If you are participating in our “Daily Bread” (Chronological Bible) group, then hopefully you are off to a good reading start this year! We are now finished reading Genesis, the first of the 66 books of the Bible, which contains some of the oldest stories in the scriptures. Next up is another very ancient story, the story of Job.
But let’s pause for a moment to consider what we’ve seen so far.
Today I hope you’ll allow me to be a little bit nerdy. One of my favorite hobbies is the game of chess. I don’t write about chess often (in fact, only once before, and that was three years ago). But a thought struck me today about the game that I’d like to share with you.
Chess is a strategy game between two players who alternate turns moving their pieces on an 8×8 playing board. The object of the game is to force the capture of the opponent’s king. Checkmate your opponent’s king and you win.
At the beginning of the game, all the chess pieces are set up in a standard position, with each player’s pieces on that player’s side of the board. The king is located right in the middle of the board, next to his queen, behind a row of pawns.
The game’s first move sets the tone for the whole game. There are only twenty options for this very first move: any of the first player’s eight pawns can move either one or two squares forward (sixteen options), and either of the two knights can move to one of two squares (four options).
Do you know what moves are most commonly played first? I checked an online database of chess games played by grandmasters and amateurs alike, both recently and in the past. (I know, but I asked for permission be a little nerdy.) This database contains nearly 7 million chess games. Of those millions of games, the vast majority (over 83% of them) start with one of these moves:
Advance the pawn in front of the king, or the one in front of the queen, two squares.
Even if you don’t know anything else about the game of chess, think about the consequences of these two most frequently played opening moves. The object of the game is to capture the other player’s king; as a corollary, you want to protect your king at all costs. And yet the most common opening moves of the game push one of the king’s closest defenders away from him, exposing him to potential attack.
It is a risky first move.
So it is to be in the game of Christian life. We can play defensively, keeping all our pawns close to home. But the greatest success in following Jesus comes from taking the risks of stepping forward in faith, opening ourselves up to potential harm in relationships with others, trusting that the true Grand Master, the King of Kings, knows what he is doing with the pieces he has called to serve him.
Are you willing to push that pawn two squares forward? Are you willing to step deeper into faith with Jesus Christ? What will that require of you?
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry… (James 1:19 NIV)
To answer before listening — that is folly and shame. (Proverbs 18:13 NIV)
God gave you two ears but only one mouth because he wants you to listen twice as much as you talk. (anonymous)
You know the sayings: listen before you respond, think before you speak, avoid jumping to conclusions. It is hard but important to do; listening well can help us resolve conflicts before they begin, communicate effectively and meaningfully, and keep our minds open to other peoples’ ideas.
So why do we struggle to listen to others so frequently, both at home and in public? Why are we so quick to speak and slow to listen?
Surely you know what this is like. Often I will react to something my wife says, or to something that another customer says or does at the grocery store, without thinking about what I choose to say first. There is so much more wisdom in simply slowing down, thinking and praying quietly, and then responding carefully. Arguments and wars and tragedies, great and small, can be avoided.
Can you imagine what would happen if Israelis and Palestinians listened to each other’s desires and viewpoints – I mean, really heard each other?
Can you imagine what would happen if Darren Wilson had listened to Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri the other weekend? What if Michael Brown had listened to Darren Wilson?
Can you imagine a political debate in which the opponents actually listened and responded to each other instead of giving us pre-cooked sound bites? (No, I can’t either – but I can dream!)
Listening is so important to human communication and to society in general. How can this simple idea influence the church’s outreach efforts? I think the possibilities are endless:
The key idea to listening as an outreach device is the concept of caring. If you really care about people, you will listen to them carefully and orient your life around their responses. This is, I believe, one of the messages buried within the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).
And the second key to listening is a challenge for me personally: responding appropriately. God gave you two ears, yes; but he also gave you one mouth. Listen to others, show your concern for them, but remember that your own words can have tremendous influence – for good or for ill – in the lives of those around you.
We are called to reach out to others for the sake of Christ. Listen to your neighbors as you do so!
In recent years, the phrase “pay it forward” has become very popular in Christian circles. The movie by that name (produced in 2000) helped to make the phrase famous. Even in Midland County, we have seen this phrase take on new meaning connected to the life and death of young Jayden Lamb; around here, people “pay it forward Jayden style.”
