W HAT IT MEANS TO BE LUTHERAN
There are so many churches in our day; sorting them all out can be quite confusing! There are also different kinds of "Lutherans” because the term means different things to different people.
What "Lutheran" originally meant -- and what it still means here at Redemption -- can be summed up with three basic ideas about how we gain eternal life:
Grace Alone
Because we are sinners we do not deserve God’s love. Instead we deserve punishment and separation from God and His goodness, forever. But, in an unprecedented act of grace, God showered his love on undeserving sinners. God the Father sent God the Son to suffer the full punishment for our sins, and to die in our place. Heaven's doors are open to us, not because of what we do for God, but because of what He has done for us through Jesus. Sinners are saved by God’s undeserved love—by grace alone.
Faith Alone
Jesus has suffered the full punishment for all people’s sins. But this doesn’t mean that all people will end up in heaven. The gift of salvation is free, and each individual sinner receives it through faith. Faith isn’t just acknowledging that God exists. Faith isn’t trying to follow a bunch of rules and commandments. Faith means trust. Christian faith means having a heart which trusts that God kept His promise to send a Savior, and that Savior is Jesus.
Scripture Alone
The only reliable way to find out what God says is through the Bible. The Bible was written by men, but authored by God. Human ideas change. Logical conclusions can be wrong. Traditions can become outdated and unprofitable. Only the testimony of the eternal and all-knowing God is completely reliable. “Scripture alone” means that the Bible stands as the foundation for our thinking in every area.
SOLA SCRIPTURA?
Some Christians take the idea of “Scripture Alone” for granted. They assume that all people claiming to be Christians will want to put God’s word above everything else. But this is not the case. Many professing Christians elevate self above God’s Word. Some elevate personal experience above God’s Word. Others elevate loved ones above God’s Word.
Consider how people choose which church they will belong to. Do people choose a church based on how faithful it is to God’s Word, or for some other reason? Perhaps it’s close to where they live, has a preschool program or their family has always gone there.
Since Scripture alone is the only reliable way to find out what God says, your church aught to be the one that teaches what the Scripture plainly says.
But how can the average person know for sure? Can’t the Scriptures be interpreted differently by each person? Is the average person really qualified to say that their interpretation of Scripture is the right interpretation?
The Reformation principle of “Sola Scriptura” says that yes, the average person can know for sure what God says – through the Bible.
Though there are many human interpretations, there is but ONE meaning intended by God. The Holy Spirit teaches us what He means when we allow the Bible to interpret itself (Or, to say it another way, the Holy Spirit explains what one part of His Word means when we read other parts of His Word). None of us are qualified to JUDGE the Word of God, but the Holy Spirit certainly does reveal His meaning when people study it.
In essence, “Sola Scriptura” says that the Scripture doesn’t need help from man. It is all-sufficient because it is the Holy Spirit inspired, preserved and explained Word of God.
TWO DITCHES ALONG THE ROAD OF SCRIPTURE
When we ask the question, “How can I really know what God says” two great dangers appear. We might think that someone else needs to tell us what God says. Someone smarter than we are. Someone we can listen to and then go along with. Or, we might think that only the “voice from inside us” can lead us to the truth about what God really says. If we just listen to the voice inside of us we’ll know what God is telling us. In reality, Scripture is the ONLY reliable voice which can tell us what God wants us to know.
At the time of Martin Luther this truth was almost completely forgotten. Through the Lutheran Reformation God caused His Word to be elevated back to it’s place of prominence in the church. Or in other words, God used Martin Luther to pull people out of the ditch of blind submission to religious authority and back onto the sure road of God’s Holy Word.
A SPIRITUAL REFORMATION
Some people claim that the significance of the Reformation is that a common monk stood up against the evil powers of a tyrannical church hierarchy and won.
Some believe that Martin failed because he did not free the people from the tyranny of the Scriptures being their boss. These people would push us into the ditch on the other side of the road, the ditch of “enthusiasm” (the belief that God speaks to people primarily through an inner voice, not through His written and spoken Word). We might also call this the ditch of “self slavery”.
Luther wanted to free people from the tyranny of evil men, but he also wanted to free them from slavery to self. When loosed from evil men and sinful self, people are freed to serve God. This is only accomplished through faith in Christ Jesus.
ROMANISTS: MAN ABOVE GOD’S WORD
Luther grew up in Germany, attending the Roman Catholic Church. At that time the Bible did not exist in the German language and the Roman Catholic Church was THE church. In those days the Roman Catholic Church was a significant political power, and heresy was often punished by torture and horrible death.
The RCC had long strayed away from God’s Word as decider of disputes and final authority over all things. It was accepted that the head of the church, the Pope, was the “on earth stand-in” for Jesus. As such, the Pope claimed that he alone had the final authority in all matters (including, of course, the interpreting what the Scriptures really meant).
Aside from the Pope, the church also looked to tradition as another voice of authority beside the Pope. In other words, they looked to past pronouncements made by church councils.
Lastly, the RCC also looked to the Bible for direction. But the Bible was not considered a great source of direction, for the RCC taught that it was unclear. It certainly was not fit for common people to study, but was considered a “professional book” for the clergy to use.
The RCC called for common people to simply submit to the authority of Christ’s stand-in and let the priests and other church officials tell them what God wanted them to know and do.
This of course made it very easy for the RCC to manipulate and use the people. Sadly, it also made for lazy people. It is easier to sit back and let the preacher tell you what to believe than it is to dig into the rewarding, but sometimes hard work, of studying God’s Word.
Regardless, the people had little choice in the matter. Unless you were independently wealthy, or willing to join a monastery, learning the necessary languages and examining the Scriptures of God was simply not going to happen.
Luther himself was very surprised to find out how much more of the Bible there really was when he finally got to study it. The Bible texts which the people heard during the Sunday Mass were only a portion of the whole Scriptures (Gospel and Epistle readings). By the way, these Scripture selections were read in Latin, the language used throughout the rest of the service, which only scholars understood.
Not only did the RCC insult God’s love and wisdom by saying that the Scriptures were unclear, they didn’t even give the common people a chance to understand them. May it be understood, the RCC is not another Christian church that happens to differ from Lutheran churches on a few points. It is very much so the Pope’s church, and has been since before Luther’s time.
In response to Luther’s 95 Theses, a Catholic Professor by the name of Sylvester Prierias wrote,
“Whoever does not rest upon the teaching of the Roman Church and the supreme pontiff [the Pope] as an infallible rule of faith, from which even Holy Scripture draws its vigor and authority, is a heretic” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.60).
“In a letter dated November 25, 1522, Pope Adrian VI said: ‘Almost all the things on which Luther differs from others have already been rejected by General Councils, and there ought to be no doubt that whatever has been approved by General Councils and the Church Universal, must be held as an article of faith; for anyone who casts doubt upon things that have once been rightly settled, insults a Synod of the Church.’ The entire lengthy letter need not be quoted, but it should be mentioned that nowhere in it is there a reference to Scripture in refutation of Luther’s doctrines. The changes are rung on ‘saints’ and ‘Fathers’ and ‘Councils.’ These Luther had dared to contradict” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.60).
“The American Catholic Cardinal J. Gibbons (died 1921) wrote in his The Faith of Our Fathers: ‘The Scriptures alone cannot be a sufficient guide and rule of faith…because they are not of themselves clear and intelligible, even in matters of the highest importance, and because they do not contain all the truths necessary for salvation.’ One wonders what Paul would have said to Gibbons, Paul who wrote to young Timothy that even in his childhood he (Timothy) had been acquainted with the Scriptures, ‘which are able to make thee wise unto salvation’” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.56).
LUTHER: ROMANIST NO MORE
When Luther finally got to study the Scriptures for himself, he was delighted to find that these were not cloudy and hard to understand. The chief teachings of the Scriptures could be easily understood, even by a child, if they were but faithfully translated into the language of the people!
He also discovered that not only had past church councils disagreed and contradicted each other in their official pronouncements, these church councils had also contradicted the Holy Word of God. In a sense, God pushed Luther to see this through the Leipzig debate.
“In the course of the debate, however, Eck charged Luther with holding Hussite opinions. Thoroughly aroused and indignant Luther repudiated the charge. But pressed by Eck why he does not publicly refute their errors he is led to make the statement, to the surprise of the great audience, that many of the articles of Huss are very Christian which the Church can not condemn. But all o f the articles of Huss had been condemned by the Council of Constance! Luther hesitated. He struggled against the result of his premises into which he had been artfully led in the heat of the conflict by Eck. Finally Luther declared that councils could err and had erred in the case of Huss, by condemning these Christian articles.” (“Sketched from the History of the Church”, Hageman p.135)
Through continual contact with Scripture, finally Luther completely abandoned his deference to councils, popes and anything other than the Word of God.
“It is a horrible and great insult to, and crime against, Holy Writ and all Christendom to say that Scripture is dark and not clear enough for everyone to understand, so that he might be instructed by Scripture what to believe and might prove his faith by quoting it” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.57).
Because of what he read in God’s Word Luther insisted that all things aught be tested by the Scriptures to find their truth and worth. This included the traditions, councils, popes, cardinals, monks and even an individual’s own thoughts and opinions.
“I honor the Roman Pontiff and his decrees. None is above him, without exception, save the Prince of this vicar of Christ, namely, Jesus Himself, Lord of us all and of all men. I prefer His word to the words of His vicar, and have no doubt that we should judge all the words and deeds of the vicar by His word. For I desire him to be subject to this universal rule of the apostle: ‘Prove all things; hold fast that which is good [1 Thessalonians 5:21]’” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.49).
