Continuing in our 2020 year of the Bible series "Finding Our Place In God's Story", here we continue as we look at various interpretive approaches to the book of Revelation. #sermons #biblestudy #revelation

The final part of our series in Revelation and the close of the year long study of the bible. Here we take a look at the closing chapters of Rev 21-22 and the final vision of John and how it is a reversal of the curse in Genesis. #sermons #biblestudy #revelation

I built a fire pit once around an old tree stump that had been chopped down close to the ground but the roots were never excavated. I simply stacked some wood on top of it and lit a fire, it ended up burning really well. The stump of that old tree heated up, and the warmth of the fire went deep into the ground. A full 24 hours after the fire had died out that stump was still smoldering, burning deep beneath the ground. It took several days for the fire to be fully extinguished from that stump. This is the language that the apostle Paul uses in 1 Thessalonians 5:19 where the NIV translates not to ‘quench’ the spirit, literally meaning not to extinguish Him. Just like a fire that roars in blazing heat and dances with beautiful but dangerous colors of red, orange, and blue, amongst the black backdrop of the night, so the Holy Spirit can be ablaze in our hearts, minds and lives, yet become fully extinguished if not tended. Quenched to the point that there is nothing left, no heat, no flame … just the remains of white ash. This is why Paul reminds his protege and partner in the gospel, Timothy, to fan into flame the gift of God that he had given him (2 Tim 1:6), literally to rekindle afresh; to rekindle the fire that is smoldering where the flames have grown small and dim. It can be difficult for many of us to relate in the developed western hemisphere, where the need to constantly make fire is no longer a part of our daily lives as it was to our great grandparents. Now with the advantages of central heating and air systems, not to mention the ambiance setting flick of a switch that turns on a gas powered fire with crystals or wood that don’t burn up only to be turned off just as effortlessly as it was turned on, we often don’t connect with the real struggle and diligent attention it takes to keep a fire going strong over time. In ancient times nomadic peoples, like the native Americans, when they needed to travel due to running out of local resources or water sources drying up, would carry a hot ember from a fire carefully wrapped in heat resistant vegetation so as to keep it warm during their travels, so they would be able to use the ember later that day to start another fire more easily than starting from scratch. And so it is with the Christian as they walk with the Holy Spirit. It is something that requires constant attention and care in order that the Spirit’s is not quenched and extinguished in our hearts and minds. Just as fire takes ignition, oxygen, and fuel (such as wood, gas, or some other flammable substance) in order to produce flame, so it is with the Christian life. Peter tells us that the ignition of the Holy Spirit’s fire in our life and His residence in us is when we believe the message about Christ, repent and are baptized in his name (Acts 2:25-40). The oxygen and fuel that it takes to keep the Spirit’s fire and presence strong in our lives comes through our adherence to the spiritual disciplines of daily reading and study of God’s word, prayer in and through His Spirit, meditation on God’s precepts, confession of our sins to God and others (1 Jn 1:9-11), fellowship and consistent meaningful relationships with other believers (Heb 4) and daily putting what God teaches us into practice (James 1). Through daily spiritual disciplines such as these we supply the oxygen and fuel that the Holy Spirit needs to continue to burn brightly in and through us to the glory of the Father. Without this oxygen and fuel, even after proper ignition, the Holy Spirit can indeed be extinguished. And any of us who have been walking with him for more than a short time have seen this happen to others around us; who beginning with strong ignition in the Holy Spirit and walking boldly with him, only to see the Spirit’s fire quietly burn out until He is fully quenched (Gal 3:3). Some of us might have even experienced that phenomena in our lives personally. “You can have all your doctrines right - yet still not have the presence of God.” ~ Lenard Ravenhill I believe it is important to mention at this point the concept of “falling away” from the Lord (Heb 6:4-8), which is contrary to the understanding that it means simply to leave a particular church. The concept of “falling away” presented in Hebrews 6 is a state in which it is impossible for someone to come back to repentance (and presumably, thus salvation itself). When exactly someone gets to this state of having “fallen away” and unable to be brought back to repentance is ultimately unknowable by any human being, even perhaps the individual themselves, because every human being is bound by time and none of us know the future. It is only God, from his eternal non-time-bound perspective, that can ultimately know if someone has “fallen