This week’s sermon is on a sharp teaching from Jesus, found in John 10:1-10. Whose voice do you listen to? Do you listen to the distracting voices of the world and the self, or do you listen for the voice of the Shepherd? Listen in to this week’s message:
Jesus Meets Us Along the Way
The disciples were stuck, with downcast faces and empty hearts. But Jesus met them, gave them spiritual food, and shared a meal with them. Listen in as Pastor David preaches on the “Road to Emmaus” story found in Luke 24:13-35.
Jesus is Our Pattern
This week, we begin a new series: investigating the character of Jesus for principles that we can apply to our lives as his followers. Come and listen in to Pastor David’s sermon on John 20:19-31, the story of Jesus’s resurrection appearances to the disciples and Thomas!
The Message is For You
Enter into the world of Theophilus, the addressee and recipient of a two-volume document known as Luke and Acts. In the midst of the story of Acts, Theophilus reads about a man who sounds very familiar to him: a centurion named Cornelius. Listen in as Pastor David preaches on Peter’s speech to Cornelius in Acts 10:34-43.
The Year in (P)Review
Today is the last day of 2013, and a new year is soon to dawn. In fact, I have a friend who lives in New Zealand, and at this moment she is already several hours into 2014! The future is always very nearly upon us.
At this time of year, we often look back on the year that has passed, and we consider what the upcoming year may hold. I invite you to take a few moments to reflect on the life of Mt. Haley Church of God with me.
God Redeems This World
Today I’d like to share with you a paragraph from a commentary on Mark’s Gospel. This was written in 1974 by William L. Lane, and it deals with the reason Jesus taught in parables to describe the Kingdom of God. Although this paragraph is full of academic-sounding language, I promise it will be worth reading:
Basic to parabolic utterance is the recognition of the two strata of creation: the natural and the redemptive. Through parables Jesus called attention to what had previously been hidden in the redemptive order. The realism of his parables arises from the certainty that no mere analogy exists between the natural and redemptive order, but an inner affinity, because both strata originate in the purpose of God. That is why the Kingdom of God is intrinsically like the daily natural order and the life of men. The createdness of the natural order thus becomes the vehicle for the tenor of the redemptive. A contemplation of the one order can reveal or illumine truths of the other, because both reflect God’s intention.
Wow! Allow me to try to unpack this paragraph.
Jesus taught in parables because he knew there is a connection between the world as it is (“the natural”) and the world as God intends it to be (“the redemptive”). Surely God wants to redeem his creation, including sinful people like us. In order to do that, God chose to reveal, through Jesus, what this redeemed life looks like. When Jesus used parables to teach his disciples and the crowds, he was using a form of speech that they could connect with. But that’s exactly the point: God’s kingdom is not going to replace this world. Instead, God intends to redeem this world (“the natural order”) by transforming it – and people in it, like us – so that it will be pleasing to him.
So we can reflect on the world around us and learn something about how God intends to bring his kingdom in its fullness. This is how Jesus taught: through parables that use our everyday lives to convey deep, meaningful truths about the Kingdom of God. For instance, as we’ll see this Sunday, the Kingdom of God is like a small, humble seed that grows mysteriously into a large, important plant.
On the other hand, we can reflect on God’s work of redemption through Jesus’s death and resurrection, and through that reflection we can discover truths about this created world. For example, God has brought about salvation through Jesus Christ and is bringing his kingdom into this world; therefore, this created world fundamentally matters to God and should matter to us as well.
In the end, to quote William Lane once again, “both strata originate in the purpose of God.” That is, both the created world and the work of redemption through Christ are part of God’s ultimate plan for the universe. They are intimately connected to each other because God uses both for the best purpose possible: to bring himself glory and honor.
–Pastor David
“Jesus Makes All Sad Things Untrue”
I enjoy reading church signs. When I drive from place to place, I watch for churches, because the words on a roadside marquee often tell quite a bit about what’s important to a church. Sometimes a church (like ours) will give a preview of the coming Sunday’s sermon; other churches will advertise upcoming events and programs. Frequently, a church will put an encouraging phrase on its sign, and these are often the most interesting to me.
