A car engine is designed to run on gasoline. If we put anything other than gasoline in the engine it’s not going to work the way it was designed. If we put water, or vegetable oil, or kool-aid, or anything else in the gas tank of our car, it’s not going to run right or will be permanently damaged. If a car is going to run correctly, we must put in the fuel that the original creator designed. No one would purposely put something into the gas tank of a car knowing that it was designed to run on gasoline.
God CREATED our hearts and He knows exactly how they are DESIGNED to WORK! When there are things in our hearts that God did not design to be there our lives will not run right. No one wants a broke down, sputtering, life! And yet, many of us don’t know or are unwilling to fill our hearts with the “fuel” God designed in order to make our lives work. Experiencing a fulfilling life requires having the right things in our heart. What did God design to be in be in our hearts?
In the book of Deuteronomy God speaks through Moses to communicate to the people of Israel the heart He desires (Deut 4:1-9). Throughout the book of Deuteronomy God has several important things to say about the heart of man and makes His people aware of His original design for the heart . . .
God desires a heart that SEEKS for Him (Dt. 4:25-29) – God knew His people would forget Him and serve gods of wood and stone, made by the work of human hands. God knows that it is our nature to fill our hearts with idolatrous things He did not design or desire to be there. We all “act corruptly” and “do what is evil in the sight of the Lord”. It is “from there”, a place of sin, rebellion, and forgetting God, that we are to “seek” the Lord and “search” after Him with all our hearts. A sin filled and rebellious heart that seeks God will find Him and God will remember His covenant to humanity and grant mercy and withhold the punishment we deserve. The very first step toward a heart God desires is seeking Him in the midst of our sin and rebellion.
God desires a heart that KNOWS Him and LOVES Him (Dt. 4:39, 6:5, 30:6) – Here we find two important things about God’s design for the heart. First, we are to “know” in our heart that God is the one and only God and there is NO other (Dt. 5:7-8). God is not one among other good options. We are to be convinced that there is only one true God and the God of the Bible is Him. There are no substitutes, no equals, no others! Second, with every nook and cranny of our heart we are to “love” Him. The word love here means to have a “great affection for”, a “strong emotional attachment”, or a “desire to be in the physical presence”. At the very center of who we are, we are to have stronger longing for God and loyalty to God than for anyone or anything else.
God desires a heart that KNOWS and LIVES by His COMMANDS (Dt. 5:29, 6:6, 11:18, 26:16, 30:10, 14, 32:46) – At the beginning of the year, most teachers design a list of standards and expectations for their classroom. These rules are designed specifically to make the class run smoothly and disobeying the rules results in chaos and consequences. God established the standards and expectations for life that we are to be obedient to and live by. In John 14:15 Jesus said to His disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments (Jn. 14:21-23, 1 Jn. 2:3, 5:1-5).” It’s pretty clear that God’s love language is obedience. We display our love for God by learning the things that He has commands and do them.
CONCLUSION
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 summarizes the heart God desires, “What does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?” Did you catch it? Our hearts were designed to be filled with these things for OUR GOOD! The things that God designed and desires to be in our hearts are the very things that produce a meaningful, purposeful, and enjoyable life. If we are not putting these things in our heart, most likely, our life is not running smoothly or it has been permanently damaged.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Man is Reflected in the Heart
What is it inside of us that make us who we are? This is an important question to consider in life. In the movie “Big Hero 6” there is a loveable character named Baymax who is a marshmallow-like inflatable robot. Baymax was created by a brainy young inventor named Tadashi Hamada to be an unintimidating, gentle, kind, and loving health care provider. Baymax’s actions, words, and feelings all originate from a tiny little computer chip designed and placed inside of him by his creator Tadashi. It is this hidden computer chip inside Baymax’s chest that animates and makes him everything of who he is!
Do human beings have a similar “computer chip” that shapes our thoughts and our attitudes, our inner motives and our intentions, and our words and our actions? According to Scripture the answer is YES! Much like Baymax’s computer chip that dictate his words and actions, God created human beings with a HEART, a hidden spiritual place where our THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, ATTITUDES, INTENTIONS, MOTIVES, WORDS, and ACTIONS originate. According to Scripture our heart is the internal command center of our entire existence. The spiritual code programmed into our hearts is what ultimately makes us who we are. But unlike a computer chip, our hearts can be miraculously reprogrammed and changed!
If this is true (and it is), then our HEART MATTERS immensely! What is in our heart is infinitely eternally important. Therefore, we should care deeply about what is in our heart and what we allow or don’t allow to enter into our heart. Knowing what is in our heart, what should be in our heart, and how it can be changed are foundational issues to who each and every one of us as individuals created by God. Why is the heart important? Why does the heart matter?
