Closer Than You Think-DD 3/30/10

In John's gospel account, he writes, "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace." This verse establishes two critical truths about our Savior; Jesus is Divine and Jesus is simultaneously human.

Jesus' divinity is clearly established in a number of scriptures, however; nowhere is it more clearly stated than in John 1:1. Although this fact is foundational to our Christian belief, how is it that we lowly, dirt made creatures can ever hope to be in communion with the Creator of the universe and all it contains? Paul writes in Col 2:9 that "...in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." I don't know about you but that is an awful intimidating thought. I suggest that it would be for anyone. Nevertheless, if Jesus was Deity only, there would have been no perfect and atoning sacrifice for us and therefore no hope of salvation. This brings me to the second truth and the point of this message.


Jesus was also fully man. John indicates this by saying not only was he flesh, but he lived with them and they were able to see, observe, hear and touch him (as was also indicated in 1 John 1:1-4). This was critically important to establish because there was operating at the time, a sect of individuals known as the Gnostics that questioned the existence of Christ or at the very minimum his humanity as it relates to him being flesh and blood. They maintained that nothing made of matter could be divine, but only inherently evil, therefore Christ was not a man. Clearly, if this were the case, he could never have been the atoning sacrifice and again we'd fine ourselves with no hope of salvation.


Christ indeed suffered. More importantly, he didn't suffer for the sake of suffering, nor did he suffer for himself. He suffered for us, 1 Pet 3:18. Now this is very important. Jesus being man suffered both as a man and for mankind. "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Heb 4:14-16.


This has all been said to remind us that Jesus, now at the right hand of the Father in His Deity knows all and loves completely, but that as the Son of Man, knows intimately all that we endure and is our very present help in a time of need. Jesus our Savior; he is closer than you think.

In Revival,

Lee

The Hope in Death

A few weeks ago my first cousin died.

I know that as you read that sentence you will silently utter condolences and wonder if we were close. Thank you and we were not. We were not close for two main reasons. The first is that I am the product of a military family. My dad being in the Air Force for all of my formative years, we were never in more than one place for more than four years and never lived in Baytown, TX where my cousin lived and died. The second reason is that he, Damon Bates Broussard, was mentally challenged. So that you will know exactly what I'm talking about, though the phrase has fallen out of political correctness, he was diagnosed as mentally retarded soon after he was born.

What this came to mean to his family and all that new and loved him is that he would never be able to converse as most people do. It came to mean that he would never be able to care for himself. It meant that he was completely dependant on others for survival and daily care. Sure his motor skills were fine but somewhere along the way a short circuiting of what we might consider normal mental faculties eluded him and set the course of life for his family from that day to this.

My beloved Aunt Eva and Uncle Roy loved Damon with all of their hearts. Everything they did throughout the entirety of his life revolved around caring for him and providing for his needs. Times got tough, money got short and their own health issues intruded but Damon never went without his bodily needs nor his need for love. Aunt Eva in particular provided for his daily cleaning, feeding, clothes washing and mental stimulation. They developed a type of sign language that helped them understand one another. The casual observer might have felt sorry for everyone involved, but appearances from the outside can often be deceiving.

A woman of faith herself, raised in a family of faith, she relied totally on her relationship with God to count a life of raising Damon all joy. She blossomed into someone who knew intimately what servant hood and humility are all about. Unlike many of us, she has always known her mission in life. Countless individuals have been encouraged by her strength, her resolve and her love.

I cannot tell you what Damon went through, what he thought or how he felt. You and I cannot imagine what it would be like to be in such an incapacitated mental state, though I'm sure for him, it was all he knew. I know I've seen him happy and I've seen him sad. I've seen him experience joy and I've seen him experience anger. Most of all, I've seen him give and receive love.

This brings me to the point of this writing. What must life be like for Damon now? Since the Father has called him home, has he been released from that which afflicted him? I can't help but think of the Gadarene who was relieved of those that possessed him after coming into contact with Jesus in Mark 5. I imagine Damon being "clothed and in his right mind." I imagine the day that his mother, father and the rest of his family meets him in the life to come. I imagine him saying to Eva, "Hi mom. I love you," as Jesus stands at a distance and smiles. And I imagine this scene being repeated for so many of us that have lost loved ones that are now absent from the body but present with the Lord.

There is indeed for some, yet available for all, hope in death.


Revival

Revival 2010

By now I suspect the concept of "Revival" is well rehearsed in your minds and hopefully your hearts. There has been an effort to launch and maintain a full out spiritual assault designed to bring us closer to God.

