Category Archives: Growth/Pursuit

Gospel Centrality, Growth/Pursuit

Good people don’t need grace

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““A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:41–50 ESV)““A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:41–50 ESV)

I once had a friend tell me that the reason that a pastor of ours was so passionate about his pursuit of Christ was because he had lived such a dark life before he became a Christian.  He quoted Luke 7:47 to justify his thinking (“those who have been forgiven much, love much”).  I still recall that conversation because it is true.  We often times think that God’s grace covers the gap between what we have done right & His perfect standard.  The problem with this thinking is that we fail to understand that we have never done anything right before God – all of our affections, actions and motivations are stained by sin.  The bible describes us using phrases like:  dead (last time I checked, dead people don’t do stuff), enemies of God, objects of wrath, destined for destruction and that no one is good in His sight.

Isn’t that the point of this parable?  Isn’t Jesus trying to get us to see the absurdity of our morality based thinking.  This is the Creator of the Universe – do we really think that we have anything that we can bring before Him that makes Him say, “that guy is really killing it, I’m really glad he’s on my team?”  It is true that many people who were saved out of checkered pasts fraught with promiscuity, drugs, drunkenness & immorality have a passion that other Christians lack.  The reason for this is because they are more likely to realize their desperate need for the grace of God because they have such a good understanding of their own depravity.  But, the truth is that EVERYONE is in dire need of grace.

Think about the parable of the prodigal son that Jesus tells in Luke 15.  We love the idea of God’s amazing grace towards the “worst of sinners” like the younger brother.  Unfortunately, we are some times more like the older brother in the story – indignant that the Father would be so gracious to that undeserving rebel and not doting over us for our faithful obedience.  Do you see it?  The older brother (like many of us) had grown dependent on his own obedience as the reason that God should approve of him.  He was self righteous because he had followed the rules; he had lived obediently.  The problem is that we can never earn the approval of God (God’s approval of you was earned by Jesus on the cross, period).  This thinking causes us to believe that God now “owes us” us because we have so faithfully obeyed.  The God of this universe owes us nothing – except His just wrath.

We all slip into this thinking without intentionality in our lives.  We must regularly beg God to quicken our hearts and enlighten our eyes to see His perfect, holy & sovereign nature AND just how rebellious our hearts are towards Him.  The better we understand these things at a deep heart level, the more profoundly grateful (like the woman in the parable above) we are for the unearned approval of the Creator.  Good people don’t need grace, but you aren’t good (Romans 3:12) – only One was good.

Gospel Centrality, Growth/Pursuit

Behave as citizens worthy of the gospel of Christ

“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27 ESV)

This can also be translated:  “behave as citizens worthy of the gospel of Christ.”  This sounds similar to what Paul says in 3:20:  “but our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”  The Philippians were proud Roman citizens, as are many in America today.  There is a temptation to place one’s trust in country or government, but our citizenship is in heaven.  Our identity, hope, allegiance & affections are first and foremost upon God.  Since we are citizens of heaven, we gain our identity from the gospel which propels us to live our lives increasingly in ways that glorify God and reflect Him – whether our leaders (Paul in this case) are around or not, because Christ is our King.

Belief, Growth/Pursuit

We are visually impaired

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21 ESV)

This is one of the most well known verses in all of scripture among Christians.  It is used to motivate people to live godly lives and accomplish great feats for the kingdom of God.  But the real question is how in the world is Paul able to say this when he has suffered so greatly for the cause of Christ.  He pens these words to the Philippians while in a Roman prison.  His logic is death would be better than life because he would get to be with Christ, while life means that he would get to continue for their progress and joy in the faith (v25).  Who talks like this?  Who says, “I’d rather die than live?”  He sees something that we don’t see and knows something that we don’t know.  It is easy to discount this as just Paul, after all he was an apostle and wrote over ½ of the New Testament.  But the same Power that was at work in Paul, is at work within us.  We are visually impaired, Paul was not – he saw things clearly.  “Oh Lord, enlighten the eyes of our hearts to see your beauty and to believe that knowing & loving You causes all things in this world pale in comparison.  Lord, make You our Greatest Treasure.”

