Focused on Christnot on self
Successful marriage is always a triangle: a man, a woman, and God.
Cecil Myers
Abigail and Joe’s wedding brought many surprises. Throughout the ceremony I had my camera prepared to capture the next expected phase of the wedding and most often that expectation did not happen. I quickly began to see a pattern whenever these unexpected turns showed up. Each time something departed from the traditional marriage, the focus of those in attendance was being redirected toward Jesus Christ.
The first of these unexpected moments came when the peliminary music came to a stop. I expected the groom and groomsmen to appear from one of the side doors. What happened was that our pastor, Mike O’Brien, walked to the platform, explained that Joe and Abigail wanted a clear presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ to be made to those in attendance. Pastor Mike gave an outstanding message dealing with the biblical nature of marriage (established by God for one woman to be married to one man), the responsibilities of the bride and groom (the bride’s responsibility to submit and the groom’s responsibility to love as Christ loves the Church), and the need for everyone to come to Christ who died to save from their sins all who would turn to him for salvation.
Our salvation day eclipses your marriage day, for union to Christ will bring you greater joy than the happiest of marriage bonds. If you have ever received the honors of the State, gained distinction in learning, attained a position in society, or arrived at a larger wealth, all these are but dim, cloudy, foggy days compared with this “morning without clouds” (2 Sam. 23:4). On that day, your sun rose, never to go down again. The die was cast. Your destiny for glory was openly declared.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Power In the Blood
The message was clear and simple, as the gospel is. Pastor Mike did not back off of things that fly in the face of our politically correct culture. And he appealed to all who did not have a personal relationship with Christ to seek out one of the pastors in attendance (there were many) and to remedy the situation that day. He said that Joe and Abigail would consider it a great privilege to know that someone had come to Christ as a result of their wedding.
for the couple’s life together
Later in the ceremony, the preacher (Joe’s father), asked Eric Graves, Abigail’s brother-in-law, to come up to the altar to pray for the couple’s life together and to ask God for his blessing on this marriage. The prayer was motivating and moving. This prayer focused our attention on the fact that God is the foundation of marriage and reminded us that “unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (Psalms 127:1). This departure from tradition speaks volumes about the strength that this marriage will have.
Another wonderful departure from tradition came at the moment that I expected the preacher to declare Joe and Abigail “man and wife.” I raised my camera eyepiece to my eye to prepare for the upcoming kiss. But instead of the pronouncement and the traditional kiss, the preacher told us that Joe and Abigail had requested that at this moment all of us in attendance sing the Keith Getty hymn, “In Christ Alone.” Here are the words to this wonderful hymn:
In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.
How Jesus preached the social gospel
Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
So many times I have read Matthew 11:2-5. But until recently I had not noticed that this passage deals directly with what has come to be called the “social gospel”—the idea of taking food to the needy, helping orphans, providing shelter, and meeting other needs, but doing so without particular concern for meeting spiritual needs.
This past Wednesday night Ranger Horton spoke at our church’s mid-week service. He pointed out something I had never noticed before in this passage. Jesus directly addresses how he met the needs of specific people:
| To: | He gave: |
| The blind | The sense of sight |
| The lame | The ability to walk |
| The lepers | Health |
| The deaf | The sense of hearing |
| The dead | Life |
| The poor | The gospel |
Did you notice what Jesus gave to the poor? He gave them the gospel. Yes, he fed people—in fact, he fed thousands with a few loaves and fishes. But those he fed were with him because they wanted what he had to give more than they wanted to care for their own physical needs, so Jesus took care of their physical needs for them. It seems from this passage that Jesus’ main concern for the poor was that they hear the message of good news that the Christ had come to redeem mankind through his death on the cross and eventual resurrection from the dead.
Christianity compels us to care for the needs of others and we should certainly feed the poor, clothe the naked, and comfort the hurting. But we must never do it without sharing the gospel. We are not here to save the world—that’s God’s job. We are here to tell the world that the Almighty God reached to sinful man with his love by sending his Son to die on a cross to pay the penalty for the sins of everyone who believes.