Our heart REFLECTS PERFECTLY who we are (Proverbs 27:19) – A mirror does not lie. This morning we all looked into a mirror for a reason. We wanted to discover what damage our pillow had done to our face and hair so we could repair it before we were seen by others! When we look in the mirror it reflects back our physical appearance to us exactly as it is. Just like a mirror reflects back an exact representation of what we look like, the human heart “reflects” back an exact representation of the true us! It is in our hearts where our true thoughts, feelings, attitudes, intentions, and motives lie. There is no more accurate reflection of who we are than what is contained within our hearts. It is within our heart self that we find our real self! Although it is possible to reveal to others what is in our heart, we often keep much of what is in our hearts hidden from others.
Our heart is the DEEP part of us where our TRUE SELF is located (Proverbs 20:5) – We can only see so far down into deep water. If we looked into the ocean, we may be able to see what’s just below the surface of the water, but at some point, our ability to see is clouded and what is beneath the surface is hidden. Our heart is the spiritual deep hidden place of our lives. The “purposes” (thoughts, feelings, attitudes, intentions, motivations) of our lives are hidden deep down inside of our hearts, out of the sight of others. When others look at our outward behavior, they are only seeing the surface of who we are. The vast majority of who we are lies far below the surface of what others can see or observe. In 1 Peter 3:4 says, “let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart”. We are not to be as concerned about what others see on the outside, but the deepest hidden places of our heart. If our heart is right, then our outward actions will be right, but if our heart is bad, our outward actions will be bad.
CONCLUSION
Make no mistake about it, our hearts matter! In fact, our heart is the most important part of who we are. God created us with a heart to be the very source of everything that makes us who we are. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy”. What is the attitude of your heart toward Jesus Christ? God’s Word says that we are to honor Christ as holy! Too often, we are more concerned about changing our outward behavior, when in reality, the thing that matters most is the attitude of our heart toward Christ. Since the substance of who we are is reflected in our hearts, what we do with Christ in our hearts is what truly matters.
Do human beings have a similar “computer chip” that shapes our thoughts and our attitudes, our inner motives and our intentions, and our words and our actions? According to Scripture the answer is YES! Much like Baymax’s computer chip that dictate his words and actions, God created human beings with a HEART, a hidden spiritual place where our THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, ATTITUDES, INTENTIONS, MOTIVES, WORDS, and ACTIONS originate. According to Scripture our heart is the internal command center of our entire existence. The spiritual code programmed into our hearts is what ultimately makes us who we are. But unlike a computer chip, our hearts can be miraculously reprogrammed and changed!
If this is true (and it is), then our HEART MATTERS immensely! What is in our heart is infinitely eternally important. Therefore, we should care deeply about what is in our heart and what we allow or don’t allow to enter into our heart. Knowing what is in our heart, what should be in our heart, and how it can be changed are foundational issues to who each and every one of us as individuals created by God. Why is the heart important? Why does the heart matter?
Our heart REFLECTS PERFECTLY who we are (Proverbs 27:19) – A mirror does not lie. This morning we all looked into a mirror for a reason. We wanted to discover what damage our pillow had done to our face and hair so we could repair it before we were seen by others! When we look in the mirror it reflects back our physical appearance to us exactly as it is. Just like a mirror reflects back an exact representation of what we look like, the human heart “reflects” back an exact representation of the true us! It is in our hearts where our true thoughts, feelings, attitudes, intentions, and motives lie. There is no more accurate reflection of who we are than what is contained within our hearts. It is within our heart self that we find our real self! Although it is possible to reveal to others what is in our heart, we often keep much of what is in our hearts hidden from others.
Our heart is the DEEP part of us where our TRUE SELF is located (Proverbs 20:5) – We can only see so far down into deep water. If we looked into the ocean, we may be able to see what’s just below the surface of the water, but at some point, our ability to see is clouded and what is beneath the surface is hidden. Our heart is the spiritual deep hidden place of our lives. The “purposes” (thoughts, feelings, attitudes, intentions, motivations) of our lives are hidden deep down inside of our hearts, out of the sight of others. When others look at our outward behavior, they are only seeing the surface of who we are. The vast majority of who we are lies far below the surface of what others can see or observe. In 1 Peter 3:4 says, “let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart”. We are not to be as concerned about what others see on the outside, but the deepest hidden places of our heart. If our heart is right, then our outward actions will be right, but if our heart is bad, our outward actions will be bad.