away”. It is at this point as well that I would advise the reader to adapt their language appropriately if needed, to more accurately represent God’s word when referring to others. Technically we can never say for sure if someone has “fallen away” biblically. We can can use language that is perhaps more accurate, such as they no longer believe in Jesus (especially if that’s what they are communicating), or have wandered away or stopped following Jesus, or have left our fellowship, etc.. Just before Paul tells the Christians in Thessolonica to not quench the Spirit, he gives them some insight into how not to do this. He tells them to rejoice always, to pray continually, and to give thanks in all circumstances, for that is God’s will for them in Christ Jesus (1 This 5:16-18). It is so easy to not be thankful during difficult times. It is so easy to not be joyful, but rather sullen, faithless, and cower in the face of adversity. It is so easy not to pray, but instead lean on our own wisdom and understanding to lead us forward in life during difficult circumstances. These are the types of things that can quench the Holy Spirit of God within us. Memory Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-20 - Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Meditation/Reflection/Prayer: Lord, let me fan into flame the gift of your Spirit that you have given to me. Help me to prioritize in the midst of chaotic daily life to give attention to not letting your Spirit be quenched within me. Action Item: Plan a personal spiritual retreat (at least half a day, longer if you can) in which you will specifically fan into flame (fuel and oxygen) to the Spirit’s fire in your life. Study Questions: Have you received biblical “ignition” of the Holy Spirit? How can you know? What scriptures from God’s word give you evidence of this? Has the Spirit’s fire begun to be quenched and extinguished in your life? How so? In what ways are you providing the Holy Spirit with “fuel” and “oxygen” in your life to continue to burn brightly? In what ways do you need to add “fuel” and “oxygen”?

"Just let the Bible be whatever it is." Rob Bell But just what is the Bible Mr. Bell? What is the Bible? This is a vitally important question. Rob Bell is a famous American author, pastor, and "a singular rock star in the church world" (according to Time Magazine, who also named him among the most influential 100 people in the world in 2011). He is most notably known for his previous pastoral leadership of mega church Mars Hill and his New York Times bestseller "Love Wins" (which was a controversial book that some think catalyzed his exit from Mars Hill). Let me first start out by saying that I personally don't know Rob Bell, but I am vaguely familiar with the controversy that has surrounded him in recent years, especially in Evangelical circles. This is particularly so since the release of his book Love Wins in 2012 where he was essentially black listed from the orthodox Evangelical church as a "liberal" teacher who had wandered from traditional orthodox Christian doctrine (see reviews about Love Wins from the Gospel Coalition here, and Denny Burk here). This even prompted Francis Chan to pen a response to Love Wins in his book titled Erasing Hell: What God Said About Eternity, and the Things We Made Up. Bell's most recent book What is the Bible?: How an Ancient Library of Poems, Letters, and Stories Can Change the Way You Think and Feel About Everything (2017) is actually the first book of Bell's that I have read. (for other reviews on this book see the bottom of this post) I personally came across Bell in his Nooma videos 15 years ago, which were short videos that had high production quality discussing matters of God and the Christian faith. I have personally used these for outreach small group bible studies in the past and thought they were tremendous. All of that being said, there is much that I could write in way of response to Bell's new book, and to do it justice I would probably need to write a 20 page paper, but I won't. I will try to keep this concise (while acknowledging the risk that in seeking brevity I don't address things adequately). Right out of the gate I will tell you my motive for writing this review is simply because I recognize the amount of influence that Bell has in modern American culture, especially "Christian" culture, which is what I think could be so dangerous ... but more on that in a moment. First, the good: In his book, Bell makes a clarion call and appeal for people to actually read the Bible for themselves (which is awesome!), and seems to have a level of respect, admiration, and appreciation for the Bible (although he admits that it was really his love for giving sermons, i.e., public speaking and persuasion, that seems to have led him to deeper study of the Bible (p.1), which seems suspect to me?). (c.f. Phil 1:15-18) I can also appreciate his passion for helping people dig into the Bible much further than what many church kids are taught in Sunday school. In particular I think he helps the religiously raised American population who have been weened on a "for the Bible tells me so" type of simplistic, and often unhealthy, view of the Scriptures. He