"And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord." Acts 15:40
At least two times in the early days of the church there would be sharp disagreements. One was over a point of doctrine, and the other was over personnel.
For most churches, settling the first is a cakewalk compared to coming to an agreement on the second. The calling and removal of pastors, staff and committee members usually involve some kind of a vote. Every time a church votes it runs the risk of a dividing the house and splitting the sheets.
Personnel issues involve personalities. Everyone has at least one. Some are two faced enough, or psychotic enough to have more than one. One per person is more than enough to ignite disagreements between most people.
The healthy church is not immune to the expression of differences of opinion, nor is a healthy marriage. The lack of use, or the abuse of the process of settling differences is where the disagreements become a chronic disease.
When the point of doctrine was brought to the floor, everyone had their say, but not everyone made the decision. James made the judgment call, not the biggest mouth, the hottest head, or the oldest member in the room. Interesting. No one called him a dictator, just pastor. But I digress.
When Paul and Barnabas couldn't agree on Mark's credentials for ministry, they went their separate ways. The Scripture says it was, "a sharp disagreement." Sharp disagreements are not painless. They cut. They leave a mark. They either fester into gangrene and cause the loss of a limb or they heal, and the body survives to live and serve. Paul and Barnabas chose the latter path. They moved on. Time would tell who was right. It usually does.
I can remember completing a staff reorganization process, and saying to my Staff Development Team Leader, "I am so glad to have our personnel issues settled." This great Christian layman let out a loud horselaugh. He said, "They are never behind you. They are always out in front of you." He was a lawyer, and had a staff of 500 people on his team. I was wrong. He was right. He spoke from experience. I was just hoping for the best.
Leading people means dealing with difficult people. Some disagreements are ancient. I remember dealing with a secretary who came into the office screaming one afternoon about how her daughter had been robbed. I didn't know she was talking about a cheerleader election. She was ranting about how it had happened to her, and now the same families were rigging the show, and doing it to her kid. She was full on postal. think I told her to get her purse and take her show on the road.
There has never been a personnel issue that didn't include dealing with someone who was either insubordinate, ineffective, immoral, or incorrigible. Never under-estimate the power of people to inject the Body of Christ with their particular form of "I" trouble. The staff infection is always a threat to the health of the church.
No matter how much "I" trouble a person exhibits, they always have a following. Trust me on this. Yes, even the immoral ones. One of my church staff members was involved in an adulterous relationship with one of the deacons of the church. When I tried to correct them, their church friends took offense at my interference. They assumed forgiveness meant, live and let live. It doesn't. You can't make this stuff up.
Taking up another person's offense is one of the great sideshows of the main event in a church. Like a puddle of water cut off from the refreshing, cleansing flow of the source, people who engage in it become a source of disease. The malaria carrying mosquitoes that breed in pools of personal preference and pious offenses are deadly to the Body.
Paul and Barnabas disagreed over Mark's effectiveness. The brethren let them sort it out between them without taking sides. Paul questioned Mark's reliability. He had deserted them before, and didn't want to give him a second chance. Barnabas probably questioned Paul's memory. There was a time when Paul had needed a friend, and Mark needed one now. Paul chose Silas, and went his way. Barnabas took Mark and prepared him for future service.
Eventually Paul would call for Mark to assist him. Paul had softened in his stance against the young evangelist, and Mark had matured in his walk with God. Time may not heal all wounds, but it certainly created a healthy bond between these two servants of God. Giving God time, allowed His Holy Spirit the elbow room He needs to develop the character of Christ in both men.
When you disagree with a person, prayer is the greatest healing component that can be brought to the wounded relationship. Praying with someone, and saying a blessing over them softens the heart of the one who prays, and the one who is being blessed.
Note to self. Praying at someone is a powerfully potent way to deliver a message, but it always deepens the wound and widens the gap of disagreement. Get it right. Pray for, not pray at.
Paul and Silas would eventually be separated. Barnabas and Mark would be together for a season. Nothing lasts forever except the love of God. The Gospel is the good news about the love of God expressed to the world, by His Son's death, burial and resurrection. For the church, this is the main event. Never let a sideshow move the spotlight of your life away from a focus on The Savior.
The system breeds systemic, and sharp disagreements between people who take their eyes off of Jesus and focus on their own rights. Dead men have no rights. Resurrected men crucify theirs.
Paul and Barnabas didn't let their disagreement with one another disengage them from their message, and their mission. In the process, God brought about healing to the relationship between Paul and Mark.
When faced with a disagreement on doctrine, or a disagreeable person in life, pray. Prayer invites God's direction, protection and correction, into the rift. The Spirit of God softens the hearts of people to receive His word of wisdom and knowledge. Invite The Spirit to step into every disagreement on doctrine, and every decision you make.
Prayer is the climate in which God gives grace to the humble to be corrected in doctrine, and to be reconciled in relationships. If you have been cut, pray for healing, for yourself, your opponent and your church. Praying brings healing, even in the midst of disagreeing. Praying together doesn't always lead to agreeing with one another. It does, however, stop the bleeding. Let the healing begin. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Prophet
"Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message...Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord." Acts 15:32-35
Last night, Dana and I assisted my Mom and Dad with their departure from a week long hospital stay and a re-entry to their own home. Their doctor made the call at about 5:00 PM, and we pulled up to their home at 8:30 PM. There were certain vital signs and health concerns that had to be in order before the doctor would sign his name to Dad's release. Once those criteria were reached, and the antibiotics had been put into his system, he was good to go. He was one happy camper. Truly, there is no place like home.
