Stop Judging Others
16 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
“Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?” Ro 14:4 NIV
It is always a lot easier to stand on the sidelines and take potshots than to get involved and try to help. The Bible repeatedly warns us not to criticize, compare, or condemn one another. When you judge what someone else is doing in sincere faith, you are on dangerous ground with God. “What right do you have to [judge] someone else’s servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right” (CEV). Since you are not their “lord,” you need to exercise wisdom and restraint. Refuse to stand in judgment on those whose opinions differ from yours. Here Paul weighs in: “Why, then…criticize your brother’s actions, why…try to make him look small? We shall all be judged one day, not by each other’s standards or even by our own, but by the judgment of God” (Ro 14:10-11 PHPS).
Whenever you take it upon yourself to analyze, scrutinize and categorize one of God’s children, four things happen: (1) You upset their Father. (2) You display your ego and insecurity. (3) You set the standard by which you yourself will be judged. (4) You alienate people. When you get a reputation for being critical, people will avoid you like a plague. They know that if you criticize others you will criticize them too. The Bible says: “Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault” (Ro 14:19 TM). Someone said, “The largest room in the world is room for improvement.” If you doubt that, look at the disciples Christ picked and promoted—then look in the mirror.
http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/stop-judging-others/
Welcome to God’s Family!
16 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
“This man welcomes sinners.” Lk 15:2 NIV
Let’s look at two sinners Jesus welcomed: (1) Matthew. As a tax collector working for the Romans, he was hated by his own people, the Jews. But Jesus had special plans for him. Because he was skilled in keeping records Jesus not only saved his soul but salvaged his talents. As a result he ended up writing the first of the four Gospels. Do you still think God can’t use you? Not a chance. The fact that Matthew invited Jesus over to his house for dinner is surprising. The fact that Jesus accepted is truly amazing. That’s because “This man welcomes sinners.” (2) Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus so badly that he climbed up a tree. He was willing to go out on a limb to find God. “When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people…began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a “sinner.”’ But Zacchaeus…said to the Lord…‘Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody…I will pay back four times the amount.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house’” (Lk 19:5-9 NIV). The Bible says that God “is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb 11:6). So be diligent in your search. Be persistent in your quest and relentless in your pilgrimage. Turn away from the puny pursuit of possessions and positions and seek the Lord. You will not be disappointed!
http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/welcome-to-gods-family/
Wait and Prepare Yourself
16 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
“The time has come, he said.” Mk 1:15 NIV
The Bible says: “After John was put in prison, Jesus went intoGalilee, proclaiming…’The time has come…The kingdom of God is near’” (vv.14-15 NIV). The average preacher takes three years to prepare for a ministry that will last thirty years or so. Jesus did the reverse. He took thirty years to prepare for a ministry that would last just over three. What’s the point? The quality of your preparation determines the quality of your performance. The world’s greatest pianists invest hundreds of hours into practice before a concert. That’s because they know those grueling hours of preparation will allow them to give their best performance. World champion boxers don’t become champions in the ring; they are merely recognized in the ring. Their “becoming” is a result of their daily routine. Something important is happening at each stage of your development. For example, God can introduce you to someone today who will play a major role in your life twenty or thirty years from now. If you’re in a hurry you may not stop long enough to connect with them. Think what a loss that would be. Waiting also reveals the weakness in your plans. Haven’t you looked back and said, “Thank You, Lord, for saving me from that!” Each chapter and season of life has a benefit and a product if only you will look for it. Before Christ launched His ministry, we read: “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Lk 2:52). Jesus understood the value of timing and training. He was willing to wait and prepare Himself. You must too.
http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/wait-and-prepare-yourself/
The Blessings of the Compassionate Heart (3)
16 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
“They gave themselves…to the Lord and then to us.” 2Co 8:5 NIV
Have you ever encountered a homeless person, given them some money, watched them shuffle away and wondered, “Have I just paid for their next drink or drug, or rewarded laziness?” In some cases you may be right, in other cases wrong. So what should you do? In Second Corinthians chapter eight God gives us a plan we can understand and follow. The Macedonian church did it this way: (1) Both the well-off and the needy participated. They all gave, even those in “extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity…[and] gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability” (vv. 2-3 NIV). (2) They gave gladly, not under pressure. “Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing” (vv.3-4). (3) Their giving flowed from their devotion to Christ. “They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us” (v.5). They didn’t give to impress others, or for a tax deduction, or to get the preacher off their backs, or because they “felt bad” for the needy. No, it was a natural response to being in love with Jesus. (4) The church leaders received, oversaw and distributed their collective giving. They didn’t give naively, trusting the integrity of the unknown and unproven. Their leaders handled and distributed their gifts openly, consistently, and with accountability. They knew the finances were handled honestly “in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men” (v. 21). Bottom line: you can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving to those God loves.