Recently, I passed by a church with this saying on its sign: “Jesus Makes All Sad Things Untrue.” In all fairness, I did not call or stop in at this church to ask what the sign meant. So I don’t know how the church’s pastor has explained this statement or what the church people think of it. But I wonder… does Jesus really make all sad things untrue?
Jesus certainly doesn’t make all our painful experiences unimportant. No, life is hard – sometimes quite hard – and God never promised us that belief in him would turn into a carefree life. In my own devotional Bible reading, I am going through the book of Job. Often, I am struck by how human Job’s emotions are. He experienced incredible loss and suffering, and if I were in his shoes, I might say words similar to his. Faith is no magic rescue from hardship, even though our painful experiences can be redeemed by God to make us whole, strong, and able to help others through similar situations.
Jesus certainly doesn’t make our problems suddenly disappear. If a loved one passes away, there is no going back; this sad thing will always be true. If someone in our family or community experiences abuse or neglect of any form, a relationship with Jesus may not immediately fix everything. If you are struggling to pay the bills and keep the lights on, God has promised that he will provide for all your needs (2 Corinthians 9:8), but you probably won’t win the lottery next week after praying about it. Our problems are our own, and often they are very, very true.
So what could this sign mean? Here are a few ideas:
- Jesus can correct our self-image. You may not like who you are; you may not think you are valuable to anyone or to God. Jesus makes that sad thing untrue!
- Jesus can provide hope. You may not feel like the future is worth living for. Jesus makes that sad thing untrue!
- Jesus can help us love and be loved. You may feel very alone, even if you are around people all the time. Jesus makes that sad thing untrue!
Following Jesus is about redemption, hope, and transformation of life. What sad things in your life can Jesus make untrue?
–Pastor David
Should Christian Christmas be automatic?
I read a story online today about a traditional nativity display in Santa Monica, California, that will not have its customary space along a street in a city park. The city uses a lottery system to give different groups the opportunity to set up their own displays in the park. This year, the Christian group that sets up the nativity scene – which usually includes fourteen different displays related to Jesus’s birth – was given only three spaces, apparently thanks to several atheists who entered the lottery for their own displays. The Christian group expressed their dismay at the atheists’ attempt to push them out of the park. They feel that their inability to express their religious beliefs is an infringement on their First Amendment rights.
That got me to thinking. Should the Christian version of Christmas be automatic in our culture? Should we always expect our traditional public nativity scenes to be accepted and allowed? Should the message of the birth of Jesus Christ become part and parcel of our cultural experiences?
These questions are related to a broader discussion in Christian circles: How should Christians interact with our culture? In his 1951 book Christ and Culture, Richard Niebuhr describes five possibilities:
- Christ against culture: The Christian church and secular culture have nothing to do with each other, and the good church will ultimately grow while the evil world fades away.
- Christ of culture: God works in and through our culture to fulfill his purposes. We find connections between the church and the best parts of culture.
- Christ above culture: There may be some similarities between the church and the world, but there are also many differences; the Christian way is often higher or better than the worldly way.
- Christ and culture in paradox: There is a tension between the church and the world, and that tension cannot be resolved.
- Christ transforming culture: The world is sinful, but Christ can transform culture so that it can serve his purposes.
Each of these ways of considering the relationship between Christ and culture has been used throughout history, and each has its strengths and weaknesses.
Should the Christian emphasis on Christmas be automatic in culture? If you say “yes” to that question, then you may be thinking in the “Christ of culture” way. I personally tend to fall toward the “Christ and culture in paradox” mindset.
My response to the Santa Monica nativity situation is to say this: The world might not understand or appreciate the Christian message of Jesus Christ being born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago, and that’s all right. Our task as believers is to be faithful to the message of Christ and to share it with those around us. If our communities do not accept that message, then so be it. That does not detract from the power of the gospel to change lives! In fact, it reminds us that our work is not complete. There are many who have not truly heard and understood the good news, that Jesus Christ is born – and that the rest of his story is true, as well!