I love reading how the ministry of preaching and teaching took hold in the early church. The Book of Acts is so revealing, and always reminding me of the essential vital signs of a healthy church, and the qualified health inspectors that had their hand on the pulse of the Body of Christ. The church that doesn't have these vital signs or ignores the voices of those who give the church regular Spiritual Checkups is not going to survive the evil viruses that the enemy unleashes, to destroy the church.
I attended a seminary that was founded as "The School of The Prophets." When I discovered this reference to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, I remember thinking it was a real stretch to use such a grandiose term to describe who I was. Still, The Founders understood more about preaching and teaching than I did. The term has grown on me over the past 40 years.
Acts refers to prophets in the early church, in such a matter of fact fashion. Two men were introduced as "also being prophets themselves." There was no fanfare, no introduction or name in lights celebrity status attached to this announcement. They were prophets.
To many people the very word, prophet refers to someone who foretells the future. To others it conjures up the mental image of Charlton Heston coming down the mountain in a robe, with a white beard, carrying tablets of stone, and roaring at the scene of chaos in the Hebrew camp. To others it is simply a synonym for preacher, someone who forth-tells the word of God, but doesn't wander into fore-telling the future.
The early church needed prophets, preachers and teachers. Acts reveals them all. The contemporary church is short on them. Guess which expression of the Body of Christ reveals more vital signs? This is not a trick question.
The word prophet is transliterated from the Greek language. To see it written in English, one sees very little change in the root of it in the Greek word "prophetes." See what I mean? It meant "to forth-tell, or to divulge."
In the New Testament, prophets ministered to the early church when "they were moved by the Holy Spirit to speak, having power to instruct, comfort, encourage, rebuke, convict, and stimulate, their hearers." The Blue Letter Bible
Prophets were not glorified genies that came out of a lamp, nor were they people who made glib predictions about the future. They were not entertainers at parties or presbyteries, using their prophetic voice to perform cheap parlor tricks. They had a spirit sensitive to the voice of God, and they heard from God. What they heard, they spoke.
Prophets had that rare combination of courage and humility to speak forth into others, what they heard God's Spirit say to them. Do they still minister to the local church? Some say. "No."... quoting
"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease." 1 Corinthians 13:8
The major point of that passage, is that selfless love is the motivation for a prophet, not selfish ambition. Others believe speaking forth a strong word, from the Word of God is the current expression of the New Testament model. This expression can be corrupted by an angry preacher venting his spleen, using the bully pulpit to browbeat people into seeing things his way.
Note to self: If you have a prophetic word, have the courage to speak it, but also the humility to say it with a broken heart.
Fore-telling the future, and forth-telling the Word of God are the most common expressions of the prophet. The end result of any expression of this Spiritual gift is the encouraging and the strengthening of the brethren.
To release any prophetic word, void of encouragement to believers, weakens the Body of Christ. It is probably not a word from God. Check the source. Not everything that smells like smoke is HOLY SMOKE. Hell has a way of sending up counterfeit smoke signals. The Wise know the difference.
I Cor. 12:10 reveals that prophecy is a gift of The Spirit. That being true, it will always glorify Jesus and be birthed in prayer. The purpose of The Spirit is to glorify Christ, and Jesus lives to make intercession. To speak a word for God that is not received in the climate of prayer is to confuse one's personal preference with a Biblical reference. Jesus prayed, "Not MY will, but THY will be done." Prophets don't speak until they come to that same place of humility.
Ephesians 4:11 says, "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."
The gift of prophecy is not a new idea, but using it as a personal possession is a bad idea. It is a gift, but it doesn't belong to the prophet. It comes from God, and prophets who grieve the Holy Spirit and bring dishonor to Jesus can expect it to have the gift removed from their hands.
Paul feared this most of all. He prayed that he might not ever become a "castaway." There is nothing more pathetic than a prophet shooting his mouth off, and running around naked, without a mantle from God. Wise prophets cover themselves in prayer, before they deliver a message for God.
I Timothy 4:14 says, "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery."
Paul's warning to Timothy reveals a process in the early church for the setting apart of people for ministry. There were trusted elders, or presbyters who spoke a prophetic word into prospective ministers, and leaders.
Churches that practice the laying on of hands, often neglect the prophetic word. They may fill a slot on a committee, a staff, or a deacon roll, and settle for people who are not filled with The Spirit. This is a toxic virus that attacks the Body of Christ with deadly results. Stop it!
WARNING: Don't ever elect people, God never selected.
Prophetic people have voices that are heard in Heaven, long before they are heard in the church. Prophetic voices are voices very familiar to Jesus. They fill themselves with His Spirit, and linger in the presence of Jesus, as they join Him in the work of intercession.
The prophet seeks nothing more and settles for nothing less than God's direction, protection and correction, in their own lives. They don't rush to the microphone, with a good idea. They must know it is God's idea. They kneel at God's altar, and make sure they are consumed by the fire of God, before they try to shed His light or bring the heat. Prophets will TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Delivery
"Having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement." Acts 15:31
The Book of Acts provides many brief glimpses into the life of the early church. Those interested in restoring 1st Century Christianity, or capturing the essence of the ancient church would do well to douse the candles and put the spotlight on God's Word. Dimming the lights, lighting a few candles and going acoustical, can be refreshing. But missing the real message of the Book of Acts, is like stepping over dollar bills to pick up nickles. It leads to just another form of pious posing. Deliver the mail, not the ambiance.
