I went to Manchester, New Hampshire this weekend to do some evangelism teaching. It was an interesting experience.
I got to the airport early, with Tim driving me. We left my house at 5AM so I would get there on time. This met I had to be up at 4:30AM to be ready! We got to the airport and Time dropped me off. I walk up to the ticket counter and discover my plane does not leave until 8AM. I'm three hours too early!
Anyway, I try to book myself in but have trouble at the self-ticket booth so I have to go to the counter. The lines are all busy except the first class ticket line so she calls me over and books me in. (No, I never got first class) She completes this procedure rather quickly and tags my one bag and I'm off to sit and wait for my flight.
I look at my ticket and see that I'm flying out at Gate 10B. I make my way over to it. I board the aircraft after the long wait. As I'm making my way down the isle, I'm looking for seat 20E. When I get there it is full. Someone is already sitting in the seat. I ask him what is his seat number and he tells me 20E, the same as mine. I draw the attention of the steward and he says, "hmmmm, just sit in any seat." So I do.
The plane heads off down the runway and I'm talking to the guy who has my seat. Suddenly, I notice my ticket stubs do not have my name on them but a Stephen Maurphers. I ask him if this is his name and he says it is. I said, "Oh, oh, I think my bags are tagged with your name and not mine!"
I arrive at my now new destination and go to the check out counter to clear up the confusion. They look at my ticket on the file and realize I was suppose to go to Toronto for my connecting flight and I am now in Chicago! She looks at me and says, "Wow, they really mixed this up!" I said, "I am use to having an airline lose my luggage but never one that loses ME!"
They rebooked everything to get me to Manchester, only it would be now a seven hour wait before I could get on the correct flight! Finally, it arrived and I was off. It was now 12:30AM and I was tired of airports.
I got to the luggage department and found that they now lost my luggage! They would have to send it in the next morning. My conference was the next morning so this meant no change from what I was wearing.
Eventually the luggage did come the next day and I could change. The conference went smoothly and life went on. What's the lesson in all this?
It all started because I thought the woman at the ticket counter who booked me in was correct. I followed her plan until I discovered I was in Chicago instead of Toronto. I thought I was right but the truth was I was on the wrong flight all along.
Many people believe they are on the right road to heaven. Someone has told them that this is the way. Do this and do that. Keep this rule and that rule. But soon they will discover, too late, that they are on the wrong road, entering the wrong gate!
I could fix my situation, many will never be able to change their desparate situation. I lost a few hours, many are moving into eternity. I was travelling with a lot of others so it seemed right but many are on the board way thinking because so many others are with them, it must be okay. It was only when the truth was known to me, I could get the situation fixed. The truth must be made known now to people so they can have their situation fixed.
Matthew 7:13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Making the B Attitudes Practical
Eight Recovery Principles based on the BEATITUDES
by Rick Warren
1. Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.
”Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.” Matthew 5:3
2. Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover.”Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
3. Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.
”Happy are the meek.“ Matthew 5:5
4. Openly examine and confess my faults to God, to myself and to another person whom I trust.
"Happy are the pure in heart." Matthew 5:8
5. Voluntarily submit to any and all changes God wants to make in my life.
"Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires." Matthew 5:6
6. Evaluate all my relationships, offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others when possible, except when doing so would harm them or others.
"Happy are the merciful" Matthew 5:7 "Happy are the peacemakers" Matthew 5:9
7. Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His work for my life and gain the power to follow His will.
8. Yield myself to be used by God to bring this good news to others, both by my example and by my words.“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.”
Matthew 5:10
by Rick Warren
1. Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.
”Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.” Matthew 5:3
2. Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover.”Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
3. Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.
”Happy are the meek.“ Matthew 5:5
4. Openly examine and confess my faults to God, to myself and to another person whom I trust.
"Happy are the pure in heart." Matthew 5:8
5. Voluntarily submit to any and all changes God wants to make in my life.
"Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires." Matthew 5:6
6. Evaluate all my relationships, offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others when possible, except when doing so would harm them or others.