http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/the-blessings-of-the-compassionate-heart-3/
The Blessings of the Compassionate Heart (2)
16 Dec 2011 1 Comment
“He who gives to the poor will lack nothing.” Pr 28:27 NIV
When it comes to charitable giving some folks say, “That’s Old Testament doctrine. What’s the New Testament teaching?” Glad you asked! Jesus launched His ministry saying: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor” (Lk 4:18 NIV). And it didn’t stop with Jesus. The New Testament church carried out Christ’s mission of mercy on a daily basis. “All the believers…shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.” As a result, they experienced “great joy” (Ac 2:44-46 NLT). You say, “Won’t that leave me financially strapped?” No. Because of their compassion and generosity: “There was not a needy person among them” (Ac 4:34 NAS). The giver and receiver were both blessed. The rules of God’s Kingdom are: “Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed” (Pr 11:24-25 NLT). It seems counterintuitive, especially when you are struggling financially, but God promises that the generous will prosper. Your giving initiates God’s giving back to you. So look for someone in need, give, and watch it come back to you. The Bible says, “The Lord blesses everyone who freely gives food to the poor” (Pr: 22:9 CEV). “He who gives to the poor will lack nothing.” Try it. Next time God nudges you to show compassion and give, do it. Then when you have a need, pray, “Lord, I have honored You, now I believe You will honor me.”
http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/the-blessings-of-the-compassionate-heart-2/
Keeping Christmas Well: Imitate the Humility and Sacrifice of Jesus by Mark D. Roberts
16 Dec 2011 1 Comment
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
How should the Incarnation impact our behavior in the Christian community? What does the fact that the divine Son became human tell us about how we should live? We find answers to these questions in what might be one of the very oldest Christians hymns: Philippians 2:1-11.
For the most part, the Philippian church was a healthy one, a strong partner in Paul’s ministry. But some of their leaders were not getting along well (4:2-3). No doubt it was easy for others to get caught up in divisive and hurtful arguments. So, in the first verses of Philippians 2, Paul calls his flock to get along with each other, loving one another and working together in the Gospel (2:2). He urges not to be “selfish,” but rather to be “humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves” (2:3). In sum, the Philippians “must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (2:5, literally, they are to have the thinking of Christ).
And how are we to know the attitude of Christ? Paul answers this question by including what most biblical scholars believe to be an early Christian hymn. Some think Paul wrote it. Others believe he borrowed a piece of early Christian worship. Either way, this hymn focuses on the self-giving sacrifice and humility of Christ. “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appears in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (2:6-8). Christ was humbled twice: first, in becoming human, second in being crucified. Notice that this hymn begins by underscoring the humility of the Incarnation. For one who was fully God to become human was, indeed, a demonstration of stunning humility.
Thus, the Incarnation becomes a model for us. Even as Christ chose the way of humility, so should we. Even as he opted for the path of self-sacrifice, so should we in our relationships. When we begin to think too much of ourselves, when we value our opinions so much that we don’t care what others think, we need to remember and model our lives upon the Incarnation.
Keeping Christmas well means letting the Incarnation of Christ teach us how to live together as the people of God. It means choosing the way of humility and servanthood, knowing that our imitation of Christ honors him even as it strengthens the church, which is the body of Christ.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: When do you find it hard to follow the counsel of Philippians 2:1-5? Do you ever reflect on the Incarnation as a model and motivation for your behavior? In which relationships could you begin today to imitate the Incarnation of Christ?
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, how we honor you today for your willingness to become human. You chose to give up your divine privileges for a season, becoming a human being. Your humility, dear Lord, paved the way for our salvation. All praise be to you!
