Going on to Maturity

Fifty2 Sunday's ~ Listening4God

        The minister introduced the sermon saying that a new study in Philippians was beginning that day and over the course of the coming weeks, they would delve into the book with the goal of discerning what it takes to mature in Christ.  I have been thinking about the subject of growing up in Christ, so I was interested in what he would say. 

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     "...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus"

 (Philippians 1:6)  (NIV)

        This is the tip off verse.  Just like there is a tip-off at the start of a basketball game, this verse starts the discussion about going on to maturity.  Firstly, it says that God is involved in doing a good work in me (you) and that he will not stop until it is complete.  I find this both encouraging and comforting. 

        So how do we become mature?  What is involved? 

"In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again.  You need milk, not solid food!  Anyone

who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.  But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”  (Hebrews 5:12-14)  (NIV)

   

    "Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,"

 (Hebrews 6:1)  (NIV)

        

       While we never want to let go of the foundational principles of the Christian faith, in order to grow, we have to dig into the scriptures and seek out teaching and preaching that will help guide us into a deeper understanding.  Maturity will not occur, if we only "listen" and fail to apply (James 1:22) and/or if we allow "life's worries, riches and pleasures" (Luke 8:14) to stifle the wisdom that we gain.

        If there were a means test for maturation, it would have to do with the steadfastness and unity of our faith in the context of the body of Christ: 

"...so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ."  (Ephesians 4:12-15)  (NIV)

The desire to mature - is about "attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (above) because "...in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness" (Colossians 2:9 & 10).  In closing, the prayer below has the keys to gaining this fullness.  I encourage each reader to substitute himself or herself where the word 'you' is:

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you (me) with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your (my) hearts through faith.  And I pray that you (I), being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you (I) may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

 (Ephesians 3:16-19)  (NIV)

What Are We Producing?

Fifty2 Sunday’s – Listening 4 God

        In Sunday's sermon, the minister spoke about how our vocations can be an act of service to God.  The word "produce" was what I heard and that took me into the scriptures.

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         Since God told Adam and Eve to be "fruitful and multiply"- it is reasonable to say that God is concerned with productivity and not just procreation.  The ease of existing in the Garden of Eden ended with the fall; Adam was told that by the sweat of his brow he would eat (Genesis 3:19) and Eve would experience pain in childbirth (Genesis 3:16).  One could say the challenges associated with living definitely increased for Adam and Eve - but it did not change the directive they had received from God.

        It would be a tendency of modern times to reduce the conversation about what constitutes being 'fruitful' to a discussion of quantity versus quality.  The successful, accomplished person and those who have accumulated the most in worldly wealth are seen as the most productive.  We associate certain characteristics and attributes with the likelihood of such achievement.  In the work world, Type A personalities when compared with Type B, are thought to be more ambitious, organized, time-oriented and presumably productive.  [Take a test if you want to know if you are Type A or B?].  While there is no escaping the fact that most of us have to work in order to live - the sum total of our lives is not our job, the accumulation of possessions or wealth.  

        In the Bible, a word search using "produce" or "productivity" - reveals numerous verses about agricultural situations as well as those that speak to the quality of a person's life and the fruit their life is producing.  Consider the following:

• Matthew 3:8 & 10: "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”  ...  "The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”  (NIV)
• Mark 4:20: "Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”  (NIV)
• John 15:2: "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”  (NIV)
• Luke 6:43: "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit." (NIV)
• Mark 8:35: "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever      loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”  (NIV)
• Matthew 16:26:"What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?  Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”  (NIV)

        We all know this world's wealth and goods do not go with us to heaven, so if we are spinning our wheels only to produce and achieve what this world has to offer, we may be disappointed to find out it does not translate to eternity.  Therefore, the wise person will focus their life on producing "fruit that will last" (John 15:16a). 

Now and Later On

Fifty2 Sundays ~ Listening 4 God

        Quite likely 'relationships' are a common sermon theme for the month of February, especially with Valentine's Day coming up.  Sunday's sermon was the first in series that will continue all month.  As the minister established the basis for the sermons to follow, there were plenty of scriptural references and insightful comments regarding the differences in the physical, emotional and relational characteristics of  men and women.  Furthermore, there were plenty of reasons to laugh throughout the sermon, which made space for the more serious points-as we all know-relationships can be full of challenges. 

     It is easy to forget-that this life is not a model for the afterlife; it is unlikely that the things that characterize life now will be the same in the eternal future.  Here and now, we are a byproduct of our history and heritage and all the things that make up our lives; where we live, our family and friends, our education and work and the many other life experiences, (etc.).  These may greatly influence who we are, what we do, but really, they are separate and apart from our spiritual identity.  Our spiritual identity, as Paul wrote, is in Christ, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).  What follows are a few scripture references as to how things are to be later on.