What a wonderful message! What a wonderful way to meet the needs of the people around us.
How Jesus preached the social gospel
Matthew 11:2-5
Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
So many times I have read Matthew 11:2-5. But until recently I had not noticed that this passage deals directly with what has come to be called the “social gospel”—the idea of taking food to the needy, helping orphans, providing shelter, and meeting other needs, but doing so without particular concern for meeting spiritual needs.
This past Wednesday night Ranger Horton spoke at our church’s mid-week service. He pointed out something I had never noticed before in this passage. Jesus directly addresses how he met the needs of specific people:
| To: | He gave: |
| The blind | The sense of sight |
| The lame | The ability to walk |
| The lepers | Health |
| The deaf | The sense of hearing |
| The dead | Life |
| The poor | The gospel |
Did you notice what Jesus gave to the poor? He gave them the gospel. Yes, he fed people—in fact, he fed 5,000 with a couple loves and fishes. But those he fed were with him because they wanted what he had to give more than they wanted to care for their own physical needs, so Jesus took care of their physical needs for them. It seems from this passage that Jesus’ main concern for the poor was that they here the message of good news that the Christ had come to redeem mankind through his death on the cross and eventual resurrection from the dead.
Christianity compels us to care for the needs of others and we should certainly feed the poor, clothe the naked, and comfort the hurting. But we must never do it without sharing the gospel. We are not here to save the world—that’s Jesus’ job. We are here to tell the world that the Almight God reached to sinful man with his love by sending his Son to die on a cross to pay the penalty for the sins of everyone who believes.
What a wonderful message! What a wonderful way to meet the needs of the people around us.
Let the Nations Be Glad
Having been raised by a pastor who was deeply dedicated to evangelistic outreach, I have tremendous respect for those who have sacrificed to take the gospel message to those who have not yet heard that Christ died to save sinners. I remember the stories of great missionary heroes that my parents told us during family devotions, at dinnertime, and at bedtime. In fact, quite often our bedtime stories revolved around some of these great stories.
One of my favorite stories was the story of Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, Pete Fleming, and Ed McCully—the missionaries who were determined to take the gospel message to the Auca Indians (now known as the “Waodani”) of Ecuador. This native Ecuadorian tribe was history’s most violent people group prior to hearing and responding to the good news of Jesus Christ. But it took the death of these men and the continued love shown by their surviving families to get the gospel message to these people in such great need.
The story is amazing. The movie, End of the Spear, and the documentary, Beyond the Gates of Splendor, about this missionary team are intense and convicting. Both are available on DVD. I hope this will encourage you to purchase both of these DVDs. You won’t regret it.
The videos below were produced by Steven Curtis Chapman using footage from the documentary. Some of this footage is actual footage taken by the missionaries themselves in 1955.
In these videos it mentions that the Aucas were on the verge of extinction, but doesn’t tie in the fact that the driving force behind these misionaries’ intense desire to reach this people group was the fact that in John’s vision of the heavenly kingdom he saw this: “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9). These missionaries were concerned about the apparent danger of this people group becoming extinct without having heard the gospel message. So they realized they had to take the message immediately. What an amazing group of dedicated Christians.
Let the Nations Be Glad
Having been raised by a pastor who was deeply dedicated to evangelistic outreach, I have tremendous respect for those who have sacrificed to take the gospel message to those who have not yet heard that Christ died to save sinners. I remember the stories of great missionary heroes that my parents told us during family devotions, at dinnertime, and at bedtime. In fact, quite often our bedtime stories revolved around some of these great stories.
One of my favorite stories was the story of Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, Pete Fleming, and Ed McCully—the missionaries who were determined to take the gospel message to the Auca Indians (now known as the “Waodani”) of Ecuador. This native Ecuadorian tribe was history’s most violent people group prior to hearing and responding to the good news of Jesus Christ. But it took the death of these men and the continued love shown by their surviving families to get the gospel message to these people in such great need.
The story is amazing. The movie, End of the Spear, and the documentary, Beyond the Gates of Splendor, about this missionary team are intense and convicting. Both are available on DVD. I hope this will encourage you to purchase both of these DVDs. You won’t regret it.