"Happy are the merciful" Matthew 5:7 "Happy are the peacemakers" Matthew 5:9
7. Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His work for my life and gain the power to follow His will.
8. Yield myself to be used by God to bring this good news to others, both by my example and by my words.“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.”
Matthew 5:10
Monday, April 20, 2009
Who Am I?
You may know me.
I'm your constant companion.
I'm your greatest helper; I'm your heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am at your command.
Half the tasks you do might as well be turned over to me.
I'm able to do them quickly,
and I'm able to do them the same every time
if that's what you want.
I'm easily managed, all you've got to do is be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want it done;
after a few lessons I'll do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great men and women;
of course, servant of the failures as well.
I've made all the great individuals who have ever been great,
And I've made all the failures, too.
But I work will all the precision of a marvelous computer
with the intelligence of a human being.
You may run me for profit, or you may run me to ruin;
it makes no difference to me.
Take me. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Be firm with me and I'll put the world at your feet.
Who am I?
I Am Habit.
I'm your constant companion.
I'm your greatest helper; I'm your heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am at your command.
Half the tasks you do might as well be turned over to me.
I'm able to do them quickly,
and I'm able to do them the same every time
if that's what you want.
I'm easily managed, all you've got to do is be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want it done;
after a few lessons I'll do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great men and women;
of course, servant of the failures as well.
I've made all the great individuals who have ever been great,
And I've made all the failures, too.
But I work will all the precision of a marvelous computer
with the intelligence of a human being.
You may run me for profit, or you may run me to ruin;
it makes no difference to me.
Take me. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Be firm with me and I'll put the world at your feet.
Who am I?
I Am Habit.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
A profile of Iglesia Cristiana Segadores de Vida
A profile of Iglesia Cristiana Segadores de Vida, America's Fastest-Growing Church of 2007
By Jeannie Choi
When Armando Ortega heard that a cell group member of his church was suffering kidney failure, he didn’t hesitate to offer his own. Though a series of tests revealed he was not an eligible candidate, Ortega would have gladly undergone surgery, he says.
“That is our heart—to go the extra mile to reach out and help others. It’s beyond normal,” says Ortega, associate pastor of Hispanic church Iglesia Cristiana Segadores de Vida, in Hollywood, Fla. (segadores.com).
To many, offering a kidney is an almost unimaginable act of generosity, but for the leaders at Segadores de Vida, No. 1 on the Outreach 100 Fastest-Growing Churches list, giving themselves away is key to growing their church.
“Our goal is to influence our community,” says Ruddy Gracia, 41, who pastors Segadores de Vida along with his wife, Maria. “If anybody near our church is hungry or in need, we want them to know there’s a place that will help.”
Segadores de Vida, Spanish for harvesters of life, began in 1992, when the Gracias gathered their neighbors in their apartment living room. “We knocked on our neighbors’ doors and won them to Christ immediately,” Maria says. “We grew in that apartment to 85 people in less than six months.”
Meetings were intimate, with nearby residents in the predominantly Hispanic community coming together to share their spiritual and practical needs. The Gracias did all they could to meet those needs, like teaching their members English, arranging legal aid for immigrants and providing prayer support.
The rapidly expanding congregation migrated to a local middle school classroom in 1993, but soon filled the school choir room, and then the gymnasium. By 1995, Segadores de Vida had more than 300 members and was meeting at a storefront in a nearby strip mall. Settling into a more formal setting, the leadership transitioned out of the home-church model and focused on the weekend services, a move Ruddy now sees as a mistake.
“We immediately stopped growing. In 2000, we started the cell groups again and in the past seven years, we’ve grown from 700 to 6,000 members,” Ruddy says. “So the real success has been through raising lay leadership within home cell groups.”
In March 2003, Segadores de Vida moved into its current building, which accommodates 1,750 people. The congregation meets in three services, with people lined out the door. Parking is an utter mess, but the Gracias could not be happier.