• When Jesus returns: "Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.  For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.  According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever.  Therefore encourage one another with these words" (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).

• Our bodies will go through a transformation: "So will it be with the resurrection of the dead.  The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.  If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body" (I Corinthians 15:42-45).

• We will enjoy eating: Jesus prepared a meal on the beach to eat with his disciples after his resurrection (John 21:9-14).

• We will move about freely: "A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them.  Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!”  (John 20:26).

• There will be no marriage: “When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven" (Mark 12:25).

• Gain knowledge and understanding: “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (I Corinthians 13:12).

• Enjoy a new creation & forget the past: "See, I will create new heavens and a new earth.  The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind" (Isaiah 65:17).
• "...a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea" (Revelation 21:1).

• We will be judges: "Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world?  And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?  Do you not know that we will judge angels?  How much more the things of this life!” ( I Corinthians 6: 2 & 3).

• We will enjoy a new order: "He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Revelation 21:4).

            In summation, today quickly becomes yesterday as tomorrow becomes today…life here and now will someday end for each of us and the everlasting future will happen.  In the meantime, let us “… not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (II Corinthians 4:16-18).                      

Amen.

Requirements, Responsibilities, Expectations or What?

Fifty2 Sunday's ~ Listening 4 God

           The sermon title was "What God Requires" and the biblical texts were Micah 6:1-8 & Matthew 5:1-12.  Both are frequently cited passages of scripture, as the minister noted, Jimmy Carter in his inauguration speech cited Micah 6:8 that asks "What does the Lord require of you?"  

         There are some people who feel that God (or Christianity) is all about do's and don’ts, rules and expectations - which are like requirements.  When something is 'required’, the implication is that there is no other option but to comply.  We all have requirements to fulfill at home, in school, with our work and as a member of society.  There are little escaping requirements in life - as Benjamin Franklin said, "In this world nothing can be said to be certain [required], except death and taxes".  

         God tells us in Micah 6:8 to "act justly”, “love mercy" and "walk humbly" and in Matthew 5:3-12,  Jesus described how to live a blessed life. Are these requirements, responsibilities, expectations or something else?  Certainly, they may be all of these - or perhaps they are an expression of God’s love, mercy and grace toward us. 

        God acts in advance -as exemplified by how He "made us alive" even "when we were dead in our transgressions" (Ephesians 2:5).  Likewise, our fulfilling a requirement, a responsibility or striving to please God-is an expression of our love and gratitude for that which we have already received as described in I John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us”.  

Does This Fit Your Reality?

    The sermon Sunday was about Joseph's life; the key verse was Romans 8:28 (below).  Throughout the sermon, the minister highlighted how through the difficulties of Joseph's life he remained faithful to God. 

      "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).  (NIV)

     

      'In all things...God works...for the good ...of those who love him...and have been called according to his purpose.'  This verse can serve as a 'faith barometer'.  It sounds good and it seems easy to believe when things in life are going well.  In difficult circumstances, extreme hardship or tragedy, am I still as confident about this? 

     Like any faith test, there is my part and there is God's part.  I have to decide what I believe.  Do I put my trust in Him and believe that God has my well being or 'good' in mind?  Am I willing to acknowledge I have limitations, God's thoughts and ways are not my (our) thoughts or ways (Isaiah 55:8) and I don't have all the information, as the Apostle Paul said, I only "know in part" but someday "I shall know fully" (I Corinthians 13:9-12).  To be ‘called’ (see: Vine's Dictionary) means to be invited, summoned, etc.  I Timothy 2:4 says that God "wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth"; and Jesus said that no one could come to him unless "the Father who sent me draws them" (John 6:44).  God's part is the calling and drawing of the person; my (our) part is in hearing and responding to His invitation.  As it pertains to "his purpose", God's (eternal) purpose, was accomplished in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:11) to "bring many sons and daughters to glory" and free them from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:10 & 15). 

     If then, I as a daughter (or son) of God, have been set free from the burden of sin and the fear of death, what can prohibit me from believing that God is working in and out the details ("all things") of my life in a way that is "good" and according to His purposes?  Why should I not accept this as reality? 

     It is a strange thing what we consider real.  I recall when I was in fifth grade one of my teachers read us a story reported in Look Magazine about aliens abducting a New Hampshire couple and taking them on their spaceship (see: Alien Abduction).  The wisdom of that teacher is definitely in question for having read that to us because the impact on me was profound.  Prior to hearing that story, I had never heard of UFOs or aliens and therefore, they were not a part of my reality.  Afterwards I thought that aliens might be (?) real and for long time I was scared, especially at night when I saw any light move across the sky.  I have since quit worrying about aliens and abductions, but of late have grown concerned about publically presented information that claims to be real and representative of reality - only then to have the information said to be "alternative facts" or "fake news" (new terminology for lying?). 