helps them to see the complexity, tension, beauty, diversity, and humanity of the Bible. (Yes, the Bible was written by people, and contrary to popular belief, did not actually drop out of heaven on some golden tablets or something.) Bell has a highly engaging and provocative writing style and because of this he has the ability to appeal to a broad audience, such as non-Christians that would likely not be interested in the Bible and those who have been disenfranchised by the Christian church (the "de-churched"). I think this is a really good thing and he even curses a few times in the book (sure to appeal to many, a la Rachel Hollis, "I love Jesus and I cuss a little"). Of course leading more people to read the Bible is undoubtedly a wonderful endeavor, but how he is leading them to read the Bible is where I have some major concerns ... but again, more on that in a moment. Seeing the Bible as an entire narrative is extremely important and needed (see p.47-54). Through helping people to see the humanity of the Bible's authorship, Bell causes people to take seriously not only the literary styles of the biblical writings, but also the cultural, social, economic, political, and spiritual backdrop of when these things were being written. Because after all the Bible is an ancient library of poems, letters, and stories written across thousands of years by numerous authors living in real and different contexts from each other, and from us. For more on this see the important work by Fee & Stuart, How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth. This is also akin to the amazing and very important work that The Bible Project has done recently, which seeks to "help people experience the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus". This "meta-narrative" framework that helps us to see the movement of the Bible as a whole and the story it is telling, that is leading us to wholeness, reconciliation, and striving to create a world right here and now that is filled with justice and non-violence (as opposed to Christians just waiting to "go to heaven") is an important point. I thought Bell did a great job emphasizing this. On this point see also N.T. Wright's works, in particular Surprised by Hope, one of the best books I have ever read. (Bell nods to N.T. Wright in the endnotes saying to read anything he has done with the word 'Jesus' in the title.) One other final point here, if you are a Christian and you really love America, you might not want to read Chapter 28 "Why Americans Often Miss The Major Themes of The Bible" (p. 211-215). I thought his assessment was excellent and a much needed critique of the nationalistic ideologies deeply embedded for so many America Christians (i.e. we are "God's country"), but that are in need of being deconstructed and are not supported by the Bible. (c.f. Phil 3:20) Now, the concerning (to put it mildly): I know many people in my spiritual circles that have flocked to Bell's most recent book, and that is how it caught my attention in the first place. And after reading it, I can see why. Bell is extremely gifted and a highly polished speaker and writer, and can be very persuasive. Even the interior formatting of the book helped me easily and quickly keep turning the pages! Which is all part of the problem. My primary concern with Bell's latest book is it is like a highly camouflaged leopard stalking its prey, looking to strike us unawares because we can't see well in the dense jungle. Bell's book is clearly a popular work, aimed at the masses, most of whom have had no theological training, or perhaps even critical thinking training for that matter. I'm afraid many people will have a difficult time discerning Bell's arguments and positions amidst the current cultural affirmations and post-modern worldview they swim in. Here is a look at some of this camouflage by a discerning eye: Probably the main message drawn from What Is the Bible? is that the Bible is a thoroughly human book.  It “is not a Christian book”; it “is a book about what it means to be human” (p. 4).  It is not about Jesus and a narrow way to God (p. 16).  Rather the Bible is a book produced purely by people sans any direct revelation from God (pp. 116-117, 188, 243-246, 266-267, 291, 295-296).  As a result, the Bible has all the problems, errors, contradictions, and wrong values that can be found in any human literature: “The Bible was written by people.  People with perspectives, grounded in their cultures and times and places” (p. 243) [which is true].  Thus “God didn’t set up the sacrificial system.  People did” (p. 244).  This leads to the invention of the crucifixion.  Bell writes, “God didn’t need to kill someone to be ‘happy’ with humanity.  What kind of God would that be?  Awful. Horrific. What the first Christians did was interpret Jesus’s death through the lens of the sacrificial system [which of course they created, not God]” (p. 245).  We, according to Bell, have misunderstood the cross-story all along.  “The truth is, the story as we read it is actually a giant leap forward. It’s a story about humanity growing in maturity, leaving behind the idea that the divine needs blood.  That’s the giant leap that’s happening in the New Testament.  