Note to self: Worship styles are like stationery. No matter what style of stationery you choose, don't forget to deliver the mail.
The early shepherds were not above gathering the sheep. Many preachers believe they are called to preach, but they just can't be bothered with the effort it takes to gather. They value their study time, their family time, their free time, their workout time, their me time, and fill their week with many worthy activities. The early preachers knew they didn't have much of a message, if no one showed up to hear it. They "gathered the congregation together." Go thou and do likewise.
The early shepherds "delivered the mail." Karl Malone, former star in the NBA for 18 years, and one of the greatest power forwards to ever play the game, was nicknamed "The Mail Man." Malone delivered what his team needed, over and over again. POINTS. Interesting point. Many of these points came after he had been fouled. He still holds the record for the most free throws attempted and made. He played a contact sport.
Preachers deal in the same assets, and know the bumps and bruises that come from playing and praying a full contact game. They always have a few points to make, preferably only three, and they are always on the clock. Unfortunately, few sermons are worthy of Overtime. But I digress.
Word-smithed oratory, self-righteous rhetoric, and technical wizardry are a glorified form of dribbling the ball around the basket, without ever making the shot. Preacher! Stop dribbling. Take the shot. Make it count. Deliver the mail. Make your point. The team needs you to step it up.
"They read it." The test of a preacher is the text of the sermon. Many preachers fill the air with references to authors and quotes of books that fall way outside the realm of Genesis to Revelation. These are well-intentioned efforts to prove study has been made, a library is being built, and the flavor of the week has been consumed. Stop it. Read The Book. Preach the Word. Stay on message. Don't edit "The Script." The Word of God is still the best source for the greatest joy, in this world. Tis the Season. Bring joy to the world.
"They rejoiced because of its encouragement." The letter delivered a great message. The encouragement of the letter, from believers in one city to believers in another. is a classic reminder to preachers that the content of their message is not complete, until joy and encouragement are contained in it.
Joy is that over-riding confidence provided by The Spirit of God. Joy relies on faith in the fact that God is in control, in the midst of a world that is out of control. Joy is a calm assurance of the love of God, in a world that is designed to rob a person of their memory. Constant concussions and crises cause them to forget that they are children, loved by God, The Father, and The Son will never leave them or forsake them. Great preaching brings great joy.
Encouragement is translated from two words, "para klesis." It is the source for the very name Jesus gave to the Holy Spirit, as The Comforter, or The Paraclete. The Spirit of God is The Encourager. The Blue Letter Bible provides a detailed look at the meaning of a word that is much needed in the church today. It means...
a calling near, summons, (esp. for help)
importation, supplication, entreaty
exhortation, admonition, encouragement
consolation, comfort, solace; that which affords comfort or refreshment
thus of the Messianic salvation (so the Rabbis call the Messiah the consoler, the comforter)
persuasive discourse, stirring address
instructive, admonitory, conciliatory, powerful hortatory discourse
OK. That may be way over the top, but encouragement means more than HAPPY! HAPPY! HAPPY! No disrespect intended. Prayer calls out to The Encourager, The Comforter to come along-side as The Helper, The Advocate, and The Spirit transforms fearful believers into faithful disciples.
Praying preachers provide, "persuasive discourse, and stirring addresses" that point people to prayer as their means to be filled with The Fruit of The Spirit, joy. They remind them of their heritage, as children of God, and infuse in them the courage to take their stand next to The Champion, Jesus Christ.
The fearful are not prone to be faithful. They rarely take a stand, unless it is in the tall grass. They hide from the world, when they fail to abide in Christ. People are either hiding or abiding. They either have the courage to stand, or they live life on the run. Preachers are called to deliver a message that transform the fearful into the faithful.
The infusion of courage into the congregation, comes from praying preachers reminding praying people of God's grace. God's grace and favor provide His children with the stamina and sense of direction to run the race, to the finish line. Are you hiding or abiding. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Essentials
"For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell." Acts 15:28-29
The Essentials are essentially, very simple.
#1. Always agree with the Holy Spirit.
#2. Avoid associating with questionable practices that cast doubt on your new association with Jesus.
#3. Abstain from fornication.
Many believers feel more comfortable with the world, than they feel convicted to share The Gospel with the world. They need to go back to the point, in their walk with God, where they abandoned these three essentials.
Agreeing with the Holy Spirit is the key to a walk with God that provides a believer with His direction, protection and correction. Praying people are agreeing people, nor perfect people. They are not agreeable to what the world tells them is right. They are only interested in what God says is right. They filter everything the world says to them, through The Word of God, and The Holy Spirit. They are not interested in coming down on the right side of history, but they are consumed with HIS story. When in doubt, read the directions.
Note to self: Your walk with God is the next 20 seconds. The moment The Spirit of God convicts you of sin, you must confess it to God, ask forgiveness for it from Jesus, turn from it to Jesus, and be filled with The Spirit. Like breathing, repeat as needed.
The temples of the Gentile world offered sacrifices to their gods. After the worst part of the animal was burned up on their altars, they sold the best of the meat on the street to provide for the expenses of the their system. The early church leaders encouraged their new brothers and sisters to avoid associating with any enterprise that sustained and supported the opposition, and gave the impression that they had not changed teams. Good advice.