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1 NIV).
When, at the Diet of Worms, Luther was asked to take back the pile of his writings that lay before him, Luther replied,
“Unless I am overcome with testimonies from Scripture or with evident reasons – for I believe neither the Pope nor the Councils, since they have often erred an contradicted one another – I am overcome by the Scripture texts which I have adduced , and my conscience is bound by God’s Word, I cannot and will not recant anything; for to act contrary to one’s conscience is neither safe nor sincere. God help me! Amen” ( “This is Luther”, Plass, p.50).
To Christians who endeavor to hold Scripture up as the highest authority in their lives, this statement seems obvious. Of course the Scriptures have to decide the argument! But to the RCC as it was at the time, this was a shocking idea and a most daring monk who proposed it. Thanks be to our God that he did, for we shudder to think what the world would be like without the Reformation that restored Christ’s precious Gospel to prominence in the church and trumpeted so loudly the truth of “Sola Scriptura”.
Luther’s sincerity in trumpeting “Sola Scriptura” is seen in his absolute disinterest in pushing himself forward and building his own following. This never seems to have entered his head.
“Whoever wants my books at this time ought, whatever he does, not let them be an obstacle to studying the Bible itself” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.45).
“No one is bound to believe me; let every man search [Scripture] for himself,” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.45)
“I had hoped that people would henceforth pay more attention to the Holy Scriptures themselves and let my books go now that they have served their purpose and led men’s hearts into and up to the Scriptures, which was my reason for writing my books. What is the use of making many books and yet always staying away from the chief book? Drink rather from the fountain itself than from the rill that has led you to the fountain” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.46).
“There are many who believe on my account, but the only true believers are those who would continue to believe even if they heard (which God forbid!) that I had denied the faith or fallen away from it. These are they who pay no heed to the bad, the terrible, the shameful things they hear about me and about our people , for they do not believe on Luther, but on Christ Himself. The word has them, and they have the Word; as for Luther they care not whether he is a knave or a saint. God can speak by Balaam as well as by Isaiah, by Caiaphas as well as by Peter; nay He can speak by an ass. I myself do not know Luther and will not know him. I do not preach about him, but about Christ. The fiend may fly away with him, if he can; but if he leaves Christ in peace, it will still be well with us.” (“This is Luther”, Plass, p.46).
To Luther, Christianity was no blind faith, but a “Bible faith”. It was no “Luther faith”, but a “Christ faith”.
“20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:20-24 NIV)
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
In Laboring to Share What God Has Given to Us - Sep 14, 2008
This past week in Bible Class we started studying a paper by Steve Leinberger's which was presented at the CLC Delegates Convention this summer. Steve is a member of our sister congregation in Saginaw, MI. The Paper in its entirety is pasted below...
IN LABORING TO SHARE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US
Colossians 1:29:
NKJV- “To this end I labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”
NIV- “To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me.”
I. Introduction
Welcome in the name of our triune God: Father, Son and Holy Ghost. It is my prayer that through hearing, singing, and studying today, what our Heavenly Father has already provided us in His Word, we will all become more ardent laborers in sharing the blessed gift of the Gospel.
II. Opening Hymn- 507 Spread, Oh Spread, Thou Mighty Word
The book of Colossians, from which our theme is taken, was written by Paul during the time of his first Roman imprisonment. It is considered by many to be one of the most Christ centered books in the Bible. The resounding theme of Colossians is the preeminence and sufficiency of Christ in all things. The believer is complete in Him alone and lacks nothing for his eternal salvation. It is humbling to read that while even in prison, Paul is “struggling with all his energy” to fulfill his mission for Christ. God has a mission in mind for each one of us. He has given each of us individual talents with which to accomplish our assigned missions. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.”
1 Corinthians 12:4-6. God will also provide us with opportunities to use these talents for the improvement of His church and the furtherance of His Gospel.
In order to help us recognize the talents that God has given to each of us, and to encourage each other to put these talents to use, we will be directing ourselves to a brief study of some of the many examples of God’s servants, ”struggling with all His energy”, as recorded in both the Old and New Testaments. These Old and New Testament biblical figures are divided into called servants, lay servants and women servants. We will be exploring the background, characteristics, and successes and failures of these individuals as we strive to learn lessons from their service that we can apply today in our own work for our Savior. These people did indeed “labor” and “struggled” for their Savior, even to the point of death. They were able to accomplish their missions not because they were superior individuals, but because of Him who “so powerfully works” in them.
Action Plan Page Introduction-
I hope you have all received a pen as you entered the room. As we begin our study I am going to put both you and that pen to work thinking and writing.
Attached to the back of your Essay booklet you will find an Action Plan page for you use. Let’s look at that page for a minute. Hopefully, as we study today you will be reminded about people who have inspired you, people you have thought to witness to, projects that need your attention at your home congregation and how you can improve your witness within your family. As the Lord directs you, for He is indeed the source of all true inspiration, take a few moments during this presentation to write down what comes to your mind. I promise I won’t mind if you take a BRIEF break from listening to do so. In fact I am praying that I see a lot of paper being shuffled and thoughts being recorded.
III. Examples of OLD TESTAMENT Servants
A. Moses-Called
Our first bible figure is Moses, himself a picture of Christ in so many ways. Moses and Jesus were both prophets. They were both endangered in infancy, gave up pursuit of earthly wealth and power, both were lawgivers and deliverers of their people and mediators between God and man.
God’s amazing plan for Moses’ life started in the bulrushes on the Nile and proceeded for 40 years through the best educational system of the world at that time in the courts of Pharaoh. Moses sinful weakness became apparent with his murder of one of the Egyptians in charge of the Hebrew slaves. God’s plan for the next 40 years of Moses life took place in the land of Midian, where Moses led a very humble life as a shepherd, away for the people he would eventually lead out of Egypt. But during this time God was preparing him spiritually and practically with an in depth knowledge of the very terrain he would lead his people through for the last 40 years of his life. Moses was a well educated, passionate, at times short tempered man, who was fiercely loyal to his people and prayed often and fervently for his people, even as Jesus our Savior did during His time here on Earth and even now does for us at the Fathers side.
Through Moses God wrote the first five books of His Holy Word. Moses met with God! Moses talked with God! God gave Moses His law written on stone tablets, which Moses so infamously threw to the ground (there’s that short temper again) in his anger over what the children of Israel had done while he was on Mt. Sinai. But through this all God “so powerfully worked” in him, forgiving Moses of his sin for the sake of the yet unborn Messiah. God loved and guided him throughout his whole life and finally, in a unique act of love for His faithful servant, personally buried Moses on a mount overlooking the promised land.
There are many powerful lessons we can learn from the story of Moses and apply to our own missions for God. Are you unsure that God’s call is really for you? God appeared to Moses in a burning bush that was not consumed. Is your call not quite so “obvious”? Remember today we have the complete Bible to show us God’s will for our lives. Are we hesitant or afraid of answering God’s call? Moses was, but we need not be. But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” So God said to him, “I will certainly be with you.” Exodus 3:11-12. And again Moses hesitated and said, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” Exodus 4:10-12. We can be assured that God is with us even today, and will give us the very words needed to fulfill His missions. From Moses we learn that we may be called to God’s service later in life. We may be called to serve well into our retirement years and through “His energy”, we will be equipped to succeed. We may be hesitant and lack confidence, we may have as many excuses as Moses, but God still is able to mold the heart of a willing servant to accomplish His plans.
B. Joseph-Layman
Our next Old Testament servant is Joseph. While we may all be labeled as “called” in some manner, I have taken the view of Joseph as being called to a layman’s position in the body of Christ. Joseph was not educated as Moses was. As a young boy, because of the jealousy of his brothers he was thrown into a pit and then sold into slavery in a foreign land. His new master Potiphar, soon saw the abilities and character of this young man and advanced him up to be the head of his household. Because of the false accusation of Potiphar’s wife, Joseph was unjustly jailed. After many years, he was released and became part of Pharaoh's staff, eventually, to be named the head of Pharaoh’s palace and finally in charge of the whole land of Egypt, second in power only to Pharaoh himself.
In Joseph we can again see many of the attributes of our Savior. Imagine, could you show the love and forgiveness Joseph did for his brothers when they later came to Egypt during the famine in Canaan? After Jacob had died, Joseph’s brothers were afraid that Joseph might kill them so they went to Joseph to beg for his mercy. And Joseph wept as they begged and said to them, ”But as for you, you meant evil against me: but God meant it for good, in order to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid, I will provide for you and your little ones.” Gen 50:20-21. Through the power of Jesus love for us we are able to forgive those who may have wronged us. Joseph was a trustworthy man who remained faithful and pure through many temptations through the power of God. He was also a man gifted in matters of planning, organization and administration. While Joseph was indeed a sinner, the Bible does not give us many, if any examples of his failures.
Through his work in Egypt the ancestors of Jesus were fed through the great famine and the line of our Savior was maintained. Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim became leaders of two of the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph’s example is one of doing our best in whatever we are called to do, working in our jobs as if we are working directly for God. Interestingly, the Bible never records Joseph complaining or groaning during all of the many unjust trials he endured. His faith was a visible testament of the love of God, visible and discernable to all who came into contact with him. Joseph was a real salt of the Earth kind of guy.