CONCLUSION
Make no mistake about it, our hearts matter! In fact, our heart is the most important part of who we are. God created us with a heart to be the very source of everything that makes us who we are. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy”. What is the attitude of your heart toward Jesus Christ? God’s Word says that we are to honor Christ as holy! Too often, we are more concerned about changing our outward behavior, when in reality, the thing that matters most is the attitude of our heart toward Christ. Since the substance of who we are is reflected in our hearts, what we do with Christ in our hearts is what truly matters.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Love One Another
We use the word love for lots of different things and for lots of different purposes. We commonly use the word love as a synonym for the word “like”. We love our cat, we love the color purple, we love the St Louis Cardinals, etc. We use the word love to describe the romantic or positive feeling that we have toward someone of the opposite gender. We love our boyfriend or we love our girlfriend. Another way we use the word love is to describe a close bond we share in relationship. We love our mom and our dad, we love our friends. These are not inappropriate or wrong ways to use the word love, but they all come up short of the powerful way that God wants us to give and receive love in relationship.
The #1 one way that God wants us to treat one another in relationship is, Godly Relational Characteristic #10: LOVE one another! The type of love that God has in mind is a supernatural type of love. This supernatural type of love is something that we are to freely offer to others in relationship. 14 times in the New Testament (3 times more than any other “one another”), believers in Christ are told to “love one another”. Each of the 14 times believers are told to “love one another” the greek word αγαπη is used which means, “showing genuine CARE and CONCERN for others by SACRIFICIAL good deeds”. Αγαπη is supernatural because it is unconditional. Unconditional means we do sacrificial good deeds for others whether they have earned it or deserve it, we just do it, no matter what! Where do we get this type of love, what does it look like, and what does it accomplish?
Our ability to love ORIGINATES from our LOVE relationship with GOD (1 John 4:7-21) – God created us to reflect His image through a loving connection in relationship with others! In Genesis 1:26-27 God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness . . . So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” In this passage we see the individuality (“us” and “our”) and the connectedness in relationship (“he” and “him”) of God. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, although distinctly individual and different are intimately connected with one another. How are they connected to one another? 1 John 4:8 says that, “God is love”. The Father, Son, and Spirit are individuals who are connected by an intimate, close, unifying love between them. This divine relational “image” or “likeness” is what man was created in and designed after. 1 John 4:11 says, “If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another”. Being made in God’s image, God’s likeness, all of us individually are created for loving connection in relationship with others and without loving connection in relationship with others we fail to become who we are created to be (1 John 4:19).
Love is LAYING down our LIFE for another (John 15:12-17) – Of all the things we can do in relationship, the type of love that sits at the very top of the list is “laying down (our) lives for (our) friends”! There is NO GREATER type of love! If we are ever in doubt of what to do in relationship let this one question come to mind, what personal desire, opinion, or plan can I selflessly put to death right now in order to show genuine care and concern for another person? This type of love will work miracles in relationship. This type of love is extremely difficult to live out because it means putting aside our own will and interests in relationship to others. Jesus loved us in this way and we are to love others in this way as well (Phil. 2:5-11; 1 John 3:16).
Love is the primary way others will KNOW that we are DISCIPLES of Jesus Christ (John 13:34-35) – Jesus Himself declared that the most powerful way to communicate that we are fully devoted followers of Christ is by loving others! We do not display that we are disciples’ of Christ by going to church, reading our Bible, listening to Christian music, but rather how often and how well we show genuine care and concern to others by sacrificial good deeds! This means that in every loving (or unloving) interaction we have with another we are unveiling the genuineness of our relationship with Christ!
CONCLUSION
1 John 4:19 says, “we love, because He first loved us”! Without relationship with God we will never be able to give the supernatural, unconditional love that He wants us to give to others.
The #1 one way that God wants us to treat one another in relationship is, Godly Relational Characteristic #10: LOVE one another! The type of love that God has in mind is a supernatural type of love. This supernatural type of love is something that we are to freely offer to others in relationship. 14 times in the New Testament (3 times more than any other “one another”), believers in Christ are told to “love one another”. Each of the 14 times believers are told to “love one another” the greek word αγαπη is used which means, “showing genuine CARE and CONCERN for others by SACRIFICIAL good deeds”. Αγαπη is supernatural because it is unconditional. Unconditional means we do sacrificial good deeds for others whether they have earned it or deserve it, we just do it, no matter what! Where do we get this type of love, what does it look like, and what does it accomplish?
Our ability to love ORIGINATES from our LOVE relationship with GOD (1 John 4:7-21) – God created us to reflect His image through a loving connection in relationship with others! In Genesis 1:26-27 God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness . . . So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” In this passage we see the individuality (“us” and “our”) and the connectedness in relationship (“he” and “him”) of God. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, although distinctly individual and different are intimately connected with one another. How are they connected to one another? 1 John 4:8 says that, “God is love”. The Father, Son, and Spirit are individuals who are connected by an intimate, close, unifying love between them. This divine relational “image” or “likeness” is what man was created in and designed after. 1 John 4:11 says, “If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another”. Being made in God’s image, God’s likeness, all of us individually are created for loving connection in relationship with others and without loving connection in relationship with others we fail to become who we are created to be (1 John 4:19).
