Reflections

The former John Paul II used to take some time each year during his anniversary to reflect on what God was doing in his faith journey.  While I obviously don’t see eye to eye with the former pope on many aspects of the Christian faith, he was correct to spend time reflecting on the past.

I’m taking some time this week to do just that.  So, while the posts may be scattered, it is being put to a good cause.  In the mean time, perhaps you would like to leave a comment on what God is doing in your life and what He has done this last year.

Blessings

Batter my heart, three-personed God

Hat tip to Sarah for showing me this poem this morning.  I loved it so much I wanted to share it with you guys.

Batter my heart, three-personed God; for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurped town, to another due,
Labor to admit you, but oh, to no end;
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you and would be loved fain,
But am betrothed unto your enemy;
Divorce me, unite or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.

John Donne (1572-1631)

What do you think?

Merry Christmas

The greatest gifts in the world come in small wonderful packages.  Who would have thought that a baby, born in the sheep den would be the Saviour of the world.  Thank you Lord for your gift of love to me.  I will be forever grateful. 

Incarnational Truth – An Exalted Humanity

One aspect of the incarnation that we often overlook is that it provided in full measure what it means to be human.  Man today is not what God originally intended.  Adam and Eve’s descent into sin has marred the image of God in humanity until we only see a glimmer of it today.  The beauty and wonder that was once man has not been the same ever since.  You don’t have to go far past Genesis 3 to find the downward spiral of sin in humanity.  Murder, deception, pride…all of these are found in the direct descendant of Adam (Cain, Genesis 4).

Yet with the advent of Christ, humanity was exalted.  First of all in the fact that God would take on human flesh and dwell among us (John 1:14).  That aspect of the incarnation itself is beyond full comprehension and we can only acknowledge it and glorify God because of it.  But the second aspect is that Jesus became the prime example of humanity as it was intended.  He loved with an agape love.  He had compassion for others.  He lived a sinless life in constant communion with the Father, obedient in all areas of His life.  In every regard, Jesus restored humanity to its rightful position as the crown of God’s creation.

It is similar to the restoration of the Sistine Chapel.  Years of candle smoke and other pollutants had masked the true vibrancy of Michelangelo’s paints.  But through the careful restoration of the paintings, by the stripping away the years of grime and gunk, the true nature of what was represented could be seen.  Now the colors are vivid and the paintings are incredible to see.  So to the incarnation.  It was the beginning of the restoration of mankind into the image of God.

Christ’s incarnation reset what was lost in the garden and exalted humanity.

Incarnational Truth – At the Right Time

Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law.”

God’s timing is perfect.  He is never early and he is never late.  For centuries the nations had looked for a Savior.  The promise of God in Genesis 3:15 was taken on its face value and Adam and Eve began to look for this redeemer.  Although Cain was not the one they were looking for, the pattern of searching for the Annointed One would continue.  The Old Testament is full of the expectation that God would bring salvation to a sinful world through the promised child.  His promises became more specific as time went along.  The promise to Abraham that his seed would be the blessing of the world.  Moses prediction of another prophet who would come to his people.  The other prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah and so many more all pointed forward to the expectation.  Even the pagan religions were skewed towards an expectation of the promise (even though sin had tarnished and marred this understanding). 

“But when the fullness of time had come…“  At the perfect time God intervened.  The incarnation is a promise kept.  It is the truth that God moves in history to accomplish His work on His timing.  Let us not forget that simple truth of Christmas.  No matter what you are going through, no matter the stress, the suffering or the greatest joy - His timing is perfect for you.

Incarnational Truth – God with Us

Christmas is a great time of the year.  I love it not only because of the closeness I feel towards family and the warmth that has been traditionally associated with the holiday but mostly because it is an annual reminder of the incarnation.  The nativity story really isn’t about Joseph, Mary, the angels or Herod.  It is about God becoming man.   So to reflect on this central aspect of our Christmas celebration, I want to highlight for the next few days some truths about the incarnation and why it is important. 

Truth – the incarnation is important because it means that God is with us.  That is the substance of the prophesy in Isaiah 7:14, “He will be called Immanuel”, God with us.  On the surface this isn’t anything new.  The Greek and Roman mythology had many gods who walked among men.  In various ways their gods interacted with humans and had human characteristics.  But the concept of the Almighty God becoming man is a foreign one not only to the Greek mythology but to all forms of religion.   However, in the incarnation that is what we find.  That God has come not in the form (i.e. outward appearance) but in the substance of man.  He was clothed with human flesh, he took on human nature and in a mysterious and miraculous (but no less real) way, God is now with us.  Philippians 2:6-8, Colossians 1:19; 2:9, Hebrews 2:14 all testify to this reality.   

And so when we sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel and the other great hymns of Christmas time, we are verbally testifying to the incarnation.  That God is among us.   That is a message that our culture, our church needs to hear.  For it means that God has taken the initiative to invade our world and to make His presence known.  The incarnation is a reminder that we are not left alone to our own devices and utlimately to our own destruction.  Instead, God has come among us, become one of us to save us from ourselves.  That is a truth that we must wrestle with and at the end of the day submit to.

First Impressions

I have been told before that first impressions are lasting ones.  This has borne true in my life.  Regardless of how well something or someone may actually be, the first impression usually sticks with you for a long time.  That being said, let me share some first impressions of our time at First Baptist this last week. 

1.  The people are hungry for God to work.   

2.  The task is huge but God is bigger still. 

3.  FBC is at the edge of a period of spiritual growth that may be the make or break for the church. 

4.  People make the difference no matter where you are at.  FBC has a group of the finest people I have ever had the pleasure to meet.  We felt closer to these guys than we have to any other for a long time.

Home Again

We just arrived home from our visit with FBC Mooresville.  Well, actually we arrived this morning but slept for a while.  I’m still sorting through all the e-mails and unpacking bags.  I’ll have something of substance tomorrow, but let it suffice to say that God is really, really, really good.

Rejoice

The psalmist’s understood the value of rejoicing.  There is something about finding joy in the Lord that changes our perspective on our present circumstances.   A cursory overview of the psalms shows that in many of them, the writer is facing extreme opposition and trials.  Yet they usually end the psalm with a word of praise, thanksgiving, or rejoicing.  There is a confident expectation that God will deliver, even if that deliverance is not seen with the physical eyes.

Paul writes multiple times for believers to rejoice.  Most notably in his letter to Philippi.  “Finally my friends, rejoice in the Lord” (3:1)  “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (4:4)

Kellie and I are learning the secret of rejoicing no matter the circumstances.  In fact, real joy is independent of the present situation.  When things are going so good that it seems God must be within arms reach, we rejoice.  It is easy to do for His children.  But when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we are also learning to rejoice.  Not because of what is being experienced but because of who God is; what He has done.

Joy is a byproduct of a ongoing trust relationship with Christ.  It sneaks in, unnoticed until it is needed.  Then it breaks forth like a dam that is breached by the flood waters.  Think about the nativity story.  The angels brought a message of “great joy” (Luke 2:10) to the shepherds.  Israel was still ruled by the Romans.  The bondage of sin had yet to be broken.  But joy…ever present, ever wondering, ever greater joy celebrates a greater and more real reality.

Church Organisation Part 3

Church organisation at its best