We can also learn another very important lesson from the life of Joseph. Even though he always did his best, even though he was trustworthy and faithful, Joseph experienced setbacks in his life. As followers of Christ, in this sinful world, we will also experience setbacks. But when we experience setbacks in our mission, as we faithfully serve our Lord, the Holy Spirit will instill in us a deep satisfaction and peace that surpasses all understanding. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” Isaiah 26:3-4. So again and again we return to the cross for strength, secure in the knowledge that God’s love is eternal, from before His creation of the world, through Joseph’s time, even until today.
C. Ruth
The story of our last Old Testament servant is a wonderful story of love, devotion, and redemption which occurred during the time of the Judges. This was a time of unfaithfulness and immorality among the children of Israel. Naomi’s husband dies, leaving her with two sons to care for her. Her sons each marry Moabite women and after a number of years they also die, leaving Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth to care for themselves. Naomi decides to return to the land of Judah and releases her daughters from any responsibility for her. All three women are greatly saddened by these events and after a tearful farewell Orpah returns to “her people and her gods,”(Ruth 1:15); but Ruth is led to stay with Naomi and her response to Naomi forms one of the most beautiful passages in Scripture. “Entreat me not to leave you, Or turn back from following you; For wherever you go , I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me and more also, If anything but death parts but you and I. Ruth 1:16-17. God’s servant Ruth is brought to faith in the living God, forsaking her pagan heritage. God shows His love for ALL people by blessing Ruth’s faithfulness by giving her a new husband (Boaz), a son (Obed), and a privileged position in the lineage of David (she was his great-grandmother) and subsequently Jesus of Nazareth.
The book of Ruth is one of the shortest books in the Old Testament. The concept of a redeemer (goel, one who redeems) is repeated 13 times in this book with Boaz playing this part by buying back the land of Naomi as well in marrying Ruth and fathering a son to keep the family line alive. The loyalty, love and obedience Ruth shows as a gentile servant/believer of God should carry deep meaning to us since we too are gentile servant/believers. The redeeming love of the coming Savior, at work in Ruth’s heart, made her a woman of godly virtue, willing to put the needs of others before her own. Another example for our use today is how God does not differentiate between those believers of wealth and those in poverty. God loves all people equally and “so powerfully works” His Will through all people in all lands.
IV. Examples of NEW TESTAMENT Servants
A. Paul-Called
We begin our study of New Testament servants with the apostle Paul, unquestionably a called servant of Jesus. But remember from where God called this “chief of sinners” through whom He inspired so many New Testament books of the Bible to be written. Paul, whose name prior to conversion was Saul, was a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin. He was educated in Tarsus and later studied the Jewish “laws of our fathers” in Jerusalem under the teacher Gamaliel. Paul was a very zealous person who in his younger days led persecutions of many believers in Jesus, both men and women. In Acts 9:1 we read that “Saul was still breathing our murderous threats against the lord’s disciples.” However on the road to Damascus Jesus called Saul to a different life. “A light from heaven flashed around him and Saul fell to the ground. Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Saul asked; Who are you Lord? I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what to do.” Acts 9:3b-6. When Saul got up he found he was blind and for 3 days he did not eat or drink anything. Jesus sent the disciple Ananias to Paul in a home in Damascus. “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptized”. Acts 9:17-18. After spending several days with the disciples in Damascus, he immediately began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
Paul remained a zealous man his whole life. But now through the gift of the Holy Spirit he was a zealous servant of the Mysteries of God. As a Jewish Pharisee, Saul was a proud man who saw himself “separate”, better than those around him. As a servant of Jesus, Paul became a humble man, thankful for the salvation worked within him. Paul became an encourager of those doing right and a rebuker of those doing wrong. He did these things by using the law of God and the Gospel of his Savior, Jesus Christ.
Paul’s failures before his conversion are many. First and foremost because of his training as a Pharisee he believed in his ability to earn heaven through his works. He also spent his life persecuting those who believed in Jesus, even giving the approval for the stoning of Stephen. Before Paul’s conversion he was working hard to please God but he had it all wrong. Paul’s primary mission in life after his conversion was bringing the Mysteries of God (the Gospel) to us, the gentile nations. In doing so Paul planted the seed of the Holy Spirit in the souls of many believers and started many churches in the ancient world. But Paul suffered greatly for this privilege of witnessing. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 we can read of some of them- 5 times whipped, 3 times beaten with rods, 1 time even stoned, 3 times shipwrecked- spending a night and a day in the water, often away from home on missionary journeys, often imperiled by robbers, wilderness, Jews, gentiles, he was hungry, thirsty, cold, naked, imprisoned, and after all of these hardships, what occupied his daily thoughts? It was not his own sorrows and hurts that occupied his mind but rather his deep concern for the new believers and their churches. Paul was the one who was inspired to write our theme and he knew of what he wrote through happenings in his own daily life.
Paul is indeed a shining example of God’s power in converting our blind and sinful hearts and of how once exposed to the gospel we can become laborers for Him who works so mightily in us. Through Paul’s life we can learn, that if our early life was outside of the Body of believers or not God pleasing in every respect, God can still work miracles in our lives and through His Word bring us to a faithful life full of service to Him. We can see how application of God’s Word in direct and loving ways can have a powerful impact on those we meet. And since Paul’s primary mission was to the gentiles, we can learn that we should be zealous supporters of our own CLC foreign mission work. This support may take the form of monetary offerings, prayers and even personally participating in our Mission Helper programs.
B. Stephen & Philip-Layman
Now as the early church grew the 12 apostles (Matthias had replaced Judas) found it difficult to perform all the general tasks required of them without neglecting their prime duty of ministering the Word. So they gathered together all of the disciples and decided that they would “choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom”, (Acts 6:3) to aide them in the administration of the early believers. Stephan and Phillip were chosen, (along with Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch) and “these men were presented to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them.” Acts 6:6. These laymen did great wonders among the people and soon members of the Jewish society began to oppose them. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin where he was falsely accused of blasphemy against God and Moses. Stephen, in a wonderfully inspired and historically accurate speech (Acts 7:1 to 8:53) lays out the history of the Jewish people up to the death of John the Baptist and the recent stiff-necked behavior of the Jews that led to the betrayal and murder of the “Righteous One”-Jesus the Christ. In a fit of rage the members of the Sanhedrin seize him and take him out of the City and stone him to death. At the end of his life the love of God contained in him is shown by his statement, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Acts 7:60. Stephen was an early believer who labored and struggled by the help of God to proclaim the truth within Him. He endured suffering at the hands of countrymen and finally died a martyr’s death.
On the day of Stephen’s death a great persecution broke out in Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. (It was during this time that Saul did some of his most vicious work in attempting to destroy the Church.) But God used this evil persecution for good, to expand the areas where the Mysteries of God were preached. The Holy Spirit moved mightily in bringing many people to faith in Jesus. One of those believers who fled Jerusalem was Philip. Philip was residing in a city in Samaria where he proclaimed the Good News of Jesus. An angel of the Lord told him to go down on the road to Gaza where he met an Ethiopian eunuch who was an important man in the Treasury of the Queen of Ethiopia, Candace. The eunuch was studying the Book of Isaiah but he did not understand it’s meaning and Philip was invited by the eunuch to explain it to him. “The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth. The eunuch asked Philip, Tell me please who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else? Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.” Acts 8:32-40. In our illustration Philip did indeed expose the Mysteries of God, to his fellow man. And we are told of how the Holy Spirit worked the miracle of sanctification in the eunuch’s heart when the eunuch said to Phillip, “See here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? Then Philip said; If you believe with all your heart you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both he and Philip went down into the water and Philip baptized him”. Acts 8:36-38.
Stephen and Philip were being good stewards of their lives of service to God when they accepted the positions given to them by the apostles. They could have said they were too busy or they had other business or family obligations but they put Jesus first in their lives. God used Stephen to directly inform the Sanhedrin of His plan for salvation. So today we laymen can be confident if God puts us into a similar position of proclaiming the truth to groups or bodies of people who error in their understanding of the Bible. While it is rare today, to die from persecution for ones faith here in our country, our fellow believers in foreign lands can take comfort in knowing that God will strengthen their faith to the point where they can endure hardships up to and even including death and remain steadfast in their faith of life eternal. In Romans 5:1-5 we read: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance (endurance); and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Philip’s witness to the eunuch shows how God can use laymen to spread the Word to foreign lands. Even today, the faith perhaps started by Philip’s witness to the eunuch, lives in the country of Ethiopia.
C. Mary & Martha
Mary and Martha were dear friends of our Savior. They were a generous family and supported Jesus during His ministry. Jesus spent many days at their home and was comforted by their love for Him. They were also the sisters of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. While Jesus loved them both the Bible tells us they were two very different people in their approach to how they served Jesus. I even saw a book last week titled, How to be a Mary in a Martha World. To state their differences in a very simplified way- Martha worked, Mary listened; Martha worried, Mary listened; Martha worked and worried and Mary was still found to be listening at her Savior’s feet. It always seems a bit unfair to criticize Martha for working doesn’t it? After all the, work does need to get done and somebody has to do it. And wouldn’t it be great to “sit at Jesus’ feet” while somebody else did the bulk of the grunt work. The point here is that we need to prioritize our lives and make sure that we set aside ample and adequate time to both work and listen. But our first priority should always be love and reverence for our Savior. He will provide His energy which so powerfully works in me(us).
There is so much to learn from Mary and Martha. God is willing and able to use all sorts of personalities to accomplish His mission of spreading the Gospel. God gives us time, talents and treasures which through careful and prayerful consideration we are to prioritize and use to further His kingdom. We should also keep in mind that each of us has been given only so much time here on Earth during which to proclaim the glories of our Savior and we must be careful in how we use that time. In this section we can clearly see that God prefers that we put Him and His Word first as we set our schedules. Lastly, let’s not allow our eagerness to serve turn into a trap of busy, work righteousness whereby we lose the joy of serving our Savior and even endanger our soul’s salvation.
