What Did Jesus Do?
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
Psalms 53.1
Sometime during my third or fourth year in public education (As a student) God was removed from the curriculum, if you will. With the banning of Bible reading and prayer from public schools the United States had succeeded in moving completely into the business of educating fools: boys and girls, who grow up to be men and women, who say in their heart, “There is no God.” This is not to say that there are no Christians in public education. But, unfortunately, the fine faith of many teachers and administrators is hidden in the public school, a light kept under a bushel so that none may see it. Let that light shine in a public school classroom and you won't be teaching for long. At least not in public education. I don't know how this can be characterized as anything other than foolishness.
The genesis of all foolishness is to deny there is a God. The Lord came that the world might know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom God sent. This is the only way to eternal life (John 17.3). Jesus came to fight the foolishness of denying God. How can Christians be content with a foolish public education system? For example: How do you teach about the Universe (Science) when you have to deny, or at least not mention, the existence of its Creator? What kind of sense can be made of history when the One who bends all history to his will (Making it His-story) has to be kept out of the narrative?
What is the best a godless education can produce? Wise fools. And that's the best. Most of the time a godless education produces fools of some other order than wise. Arrogant fools. Bold fools. Successful fools. Lazy fools. Clueless fools. Independent fools. Stupid fools. Greedy fools. Wicked fools. Dependent and helpless fools. All kinds of fools, but all fools nonetheless. It strikes me, at the very least, as ironic, that a nation that claims to be “under God,” and to trust in God, has created a huge public education system that now begins with the premise that there is no God as the foundation for all learning.
Having begun this brief reflection by recalling the time when prayer and the Bible were removed from school, you may be surprised that I am not advocating their return to the classroom at least not the public school classroom. Rather, I believe what is needed is the removal of education from the many responsibilities of government. Let education be universally available, but let it be the product of free enterprise. If entrepreneurs wish to open schools for fools and leave God out of the curriculum, let them. I suspect they might be very successful, given the preponderance of fools today who will probably want a godless education for their children. If other entrepreneurs wish to open schools with God as the very foundation of their curriculum, let them. Let consumer choice and the free market determine what kind of education will be offered. With all those tax dollars no longer going to support public education most people will be able to afford to send their children to the school of their choice. And, when financial hardship intervenes, private charity and philanthropy can better assist than government entitlement.
And yes, I am the product of the public education system I decry. If not for the Father making himself, and the Son, known to me through his Word and the work of his Holy Spirit, I would still be a complete fool today, rather than a recovering one. The only way to change the hearts and minds of fools is to introduce them to God. That's how to fight foolishness. And that's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Monday, September 27, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Jesus Encouraged
What Did Jesus Do?
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life...”
Matthew 6.25
Way back when I was studying economics in college I became convinced that the Stock Market was like nothing so much as a flock of easily frightened sheep. What really drives the Market is what I call the “Fear Factor.” When investors are afraid, the Market tanks. When they are confident, the Market soars. President Franklin D. Roosevelt knew what he was talking about when he told the nation that it had “nothing to fear but fear itself.” Americans are more frightened today than at any time since the Great Depression, and America's fears have all but paralyzed the economy.
I don't know if fear makes cowards of us all, in fact I rather doubt it. But I am certain that fear makes cowards of businesses and investors. Where does fear arise from? Well, few things produce fear as effectively as anxious worry does. The Bible is quite clear about anxiety, it brings us down, deflates and defeats us (Proverbs 12.25). But Jesus came that we might not be defeated, but rather victorious. And the path to victory began with Jesus encouraging his followers not to be afraid or anxious, but rather to take heart. Though we may believe the world is full of many dangerous and frightening things, Jesus has overcome the world (John 16.33).
Jesus understood that, afraid, his disciples were already half defeated. So the Lord took every opportunity he had to encourage them, “Do not be afraid,” “Do not be anxious.” Nothing is quite so paralyzing as fear. And few things incline us to be selfish more than our fears. When we are afraid it is hard to think of anyone or anything but ourselves.
The best way to get our mind off of ourselves and our fears, to be free of our anxious worries, is to be assured that our needs are taken care of, that we are secure. Now, some may trust in “horses,” others may trust in “chariots.” But we trust, or at least we are supposed to trust, in the name of our God. You see, our God, who would have us call him “Abba,” that is, “Father,” knows exactly what each of us need. And, because we have the evidence of his great provision for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, we can be confident that, knowing our needs, he will not fail to supply for them. Armed with such knowledge, we may cast off our anxious worries and fear, and live confidently, boldly, victoriously.
But, if America is going to eliminate and overcome the “Fear Factor” that is so crippling our economy, crippling so many lives and families, I believe it must first deal with its faith failure. It really should not surprise anyone that a United States that is “no longer Christian” is a frightened nation. Why, without faith in God, the God of the Bible, we are prey, individually and corporately, to all kinds of fears, and with good reason, because God alone can protect, preserve, and deliver us “from all evil.” President Roosevelt knew that American's had to conquer their fear, but he also understood that America was crippled by a corporate fear, if you will, his address was both to individuals and to the nation. Even so, the faith failure of America is one each of us need to deal with individually, but also something that the Church, the Body of Christ in our country, must confront. For, if the United States is truly “no longer Christian” our national falling away from faith occurred while churches lost millions of members, and the faith of those members who remained became weaker and weaker. As President Roosevelt realized America had to triumph over its fear, Jesus well understood that without faith his followers would be overcome by fear and grief. If you talk to an average church goer today I believe you are likely to find an American who is just as frightened as their non-church going neighbors, and this is because the failure of faith let fears flood in and overwhelm. Somehow, the Church has garbled or lost the message of the Gospel, a message of hope and security, even bold confidence, in Christ Jesus.
When the Lord was confronted with his own anxious, scared to death disciples, he said to them:
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me...
Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
John 14.1, 27
If Jesus were to speak to Americans, if he were to speak to the Church in America today, I believe he would encourage us. I believe he would urge us to believe in the Father and to believe in him, to have faith, and to proclaim the faith to Americans and to America. In truth, America has never literally been “Christian.” But, for many years the leaven of Christian faith so worked itself through this nation and many of its people, that the immeasurable benefits of faith blessed this land in many ways, not the least of which was our individual and corporate mastery of our fear. This country was the “home of the brave” because, though not all Americans shared the same faith, enough Americans were faith-filled that it could be said that we were “one nation under God.”
Before we start on the road to economic recovery we need, individually, and collectively as the Church, to admit our faith failure and take the road to faith recovery. Again, if Jesus were to speak to Americans and to the Church in America he would tell us to believe, to have faith. And, believing, he would have us let go of our anxieties and our fears. I am confident that is what he would do today because when he came into the world two thousand years ago, that's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life...”
Matthew 6.25
Way back when I was studying economics in college I became convinced that the Stock Market was like nothing so much as a flock of easily frightened sheep. What really drives the Market is what I call the “Fear Factor.” When investors are afraid, the Market tanks. When they are confident, the Market soars. President Franklin D. Roosevelt knew what he was talking about when he told the nation that it had “nothing to fear but fear itself.” Americans are more frightened today than at any time since the Great Depression, and America's fears have all but paralyzed the economy.
I don't know if fear makes cowards of us all, in fact I rather doubt it. But I am certain that fear makes cowards of businesses and investors. Where does fear arise from? Well, few things produce fear as effectively as anxious worry does. The Bible is quite clear about anxiety, it brings us down, deflates and defeats us (Proverbs 12.25). But Jesus came that we might not be defeated, but rather victorious. And the path to victory began with Jesus encouraging his followers not to be afraid or anxious, but rather to take heart. Though we may believe the world is full of many dangerous and frightening things, Jesus has overcome the world (John 16.33).
Jesus understood that, afraid, his disciples were already half defeated. So the Lord took every opportunity he had to encourage them, “Do not be afraid,” “Do not be anxious.” Nothing is quite so paralyzing as fear. And few things incline us to be selfish more than our fears. When we are afraid it is hard to think of anyone or anything but ourselves.