“People are ready. This is the time for the Church to harvest what the Lord has promised. We’re in overdrive all the time, but we’re following the Lord’s steps,” says Maria.
Segadores de Vida’s guest connections technique is extremely strategic: Every first-time visitor is contacted by phone within 24 hours of visiting the church. Within 48 hours, a cell group leader meets with the visitor and, over the next five weeks, forges a relationship. Once the visitor has made a decision to follow Christ and join a cell group, he or she is invited to a three-day retreat during which the church’s leaders minister and educate new believers toward spiritual maturity.
Participants are then enrolled in the Segadores Bible School—a series of classes that equips members for leadership. The final trimester of Bible school requires every student to bring several people to Christ, and these new believers become the student-leader’s first cell group. On average, the journey from first-time visitor to cell group leader takes eight to 12 months, Ruddy says.
“We believe that the purpose of salvation is not just to go to heaven, but to lead others to come with you. From the moment you set foot in this church, we place you on a river flowing toward a goal, which is to be used by God,” he says.
With more than 600 cell groups ranging from eight to 40 members each, Segadores de Vida is a growing network of smaller communities that meet weekly to worship together, study God’s Word and provide support to the Hispanic congregation. The church also partners with local civic organizations to help support members in need.
“As people get connected to their cell group, the leaders discover they’re here as immigrants, don’t know English and are in need of legal aid. We already know the system, so we guide them to a lawyer who will not steal their money, and companies and schools that will help them,” Ruddy says.
More than leading the helpless to the temporal comforts of the world, the leaders of Segadores de Vida bring them to the eternal joy of knowing Christ. Although Armando Ortega didn’t pass the test as a kidney donor, he did pass the test as a parent, when eight years ago, he and his wife decided to legally adopt Nicole, a 13-year-old cell group member. Nicole’s grandmother, who was raising her, had suffered a stroke.
“God started putting in our hearts to help her get through this,” says Ortega.
Today, to the Ortegas’ delight, Nicole is happily married and beginning a family. Her testimony stands as an example of what Segadores de Vida is all about—bringing people into the family and helping them start their own.
-Excerpted from Outreach magazine, "Features," 2007 Outreach 100
By Jeannie Choi
When Armando Ortega heard that a cell group member of his church was suffering kidney failure, he didn’t hesitate to offer his own. Though a series of tests revealed he was not an eligible candidate, Ortega would have gladly undergone surgery, he says.
“That is our heart—to go the extra mile to reach out and help others. It’s beyond normal,” says Ortega, associate pastor of Hispanic church Iglesia Cristiana Segadores de Vida, in Hollywood, Fla. (segadores.com).
To many, offering a kidney is an almost unimaginable act of generosity, but for the leaders at Segadores de Vida, No. 1 on the Outreach 100 Fastest-Growing Churches list, giving themselves away is key to growing their church.
“Our goal is to influence our community,” says Ruddy Gracia, 41, who pastors Segadores de Vida along with his wife, Maria. “If anybody near our church is hungry or in need, we want them to know there’s a place that will help.”
Segadores de Vida, Spanish for harvesters of life, began in 1992, when the Gracias gathered their neighbors in their apartment living room. “We knocked on our neighbors’ doors and won them to Christ immediately,” Maria says. “We grew in that apartment to 85 people in less than six months.”
Meetings were intimate, with nearby residents in the predominantly Hispanic community coming together to share their spiritual and practical needs. The Gracias did all they could to meet those needs, like teaching their members English, arranging legal aid for immigrants and providing prayer support.
The rapidly expanding congregation migrated to a local middle school classroom in 1993, but soon filled the school choir room, and then the gymnasium. By 1995, Segadores de Vida had more than 300 members and was meeting at a storefront in a nearby strip mall. Settling into a more formal setting, the leadership transitioned out of the home-church model and focused on the weekend services, a move Ruddy now sees as a mistake.