V. Hymn- 772 On Galilee’s High Mountain
VI. God’s Mission for Us in Present Times
From these examples of Biblical servants of God we can see that God uses highly educated people as well as those of minor or no formal education. He uses the old and the very young. He invites the very rich and the very poor and everyone in between to help in spreading the Gospel. In 1 Peter 3:15 we read, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that is in you.” But where do we begin? How do we get started? Well hopefully you have made a few notes on your Action Plan sheet already. Writing our thoughts down on paper is a big help in beginning any mission. It can also help us to divide our mission into the following 3 areas: A. The Unchurched B. Within our own churches, and C. Within our own families. You will no doubt have many ideas of your own on how and where you can serve. Let me mention a few ideas the Lord has laid on my heart to help you get started.
A. Unchurched
Let’s start with our local community. You’ve seen the bumper sticker, Think globally, act locally, it’s not bad advice. We all have friends and coworkers who do not regularly attend a church. We can live our lives as Christian examples like Joseph. When some of these people notice the difference within us, we can do a great service for them by bringing them the Word of God as Stephen did for the early church or explaining questions they may have as Philip did for the eunuch. We can pray frequently and fervently for the Holy Spirit to move their hearts. We can write down the names of people we are led to witness to about Jesus on our Action Plan sheets.
At the global level we can pray for and financially support our Missionaries in Africa and India. We can think of how Ruth, when exposed to the one true God, left her pagan ways and became an ancestor of Jesus himself. We can work toward bringing the light of the Gospel to foreign lands and through the Word the Holy Spirit can work saving faith in the hearts of those who have never heard of their Savior. We can pray for and financially support the many mission programs of our Synod such as orphan support and seminary sponsorships through the Project Kinship, the Mission helper program, and the Mission Development Fund. These are important programs that have life saving, eternal benefits for those people touched by them. What better use of our time, talents and treasure could there possibly be? God’s view of our world is not only global but eternal. The work done by Moses thousands of years ago is just as appropriate and useful now as it was in his day. God’s Word is eternal. When we, proclaim God’s Word today, the effects of the Gospel message are eternal. It could be that generations from now, descendants of those people saved by the Holy Spirit through our work in spreading the Gospel in Africa and India today, may be sending missionaries back to our descendants in the United States.
B. Within our churches
We also have many opportunities to serve within our synod and within our local churches. Thank God for the commitment of those in attendance today as delegates and observers. There are many areas of service open to us on the different Committees and Boards. As Joseph was used by God to be the top administrator of Egypt, we are blessed with talented and faithful people who serve our Synod, struggling with all His energy, to create needed programs, balance budgets and provide the best that we have for the many people served by our Synod.
In our local churches there are also the same needs of serving on committees, boards and guilds. From mowing the grass, to painting the building, to shingling roofs, the areas available for us to serve are many. We can be teachers in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. Teachers who through the Word can strengthen a child’s faith and aide the Holy Spirit in His work of equipping our young people for the spiritual battles they will be facing in this sinful world. We can use our God given talents in the choir, serving in music, planting flowers and planting seeds of the Gospel that can make our churches grow strong in the Lord. We can be Marys and Marthas. Working and listening. Putting our Savior first in all things. Joyful in the knowledge of what our Savior has already done for us and of how we will see Him in the flesh forever in Heaven.
C. Within our families-(Mary & Joseph)
And we can think the most locally of all. We can serve our families. Just think, God did not send Jesus to Earth as an adult. Jesus came as a baby and babies need parents. How would you like to have had that responsibility, to train and raise up the Savior of the world? Mary and Joseph could have come up with more excuses than Moses did, but they relied on God to give them the words and the strength to be the earthly parents of his Son. As parents today, we to are parents of God’s sons and daughters. Our children are as important to and loved as much by our Heavenly Father as Jesus was during His time on Earth. If you were Jesus’ parents would you do daily devotions with him? Of course you would. Do you do daily devotions with your own children? I pray so. There are 3 lines regarding “family” on your Action Plan sheet, I hope one of those lines contains the commitment to do daily devotions with your children. We read in Ephesians 6:4, “And you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Do our children see the love of our Heavenly Father reflected onto them by our kind words and other expressions of love? As parents today our job is difficult, but by laboring, and struggling with His energy, which works so powerfully in us, we can bring up our children to fear and love Him.
As God fearing spouses we should also consider how we can be a servant to our wife or husband. As Christ served us, so we should serve one another. We read from Ephesians 5:22, ““Wives submit to your Husband as to the Lord”. And Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it”. And finally Ephesians 5:33, Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” There are many areas where I can improve as a husband and a helpmate for my wife. I can be more kind, patient, and understanding. I can listen more. My wife had several more suggestions but let me stop there. You probably have the idea by now. I will let you decide what else to put on your Action Plan sheet.
VII. Call to Action
A. Prayerfully set goals for our work
The most important word in this section’s heading is prayerfully. We do well to take all of our needs and questions to the Lord in prayer. But as Luther said, “Pray with your Bible open”. It often occurs, that we seek God’s direction through prayer, when He has already clearly shown us the path we are to take in His Word. We should be careful to not let our thoughts, desires or emotions create an “answer” to our prayers that is not in keeping with God’s biblical principles.
The second most important word is goals. Sometime we chaff a bit at setting goals for ourselves. After all, things change, and we don’t want to “count our chickens before they hatch”. But goal setting is an important part of successfully serving the Lord. Goals are the basis for our plans. A Convention without an agenda or schedule (the plan) would be hard pressed to achieve its purpose (the goals). Likewise we need to set goals for our personal mission in serving the Lord. It is very important that our goals and plans be written down. Let’s go back for a minute to our Action Plan sheet. When we write our goals down we are consciously committing ourselves to their accomplishment through the blessing and power of our Father in heaven. Have you written anything down yet? I encourage you to keep the Action Plan page with you in your pocket or purse until you arrive back home. Here at Convention, carry it with you so you are able to make notes on it, as the Spirit leads your heart during the proclamation of His Word. Lord willing you will see the red topped pen and a folded Action Plan in many people’s pockets during your the remaining days here in Eau Claire.
The last word is work. If we did this right, we will have listened like Mary, set our goals after hearing our Savior and now we are ready to work like Martha. We can keep in mind that God is right beside us to help and direct us. But we do need to work. The mission God has in mind for us is not easy. We need to gird ourselves for this mission and get after it. Whether that be something small, and maybe to others rather insignificant, or whether that be volunteering for something like a Mission Helper trip to Africa or India, everything we do in God’s name is important, as everything the members of the body do, are necessary to nourish the whole body.
B. Draw on our God given talents
God has equipped each one of us with special talents which He in His infinite wisdom is able to use for the spreading of His Gospel. Humbling isn’t it? God choose the part each of us is to fill in His mission of Salvation. “Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those of gifts of administrations and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.” 1 Corinthians 12:27-28. And God doesn’t make mistakes. Perhaps our talents are hidden by shyness or lack of training but they are still there. Pray that God reveals these talents to you and that He blesses your attempts to use them. God may be in the process of refining and strengthening our faith for the mission He has in mind for us. Perhaps God has called us to serve in an area that we just don’t understand how our talents fit. For instance, Moses couldn’t speak well, but God gave him Aaron to help him. Maybe God’s mission for you includes working alongside someone else or in a group, on a committee, or on a board, etc.
C. Rely on His Power
We have come back to our original theme. Who should we depend on? By now you all know the answer, “to this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me”. Without the direction and power of our Almighty God to direct and sustain us, our missions would be impossible to finish. But we do not need to feel burdened or defeated. God has promised often in His Word to be there when we need him most. “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you, I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:5b.
D. Confident in the Hope within us.
As blood bought saints of the Most High God, let us all proceed from this place with the boldness and assurance of the Love of God and the commitment to labor to share what God has given to us. Let’s join with the Apostle Paul and proclaim “I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13. May all that we think, do and say be to the glory of our Savior Jesus and the furtherance of the kingdom of God. Amen.
VIII. Hymn- 451 Stand Up-Stand up for Jesus
Respectfully presented at the CLC Convention – June 18, 2008
By: Steven A. Leinberger
Gethsemane Evangelical Lutheran Church
Saginaw Michigan
Pastor Michael Wilke
---
Action Plan Page:
Bible Verse- “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2
(Jesus is the reason and source of inspiration for all God pleasing work in our lives.)
Individuals who have inspired me-
1. Jesus of Nazareth- My redeemer, my priest, my friend, my King, my God.
2._____________________________________________________________________
3._____________________________________________________________________
Individuals who I will personally witness to about our Savior-
1.______________________________________________________________________
2.______________________________________________________________________
3.______________________________________________________________________
Projects or tasks I will personally attend to upon my return to my home congregation-
1._______________________________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________________________
3._______________________________________________________________________
Areas I will strive to improve with God’s help and direction within in my family-
1._______________________________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________________________
3._______________________________________________________________________
Bible Verse- “But as for me and My house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15b.
IN LABORING TO SHARE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US
Colossians 1:29:
NKJV- “To this end I labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”
NIV- “To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me.”
I. Introduction
Welcome in the name of our triune God: Father, Son and Holy Ghost. It is my prayer that through hearing, singing, and studying today, what our Heavenly Father has already provided us in His Word, we will all become more ardent laborers in sharing the blessed gift of the Gospel.
