ve absolutely taken advantage of his position in offering counsel to this in charge of him but didn’t. Not once! What a beautiful example Paul has left us especially for this day and age when everyone is out for number one…themselves! His faith and trust in God was so strong that he didn’t waiver.
How can we apply this to our lives today? What steps do we need to take to move forward with our faith? How can we live more boldly in our lives like Paul did?
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
77. The First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:1-14:28).
I can’t imagine how many times in my life I have read this passage, but it’s been a while. In some ways it seems like a random account of Paul’s missionary journeys: Paul goes here, Paul goes there. This happens, that happens. Not quite so random, though. My son Tim tells me that the Book of Acts shows how the spread of the gospel unfolds geographically. You know Acts 1:8 well by now, don’t you? “…in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Well, now we are going to the ends of the earth with Paul. The ends of the earth as he knew it anyway.
The book unfolds biographically, too. The first part of the book of Acts tells more about Peter’s ministry to the Jews, and at this point (ch.13) the focus goes to Paul and his ministry to the Gentiles. But who is the real main character of the Book of Acts? It’s God. This is not so much a passage about what Paul is doing, as it is about what the Holy Spirit is doing. Though the Suncrest mission statement says that we want to be used by God to change lives, that could have been the mission statement for Paul’s life as well! It is God who is at work in the Book of Acts, in a mighty way, and he used the church to get his work done.
And folks, we are the church. God might not be calling you to the uttermost parts of the earth, but he is calling you next door or down the street. He is calling you to share your heart with your “one,” the neighbor, co-worker, or family member who needs his unconditional grace. Pray for opportunities and pray for open minds and open hearts. The early church did not pray for ease and comfort, they prayed for boldness and power. Let’s do the same!
Friday, September 10, 2010
75. Good News for All (Acts 10:1-11:18).
by Dave Wright
Now, Peter was trying to figure out what he just saw when the men Cornelius had sent arrived. They told him they were to bring him to Caesarea and meet with their boss, the Roman guard. So Peter went along. While Peter was traveling back, Cornelius started to ask his friends and family to stop by. As they gathered at the house, Peter approached. But I also think he had to hesitate before walking in. This was a room full of Jews! Was this a trick? Cornelius met him at the door. The passage tells it much better than I ever could from here:
“You know, our church is filled more of the Holy Spirit than the church down the street.”
“I don’t know how they can be considered a place of worship…they only have communion every quarter.”
“How do they consider themselves to be Children of God when they…?”
Wow, it seems like every time I am asked to write one of these blogs I start by things I have overheard. So…how many times have you heard these words…or even said them yourself?
Acts 10:1 through 11:18 tells the story of Cornelius, a Roman guard who lived in Caesarea. One afternoon Cornelius was visited by an angel who told him to send his men to Joppa and find Peter and bring him back to see him. While the men were coming to get Peter, he was in Joppa on a rooftop when he fell into a trance and saw a vision of Heaven open and unfurl a large sheet of all kinds of four-footed animals. The voice of the Lord said to Peter, “Get up Peter, kill and eat!” Peter replied to the Lord saying, “Surely not. I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” But the Lord replied, “Do not call anything impure the Lord has made clean.”
Now, Peter was trying to figure out what he just saw when the men Cornelius had sent arrived. They told him they were to bring him to Caesarea and meet with their boss, the Roman guard. So Peter went along. While Peter was traveling back, Cornelius started to ask his friends and family to stop by. As they gathered at the house, Peter approached. But I also think he had to hesitate before walking in. This was a room full of Jews! Was this a trick? Cornelius met him at the door. The passage tells it much better than I ever could from here:
7Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"
30Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' 33So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."
34Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
39"We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, 40but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
This was a “aha” moment in Peter’s life. The vision now made sense. The “Good News” is for everyone. God does not show favoritism and accepts people from every nation who fear him and do what is right. The passage goes on to say that as Peter spoke, the Holy Spirit came upon everyone present and Peter stayed to baptize them. A few days later, the word had spread about what had happened. Peter was grilled, being asked “How can you go into a house of uncircumcised men and eat wth them?” Peter told them of his vision and replied, “So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?" What a great response to an obviously silly question. Who was Peter to think that he could oppose God and not spread the good news?
The Good News is for everybody. It is not just for the church that has the most “Holy Spirit Quotient," or for the church with quarterly communion service. I repeat, the Good News is for everybody. God gave his Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for everybody’s sins. Is there any better news anywhere?
Thursday, September 9, 2010
74. Sharing the Word (Acts 8:26-40).
by Lynn Barbee
God has such a sense of humor. Or timing. When I saw that the assignment I had been given for this blog was Acts 8:26-40, I had to smile. August 26 (8/26 for the numerically minded) was the day I was baptized in 1971 at the tender age of… (mumbles something) whatever I was. I was a young sophomore in high school, and met a girl who became my best friend and is still one of my closest friends to this day. She invited me to attend church youth group with her, and the rest is history. I was baptized at Camp LRCA , which was in Cedar Lake back then, and my life has never been the same. I always say my life changed, not only for the hereafter, but for the here and now. I grew up in an alcoholic home, and my dad died when I was still young. I was headed for a life of going my own way. I can only imagine the path my life would have taken if someone had not opened the Book with me!