Love is LAYING down our LIFE for another (John 15:12-17) – Of all the things we can do in relationship, the type of love that sits at the very top of the list is “laying down (our) lives for (our) friends”! There is NO GREATER type of love! If we are ever in doubt of what to do in relationship let this one question come to mind, what personal desire, opinion, or plan can I selflessly put to death right now in order to show genuine care and concern for another person? This type of love will work miracles in relationship. This type of love is extremely difficult to live out because it means putting aside our own will and interests in relationship to others. Jesus loved us in this way and we are to love others in this way as well (Phil. 2:5-11; 1 John 3:16).
Love is the primary way others will KNOW that we are DISCIPLES of Jesus Christ (John 13:34-35) – Jesus Himself declared that the most powerful way to communicate that we are fully devoted followers of Christ is by loving others! We do not display that we are disciples’ of Christ by going to church, reading our Bible, listening to Christian music, but rather how often and how well we show genuine care and concern to others by sacrificial good deeds! This means that in every loving (or unloving) interaction we have with another we are unveiling the genuineness of our relationship with Christ!
CONCLUSION
1 John 4:19 says, “we love, because He first loved us”! Without relationship with God we will never be able to give the supernatural, unconditional love that He wants us to give to others.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Forgive One Another
If we are in a car accident, we do not want to hear that our car has been totaled. If a car is totaled it means that the cost of the repairs exceeds the value of the car. A totaled car is no longer worth investing time or money, and therefore goes unrepaired, and is abandoned in a junkyard. Sometimes we determine that a relationship has been totaled. Someone lies to us and we feel like we can no longer trust them. Someone is inconsiderate or ignores us enough times and we feel angry and bitter. Someone is rude, cruel, or makes fun of us and we feel hatred toward them. When someone offends, wrongs, or sins against us, we quickly develop an attitude of, “you owe me!” The damage done to the relationship is costly and they are indebted to us. When the hurt is so deep and the offense so great that they couldn’t pay us back if they tried, we consider the relationship totaled and the effort to repair it is beyond what it is worth! Is there any hope for a relationship that has been totaled?
READ: Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13
God has given us a relational “tool” to repair a totaled relationship, Godly Relational Characteristic #9: FORGIVE one another! The greek word χαιρω, where we get the word “forgive” has a few other distinct meanings including “joy” (χαρα) and “grace” (χαρις). A primitive definition of forgiveness could be “to restore joy through grace”. Forgiving one another in the context of Eph. 4:32 and Col. 3:13 means to, “bring joy by RELEASING another from the CONSEQUENCE of their offense”. Forgiveness is the powerful relational tool that God has given us to use to repair “totaled” relationships! Many of us never use this tool because it seems unfair, but if we can’t offer forgiveness to others, God will not offer it to us (Mt. 18:23-25; Lk. 6:37).
READ: Luke 7:36-50
Forgiveness is offered FREELY by the one to whom a debt is owed (Lk. 7:41) – The moneylender in Jesus’ parable, rather than hold the debt above their head, chose to cancel the “debt of both” without expectation of any repayment since neither of them were able to pay. Forgiveness is a gift of grace given by of the one who has been offended. Forgiveness is not given because the debtor deserves it or has earned it, but a choice which communicates that love and joy in relationship are more important than being repaid a debt we are owed.
Forgiveness is CANCELLING a DEBT that cannot be REPAID (Lk. 7:42) – A denari was worth a little less than 2 days wages. Therefore, 500 denarii was worth about 20 month’s wages and 50 denarii was worth about 2 months wages. In both cases, for whatever reason, the debtors were not able to repay what was owed. Forgiveness needs to be extended to others in relationship whether the debt is great or small. Therefore, forgiveness is not only a tool to repair relationships that have been totaled but to maintain relationships as well!
Forgiveness restores the joy of receiving and giving LOVE in a relationship (Lk. 7:44-46) – The sinful woman’s expression of love is an outpouring of gratitude as a result of her debt of sin being cancelled. The debt of her sin locked her in a prison of guilt and shame, but once forgiven she was free to give and receive love in relationship with God again. Others will sin against us, but we must not imprison them with unforgiveness. By forgiving, we set others, and ourselves, free to express love and share joy in relationship once again.