II. Opening Hymn- 507 Spread, Oh Spread, Thou Mighty Word
The book of Colossians, from which our theme is taken, was written by Paul during the time of his first Roman imprisonment. It is considered by many to be one of the most Christ centered books in the Bible. The resounding theme of Colossians is the preeminence and sufficiency of Christ in all things. The believer is complete in Him alone and lacks nothing for his eternal salvation. It is humbling to read that while even in prison, Paul is “struggling with all his energy” to fulfill his mission for Christ. God has a mission in mind for each one of us. He has given each of us individual talents with which to accomplish our assigned missions. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.”
1 Corinthians 12:4-6. God will also provide us with opportunities to use these talents for the improvement of His church and the furtherance of His Gospel.
In order to help us recognize the talents that God has given to each of us, and to encourage each other to put these talents to use, we will be directing ourselves to a brief study of some of the many examples of God’s servants, ”struggling with all His energy”, as recorded in both the Old and New Testaments. These Old and New Testament biblical figures are divided into called servants, lay servants and women servants. We will be exploring the background, characteristics, and successes and failures of these individuals as we strive to learn lessons from their service that we can apply today in our own work for our Savior. These people did indeed “labor” and “struggled” for their Savior, even to the point of death. They were able to accomplish their missions not because they were superior individuals, but because of Him who “so powerfully works” in them.
Action Plan Page Introduction-
I hope you have all received a pen as you entered the room. As we begin our study I am going to put both you and that pen to work thinking and writing.
Attached to the back of your Essay booklet you will find an Action Plan page for you use. Let’s look at that page for a minute. Hopefully, as we study today you will be reminded about people who have inspired you, people you have thought to witness to, projects that need your attention at your home congregation and how you can improve your witness within your family. As the Lord directs you, for He is indeed the source of all true inspiration, take a few moments during this presentation to write down what comes to your mind. I promise I won’t mind if you take a BRIEF break from listening to do so. In fact I am praying that I see a lot of paper being shuffled and thoughts being recorded.
III. Examples of OLD TESTAMENT Servants
A. Moses-Called
Our first bible figure is Moses, himself a picture of Christ in so many ways. Moses and Jesus were both prophets. They were both endangered in infancy, gave up pursuit of earthly wealth and power, both were lawgivers and deliverers of their people and mediators between God and man.
God’s amazing plan for Moses’ life started in the bulrushes on the Nile and proceeded for 40 years through the best educational system of the world at that time in the courts of Pharaoh. Moses sinful weakness became apparent with his murder of one of the Egyptians in charge of the Hebrew slaves. God’s plan for the next 40 years of Moses life took place in the land of Midian, where Moses led a very humble life as a shepherd, away for the people he would eventually lead out of Egypt. But during this time God was preparing him spiritually and practically with an in depth knowledge of the very terrain he would lead his people through for the last 40 years of his life. Moses was a well educated, passionate, at times short tempered man, who was fiercely loyal to his people and prayed often and fervently for his people, even as Jesus our Savior did during His time here on Earth and even now does for us at the Fathers side.
Through Moses God wrote the first five books of His Holy Word. Moses met with God! Moses talked with God! God gave Moses His law written on stone tablets, which Moses so infamously threw to the ground (there’s that short temper again) in his anger over what the children of Israel had done while he was on Mt. Sinai. But through this all God “so powerfully worked” in him, forgiving Moses of his sin for the sake of the yet unborn Messiah. God loved and guided him throughout his whole life and finally, in a unique act of love for His faithful servant, personally buried Moses on a mount overlooking the promised land.
There are many powerful lessons we can learn from the story of Moses and apply to our own missions for God. Are you unsure that God’s call is really for you? God appeared to Moses in a burning bush that was not consumed. Is your call not quite so “obvious”? Remember today we have the complete Bible to show us God’s will for our lives. Are we hesitant or afraid of answering God’s call? Moses was, but we need not be. But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” So God said to him, “I will certainly be with you.” Exodus 3:11-12. And again Moses hesitated and said, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” Exodus 4:10-12. We can be assured that God is with us even today, and will give us the very words needed to fulfill His missions. From Moses we learn that we may be called to God’s service later in life. We may be called to serve well into our retirement years and through “His energy”, we will be equipped to succeed. We may be hesitant and lack confidence, we may have as many excuses as Moses, but God still is able to mold the heart of a willing servant to accomplish His plans.
B. Joseph-Layman
Our next Old Testament servant is Joseph. While we may all be labeled as “called” in some manner, I have taken the view of Joseph as being called to a layman’s position in the body of Christ. Joseph was not educated as Moses was. As a young boy, because of the jealousy of his brothers he was thrown into a pit and then sold into slavery in a foreign land. His new master Potiphar, soon saw the abilities and character of this young man and advanced him up to be the head of his household. Because of the false accusation of Potiphar’s wife, Joseph was unjustly jailed. After many years, he was released and became part of Pharaoh's staff, eventually, to be named the head of Pharaoh’s palace and finally in charge of the whole land of Egypt, second in power only to Pharaoh himself.
In Joseph we can again see many of the attributes of our Savior. Imagine, could you show the love and forgiveness Joseph did for his brothers when they later came to Egypt during the famine in Canaan? After Jacob had died, Joseph’s brothers were afraid that Joseph might kill them so they went to Joseph to beg for his mercy. And Joseph wept as they begged and said to them, ”But as for you, you meant evil against me: but God meant it for good, in order to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid, I will provide for you and your little ones.” Gen 50:20-21. Through the power of Jesus love for us we are able to forgive those who may have wronged us. Joseph was a trustworthy man who remained faithful and pure through many temptations through the power of God. He was also a man gifted in matters of planning, organization and administration. While Joseph was indeed a sinner, the Bible does not give us many, if any examples of his failures.
Through his work in Egypt the ancestors of Jesus were fed through the great famine and the line of our Savior was maintained. Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim became leaders of two of the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph’s example is one of doing our best in whatever we are called to do, working in our jobs as if we are working directly for God. Interestingly, the Bible never records Joseph complaining or groaning during all of the many unjust trials he endured. His faith was a visible testament of the love of God, visible and discernable to all who came into contact with him. Joseph was a real salt of the Earth kind of guy.
We can also learn another very important lesson from the life of Joseph. Even though he always did his best, even though he was trustworthy and faithful, Joseph experienced setbacks in his life. As followers of Christ, in this sinful world, we will also experience setbacks. But when we experience setbacks in our mission, as we faithfully serve our Lord, the Holy Spirit will instill in us a deep satisfaction and peace that surpasses all understanding. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” Isaiah 26:3-4. So again and again we return to the cross for strength, secure in the knowledge that God’s love is eternal, from before His creation of the world, through Joseph’s time, even until today.
C. Ruth
The story of our last Old Testament servant is a wonderful story of love, devotion, and redemption which occurred during the time of the Judges. This was a time of unfaithfulness and immorality among the children of Israel. Naomi’s husband dies, leaving her with two sons to care for her. Her sons each marry Moabite women and after a number of years they also die, leaving Naomi and her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth to care for themselves. Naomi decides to return to the land of Judah and releases her daughters from any responsibility for her. All three women are greatly saddened by these events and after a tearful farewell Orpah returns to “her people and her gods,”(Ruth 1:15); but Ruth is led to stay with Naomi and her response to Naomi forms one of the most beautiful passages in Scripture. “Entreat me not to leave you, Or turn back from following you; For wherever you go , I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me and more also, If anything but death parts but you and I. Ruth 1:16-17. God’s servant Ruth is brought to faith in the living God, forsaking her pagan heritage. God shows His love for ALL people by blessing Ruth’s faithfulness by giving her a new husband (Boaz), a son (Obed), and a privileged position in the lineage of David (she was his great-grandmother) and subsequently Jesus of Nazareth.
The book of Ruth is one of the shortest books in the Old Testament. The concept of a redeemer (goel, one who redeems) is repeated 13 times in this book with Boaz playing this part by buying back the land of Naomi as well in marrying Ruth and fathering a son to keep the family line alive. The loyalty, love and obedience Ruth shows as a gentile servant/believer of God should carry deep meaning to us since we too are gentile servant/believers. The redeeming love of the coming Savior, at work in Ruth’s heart, made her a woman of godly virtue, willing to put the needs of others before her own. Another example for our use today is how God does not differentiate between those believers of wealth and those in poverty. God loves all people equally and “so powerfully works” His Will through all people in all lands.
IV. Examples of NEW TESTAMENT Servants
A. Paul-Called
We begin our study of New Testament servants with the apostle Paul, unquestionably a called servant of Jesus. But remember from where God called this “chief of sinners” through whom He inspired so many New Testament books of the Bible to be written. Paul, whose name prior to conversion was Saul, was a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin. He was educated in Tarsus and later studied the Jewish “laws of our fathers” in Jerusalem under the teacher Gamaliel. Paul was a very zealous person who in his younger days led persecutions of many believers in Jesus, both men and women. In Acts 9:1 we read that “Saul was still breathing our murderous threats against the lord’s disciples.” However on the road to Damascus Jesus called Saul to a different life. “A light from heaven flashed around him and Saul fell to the ground. Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Saul asked; Who are you Lord? I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what to do.” Acts 9:3b-6. When Saul got up he found he was blind and for 3 days he did not eat or drink anything. Jesus sent the disciple Ananias to Paul in a home in Damascus. “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptized”. Acts 9:17-18. After spending several days with the disciples in Damascus, he immediately began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
Paul remained a zealous man his whole life. But now through the gift of the Holy Spirit he was a zealous servant of the Mysteries of God. As a Jewish Pharisee, Saul was a proud man who saw himself “separate”, better than those around him. As a servant of Jesus, Paul became a humble man, thankful for the salvation worked within him. Paul became an encourager of those doing right and a rebuker of those doing wrong. He did these things by using the law of God and the Gospel of his Savior, Jesus Christ.