The best way to get our mind off of ourselves and our fears, to be free of our anxious worries, is to be assured that our needs are taken care of, that we are secure. Now, some may trust in “horses,” others may trust in “chariots.” But we trust, or at least we are supposed to trust, in the name of our God. You see, our God, who would have us call him “Abba,” that is, “Father,” knows exactly what each of us need. And, because we have the evidence of his great provision for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, we can be confident that, knowing our needs, he will not fail to supply for them. Armed with such knowledge, we may cast off our anxious worries and fear, and live confidently, boldly, victoriously.
But, if America is going to eliminate and overcome the “Fear Factor” that is so crippling our economy, crippling so many lives and families, I believe it must first deal with its faith failure. It really should not surprise anyone that a United States that is “no longer Christian” is a frightened nation. Why, without faith in God, the God of the Bible, we are prey, individually and corporately, to all kinds of fears, and with good reason, because God alone can protect, preserve, and deliver us “from all evil.” President Roosevelt knew that American's had to conquer their fear, but he also understood that America was crippled by a corporate fear, if you will, his address was both to individuals and to the nation. Even so, the faith failure of America is one each of us need to deal with individually, but also something that the Church, the Body of Christ in our country, must confront. For, if the United States is truly “no longer Christian” our national falling away from faith occurred while churches lost millions of members, and the faith of those members who remained became weaker and weaker. As President Roosevelt realized America had to triumph over its fear, Jesus well understood that without faith his followers would be overcome by fear and grief. If you talk to an average church goer today I believe you are likely to find an American who is just as frightened as their non-church going neighbors, and this is because the failure of faith let fears flood in and overwhelm. Somehow, the Church has garbled or lost the message of the Gospel, a message of hope and security, even bold confidence, in Christ Jesus.
When the Lord was confronted with his own anxious, scared to death disciples, he said to them:
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me...
Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
John 14.1, 27
If Jesus were to speak to Americans, if he were to speak to the Church in America today, I believe he would encourage us. I believe he would urge us to believe in the Father and to believe in him, to have faith, and to proclaim the faith to Americans and to America. In truth, America has never literally been “Christian.” But, for many years the leaven of Christian faith so worked itself through this nation and many of its people, that the immeasurable benefits of faith blessed this land in many ways, not the least of which was our individual and corporate mastery of our fear. This country was the “home of the brave” because, though not all Americans shared the same faith, enough Americans were faith-filled that it could be said that we were “one nation under God.”
Before we start on the road to economic recovery we need, individually, and collectively as the Church, to admit our faith failure and take the road to faith recovery. Again, if Jesus were to speak to Americans and to the Church in America he would tell us to believe, to have faith. And, believing, he would have us let go of our anxieties and our fears. I am confident that is what he would do today because when he came into the world two thousand years ago, that's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Jesus Scouted--II
What Did Jesus Do?
And he went down with them and came to Nazareth
and was submissive to them...
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor
with God and man.
Luke 2.51,52
As the Boy Scouts observe the one-hundredth anniversary of their founding in 1910 what they are celebrating is a century of values. But the values of Scouting—trust, loyalty, kindness, obedience, bravery, reverence, and all the others—are far older than Scouting itself; we might well argue that they are timeless values. Whenever a discussion turns to what is timeless, my thoughts immediately turn to the One who alone is timeless—the one, true, living God. Scouting in the United States may have been founded one hundred years ago, but I believe the first “Boy Scout” lived long before that. No offense to Lord Baden-Powell, but I am certain that the epitome of Scouting's ideals and values is not to be found in any Eagle, but rather a Lamb.
Long before Scouts started helping old ladies get across streets there was the Son. He was trustworthy, and loyal to his friends, helped everyone who ever came to him with any need. He befriended all; he was courteous and kind even to people others avoided and scorned; he was perfectly obedient to the Father, ever cheerful, continually encouraging friends and strangers not to be anxious. He was so thrifty that we never read of him ever spending so much as one shekel on himself, he braved the cross for the sake of the world, and was so clean as to be spotless and without blemish, and a more reverent man, woman, or child has never lived.
Truly, Scouting can proudly claim to have produced many outstanding leaders and men over the last century, and rightly celebrate the character and achievement of its Eagle Scouts. But, for me, Scout doesn't work, doesn't make any sense at all, without the Lamb. Jesus, not my Scout compass, shows me the way. There are a lot of good things to be discovered in the Scout Handbook, but the Bible, the Word of God, alone is Truth, and my rule for faith and life. One can learn a lot about the world and nature from Scouting's many lessons, but real life and knowledge of the One who created all things is in Christ alone.
There is some confusion about just what “reverence” means to a Scout these days. It is not surprising, considering the prevalence of religious pluralism. But when he was asked about a Scout's reverence, Lord Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, said this:
“...we aim for the practice of Christianity in their everyday life and
dealings, and not merely the profession of its theology on Sundays...”
-Scouting for Boys, 1908
I believe that not only would Scouting benefit if more of its leaders and members pursued this aim as diligently as they do adventure in the woods, but the Boy Scouts might be surprised at how their membership would sky-rocket if the moral compass Scouts and Scouters lived by every day pointed to Jesus. Even more, I am certain many churches would be amazed at what would happen if members actually started practicing their faith outside of the pew on the Lord's Day. Living the ideals and values of Scouting isn't just a good idea for boys who go camping, it makes sense for all of us to Scout. When you think about it, that's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
And he went down with them and came to Nazareth
and was submissive to them...
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor
with God and man.
Luke 2.51,52
As the Boy Scouts observe the one-hundredth anniversary of their founding in 1910 what they are celebrating is a century of values. But the values of Scouting—trust, loyalty, kindness, obedience, bravery, reverence, and all the others—are far older than Scouting itself; we might well argue that they are timeless values. Whenever a discussion turns to what is timeless, my thoughts immediately turn to the One who alone is timeless—the one, true, living God. Scouting in the United States may have been founded one hundred years ago, but I believe the first “Boy Scout” lived long before that. No offense to Lord Baden-Powell, but I am certain that the epitome of Scouting's ideals and values is not to be found in any Eagle, but rather a Lamb.
Long before Scouts started helping old ladies get across streets there was the Son. He was trustworthy, and loyal to his friends, helped everyone who ever came to him with any need. He befriended all; he was courteous and kind even to people others avoided and scorned; he was perfectly obedient to the Father, ever cheerful, continually encouraging friends and strangers not to be anxious. He was so thrifty that we never read of him ever spending so much as one shekel on himself, he braved the cross for the sake of the world, and was so clean as to be spotless and without blemish, and a more reverent man, woman, or child has never lived.
Truly, Scouting can proudly claim to have produced many outstanding leaders and men over the last century, and rightly celebrate the character and achievement of its Eagle Scouts. But, for me, Scout doesn't work, doesn't make any sense at all, without the Lamb. Jesus, not my Scout compass, shows me the way. There are a lot of good things to be discovered in the Scout Handbook, but the Bible, the Word of God, alone is Truth, and my rule for faith and life. One can learn a lot about the world and nature from Scouting's many lessons, but real life and knowledge of the One who created all things is in Christ alone.
There is some confusion about just what “reverence” means to a Scout these days. It is not surprising, considering the prevalence of religious pluralism. But when he was asked about a Scout's reverence, Lord Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, said this:
“...we aim for the practice of Christianity in their everyday life and
dealings, and not merely the profession of its theology on Sundays...”
-Scouting for Boys, 1908
I believe that not only would Scouting benefit if more of its leaders and members pursued this aim as diligently as they do adventure in the woods, but the Boy Scouts might be surprised at how their membership would sky-rocket if the moral compass Scouts and Scouters lived by every day pointed to Jesus. Even more, I am certain many churches would be amazed at what would happen if members actually started practicing their faith outside of the pew on the Lord's Day. Living the ideals and values of Scouting isn't just a good idea for boys who go camping, it makes sense for all of us to Scout. When you think about it, that's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Friday, September 17, 2010
Jesus Scouted
What Did Jesus Do?
...looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith...