Long before Miley Cyrus strutted her stuff on stage, at a recent awards ceremony, she had wandered from a personal walk with God. As a good Southern Baptist girl, she had been taken to church, baptized as a youth into the fellowship of the church, and then taken back to a home, by her parents, where apparently absolutely nothing had changed.
The parents of this young lady sacrificed her on the altar of celebrity and ignored God's direction, protection and correction. The parents were encouraged to do this by the ample financial support of believers who tune into such awards shows to keep in touch with the real world, and worship their idols. No wonder the Sunday night worship service seems so dull, and on its way to extinction. But I digress.
Abstain from fornication. ABSTINENCE! The very word has been turned into a joke by TV talking heads, and advocates of early sex education. God's Word encourages it, but His people are embarrassed by it. This is one of the reasons "Christian" marriages end in divorce, as often as the marriages of those who hold no belief in God. Apparently, even in the church, most marriages are made in heat, not in Heaven.
Fornication includes it all. Sexual impurity of any kind is to be avoided. The question is this. Whose values are going to reign supreme? The world says, "Nothing wrong here. Move along." God says, "Avoid it." HMMMM. Answer: Get with God and agree with the Holy Spirit.
As the message of The Gospel was shared, it transformed the pagan culture, one life at a time. The church was an open door to people who were fleeing from the world, not those who were trying to drag it to church with them. The church has always been the last, great hope for people, who are sick and tired of being lied to by the world.
Listen to Paul's words to the Church at Corinth. This city was at the crossroads of the world, a cesspool of the ancient world, and a repository of every known perversion. The early church was like a gardenia in a garbage can. It had an aroma so different from the odor of the flesh that it attracted the worst of the world to the best that God had to offer, JESUS.
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, not idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, not thieves, not the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9
This is quite a laundry list!. The blood of Jesus is able to transform everything on it into a believer conformed to His character. This is the message of the church, and when anything but THE ESSENTIALS is heard coming from the church, the message is lost in the sound of billions of voices giving the world a piece of their mind. The result? There is no peace of mind, and no peace with God, in the world or in the church.
Praying people are led by praying pastors to become praying churches, always agreeing with the Holy Spirit. This close walk with the Spirit of God provides them with God's direction, protection and correction, not perfection. Praying leads to obeying, and obeying sustains praying. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Grassroots
This weekend I heard Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas talk about a growing movement in the United States. He said a grassroots movement is gaining momentum. Millions of people, more than willing to go about their lives without being involved in governing, now realize their government is intruding into their lives at an alarming rate. They have awakened. This is going to be interesting.
Sen. Cruz walked his listeners through the NSA overreach, the “Drone” filibuster of Sen. Rand Paul, onto the attempt to engage in war in Syria, and the recent rollout of “ObamaCare.” He has witnessed millions of U.S. citizens mobilizing, as they sense a growing menace from the very government that was designed to protect them.
Sen. Cruz stated his case well, and well he should. Though his father was a political refugee from Cuba, and came to America with only $100, Mr. Cruz is a graduate of Princeton, and Harvard Law School. His work experience with Chief Justice Renquist, and his hours logged in a Texas law firm have given him plenty of juice to deliver his remarks. Without a teleprompter or a set of prepared notes, Sen. Cruz was a force of nature. Refreshing.
The most interesting thing to me, about the evening, was a table of young adults that were seated to his left. They were beaming. Their eyes were intensely focused, and the smile on their faces revealed they were pleased with what they heard. By the looks of things, Mr. Cruz is going to be around for a while. The Old Guard G.O.P. had better start listening.
As the Senator talked about a political grassroots movement growing among the citizens of this nation, I couldn’t help but think of what would happen in the Spiritual arena, if such a grassroots movement began to take hold. Lord, let it begin!
Pastors have been timid, about calling prayer meetings that have proved to be tepid in temperature and poorly attended. These preachers would be encouraged to hear their people say, “Enough is enough.” The grassroots in this nation’s churches already say enough. They must begin to pray enough, calling out to God for answers.
Note to self: Lord, let it begin in me.
When Jesus sought to restore His seven drifting churches of Asia Minor, He said to each one of them, “I KNOW.” Jesus is the only one Who really knows the real condition of His church. He is the only one Who has the solution for His church’s condition. Prayer doesn't frame the debate in the church, but it opens the conversation with Jesus, Who founded the church.
Jesus still knows. His people just stopped asking Him for advice. Those who have an ear to hear, must hear from Him again, and be obedient to do what He says. Seeking a second opinion only postpones the next Great Awakening.
When a couple of discouraged disciples wound their way down the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus they were confronted by The Risen Christ. Jesus approached them as they were walking, talking and discussing the things that had happened to them. When one of them sarcastically rebuked Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the only one in this city that doesn’t know the things that have been happening?” Jesus simply asked, “WHAT THINGS?”
With two words Jesus invited two discouraged, and disheartened disciples to tell Him what was sapping their courage and breaking their hearts. He still does. Have you talked to Jesus today about the condition of your heart, your home, your church, and your country? He still knows what to do. He doesn’t need information from you, but you need inspiration from Him. That is what prayer is all about. Jesus specializes in turning the impossible into the HIMpossible. Tell it to Him. What things, indeed!
The grassroots of the lives of those two disciples began to bear fruit immediately. Their lives were turned around when Jesus revealed Himself to them, through the Scriptures. When He acted as if He would go farther, they urged Jesus to stay with them. The next Great Awakening will begin when the most discouraged and disheartened people will come to that point in their lives, when they just can’t get enough of Jesus. Saying enough and praying enough are two different things. Let the praying begin.