CONCLUSION
We are all debtors to God with a bill we cannot pay. Our unpaid debt of sin is deserving of God locking us in jail and throwing away the key for eternity. The good news in Colossians 2:13 is that, “(we), who were dead in our trespasses . . ., God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross”. Amazingly, God did MORE than cancel our debt and allow it to go unpaid, He paid the debt Himself by dying on the cross for our sin. THIS is our example of how we are to forgive others, “as God in Christ forgave you”. God willingly offers to bring joy back to our relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.
READ: Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13
God has given us a relational “tool” to repair a totaled relationship, Godly Relational Characteristic #9: FORGIVE one another! The greek word χαιρω, where we get the word “forgive” has a few other distinct meanings including “joy” (χαρα) and “grace” (χαρις). A primitive definition of forgiveness could be “to restore joy through grace”. Forgiving one another in the context of Eph. 4:32 and Col. 3:13 means to, “bring joy by RELEASING another from the CONSEQUENCE of their offense”. Forgiveness is the powerful relational tool that God has given us to use to repair “totaled” relationships! Many of us never use this tool because it seems unfair, but if we can’t offer forgiveness to others, God will not offer it to us (Mt. 18:23-25; Lk. 6:37).
READ: Luke 7:36-50
Forgiveness is offered FREELY by the one to whom a debt is owed (Lk. 7:41) – The moneylender in Jesus’ parable, rather than hold the debt above their head, chose to cancel the “debt of both” without expectation of any repayment since neither of them were able to pay. Forgiveness is a gift of grace given by of the one who has been offended. Forgiveness is not given because the debtor deserves it or has earned it, but a choice which communicates that love and joy in relationship are more important than being repaid a debt we are owed.
Forgiveness is CANCELLING a DEBT that cannot be REPAID (Lk. 7:42) – A denari was worth a little less than 2 days wages. Therefore, 500 denarii was worth about 20 month’s wages and 50 denarii was worth about 2 months wages. In both cases, for whatever reason, the debtors were not able to repay what was owed. Forgiveness needs to be extended to others in relationship whether the debt is great or small. Therefore, forgiveness is not only a tool to repair relationships that have been totaled but to maintain relationships as well!
Forgiveness restores the joy of receiving and giving LOVE in a relationship (Lk. 7:44-46) – The sinful woman’s expression of love is an outpouring of gratitude as a result of her debt of sin being cancelled. The debt of her sin locked her in a prison of guilt and shame, but once forgiven she was free to give and receive love in relationship with God again. Others will sin against us, but we must not imprison them with unforgiveness. By forgiving, we set others, and ourselves, free to express love and share joy in relationship once again.
CONCLUSION
We are all debtors to God with a bill we cannot pay. Our unpaid debt of sin is deserving of God locking us in jail and throwing away the key for eternity. The good news in Colossians 2:13 is that, “(we), who were dead in our trespasses . . ., God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross”. Amazingly, God did MORE than cancel our debt and allow it to go unpaid, He paid the debt Himself by dying on the cross for our sin. THIS is our example of how we are to forgive others, “as God in Christ forgave you”. God willingly offers to bring joy back to our relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Bear With One Another
Have you ever noticed that some people are really hard to put up with? There are an infinite number of things that we have to put up with in relationship with others . . . procrastination, negativity, overly optimistic, lateness, arrogance, self-centeredness, cockiness, talk too much, talk too little, workaholic, laziness, emotional, unemotional, temperamental, irresponsible, rude, mean, sarcastic, fake, grumpy, liar, cheater, dominant, tattle-tale, inflexible, different, etc. There are times when these bad habits/attitudes, character flaws, and shortcomings in others drive us crazy! Other people can be really hard to put up with. But wait, did you notice any of those characteristics in yourself? I am sure that you were already aware that YOU are really hard to put up with sometimes. Being in relationship with others often involves putting up with others who do things differently, have a different personality, or have different opinions than we do.
READ: Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13
Putting up with someone else and being put up with by others is living out Godly Relational Characteristic #8: BEAR with one another! Bearing with one another in Eph. 4:2 and Col. 3:13 means to, “TOLERATE another through FRUSTRATION or OFFENSE”. The greek word ανεχω, where we get the word “bear with” has a two primary meanings. First, “bearing with” means to “hold up” or to “carry the weight of something”. Therefore, in the context of relationship it means to be ready and willing to, “carry a load of relationship in our arms”. A second meaning for “bearing with” is to, “hold back” or to “restrain”. Again, in the context of relationship it means to, “prevent or withhold something”. Not surprisingly, both of the ideas of “holding up” and “holding back” in relationship can be seen in God’s relationship with us.