The videos below were produced by Steven Curtis Chapman using footage from the documentary. Some of this footage is actual footage taken by the missionaries themselves in 1955.
In these videos it mentions that the Aucas were on the verge of extinction, but doesn’t tie in the fact that the driving force behind these misionaries’ intense desire to reach this people group was the fact that in John’s vision of the heavenly kingdom he saw this: “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9). These missionaries were concerned about the apparent danger of this people group becoming extinct without having heard the gospel message. So they realized they had to take the message immediately. What an amazing group of dedicated Christians.
Christians Acting unChristlike
by John Piper
In my personal devotions, I have been reading John Piper’s Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. This outstanding book will edify and convict you if you are a Christian, and if you are not a Christian it will present to you what Christianity is truly about from the perspective of Jesus and his disciples, not from the American media or from well-meaning, but wrong-acting Christians.
Here’s an excerpt that convicted me:
The Death of Christ and the Camps of Death
It is a tragedy that the story of Christ’s death has produced anti-Semitism against Jews and crusading violence against Muslims. We Christians are ashamed of many of our ancestors who did not act in the spirit of Christ. No doubt there are traces of this plague in our own souls. But true Christianity—which is radically different from Western culture, and may not be found in many Christian churches—renounces the advance of religion by means of violence. “My kingdom is not of this world,” Jesus said. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting” (John 18:36). The way of the cross is the way of suffering. Christians are called to die, not kill, in order to show the world how they are loved by Christ.
True Christian love humbly and boldly commends Christ, no matter what it costs, to all peoples as the only saving way to God. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). But let it be crystal-clear: To humiliate or scorn or despise or persecute with prideful putdowns or pogroms or crusades or concentration camps is not Christian. These were and are, very simply and horribly, disobedience to Jesus Christ. Unlike many of his so-called followers after him, he prayed from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
John Piper wants you to hear the good news about Jesus Christ, so this book is available free of charge online at his Desiring God website. I encourage you to purchase the book from your local Christian bookstore to help support this ministry so they can continue to offer free books to those in need of Christ (that would be every person on the planet).
Christians Acting unChristlike
by John Piper
In my personal devotions, I have been reading John Piper’s Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. This outstanding book will edify and convict you if you are a Christian, and if you are not a Christian it will present to you what Christianity is truly about from the perspective of Jesus and his disciples, not from the American media or from well-meaning, but wrong-acting Christians.
Here’s an excerpt that convicted me:
The Death of Christ and the Camps of Death
It is a tragedy that the story of Christ’s death has produced anti-Semitism against Jews and crusading violence against Muslims. We Christians are ashamed of many of our ancestors who did not act in the spirit of Christ. No doubt there are traces of this plague in our own souls. But true Christianity—which is radically different from Western culture, and may not be found in many Christian churches—renounces the advance of religion by means of violence. “My kingdom is not of this world,” Jesus said. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting” (John 18:36). The way of the cross is the way of suffering. Christians are called to die, not kill, in order to show the world how they are loved by Christ.
True Christian love humbly and boldly commends Christ, no matter what it costs, to all peoples as the only saving way to God. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). But let it be crystal-clear: To humiliate or scorn or despise or persecute with prideful putdowns or pogroms or crusades or concentration camps is not Christian. These were and are, very simply and horribly, disobedience to Jesus Christ. Unlike many of his so-called followers after him, he prayed from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
John Piper wants you to hear the good news about Jesus Christ, so this book is available free of charge online at his Desiring God website. I encourage you to purchase the book from your local Christian bookstore to help support this ministry so they can continue to offer free books to those in need of Christ (that would be every person on the planet).
What is the goal of missions?
Seeker Sensitive or Fire & Brimstone?
My sister and I have had a minor disagreement about how we should present the gospel to the lost. She is fully immersed in the “seeker sensitive” movement. She talks about meeting the “felt needs” of the people. She recommends books that discuss how to evangelize without using words such as “sin” or “repentance.” I have argued for the straight presentation of the biblical gospel in the same manner that the apostles proclaimed Christ—shining a spotlight on sin and calling the sinners to repentance.