Paul’s failures before his conversion are many. First and foremost because of his training as a Pharisee he believed in his ability to earn heaven through his works. He also spent his life persecuting those who believed in Jesus, even giving the approval for the stoning of Stephen. Before Paul’s conversion he was working hard to please God but he had it all wrong. Paul’s primary mission in life after his conversion was bringing the Mysteries of God (the Gospel) to us, the gentile nations. In doing so Paul planted the seed of the Holy Spirit in the souls of many believers and started many churches in the ancient world. But Paul suffered greatly for this privilege of witnessing. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 we can read of some of them- 5 times whipped, 3 times beaten with rods, 1 time even stoned, 3 times shipwrecked- spending a night and a day in the water, often away from home on missionary journeys, often imperiled by robbers, wilderness, Jews, gentiles, he was hungry, thirsty, cold, naked, imprisoned, and after all of these hardships, what occupied his daily thoughts? It was not his own sorrows and hurts that occupied his mind but rather his deep concern for the new believers and their churches. Paul was the one who was inspired to write our theme and he knew of what he wrote through happenings in his own daily life.
Paul is indeed a shining example of God’s power in converting our blind and sinful hearts and of how once exposed to the gospel we can become laborers for Him who works so mightily in us. Through Paul’s life we can learn, that if our early life was outside of the Body of believers or not God pleasing in every respect, God can still work miracles in our lives and through His Word bring us to a faithful life full of service to Him. We can see how application of God’s Word in direct and loving ways can have a powerful impact on those we meet. And since Paul’s primary mission was to the gentiles, we can learn that we should be zealous supporters of our own CLC foreign mission work. This support may take the form of monetary offerings, prayers and even personally participating in our Mission Helper programs.
B. Stephen & Philip-Layman
Now as the early church grew the 12 apostles (Matthias had replaced Judas) found it difficult to perform all the general tasks required of them without neglecting their prime duty of ministering the Word. So they gathered together all of the disciples and decided that they would “choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom”, (Acts 6:3) to aide them in the administration of the early believers. Stephan and Phillip were chosen, (along with Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch) and “these men were presented to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them.” Acts 6:6. These laymen did great wonders among the people and soon members of the Jewish society began to oppose them. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin where he was falsely accused of blasphemy against God and Moses. Stephen, in a wonderfully inspired and historically accurate speech (Acts 7:1 to 8:53) lays out the history of the Jewish people up to the death of John the Baptist and the recent stiff-necked behavior of the Jews that led to the betrayal and murder of the “Righteous One”-Jesus the Christ. In a fit of rage the members of the Sanhedrin seize him and take him out of the City and stone him to death. At the end of his life the love of God contained in him is shown by his statement, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Acts 7:60. Stephen was an early believer who labored and struggled by the help of God to proclaim the truth within Him. He endured suffering at the hands of countrymen and finally died a martyr’s death.
On the day of Stephen’s death a great persecution broke out in Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. (It was during this time that Saul did some of his most vicious work in attempting to destroy the Church.) But God used this evil persecution for good, to expand the areas where the Mysteries of God were preached. The Holy Spirit moved mightily in bringing many people to faith in Jesus. One of those believers who fled Jerusalem was Philip. Philip was residing in a city in Samaria where he proclaimed the Good News of Jesus. An angel of the Lord told him to go down on the road to Gaza where he met an Ethiopian eunuch who was an important man in the Treasury of the Queen of Ethiopia, Candace. The eunuch was studying the Book of Isaiah but he did not understand it’s meaning and Philip was invited by the eunuch to explain it to him. “The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth. The eunuch asked Philip, Tell me please who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else? Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.” Acts 8:32-40. In our illustration Philip did indeed expose the Mysteries of God, to his fellow man. And we are told of how the Holy Spirit worked the miracle of sanctification in the eunuch’s heart when the eunuch said to Phillip, “See here is water. What hinders me from being baptized? Then Philip said; If you believe with all your heart you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both he and Philip went down into the water and Philip baptized him”. Acts 8:36-38.
Stephen and Philip were being good stewards of their lives of service to God when they accepted the positions given to them by the apostles. They could have said they were too busy or they had other business or family obligations but they put Jesus first in their lives. God used Stephen to directly inform the Sanhedrin of His plan for salvation. So today we laymen can be confident if God puts us into a similar position of proclaiming the truth to groups or bodies of people who error in their understanding of the Bible. While it is rare today, to die from persecution for ones faith here in our country, our fellow believers in foreign lands can take comfort in knowing that God will strengthen their faith to the point where they can endure hardships up to and even including death and remain steadfast in their faith of life eternal. In Romans 5:1-5 we read: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance (endurance); and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Philip’s witness to the eunuch shows how God can use laymen to spread the Word to foreign lands. Even today, the faith perhaps started by Philip’s witness to the eunuch, lives in the country of Ethiopia.
C. Mary & Martha
Mary and Martha were dear friends of our Savior. They were a generous family and supported Jesus during His ministry. Jesus spent many days at their home and was comforted by their love for Him. They were also the sisters of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. While Jesus loved them both the Bible tells us they were two very different people in their approach to how they served Jesus. I even saw a book last week titled, How to be a Mary in a Martha World. To state their differences in a very simplified way- Martha worked, Mary listened; Martha worried, Mary listened; Martha worked and worried and Mary was still found to be listening at her Savior’s feet. It always seems a bit unfair to criticize Martha for working doesn’t it? After all the, work does need to get done and somebody has to do it. And wouldn’t it be great to “sit at Jesus’ feet” while somebody else did the bulk of the grunt work. The point here is that we need to prioritize our lives and make sure that we set aside ample and adequate time to both work and listen. But our first priority should always be love and reverence for our Savior. He will provide His energy which so powerfully works in me(us).
There is so much to learn from Mary and Martha. God is willing and able to use all sorts of personalities to accomplish His mission of spreading the Gospel. God gives us time, talents and treasures which through careful and prayerful consideration we are to prioritize and use to further His kingdom. We should also keep in mind that each of us has been given only so much time here on Earth during which to proclaim the glories of our Savior and we must be careful in how we use that time. In this section we can clearly see that God prefers that we put Him and His Word first as we set our schedules. Lastly, let’s not allow our eagerness to serve turn into a trap of busy, work righteousness whereby we lose the joy of serving our Savior and even endanger our soul’s salvation.
V. Hymn- 772 On Galilee’s High Mountain
VI. God’s Mission for Us in Present Times
From these examples of Biblical servants of God we can see that God uses highly educated people as well as those of minor or no formal education. He uses the old and the very young. He invites the very rich and the very poor and everyone in between to help in spreading the Gospel. In 1 Peter 3:15 we read, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that is in you.” But where do we begin? How do we get started? Well hopefully you have made a few notes on your Action Plan sheet already. Writing our thoughts down on paper is a big help in beginning any mission. It can also help us to divide our mission into the following 3 areas: A. The Unchurched B. Within our own churches, and C. Within our own families. You will no doubt have many ideas of your own on how and where you can serve. Let me mention a few ideas the Lord has laid on my heart to help you get started.
A. Unchurched
Let’s start with our local community. You’ve seen the bumper sticker, Think globally, act locally, it’s not bad advice. We all have friends and coworkers who do not regularly attend a church. We can live our lives as Christian examples like Joseph. When some of these people notice the difference within us, we can do a great service for them by bringing them the Word of God as Stephen did for the early church or explaining questions they may have as Philip did for the eunuch. We can pray frequently and fervently for the Holy Spirit to move their hearts. We can write down the names of people we are led to witness to about Jesus on our Action Plan sheets.
At the global level we can pray for and financially support our Missionaries in Africa and India. We can think of how Ruth, when exposed to the one true God, left her pagan ways and became an ancestor of Jesus himself. We can work toward bringing the light of the Gospel to foreign lands and through the Word the Holy Spirit can work saving faith in the hearts of those who have never heard of their Savior. We can pray for and financially support the many mission programs of our Synod such as orphan support and seminary sponsorships through the Project Kinship, the Mission helper program, and the Mission Development Fund. These are important programs that have life saving, eternal benefits for those people touched by them. What better use of our time, talents and treasure could there possibly be? God’s view of our world is not only global but eternal. The work done by Moses thousands of years ago is just as appropriate and useful now as it was in his day. God’s Word is eternal. When we, proclaim God’s Word today, the effects of the Gospel message are eternal. It could be that generations from now, descendants of those people saved by the Holy Spirit through our work in spreading the Gospel in Africa and India today, may be sending missionaries back to our descendants in the United States.
B. Within our churches
We also have many opportunities to serve within our synod and within our local churches. Thank God for the commitment of those in attendance today as delegates and observers. There are many areas of service open to us on the different Committees and Boards. As Joseph was used by God to be the top administrator of Egypt, we are blessed with talented and faithful people who serve our Synod, struggling with all His energy, to create needed programs, balance budgets and provide the best that we have for the many people served by our Synod.