The Book of Acts carries an essential ingredient to the fruit of The Spirit, obedience. The character of Christ is simply not produced by rebellious children. The Spirit releases the character of Christ in obedient children. Over and over again the Scripture reveals the fruit of the Spirit in people who are obedient to the command, BE FILLED with the Spirit. Simple, direct, and essential.
For a grassroots Spiritual movement to become the next Great Awakening, it must be rooted in Jesus. Praying people are rooted in and connected to a praying Savior. Jesus prayed, “Not My will, but Thy will be done.” This should be a clue. Prayer is not about you. It is about you being knocked out of you, by an encounter with the will of God. To get over yourself, you must come to the end of yourself, and the beginning of God.
Prayer is designed to change the world, one person at a time. Are you ready for the next Great Awakening? Jesus is ready to start His next movement in you. Prayer can change your world. Let it begin in you.
The next Great Awakening is beginning to take hold in a nation lost in the tall grass. The grassroots are connecting with The Root. Beat the rush. Make your connection. Jesus can do more to change the Spiritual climate of your heart, your home, your church and your nation, with a moment of your humble obedience than you can ever do with a lifetime of your tireless talk and prayerless effort. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Risk
"Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 15:25-26
The term used to describe the men who would deliver one of the first messages of Religious Liberty were called "men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Along with beloved Barnabas and Paul, Judas and Silas would be sent. All four shared a powerful testimony. The were recognized by their peers as, "Men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." May their tribe increase.
The first message of Religious Liberty dealt with the protection of believers from having a religion forced upon them that no longer had any jurisdiction over them. The time had passed when God would write His word on tablets of stone. He would now write it on their hearts.
" 'Behold, days are coming," declares the Lord, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers...I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people...I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.' " Jeremiah 31:31-34
This was my first text I was called upon to prepare and to preach in my first semester in seminary. My written sermon got an A. I was pretty proud of it. I was invited to preach it at First Baptist Church of Athens, Texas. That was in November of 1974. I am still waiting to be invited back. Some things are easier to write than they are to preach. But I digress. Still, can I get a witness?
These men represented a much larger number of people who no longer leaned on a religion, but had a relationship with Jesus. Jeremiah's prophecy had been fulfilled in them. Words mean things. The risk they had taken to receive Christ as Savior, paled only in significance to the risks they continued to take to share Jesus with others.
The early preachers had entered into a risky business indeed. They were described as...
"Men that have hazarded their lives" KJV
"They've looked death in the face time and again for the sake of our Master Jesus Christ." The Message
"These people have devoted their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Common English Bible
"...imperiled their lives..." Orthodox Jewish Bible
"...given up their lives..." Young's Literal Translation
The term used in the King James Version, hazarded, was linked as early as 1540 with the English language. It was used to communicate what takes place when a person gambles, wagers or hazards everything on a bet. In other words, these men, risked it all. Their response to the risk they faced was to double-down. They bet the farm, lock, stock and barrel, on their relationship with Jesus. They gave themselves over. They gave themselves up. They put it all on the line. They held nothing back.
Get the picture? "Men who had risked their lives." They could not be intimidated by key men, because they knew Who held the keys. Thanks Vance Havner! With their lives, they unlocked The Door of salvation, and pointed people to Jesus.
“A man who is intimate with God will never be intimidated by men.” Leonard Ravenhill
In this case of Religious Liberty, the preachers set themselves against centuries of traditional, and cultural assumptions. They didn't dial down the rhetoric or withdraw from the public square. They proclaimed the truth in the church, and in the streets. In doing so, they risked everything, including their lives.
They did not seek the spotlight, but they walked willingly into the cross-hairs. They were not fanatics seeking martyrdom. They were simply witnesses. As faithful witnesses, they changed their cultural landscape. In the process, the meaning of the word for witness became a synonym for martyr. Risking all simply meant putting it all on Jesus, and letting it ride, come what may. You bet your life, indeed!
"Nothing of any great significance has ever been accomplished without the element of risk. Mark through the word risk, and write in the letters F.A.I.T.H." Dr. John Bisagno, 1983 message at Single-Hearted of FBC, Houston
Thanks, Bro. John. No man has taught me more about putting faith in God for the big thing, more than you. My own father, Don Miller, taught me to trust God for the impossible. His life of faith showed me time and again how putting faith in God is a matter of giving God the elbow room He wants in my life to turn the impossible into the HIMpossible. GOD only does this...EVERY TIME!
Dr. John Bisagno and my Dad, Don Miller, are the two men who have been the Barnabas and Paul of my life. They showed me how to risk it all, and give my all to Jesus. They taught me that the life of faith was truly a great adventure, and that the joy is always in the journey, not in the arrival at a destination. From them, I learned that the song, "I Surrender All" says it all. Giving our 10% falls far short of what God's son gave to us. He gave His all. God expects no less from His preachers.
"Jesus did not die by fractions on the cross. He gave His all." Dr. Jack McGorman, Professor, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas
Preachers who have hazarded their lives, and are willing to face death without flinching in the face of it, are much needed today. 2,000 years ago Religious Liberty was in peril due to the pressure to conform to a religion that had fulfilled its purpose. Once it had prepared the way for Jesus, the baton was passed. A new race of believers was created, and a new race began. That new race was not meant to be a sprint to serve Jesus, but a walk believers take with Jesus.