But our motivations are the same—we both want to see people won for Christ. The question is: What is God’s motivation for evangelistic/missionary outreach?
John 4:23
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
God is seeking people “to worship him.” This is his goal and should be ours as well. It should not be to “reach people at their felt needs,” because their “felt needs” are not their true need—the need for the washing of Christ’s blood to restore them to fellowship with God. But it should also not be to grow the church, to fulfill my obligation as a Christian, or to mark another notch on my evangelistic belt, which quite often are my personal motivations for evangelistic outreach. After all, it should not be about meeting my needs anymore than it should be about reaching the lost at their felt needs.
In Let the Nations Be Glad, John Piper writes:
If the pursuit of God’s glory is not ordered above the pursuit of man’s good in the affections of the heart and the priorities of the church, man will not be served and God will not be honored.
Ouch! … He’s right. And his statement stings both my sister and me. Missions is not about man (not about the felt needs of the nonbeliever or about my own percieved needs); missions is about gathering people to worship the Sovereign Lord of the universe.
What is the goal of missions?
Seeker Sensitive or Fire & Brimstone?
My sister and I have had a minor disagreement about how we should present the gospel to the lost. She is fully immersed in the “seeker sensitive” movement. She talks about meeting the “felt needs” of the people. She recommends books that discuss how to evangelize without using words such as “sin” or “repentance.” I have argued for the straight presentation of the biblical gospel in the same manner that the apostles proclaimed Christ—shining a spotlight on sin and calling the sinners to repentance.
But our motivations are the same—we both want to see people won for Christ. The question is: What is God’s motivation for evangelistic/missionary outreach?
John 4:23
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
God is seeking people “to worship him.” This is his goal and should be ours as well. It should not be to “reach people at their felt needs,” because their “felt needs” are not their true need—the need for the washing of Christ’s blood to restore them to fellowship with God. But it should also not be to grow the church, to fulfill my obligation as a Christian, or to mark another notch on my evangelistic belt, which quite often are my personal motivations for evangelistic outreach. After all, it should not be about meeting my needs anymore than it should be about reaching the lost at their felt needs.
In Let the Nations Be Glad, John Piper writes:
If the pursuit of God’s glory is not ordered above the pursuit of man’s good in the affections of the heart and the priorities of the church, man will not be served and God will not be honored.
Ouch! … He’s right. And his statement stings both my sister and me. Missions is not about man (not about the felt needs of the nonbeliever or about my own percieved needs); missions is about gathering people to worship the Sovereign Lord of the universe.
To be or not to be (an Evangelist)
What is an evangelist?
I grew up in a pastor’s home. I don’t know if my concept of the role of “Evangelist” was developed by my father’s teaching or if I picked it up through osmosis along the way, but I have always thought that a titled role of “Evangelist” was an inappropriate thing. I always thought We are all supposed to be evangelists” and If a man feels called to be an Evangelist, he probably is truly being called to be a pastor. But I’m not so sure that my conception was correct.
What does the Bible say?
Our concepts must always derive from scripture—not from philosophy, sophistry, or emotion. And this morning, through the reading of God’s Word, He showed me that my concept of the role of Evangelist was incorrect.
2 Corinthians 8:18
With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.
Apparently the role of Evangelist was just fine with the apostle Paul. This man he speaks of is traveling as an Evangelist because he is known for his preaching of the gospel.
But I also notice that Paul does not mention him by name. I think this is important. In today’s Western Evangelicalism, we have many “heroes.” But an evangelist should not seek to make a name for himself in his proclamation of the gospel. The whole point of proclaiming the gospel is to make Christ known—not ourselves.
What’s the point?
| Evangelist | Good |
| Egotistical nature | Bad |
To be or not to be (an Evangelist)
What is an evangelist?