The Incarnation also teaches us how to live today. It’s not easy to imitate you, Lord. We would much rather be people of importance. None of us naturally aspires to servanthood. Yet this is our calling and privilege as your followers. You call us to imitate you by focusing on serving others rather than being served by them.
May your Incarnation continue to be a model for me. As I reflect on your self-giving humility, may I choose to be like you. Help me, Lord, by your Spirit, to count others as better than myself, to serve them even and especially when I am their leader. May I be more and more like you each and every day. Amen.
http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/keeping-christmas-well-imitate-humility-and-sacrifice-jesus
Keeping Christmas Well: Live as a Child of God by Mark D. Roberts
16 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.
Can we know God intimately, personally? How is this possible? How can we have a personal relationship with God? According to Galatians 4:1-7, the answers to these questions have everything to do with Christmas.
Galatians 4 begins with bad news. Apart from Christ, we are “slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world” (4:3). We are in bondage to the cultural and spiritual powers that surround us, including cynicism, narcissism, materialism, and fear, just to name a few. The good news is that God did not leave us in such a sorry state: “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children” (4:4-5). The core event of Christmas, the birth of God’s Son, was God’s way of redeeming us from the powers of this world, including the Old Testament law. Yet, not only are we set free by the work of God’s Son, but also we are adopted as God’s own children.
God’s gift of his unique Son means that you and I can be children of God. Because of Jesus, we can be adopted into God’s own family. Moreover, when we put our trust in Jesus as our Savior, the Spirit of God comes to dwell in our hearts, “prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father’ ” (4:6). We learn to call God “Father” even as Jesus did. That’s how special we are to God!
Keeping Christmas well means celebrating the birth of God’s Son. This celebration includes the extraordinary truth that we can be adopted as God’s sons and daughters through the Son. Thus, we can know God intimately as our Heavenly Father. We honor Christmas when we live each day as God’s beloved children.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: What does it mean to you to relate to God as your Father? How have you experienced freedom from the powers of this world as a child of God?
PRAYER: Merciful Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son to set us free from the powers of this world. Help us to live in that freedom each day, so that we might offer ourselves to you in whole-life worship.
Thank you also, Father, for sending your Son so that you might adopt us as your sons and daughters. It is an extraordinary privilege to be able to address you as “Abba, Father.”
Help me to grow in genuine intimacy with you, Father, so that I might know you more truly and live for you more completely.
All praise be to you, O God, Father, Son, and Spirit! Amen.
http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/keeping-christmas-well-live-child-god
Keeping Christmas Well: Live with Graceful Generosity by Mark D. Roberts
16 Dec 2011 1 Comment
You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.
How can we live rich, full lives? How can we flourish at work and at home, at church and in the community? 2 Corinthians 8 answers these questions by drawing out implications of the Incarnation of Christ.
Second Corinthians 8 is a first-century fund-raising letter. The Apostle Paul wrote this chapter to encourage the Corinthian Christians to contribute to his collection for the financially strapped Christians in Jerusalem. In fact, the Corinthians had begun to support this charitable work (8:6, 10). Now it was time for them to finish what they had begun.
After offering initial reasons why the Corinthians should be generous, Paul plays his theological trump card, pointing to the example of Christ himself: “You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich” (8:9). The grace of Christ is revealed in his Incarnation. He once “was rich” in that he enjoyed all the perks of deity (see Phil. 2:6-7). Yet Christ “became poor” by becoming a human being. It’s not just that he was born into a family that didn’t have much money. Christ’s “poverty” in this text is his very humanity. When you go from being fully God to being fully human and fully God, that’s quite a sacrifice, a move from essential richness to essential poverty.
Notice why Christ chose to make this sacrifice. He did it, Paul writes to the Corinthians, “for your sakes” (8:9). In fact, he became “poor” so that the Corinthians might become “rich.” This richness was all-inclusive. It surely referred to the benefits of salvation and the gifts of the Spirit. But, in context, it also referred to the financial blessings God had poured out upon the Corinthians. And it suggested that their richness was not just having money, but sharing it generously with others.
Second Corinthians 8 reminds us of how Christ, through his Incarnation, has blessed us beyond measure. This passage also urges us to be generous in sharing with others what we have so graciously received.