Hebrews 12.2
Were it not for pioneers, and especially the pioneering scouts who were the first to go beyond the frontiers of 18th and 19th Century North America, the thirteen original states might still be the only states, and, boy, would they be crowded! Fortunately, brave scouts, filled with the pioneering spirit, forded rivers, scaled mountain ranges, traversed vast plains, until the United States stretched “from sea to shining sea.” It is hard to imagine where most of us might be today if not for those Scouts. For Christians, it is safe to say that there wouldn't be any of us, Christians that is, if not for the pioneer of our faith, Jesus, who was the brave and bold scout who went ahead before us to perfect what is now, as hard as it is to imagine, the incredible gift of our faith. But that is exactly what Jesus did.
You see, Jesus was one of us, the first Christian, if you will. Fully human, Jesus was the first to live the faith. Yes, the Lord was Jewish, but He lived, and practiced, and taught, a faith unlike any the Jews had known throughout all their generations. Jesus, the Son, pioneered a whole new way of knowing, loving, worshiping, and glorifying the Father. And, unlike many scouts who left but the roughest of trails behind them, Jesus perfected the path of faith. Like an intrepid pathfinder, a daring scout, Jesus, to borrow an expression, boldly went where no man had gone before. As far as faith goes, I believe it is safe to say that if not for the Lord's pioneering of the faith some of us would be Jews today, while probably most of us would simply be pagan idol worshipers. But, thanks be to God, Jesus blazed a trail of faith that men, women, and children can follow. After all, like a trustworthy Scout, Jesus simply said, “Follow me,” and then showed us the way, going before us every step.
The Lord's pioneering, His Scouting ahead, took Jesus into harm's way. And, this too was the job of the Scout, the pioneer who stepped across the frontier that separated the safe and secure from the wild and unknown. What Jesus encountered was far more terrifying than any confrontation with wild beast or unknown people, for the Lord traveled into the heart of territory where sin and death waited to fall upon and destroy any and all who traveled there. Again thanks be to God, for Jesus, the most blessed pioneer, the bravest of scouts, battled and bested sin and death, and won a way through, finishing and perfecting the path of faith, beyond even death itself, to glory.
Jesus, who by His pioneering of our faith was our Sanctifer, the One who makes righteous, who perfects us, was so like unto us as to literally be our Brother, even to the point of being unashamed to call us His brothers and sisters (Hebrews 2.10-12). Like us in every respect (Hebrews 2.17), but without sin (Hebrews 4.15), Jesus alone could make propitiation, payment, for the sins of the ones He called sister and brother, the children God the Father has given Him (Hebrews 2.13). This propitiation required that the pioneer of our faith, Jesus, willingly offer His life for us. Yet by tasting death would Jesus overcome death. By scouting, if you will, into the darkest part of the valley of the shadow, the Son opened the way for us to follow the path of faith, which He pioneered and perfected, all the way to the light of the very glory of the Father.
When they are confronted by the frightening aspects of a frontier, a scout who knows that way can make all the difference for the fearful and the lost. We, who know and follow the path which Jesus pioneered and perfected, are charged by the Lord to be willing scouts who show others the way of faith. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
...looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith...
Hebrews 12.2
Were it not for pioneers, and especially the pioneering scouts who were the first to go beyond the frontiers of 18th and 19th Century North America, the thirteen original states might still be the only states, and, boy, would they be crowded! Fortunately, brave scouts, filled with the pioneering spirit, forded rivers, scaled mountain ranges, traversed vast plains, until the United States stretched “from sea to shining sea.” It is hard to imagine where most of us might be today if not for those Scouts. For Christians, it is safe to say that there wouldn't be any of us, Christians that is, if not for the pioneer of our faith, Jesus, who was the brave and bold scout who went ahead before us to perfect what is now, as hard as it is to imagine, the incredible gift of our faith. But that is exactly what Jesus did.
You see, Jesus was one of us, the first Christian, if you will. Fully human, Jesus was the first to live the faith. Yes, the Lord was Jewish, but He lived, and practiced, and taught, a faith unlike any the Jews had known throughout all their generations. Jesus, the Son, pioneered a whole new way of knowing, loving, worshiping, and glorifying the Father. And, unlike many scouts who left but the roughest of trails behind them, Jesus perfected the path of faith. Like an intrepid pathfinder, a daring scout, Jesus, to borrow an expression, boldly went where no man had gone before. As far as faith goes, I believe it is safe to say that if not for the Lord's pioneering of the faith some of us would be Jews today, while probably most of us would simply be pagan idol worshipers. But, thanks be to God, Jesus blazed a trail of faith that men, women, and children can follow. After all, like a trustworthy Scout, Jesus simply said, “Follow me,” and then showed us the way, going before us every step.
The Lord's pioneering, His Scouting ahead, took Jesus into harm's way. And, this too was the job of the Scout, the pioneer who stepped across the frontier that separated the safe and secure from the wild and unknown. What Jesus encountered was far more terrifying than any confrontation with wild beast or unknown people, for the Lord traveled into the heart of territory where sin and death waited to fall upon and destroy any and all who traveled there. Again thanks be to God, for Jesus, the most blessed pioneer, the bravest of scouts, battled and bested sin and death, and won a way through, finishing and perfecting the path of faith, beyond even death itself, to glory.
Jesus, who by His pioneering of our faith was our Sanctifer, the One who makes righteous, who perfects us, was so like unto us as to literally be our Brother, even to the point of being unashamed to call us His brothers and sisters (Hebrews 2.10-12). Like us in every respect (Hebrews 2.17), but without sin (Hebrews 4.15), Jesus alone could make propitiation, payment, for the sins of the ones He called sister and brother, the children God the Father has given Him (Hebrews 2.13). This propitiation required that the pioneer of our faith, Jesus, willingly offer His life for us. Yet by tasting death would Jesus overcome death. By scouting, if you will, into the darkest part of the valley of the shadow, the Son opened the way for us to follow the path of faith, which He pioneered and perfected, all the way to the light of the very glory of the Father.
When they are confronted by the frightening aspects of a frontier, a scout who knows that way can make all the difference for the fearful and the lost. We, who know and follow the path which Jesus pioneered and perfected, are charged by the Lord to be willing scouts who show others the way of faith. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Jesus Convicted All
What Did Jesus Do?
“...do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others...?”
Luke 13.4
One of the most disturbing statements I ever heard a Presbyterian elder make was, “Well, after all, we are all basically good people.” I suppose that statement might not sound particularly disturbing to most people, who probably think of themselves as basically good. But the truth is far from it, and for a Presbyterian elder to believe and teach that anyone is basically good, much less a Presbyterian, is pernicious. It sounds good to us, but it is deadly to believe it. Unless we all get the message that we are sinners who need to repent, well, a future in eternity's smoking section awaits us.
The Bible doesn't tell us much about the people in Luke 13 who came to Jesus with a report about a group of Galileans whom Pilate had put to the sword, but it sounds like they probably considered themselves basically good, or at the very least, better than the unfortunate Galileans. Jesus quickly disabused them of any such self-deception. The Galileans who were executed were no worse sinners than other Galileans. More to the point, the people who came to Jesus with the report needed to know that they themselves would suffer a similar fate if they did not repent.
Lest they think He was making some kind of political statement about amending any rebellious thoughts against Rome, Jesus spoke of some Jerusalemites who died quite by accident when a tower collapsed on them. Those who were crushed were no worse sinners than anyone else living in Jerusalem. So, again, His hearers needed to understand that unless they themselves repented, they would all likewise perish (Luke 13.5)
So, what do you think Jesus would have to say today to a group of Presbyterian elders who imagined themselves basically good? How about to a group of missionaries? What about volunteers helping to rebuild homes along the Gulf Coast? What would He say to me? What would He say to you? That we are all basically good, or that we, exactly like the folks who came to Him in Luke 13, have an urgent need to repent?