The Bible is a reflection of a growing and expanding human consciousness” (p. 245).  In response to a direct question, “Is the Bible the Word of God?” Bell does his usual dance: “Yes.  Lots of things are” (p. 266).   The Word of God can be found through books, human words, and experiences.  “There are lots of words of God and you can and should listen to them all” (p. 267) [so how do I know what "words" are from God that I should be listening to exactly?].  In other words, there is nothing unique about the Bible; it is just one source, of a multitude, that is God’s word (see p. 173).  Biblical accounts are often exaggerations (p. 80) and pure fabrications (p. 103) according to Bell.  Nevertheless we are assured that we can learn something from the stories anyway (pp. 94, 103, 240). (Gary Gilley) [emphases mine] Some things that I personally found most disturbing is that Bell seems to denounce that there is such a thing as absolute truth (p.169-181) but rather you can "stumble upon truth, whomever says it, however you come across it, you affirm it and you claim it because it's yours." (p. 175) But the question that is begged here is how exactly do you "affirm" it? Unfortunately Bell never really gives us any direction, only the vague notion that "it's yours" (which sounds dangerously close to the relativistic worldview of truth, i.e., "whatever is true to you is true to you," I have to speak "my truth," etc). In regards to the authority of the Bible he says; "The problem, of course, is that the folks who talk the most about the authority of the Bible also seem to talk the most about things like objective and absolute truth, truth that exists independent of relational realities." (p. 271) To me this sounds an awful lot like Pilate retorting to Jesus' claims about himself, "What is truth?" (John 18:38) Elsewhere in the book he even discusses "dancing" with the Bible (I'll be the first to admit that I'm a terrible dancer ... but what does that even mean!?) and seems to indicate that there is not a "right" way of reading passages in the Bible. I'm all for engaging the text, asking questions and probing at it ... turning it like a "gem" as he discusses (p. 79-82), but that is in order to try to figure out it's meaning, the right way to read it and understand it. "Other times people want to know the right answer to a passage in the Bible. As if there is a right and wrong reading of each verse in the Bible. There are, of course, lots of ways to miss the point and truly read it wrongly. But to say that there's a right way may necessarily limit your reading of the Bible." (p. 81) I think I understand what he is trying to say, but which one is it? Can you read it wrongly, or not? If there is no way to "wrongly" read the Bible, then from that starting point it can mean literally anything you want it to (i.e., relativism). Bell also really gets close to the proverbial third rail when he seems (?) to assert that Jesus might not have had a bodily resurrection? "Interesting that the people who were closest to Jesus and spent years with him don't recognize him post-resurrection. Hmmm. The next time you hear someone insisting that it was an actual, literal resurrection, make sure you add that bodily must mean that he didn't look like he looked before…" (p. 185) Now of course Jesus' resurrection body was indeed unique (the firstborn from among the dead Paul calls it, c.f. Col 1:8) as he could walk through walls and locked doors (c.f. John 20:19, 26), and apparently shape shift and hide his appearance and disappear (c.f. Lk 24)! If this is what Bell is meaning by a bodily resurrection, than sure, but his wording seems to indicate that he thinks perhaps Jesus didn't have a bodily resurrection, which of course would be very similar to that which was soundly denounced and rebuked in many of the N.T. letters as "proto-gnostic" teachers were starting to enter the church teaching people that Jesus didn't come in bodily form, because all matter was inherently evil (c.f. 1 John). I barely have time to mention some sweeping statements that Bell makes like the fact that because Jesus' ministry was bankrolled by some women, then it's "crazy when religious and faith communities and churches don't allow women to do certain things like lead or teach or preach or be elders or priests? (his emphases, not mine) This movement started with women not only being fully empowered participants but also bankrolling the work. How insane is it when a religious institution has a list of what women can and can't do?" Now don't get me wrong, I personally wrestle with the boundary lines of women's work in the ministry, and obviously Jesus elevated women (and children, and the poor, etc.) to an entirely different level in his cultural context, but to say something so matter-of-factly when the tradition of the church for thousands of years have wrestled with these very difficult things, seems irresponsible and misleading. What Bell presents will, for many I fear, be swallowed "hook, line, and sinker" all while being chased down with smooth rhetoric, snappy prose, polished style, and post-Christian new-agism zeitgeist pulsating throughout the book. This again is part of the problem, and