Preparing for Church

O Lord, communicate Thy grace to my soul through Thine ordinances upon this day so that I may be enabled to better live to Thy honor this following week.  Lord, I come into They presence to this end, that I may know some part of Thy will, and that I might get Thy Spirit to be conveyed through this Word of Thine into my heart." - Jeremiah Burroughs

Before hearing the Word of God Jeremiah ask for the following,

1. That God would communicate grace to his soul.
2. That he would be able to better live for God's honor in the coming week
3. That he may know some part of God's will
4. That God would convey His Spirit into his heart.


When we come to the house of God or to the word of God are we asking for this to happen?  Are we praying that God would show us how live for Him?  Are we expecting to learn something that would make us better witnesses for Him?

God's word is so powerful and so transforming that every time we hear it or read it these things can be accomplished.  All that's required is an open and receptive heart.  This week let us come to the word of God with these expectations.   Before we step into the house of God, let us pray that He would show us marvelous things from His law, so that we might honor Him in the coming week.

Finding Benefits in Death

Today death struck close to home for our church and especially for the family of our beloved brother in the Lord.   This afternoon God called our brother home to be forever in His presence.   At this very moment I am confident that my friend is experiencing the joy of the Lord in way we could never imagine.   Today he is feeling no more pain, no more suffering and I am sure he is rejoicing in every moment.  Thus is the future of every believer in Christ. 

Some years ago I read a book called Learning Theology with the Church Fathers, by Christopher Hall.  One section of the book has always stuck out to me because it had valuable lessons to teach those who suffer the death of a loved one.   Below is the portion were Hall explains why John Chrysostom considers death a benefit to those who remain behind

Those who continue to live in this world after the death of a loved one have received a powerful lesson on the transitoriness of life and the danger of thinking and acting as though life will never end.    One is “humbled, learns to act in a more level-headed fashion, is taught to think in a more spiritual manner, and introduces into his mind the mother of all goods, humility.”…Thus death actually becomes “a teacher of the spiritual life, instructing the understanding, bridling the passions of the soul, quelling its billows and creating calm.”

The lessons I am reminded of are these.

1.        “The transitoriness of life”

Life on this earth is not permanent- this is not our home.   God has something so much more for His children when this life is over.  We can take comfort in the promise of a perfect world to come.  It will be a world that is not infected or tainted by the destructive power of sin.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”   Revelation 21:1-4

2.       “The danger of thinking and acting as though life will never end.”

Life is brief and can be taken at any moment.  One day we will stand before God and give an account of how we lived on this earth.  Therefore, we must live in such a way that we will be prepared to stand before our creator and be found clothed with His forgiveness and righteousness. 

Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.   Matt 25:13

3.        “…think in a more spiritual manner”

Since life and all that we do is temporal on this earth, we should put more effort into what is eternal.  Our efforts should be invested in the things of God,  that which will help build His kingdom.  When it is all said and done, the only things that will matter is what we have done for Christ.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.           Matt 6:19-21

Beware of the wolves

Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Luke 10:3

Last week when I was preparing my sermon on Jesus's instructions to His disciples.  I wanted to investigate the meaning behind Jesus warning about the "wolves" they were going to run into.  I was wondering why did Jesus call false teachers wolves?  What does a wolf and a false teacher have in common.  While searching I found a great article about the hunting habits wolves.  As you read the description below, think of how this parrallels attacks used by the enemy.

The following is an except from Wikipedia's entry on wolves.

When hunting, wolves will attempt to conceal themselves as they approach their prey. With ungulate herds, they then either attempt to break up the herd, or isolate one or two animals from it. If the targeted animal stands its ground, the wolves either ignore it, or try to intimidate it into running. When chasing small prey, wolves will attempt to catch up with their prey as soon as possible. With larger animals, the chase is prolonged, in order to wear the selected prey out. Wolves usually give up chases after 1–2 km (0.62-1.3 mi), though one wolf was recorded to chase a deer for 21 km (13 mi). Sometimes, a single wolf will distract the herd with its presence, acting as a decoy, while its pack mates attack from behind. Wolf packs may also set up ambush trails; Indian wolves have been observed to chase gazelle herds through ravines where other wolves lie in wait within holes dug prior to the hunt, Mature wolves usually avoid attacking large prey frontally, instead focusing on the rear and sides of the animal.