The next time you hear someone extolling their basic goodness, or the basic goodness of someone else, or of a particular group, may I suggest that you point out what Jesus had to say in Luke 13.1-5? It might be a conversation worth having with the person in the mirror as well. For any to be saved all must be convicted. Without being convicted why would anyone come to the cross? Only at the cross can the convicted find forgiveness. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
“...do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others...?”
Luke 13.4
One of the most disturbing statements I ever heard a Presbyterian elder make was, “Well, after all, we are all basically good people.” I suppose that statement might not sound particularly disturbing to most people, who probably think of themselves as basically good. But the truth is far from it, and for a Presbyterian elder to believe and teach that anyone is basically good, much less a Presbyterian, is pernicious. It sounds good to us, but it is deadly to believe it. Unless we all get the message that we are sinners who need to repent, well, a future in eternity's smoking section awaits us.
The Bible doesn't tell us much about the people in Luke 13 who came to Jesus with a report about a group of Galileans whom Pilate had put to the sword, but it sounds like they probably considered themselves basically good, or at the very least, better than the unfortunate Galileans. Jesus quickly disabused them of any such self-deception. The Galileans who were executed were no worse sinners than other Galileans. More to the point, the people who came to Jesus with the report needed to know that they themselves would suffer a similar fate if they did not repent.
Lest they think He was making some kind of political statement about amending any rebellious thoughts against Rome, Jesus spoke of some Jerusalemites who died quite by accident when a tower collapsed on them. Those who were crushed were no worse sinners than anyone else living in Jerusalem. So, again, His hearers needed to understand that unless they themselves repented, they would all likewise perish (Luke 13.5)
So, what do you think Jesus would have to say today to a group of Presbyterian elders who imagined themselves basically good? How about to a group of missionaries? What about volunteers helping to rebuild homes along the Gulf Coast? What would He say to me? What would He say to you? That we are all basically good, or that we, exactly like the folks who came to Him in Luke 13, have an urgent need to repent?
The next time you hear someone extolling their basic goodness, or the basic goodness of someone else, or of a particular group, may I suggest that you point out what Jesus had to say in Luke 13.1-5? It might be a conversation worth having with the person in the mirror as well. For any to be saved all must be convicted. Without being convicted why would anyone come to the cross? Only at the cross can the convicted find forgiveness. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Sunday, September 12, 2010
The Crisis of Our constitution
Our constitutional Crisis
It was President Lincoln who spoke so passionately about government “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” in his inspired, and inspiring, Gettysburg address. Unfortunately, there are a whole lot of people who, while decrying “big government,” complain that our government is not doing enough “for” its people. Ironically, it was President Kennedy, nearly a century after Lincoln, who cautioned Americans not to demand that their country do for them, but rather ask what they could do for the nation. When a government is “of” and “by” the people it is the people who must be about the business of fixing what is wrong, government cannot fix itself.
Today we hear quite a bit about a “Constitutional Crisis,” implying that the foundational document of our government is in need of serious overhaul and repair. I would argue, strongly, that there is nothing wrong with the Constitution, but rather it is our constitution, that is, it is we ourselves, who desperately need correction.
With no offense to the Tea Party, changing the government, or even changing how we do government, is not our country's chief need. It is the citizenry of America that must be worked on. You see, our government worked fine when we were the kind of people it was intended for. What kind of people is that? I will let President John Adams answer:
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
-address to the military, October 11, 1798
You see, the problem isn't our Constitution, it's our constitution, for it is all but impossible to argue that we are, by any stretch of the imagination, a “moral and religious” people. It would be hard to argue that we have been such a people for several generations now. It is not legislation that is needed today, but confession and repentance, and a return to the morality and faith upon which this nation was established.
An immoral and irreligious people cannot help but be governed by immoral and irreligious representatives. How can we expect the result of balloting to be reform, when it is the unreformed who enter the ballot booth? Change may be an appealing campaign promise, but no politician is ever going to change for the better any government of, by, and for the people when it is the people themselves who are in need of changing.
It is not in Washington, D.C., or in state capitals, or county buildings, or city halls, where change must come, but in the home, even more, in the heart, of every American. Failing this, no programs, no spending bills, no policies, no laws or judicial rulings, will ever make the government of this nation work again.
American government no longer works because Americans have forsaken their morals and their religion. The government cannot restore morality or faith, and neither can we reform ourselves. Reform and restoration of the kind we so sorely need can only come from the Father, and only in and through the person of the Son, and only by the action of the Holy Spirit within and amongst us.
America, the greatest threat to our Constitution is the moral and religious crisis of our constitutions. If the people of the United States are not individually constituted moral and religious people, we shall never be such a people corporately, and our Constitution cannot help but fail, and ultimately fall.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
It was President Lincoln who spoke so passionately about government “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” in his inspired, and inspiring, Gettysburg address. Unfortunately, there are a whole lot of people who, while decrying “big government,” complain that our government is not doing enough “for” its people. Ironically, it was President Kennedy, nearly a century after Lincoln, who cautioned Americans not to demand that their country do for them, but rather ask what they could do for the nation. When a government is “of” and “by” the people it is the people who must be about the business of fixing what is wrong, government cannot fix itself.
Today we hear quite a bit about a “Constitutional Crisis,” implying that the foundational document of our government is in need of serious overhaul and repair. I would argue, strongly, that there is nothing wrong with the Constitution, but rather it is our constitution, that is, it is we ourselves, who desperately need correction.
With no offense to the Tea Party, changing the government, or even changing how we do government, is not our country's chief need. It is the citizenry of America that must be worked on. You see, our government worked fine when we were the kind of people it was intended for. What kind of people is that? I will let President John Adams answer:
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
-address to the military, October 11, 1798
You see, the problem isn't our Constitution, it's our constitution, for it is all but impossible to argue that we are, by any stretch of the imagination, a “moral and religious” people. It would be hard to argue that we have been such a people for several generations now. It is not legislation that is needed today, but confession and repentance, and a return to the morality and faith upon which this nation was established.
An immoral and irreligious people cannot help but be governed by immoral and irreligious representatives. How can we expect the result of balloting to be reform, when it is the unreformed who enter the ballot booth? Change may be an appealing campaign promise, but no politician is ever going to change for the better any government of, by, and for the people when it is the people themselves who are in need of changing.
It is not in Washington, D.C., or in state capitals, or county buildings, or city halls, where change must come, but in the home, even more, in the heart, of every American. Failing this, no programs, no spending bills, no policies, no laws or judicial rulings, will ever make the government of this nation work again.
American government no longer works because Americans have forsaken their morals and their religion. The government cannot restore morality or faith, and neither can we reform ourselves. Reform and restoration of the kind we so sorely need can only come from the Father, and only in and through the person of the Son, and only by the action of the Holy Spirit within and amongst us.
America, the greatest threat to our Constitution is the moral and religious crisis of our constitutions. If the people of the United States are not individually constituted moral and religious people, we shall never be such a people corporately, and our Constitution cannot help but fail, and ultimately fall.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Jesus Forgave Hard Hearts
What Did Jesus Do?
Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives,
but from the beginning it was not so.
Matthew 19.8
Do you know why God created erasers? Because people make mistakes. All the time. Big mistakes, and little ones. Many errors can be easily corrected with little or no harm done. A good eraser often comes in quite handy when you realize that 2+2 does not equal 5. Other mistakes are so costly it is impossible to measure their impact, and the scars, physical and emotional, are indelible. Punch a wrong digit on your cell phone and you end up speaking to someone you don't know and apologizing for bothering them. Put the wrong number in a particular engineering equation, and the bridge you're designing may be doomed to collapse. Mistakes, we all make them. Some mistakes the Bible categorizes as sin, but, unlike your every day mistake, there is no such thing as a “little” sin. God hates all sin, and the hard truth is that the Father sent the Son to atone for them all. Every transgression of every man, woman, and child who has ever lived was laid upon the Lord, because every sin is a mistake that must be paid for. The Good News is that all sins we confess and hand over to the Lord are forgiven, albeit at the terrible price of the Cross. But forgiven. All sins.