I remember sitting at a big table in the basement of the First Church of Christ in Whiting in the Sundays before that monumental decision. The youth group leaders and other teens would answer my questions…and there was this huge black Bible…. how could I understand, unless someone explained it to me? I had been a Christian all my life, but had never even learned how to look up a Bible verse. On August 26, 1971, I went from Christian to Christ-follower, and have never looked back. What a wonderful journey it’s been!
We all have the responsibility to share what Christ has done in our lives, and we all can tell what we know. You might not be the Bible scholar you want to be, but like the teens in my high school youth group, share what you know. I saw the difference in their lives. You and I have the potential to let God use us to change lives as well; I pray that we will let him to do that!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
73. The First Martyr (Acts 6:8-8:8).
by Wesley Blackburn
And now, things continue on in the story of the early church with the first martyr, Stephen. We don’t know a whole lot about Stephen, or how he came to Christ, but we do know that the Holy Spirit was obviously with this man. He would soon distinguish himself as one of the leaders in the church, and would be a trusted helper in the disciples’ ministry to the widows in the church.
As you read today, Stephen would speak boldly for Christ. Unfortunately, this would be met with quite a bit of opposition from the Jewish leadership, who would eventually bring him before the Sanhedrin. After offering a bold speech about the identity of Christ, sharing who He really was, Stephen would be stoned. What’s more, he would be stoned under the cold approval of a man named Saul, who actually becomes quite a big figure in the story of the early church. We’ll hear more about him (and from him) later.
From the life of Stephen, though, I think I learn some important things. One of those is that Stephen wasn’t afraid of conflict, and I shouldn’t be either. This isn’t to say that Stephen was a person who necessarily embraced conflict, and certainly doesn’t mean that he shared about Christ without love. But this is to say that when conflict arose, Stephen wasn’t afraid. I wish I had more of that. Sometimes, when I’m in situations with people who are hostile toward Christ or Christianity, my tendency is actually to be quiet and say nothing. Maybe I need to step up and exhibit some of the boldness that Stephen showed in this passage. I need to share about Christ firmly, yet lovingly.
I think the second thing we should see in the life of Stephen is something that might be incredibly easy to look over or to miss: Stephen was an active part of the secular (if we can use that term here) world in which he lived. Think about it: the fact that Stephen came into conflict with people over Jesus meant that he was constantly surrounding himself with people who didn’t know Jesus. Stephen didn’t hide away, even though that would be easy; in fact, it would have helped him avoid his death. But instead, Stephen didn’t retreat into a holy huddle. He boldly engaged the world in which he lived. I need to do the same.
And finally, I think the last lesson we learn from Stephen is that he lived with a heavenward focus. Even in his final moments before death, he was still looking toward heaven, and he actually saw the face of Jesus. I think a big source of our fears, concerns, anxieties, and worries in this life revolve around the fact that we don’t live with a truly heavenward focus, because in light of heaven, those issues fade away. If we could live like Stephen, truly focusing and believing in the incredible reward of heaven to come, I think it would drastically affect how we live today.
And now, things continue on in the story of the early church with the first martyr, Stephen. We don’t know a whole lot about Stephen, or how he came to Christ, but we do know that the Holy Spirit was obviously with this man. He would soon distinguish himself as one of the leaders in the church, and would be a trusted helper in the disciples’ ministry to the widows in the church.
As you read today, Stephen would speak boldly for Christ. Unfortunately, this would be met with quite a bit of opposition from the Jewish leadership, who would eventually bring him before the Sanhedrin. After offering a bold speech about the identity of Christ, sharing who He really was, Stephen would be stoned. What’s more, he would be stoned under the cold approval of a man named Saul, who actually becomes quite a big figure in the story of the early church. We’ll hear more about him (and from him) later.
From the life of Stephen, though, I think I learn some important things. One of those is that Stephen wasn’t afraid of conflict, and I shouldn’t be either. This isn’t to say that Stephen was a person who necessarily embraced conflict, and certainly doesn’t mean that he shared about Christ without love. But this is to say that when conflict arose, Stephen wasn’t afraid. I wish I had more of that. Sometimes, when I’m in situations with people who are hostile toward Christ or Christianity, my tendency is actually to be quiet and say nothing. Maybe I need to step up and exhibit some of the boldness that Stephen showed in this passage. I need to share about Christ firmly, yet lovingly.
I think the second thing we should see in the life of Stephen is something that might be incredibly easy to look over or to miss: Stephen was an active part of the secular (if we can use that term here) world in which he lived. Think about it: the fact that Stephen came into conflict with people over Jesus meant that he was constantly surrounding himself with people who didn’t know Jesus. Stephen didn’t hide away, even though that would be easy; in fact, it would have helped him avoid his death. But instead, Stephen didn’t retreat into a holy huddle. He boldly engaged the world in which he lived. I need to do the same.