Gospel Centrality, Growth/Pursuit

The firm foundation for all authentic spiritual growth & transformation

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:3–8 ESV)

Paul opens this letter with thankfulness and joy – an unusual response for a man who had suffered so much and was currently writing them from jail in Rome.  This is no superficial joy, his joy is rooted in their partnership with him in the gospel – they had received the grace of God personally and were also faithful supporters of Paul & the proclamation of the gospel.  He views both imprisonment and preaching the Gospel as God’s grace; it is interesting that a man who has been so persecuted for the faith and proclamation of the Gospel views imprisonment & preaching the Gospel as grace – if only we could see grace in our hardships.  Difficulties have a way of pushing us to dependance which is the ultimate act of grace.  Paul encourages them that this was God’s work that HE BEGAN in them and that HE WOULD COMPLETE (1:6).  All authentic spiritual growth and transformation finds its firm foundation on what God has done, what God is doing and what God promises to do; our focus should be on the faithfulness of God, not on our own faithfulness.  The good, sovereign, holy God that saved them would sustain them and would keep them to the end! (Philippians 2:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:2–11; 2 Pet. 3:10–13; Rev. 20:11–21:8).  The same is true of us – He who began the work is always faithful to complete it.

 

Gospel Centrality, Growth/Pursuit

The birth of a church, the miracle that still happens today

“So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.” (Acts 16:11–18 ESV)

Paul and Silas witnessed the birth of a new church in Acts 16.  It was quite the whirlwind as they arrived in the Roman colony of Macedonia.  They walked in to Philippi and ended up talking with an affluent woman from Thyatira, Lydia, who was a worshiper of God.  This was a commonly used phrase to describe Gentiles who believed in the God of the Hebrews, but had not converted to Judaism (see Cornelius in Acts 10:2).  But something happened to Lydia that is often read right over at the end of verse 14 –  “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.”  It was not by Paul’s persuasive powers or his wisdom – it was by the supernatural work of God, by whom all are drawn to Him.  And we know that no one comes to God unless God draws him (John 6:44, 6:65).  If you are a Christian today, it is because God drew you to Himself, regenerated your heart and gave you faith to believe.  Don’t gloss over that – allow it to sink in.

The excitement continues as Paul & Silas are heading to Lydia’s house to stay for a few days when a demon possessed slave girl, who earned a lot of money for her owners by fortune telling (Acts 16:16), began following them saying, “these men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.””  Paul finally gets annoyed with her and casts the demon out of her in the name of Jesus (Acts 16:18) – what a power do you walk in when you get annoyed and cast out a demon?  Paul was probably annoyed because he did not want the gospel message to be identified with a demon possessed girl who told fortunes.  The girl’s owners became angry because their source of income was now gone so they call on the city officials, complaining that Paul & Silas were causing a commotion.  A miscarriage of justice occurred when the magistrates gave orders to have them beat with rods and thrown in to jail (Acts 16:22-24, 2 Corinthians 11:25, 1 Thessalonians 2:2).  This was just a prelude to the real action, though.  While they were in jail, they began singing and praying and a great earthquake shook the foundations of the jail and all of the doors burst open.  The jailer was shocked and attempts to take his own life, but Paul stops him.  The jailer then asks what he must do to be saved.  He believes and is baptized.

What an exciting way to see a church come in to being!  Fights, earthquakes, doors bursting open!  It is easy for us to read this and be unmoved by all of the miraculous things that are going on because most have never experienced these types of miracles.  But, the most miraculous thing that happens in this text, still happens today:  God opens the hearts of rebellious creatures to believe the gospel.  Why would a perfect, holy, all powerful Creator make peace with creatures who want nothing more than to take His throne?  Why would He draw such people to Himself?  Why would He justify them?  Why would He adopt them into His family?  Why would He do this for you and me?  For your joy and His glory.  The real miracle in this text – and one that still happens today – is that God has called you, justified you, adopted you into His family and will one day glorify you.  Allow this truth to move you!

Growth/Pursuit

The glory of God shines brightest through weak & feeble people

“Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.” (Nehemiah 4:1–5 ESV)

Sanballat is angry (and greatly enraged) that the Jews were rebuilding the wall.  Maybe this was motivated by fear?  Regardless of the motivation, he mocked the “feeble Jews.”  Being a feeble Jew undoubtedly was designed to be an insult, but how much more does the glory of God shine through broken, feeble and weak people?  The same is true of us.  It is often times not the most glamorous and gifted people of this world that are faithful.  We seem to think that if we could be at the top of our field (athletics, business, recreation, etc) then we could be so much more influential for God, but God is most glorified through the weak things of this world.  “God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27 ESV).  Remember that it is the meek that will inherit the earth, not the powerful and strong.  God prophesied (and is acting upon) this reversal of fortunes – see 1 Sam. 2:1–8; Isa. 61:1; cf. Luke 1:52; John 9:39.