“We immediately stopped growing. In 2000, we started the cell groups again and in the past seven years, we’ve grown from 700 to 6,000 members,” Ruddy says. “So the real success has been through raising lay leadership within home cell groups.”
In March 2003, Segadores de Vida moved into its current building, which accommodates 1,750 people. The congregation meets in three services, with people lined out the door. Parking is an utter mess, but the Gracias could not be happier.
“People are ready. This is the time for the Church to harvest what the Lord has promised. We’re in overdrive all the time, but we’re following the Lord’s steps,” says Maria.
Segadores de Vida’s guest connections technique is extremely strategic: Every first-time visitor is contacted by phone within 24 hours of visiting the church. Within 48 hours, a cell group leader meets with the visitor and, over the next five weeks, forges a relationship. Once the visitor has made a decision to follow Christ and join a cell group, he or she is invited to a three-day retreat during which the church’s leaders minister and educate new believers toward spiritual maturity.
Participants are then enrolled in the Segadores Bible School—a series of classes that equips members for leadership. The final trimester of Bible school requires every student to bring several people to Christ, and these new believers become the student-leader’s first cell group. On average, the journey from first-time visitor to cell group leader takes eight to 12 months, Ruddy says.
“We believe that the purpose of salvation is not just to go to heaven, but to lead others to come with you. From the moment you set foot in this church, we place you on a river flowing toward a goal, which is to be used by God,” he says.
With more than 600 cell groups ranging from eight to 40 members each, Segadores de Vida is a growing network of smaller communities that meet weekly to worship together, study God’s Word and provide support to the Hispanic congregation. The church also partners with local civic organizations to help support members in need.
“As people get connected to their cell group, the leaders discover they’re here as immigrants, don’t know English and are in need of legal aid. We already know the system, so we guide them to a lawyer who will not steal their money, and companies and schools that will help them,” Ruddy says.
More than leading the helpless to the temporal comforts of the world, the leaders of Segadores de Vida bring them to the eternal joy of knowing Christ. Although Armando Ortega didn’t pass the test as a kidney donor, he did pass the test as a parent, when eight years ago, he and his wife decided to legally adopt Nicole, a 13-year-old cell group member. Nicole’s grandmother, who was raising her, had suffered a stroke.
“God started putting in our hearts to help her get through this,” says Ortega.
Today, to the Ortegas’ delight, Nicole is happily married and beginning a family. Her testimony stands as an example of what Segadores de Vida is all about—bringing people into the family and helping them start their own.
-Excerpted from Outreach magazine, "Features," 2007 Outreach 100
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Clearly Baptist Church
We had a team come from the USA during the Spring holidays. Clearly Baptist Church served with us over the Easter break. They are now on mission again to another part of the world. They ask for our prayers. Below is their request:
Me (Pastor Kevin Ivy) and five others leave Jackson Monday morning to begin a long journey to the southern part of India. We are going to an unreached people group called the Mapilla. They are a group of over 10 million muslims who have no missionary, no church, and no Gospel witness. They are lost and without Christ. They are hard to the Gospel. The International Mission Board is having to fly a missionary in to Calicut to meet us. That is how alone and unreached these people are. If anything is to be accomplished there, there must be prayer, prayer, prayer.
I want to encourage you to pray for several things.
1. Pray that the Mapilla people will begin to have their eyes opened and their hearts softened so that they will be open and responsive to the Gospel. There are numerous reports of unreached Muslims having dreams and visions of Jesus and of mission teams bringing them the truth. It is my prayer that some of these Muslims have had dreams and visions that prepare them for our arrival with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray that the Mapilla will begin having visions and dreams and that their hearst will be softened and prepared for the Gospel.
2. Pray for our safety and the safety of our families as we are gone. Pray that we will all walk very closely with God from this point on, and throughout the entire trip. Pray that we will be discerning, wise, and anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit to be used mightily of Him for His glory.