READ: Matthew 17:14-21
Bearing with others is ENDURING through DISCOURAGEMENT and DISAPPOINTMENT –Jesus verbalizes frustration with His disciples’ inability to heal a demon possessed epileptic because of their “little faith”. After much time spent, teaching, and training, Jesus’ disciples were still not able to do this simple spiritual act of ministry. In spite of Jesus’ frustration, He does not give up on His disciples, but rather “holds up” the relationship by performing the miracle Himself and reminding them of the faith required to heal. Relationships are filled with frustration. These frustrating moments with others will cause us to want give up on them and quit. But instead, in these moments, we are called to “hold up” and “carry” the relationship by enduring through the flaws and shortcomings of others. Be strong, flex your God-given relational muscles, and don’t let the weight of discouragement and disappointment prevent you from carrying on!
READ: Romans 2:1-4, 3:23-25
Bearing with others is RESTRAINING ourselves from JUDGMENT – God has restrained Himself from executing the judgment we deserve for the sin and wickedness that is in our lives. In his “divine forbearance” He withholds the just punishment (death) we deserve for our sin. If God did not restrain Himself, we would be eternally separated from relationship with Him. In relationship, there will be those who offend and sin against us. These moments of offense will cause us to want to render a guilty verdict in their life and condemn them to a relational “death penalty” which often means revenge, holding a grudge, or being bitter. Instead, in these moments, we are called to “hold back” and “restrain” ourselves by withholding fair punishment or judgment. Only God is in the position to judge others, we are to be slow to pass judgment when other sin against us!
CONCLUSION
Are you grateful that God is willing to put up with you? It is God’s divine “putting up with” us that upholds, maintains, and sustains our ability to be (and stay) in relationship with Him! If we’re grateful that God is willing to bear with us, maybe we should be more willing to bear with others in our lives!
READ: Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13
Putting up with someone else and being put up with by others is living out Godly Relational Characteristic #8: BEAR with one another! Bearing with one another in Eph. 4:2 and Col. 3:13 means to, “TOLERATE another through FRUSTRATION or OFFENSE”. The greek word ανεχω, where we get the word “bear with” has a two primary meanings. First, “bearing with” means to “hold up” or to “carry the weight of something”. Therefore, in the context of relationship it means to be ready and willing to, “carry a load of relationship in our arms”. A second meaning for “bearing with” is to, “hold back” or to “restrain”. Again, in the context of relationship it means to, “prevent or withhold something”. Not surprisingly, both of the ideas of “holding up” and “holding back” in relationship can be seen in God’s relationship with us.
READ: Matthew 17:14-21
Bearing with others is ENDURING through DISCOURAGEMENT and DISAPPOINTMENT –Jesus verbalizes frustration with His disciples’ inability to heal a demon possessed epileptic because of their “little faith”. After much time spent, teaching, and training, Jesus’ disciples were still not able to do this simple spiritual act of ministry. In spite of Jesus’ frustration, He does not give up on His disciples, but rather “holds up” the relationship by performing the miracle Himself and reminding them of the faith required to heal. Relationships are filled with frustration. These frustrating moments with others will cause us to want give up on them and quit. But instead, in these moments, we are called to “hold up” and “carry” the relationship by enduring through the flaws and shortcomings of others. Be strong, flex your God-given relational muscles, and don’t let the weight of discouragement and disappointment prevent you from carrying on!
READ: Romans 2:1-4, 3:23-25
Bearing with others is RESTRAINING ourselves from JUDGMENT – God has restrained Himself from executing the judgment we deserve for the sin and wickedness that is in our lives. In his “divine forbearance” He withholds the just punishment (death) we deserve for our sin. If God did not restrain Himself, we would be eternally separated from relationship with Him. In relationship, there will be those who offend and sin against us. These moments of offense will cause us to want to render a guilty verdict in their life and condemn them to a relational “death penalty” which often means revenge, holding a grudge, or being bitter. Instead, in these moments, we are called to “hold back” and “restrain” ourselves by withholding fair punishment or judgment. Only God is in the position to judge others, we are to be slow to pass judgment when other sin against us!
CONCLUSION
Are you grateful that God is willing to put up with you? It is God’s divine “putting up with” us that upholds, maintains, and sustains our ability to be (and stay) in relationship with Him! If we’re grateful that God is willing to bear with us, maybe we should be more willing to bear with others in our lives!
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Serve One Another
Carrying someone’s groceries. Preparing someone else’s meal. Working to buy someone else’s things. Watching someone else’s children. Cleaning up someone else’s mess. Washing someone else’s dishes. Doing someone else’s laundry. Picking up someone else’s toys. Mowing someone else’s lawn. Raking someone else’s leaves. Helping with someone else’s homework. Washing someone else’s car. Shoveling someone else’s snow. All of us have tasks that we are responsible for. Most of us are willing to do the tasks we are responsible for, but very rarely are we willing to do someone else’s responsibilities. When we get asked to do something for someone else our first attitude is probably something like, “why do I have to do that?”, “that’s not my responsibility?”, or “why don’t they do that for themselves?” Sound familiar?
