Come, Listen, Obey

"I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built."  Jesus

"The Solid Rock" is one of the most well-known songs in Christian history.  I have memories of being a little boy, my dad standing in front of church leading us in these words:  "On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand." Somehow, I always thought that to stand on Christ meant to believe in him. I needed merely to agree with his teaching and I was set.  Even just singing the song, "The Solid Rock," somehow made me feel more secure in Christ.  But more I studied what Jesus teaches regarding a life built on the rock, the more I realized that it has nothing to do with what I sing or say, but everything to do with what I hear and obey.  To be fair, Jesus assumes belief in him, for no man can obey Jesus if he doesn't first believe Jesus is telling the truth. But after belief, the three criteria Jesus poses in this passage have little to do with some past prayer, or decision to stand on Christ. According to Jesus, the foundation of our faith is not laid when we believe in him. That may be when we get the tools to start laying, but the laying of a good foundation is a lifelong journey, not of reciting creeds or singing songs, but of hearing Christ and following him. 

"I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it."  First, we must come to Jesus. It would be easy to emphasize only obedience, but an Army private has nothing to obey if he hasn't first heard the order from his commanding officer.  There is no obedience pleasing to God which doesn't first find it's root in the presence of Christ and a fresh hearing of his Word. Once we come, we must listen.  The best definition of prayer I've ever heard is "Attentiveness to God."  How often do we approach prayer only expecting God to be attentive to us?  But we pray primarily to hear and understand Jesus, the living and active Word of God. Finally, once we have sat at his feet and attuned our ears to hear what he says, we journal about it and move on. Wrong.  We must then, by the power of God's Spirit, do what Jesus says to do.  Jesus promised his disciples, "I will be with you, even to the end..." So be encouraged. God is not a commander who sends us away to fulfill his orders but a benevolent Lord who walks with us in order to achieve his purposes in and through us. Yes, believer, be encouraged. But disciple, be disciplined.  God wants you to have a solid foundation, but the only way to build that foundation is have a regular, persistent habit of coming to Jesus, listening to what he says, and then obeying his teaching.

Run to Win

“In a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize. Run in such a way as to get the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24

It’s been fun seeing the Olympics every night at our house, and as we were watching Michael Phelps win his 19th Olympic medal, I was reminded of the Biblical mandate to approach our Christian walk in the same way an Olympian trains to win a gold medal. The effort, determination and singleness of purpose displayed by these athletes is what enables them to compete... and win! According to scripture, we are to demonstrate this very same effort and focus. Consider the following:

·   Let us press on to know the Lord (Hosea 6:3)

·   Let us throw off every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1)

·   Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge (2 Peter 1:5)

·   Train yourself for godliness (1 Timothy 4:7)

·   Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

Paul’s exhortation to “run in such a way as to get the prize” is a very literal reminder that some people will win the prize and see Christ, and others will not.  The difference is determination.  You might say here, “But what about grace?” But as Dallas Willard once said, “Grace is not opposed to effort but to earning.” We’re not earning God’s favor, but we are told to make every effort, to press on, to run the race in order to win the prize - and what is that prize? It’s none other than knowing Christ Jesus and being found in him! (Phil 3:8)

God wouldn't employ the analogy of an athlete over and over throughout scripture if it weren’t for a reason. See, he knows that the Christian life can be difficult, so he reminds us to press on.  He understands our tendency to coast on past successes, so he says to make every effort to add to our faith.  He’s aware that we would rather relax and eat junk food (so to speak) than to exercise ourselves and abstain from the caustic influences of this world, so he exhorts us to train ourselves for godliness and cast off every weight and sin that hinders us from running a good race. 

Friend, what area of your life right now could benefit from more effort or self-control? Cry out to God for his grace, which rather than replacing your effort, will actually bolster your effort and bring about real, lasting reward. 

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever!” (1 Corinthians 9:25)

Are You Sure?

“Nothing is more important for us than to know that we are indeed the children of God… You can’t really enjoy the blessings of the Christian life unless you’ve got this assurance.”  Martin Lloyd-Jones

Every Christian struggles with a sense of assurance from time to time, and some may even come to believe that they’re only meant to hope that they’re saved.  But the Bible teaches that those who believe in the name of the Son of God can know that you have eternal life (I John 5:13). 

There are two errors into which Christians often fall in this matter of assurance.  The first is to be so eager to assure everyone who makes a “profession of faith” that we ignore the clear Biblical warnings against false assurances. The second is to set such high standards for personal holiness that any sense of assurance becomes unattainable. For this reason, it’s absolutely essential that we understand what God’s Word has to say about this matter of assurance.