These days there are so many things working against us as sons and daughters of the Almighty. We are constantly inundated with sounds and images from a media arrayed against Christian living. Whether it is music, particularly satellite radio, television, particularly cable, books, magazines or the Internet, we are surrounded with messages that are contrary to our way of life and the corresponding will of God. Revival, among other things, means finding our way back to God, our first love Rev 2:4.

Setting the theme as Revival this year is all about getting back to God. Thus far we have talked about

• "Renewing of Our Minds" (Rom 12:2)
• "Wake Up Church" (Rev 3:2)
• "Dry Bones" (Eze 47:11-14)
• "Revival In the Midst" (Ezra 9:8,9)

All of these messages have been designed to teach us broad concepts about what revival means. They have gone from the personal to the congregational in scope and have even dealt with the pressures put on believers by society as well as ourselves.

Revival however, is a very personal thing. It is about the new life that God gives to them that renew their commitment to Him. It is about the transformation that takes place when one gives up the things in life that are outside His will and His commands. But how do you achieve revival? To be sure, there are specific things to do and specific areas where revival can be experienced.

In the coming weeks, we'll discuss:

• Revival of Prayer
• Revival of Study
• Revival of Love
• Revival of Fellowship
• Revival of Evangelism

I hope, trust and pray that our studies thus far have been edifying to your souls. And though revival starts with the individual, when we experience it collectively, we will be what God has called us to be: the called out, the eklesia, the church!

Revival!

Looking Forward

Family,

I hope, trust and pray that your holiday season was one to remember. This year we joined the Advent Conspiracy and became a part of a movement designed to return the focus of the season to its source, Jesus Christ. During our exposition of the associated concepts of worshipping fully, spending less, giving more and loving all, we raised nearly $10,000 for the work of the Lord. Our God never ceases to amaze me, nor do his people when they are actively and obediently engaged in his service. Though, contextually the people were engaged in something decidedly rebellious, Gen 11:6 records, “The Lord said, Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.” Surely we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Post advent season, let us also remember that those who were in the presence of the Lord during his original advent did not experience the post Christmas doldrums, but instead were obedient, Matt 2:9-12, evangelistic, Lk 2:8-18 and were put in touch with salvation. Access http://simplechristianity.com/sermons.htm for details.

Now as we cast our minds and hearts toward 2010, it is my hope that we would be willing and able to exemplify the things we have learned over the last few weeks. In order to help us do this our theme will be “Revival!” Over the course of the year we will explore a variety of topics designed to help us renew and refresh our relationship with and commitment to the Lord. Romans 12:2 will be our guide: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

I thank God for each of you, the things we have witnessed this past year and the things we have accomplished in his service. As we enter the 50th year of O’Fallon’s existence (more about that soon), I know that we will be able to do even greater things in His name.

God’s greatest spiritual blessings to us all.

Revival!

Thanksgiving: A Daily Occurence

To be sure, we have entered the holiday season. Thanksgiving day is the bountiful, cornucopia filled hearald to what is for many, the most joyous time of the year.

In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. This harvest meal has become a symbol of cooperation and interaction between English colonists and Native Americans. Although this feast is considered by many to the very first Thanksgiving celebration, it was actually in keeping with a long tradition of celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops. Native American groups throughout the Americas, including the Pueblo, Cherokee, Creek and many others organized harvest festivals, ceremonial dances, and other celebrations of thanks for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in North America [historychannel.com].

In view of this history, much of our focus on stopping and taking time to give thanks is centered around this holiday. I submit to you however, that to the Christian, this should be a constant in our daily lives. The word instructs that we,"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Phil 4:6 Being ever mindful of the provision of God and taking time to thank him through prayer is both the duty and the privilege of everyone who calls upon the name of his Son and our Savior. Further, Eph 5:20 states that we should do this "always for all things."

The encouragement to us all, this day and all days my beloved, far beyond and more frequent than this quaint tradition, is to simply thank God every day in every way for the vastness of his blessings.

Strengthening our Faith

Remebering the Deluge

Recently, the family and I were blessed to have an opportunity to vacation in New Orleans. Because they are getting older and several of them are in college, it was a great opportunity to reconnect, bond and create more memories.

We are all aware of the tragedy that took place four years ago in New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst disasters our country has ever seen. 1,833 of our fellow human beings lost their lives and $81billion worth of damage was done.

During the time we were there we went on a tour of the city. On the one hand, it seems that many areas of the city have recovered and done so nicely. Though the population is 25% lower than what it was pre-Katrina, the average person on the street seems to have resumed life as before. On the other hand, there are still an amazing number of buildings and properties that haven't been touched since the day of the storm. The homeless population numbers in the thousands and that number is growing because the cost of living has risen.