     The enemy of our souls would desire nothing more than to lead us a stray, or have us put our confidence in something not accurate or true.  Satan is very skilled at this.  Consider how he tempted Eve, by twisting the truth just slightly so that she believed him and acted accordingly (Genesis 3:1-6).  One could say one bite altered Eve's reality!  We need to be well acquainted with the truth of scripture and ask God to give us wisdom, not the wisdom of the world, but wisdom that comes from Him to be able to discern what is true, right and real and let this be our reality. 

    

Find Out What Pleases God

Fifty-2 Sunday's ~ Listening for God

       The focus of Sunday’s sermon was on having an "authentic" relationship with God.  The first commandment tells us to love God “... with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:28-30).  The emphasis of the sermon was on holiness as a factor of being in relationship with God. 

       The scripture says, ‘be holy as he is holy’ (I Peter 1:16).  So what is holiness?  What does it mean to 'be' holy?  The dictionary defines holy as “dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose; sacred".  The minister said, holiness is not about being "perfect" ~ which may seem contradictory to the scripture that says, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48).  The verse follows the Beatitudes which Jesus taught using stories that contrasted God’s ways with the ways of the world.  To be ‘perfect’ is to do it God’s way.

       Jesus had to be "made perfect" in order to become the "source of eternal salvation for all who obey him" (Hebrews 5:9).  This process occurred over the course of Jesus' life on earth (Hebrews 5:7 & 8).

          As born again believers becoming and being holy is a process for us too.  We are charged "... to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:22).

     The process starts in the heart; having the desire to be in close relationship with God, to be 'right' with him and to please him in how we live and conduct ourselves.  We are told to "find out what pleases the Lord" (Ephesians 5:10) and to "work out our salvation" (Philippians 4:12) with "fear and trembling"- which is 'the process' (above).  We will make mistakes and fail at times, but if we get back up and ask for forgiveness, he is faithful to forgive. 

       God wants a relationship with us. He has not left us to figure this out on our own; we have the body of believers, the Word of God and the Indwelling Holy Spirit.  Therefore, let us not forget "... that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6). 

"More Perfect" & A Daily Routine

Fifty-2 Sunday's Listening for God

     The church I was sitting in last Sunday was a beautiful cathedral like structure that sits high on a hill overlooking the surrounding area.  The choir sang beautifully, the clergy were attired in their robes and the people attending were dressed up more than folks generally do these days for church.  I had to follow the program guide to be sure I was standing, kneeling, responding, praying and singing on cue.  There were intentional connections and references made between the Old and New Testament covenants and an explanation of the meaning in the context of worship. 

     This is different from the sort of church I have been a member of most my Christian life.  In many ways, I found it (and other services like it) to be too formal, too rigid and too dependent on a programed routine.  However, in other ways, I found it to be uplifting.  It has never been my intent in the writing of these blogs to provide a value judgement on the worship style or routines of any particular church I attend, rather it is my desire to listen for how God is at work in his body independent of the many and varied styles of worship. 

     The sermon was less eloquent and subtle than I expected.  The scripture text was Hebrews 9:1-5:

"Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.  A tabernacle was set up.  In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place.  Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered Ark of the Covenant.  This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now." (NIV)

     The minister discussed (in an abridged format) how the Old Testament tabernacle and its items were descriptive of the new covenant in Christ.  He briefly ran through a explanation of the parallels between the two.  Perhaps because it was the abridged version I could not get into it, or maybe it was because I was distracted with a partial verse of scripture that his sermon brought to mind, "more perfect".  As it turns out my mind (and my spirit) were a few verses ahead of the text used for the sermon; I was thinking of Hebrews 9:11-15; 

"But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation.  He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.  The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.  How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”  (NIV)  Amen!

     I am so grateful for the "more perfect" tabernacle - in that I do not have to live from year to year looking to animal sacrifices to cleanse me of my sins and grant me a 'right' relationship with God - Jesus did this "once for all" - for all who will come to him in faith!  Amen.

     Back to the sermon for a moment, what I found most edifying was the personal daily routine of the minister that he shared with us.  Every morning he starts with focusing on the cross Christ died on and the meaning of it for him personally.  He then asks God to reveal his sins to him - so that he can repent of them and ask for forgiveness.  After that he spends time in God's word and re-reads the scriptures several times, because he said he can never 'hear' them the first or second time through, he waits until he 'hears' before moving on.  The last thing he does is pray.  These four things: focus on the cross; ask God to reveal one's sin(s) and ask for forgiveness; soak in the Word and pray make for a good daily routine for our spirit.