And finally, I think the last lesson we learn from Stephen is that he lived with a heavenward focus. Even in his final moments before death, he was still looking toward heaven, and he actually saw the face of Jesus. I think a big source of our fears, concerns, anxieties, and worries in this life revolve around the fact that we don’t live with a truly heavenward focus, because in light of heaven, those issues fade away. If we could live like Stephen, truly focusing and believing in the incredible reward of heaven to come, I think it would drastically affect how we live today.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
72. Growth and Persecution (Acts 3:1-4:37).
by Bobby Jackson
As corny as it might sound, I wrote my high school term paper on Acts 4. Ten pages seemed like an amazing amount at that point and I wanted to write about something that could keep my interest. I chose the subject of authority, responsibility, and jurisdiction. Authority is tricky in this text. We are taught to respect authority, submit to authority, to honor those in authority. So how does all of that coincide with the apex of this chapter?
18Then they (the Sanhedrin) called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
When do we listen to and obey “those that rule over us” and when do we purposefully go the other way? Is there a time when leaders in the church do not have to be followed? Should not be followed?
Admittedly I was more looking for a loophole so that I didn’t have to listen to some of the authorities in my life, but I stumbled onto a good Scriptural concept: we are not called to be drones that merely go along with whatever the perceived authority calls us to, but we have to follow Christ above everything else (but we must disobey authorities lovingly... see Romans 13). Peter and John were with Jesus and had an unusual courage. I pray that I can stand up for what is right and have courage that others might recognize that I have been “with Jesus.”
As corny as it might sound, I wrote my high school term paper on Acts 4. Ten pages seemed like an amazing amount at that point and I wanted to write about something that could keep my interest. I chose the subject of authority, responsibility, and jurisdiction. Authority is tricky in this text. We are taught to respect authority, submit to authority, to honor those in authority. So how does all of that coincide with the apex of this chapter?
18Then they (the Sanhedrin) called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
When do we listen to and obey “those that rule over us” and when do we purposefully go the other way? Is there a time when leaders in the church do not have to be followed? Should not be followed?
Admittedly I was more looking for a loophole so that I didn’t have to listen to some of the authorities in my life, but I stumbled onto a good Scriptural concept: we are not called to be drones that merely go along with whatever the perceived authority calls us to, but we have to follow Christ above everything else (but we must disobey authorities lovingly... see Romans 13). Peter and John were with Jesus and had an unusual courage. I pray that I can stand up for what is right and have courage that others might recognize that I have been “with Jesus.”
Friday, September 3, 2010
70. The Ascension (Acts 1:1-11).
by Wesley Blackburn
Last words say a lot about a person.
Maybe you've experienced that firsthand, watching a family member or a loved one die. Perhaps you got to hear some last words from that person that you still hold near and dear to your heart today. Recently, there was a huge buzz over this book (I believe featured on Oprah) called The Last Lecture, where a college professor who knew he would die soon of cancer gave his final lecture ever, talking about life and what really mattered.
Whatever the case, people have a tendency to get real very quickly when it comes to their famous last words. What is at our core; at our heart, comes out. Jesus' last words before ascending back into heaven are probably pretty familiar to you by this point if you're a part of Suncrest:
Last words say a lot about a person.
Maybe you've experienced that firsthand, watching a family member or a loved one die. Perhaps you got to hear some last words from that person that you still hold near and dear to your heart today. Recently, there was a huge buzz over this book (I believe featured on Oprah) called The Last Lecture, where a college professor who knew he would die soon of cancer gave his final lecture ever, talking about life and what really mattered.
Whatever the case, people have a tendency to get real very quickly when it comes to their famous last words. What is at our core; at our heart, comes out. Jesus' last words before ascending back into heaven are probably pretty familiar to you by this point if you're a part of Suncrest:
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Yep, that's the infamous (can you call a Bible verse "infamous?") Acts 1:8 of Suncrest Jesus Mission fame. But these are also, interestingly enough, the last words of Jesus while on this earth. And what does Jesus do? He commissions His followers. He tells them to go. He asks them to be His witnesses.
I've got to think that that command applies just as much to us today. Just like the apostles 2,000 years ago, Jesus is commissioning us to go and be His witnesses in our part of the world. As a church, we've tried to capture this by launching campuses in Highland and Walkerton, as well as stepping up our involvement in Liberia with churches there. But I believe we also need to think personally; what's the mission field God has placed each of us in? Where is he calling us to be His witnesses? Maybe it's your "one" that we've been talking about over the past couple weeks of our Journey series at Suncrest. Maybe you get this sense or longing from the Holy Spirit that God wants you to lead the way in a relationship or at work. Whatever it is, go and do it! Christ has commissioned us all... let's be His witnesses.
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