Be encouraged, friends. We do not have to put Christ back into Christmas, because he has been there all along, calling us to be transformed and to leave behind the ways of the world, all for his name’s sake.
–Pastor David
Advent: What are you expecting?
Today, I’d like you to read Isaiah 9:1-7, even if you have read it many times in the past. As you read, think about what you expect out of the Christmas season. What are you anticipating? What do you think will happen in the next few weeks?
Isaiah wrote his prophecy several hundred years before Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem. Isaiah didn’t know when Jesus would be born, who his mother would be, how Jesus would live and die and live again, or any of those details. All he knew was that there were people in his time who were in distress and were being oppressed, and that eventually God would send a ruler who would make everything right for all time.
Did Jesus fulfill this prophecy written by Isaiah? That question leads to one of the most controversial questions in all the world: how do you understand Jesus of Nazareth? For those of us who understand the connection between Jesus and Isaiah 9:1-7, we can rejoice that our Savior has come, that the Prince of Peace has broken the bars of oppression, that the newborn child in Bethlehem grew up and now reigns over the kingdom of God for all time.
Sometimes I wonder if we take those statements for granted. Do we truly grasp the significance of Jesus fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy? Are we able to identify with “walking in darkness” so that we can understand “seeing a great light”? Will we allow the Lord’s holy zeal to bring about peace, justice, and righteousness in our world?
Or will we allow Christmas to be a sentimental holiday reserved for seasonal decorations, gift exchanges, and sweet desserts?
Throughout this month (and beyond), consider the truth of our faith: that Jesus Christ, the Son of God born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago, has fundamentally changed our world, our society, our relationships, and our personal experiences. His kingdom will endure forever and ever!
–Pastor David
Shrinking Church
It’s the week of Thanksgiving, and many of us are turning our attention to family matters and turkey feasts. Before the festivities begin, I’d like to share with you an article I found online recently. You can read the full article here; its title is “How to Shrink Your Church,” and it was written by a pastor named Tim Suttle. If you haven’t done so already, please read this brief article; it is well worth your time.
Christians seem always to be interested in growing: we want pews to be filled, classes to be well-attended, programs to blossom. I can’t lie – when I heard 150 strong voices fill our sanctuary with musical praise to God at our Community Thanksgiving Service the other day, I was thrilled and wondered what it would be like if we were to have that experience every Sunday. We are constantly concerned with our future, with the next generation of believers, with the hope for things to turn around.
What does success look like in the eyes of God? How do we know if we are doing the right things? Even Jesus told the parable of the talents, in which the two servants who doubled their resources were praised while the one who buried his in the ground was condemned. And with the bar set high (“go and make disciples of all nations,” Matthew 28:18-20), the ideal path of church success seems straightforward enough: we are successful if we grow in size, influence, energy, and so forth.
To be fair, we should be concerned with introducing people to Jesus, the one who died to forgive our sins, who gives us new life, and who walks with us through every experience. Adding people to the kingdom of God is always a priority.
Yet I believe Pastor Suttle’s core idea is also true, and I want to restate it in my own words here. Growing churches are exciting places to be, but any church – growing or otherwise – can fall under the spell of two false teachings: (1) “Feel good” Christianity, in which everything that happens makes us feel better about our lives as we have already chosen to live them, and (2) “Church growth” Christianity, in which we follow specific programs and procedures that are designed to grow the congregation, again to help us feel better about our situation.
In order to be effective and successful Christ-followers, we must remain absolutely faithful to the message of Jesus, the kingdom of God, and the scripture which points us to God. Church growth is not about fancy programs and entertainment. It is about calling ourselves and others into deep, intimate, life-changing relationship with Christ and into meaningful, sacrificial, humble service in our world.
We must pursue Christ unashamedly, which might not be too popular. After all, Jesus himself said we’d have to eat his flesh and drink his blood, and that line cost him a lot of followers. We must spend ourselves for the sake of the kingdom of God. If we find ourselves completely spent, then we are in the right position: God is the master of resurrection, and there can be no substitute for the new life he gives his people.
–Pastor David