Today, the peril of Religious Liberty still comes from within. There are those who are genuinely in love with Jesus, who have allowed criticism from the world to intimidate them into a self-muzzled insignificance. They are the contemporary friends of Job. They have seen how people react to what they really believe, and blame the preacher for the conflict. As a result, they intend to get preachers to withdraw into the confines of their church walls, and boldly proclaim to believers only, what they truly believe.
Note to self: You can only do this until the walls of the church are torn down by people who intend to snuff out The Light. Like the song of your youth says, "Let it Shine! Let it Shine!. Let it Shine!"
In a democratic republic, founded with an appreciation for the contribution made by preachers and Christianity, the Separation of Church and State has been replaced by the intimidation of Church by State. This is a huge difference, and in the face of it, preachers must stand up. Preachers should not be bullied into backing down by those from the State, nor should they be shamed into dialing down their message, by those from within the Church.
Don't take my word for it. Eric Metaxas, no stranger to taking a stand in the public square, says this...
“There is a fundamental misunderstanding of the separation of church and state. The church is to be protected from the state. Not the reverse. People have divorced faith from public life, mostly because of this misunderstanding.”
“If the church had been the church in Germany, had stood up and spoken loudly, as one, they could have won. But they were timid, just as Christians are timid now on so many issues. The church has to be heroically, courageously vocal. People will suffer because the church has not stepped up and lived out the faith we claim to have.” ERIC METAXAS
At a time when preachers are being told they need to come down on the right side of history, they need to stick the landing. Preachers must be found standing tall, not hiding in the tall grass. Standing tall is always done best on one's knees. Preachers are best grounded when their knees are on the ground. Surrounded by bullies who want to put your face in the dirt or Job's friends who want to throw dirt at you? Take The Risk. Stand up! TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Belief
"But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are also." Acts 15: 11
The DNA of the church is linked to the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross of Calvary. This is the common bond of all who believe. Believers are not linked by a common love for music, architecture, church government, nationalities, style of worship, or softball jerseys. Any family resemblance a believer has to The Father is directly linked to his connection with The Son. The fruit of The Spirit never falls far from Calvary's tree.
Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing." Prayer is the first point of connection, a believer has with the tree of Life. The wise believer bears fruit by keeping themselves connected to The Root. Prayer connects a believer to Jesus, and consistent praying is the connection that releases His direction, protection and correction. A believer is never finished praying until they arrive at the same point Jesus arrived at when He prayed. "Not My will, but Thy will be done." BELIEVING Prayer always turns MY into THY. EVERY TIME.
Believe is the verb form of faith. Today, much is said of faith, value and virtue. It is appears they are inanimate object, a set of beliefs, rules, regulations, or forms of organized religion. Believe is faith in action. To believe in Jesus is the trust a person places in Jesus, and on Jesus. Belief is placed in a person, the Person of Jesus Christ.
Little children are very capable of memorizing and repeating rules and regulations. It doesn't mean they believe them. It just means they know them. This is the weakness of the childhood catechism that informs a child of the truth, but leaves them without a relationship with Jesus, as the Way, The Truth and The Life.
Believing in Jesus is more than a prayer that is prayed at the first day of of one's birth into the family of God. Believers are those who continue to allow the blood flow of Jesus, move through their veins until their lives take on the character of Christ. The fruit of the Spirit is all about consistent companionship with Jesus, and unbroken connection of The Savior's vine to the believer's branch.
"I am The Vine. You are the branches." Jesus
In Acts, Peter, Paul and Barnabas emphasized to the self-appointed fruit inspectors of the Jerusalem Council, that the Gentile believers were saved the same way the Jewish believers were saved. They were rescued from their sins, through the grace of Jesus. They didn't deserve to be rescued. They received grace, unmerited favor, from God through Jesus.
"We are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus." Peter
Grace is not a girl's name, or a quick prayer thrown up to God before a meal. It is the favor of God. Grace is poured out on people by bringing them to an awareness of their sinful condition, and an acceptance of His only Solution...Jesus. Grace is freely dispensed, but it cost God His Son. Grace is free, but it is not cheap.
It is an amazing experience to share the gospel with people and see them come to the awareness of their sin and to the acceptance of the grace of God, through the Person of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It is equally amazing to see people reject God's gracious offer of forgiveness, and to choose to live in separation from Jesus.
The same gospel message, heard by two different people, will often provoke two different choices. One choice leads to personal repentance, and the other to personal rebellion. Grace is personal. God chooses to offer unmerited, undeserved favor, but believers must choose to receive it. Amazing Grace, indeed.
Who is saved? God knows. What does a saved person look like? Clean.
"And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith." Acts 15:9
The saving grace of God cleanses the heart of a believer, from their past sin, and a love for anything that leads them into sin. Their love for sin is replaced with a love for Jesus. This may be why prayer is so difficult to maintain, in the life of a believer. When people are more in love with the world, they feel uncomfortable spending time in the Presence of Jesus. The love of sin kills a love for prayer. Prayer reveals sin. Prayerlessness denies it, and covers it up.
The early believers continued on course, in the way they came on board. They prayed. We should too. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Bretheren
"Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." Acts 15:1
"And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others should go to up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue." Acts 15:2
Thank God for "The Brethren." There is always going to be an issue that brings dissension and debate in the church. A recent conference in California was held to keep the church pure of strange fire. The debate over the legitimate use of the gifts of the Spirit, and the illegitimate abuse of them will always rage.