It has been my privilege to serve as a Spiritual Director on a number of Tres Dias spiritual formation weekends. I have had several people on these weekends ask me what I believe about divorce, is it a sin? Citing the Bible, I have always said that, yes, divorce is a sin. As you can imagine, this can be painful for someone who has been through a divorce. But I would ask them if they believe in the forgiveness of sin. And when they would say, “Yes, but...” I would interrupt their “but...” and ask them if they have ever read anything in Scripture to indicate that Christ died to forgive all sins but divorce? “Well, no.” Forgiven. Why, as Jesus pointed out in the above captioned verse from Matthew 18,God even made a concession with respect to divorce on account of the hardness of our hearts.
Now, the concession did not at all remove divorce from the list of sins that God hates. The Father's intention for marriage, that it should be a covenant of love and fidelity for a lifetime, still holds unbroken from the time He established marriage as a creation ordinance. But God knows how good all of us are at making mistakes, and He knows that, all too often, our mistakes can include making a bad choice of partners in marriage. When we realize our mistake the first thing we need to do is admit it to God, and ask for His help in trying to make our marital covenant work. Sadly, there are times when things are too broken, hearts are too hard, and marriages come to an end. Well, Christ died for every divorce, just as much as He died for every lie we ever tell, and every hateful thought, word, and action of ours, and every other sin.
The most important thing, I would tell the folks on the Tres Dias weekends, is that we recognize our mistakes/sins, confess them and repent of them, learn, and, as Jesus told more than one forgiven sinner, “Go and sin no more.” This is to say that I absolutely believe that God forgives divorce, the first time. But I strongly warned that the sincerity of one's repentance might be suspect when divorce follows divorce. And statistics have made it clear that the people most likely to get divorced are people who have been through divorce before. So re-marriage, for those who have been divorced, is an even bigger decision than marriage the first time, and should be contemplated only in the context of much prayer and transparency before God and one's prospective partner.
Mistakes can be corrected. Jesus knows the hardness of hearts. Forgiveness is found at the Cross. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives,
but from the beginning it was not so.
Matthew 19.8
Do you know why God created erasers? Because people make mistakes. All the time. Big mistakes, and little ones. Many errors can be easily corrected with little or no harm done. A good eraser often comes in quite handy when you realize that 2+2 does not equal 5. Other mistakes are so costly it is impossible to measure their impact, and the scars, physical and emotional, are indelible. Punch a wrong digit on your cell phone and you end up speaking to someone you don't know and apologizing for bothering them. Put the wrong number in a particular engineering equation, and the bridge you're designing may be doomed to collapse. Mistakes, we all make them. Some mistakes the Bible categorizes as sin, but, unlike your every day mistake, there is no such thing as a “little” sin. God hates all sin, and the hard truth is that the Father sent the Son to atone for them all. Every transgression of every man, woman, and child who has ever lived was laid upon the Lord, because every sin is a mistake that must be paid for. The Good News is that all sins we confess and hand over to the Lord are forgiven, albeit at the terrible price of the Cross. But forgiven. All sins.
It has been my privilege to serve as a Spiritual Director on a number of Tres Dias spiritual formation weekends. I have had several people on these weekends ask me what I believe about divorce, is it a sin? Citing the Bible, I have always said that, yes, divorce is a sin. As you can imagine, this can be painful for someone who has been through a divorce. But I would ask them if they believe in the forgiveness of sin. And when they would say, “Yes, but...” I would interrupt their “but...” and ask them if they have ever read anything in Scripture to indicate that Christ died to forgive all sins but divorce? “Well, no.” Forgiven. Why, as Jesus pointed out in the above captioned verse from Matthew 18,God even made a concession with respect to divorce on account of the hardness of our hearts.
Now, the concession did not at all remove divorce from the list of sins that God hates. The Father's intention for marriage, that it should be a covenant of love and fidelity for a lifetime, still holds unbroken from the time He established marriage as a creation ordinance. But God knows how good all of us are at making mistakes, and He knows that, all too often, our mistakes can include making a bad choice of partners in marriage. When we realize our mistake the first thing we need to do is admit it to God, and ask for His help in trying to make our marital covenant work. Sadly, there are times when things are too broken, hearts are too hard, and marriages come to an end. Well, Christ died for every divorce, just as much as He died for every lie we ever tell, and every hateful thought, word, and action of ours, and every other sin.
The most important thing, I would tell the folks on the Tres Dias weekends, is that we recognize our mistakes/sins, confess them and repent of them, learn, and, as Jesus told more than one forgiven sinner, “Go and sin no more.” This is to say that I absolutely believe that God forgives divorce, the first time. But I strongly warned that the sincerity of one's repentance might be suspect when divorce follows divorce. And statistics have made it clear that the people most likely to get divorced are people who have been through divorce before. So re-marriage, for those who have been divorced, is an even bigger decision than marriage the first time, and should be contemplated only in the context of much prayer and transparency before God and one's prospective partner.
Mistakes can be corrected. Jesus knows the hardness of hearts. Forgiveness is found at the Cross. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Saturday, September 11, 2010
What Did Jesus Do On 9/11/01?
What Did Jesus Do?
September 11, 2001.
Shortly after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, some people openly questioned, “Where was Jesus when all this happened.?” To some, it seemed as if the Lord had been somehow off somewhere that day, abandoning, as it were, New York City and Washington D.C. in that hour fateful hour. But the Lord has promised never to leave or forsake His own, even to the end of the age (Hebrews 13.5, Matthew 28.20). The answer to the Lord's whereabouts on 9/11 was, I believe, a simple one: As always, the Son, like the Father and the Holy Spirit, was everywhere that day—God is omnipresent. Having established where Jesus was on September 11, 2001, I think it is fair to ask what He did that day.
I believe there were three things, Jesus did on 9/11/01. First, I believe the Lord welcomed the souls of the saints who died that day into paradise (See Luke 23.43). Second, I believe that Jesus was busy comforting the families and friends of the dead, the wounded, and the missing on that day (Isaiah 61.1-4). Third, I believe that Christ lamented over the souls of the terrorists and others who that day entered an eternity of torment forever cut off from the Father and His mercy, for, though all heaven rejoices at the repentance of a single sinner (Luke 15.10), God does not take pleasure in administering His justice and punishing the wicked (Ezekiel 18.23).
Therefore, on this ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 tragedy, I believe we would do well to seek to do what Jesus did. We should honor the memory of the saints who died, and rejoice over their salvation and that they are with Christ. We should speak words of comfort, with which we ourselves have been comforted by God, to those who this day mourn a family member or friend who died on 9/11. And we should both pray for and seek to proclaim the Good News to the lost, be they Islamic terrorists, or a member of our own family, or a friend, so that they might be saved and escape the punishment that the wicked most certainly will receive.
Rejoice over the saints. Comfort those who mourn. Pray for and seek the Lost. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
September 11, 2001.
Shortly after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, some people openly questioned, “Where was Jesus when all this happened.?” To some, it seemed as if the Lord had been somehow off somewhere that day, abandoning, as it were, New York City and Washington D.C. in that hour fateful hour. But the Lord has promised never to leave or forsake His own, even to the end of the age (Hebrews 13.5, Matthew 28.20). The answer to the Lord's whereabouts on 9/11 was, I believe, a simple one: As always, the Son, like the Father and the Holy Spirit, was everywhere that day—God is omnipresent. Having established where Jesus was on September 11, 2001, I think it is fair to ask what He did that day.
I believe there were three things, Jesus did on 9/11/01. First, I believe the Lord welcomed the souls of the saints who died that day into paradise (See Luke 23.43). Second, I believe that Jesus was busy comforting the families and friends of the dead, the wounded, and the missing on that day (Isaiah 61.1-4). Third, I believe that Christ lamented over the souls of the terrorists and others who that day entered an eternity of torment forever cut off from the Father and His mercy, for, though all heaven rejoices at the repentance of a single sinner (Luke 15.10), God does not take pleasure in administering His justice and punishing the wicked (Ezekiel 18.23).