To the question, “How can I be sure I’m a Christian?" many sources might direct you back to the time when you accepted Christ. To be sure, this is a critical moment in any Christian’s life – perhaps the most critical.  But the way we gain assurance of our salvation is not by looking to some past activity of our own but by looking at what God has done (and is still doing). According to Donald Whitney, “The reality of salvation is not demonstrated so much by the experience at the beginning as by the fruit since then. It is not the backward look that is important in gaining assurance, but the look at what you believe and are doing now.”

Paul exhorted each of us to “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5). Though such examination might seem scary at first, the result will likely be a more fruitful, joyous walk with Christ and a more effective ministry to others.  Whitney writes, “Satan knows that Christians are most effective when they’re sure of their salvation, and ineffective when they’re not.”

In the process of examining yourself, guard against the tendency to focus only on what’s wrong in your life.  Nowhere in the Bible do we read that every Christian will possess every evidence of salvation all at once. Read through the book of 1 John, a list of "tests" for examining yourself, and you'll see right away that it was written to believers. It's not uncommon for Christians to struggle with a sense of assurance, but as Whitney writes, “The Bible requires only the presence of evidences, not the perfection of them.” So rather than focusing only on what's wrong, give thanks for what's right, and continue to pray about what needs work.  Seek the Lord and allow him to change your heart.  Your actions will be sure to follow.  After all, the fact that you even care about the absence of certain evidences might itself be evidence that you’re a Christian. 

Thou Art With Me

"Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” John 18:25

            The infamous "denial of Christ" is sadly the most memorable part of Peter's legacy, but I was thinking about it...  How is it that the same man who stepped forward and sliced off the ear of the high priest's servant in front of a band of well-trained Roman soldiers, who stepped out of his boat onto the raging waves in the middle of a violent storm, who rebuked Jesus to his face when he spoke of his own death - how is it that this man lacked the basic courage to admit, to a servant girl at a bonfire, that he even knew Jesus?!?  It's either a fascinating study of schizophrenia or something much, much simpler.  Let's think for a minute... What did all of Peter's lion-hearted moments all have in common and how was the night before Jesus' crucifixion any different?  Let's read: 

                "Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door." (John 18:15-16)  John and his family owned a fishing business that provided fish to the high priest's family, so it's likely that John was the one "known to the high priest" who was allowed to enter.  But we read that "Peter stood outside the door."  For the first time in years, Peter found himself separated from Jesus - and it was in this context that his courage failed him.  Earlier, when Jesus asked his followers to eat his body and drink his blood, many followers ran for the exits - but Peter stayed, saying, "To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!" You see, Peter understood that his whole life was tied up in Jesus and that when Jesus was around, he could do anything!           In Acts 4, the people marveled at "the boldness of Peter" as he preached. Jesus wasn't physically there, but His Spirit was there, and according to Jesus, it's better for us to have His Spirit than to have him physically with us (John 16:7)! 

            Perhaps when Jesus said, "Apart from me, you can do nothing," he really meant it.  We read that "David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him" (1 Chronicles 11:9). And "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me" (Psalm 23:4).

            There is nothing in this life that we cannot face if Christ is with us.  And when I say "with us," I don't mean that we merely believe in Christ, or respect him, or even speak about him. What I mean is that there's no substitute for getting in a quiet place, seeking Jesus, and experiencing the very real presence of his Spirit with us. 

            "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!"

Reason for the Hope - part 2

"Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15 ESV)."  

            The first step in effective evangelism is this: "Have no fear of them, not be troubled."  Peter was actually speaking of those who sought to kill believers, but how often are we troubled for far lesser reasons?  Paul exhorts us, "Let the peace of Christ reign in your hearts."  We're called to contend for the faith, but we do so with the peaceful confidence that God is in control and his Spirit is at work.

            Most people skip to the part about "being prepared to make a defense," but no meaningful defense can be made until we first honor Christ in our hearts and regard him as holy. This is a purely private matter, but our private habit of honoring Christ will determine our effectiveness as an evangelist for God. So before we speak to anyone about Christ, we must worship him and taste of his goodness, because as John Piper said, "You can't commend what you don't cherish." If we have no taste for the goodness of Christ, we won't really be qualified to speak of him to others, and frankly, our "good news" won't be that good. The Great Commandment existed long before the Great Commission, so only when we make it our aim to "Love the Lord" with everything we have will our faith be the least bit attractive.

            When we finally do give a defense, it's not of our beliefs.  We're not called to memorize historical proofs for Christ's resurrection or regurgitate the latest archeological evidence.  Nor are we called to defend ourselves or contend for our denomination or discredit false religions. Our primary calling as followers of Christ is to give a reason for the HOPE!  There are days when the hope of Christ in not fresh on our pallets, and this is why we struggle to take the Gospel to our neighbors - because we're not personally convinced of its worth and goodness. It's critical that we daily honor Christ, so that our hope can become tangible again. People don't care about historical facts.  They want life!  The real hope that Jesus offers is what men long for and what they need.         

