18 April 2016
Deacons Preach Long Sermons - Acts 7.1-53 (Acts: The Gospel Is For Everyone - Part 3)
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06 April 2016
Book Recommendation - Counter Culture by David Platt
I just finished reading Counter Culture by David Platt. Platt uses this book to challenge Christians to embrace a way of life that is distinctive and peculiar from the prevailing patterns of American culture. Unfortunately, we are often reluctant to pay the price that living a biblically distinctive life would require. A quote from the introductory chapter puts it this way: "On popular issues like poverty and slavery, where Christians are likely to be applauded for our social action, we are quick to stand up and speak out. Yet on controversial issues like homosexuality and abortion, where Christians are likely to be criticized for our involvement, we are content to sit down and stay quiet. It's as if we've decided to pick and choose which social issues we'll contest and which we'll concede. And our picking and choosing normally revolves around what is most comfortable - and least costly - for us in our culture." Platt goes on to help his readers think through some of the most difficult lifestyle issues of our day such as poverty, abortion, adoption, sex slavery, marriage, sexual morality, race relations and religious liberty. It is an easy book to read and it will challenge and refine your thinking on these issues.
28 March 2016
15 February 2016
11 February 2016
18 January 2016
15 January 2016
Why Is It So Hard To Put Ourselves Last?
"An argument arose
among them as to which of them was the greatest." (Luke 9.46)
I came across this verse in my morning Bible reading. The disciples were arguing about which of them was the most important person in the ministry (besides Jesus, of course). When you read the gospels you will find that this was not an isolated incident. The disciples were often envious of one another and jockeyed for the most prominent positions in Jesus' kingdom. In other words, they were normal human beings ... insecure, desperate for affirmation and naturally focused on their own advantages. Just imagine what this conversation must have sounded like. Each disciple must have been talking about what he had sacrificed, what he had contributed, or what he had to offer to future ministry. Andrew, for instance, must have thought that the ministry would run much more effectively if only he were given greater control.
Don't we still see these dynamics at work in ministry today? I think that a great deal of ministry tension revolves around the subject of "who is the greatest". Whose vision is the most compelling? Whose gifts are the most captivating and profitable? Whose contribution of time or money is the greatest? Whose education or social standing is the most advantageous? I can tell you from personal experience that pastors are not immune from the temptation of trying to be "the greatest". If anything we are more prone to this because the prominence of our position makes it easier to feel that we are the greatest. Yes, this is a perennial problem in churches and ministry, but Jesus is clear that we have to see things differently. We literally have to see things upside-down.
Jesus breaks into the disciples' argument by presenting a little child to them and telling them that they have to be able to see his significance. They have to be able to value the things that are not "great" in the eyes of the world, but that are of immense worth in God's eyes. "Can you receive a child in My name?" is Jesus' question to them. "Can you let Me work through the lowly and despised?" God loves to use weak instruments to accomplish His purposes, because it better demonstrates His glory. One of the great ironies of this entire episode is that Jesus had just predicted His death on the cross (v. 44). He had just gotten through telling them that it was precisely when He looked to be at His weakest that He would be doing His most glorious work; accomplishing our salvation. His greatness was nailed to the cross for the sake of God's plan. He is calling us to do the same with ours. This is how the least becomes great.
I came across this verse in my morning Bible reading. The disciples were arguing about which of them was the most important person in the ministry (besides Jesus, of course). When you read the gospels you will find that this was not an isolated incident. The disciples were often envious of one another and jockeyed for the most prominent positions in Jesus' kingdom. In other words, they were normal human beings ... insecure, desperate for affirmation and naturally focused on their own advantages. Just imagine what this conversation must have sounded like. Each disciple must have been talking about what he had sacrificed, what he had contributed, or what he had to offer to future ministry. Andrew, for instance, must have thought that the ministry would run much more effectively if only he were given greater control.
Don't we still see these dynamics at work in ministry today? I think that a great deal of ministry tension revolves around the subject of "who is the greatest". Whose vision is the most compelling? Whose gifts are the most captivating and profitable? Whose contribution of time or money is the greatest? Whose education or social standing is the most advantageous? I can tell you from personal experience that pastors are not immune from the temptation of trying to be "the greatest". If anything we are more prone to this because the prominence of our position makes it easier to feel that we are the greatest. Yes, this is a perennial problem in churches and ministry, but Jesus is clear that we have to see things differently. We literally have to see things upside-down.
Jesus breaks into the disciples' argument by presenting a little child to them and telling them that they have to be able to see his significance. They have to be able to value the things that are not "great" in the eyes of the world, but that are of immense worth in God's eyes. "Can you receive a child in My name?" is Jesus' question to them. "Can you let Me work through the lowly and despised?" God loves to use weak instruments to accomplish His purposes, because it better demonstrates His glory. One of the great ironies of this entire episode is that Jesus had just predicted His death on the cross (v. 44). He had just gotten through telling them that it was precisely when He looked to be at His weakest that He would be doing His most glorious work; accomplishing our salvation. His greatness was nailed to the cross for the sake of God's plan. He is calling us to do the same with ours. This is how the least becomes great.
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