appeal, of Bell's book. It's so attractive. It touches the nerve of many of our societal and fleshly longings. And I get it, I myself had mixed feelings as I read the book, and I consider myself at least to have a beginners understanding of some of the arguments to Bell's assertions (which he quaintly doesn't present or source by the way, leaving you to wonder, just where did he get that from)? While Bell does give a helpful list in the endnotes of other "books about the Bible that will blow your mind," (p. 315-318) (many of them are on my shelf) he doesn't site any of them in his actual body of work (which is why it is so readable I suppose), nor does he site any Scripture. While I concede this makes for easier reading and broader appeal, I believe this can leave the unscrutinizing more susceptible to being led astray (c.f. 2 Tim 4:3). So, what is the Bible? That is a great question that I believe Rob Bell answers essentially by saying it is a mysterious, beautiful, divine, self-affirming, that you are amazing and are already a saint and don't have a problem with sin and judgement kind of person so you don't really need to worry about anything, kind of book. Oh, and it was written by humans, not by God. While Bell's ability to teach others to appreciate the cultural and human lens in which the Bible was written is good, I think it slides way to far (perhaps even into apostasy?) by giving the sense that the Bible is really just one of many ways to the divine, and doesn't deal with the stark statements (particularly ofJesus) that there is only one way to God the Father (John 14:6), other than of course to say that the human authors didn't know what they were talking about. Nor does he seem to deal with the fact that the message of the New Testament is that people need to repent because there is a judgement to come (c.f. Mark 1:15; Acts 26:20; 24:25; etc.)! In this I am reminded of the final scene of the movie "The Book of Eli" in which after a hard fought (and highly violent) battle to save "The Book" (the Bible) from annihilation in a post apocalyptic future, it is placed neatly on a shelf next to all the other "good religious literature" (i.e., the Koran, Torah, etc.) for society to be able to rebuild. This is a not so subtle form of universalism - that all paths eventually lead to God, something the Bible soundly refutes. With Bell's hermeneutic approach to the Bible, you can really make it say just about anything you want (which interesting, and rightly, he calls out Christians for doing many times), and in doing so put yourself over the authority of the Bible and ultimately make God whomever you want him to be. So, should you read it? It depends. I think it is worthy of reading for many reasons, but you need to be prepared to eat the meat and leave the bones. This takes maturity and conviction (and likely theological and cultural exposure and education), so if you are not at a place in your faith to do this than I wouldn't recommend it. I think this quote from another review is helpful on this point: Some people will sound the alarm that this book should not be read by anyone [especially new Christians] because they may begin to interpret the Bible solely through the opinions of Rob Bell, and that’s dangerous. Amen. I couldn’t agree more. Though it would also be dangerous for us to have John Piper, or Tim Keller, or C.S. Lewis, or N.T. Wright, or your pastor, or ______________ [insert your favorite theologian here] be the sole expositor of scripture in our lives. There is nothing wrong with reading other theologians and their interpretations of scripture, in fact reading a diverse mix of voices is an important and healthy thing, but the best thing, is that we are personally reading and praying and wrestling through the scriptures ourselves and we are doing so in the context of community. (Jon Stephens) [emphases mine] For more helpful reviews on this book from various theological traditions see: The Gospel Coalition (Reformed) Southern View Chapel (Independent) Covenant (Episcopal) Jonathan Stevens (random guy - but I thought it was fair) Church Leaders (Evangelical) Missio Alliance (Evangelical) #bookreview #bible #scriptures #biblestudy #review

In this sermon, we dive into the introduction of our year long series THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Books referenced: Tom Jones, The Kingdom of God, 3 Volumes, Illumination Publishers, 2005-2020. #kingdomofGod #kingdom #kingdomofheaven

In this sermon we discuss the nature of the Holy Spirit, and his role and activity in the world as a member of the triune God. #Spirit #Sermons