Another interesting fact I discovered was that wolves will usually not attack if the prey stands firm and holds it ground.  Instead the wolves will try and get their prey to run so they can attack from behind.   This is exactly what the devil would have us do- turn and run?  Are we not told to stand firm, to resist the devil and he will flee?    Remember the armor of God has nothing for our back.   So when the wolves approach -you stand firm, hold your ground and the watch them run away.

The Purpose of Scripture

The Scripture discovers God to us as the Creator of the world, and declares what sentiments we should form of him, that we may not be seeking after a deity in a labyrinth of uncertainty.  – John Calvin

Calvin’s comments give us three important truths regarding scripture

1.       Scripture gives us the correct understanding of who God is.  Here Calvin is talking specifically about God as creator of the world, but this is not the only description of God we find in scripture.  Nevertheless, the importance of the comment is that our discovery of who God is must come first and foremost from the scriptures.

2.       Scripture explains to us how our attitude ought to be towards God.  The more we read the word of God the more we understand how we are to relate to Him.  We are given concrete commands on the proper view of God.  We are given concrete commands on how to love and follow Him.  God is not impersonal, but personal.  Therefore, He reveals what He requests from His creation.

3.       Scripture is a light to our path.  The bible was written so that we may know who God is and what he commands from His creation.   It is a map leading us to the Savior.   God desire that all men find Him, therefore He has not only left His word for all mankind, but He has preserved it.  God is not hiding in the shadows, but He has revealed himself to the entire world and He is calling all men to repentance. 

Good Works

"...the Lord first accepts the person before He accepts the action.  Men, indeed, accept the persons of men because they do good actions; but God accepts the actions of men because their persons are good."  Jeremiah Burroughs

Here are some thoughts that come to mind after reading Burroughs comments.

1.  Good works do not make us right with God.
We can perform all the good deeds we feel compelled to act on, but it does not move us an inch closer to salvation.  This is because salvation is a free gift from God.  It cannot be earned or bought by human effort.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9

2.  Good works are not the way to please God.
In God's economy, our good works are not pleasing to Him, unless we are His.   The way to please God is to first submit your life to Him, then become a living sacrifice so that He can use you they way He desires.  Once you are His, He will then direct you to the works that He has prepared for you.
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  Romans 12:1

 3.  Good works are done out of love
The motivating factors for doing good is our love for God and our love for those he loves.  Jesus came to this earth to demonstrate the love of God by sharing the good news and doing good works, therefore we believers should be doing the same.  With our words we should let others know that God loves them.  With our actions we should demonstrate the love of God to everyone we come in contact with.
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.  Col 2:6

The Patience of God

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?  Romans 2:4

I think sometimes we forget how patient God is with us.  We go about our day-to-day lives and probably don’t realize how often we experience this great gift of His.   Think of all the times we sin against Him and yet do not receive His discipline.  In fact most of the time He withholds his judgment, wrath and discipline from us.  We experience His longsuffering so much that we almost come to expect it.  This can cause us to foster a feeling of resentment when God does decide to discipline us.

 

The reality is -we should be disciplined by God each time we sin against Him.   When we sin we violate the laws of the holy God who requires perfection from His creation.  When we sin we do so against the One who gave His son as a ransom for us.  When we sin we tread upon 

the love of our Savior.  We deserve nothing less than judgment for each sin.

 

Yet God more often than not demonstrates His love, kindness, tolerance and patience towards us as a loving father to his child.    Instead of punishing us for severing our communion with Him, He calls out to us with His Spirit who convicts us of our sin and drives us to repentance.   God desires that we would run to Him each time we sin.    

John Chrysostom offers this reminder, “God shows us his kindness in order to lead us to repentance, not in order that we might sin even more.  If we do not take advantage of this opportunity, the punishment we shall receive will be all the greater.”

Let us not presume on the patience of God,  instead let us rejoice that He extends it to us so often.