In our local churches there are also the same needs of serving on committees, boards and guilds. From mowing the grass, to painting the building, to shingling roofs, the areas available for us to serve are many. We can be teachers in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. Teachers who through the Word can strengthen a child’s faith and aide the Holy Spirit in His work of equipping our young people for the spiritual battles they will be facing in this sinful world. We can use our God given talents in the choir, serving in music, planting flowers and planting seeds of the Gospel that can make our churches grow strong in the Lord. We can be Marys and Marthas. Working and listening. Putting our Savior first in all things. Joyful in the knowledge of what our Savior has already done for us and of how we will see Him in the flesh forever in Heaven.
C. Within our families-(Mary & Joseph)
And we can think the most locally of all. We can serve our families. Just think, God did not send Jesus to Earth as an adult. Jesus came as a baby and babies need parents. How would you like to have had that responsibility, to train and raise up the Savior of the world? Mary and Joseph could have come up with more excuses than Moses did, but they relied on God to give them the words and the strength to be the earthly parents of his Son. As parents today, we to are parents of God’s sons and daughters. Our children are as important to and loved as much by our Heavenly Father as Jesus was during His time on Earth. If you were Jesus’ parents would you do daily devotions with him? Of course you would. Do you do daily devotions with your own children? I pray so. There are 3 lines regarding “family” on your Action Plan sheet, I hope one of those lines contains the commitment to do daily devotions with your children. We read in Ephesians 6:4, “And you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Do our children see the love of our Heavenly Father reflected onto them by our kind words and other expressions of love? As parents today our job is difficult, but by laboring, and struggling with His energy, which works so powerfully in us, we can bring up our children to fear and love Him.
As God fearing spouses we should also consider how we can be a servant to our wife or husband. As Christ served us, so we should serve one another. We read from Ephesians 5:22, ““Wives submit to your Husband as to the Lord”. And Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it”. And finally Ephesians 5:33, Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” There are many areas where I can improve as a husband and a helpmate for my wife. I can be more kind, patient, and understanding. I can listen more. My wife had several more suggestions but let me stop there. You probably have the idea by now. I will let you decide what else to put on your Action Plan sheet.
VII. Call to Action
A. Prayerfully set goals for our work
The most important word in this section’s heading is prayerfully. We do well to take all of our needs and questions to the Lord in prayer. But as Luther said, “Pray with your Bible open”. It often occurs, that we seek God’s direction through prayer, when He has already clearly shown us the path we are to take in His Word. We should be careful to not let our thoughts, desires or emotions create an “answer” to our prayers that is not in keeping with God’s biblical principles.
The second most important word is goals. Sometime we chaff a bit at setting goals for ourselves. After all, things change, and we don’t want to “count our chickens before they hatch”. But goal setting is an important part of successfully serving the Lord. Goals are the basis for our plans. A Convention without an agenda or schedule (the plan) would be hard pressed to achieve its purpose (the goals). Likewise we need to set goals for our personal mission in serving the Lord. It is very important that our goals and plans be written down. Let’s go back for a minute to our Action Plan sheet. When we write our goals down we are consciously committing ourselves to their accomplishment through the blessing and power of our Father in heaven. Have you written anything down yet? I encourage you to keep the Action Plan page with you in your pocket or purse until you arrive back home. Here at Convention, carry it with you so you are able to make notes on it, as the Spirit leads your heart during the proclamation of His Word. Lord willing you will see the red topped pen and a folded Action Plan in many people’s pockets during your the remaining days here in Eau Claire.
The last word is work. If we did this right, we will have listened like Mary, set our goals after hearing our Savior and now we are ready to work like Martha. We can keep in mind that God is right beside us to help and direct us. But we do need to work. The mission God has in mind for us is not easy. We need to gird ourselves for this mission and get after it. Whether that be something small, and maybe to others rather insignificant, or whether that be volunteering for something like a Mission Helper trip to Africa or India, everything we do in God’s name is important, as everything the members of the body do, are necessary to nourish the whole body.
B. Draw on our God given talents
God has equipped each one of us with special talents which He in His infinite wisdom is able to use for the spreading of His Gospel. Humbling isn’t it? God choose the part each of us is to fill in His mission of Salvation. “Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those of gifts of administrations and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.” 1 Corinthians 12:27-28. And God doesn’t make mistakes. Perhaps our talents are hidden by shyness or lack of training but they are still there. Pray that God reveals these talents to you and that He blesses your attempts to use them. God may be in the process of refining and strengthening our faith for the mission He has in mind for us. Perhaps God has called us to serve in an area that we just don’t understand how our talents fit. For instance, Moses couldn’t speak well, but God gave him Aaron to help him. Maybe God’s mission for you includes working alongside someone else or in a group, on a committee, or on a board, etc.
C. Rely on His Power
We have come back to our original theme. Who should we depend on? By now you all know the answer, “to this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me”. Without the direction and power of our Almighty God to direct and sustain us, our missions would be impossible to finish. But we do not need to feel burdened or defeated. God has promised often in His Word to be there when we need him most. “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you, I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:5b.
D. Confident in the Hope within us.
As blood bought saints of the Most High God, let us all proceed from this place with the boldness and assurance of the Love of God and the commitment to labor to share what God has given to us. Let’s join with the Apostle Paul and proclaim “I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13. May all that we think, do and say be to the glory of our Savior Jesus and the furtherance of the kingdom of God. Amen.
VIII. Hymn- 451 Stand Up-Stand up for Jesus
Respectfully presented at the CLC Convention – June 18, 2008
By: Steven A. Leinberger
Gethsemane Evangelical Lutheran Church
Saginaw Michigan
Pastor Michael Wilke
---
Action Plan Page:
Bible Verse- “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2
(Jesus is the reason and source of inspiration for all God pleasing work in our lives.)
Individuals who have inspired me-
1. Jesus of Nazareth- My redeemer, my priest, my friend, my King, my God.
2._____________________________________________________________________
3._____________________________________________________________________
Individuals who I will personally witness to about our Savior-
1.______________________________________________________________________
2.______________________________________________________________________
3.______________________________________________________________________
Projects or tasks I will personally attend to upon my return to my home congregation-
1._______________________________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________________________
3._______________________________________________________________________
Areas I will strive to improve with God’s help and direction within in my family-
1._______________________________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________________________
3._______________________________________________________________________
Bible Verse- “But as for me and My house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15b.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Revelation 21 - The City of God
Revelation 21
Some of the previous chapters of Revelation have contained startling images illustrating sad truths about those who reject God’s outstretched and loving hand. In a word, they have illustrated God’s just judgment on His enemies. But here in Revelation chapter twenty-one the images shift to paint a wondrous and comforting picture of the bright future awaiting God’s followers.
In Romans 8:18-25 the apostle Paul tells us that God subjected His creation to the same curse that Adam and Eve brought on themselves. After the fall into sin, man’s heart became poisoned with all sorts of evil and destructive desires. The creation around mankind also became filled with all sorts of evil and destructive things. Things were no longer right in the world, so that mankind would remember that things were no longer right in himself.
In 2 Peter 3:10-13 we are told that God will destroy the present corrupted creation. But this destroying will be a melting down in order to purify and create new, not a total annihilation of the matter which makes up the universe. After the universe as we know it is taken apart, God will put it back together again, new, perfect and free of the effects of sin.
In Revelation 21 God gives John a glimpse of this new creation. It is necessary to keep in mind that this is still a vision. It does not necessarily contain a “camera” shot of the actualities which will exist in the New Creation. Consistent with the way we’ve interpreted the rest of Revelation, here we expect the numbers and images to contain a greater spiritual meaning, not only a physical description of what is to come.
VERSES 1-5
“No Sea?” In his vision of the New Creation John doesn’t see any sea. Why would the recreated world be without ocean? Perhaps this is our first clue that this image is not meant to be a snap-shot of the future world, but a symbolic picture of it. As the Jews were not an ocean going people, the ocean was a symbol of uncertainty and turmoil. A world without the ocean would have suggested peace.
“The
“God With Us” In verse three, John hears a loud voice declare that now the…
“dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them” (Revelation 21:3 NIV).
The effect of God living with mankind in intimate union (like in the Garden of Eden) is then described in a list of seven blessings:
1. They will be His people
2. He will be with them as their God
3. He will wipe every tear from their eyes
4. There will be no more death
5. nor mourning
6. nor crying
7. nor pain
The tremendous change in the way things are—from a sinful, broken world to a perfect, peaceful experience—is described succinctly with two phrases, “the old order of things has passed away” and God’s Words, “I am making everything new!”
Summary Image: Those who have been taken up on the Last Day (believers in Christ, see 1 Thessalonians
VERSES 6-8
“Alpha and Omega” God is the beginning and the end. What He began in the six days of creation has now come through so much. It was ruined by sin. It was promised a Savior. It was carried through time to see God’s Son complete it’s redemption. It has been brought through the apostolic age and to what man calls the end. But, He who is eternal is there also. He is the Beginning and End.
“The Freedom of the Gift” God gives complete forgiveness of sins in Jesus His Son. This is a gift, completely free of any charge. It is offered to all sinners. This fact is emphasized by God’s call to “him who is thirsty” to drink without paying from the spring of the Water of Life. The tab has already been picked up by Jesus. He who trusts in Christ and endures in faith to the end will receive an eternal inheritance from God his Heavenly Father.
“The Gift Rejected” Verse eight gives another reminder that those who show their rejection of God’s Son by their evil words and actions will not inherit Heaven, but Hell instead. Having died the first death of spiritual separation from God, they will then also suffer the second death of total and eternal separation from God.
VERSES 9-14
“The Bride, the Wife of the Lamb” The Bride of God is the Holy Christian Church. Here it is represented symbolically as a city that is not built up from the ground up, but instead comes down from the sky! It is given the very glory of God and shines with a brilliance which reminded John of a way a precious jewel might shine.