3. Pray for the power of Satan to be bound. I was talking with a church member today who was remembering the week leading up to her mission trip to the Dominican Republic. It was a rough week and it seemed that Satan tried every way he could to crush her spirits. It seems that Satan definitely works hard to disrupt the work of God. He is sticking his ugly head up everywhere I turn lately it seems. He is raking me over the coals as I try to prepare my heart and mind to go.
The mission team met to pray Monday and we prayed that the strongholds that Satan has among this people would begin to fall and that he would begin to open their eyes, soften their hearts, and open their ears so that when we arrive they will be able to hear and receive the Word of God. Little did we know that Satan is not only working among this people group, but he was going to work full force among us here in the U.S.A. This is part of what prompted the blog entry last night. If you didn't read it, go back to the archives and read it. We are too naive to realize when Satan is using us, attacking us, influencing us, and hindering the work of God through us. God, help me...help us NOT be an instrument of Satan to hinder and thwart the work of God. Help us oh God, to guard our hearts and minds against the works and thoughts of the evil one. Help us oh God, to pray, pray, pray. Help us oh God to focus on your mighty works.
Pray that Satan will be bound both here and there.
In short, if anything good is to come out of this first trip to this unreached people, we must MUST have the prayers of godly people behind us. Would you please forward this blog like crazy? Would you please ask those in your inbox to forward it like crazy? Would you sign up to follow us along the way...at least as much as we can have internet access? Would you commit to pray?
I want to ask each of you to pray for us as we leave Jackson, MS Monday morning at 8 a.m. to make our almost 2 day journey to the southern part of India. Pray for our work there. Pray for the people there.
Me (Pastor Kevin Ivy) and five others leave Jackson Monday morning to begin a long journey to the southern part of India. We are going to an unreached people group called the Mapilla. They are a group of over 10 million muslims who have no missionary, no church, and no Gospel witness. They are lost and without Christ. They are hard to the Gospel. The International Mission Board is having to fly a missionary in to Calicut to meet us. That is how alone and unreached these people are. If anything is to be accomplished there, there must be prayer, prayer, prayer.
I want to encourage you to pray for several things.
1. Pray that the Mapilla people will begin to have their eyes opened and their hearts softened so that they will be open and responsive to the Gospel. There are numerous reports of unreached Muslims having dreams and visions of Jesus and of mission teams bringing them the truth. It is my prayer that some of these Muslims have had dreams and visions that prepare them for our arrival with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray that the Mapilla will begin having visions and dreams and that their hearst will be softened and prepared for the Gospel.
2. Pray for our safety and the safety of our families as we are gone. Pray that we will all walk very closely with God from this point on, and throughout the entire trip. Pray that we will be discerning, wise, and anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit to be used mightily of Him for His glory.
3. Pray for the power of Satan to be bound. I was talking with a church member today who was remembering the week leading up to her mission trip to the Dominican Republic. It was a rough week and it seemed that Satan tried every way he could to crush her spirits. It seems that Satan definitely works hard to disrupt the work of God. He is sticking his ugly head up everywhere I turn lately it seems. He is raking me over the coals as I try to prepare my heart and mind to go.
The mission team met to pray Monday and we prayed that the strongholds that Satan has among this people would begin to fall and that he would begin to open their eyes, soften their hearts, and open their ears so that when we arrive they will be able to hear and receive the Word of God. Little did we know that Satan is not only working among this people group, but he was going to work full force among us here in the U.S.A. This is part of what prompted the blog entry last night. If you didn't read it, go back to the archives and read it. We are too naive to realize when Satan is using us, attacking us, influencing us, and hindering the work of God through us. God, help me...help us NOT be an instrument of Satan to hinder and thwart the work of God. Help us oh God, to guard our hearts and minds against the works and thoughts of the evil one. Help us oh God, to pray, pray, pray. Help us oh God to focus on your mighty works.
Pray that Satan will be bound both here and there.