The dissension between those who are on either side of the reformed issue rarely sheds more light on the subject, but it certainly brings the heat. This is not what Scripture calls the fire of God. Thank God that in the middle of debate and dissension, cooler heads are able to prevail, and find the balance between personal preference and Scriptural evidence. The issue that faced Paul and Barnabas was crucial to the expansion of church. If it was to move beyond a side-show of the Jewish religion, Christianity must stand on the finished work of Christ.
Nothing has changed. Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished." He did not say, "In addition." Anyone who puts their faith in the finished work of redemption that Jesus completed on the cross will be saved. Salvation is based on Jesus Christ + nothing. Zero. Nada. Zip. Earnest believers must accept no substitutes, but can always expect a number of additions, auditioning as essentials. They are not.
There were in Paul's day, as there are today, members of the sect of the Pharisees. They just can't give God's Spirit the elbow room that God's grace allows. In short, when confronted with the work of grace God was doing in the lives of the Gentiles, "some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, 'It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.' " v. 5 In their understanding, and experience, belief in Jesus was just not enough.
They had some additions. They included, the symbol of circumcision and the Law of Moses, before they were willing to grant the Gentiles acceptance into the fellowship. Thankfully, "The elders came together to look into this matter." v. 6 Peter never stood taller among "The Brethren." He said, "Why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?" Good question. Thanks Peter.
Graciously, Peter expanded, "We believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way they also are." v. 11 Interesting side note: Luke records in the Book of Acts that Barnabas and Paul were relating what God had done through them. Notice that the order of Barnabas over Paul had been restored.
The Brethren in Jerusalem, apparently still had a difficult time accepting Paul as the dominant spokesperson of the two missionaries. Paul was still on probation, in their eyes. So were the Gentiles. Fortunately God was the final judge of both of them, not The Brethren.
James listened along with the rest of the people. When all was said, something was done. He said, "Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God among the Gentiles." v. 21
With this word of wisdom, a measure of God's grace was released in the gathering. "Then it seemed good to the apostles, and the elders, with the whole church" to send messengers with James's Judgment. This is an interesting insight into early church decision making. There was plenty of discussion. There was even a fair amount of dissension. BUT there no secret ballot.
There was no rolling of the "dice." There was no debate after the decision was made under the leadership of The Spirit. The release of The Spirit's decision was made by the leading pastor of the local church, James. The Brethren were made up of apostles, elders, and vocal believers.
They all had input on the issue, but one person made the call. "After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, 'Brethren, listen to me." Peter has always held the position of the chief of the Apostles. He had input, but he didn't make the call. Barnabas and Paul, no matter what order you put them in, said their piece, but did not make the call. There was not a ballot vote taken, nor a church split hatched. James, as the lead pastor of the first church made the decision.
Could it be that the emasculation of the pastor of the local church, by assigning him subservient status to committees, congregation and convention leadership has led to a lack of leadership in the local church? I believe it has. But I digress. We may disagree over the importance of the way the decision was made. There is no way the importance of what was decided can be overstated. There is nothing that can be added to what Jesus finished at the cross. Nothing. His finished work is not up for debate. His grace is sufficient.
Prayer purifies personal preferences, and keeps the finished work of grace from being an unfinished "To Do" List. Jesus prayed, "Not MY will, but THY will be done." Believers must not hold onto personal preferences, and then hold them over the heads of other believers, like hoops for a circus dog to jump through.
If the Bible doesn't say it, don't add it to the finished work of God's grace through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Brethren and the Sisters of the contemporary church would do well to release the wisdom of The Spirit into the decision making of the local church. It is always wise to...TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Door
"They began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they spent a long time with the disciples." Acts 14:27-28
The early preachers spent their time bragging on God, and encouraging people to walk through doors He alone opened for them. They spent a great time with the people they were leading to faith in Christ. This was their recipe for creating a depth of understanding, in what the people were hearing preached, and a depth in personal relationships the people were having with the preachers. These two things are always a great combination.
Today the mega church pastor or TV preacher is held up as the glorified spiritual guru. There is no interaction, no accountability, but a great deal of hero worship. Question: Who comes to visit you when you are in the hospital, when you have lost your job, or there is a death in your family? That person is your preacher.
There is a misconception that the longer you spend time getting to know one another, the more you will love one another. Not necessarily. Sometimes the more you get to know someone, the more you find out about them, and each discovery of fresh knowledge makes you hate the very person you once loved.
One out of two marriages end in divorce in this country. The average length of service for a youth minister in a local church is one year. The average length of stay of a pastor is two years. Apparently it doesn't take contemporary church people long to get to know one another, or to get enough of one another.
The sermon topic of the early preachers was, "Look at God." When the sermon topic of the contemporary preacher becomes "Look at Me" find another church. When your preacher is always the hero of all of his own stories, and there is little air left in his lungs to praise God, take a deep breath and run for the exit.
There is nothing wrong with preaching that tells "all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith." The problem begins when a preacher forgets his place in God's order of importance. God is the hand, the preacher is the glove. God inserts his hand, and the glove moves with power. God removes His hand, and the glove is lifeless. Jesus said, "Apart from Me, you can do nothing." He meant it. Preachers! Never forget it.
God opens doors. People walk through doors. Anytime people stop walking through the doors of your church, check the message and the messenger. Praising oneself, for personal accomplishments is first cousin to taking credit for what God has done. Don't do it unless you have the strength to sustain what God has initiated. If you can't finish, what God starts then don't hint that you had anything to do with it.
Note to self: He did it. You didn't. You can't. Don't start.