Thus, we come full circle in our series on Keeping Christmas Well. As you may recall, the name of this series came from Charles Dickens’ classic description of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. After Scrooge’s supernatural transformation, he promised to “honour Christmas in [his] heart, and try to keep it all year.” He was good to his word, such that the end of A Christmas Carol observes that Scrooge “knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.” At the center of Scrooge’s “keeping Christmas well” was his generosity with people in need.
Centuries before Dickens, the Apostle Paul connected the birth of Jesus with the generosity of his followers. Therefore, keeping Christmas well means being people of generosity, freely sharing with others what God has so richly given us in Christ. As we joyfully receive God’s grace, we cheerfully give to others. Thus, like Ebenezer Scrooge, through our graceful generosity, we keep Christmas well.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: How does the metaphor of Christ’s becoming poor in the Incarnation speak to you? Are you enjoying Christ’s grace in your life by giving it away to others? Is there a specific act of generous giving that God is calling you to today?
PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, how we thank you for your willingness to give up so much to become human. Thank you for your choice to become poor so that we might be rich in you.
You know, Lord, how easy it is for me to receive your blessings, but then hold onto them. Help me to be a person who imitates your act of generous giving. As I have received financial blessings from you, may I share them freely with others. As I have been gifted by your Spirit, may I serve people in your church and in the world. As I have received the outpouring of your love, may I love others in my life: at work, at home, at church, and wherever I might be.
Help me this very day, Lord, to be rich in you by giving away your blessings to others. Amen.
http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/keeping-christmas-well-live-graceful-generosity
Keeping Christmas Well: Taste the New Creation by Mark D. Roberts
16 Dec 2011 2 Comments
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Happy New Year!
Yes, today is the first day of the new year. But it is also the eighth day in the Christian season of Christmas. So, today we continue our series in Keeping Christmas Well. At the same time, our reflection today picks up the theme of newness, focusing of how we can experience new life through Jesus Christ.
Do the things we do in this life really matter? How are we to live in light of God’s plans for the future? 2 Corinthians 5 addresses questions like these, focusing on the nature of our new life in Christ.
At first glance, 2 Corinthians 5 doesn’t have anything to do with Christmas. It doesn’t mention the birth of Christ, but focuses instead on his death and the new life it has brought for us. This new life reaffirms the essential value of God’s creation, including our bodies. In fact, when we stand before Christ on the day of judgment, “we will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body” (5:10). Paul is not saying that our salvation hinges on our own works, of course. But there will be a time when the things we have done in this world, things that have been an expression of our physical bodies, will be evaluated. Clearly, God cares about what we do with our bodies.
When we put our trust in Christ as our Savior, everything in life begins to change. Our translation of 2 Corinthians 5:17 reads, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.” If we were to translate this verse very literally, we might come up with something like this: “Therefore, if someone is in Christ . . . new creation! The old things have passed away. Look! They have become new.” Notice that the newness experienced by the Christian is not only individual or internal. The one who enters into relationship with God through Christ begins to participate in the new creation, even though continuing to live in the old creation.
How do we experience the new creation in this life, even as we hope for the fullness of the new creation that is yet to come? We live in the new creation when we gather with God’s people for worship. Or when we forgive someone who has wronged us. Or when we serve people in the power of the Spirit. Or when we live sacrificially, giving away ourselves and our stuff for others. Or when we bring the values of God’s kingdom into every facet of our lives. Or when we remain steadfast in the midst of suffering. Or when we continue to hope in God even when he seems very far away. Or when our sisters and brothers in Christ love us with a soul-embracing kind of love. Or when we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoners, heal the sick, and hug the lonely in the name of Jesus. Or…
Though 2 Corinthians 5 doesn’t mention the Incarnation specifically, it does express several implications of this central truth of Christmas. The fact that God came to us in a human body emphasizes the value of our bodies, a point drawn out by Paul in this chapter. The fact that God chose to become part of his creation underscores its inestimable value. It reminds us that God’s vision for the future is not the destruction of creation, but its renewal. The new creation fixes, completes, and perfects this creation.