I grew up in a pastor’s home. I don’t know if my concept of the role of “Evangelist” was developed by my father’s teaching or if I picked it up through osmosis along the way, but I have always thought that a titled role of “Evangelist” was an inappropriate thing. I always thought We are all supposed to be evangelists” and If a man feels called to be an Evangelist, he probably is truly being called to be a pastor. But I’m not so sure that my conception was correct.
What does the Bible say?
Our concepts must always derive from scripture—not from philosophy, sophistry, or emotion. And this morning, through the reading of God’s Word, He showed me that my concept of the role of Evangelist was incorrect.
2 Corinthians 8:18
With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.
Apparently the role of Evangelist was just fine with the apostle Paul. This man he speaks of is traveling as an Evangelist because he is known for his preaching of the gospel.
But I also notice that Paul does not mention him by name. I think this is important. In today’s Western Evangelicalism, we have many “heroes.” But an evangelist should not seek to make a name for himself in his proclamation of the gospel. The whole point of proclaiming the gospel is to make Christ known—not ourselves.
What’s the point?
| Evangelist | Good |
| Egotistical nature | Bad |
Face of Jesus appears in beer foam?
Can you see the face of Jesus |
This story is a little silly, but there are people who really believe that images of Christ or Mary on a wall, a piece of toast, or in a shadow are messages from God. So the advertising campaign that produced the image to the left is probably not a real good idea. In fact, the news article mentions the fact that there is a “worldwide trend for finding holy images in everyday objects from the face of Jesus in a frying pan, to Christ on a fish finger, the Virgin Mary on a toasted cheese sandwich and even Mother Teresa in a cinnamon bun.”
The article mentions some objections to the add campaign, although they are not the exact objections most Christians would probably have. But the story does bring up a topic we should consider when preparing our evangelistic efforts.
Finding images of Christ or the saints in everyday objects in my opinion is no more than an advanced form of Where’s Waldo? but we should probably all be prepared to present the gospel to those who think they’ve been given a message in the froth on their beer glass. These people desperately need to know the truth of Jesus Christ and what he has done for sinners. Strange shapes in beer foam aren’t going to save their souls.
Face of Jesus appears in beer foam?
|
Can you see the face of Jesus |
This story is a little silly, but there are people who really believe that images of Christ or Mary on a wall, a piece of toast, or in a shadow are messages from God. So the advertising campaign that produced the image to the left is probably not a real good idea. In fact, the news article mentions the fact that there is a “worldwide trend for finding holy images in everyday objects from the face of Jesus in a frying pan, to Christ on a fish finger, the Virgin Mary on a toasted cheese sandwich and even Mother Teresa in a cinnamon bun.”
The article mentions some objections to the add campaign, although they are not the exact objections most Christians would probably have. But the story does bring up a topic we should consider when preparing our evangelistic efforts.
Finding images of Christ or the saints in everyday objects in my opinion is no more than an advanced form of Where’s Waldo? but we should probably all be prepared to present the gospel to those who think they’ve been given a message in the froth on their beer glass. These people desperately need to know the truth of Jesus Christ and what he has done for sinners. Strange shapes in beer foam aren’t going to save their souls.
Have you forgotten?
 |
The people of the United States are remembering the events of 9/11 today. I remember the horror of September 11, 2001, very well. I remember the fear we felt, even in the Christian community. Many people began to ask questions about God and his work in the world. In the course of my regular daily devotions, today’s scripture reading included the following: |
The hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
—John 16:2-3
Jesus was not speaking of Islamic terrorists in this passage, but it seems oddly fitting in today’s world. And I believe this passage gives us the appropriate response that we should take against these terrorists who seek to take our lives. As Christians, our response must be to bring the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who minds are clouded with hatred of Christianity and the West. Jesus said that these people will put Christians to death “because they have not known the Father, nor me.” So introducing them to the Father and to Jesus seems to be the best defense against their hatred of us and their desire to kill us.
At the end of the same chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus concluded with these words:
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
—John 16:33
We don’t need to fear the Islamic terrorists. We know that there will be tribulations in this world, but Jesus has overcome the world … and he has offered salvation to all.
By His grace - For His glory 