Therefore, on this ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 tragedy, I believe we would do well to seek to do what Jesus did. We should honor the memory of the saints who died, and rejoice over their salvation and that they are with Christ. We should speak words of comfort, with which we ourselves have been comforted by God, to those who this day mourn a family member or friend who died on 9/11. And we should both pray for and seek to proclaim the Good News to the lost, be they Islamic terrorists, or a member of our own family, or a friend, so that they might be saved and escape the punishment that the wicked most certainly will receive.
Rejoice over the saints. Comfort those who mourn. Pray for and seek the Lost. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Friday, September 10, 2010
Jesus Directed Directness
What Did Jesus Do?
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault,
between you and him alone.
Matthew 18.15
In recent weeks I have spoken with several people who no longer attend church. Invariably their reasons had something to do with some very uncivil behavior which they witnessed in one or more congregations. Sadly, for a people who are supposed to be known by how much we love one another, what is often on display in churches is how much we dislike each other. An all too common, and pernicious tactic employed in this uncivil civil warfare in churches is what I would characterize as the “sneak attack.” A sneak attack is an indirect assault on someone with whom you have a problem. Rather than speak directly to the person about the matter, you choose to speak to someone, anyone, maybe even everyone else, rather than the individual who has in some way offended you. Every ear that listens, and every tongue that passes along, such indicting words fires another shot in this “uncivil war.” Typically, there will be all kinds of battles going on among folks, none of them “frontal assaults.” Such uncivil, let's be blunt, unchristian, ways of behaving towards one another has run off countless church goers, and has destroyed no few congregations. This is not at all to suggest that transgressions should be ignored. But in dealing with sin in the Body of Christ, the Church, Jesus directed directness.
Of course, when Jesus instructed His followers to go and tell a brother his fault, the Lord was not urging any of us to be angry, belligerent, hateful, or insulting in our demeanor. The truth spoken directly, yet humbly, in love, does not constitute an attack of any nature, but rather a peace overture before hostilities get out of hand. Even if rebuffed in our attempt to go and work things out with a brother, we do not abandon the direct approach, but we do seek “reinforcements.”
As the Lord instructs in Matthew 18.16, if the initial attempt is unsuccessful we are to return again, with one or two equally humble brothers or sisters, to again attempt to directly reconcile the matter. Including others in this way is not uncivil, and certainly not unchristian, but is in fact doing exactly what Christ has told us to do in order to preserve peace and order in the Body of Christ. Should such a second direct attempt fail to restore the brother, there is yet another step we must take.
I say this third step must be taken if the first two have been unsuccessful because failure to follow the Lord's instructions in this almost always develops into uncivil war. For if a matter has not been resolved, but remains, the strong likelihood is that sooner or later something will be said or done indirectly, and uncivil exchanges will erupt in the midst of the congregation. And, in reality, this third step, involving an entire congregation, is both for the sincerely sought restoration of a brother, and for the preservation of peace within the church. This third step, should the first two fail, is the best guarantee that uncivil words and actions will not consume members, even the entire congregation, in a bitter and destructive spiral of recrimination and “sneak attacks” that eventually become angry direct assaults on each other. There is a very good reason Jesus directed directness—He knew His Church would be at great risk whenever His followers chose the “sneak attack,” behind the back maneuvers, and the weapons of gossip and murmuring.
The next time someone starts to speak to you about another brother or sister with whom they have an issue, stop them and together turn to Matthew 18 and respectfully, and with prayer, direct them to be direct. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault,
between you and him alone.
Matthew 18.15
In recent weeks I have spoken with several people who no longer attend church. Invariably their reasons had something to do with some very uncivil behavior which they witnessed in one or more congregations. Sadly, for a people who are supposed to be known by how much we love one another, what is often on display in churches is how much we dislike each other. An all too common, and pernicious tactic employed in this uncivil civil warfare in churches is what I would characterize as the “sneak attack.” A sneak attack is an indirect assault on someone with whom you have a problem. Rather than speak directly to the person about the matter, you choose to speak to someone, anyone, maybe even everyone else, rather than the individual who has in some way offended you. Every ear that listens, and every tongue that passes along, such indicting words fires another shot in this “uncivil war.” Typically, there will be all kinds of battles going on among folks, none of them “frontal assaults.” Such uncivil, let's be blunt, unchristian, ways of behaving towards one another has run off countless church goers, and has destroyed no few congregations. This is not at all to suggest that transgressions should be ignored. But in dealing with sin in the Body of Christ, the Church, Jesus directed directness.
Of course, when Jesus instructed His followers to go and tell a brother his fault, the Lord was not urging any of us to be angry, belligerent, hateful, or insulting in our demeanor. The truth spoken directly, yet humbly, in love, does not constitute an attack of any nature, but rather a peace overture before hostilities get out of hand. Even if rebuffed in our attempt to go and work things out with a brother, we do not abandon the direct approach, but we do seek “reinforcements.”
As the Lord instructs in Matthew 18.16, if the initial attempt is unsuccessful we are to return again, with one or two equally humble brothers or sisters, to again attempt to directly reconcile the matter. Including others in this way is not uncivil, and certainly not unchristian, but is in fact doing exactly what Christ has told us to do in order to preserve peace and order in the Body of Christ. Should such a second direct attempt fail to restore the brother, there is yet another step we must take.
I say this third step must be taken if the first two have been unsuccessful because failure to follow the Lord's instructions in this almost always develops into uncivil war. For if a matter has not been resolved, but remains, the strong likelihood is that sooner or later something will be said or done indirectly, and uncivil exchanges will erupt in the midst of the congregation. And, in reality, this third step, involving an entire congregation, is both for the sincerely sought restoration of a brother, and for the preservation of peace within the church. This third step, should the first two fail, is the best guarantee that uncivil words and actions will not consume members, even the entire congregation, in a bitter and destructive spiral of recrimination and “sneak attacks” that eventually become angry direct assaults on each other. There is a very good reason Jesus directed directness—He knew His Church would be at great risk whenever His followers chose the “sneak attack,” behind the back maneuvers, and the weapons of gossip and murmuring.
The next time someone starts to speak to you about another brother or sister with whom they have an issue, stop them and together turn to Matthew 18 and respectfully, and with prayer, direct them to be direct. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Monday, September 6, 2010
"Our" God
For the LORD is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
Psalm 95.3
As the song says, “Our God is an awesome God,” but is He “our” God? He is “Our Father,” as Jesus rightly instructed us in the Lord's prayer. But I have to admit there are times when I hear some folks talk about “my God” and “my Jesus” when I wonder about who belongs to who. Sometimes I get the impression that people misunderstand just who holds right of ownership, if you will.
You see, God is the one who creates us, who calls us, who claims us, and our lives belong to Him. There simply is no way that He is beholding to us, much less that He can in any way be controlled or “made over” (“re-imagined” if you prefer) by us. But there are an awful lot of people who want to have a God they can tuck on their belt, or in their pocketbook, to pull out when they want to use Him, like a cell phone or a Scout's pocketknife. To some, I believe, God is sort of a faithful companion, like their dog: accepting, caring, forgiving, always happy when they give Him some of their attention.
Now all this might work for the many false gods in the world. False gods and idols can be manipulated and used pretty much anyway you please. So I don't really have a problem that Muslims “have” their god, and Buddhists their god, and Hindus their countless gods, and so on. When your god is but mere creation, as opposed to the Creator, you can “have” your god be who you want, “Have” him or her do what you want. Christians do not have any such option because we don't “have” a God, God has us! We are His, and He alone gets to determine what He will do. Even more, we are supposed to turn over decision making control of our lives to Him. As sheep belong to the shepherd, and not the other way around, so we are the people of His pasture (PS 95.7). He is our God because He has made us His flock. We follow the Shepherd, we don't lead Him.
So, as emotional and moving as so many of the songs about “My” God, and “My” Lord, and “My” Jesus are, I confess that I worry about what a lot of these songs say. And, even more, I worry about what many of those who so passionately sing these songs, believe about “their” God.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
and a great King above all gods.