Some ailment or chronic sickness ... a high pressure job or boss that creates enormous amounts of stress ... the struggle and difficulty to provide basic necessities for you and your family ... or an untimely and unexpected death of a loved one, God forbid a young child. These things and countless others at times can be overwhelming for us and create sorrow ... even sorrow to the point of death (c.f. Mat 26:38). At the same time however there are also many things in this life that can sweep joy and bliss over our souls through beautiful and wonderful experiences. Things like the sweet smell of a flower filled meadow in springtime, or the stunning wonder of a vibrant sunset, the thrill and exhilaration of a lover’s kiss and touch, or the beauty and stillness of a snowcapped mountain peak, or the raw awe-inspiring power of the ocean’s waves crashing upon the shore, or the gentle caress of a baby and their cooing calls. And yet in the midst of these experiences of bliss, peace, and joy ... unfortunately it doesn’t take long for us to realize they are momentary. These moments and experiences can be incredibly powerful and point us to something greater in our minds and hearts (cf. Rom 1:20), but often we are “snapped back to reality” by a myriad of tragedies, ailments, suffering, and ultimately death, which leaves an indelible imprint of the fact that we long for more. More beauty and wonder, more joy and bliss ... more love and less destruction. We are confused as to why these experiences seem to be the exceptions rather than the norm. We recognize that things are fundamentally broken and in need if repair. So how do we tend to try to handle the difficulties and struggles of life? We tend to try to find as many sunsets, babies, and lover’s kisses as we can. Basically we try to maximize pleasure while attempting to minimize pain. A friend of mine who is a trained professional mental health counselor focusing on addictions and well-being comments on this idea, “Somewhere along the way, we have come to believe that we should feel good, happy, and comfortable all of the time, that if we feel any type of pain, discomfort, or unease, well then something must be wrong.” (https://www.liberatingcounseling.com/single-post/2018/08/19/Self-Control-Science-and-Art) This is really remnant of our pervasive modernistic cultural world-views. During the history of Western cultural evolution, the sentiment that something must be wrong if we are not happy was majorly influenced by the modernism of the nineteenth century (but has roots in the “founding fathers” framing of a society in which “the pursuit of happiness” has been propositioned as the pinnacle of reality and the most meaningful kind of existence - contrast this of course with Jesus’ assessment thousands of years earlier as he remarked that the greatest purpose of man is actually to love God and others [c.f. Mat 22:37-40] - a far cry from the “pursuit of happiness”). During the industrial revolution along with revolutionary technological and scientific advancements, western society was convinced that it was going to be able to solve all human problems and suffering and create a utopian existence through modern “progress”. Eventually scientific discovery and societal progress would lead to a solution for all the worlds pain, and suffering. Modernistic world-views were shattered in the early twentieth centuries by global wars where bloodshed and human suffering were unprecedented. This lead to “post-modernism” which at its heart is full great distrust and skepticism. It’s not hard to see why. In order to try to minimize pain and suffering in our lives we attempt to create an imaginary heaven because we think when we are suffering then something must be wrong, or we must have done something wrong and are being “punished” (c.f. The counsel of Job’s friends during Job’s suffering). But this world-view is antithetical to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus says that if the world hated him they will hate us also. (Mat 10:22; 24:9; Lk 6:22; 21:17; Jn 15:18-19) Jesus said blessed are those who suffer and mourn and persecuted. (Mat 5:4,10,12; 24:9; Jn 15:20) Paul told Timothy no one can live a godly life in Christ Jesus without persecution. (2 Tim 3:12) Jesus says that he gives us life to the full (Jn 10:10), and while much of this life, even in Jesus, is filled with pain, suffering, hardship, difficulty, and persecution (just read the New Testament for more than a few pages) – his life to the full gives us the ability to see and experience life in a new way. Having a new framework in which to process and understand this life, a new perspective in which to view suffering and joy; that life now as we know it is not ultimately as it should be. Oh, how that changes everything! While this earth, and indeed the entire universe, including our bodies, will one day be finally and completely redeemed and all suffering as we know it will come to an end for all those faithful in Christ ... for now we suffer. And learning to lean into this pain, rather than run from it, is vital for our maturity in Christ, not to mention our effectiveness in bringing forth and furthering the kingdom of God in this world, here and now! As Christians we must be careful of the world’s, and Satan’s, ploy to try to get us to settle for an imaginary heaven that we try to construct for ourselves by running from pain and suffering, by trying with all of our might and will power to minimize pain while maximizing pleasure. This is a deception of great proportion, trying to get us to take our eyes off of our eternal home and bringing forth that home here and now, and instead trying to take a cheaper and faster route to “pleasure and bliss”, to “the pursuit of happiness”. “Our (the devil’s) cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our enemy’s (God’s) will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.” (C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters) #heaven #joy #pain #perseverance #discipleship #culture #kingdom #spirituality #gospelcounterfeit