What many of us don’t realize is that by performing these tasks we are living out Godly Relational Characteristic #7: SERVE one another! A servant is someone who, “does the work OF or FOR another”. A servant is someone who does the jobs that others do not want to do. A servant is someone who performs tasks at the request of another. No one wants to be a servant. Servanthood is not something that most of us wake up in the morning and look forward to doing. And yet, servanthood is a godly relational quality that is prescribed by God for us to live out among others in our lives. What does it mean to serve others? We are going to look at two passages of Scripture that help us understand what it means to be a servant . . .
READ: Galatians 5:1, 13-15
Servanthood is ENSLAVING ourselves to LOVING others (Gal. 5:13) – A slave has no rights. A slave does not make their own choices. A slave is obligated to do their master’s will. In the context of Paul explaining that a believer in Christ is free from the law and is not to, “submit again to a yoke of slavery” he tells the Galatians to use their new found freedom for the purpose of slavery. What? Where does he say that? The word translated “serve” in Gal. 5:13 comes from the greek word δουλος, used in Gal. 5:1, which means “slave”. Sounds like an oxymoron, but the Galatians were to use their freedom in Christ to “serve (enslave themselves to) one another” through love. We who are free in Christ serve others by willingly enslaving ourselves to love them. Ironically, through this paradox of being set free from the law and by serving others with love the, “whole law is fulfilled” (Lev. 19:18; Mt. 22:36-40; Lk. 6:27-36; Rom. 13:8-10; Jms. 2:8). Choosing to enslave ourselves to the unconditional love of others is only possible for those who have experienced being set free from the law, sin and death by faith in Jesus Christ!
READ: 1 Peter 4:7-11
Servanthood is using our God given GIFTS for the BLESSING and BENEFIT of others (1 Pet. 4:10) – Whether we realize it or not, we all have spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities given to us by God (Rom. 12:5-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11). These gifts are not to be used selfishly to benefit ourselves, but to “serve one another”. The word translated “serve” here comes from the greek word “διακονος” which means to, “serve”, “help”, or “attend to the needs of others”. This same word is used to describe the role of deacon in a local church (1 Tim. 3:8-13). Whatever gift we have, whether speaking, serving, teaching, exhortation, contributing, leading, mercy, etc, we are to use it to bless others and benefit them that God may be glorified! When it comes right down to it, our lives are to be used for the purpose of blessing and benefiting others.
CONCLUSION
In helping His disciples understand what it means to be great, Jesus said in Matthew 20:26-28, “whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” According to Jesus’ words and example, greatness is achieved through servanthood. We can choose greatness by enslaving ourselves to love and by using our gifts to bless and for the benefit of others . . . just like Jesus did!
What many of us don’t realize is that by performing these tasks we are living out Godly Relational Characteristic #7: SERVE one another! A servant is someone who, “does the work OF or FOR another”. A servant is someone who does the jobs that others do not want to do. A servant is someone who performs tasks at the request of another. No one wants to be a servant. Servanthood is not something that most of us wake up in the morning and look forward to doing. And yet, servanthood is a godly relational quality that is prescribed by God for us to live out among others in our lives. What does it mean to serve others? We are going to look at two passages of Scripture that help us understand what it means to be a servant . . .
READ: Galatians 5:1, 13-15
Servanthood is ENSLAVING ourselves to LOVING others (Gal. 5:13) – A slave has no rights. A slave does not make their own choices. A slave is obligated to do their master’s will. In the context of Paul explaining that a believer in Christ is free from the law and is not to, “submit again to a yoke of slavery” he tells the Galatians to use their new found freedom for the purpose of slavery. What? Where does he say that? The word translated “serve” in Gal. 5:13 comes from the greek word δουλος, used in Gal. 5:1, which means “slave”. Sounds like an oxymoron, but the Galatians were to use their freedom in Christ to “serve (enslave themselves to) one another” through love. We who are free in Christ serve others by willingly enslaving ourselves to love them. Ironically, through this paradox of being set free from the law and by serving others with love the, “whole law is fulfilled” (Lev. 19:18; Mt. 22:36-40; Lk. 6:27-36; Rom. 13:8-10; Jms. 2:8). Choosing to enslave ourselves to the unconditional love of others is only possible for those who have experienced being set free from the law, sin and death by faith in Jesus Christ!