You probably know what this means: to do something nice for someone else, even a stranger, before they do anything nice for you. You might pay for the person behind you in line at McDonald’s. You might leave your waitress an extra-large tip and a word of encouragement on the receipt. You might donate blood, hold the door open for a stranger, or offer to take a picture for a couple holding their camera at arm’s length. All of these ideas are summed up in one word: selflessness.
“Paying it forward” is a wonderful thing to do. After all, it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). What’s more, Jesus taught us to do unto others as we would have them do to us (Matthew 7:12) – something we learned, hopefully, at an early age and continue to practice our entire lives. And living selflessly is at the core of what Jesus did by washing his disciples’ feet (John 13) and dying on the cross to take away the sins of the world (Matthew 20:25-28).
But there’s a problem with “paying it forward”: it can be done outside the context of relationship. If you pay for a stranger’s coffee at Starbuck’s, that’s great, but what have you done except help that person feel good and save them a few dollars? If you leave an encouraging Post-It note in a library book, that’s great, but how does that strengthen your connectedness to other people?
In Christian circles, we frequently talk about “outreach” as a primary goal for our lives. We want to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others, because it really is good news. But if we only pass tracts to strangers or put bumper stickers on our cars, then we may be missing something. Reaching out to others requires a connection between people.
Do you remember watching the movie E.T. (1982)? The quintessentially memorable moment in that movie occurs when the extra-terrestrial “E.T.” reaches out his shining finger and touches – and heals – Elliot’s injured finger. (“Ouch!”)
Making an impact on someone’s life means we have to risk making personal contact with him or her.
So, pay it forward, Jayden style or Jesus style. Live a life that is beneficial to those around you. Do nice things; say nice things; help those in need. But don’t do it impersonally. Take the extra risk of learning a name, making a friend, asking a question.
Pay for the person behind you in line, and introduce yourself to her. Learn her name. Ask her if there is any other way you can help her today.
Do a random act of kindness for a stranger, and learn his name too. Ask him about his story, sit down for a cup of coffee with him, and listen to his life experiences.
Say hello to your neighbors, and take over a plate of cookies. Invite them over for dinner. Give generously to meet their needs, and remind them that God loves them too.
Build relationships with those whom you bless. If you never see them again, at least you are becoming more selfless, more sensitive to the needs of others. But who knows? Perhaps your paths will cross again in the future. Maybe you can become an encouragement, a spiritual asset, a praying friend for your neighbor.
After all, wouldn’t you like to have more friends like that in your life?
Jesus rose from the dead, and we celebrate. But the question remains: so what? What difference does it make in our lives today? Listen in to Pastor David’s message on Matthew 28:8-15:
Today marks the beginning of a new series that I hope will give shape to the concept of “discipleship,” one of the two primary thrusts of the Christian life. I call the other primary thrust “outreach,” and I am convinced that anyone who desires to follow Jesus should be actively involved in each of these modes of spiritual growth. What that involvement looks like will, naturally, change over time and from person to person. My hope is that this series of articles will prompt you to think about how the practices of discipleship and outreach can take shape and grow in your own life.
Romans 5:1-11 contains some of the most meaningful language in scripture: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This passage is crucial for our understanding of how God reconciles us to himself through Jesus Christ. What does this have to do with our journey toward the cross during Lent? And how can it be transformative for our spiritual lives down the road? Listen in to Pastor David’s message:
What does the title of this article mean to you? Does it bring to mind any images, people, or customs? Does it evoke feelings in your heart, either positive or negative? Or is it a foreign term to you because of the vagueness of the term “institution”?
When I use the phrase “the institution of the church,” I am referring to the necessary structure that develops among Christians of similar theology, history, and practice. Let me unpack that a little bit:
This is all well and good. But many people today have been driven away from God because of the problems in the institution of the church – whatever its label. And this isn’t good. In our humanness, we create issues that cause people to turn away from God. We argue among each other; we criticize those who disagree with us on political issues. We discriminate against those who aren’t like us; we harbor jealousy of those who are successful. We distrust those in power; we fail to consider the needs of “the least of these.” And all these things can occur within one particular church group – I know, because I have seen them in the Church of God itself!
Yet I do not run away. I remain committed to the Church of God (and to the Mt. Haley congregation in particular) because I believe in the Church of God’s theology, history, and practices. I find the institution frustrating at times, but I also find it incredibly valuable because it connects me to something bigger than myself. And at the same time, I constantly work to remember that the Church of God is connected to something bigger than itself as well. We speak openly about salvation, unity, and holiness with Christians in our own fellowship and those in other backgrounds. We do so because we share “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:5-6 NIV) and we take seriously Jesus’s prayer that we might all be one (John 17:22-23).
