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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