READ: 1 Peter 4:7-11
Servanthood is using our God given GIFTS for the BLESSING and BENEFIT of others (1 Pet. 4:10) – Whether we realize it or not, we all have spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities given to us by God (Rom. 12:5-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11). These gifts are not to be used selfishly to benefit ourselves, but to “serve one another”. The word translated “serve” here comes from the greek word “διακονος” which means to, “serve”, “help”, or “attend to the needs of others”. This same word is used to describe the role of deacon in a local church (1 Tim. 3:8-13). Whatever gift we have, whether speaking, serving, teaching, exhortation, contributing, leading, mercy, etc, we are to use it to bless others and benefit them that God may be glorified! When it comes right down to it, our lives are to be used for the purpose of blessing and benefiting others.
CONCLUSION
In helping His disciples understand what it means to be great, Jesus said in Matthew 20:26-28, “whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” According to Jesus’ words and example, greatness is achieved through servanthood. We can choose greatness by enslaving ourselves to love and by using our gifts to bless and for the benefit of others . . . just like Jesus did!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Submit To One Another
“Sir, Yes Sir!” When I think of the military the image that comes to mind is a superior officer standing nose to nose with a lower ranking officer and screaming orders. Before a command is even given, a lower ranking officer already has their response memorized and ready, “Sir, yes Sir!” Whether this stereotypical image is true in the military or not, it definitely represents an attitude necessary in the military where the demands of someone in higher rank are unconditionally carried out by someone of lower rank. Lower ranking officers by default have an attitude of submission toward higher ranking officers because of their rank. Submission of lower ranking officers is necessary on the battlefield in order to keep troops organized and working together as a unit. Without troops’ submission, a battle would quickly deteriorate into chaos and disorder.
READ: Ephesians 5:15-21
In verse 21 Paul tells us who are to be our “superior officers”, Godly Relational Characteristic #6: SUBMIT to one another! The word submit comes from the combination of a preposition and a verb which together mean, “to arrange under”, or “to order under”. This word is used in the military to describe the role of a lower ranking officer in relation to a superior officer. In the context of Ephesians 5 submission is, “willingly placing ourselves under the authority of another”. God has established “rank” in a number of relational contexts. For example, in marriage, “wives (are to) submit to (their) husbands” (Col. 3:18; 1 Pet. 3:1), in an organized country, “every person (is) to be subject to the governing authorities” (Rom. 13:1; 1 Pet. 2:13-14), in a work context, “servants (are to) be subject to (their) masters” (1 Pet. 2:18), and in a church those who are, “younger (are to) be subject to the elders” (1 Pet. 5:8). While submission designates the lower ranking persons’ role as the follower, it also designates the role of the superior ranking person as the leader. In relationship, we are not to designate ourselves as the leader. We are to willingly defer the role of leadership to others! This means we do not demand or insist on our will or wants, but rather submit to the will and wants of others. Relationship can truly be enjoyed when submission is mutually shared with one another! Why are we to submit to others?
Submission is a WORTHY way to LIVE our lives (Eph. 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15) – Four times, starting in Ephesians 4:1 through Ephesians 5:8, Paul emphasizes the importance of the “worthy manner” a believer in Christ is to walk (lives their life). In Ephesians 5:15, after already listing multiple ways to live in a worthy manner, he reinforces with them for a fifth time to, “look carefully how you walk”. In this concluding section, Paul includes, “submitting to one another” as one of the primary ways we can live in a worthy manner. Paul could not have emphasized any stronger, . . . submission is a worthy way to live life as a believer in Christ!
Submission is an act of WISDOM and not FOOLISHNESS (Eph. 5:15-17) – In the past I’ve defined wisdom as “knowing and living life according to God’s ways”. How we live our lives is important. In the evil times that we live in it is especially important for us to be wise and not foolishly ignorant of the way(s) God wants us to live life. Very simply, being submissive to others is wise (living according to God’s way) and demanding others follow us is foolish. Submitting to one another is one subtle, yet worthy way we can shine the light of the gospel with our lives!
Submission is act of REVERENCE for Christ (Eph. 5:21) – We do not submit ourselves to others because they have earned it. We do not submit ourselves to others because we know they will not abuse it. We submit to others out of a deep respect and awe of Jesus Christ! No one is ultimately deserving of our submission, but Jesus Christ is. While we are submitting to others, we must not focus on our “superior’s” treatment of us, but on Jesus Christ and how deserving He is of our full allegiance and obedience.
CONCLUSION
Who is the leader in your life? James 4:7 says, “submit yourselves therefore to God”. Submission to others starts with a life submitted completely to God. Without an attitude of “Sir, Yes Sir” toward God, we will never understand what it means to submit ourselves to others.
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