With all this in mind, I invite you to read two more articles, these written by good friends of mine, Joe Watkins and Jael Tang. They are two of my “people” – the group I’ve mentioned to you before, my seminary friends who form for me a special community of support, inspiration, and challenge. Please take a few minutes to read what they have to say; I promise it’s worth your time.
Read Joe’s blog here: http://www.noggingrande.com/2013/07/10/three-reasons-its-cool-to-love-the-institution-of-the-church/
Read Jael’s blog here: http://akandatang-luke5.blogspot.com/2013/07/where-we-come-from-institution-and.html
–Pastor David
At last week’s Global Gathering, a powerful thought captured my attention: as people of faith, we need each other to survive.
Pastor Jerry, Connie, and I had the privilege of meeting Sudipta Nanda, the church leader from northern India whose attendance at the Global Gathering our congregation helped to support. We met Brother Sudipta along with the pastors of our sister churches, Rev. Shannon New Spangler (Harvest Point Church of God, Lordstown, Ohio) and Rev. Jonathan Frymire (Orchard View Church of God, Grand Rapids, Michigan). Sudipta is a warm and compassionate man with a strong heart for Jesus Christ. He and his young family are committed to sharing the gospel among the millions of people in northern India. His presentation showed us many of the challenges he faces: other religions that are firmly entrenched in his region, social and community problems that oppress individuals and families, and physical needs that face everyone on a daily basis. As pastor of a congregation and overseer of over 700 others, Sudipta has a tremendous amount of work.
And yet, on many occasions, he expressed his gratitude to us for helping him to come to Anderson. This experience of gathering with other believers from around the world was a powerful, meaningful experience for Sudipta.
Personally speaking, this Global Gathering served an important purpose for me, as well. I was refreshed and renewed through rekindling relationships with some very dear friends of mine, including the two pastors mentioned above. We have always taken the opportunity to spend time together at this annual convention. Often, we have stayed up late into the night talking about important issues of life and ministry – and, to be very honest, simply having a lot of fun together, too.
But this year, I came away with another impression. I can imagine how vital it was for Sudipta to come to this Global Gathering; his ministry will surely benefit from his experiences. For me, I am learning that this kind of connection is indispensible; I would not be who I am today if I did not meet regularly with these important individuals who can speak truth and joy into my life. Going to Anderson is an annual spiritual pilgrimage, not for the location but for those whom I meet there.
Do you have meaningful relationships like these in your life? Are there people who help you make sense of life and without whom you would feel lost? How often do you get to see them, to be refreshed by them, and to be spiritual refreshment in their lives?
Are you fortunate enough to worship in the same congregation with any of those individuals? How important it is for the saints of God to come together each week for refreshment, nurture, and companionship!
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25 NIV)
This week, the Catholic Church’s Pope Francis gave a brief message in which he made some remarks that have prompted worldwide attention. In these remarks, he spoke about the common human desire to “do good” – something that unites people of all cultures and faith traditions.
Pope Francis’s comments were based on the gospel reading for the day, Mark 9:38-40, in which Jesus says that someone doing miracles in his name should be allowed to continue even though he is not part of the “core group” of disciples. The rationale? “Whoever is not against us is for us,” said Jesus. This led the pope to state that all people, even atheists, are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, because all people are created in the image of God and all people have the God-given command (and desire) to “do good.”
Before we jump to conclusions and responses, let’s remember a few things: the world is a complicated place, sound bytes often reduce conversations unfairly, and Pope Francis raises a few worthwhile points here:
I have been very interested in Pope Francis, his beliefs, and his practices since he was inaugurated earlier this year. I appreciate a great deal about him: his call to poverty, his emphasis on service, his humility (even in such a high position), his simplicity. These are exciting days to have such a pope in the world.
Yet we need to be careful when we talk about how the blood of Christ redeems all people. It is true that God desires all people to be saved; he does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). God did create us in his image exactly so we might enjoy right relationship with him forever. But even in Old Testament days, forgiveness for sins had to be obtained through animal sacrifices, which individual believers would bring to the tabernacle or temple. Redemption was not automatic then, and it is not now.
…because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. (Hebrews 7:24-27 NIV)
The most important faith-related question for any person is this: What will you do with Jesus? The answer to that question – for better or worse – transforms life, community, and why we “do good.” Let us faithfully proclaim Jesus as the Savior of the world and encourage those around us to enter into relationship with him.
–Pastor David