Tobiah joins with Sanballat in jeering the “feeble Jews,” but Nehemiah retaliates.  How?  By asking God to intervene.  How often do we respond in kind to those who mock us?  How often do we defend?  Nehemiah, again, knows that this project is about God’s glory and this is His mission so He is the one that will have to help the “feeble Jews” overcome this obstacle.  Lord, make us a people who see your glory as preeminent and ask you to intervene on our behalf when your glory is threatened by others.  Make us more accurate reflectors of your glory.

Belief, Gospel Centrality, Growth/Pursuit

Whose agenda are you pursuing – yours or God’s?

“So I prayed to the God of heaven.” (Nehemiah 2:4 ESV)
“for the good hand of my God was upon me.” (Nehemiah 2:8 ESV)
“my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 2:12 ESV)

Nehemiah surveys the disrepair of the city wall at night (on the Southern & Eastern side) Nehemiah 2:11-15).  It is worth noting how Nehemiah views the task before Him:  “my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 2:12 ESV).  Nehemiah has a clear understanding of Who is driving the bus, Who is directing the show, Who’s work this is.  We often times seek out Nehemiah for leadership tips, but let us never forget that first and foremost Nehemiah is about a man who understands that he is utterly dependent upon the Creator for everything.  He is a model for us on what being faithful to God looks like – but Nehemiah seems to always remember that the work was not his to accomplish, but God’s.  If our service to God (whether formally or informally) is not marked by God’s divine intervention then we need to evaluate if we are pursuing our agenda or God’s agenda – and in who’s power we are trying to accomplish it.

Gospel Centrality, Growth/Pursuit

The fuel for being bold

“In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.” And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.” (Nehemiah 2:1–8 ESV)

Nehemiah takes a bold step by “being sad” in the king’s presence.  Part of his job was to be uplifting and positive, not sad and downcast.  The king notices and asks what is the cause of Nehemiah’s sad heart.  Nehemiah instantly prays before responding to the king – Nehemiah was acutely aware that this was God’s mission not His.  The king asks what he is requesting and Nehemiah boldly lays out his request for his endorsement and safe passage and all of the resources that will be required to complete the rebuilding of a wall.  He wants time off, with the king’s blessing & support and the king to provide the resources required to rebuild Jerusalem.  What a bold request!

What is the fuel behind Nehemiah’s boldness? Nehemiah understood that this was God’s mission, not his.  Nehemiah knew it was not up to him to accomplish it, he was just a tool in the hand of the Almighty.  Nehemiah knew that the king’s heart is in God’s hand – “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.” (Proverbs 21:1 ESV)  Just like a skilled farmer who directs an irrigation stream wherever he wishes so it is with God and the hearts of man.  Regardless of what you face, remember that God is in absolute sovereign control of all things – even the hearts of man.  Yes, we have free will, but only inasmuch as they are subject to the Sovereign will of God.  You have no reason to fear any man – regardless of power, prestige, or position – because no man has anything without it being allowed by the Creator and Sustainer of all things!

Gospel Centrality, Growth/Pursuit, Theological

Are you obeying well enough to be accepted?

“And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses.” (Nehemiah 1:5–7 ESV)

The Israelites current situation (verse 7) was due to their disobedience to the covenant relationship that God had established with them.  The Mosaic Covenant was given at Mount Sinai to the Israelites (Exodus 19:4-6) and it said that if they would obey then God would bless them.  The Old Testament chronicles a people who consistently failed to obey God’s commands because they had defective hearts (their hearts were stained with sin and lacked the ability to fully obey).  A major hope for the Israelites was the day when God would give them new hearts – hearts upon which His laws would be written (Deuteronomy 6:5, 10:16, 29:4, 30:6; Jeremiah 31:31–34; Ezekiel 36:26–27).