I couldn't help but think of what life was like in Noah's time before the deluge came. The bible tells us that people were going about their lives doing the things that anyone does. It also mentions that God was so distressed about the "business as usual" sinful lives that virtually all of mankind was living, it repented Him that He made man, Gen 6:5-7. The word also reveals that He out of loving kindness gave man the time that it took for 8 people to build the ark to repent and get on the boat. Clearly, just Noah and his family were saved.

New Orleans doesn't deserve to be singled out for it sins any more than any other city, but it's reputation for fleshly pursuits among other things is well known. I'm likewise not saying that the residents thereof deserved this great tragedy any more or less than any victim of a tragedy. I'm simply saying that visiting the city did put me in mind of the time God had had enough.

As God allowed the earth to be repopulated, so has New Orleans. Though there were many who lost their lives both by the Great Flood as well as Katrina, it seems that sin survived.

During an evening walk in the French Quarter, we happened to cross and journey down a couple of blocks of Bourbon Street. If you've ever been there, you know what can be found. If you haven't, suffice it to say, that antediluvian debauchery is alive and well and has indeed survived the flood and Katrina.

This gives me one last thought. God is still giving us time. The next time destruction is brought upon the earth, it will be fire.

Strengthening Our Faith

Driving the Point

As I prepare to guide us down another path in God’s inexhaustible word, I’d like to pause and reflect on the series we’ve just completed.

Over the last couple of months we have been pursuing messages Paul shared with Timothy and by extension, the first century churches in Asia and ultimately you and I today (in case you have missed any, they are available at www.simplechristianity.com/sermons). The point of the series has been threefold: we serve an awesome God, He equips us with all things pertaining to life despite our shortcomings and that as children adopted into his divine family, there is work for us to do.

• We serve an awesome God!-Being relatively simple fleshly creatures with limited capacity to understand all things spiritual, Yahweh can be a difficult Deity around whom to wrap our minds. Questions abound such as who created Him? Where did He come from? How and why does He do what He does and refrain from doing other things? Admittedly, some of these questions cannot be answered and some answers that are available are difficult for some to accept. In Springfield, Illinois, right of I-55 there is a massive power plant. It is easily identified by three huge smoke stacks that billow steam into the air. I couldn’t begin to tell you what goes on behind those secured doors, but I know the plant is there, I know why it’s there and I know that when I flick on a local switch, the lights come on. Naturally there is no comparison between God and a power plant, but I submit to you that whether you understand many things about Him or not, you can see evidence of His presence and His activity in YOUR LIFE all around you, Romans 1:19-20. The questions with no apparent answers fall within the realm of faith. We believe that all things will be revealed in His good time according to his promises. Surely He is an awesome God.
• He equips us!-Romans 5:8 shares most assuredly with us that, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” That takes care of the point earlier made that despite our shortcomings; he is still awesome to us. You may recall during our study that in 1 Tim 4:13-15, Paul was reminding Timothy that he had been equipped for the task of, among other things, sharing the gospel and serving the church at Ephesus as its minister and, some say, elder. In his case, he had been prepared by a God who created him, a Mother and Grandmother that taught him, apostles that prophesied about him and laid hands on him that he might receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You and I have likewise been created by God, taught by someone in your lives, are foreknown of God and received the gift of the Holy Spirit upon being baptized. It is surely not for me to say how you have been equipped in particular, nor can I say for what specific task(s) outside of contributing to the expansion of the borders of the kingdom. I do, however, have bible for the fact that it has most assuredly taken place. I might suggest a study of Romans 12 and 1 Cor 12 for illumination on this subject. Suffice it to say that God has work for us to do and being the awesome God that He is, has not sent us into the field ill equipped.
• There is work for us to do!-Where does one begin to discuss all of the things that we can and should be doing in service to our Lord? In our congregation, we are well rehearsed in the fact that we are to love God with all our hearts soul and might and love one another as we love ourselves, but truly, everything that is expected of us can be found in those two verses, Matt 22:37-39. I submit to you brothers and sisters that if you are curious about what you should be doing, first examine the word for what speaks to you individually. It never fails that after sharing the word in sermon, someone comes and informs me that either I was speaking directly to them or that the sermon was somehow for them. I’d like to think we know when God is speaking to us. Truly, he always is, but that is another subject for another time. Then, do a gifts inventory to determine what you are best equipped to do. Remember that suggested study in Romans 12. Take a magnifying glass to the 7th-9th verses and you’ll see exactly what I mean. The point is to recognize and understand that the Lord has given His all for us. Shall we not express our love and gratitude by giving ours to him? Think on these things.

Strengthening Our Faith