Psalm 95.3
As the song says, “Our God is an awesome God,” but is He “our” God? He is “Our Father,” as Jesus rightly instructed us in the Lord's prayer. But I have to admit there are times when I hear some folks talk about “my God” and “my Jesus” when I wonder about who belongs to who. Sometimes I get the impression that people misunderstand just who holds right of ownership, if you will.
You see, God is the one who creates us, who calls us, who claims us, and our lives belong to Him. There simply is no way that He is beholding to us, much less that He can in any way be controlled or “made over” (“re-imagined” if you prefer) by us. But there are an awful lot of people who want to have a God they can tuck on their belt, or in their pocketbook, to pull out when they want to use Him, like a cell phone or a Scout's pocketknife. To some, I believe, God is sort of a faithful companion, like their dog: accepting, caring, forgiving, always happy when they give Him some of their attention.
Now all this might work for the many false gods in the world. False gods and idols can be manipulated and used pretty much anyway you please. So I don't really have a problem that Muslims “have” their god, and Buddhists their god, and Hindus their countless gods, and so on. When your god is but mere creation, as opposed to the Creator, you can “have” your god be who you want, “Have” him or her do what you want. Christians do not have any such option because we don't “have” a God, God has us! We are His, and He alone gets to determine what He will do. Even more, we are supposed to turn over decision making control of our lives to Him. As sheep belong to the shepherd, and not the other way around, so we are the people of His pasture (PS 95.7). He is our God because He has made us His flock. We follow the Shepherd, we don't lead Him.
So, as emotional and moving as so many of the songs about “My” God, and “My” Lord, and “My” Jesus are, I confess that I worry about what a lot of these songs say. And, even more, I worry about what many of those who so passionately sing these songs, believe about “their” God.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Friday, September 3, 2010
Jesus Moved
What Did Jesus Do?
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching...proclaiming...and healing.
Matthew 4.23
Some years ago I was the pastor of a small church out in the country. It had been there for over two hundred years. The church had no phone, and consequently no phone listing. They had a sign out front to post the title of the week's sermon, but that was pretty much the only way anyone besides the few folks sitting inside the stained glass windows of the church would have ever known it was still in business. When I suggested that it might be a good idea to think about some ways to do outreach and to intentionally tell others about the church, the response I got was, “We've been here a long time, they know where we are.” Judging by all the empty pews I wasn't so sure anyone actually did know where we were! The thing about ministry is, simply saying, “Here we are” is not likely to produce much fruit for the kingdom. You have to start where the people are, and that means that wherever you are, you will probably have to move. Jesus did.
Jesus could have simply stayed in Nazareth, gotten active in their little synagogue, and waited for people to come to Him. Instead, the Lord got up, got out, and got going. If Jesus had used business cards His might have said, “Have Feet, Will Travel,” because that is exactly what He did. Other than a couple of boat excursions back and forth across the Sea of Galilee (And, He even chose to walk across the sea at least once!), and one short donkey ride into Jerusalem, Christ's practice was to move, and get up, get out, and get going, step by step on foot, from village to village throughout Galilee. From Galilee to the Decapolis. From the Decapolis to Judea. Feet turned out to be an indispensable tool for ministry.
And it was not just Jesus who got up, got out, and got going. The Lord sent out the twelve apostles similarly to teach, preach, and heal (Mark 6.7-13). And then another seventy-two got up, got out, and got going (Luke 10.1). Jesus' followers moved too. And Christ made it clear to His disciples that they were to keep moving, taking the Gospel to all Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1.8). It simply wouldn't do to sit and wait for the world to come to them, “Have feet, will travel.” Jesus moved. His disciples moved. His Church must move. Get up, get out, get going. The world is full of people who will never find us, so we need to go looking for them.
Think of it this way. When someone is lost in the wilderness do we mobilize a sit team to stay put and wait for the lost to find us? No, search teams are organized to get up, go out, and get going to find the lost as quickly as possible before it is too late to save them. Again, does a life guard sit in his chair and watch someone drown, saying, “They know where I am, if they need help, let them come here and get it.” Absurd! Do you know what is happening while churches are sitting around, day after day, week after week, year after year? Hundreds, thousands, millions of the lost die without ever knowing Jesus. If the lost are going to be saved, they have to be found. And if they are going to be found, we have to move. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministrie.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching...proclaiming...and healing.
Matthew 4.23
Some years ago I was the pastor of a small church out in the country. It had been there for over two hundred years. The church had no phone, and consequently no phone listing. They had a sign out front to post the title of the week's sermon, but that was pretty much the only way anyone besides the few folks sitting inside the stained glass windows of the church would have ever known it was still in business. When I suggested that it might be a good idea to think about some ways to do outreach and to intentionally tell others about the church, the response I got was, “We've been here a long time, they know where we are.” Judging by all the empty pews I wasn't so sure anyone actually did know where we were! The thing about ministry is, simply saying, “Here we are” is not likely to produce much fruit for the kingdom. You have to start where the people are, and that means that wherever you are, you will probably have to move. Jesus did.
Jesus could have simply stayed in Nazareth, gotten active in their little synagogue, and waited for people to come to Him. Instead, the Lord got up, got out, and got going. If Jesus had used business cards His might have said, “Have Feet, Will Travel,” because that is exactly what He did. Other than a couple of boat excursions back and forth across the Sea of Galilee (And, He even chose to walk across the sea at least once!), and one short donkey ride into Jerusalem, Christ's practice was to move, and get up, get out, and get going, step by step on foot, from village to village throughout Galilee. From Galilee to the Decapolis. From the Decapolis to Judea. Feet turned out to be an indispensable tool for ministry.
And it was not just Jesus who got up, got out, and got going. The Lord sent out the twelve apostles similarly to teach, preach, and heal (Mark 6.7-13). And then another seventy-two got up, got out, and got going (Luke 10.1). Jesus' followers moved too. And Christ made it clear to His disciples that they were to keep moving, taking the Gospel to all Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1.8). It simply wouldn't do to sit and wait for the world to come to them, “Have feet, will travel.” Jesus moved. His disciples moved. His Church must move. Get up, get out, get going. The world is full of people who will never find us, so we need to go looking for them.
Think of it this way. When someone is lost in the wilderness do we mobilize a sit team to stay put and wait for the lost to find us? No, search teams are organized to get up, go out, and get going to find the lost as quickly as possible before it is too late to save them. Again, does a life guard sit in his chair and watch someone drown, saying, “They know where I am, if they need help, let them come here and get it.” Absurd! Do you know what is happening while churches are sitting around, day after day, week after week, year after year? Hundreds, thousands, millions of the lost die without ever knowing Jesus. If the lost are going to be saved, they have to be found. And if they are going to be found, we have to move. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministrie.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Jesus Complemented
What did Jesus Do?
“So they are no longer two but one flesh”
Mark 10.8
After almost an entire creation week of pronouncing all that He had done “good,” God suddenly took a second look, so to speak, at Adam, and saw something that He was compelled to admit was “not good”--man was somehow alone, incomplete, without a suitable partner. (Genesis 2.18) God realized man needed a fit helper, someone who would not be his exact equal, another man, but rather the perfect complement to man, and so God created woman. God knew that humanity is complete the complementarity of male and female. And it was the complementarity and completeness of the joining of male and female that God blessed. (Genesis 1.27-28)
Woman was not created an exact copy of man, there are some very real, and wonderful, differences between men and women. In some respects man is woman's superior. But then there are those aspects of womanhood men can never achieve, so women have their particular superiority over men as well. The divine intention was not for the differences to become points of competition and contention between men and women, much less reasons for any envy or jealousy. Instead, the differences, the complementarity, are to be celebrated, enjoyed, valued. The coming together in complementarity is what God has always blessed.
Jesus was exceptional in His day for the respect He showed to women, how He valued them. Those women who were Christ's followers ministered in ways that complemented the work of the Apostles. The Lord's observations on the partnership of marriage revealed His understanding of, and appreciation for, the complementarity of a man and a woman.