Recently I was driving and I noticed an old church that had a fairly large cemetery off to the side. I think I noticed it primarily because I realized how unusual it was for me to see a cemetery on church grounds these days. Now it's more common for me to see a Starbucks, barista, skinny jeans, and a Madonna cheek mic with cool lighting and stage effects at church. This made me pause for a moment and think about the question, why aren't there more graveyards on church grounds in the modern era, something that seemed very common in generations past? You may drive past a church with a large graveyard out back and think to yourself, "I wonder how many people are living inside the church?" or, "That church is probably as dead on the inside as it is on the outside", and while you could be right, I think there is something else here to consider. Are we looking at our faith as a legacy to be passed on from one generation to another, or simply a single use model? "Single use" is defined as something that is designed to be used once and then disposed of or destroyed. Single use design is something that modern man seems to have put into almost every avenue of life, from the Keurig K-cup to plastic utensils. Generally this is done all for the sake of convenience, and usually at the expense of the environment. I wonder if we have applied this sense of convenience to the gospel of Jesus Christ and his bride, the church? For instance, we no longer seem to want church to be a reminder of the temporary nature of life (Ps 90:12). We don't want it to define a successful life (Mat 22:37:40) of dying faithfully hallmarked with head stones that read specific dates and names ... many of whom we have lived in community with, struggling, laughing, crying, and loving ... together. No, instead we want a church to be a reminder of the comfort and glory of this life. A personal latte made to order by someone attractive with my name on it before I enjoy a free rock concert with lighting and smoke effects that arouse my "worship" of God. And of course no church today would be complete without our favorite keynote speaker, who no longer speaks truth and conviction to us while warning of impending temporal and eternal dangers. Instead we would rather have someone entertain us with a story that makes us laugh, and sometimes possibly cry, as long as they don't sprinkle in too many bible verses along the way. And of course it can't take longer than 20 minutes, otherwise I might become bored and my mind become preoccupied with where I am going to go to lunch ... because I mean let's face it, I haven't eaten in at least 4 hours! Don't get me wrong, who am I to throw stones? I know many churches that are doing many great things for the sake of Christ, and heck, I preach with a Madonna cheek mic too! But I'm concerned that The Church is looking less like a place where foreigners and aliens of this world (Heb 11:13) gather to eagerly await their final arrival home, but instead more and more like the entertainment space of the prince of this world. Our cultural individualism is in danger of choking the unity of the church. In much of the New Testament (Gal, Eph, etc.) we read of the multi-racial issues (Jew/Gentile) they had difficulty resolving, along with the call for how the older and younger were to be unified in one body of Christ. And while I do not prescribe to the fact that our nation, culture, or generation is necessarily the worst in history, I do believe that we are facing many of the same battles, only perhaps we aren't aware of them or fighting against them. Not only would I like to see more multi-racial churches (especially in such a racially diverse place at the U.S.) representing the nature of God's kingdom (Rev 7:9), I would also like to see more multi-generational churches. And not the type of multi-generational that ends up bleeding into one generation because everyone over the age of 45 is still clamoring to look like their 21 year old sons and daughters (let's just face it, that's weird), but true multi-generational churches. Where the older are training the younger (Tit 2) and the younger are learning from the wisdom of experience and perspective, not thinking that they are the best and the brightest to have ever walked the earth. Where all generations gather in faith to show the world a different kingdom. I understand that society has changed greatly and many people no longer spend their entire lives (much less several generations!) in one geographic region, but perhaps it would be good for us to mark those who have faithfully "fallen asleep" among us (1 Th 4)? Perhaps our gathering places of worship could also remind us inherently of our place in God's grand story? And that we are not the center piece of that story. Perhaps it could help us guard against the individualism and hubris that so easily pervades our hearts? Perhaps I will be buried in a church cemetery? #spirituality #culture #kingdom #church #gospelcounterfeit

