Evangelism Is Not A Program

"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."
                                                                            Deuteronomy 6: 6-7 KJV

Evangelism; sharing the Good News; sharing all that the Lord God has done for us is not a program. It is a way of life.

We share with other people those things that we care about or love. We share photos of our families. Some like to talk a whole lot about their favorite sports team. Others talk about their favorite actors or musicians like they know them personally. But, do those who profess to be Christians talk about God like they know God personally? Do we talk about him like a member of our family? He is a member of our family. He is the head of the family. He is our Father. 

If you love him who will share with others what wonderful things he has done for you. Again, evangelism is not a program that a select few are to administer. It is a way of life for all who believe!

May God open you lips and empower you with knowledge and wisdom to share the Good News!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Afraid To Hear What The Lord Has To Say?

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it." (Luke 9:23-24 NIV)

Are you one who prefers not to hear what the Lord has to say to you? Do you turn up the music and sleep with the television on rather than take the chance that God just might whisper in your ear and call you to follow Jesus?

I believe that it is the fear of hearing the truth that keeps many who claim to be Christians from gathering with brothers and sisters in Christ for worship weekly (or more often). They just may be afraid that in hearing His Word in the lessons or the preaching or even the hymns they may be called to step out beyond their own desires and follow Jesus.  

And... we all know where Jesus leads us. He leads us to the cross. He calls us to die to ourselves so that we might live in him and that he might live and reach out to others through us. There is a great possibility that if we take the time to listen to God rather than the world around us that we might just be asked to make a few changes in our lives and no one really wants to do that.

I know that I have quoted Annie Dillard from her book "Teaching a Stone to Talk" in at least a few of sermons. Well, here it is again. And, yes, maybe we should know that in hearing His Word, God will call us to a place beyond ourselves and when He does we will not be able to return to our old way of living. Yes; indeed, it takes a bit of courage to hear God's Word and actually listen to him.

"It is madness to wear straw hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping God may wake someday and take offense, or the waking God may draw us out to where we can never return." (Annie Dillard)

May God grant us the courage to listen to Him and then to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Crash Helmets and Cheap Grace

Grace is not cheap!

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Heb 12:28-29 NIV)

Reverence and awe; what is that? One of my favorite authors is Annie Dillard. In her book "Teaching a Stone to Talk" she wrote:

"It is madness to wear straw hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping God may wake someday and take offense, or the waking God may draw us out to where we can never return."

Sometimes, I think that we have probably forgotten who God is. We forget that He is Almighty. We forget that He is the creator of all things. We forget that He who gives us life can also take it away. We seem not to be able to grasp the concept that because He is so great maybe he deserves a little more respect than we give to Him. Maybe, we should pay a little closer attention to His Word.

Over time, the church on earth, in order to grow her numbers, offered up what the German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, called "cheap grace. " In his book "The Cost of Discipleship" he wrote:  

"Cheap grace is the grace we bestow upon ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. Communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate."

It is a wonder to me that so often I encounter Christians who think just because Jesus died for all people that all people would be saved. This universal salvation is lie of the devil to please the itching ears of the world. It leads many down the path of destruction. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6 NIV) Universal salvation is nothing more than cheap grace. 

On the other hand, Bonhoeffer wrote:

"Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus, it comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and the contrite heart. It is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: 'My yoke is easy and my burden is light.'"

and

"It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: 'ye were bought at a price,' and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God."

Yes! Yes! Rejoice for our God loves you so much He was willing to die for you. Sing praises like you mean it; because, hopefully you do mean it. But, let us also understand that we are in the presence of God at all times and in all places. We represent God here in this world. If Christians will not worship Him with reverence and awe; who will?

God is; after all, Almighty. As Lutherans we teach of the first commandment in the small catechism:  

   Thou shalt have no other gods.

   What does this mean?--Answer.

   We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.

I am well aware that many in the church today teach that we should never fear God because of His great love for us. We are taught that we shall all be saved. Yet, Jesus tells us: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

and...

"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." (Luke 12:4-5)

Who has that authority? Only one has that authority; the one who created you and me; the one who created all things. We, who love Him, do not have to fear Him. But in reverence and awe, we are to love, trust, and; yes, worship Him. Be careful that you do not take Him for granted. Do not cheapen the grace that He has bestowed upon you for one day you will meet this One God whom you have taken for granted face to face and then it will be too late to put on a crash helmet. 

Our God is an awesome and the only Almighty God, may we always worship him with reverence and awe.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Love Is Willing To Make Sacrifices

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16 NIV)

Now, that is a novel idea! We might be able to talk the talk; but, can we walk the walk? There are indeed people all around the world who are willing to lay down their lives for the sake of others. But, there are also many others, including Christians, that I am not so sure would be truly willing to give up their lives for the sake of others. If they are unwilling to go the extra mile or give an extra hour or an extra dollar to help their neighbors in need; then, I think they may be deluding themselves when they say that they are willing to die for others.

When Jesus said, "Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it." (Matt 10:38-39) I don't think he was telling us that Christians can opt out of sacrificing some of our times, talents, and treasures, to help others. For some reason, when I read these verses, I understand that as Christians we will make sacrifices both big and small, as we take up our crosses and follow Jesus.

What will we do; what are we willing to do, so that our neighbors might also know their salvation through Jesus Christ? Get with it church on earth and let His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Fill us, heavenly Father, with the Holy Spirit, with your love, so that we might be willing to make personal sacrifices to advance your Kingdom, by reaching out to others in your love.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Smooth Talk And Itching Ears

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. Rom 16:17-19 NIV

We've all heard them; those who, with smooth talk, teach and preach a false gospel. It is not any different today than in what it was in St. Paul's day. There is one way to tell if something proclaimed to you is the truth; know the scriptures: read them, study them, and hear them. The message proclaimed to us through the prophets is found in them. The fulfillment is found in them. Do not let your itching ears lead you to believe smooth talkers whose aim is not to glorify God; but their own egos. It is neither wise nor safe to accept any doctrine that cannot be supported by scripture; scripture supports scripture.

Read your Bibles daily and have a blessed day; a blessed life in Christ Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

P.S. Join us as we hear the Word at worship at Christ Lutheran every Sunday morning at 10 a.m.. However, we do begin our day at 8:45 for Adult Sunday School. We are presently studying the book of Romans. You are welcome to join us!