We are reminded that only through intimate connection to Christ (faith) can a person be one of God’s people. Only those who enter into “marriage” with Christ will be joined together with Him for eternity.
“Church Details” Verses 12-14 describe the Holy City of New Jerusalem in a way that solidifies our interpretation that this City is the Holy Christian Church.
There are twelve gates, twelve angels, twelve names of the tribes of Israel written on the gates, twelve foundations, twelve names of the apostles on the foundations (See Ephesians 2:19-22).
In addition to the number twelve (a number already established as a number associated with God’s Church) there is also the curious fact that there are three doors on each side of the city and four sides of the city. Three plus four is seven, the number of God’s covenant of grace between Himself and mankind (See previous study on Revelation 2).
VERSES 15-27
“A
I believe the largest skyscraper in
“An Architecture Which Exceeds All” The City of God is described as being strong, built out of the most precious materials, huge, solid, spacious and different than any earthly city or palace that has ever been. It is lighted with the radiance which God’s glory emits. It is more pure than anything on our current planet. No evil can enter it. Only those people whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, only the redeemed sinners who trust in Christ alone for entrance into heaven (Ephesians
References:
Revelation: The Distant Triumph Song, Siegbert W. Becker
Concordia Self-Study Bible
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Personal Witnessing Strategy - Session 4
PERSONAL WITNESSING STRATEGY
Session 4
FOUNDATIONAL FUNDAMENTALS
Professional athletes don’t have time to think about every movement they make. Because they’ve practiced the fundamentals of their game so much, the actions just happen when different situations arise in their game. We want this to be the case when telling others about Jesus. While the Good News of sins forgiven through Jesus is a simple message, it also has important points that we will want to communicate as a person asks for more about this Jesus guy.
Hopefully, as our relationship grows with someone we’re witnessing to, we’ll have an increasing amount of opportunities to talk about who Jesus is, why He had to die on the cross and what the events of Easter really means for modern day Christians. If we continually are in contact with God’s Word, these things will flow out from us more easily.
“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” (1 Peter
If we focus specifically on the fundamentals of the Good News we will find ourselves better prepared for communicating Jesus’ message when opportunities arise.
SEVEN FUNDAMENTALS
Keep it simple. When witnessing to others, remember that they might not be ready for the amount of detail that you are able give them. Here are seven basic statements that Michael Gibson offers to help communicate the Good News in a simple but faithful way.
#1 - GOD LOVES US UNCONDITIONALLY.
The world around us doesn’t give much out for free. But God’s love for sinners comes with no strings attached. Some push God’s love away because they think God can’t really love them unless they do something to earn His love. Others push God’s love away by reasoning that if God loves everyone, than everyone will make it to heaven. God does love everyone, and has made forgiveness of sins available to everyone – in His Son. Not in Allah. Not in Buddha. Not in Gaia. In His Son.
John 3:16
1 John 5:11-13
1 Timothy 2:3-4
#2 - WE REBEL AGAINST GOD’S LOVE.
Sin is rebellion against God’s loving rule in our life. Ever since Adam and Eve all of us do it. Our sin rebellion separates us from God and invites His judgment.
Romans 3:23
Psalm 14:1-3
Ecclesiastes 7:20
#3 - WE CAN’T OVERCOME OUR OWN REBELLION.
Most if not all religions apart from Christianity are suggested methods for overcoming the badness in us and climbing upward to God. But this is make believe. Just as a human being will never jump up and touch the stars, neither can sinners overcome the sin that they are mired in.
Romans 11:35
Romans 3:20
Isaiah 6:1, 5
#4 - JESUS IS GOD’S SOLUTION TO OUR REBELLION.
God knew right from the start that sinful mankind could never get himself out of the mess of sin. So God provided the way out. God arranged for someone else to pay the punishment for man’s sin – Jesus. God’s Son made human. The God-Man.
Romans 3:23-26
Romans 1:16-17
2 Timothy 3:15
#5 - GOD’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE BRINGS
Jesus doesn’t come to teach us how to earn forgiveness, Jesus brings us actual forgiveness. Now. Forever. Christianity doesn’t offer a ladder to heaven. In Christianity Jesus transports us into the kingdom of forgiveness and peace through no efforts of our own. In Jesus we see God’s love truly is unconditional. No strings attached.
Acts
Ephesians 1:7
Colossians 1:13
#6 - TRUST IN JESUS BINDS US TO HIM.
Forgiveness, life and salvation are all found in Jesus. Those who trust in Him have these. It is not our good deeds that bind us to Christ. His goodness and loving acts toward us shine like a light and draw us to Him in trust.
Romans 10:11-13
John 5:24
1 John 5:11-12
#7- GOD’S GRACE ENABLES US TO LIVE AS OBEDIENT CHILDREN WHO CAN SAY NO TO SIN.
The world often messes this one up. Most religions say we have to do good to earn God’s love. The reality is, God’s love comes to us first! God’s Son washes our sin away and makes us His children by faith. The good conduct that begins to grow afterwards is just the breathing of the living spirit that trusts in Jesus as Savior.
Titus 2:11-14
Romans 12:1-2
1 John 3:1-3
GETTING ONTO THE FIELD
- Write Gibson’s seven Gospel points on 3 x 5 cards. On the other side of the card write out a passage which you feel expresses this point well. Take the cards with you and memorize them. Make them so familiar that they’ll easily come to mind in a conversation.
- Identify events in your life that illustrate each of these fundamental points. Think about how your story might lead into one of these Gospel points. Practice how you might actually talk about this in real conversation. Practice talking around these points until you’re comfortable and natural when doing so. You are becoming equipped to reach out with your own personal experience and actually share the Good News in the context of your experience with Jesus. Now that’s exciting!
Referenced: “Out of the Bleachers and Onto the Field” by Michael E. Gibson
Personal Witnessing Strategy - Session 3
PERSONAL WITNESSING STRATEGY
Session 3
MAKING CONTACT
Maybe you’ve seen a big “home-run” hitter step up to the plate at a softball game. This guy knows he can hit a home-run and wants one right now. Here comes the pitch. Here comes the swing. A big step, a big swooping swipe, the crack of the bat – and a high fly ball to end the inning.
The homerun is glorious, but the game winning hitters are the ones who come out every night just to make contact. In fact, that’s the best method for hitting homeruns – just make good solid contact. Eventually, one will find the fence.
In witnessing the same is true. Our great God hasn’t asked us to hit a homerun every time, He just wants us to make contact!
A pastor was giving a talk on witnessing and was asked, “What should I say?” He replied, “Something!” He was right! Effective witnessing can’t be done if we don’t put the Word of God into play. To use the baseball comparison: Where should I hit it? Somewhere! Make contact! Speak of your great God and Savior!
CONTACT AT THE CROSS POINTS
Mark 5:18-20
When the experience of a believer overlaps with the experience of a non-Christian an opportunity is present to speak of what God has done for us and how He has had mercy on us.
Sometimes a cross point zips past like a fastball down the middle of the plate. We miss it because we aren’t paying attention. Part of seeing cross points is being conscious that they may be coming, and listening for them.
Acts 17:22-23
In
LISTEN! LISTEN! LISTEN!
If we want to share Jesus with other people we need to first listen to them. Then we can understand what aspect of the Good News we might start with and how to do that. Each situation is different because each person’s experience in life is different. There isn’t one polished sentence or paragraph that a Christian can just rattle off in every witnessing opportunity. We have to listen before we can speak with specific purpose and direction.
A SILLY CROSS POINT
In his book, Gibson tells a story about a little green dot. He would place a little green dot on his watch to remind himself to be in God’s Word every day. One day a the local grocery store a clerk noticed the dot. She asked him what it was. He told her, “It’s something I use as a reminder. When I see it, I ask myself if I’ve spent time with the Lord today in Bible study and prayer.”
Looking confused, the clerk said, “Oh... Your total is $7.32”.
But the next time he went through her line, she noticed the dot had changed color. It was red now. She asked why. He responded, “If I don’t change the color it loses impact.”
She said, “Did it work today, did you remember?”
“Remember?”
“Your time with, you know, …God.”
“Yeah, I did; I had a great time.”
“Oh. Your total is $3.21.”
It was a silly dot. It was a simple exchange. It was a little conversation, but it was the beginning of a relationship.
“As we have our little talks (remember, I’m in the quick-check line), I try to remember previous conversations so that I can ask questions about her well-being in hopes of providing an opportunity to encourage her, to promise to pray for her, to speak to her about the Lord. I’m not doing anything special, just trying to make contact. And as I listen to her, I begin to get a feel for who she is and how she might respond to parts of my story” (Gibson 44).
JOURNAL YOUR EXPERIENCE
People are valuable. They are precious souls fashioned by God Almighty and bought back from sin by the unimaginable suffering of God’s Son. Take the time to listen to their thoughts, their worries, their story. Take it further. Take a moment to write down some of the things you hear in a journal. Take it even further. Review that journal and actually pray for these people that you may have an opportunity to reach out to.
GETTING ONTO THE FIELD
- In an earlier session you made a list of unsaved family and friends. Write down the names of 1-3 of those individuals on which to focus your witnessing efforts.
- List some “cross points” that you have in common with each person. Ponder how God might use these common experiences to provide a contemporary context in which the Good News of Jesus can be shared.
- Continually pray for the people on your list.
Referenced: “Out of the Bleachers and Onto the Field” by Michael E. Gibson
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