"Cheap Grace" is a term denoting a theological concept that is quite prevalent in the world of Christianity today. "Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system. It means forgiveness of sins proclaimed as a general truth, the love of God taught as the Christian 'conception' of God. An intellectual assent to that idea is held to be in of its self sufficient to secure remission of sins. Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate." Conversely, "'costly grace’ is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that the has (Mat 13:44). It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods (Mat 13:45-46). It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out his eye which causes him to stumble (Mat 5:29-30); it is the call of Jesus (Mark 1:15)." ​"Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. The only man who has the right to say that he is justified by grace alone is the man who has left all to follow Christ. Such a man knows that the call to discipleship is a gift of grace, and that the call is inseparable from the grace. But those who try to use this grace as a dispensation from following Christ are simply deceiving themselves." Day 1. How did you come to know grace? Gal 1:6-9 How did you come to know of God's grace? Was your understanding of God's grace "cheap" or "costly"? How can you tell? Day 2. 1 Cr 15:10; Rom 6:1-2 What effect has God's grace had on you? Day 3. How do you keep the balance in your daily life of the idea of "costly" grace? Do you ever put the "cart before the horse" (discipleship for grace instead of discipleship because of grace)? What would this look like? Day 4. Do you know anyone else who might have received the gospel of "cheap grace"? Do you desire to help teach them "the way of The Lord more adequately" (cf. Acts 18:26)? Why or why not? Day 5. "Happy are they who, knowing that grace, can live in the world without being of it, who, by following Jesus Christ, are so assured of their heavenly citizenship that they are truly free to live their lives in this world. Happy are they who know that discipleship simply means the life which springs from grace, and that grace simply means discipleship. Happy are they who have become Christians in this sense of the word. For them the word of grace has proved a fount of mercy." Excerpts from "The Cost Of Discipleship" Dietrich Bonheoffer #spirituality #biblestudy #gospelcounterfeit

Unfortunately many times there are those of us (especially who live in Western societies) that tend to think of the good news of Jesus Christ through a cultural lens of consumerism and capitalism. What I mean by this is that we often think of Christianity more in terms of what it can do for us, and what it has to offer us, and that if we are not happy with it we are free to move on and choose something else. Perceiving the lens in which we see things is unfortunately similar to trying to explain to a fish that it lives in water, we are simply saturated by our culture to the point where it is not perceptible. This is why for many it is totally acceptable to "church hop" and other such things. Culturally religious methods that are en vogue like deciding which church to attend based solely on the public speaker and how suave or savvy they are, or whether your style of music is performed and to what degree it is performed, or whether the children's ministry suites your taste, or whether the parking lot has any potholes in it or for that matter how close you get to park to the front door. The ways we have reduced the message of Christ to such consumeristic things is pathetic. We treat Jesus, and His bride the church, like a buffet, choosing the parts we like today, leaving the rest. "We treat Jesus, and His bride the church, like a buffet-choosing the parts we like and leaving the rest." "Living within the age of authenticity, then, we can make whatever we want of our spiritual experience and moral convictions. We may not even need to be part of a church; technology encourages us to personalize our religious experience, podcast our favorite speakers, plug in a suitable solo worship experience, and attend church simply for the social interaction and romantic prospects. If things don't turn out well, we can always find a new place to worship in the competitive spiritual marketplace." (Divine Sex - Jonathan Grant) But the message of Christ is not about you. It is not about me. At least not in any way other than we are desperately in trouble and in need to a degree that is difficult for us to fathom. The message of Christ is about His heavenly Father, the Creator of all things, and His righteous justice being diverted from you and I through Jesus. So the next time you walk into a church, instead of thinking about the things that it can do for you and how well you think it is doing them, why don't you think of a risen Lord and Savior that loves you beyond any understandable measure, and may that motivate you and I not to consume church like we do entertainment, but to roll up our sleeves and follow the one that Loves us beyond measure and serve and love others as He came not to be served but to serve (c.f. Mrk 10:45). #culture #gospelcounterfeit