            Finally, the command to offer a defense "with gentleness and respect" forever negates our excuses for being contentious and harsh in our conversations.  Jesus was a man "full of grace and truth."  He didn't let diplomacy compromise the integrity of his message and he didn't allow abrasiveness to undermine the grace of his gospel.  Truth can speak for itself, so anytime we try to add emphasis by our forceful methods, we only detract from the glory and grace of Christ.

Reason for the Hope - part 1

I was at home last Friday afternoon, waiting for some Mormons to arrive. They had tried to visit the previous week but I wasn't home. Instead of looking forward to the opportunity to speak with them, I dreaded their arrival. My stomach churned as I nervously watched the door, rehearsing what I would say.  I know we're called to "contend for the faith" (Jude 1:3), but we're also commanded to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts (Colossians 3:15).  Both of these verses are God's will, so both must be simultaneously achievable.  In other words, I should be able to engage unbelievers without falling into a state of inner turmoil. On the psychological spectrum of "fight vs. flight," some of us like to argue until we've won every debate while others of us prefer to avoid every potentially controversial situation. Whatever your personality type though, you should know that there's a more Biblical (and rare) response.  This response, according to 1 Peter 3:15, is to "Be ready to make a defense... yet do it with gentleness and respect."  I'll address this more next week, but for now I want to explore three reasons why we often find ourselves fretting over evangelistic encounters:

1) We rehearse what we'll say and how we'll say it.  Besides being highly unrealistic since there's no way to predict the direction a conversation will take, our "rehearsing" is often just worrying. Jesus said, "Do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say" (Matt 10:19)  

2) Our focus is on the product of conversion rather than the process of conversation.  First of all, only God can convert a sinner, and second of all, the frantic push toward conversion causes us to reduce people to projects rather than honoring them as needy souls, created in God's image.      

3) We see evangelism as a debate over religion rather than an opportunity to a celebrate Christ and show his love.  What keeps people from believing is not a shortage of information or a lack of intellectual aptitude but a pervasive spiritual blindness.  "The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ." Only the love of Christ and the light of the gospel can illuminate blind eyes, so rather than approaching conversations like we're dragging ourselves to a religious debate, we must realize that we have the opportunity to hold up the brilliant gospel of the glorious Christ, the Son of the one true God!  What we're talking about is life-giving truth versus legalistic lies. There's really no debate between the liberating good news of humble Jesus and the debilitating shackles of corrupt, arrogant men.

Next week, we'll explore 1 Peter 3:14-15 and hopefully gain some insights into actively engaging the lost while maintaining the humility and gentleness of Christ.

Stop and Think

I was lining up bricks last week to create an edging for our gravel driveway, and I found that the faster I worked, the more crooked and unsightly my row of bricks became. I finally decided to place a brick and then back up to check my line. This was more tedious work, and I think I did more evaluating than brick-laying, but it was the only way I could get a straight row of bricks. 

Paul exhorted the Ephesian believers to approach their lives in the same manner. “Be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools… Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do” (Eph 5:15,17).  Rather than plowing ahead carelessly, we're called to think about how we live. Tozer once said, “The chief difference between man and beast is that man reflects and the beast does not.”  No horse stops to think about where it’s going; without the guidance of a farmer, the ox will plow crooked rows.  A year ago, I built a chain link fence with a 135 ft straight stretch of fence, and the only way I could get it straight was by backing up often, checking my line, and making numerous adjustments.  In construction, being off by only a centimeter can result in a dangerous, unstable structure. 

I spend a lot of time trying to accomplish broad, sweeping tasks - loving my wife, following Jesus - but these are like 1,000 foot stretches of fence. The only way I can succeed is by concentrating on every little fence post, every connection, every footing.  We often get caught up in the romantic idea of “living our lives for Jesus,” but we should be living our moments for Jesus, for what we make of our moments will determine what we make of our lives.   

Life can be like driving through a snowstorm.  We lose perspective when trudging through the snow and can easily end up in the ditch. It’s only when we pull over that we can regain our bearings.  The book of Haggai is only two chapters, but in those two chapters God tells the people five times to consider their ways.  I like that: Consider. Evaluate. Stop and think. Make modifications. Are the decisions you’re currently making, the books you’re currently reading, the people you’re currently associating with, the movies currently you’re watching… are these building you a solid foundation, constructing you a straight fence, or are they just taking you on a winding, haphazard journey through life?  You say you want to be with God, but is your current lifestyle going to get you there?  If not, then perhaps it’s time for some adjustments.