But, we are no longer under this covenant (Rom. 6:14–15; 7:1–6; 2 Cor. 3:4–18; Galatians 3:15–4:7).  He has written His laws on our hearts (Romans 2:25-29, 8:14; Galatians 5:16, 18, 25; Colosians 2:11; Hebrews 7:18-19, 8:8-12, 9:9, 14, 10:1, 15-18, 10:22).  We do not live under performance based righteousness; we do not earn additional favor from God when we obey.  Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly so God’s blessing toward us is based solely on the finished work of Jesus Christ – not on our performance or obedience to the law.  The old covenant said, “If you obey then I will love and bless you”; the new covenant says, “you are loved and blessed because of the sacrifice of Jesus – now obey”.  One attempts to earn favor with God, the other is a reflection that we already have God’s favor.
Gospel Centrality, Growth/Pursuit

Hope is the fuel for joy in the midst of hardships

“Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:3–11 ESV)

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself; Jesus is our model.  When it comes to suffering, hardships and difficulties, we need to reflect on Jesus and all that He endured on our behalf – and not only the physical difficulties that He endured.  Jesus was the center of worship and He made Himself nothing, Jesus was the sovereign Ruler of the cosmos and He became dependent upon humans as an infant, Jesus was the Maker of all things and He became like created man, Jesus had never experienced limitations and He put on flesh and was bound by it, Jesus had never experienced pain and He lived life in a broken world, Jesus had never known the rejection of His father and He became separated from Him as our sacrifice, Jesus never knew sin or wrath and He took on the sins of the elect and the due wrath of God.  Regardless of how difficult things are or become, our struggles have not yet resulted in martyrdom, so persevere with Jesus as your inspiration.  Our focus is to remain on Jesus, who endured the hostility of his creatures; He is our pursuit and inspiration.  God has called us to nothing that He was not willing to undergo Himself – and much more!

Remember that you have not only been forgiven, but adopted as sons and daughters of God.  We are more than servants – we are now sons!  We are children, and children receive their father’s discipline.  However, this discipline is not punitive, it is corrective.  We should be encouraged by our difficulties because God is using them to cause growth in holiness and to authenticate our sonship.  God loves us so much that mere surface happiness that is devoid of soul level holiness is not an option.  We all have been disciplined by our earthly fathers and it was painful for a season, but we ultimately learned that it was for our good.  What father would let his kids play in the street because they wanted to?  How much more, the discipline of our Father in heaven – who is conditioning our souls for holiness that “yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11 ESV).

The readers of this epistle had endured much suffering and persecution (10:32-36) as a result of their faith.  And yet, they were compassionate and “joyfully accepted the plunder of their property” (Hebrews 10:34 ESV).  What was the fuel for that joy?  Hope.  Hope that a better, eternal, perfect inheritance was in store for those who believe.  Hope is the fuel for joy.  Hope helps us to see that this world is fleeting and short, like a mist (James 4:13).  In light of this, endure, persevere, stay faithful, make your salvation sure, stick with it, do not lose hope – because “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6 ESV).  The righteous live by faith and do not shrink back:  “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls” (Hebrews 10:39 ESV), “but we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls” (Hebrews 10:39 ESV).

In light of a good, sovereign heavenly Father who disciplines His kids, we are called to endure suffering and hardships and to view them as discipline.  Viewing them as discipline forces us to understand and recognize that the difficult circumstances in our lives – whether brought on by our own doing or not – were specifically designed by God for our good and for His glory.  If we can grasp this truth, we are better able to walk freely and joyfully in the midst of great difficulties.  It is easy to think that difficulties are only for a season – and sometimes they are – but, more often than not, they do not quickly go away.  Sometimes our suffering & hardships last our entire lives.  These take on all sorts of flavors:  a persistently difficult marriage, a wayward child, a hard hearted parent, a difficult or unsatisfying job, difficulty in finding close friendships (feeling alone), persecution for your faith or countless others.  Viewing these as God’s loving discipline reveals to us at least four things:
1)  The world is broken and no part of it is unaffected by sin,
2)  The things that we are really trusting in to make live work, provide significance or create or identity.  It reveals our idols – those things that hold the ultimate affections of our heart,
3)  It forces us to spend more time dwelling on ultimate, eternal realities instead of temporal, trivial things,
4)  It causes us to long for a better kingdom where life is not broken and we are uninhibited in our love for and obedience to Jesus.

Regardless of the difficulties that you are walking in (and many are walking through horrifically hard things), find rest in God’s sovereign goodness.  He is using them for your good and His glory – even though you may never understand it this side of glory.  View them as God’s good discipline and allow them produce holiness in you and fuel an increased fervor and passion for Jesus and His kingdom.