Keeping Christmas well means taking seriously what we do with our bodies, even as God takes our actions seriously. It means using our bodies for God’s service in every aspect of life. Honoring Christmas every day highlights the value of this creation, even as we anticipate the full new creation that is still to come. When we let the Incarnation guide our lives, then we will also live incarnationally as in-the-flesh instances of God’s truth and love. Our lives will communicate the good news of Christ in word and deed, so that others might come to experience the new life found in Christ, the Word of God Incarnate.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: How are you using your body as an instrument of God’s love in this world? How are you experiencing the new creation in your life today? How might you be an incarnational witness in your daily life to the good news of Jesus Christ?
PRAYER: Gracious God, thank you for the bodies you have given us, and for caring about what we do with our bodies. May we use our physical strength to serve you, whether we’re using our brains to think, our fingers to type, our backs to lift, our voices to teach, or our arms to embrace.
Thank you for the blessing of the new creation and for the fact that you have made us new in Christ. Help us, Lord, to live into this newness. May we see more and more evidence of the new creation in the way we treat people, in our compassion, in our hope, in our service to others.
All praise be to you, O God, because you are making all things new . . . even me!
All praise be to you, O God, because you have chosen me to be part of your renewal effort.
I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.
http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/keeping-christmas-well-taste-new-creation
Keeping Christmas Well: Be Part of Christ’s Presence in the World by Mark D. Roberts
16 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
How is Christ present in the world today? How can you and I represent him in our daily lives? Our text from 1 Corinthians 12 answers these questions by use of an incarnational analogy.
First-century Corinthian culture prized spiritual experience and personal accomplishment. Thus it encouraged both preoccupation with one’s religious prowess and prideful boasting. This cultural tide inundated the Christian community in Corinth, leading some to boast so much of their spiritual achievements that they denigrated the worth of their less-accomplished brothers and sisters in Christ. These folk, in turn, began to doubt their value to the community because their experiences of the Spirit were less dramatic than those of their boastful siblings.
The apostle Paul, who had planted the Corinthian church, realized that his young flock needed more than an exhortation to value each other. They needed to see themselves in a whole new light as the community of God. In order to foster this fresh vision, Paul used the analogy of the human body in 1 Corinthians 12-14. Just as the physical body has diverse parts, and just as all parts are essential for the body to function well, so it is with the Christian community. “All of you together are Christ’s body,” Paul wrote, “and each of you is a part of it” (12:27). Therefore every member matters to the body, and every member has the responsibility of caring for every other member. Nobody is inconsequential. Nobody is dispensable.
Everybody matters if the church, as the body of Christ, is to be healthy, strong, and growing.
The original body of Christ in the world was the actual physical body of Jesus, in whom the Word of God was present. This body is no longer present on the earth. But the church of Jesus Christ is now his body in a somewhat different, but still essential, way. As we gather in fellowship and worship, and as we scatter into the world, we represent Jesus. We will only do this effectively when we act as a body in which all parts are valuable and active in ministry.
The church of Jesus Christ needs the message of 1 Corinthians 12-14 just as much today as the Corinthians needed it in the first century A.D. We tend to overvalue the contributions of a few members of the church, usually the pastors and other visible leaders, and devalue the contributions of ordinary folk. How often have you heard or even said, “I’m just a lay person,” as if lay people mattered less than clergy. The church in our day needs to hear once again the good news that we are the body of Christ, and therefore every member has inestimable value.
Keeping Christmas well means living in this world incarnationally as a member of the body of Christ. It means actively participating in the church and joining with this community to bear witness, in word and deed, to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: Do you live as an active, connected part of the body of Christ? What helps you to know that you have a crucial role in the Christian community? Are there specific ways God is calling you to strengthen your relationship with the body of Christ?
PRAYER: Gracious God, even as you once were present on this earth through the human body of Jesus, today you are present through the body of Christ, the church.
Thank you for making us part of your body in this world. You have joined us to the church so that we might receive care, grow in our discipleship, and contribute to the growth of others. Though church life is sometimes messy, thank you for all the ways you minister to us through our fellow Christians.
O Lord, help your church to take seriously the value of each member to the whole body. Even as we respect those who are set apart as ordained ministers, may we remember that we are all your ministers, and that all of us have a role to play in your church.
Strengthen us individually and corporately, so that we might serve you, not only in our fellowship together, but also as we go out into the world. May we be your body for others, even as you once communicated your grace through the literal body of Jesus. Amen.
http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/keeping-christmas-well-be-part-christs-presence-world