As for marriage, one and one equals two, but in marriage two becomes one, not by reduction or subtraction of anything from the man or woman, but by adding to both partners that which makes them complete, that which complements. In an inexplicable way, the image of the divine in which God clearly and intentionally, created human beings, the complementarity of male and female is necessary. “You complete me” is not just a come on line, it is a statement of a biblical truth, which the first man recognized and rejoiced over (See Genesis 2.23). Men and women are supposed to complement, that is, complete, one another. For this reason, and for other reasons as well, the Bible instructs that marriage is to be “held in honor among all” (Hebrews 13.4). Even so, not all need to be married, for
“...each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.”
1Corinthians 7.7
[The Apostle Paul explained to the church in Corinth that God's plan for some is
marriage, while for others it is singleness.]
Men, women, husbands, wives, do not fret yourselves over your differences and perceived inequalities, but accept, celebrate, that you are different, and love and support one another by complementing each other. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministrie.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
“So they are no longer two but one flesh”
Mark 10.8
After almost an entire creation week of pronouncing all that He had done “good,” God suddenly took a second look, so to speak, at Adam, and saw something that He was compelled to admit was “not good”--man was somehow alone, incomplete, without a suitable partner. (Genesis 2.18) God realized man needed a fit helper, someone who would not be his exact equal, another man, but rather the perfect complement to man, and so God created woman. God knew that humanity is complete the complementarity of male and female. And it was the complementarity and completeness of the joining of male and female that God blessed. (Genesis 1.27-28)
Woman was not created an exact copy of man, there are some very real, and wonderful, differences between men and women. In some respects man is woman's superior. But then there are those aspects of womanhood men can never achieve, so women have their particular superiority over men as well. The divine intention was not for the differences to become points of competition and contention between men and women, much less reasons for any envy or jealousy. Instead, the differences, the complementarity, are to be celebrated, enjoyed, valued. The coming together in complementarity is what God has always blessed.
Jesus was exceptional in His day for the respect He showed to women, how He valued them. Those women who were Christ's followers ministered in ways that complemented the work of the Apostles. The Lord's observations on the partnership of marriage revealed His understanding of, and appreciation for, the complementarity of a man and a woman.
As for marriage, one and one equals two, but in marriage two becomes one, not by reduction or subtraction of anything from the man or woman, but by adding to both partners that which makes them complete, that which complements. In an inexplicable way, the image of the divine in which God clearly and intentionally, created human beings, the complementarity of male and female is necessary. “You complete me” is not just a come on line, it is a statement of a biblical truth, which the first man recognized and rejoiced over (See Genesis 2.23). Men and women are supposed to complement, that is, complete, one another. For this reason, and for other reasons as well, the Bible instructs that marriage is to be “held in honor among all” (Hebrews 13.4). Even so, not all need to be married, for
“...each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.”
1Corinthians 7.7
[The Apostle Paul explained to the church in Corinth that God's plan for some is
marriage, while for others it is singleness.]
Men, women, husbands, wives, do not fret yourselves over your differences and perceived inequalities, but accept, celebrate, that you are different, and love and support one another by complementing each other. That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministrie.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Jesus Sent People
What Did Jesus Do?
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority...
These twelve Jesus sent out...
Matthew 10.1,5
I know most of us believe that when we care enough we'll be sure to send a card, right? Of course not! When we really care, we go. Jesus cared for the whole world, and went when He was sent. But even Jesus could not be in more than one place at one time, He did become fully human, after all. Also fully God, Jesus had all authority (See Matthew 28.18). And so He gave that authority to His followers, and sent a card. No, no, no! He gave that authority to His followers and sent them!.
Now the world needs help these days. A LOT of help. And this confronts us with a choice, what do we send the world? Hmmm. We could send a card, that would show the world we cared, right? Or how about this, we could send money! Actually, America has been sending money, quite a lot of money in fact, overseas for many years. But while Foreign Aid and Church Mission dollars have made a difference, the world is not in much better shape today than one hundred or two hundred years ago, is it? I'm not denying progress against disease and hunger and poverty, but people are still sick, still hungry, and still impoverished. What are we to do?
Maybe we should try doing what the Lord did, send people. When the apostles went out, with the authority that Jesus gave them, they did the most amazing things! They proclaimed the message of repentance. They cast out evil spirits. They healed many who were sick. (See Mark 6.12-13) The Church of Jesus Christ has always sent out missionaries into the work, but I wonder what would happen if we were to send people with Jesus' authority into our communities as a regular practice of being the Church today? I bet something good would come of it.
After Jesus had sent out the twelve, things went so well that He appointed another seventy-two, and sent them out too. What do you think happened? The seventy-two came back full of joy for all they accomplished by His authority! ( Luke 10.1, 17)
If we want to make a difference in this hurting world, how then shall we proceed? Send cards, money, people? Of course, it's people who make the difference, people with His authority. And, even accountants will acknowledge there's a value in sending people. Think about it. Let's say a congregation has one hundred members, and every single member goes out each week for one hour to work in the authority of Jesus. Even at minimum wage rates that's $800 a week, over $40,000 a year, of measurable value. And, you know, the value of what those sent people would accomplish for the kingdom of God would be greater, even immeasurable. If every member of every church started going each week to make a difference for an hour, there is no telling what real and lasting change might come. People might be saved, healed! Families, whole communities might be transformed. Why, even a nation might get turned around.
Send believers out in Jesus' authority, yes. This has been done since Jesus sent first sent out the Twelve. But let each of us take the next, and necessary, step, and hear and obey the words of the Great Commissioner and be sent ourselves,
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name (That is, in the authority of) of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Matthew 28.19-20
Be sent and send. You know what? That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority...
These twelve Jesus sent out...
Matthew 10.1,5
I know most of us believe that when we care enough we'll be sure to send a card, right? Of course not! When we really care, we go. Jesus cared for the whole world, and went when He was sent. But even Jesus could not be in more than one place at one time, He did become fully human, after all. Also fully God, Jesus had all authority (See Matthew 28.18). And so He gave that authority to His followers, and sent a card. No, no, no! He gave that authority to His followers and sent them!.
Now the world needs help these days. A LOT of help. And this confronts us with a choice, what do we send the world? Hmmm. We could send a card, that would show the world we cared, right? Or how about this, we could send money! Actually, America has been sending money, quite a lot of money in fact, overseas for many years. But while Foreign Aid and Church Mission dollars have made a difference, the world is not in much better shape today than one hundred or two hundred years ago, is it? I'm not denying progress against disease and hunger and poverty, but people are still sick, still hungry, and still impoverished. What are we to do?
Maybe we should try doing what the Lord did, send people. When the apostles went out, with the authority that Jesus gave them, they did the most amazing things! They proclaimed the message of repentance. They cast out evil spirits. They healed many who were sick. (See Mark 6.12-13) The Church of Jesus Christ has always sent out missionaries into the work, but I wonder what would happen if we were to send people with Jesus' authority into our communities as a regular practice of being the Church today? I bet something good would come of it.
After Jesus had sent out the twelve, things went so well that He appointed another seventy-two, and sent them out too. What do you think happened? The seventy-two came back full of joy for all they accomplished by His authority! ( Luke 10.1, 17)
If we want to make a difference in this hurting world, how then shall we proceed? Send cards, money, people? Of course, it's people who make the difference, people with His authority. And, even accountants will acknowledge there's a value in sending people. Think about it. Let's say a congregation has one hundred members, and every single member goes out each week for one hour to work in the authority of Jesus. Even at minimum wage rates that's $800 a week, over $40,000 a year, of measurable value. And, you know, the value of what those sent people would accomplish for the kingdom of God would be greater, even immeasurable. If every member of every church started going each week to make a difference for an hour, there is no telling what real and lasting change might come. People might be saved, healed! Families, whole communities might be transformed. Why, even a nation might get turned around.
Send believers out in Jesus' authority, yes. This has been done since Jesus sent first sent out the Twelve. But let each of us take the next, and necessary, step, and hear and obey the words of the Great Commissioner and be sent ourselves,
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name (That is, in the authority of) of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Matthew 28.19-20
Be sent and send. You know what? That's what Jesus did.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
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