"He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles." This is a phrase that reminds me of how close I came to missing out on what God had in store for me. The Jews were the chosen people. They were meant to be a light to the Gentiles. They forgot their place. They forgot to shine, but basked in the glory of being chosen. Thankfully, through Jesus, God widened the arc of The Light to include Gentiles, and that eventually included me.
I do not share the honor or the distinction of having Jewish blood flow through Me. All I am and ever hope to be is the result of having the blood of Jesus flow over me. His blood purchased my pardon, and folded me into the family of God.
When God opened the door for me, in February 1957, with childlike faith in Jesus, I walked through it. I became a son of Abraham, by faith, not by birth or by works. I was not born into the family of God, and I did not work my way into it. Through faith in Christ, I was reborn into it. Thank God.
The first step a person takes toward Jesus is counted as a step of faith. The early preachers were willing to take a long walk with people they invited to step through the door God opened for them. We should too.
In this long walk, praying and sustaining go hand in hand. Praying for people who are on a long journey sustains their strength and courage for it. It also keep a preacher from being annoyed by the very people he is leading. Never underestimate the power of a praying preacher to turn annoying people into anointed ones.
Praying releases the sustaining power of God's Spirit, and under-girds and strengthens preachers and people, no matter how heavy the load or how long the road. You never really know someone until you travel with them. The journey begins when people walk through the door, it won't last long without praying with them and for them.
Prayer turns an annoyed preacher into a an anointed one, and an interruption into a divine appointment. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
"Discernment is given for intercession, never fault-finding." Oswald Chambers
The Quote
"After they preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, 'Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.' When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed." Acts 14:21-24
Wedged in between the itinerary and organization of the early church is a quote that is never found on a church brochure or Hobby Lobby throw pillow. Did you see it?
"THROUGH MANY TRIBULATIONS WE MUST ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD."
Now that is not surprising to anyone except American Christians. Somehow, the popularity of The Rapture has convinced the contemporary American Christian that the Highway to Heaven is paved with gold and lined with thornless rose bushes. The rest stops are clean and plentiful, the drive thru windows are efficient and cheap, and as soon as you say a prayer of salvation, the coast is clear and Tribulation free. Read your Bible.
Note to self: THROUGH MANY TRIBULATIONS WE MUST ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
WOW! Who knew? How in the world did the early church preachers gather a crowd of seekers with that on their brochure, and with a welcome mat that said, "Martyrs Welcome" They didn't even serve Starbucks coffee.
What was the difference? They focused on the good news of the gospel, "strengthening the souls of disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith." They shared a letter or two, but didn't hire a publicist to recommend to their followers their latest book. Instead hey "commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed."
Their word of counsel to their followers was not filled with platitudes or panaceas. In essence they told them, "This is going to hurt, and it is going to take a while." The remarkable result? The church exploded in growth.
When people are desperate for relief, the truth is liberating. Truth is all that matters to people who have been lied to all their lives. When in doubt, tell the truth. There is more than one tribulation. Just ask the Christians in China, Pakistan, Rwanda, Cambodia, and Cuba. The list is actually much longer. But I digress.
The Roman world was bankrupt morally and spiritually, and on the brink of financial collapse. The Romans had paraded their pantheon of gods before their own people, but no one really believed in them any more. They forced their governmental system on conquered nations, and devoured the people and their own citizens with bone-crushing taxation. People were forced to support mobs of unemployed people, and were helpless to stop the system that poured their hard earned resources into the moral sewer called Rome.
Sound familiar? History repeats itself, if the lessons it teaches are ignored. Get ready for history class. America is going to have to stay after school for sleeping through the last 50 years.
God's provision for a sleeping church is a Great Awakening. This kind of Spiritual Awakening is only provided in response to a desperate praying person, who sets the bar for praying people, who then turn their purpose for gathering together into praying churches.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist or a seasoned word-smith to see the correlation between tribulation and trouble. The simple truth is this. The American form of Christianity is in trouble. My own brand of expression of Christianity, Southern Baptists, have bragged for decades that they are the largest non-Catholic denomination in America.
Note to self: With bragging rights comes a target on your back. Duck Dynasty indeed. Word for the day! DUCK!
For the past few years, courageous leaders of our convention have tried to sound a warning that all is not well. Convention presidents, pastors and statisticians have pointed out the decline in baptisms and loss of enthusiasm for the gospel in established churches. Their answer? Start new churches. Why? It is easier to give birth than to raise the dead. Good to know.
Still. Is there no hope for an Awakening, a raising of the dead? Jesus said, "I AM THE RESURRECTION." He did not say, "I WAS." The call to discipleship includes a mandate to face tribulation with a heart filled with encouragement and strength that comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit. It has always been so. It should not be a surprise now.
Pray for the next Great Awakening to revive, instill new life, in the existing church. Pray for the Spirit of God to breathe new life into people who have grown weary in well-doing, or have lost hope in their Savior, while serving a system. Pray for the movement of God's Spirit to energize an empty people who have come to the end of themselves, and are desperate for His Way, His Truth, and His Life. JESUS!
You may feel alone. You are not. A Great Awakening is great because it is greater than the sum of the parts. I was having lunch with my Father, Don Miller this week. At 91 years of age his memory is fading, but he said, "I draw comfort from the words of man who spoke them into me years ago. I don't recall who it was who said them, but they comfort me nonetheless. He said, 'God and I make a majority.' " Thanks Dad. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!