In short, if anything good is to come out of this first trip to this unreached people, we must MUST have the prayers of godly people behind us. Would you please forward this blog like crazy? Would you please ask those in your inbox to forward it like crazy? Would you sign up to follow us along the way...at least as much as we can have internet access? Would you commit to pray?
I want to ask each of you to pray for us as we leave Jackson, MS Monday morning at 8 a.m. to make our almost 2 day journey to the southern part of India. Pray for our work there. Pray for the people there.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Judas' Betrayal
What Lessons Does Judas' Betrayal Teach Us as Disciples?
Judas is a very sober example of how a good disciple can go bad. From such promise to a total wreck. What do we learn from this event?
His betrayal is hidden from his closest associates.
It's interesting that though the Apostle John is aware of Judas' weakness for money and theft (John 12:6), he doesn't know who the betrayer is until Jesus tells him. All the disciples had weaknesses and patterns of sin -- that's how sinful humans are. So that Judas has a recurrent sin is no indication to anyone that he is a betrayer. It is possible for you and I to betray Jesus in our heart without anyone knowing. Except Jesus. Jesus knows.
Judas' sin ruins him -- and others.
It makes him vulnerable to the seducing voice of Satan. Our sins can ruin us, too. And, very possibly, those around us whom we love.
Is it I? The disciples at the Last Supper don't know who will betray Jesus, and each wonders if it might be himself? Each of us has in us the seeds of betrayal. We must be vigilant.
Even Jesus has one of his leaders turn against him.
Sometimes as Christian leaders we ourselves when one of our leaders turns against us. What did I do wrong? we ask. But even Jesus had this happen. Yes, good leadership is important, but the root of failure lies within the person, not necessarily the leader.
Judas is a very sober example of how a good disciple can go bad. From such promise to a total wreck. What do we learn from this event?
His betrayal is hidden from his closest associates.
It's interesting that though the Apostle John is aware of Judas' weakness for money and theft (John 12:6), he doesn't know who the betrayer is until Jesus tells him. All the disciples had weaknesses and patterns of sin -- that's how sinful humans are. So that Judas has a recurrent sin is no indication to anyone that he is a betrayer. It is possible for you and I to betray Jesus in our heart without anyone knowing. Except Jesus. Jesus knows.
Judas' sin ruins him -- and others.
It makes him vulnerable to the seducing voice of Satan. Our sins can ruin us, too. And, very possibly, those around us whom we love.
Is it I? The disciples at the Last Supper don't know who will betray Jesus, and each wonders if it might be himself? Each of us has in us the seeds of betrayal. We must be vigilant.
Even Jesus has one of his leaders turn against him.
Sometimes as Christian leaders we ourselves when one of our leaders turns against us. What did I do wrong? we ask. But even Jesus had this happen. Yes, good leadership is important, but the root of failure lies within the person, not necessarily the leader.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Differences between RELIGION and CHRISTIANITY
The difference between RELIGION and true CHRISTIANITY:
RELIGION
"Salvation is something I must do. I must somehow earn or gain salvation by the way I live."
CHRISTIANITY
"Salvation is something only God can do. Salvation is of the LORD!" (Eph. 2:8-9; Jonah 2:9).
RELIGION
Religion is summed up in one word: DO--man trying to DO different things to please God and earn His favour.
CHRISTIANITY
Christianity is summed up in one word: DONE--Christ dying on the cross to save sinful man (John 19:30).
RELIGION
The religious man is busy "working" (doing good works) in order to be saved.
CHRISTIANITY
The saved person is "not working" (Rom. 4:5) but is RESTING upon the finished work of Another.
RELIGION
TRYING
CHRISTIANITY
TRUSTING (Acts 16:31
RELIGION
A Work to Do which is never done (How can anyone work well enough and hard enough to earn salvation?)
CHRISTIANITY
A Word to Believe (1 Pet. 1:25) about a Work that is Done (1 Pet. 1:18-19).
RELIGION
Man hoping to save himself
CHRISTIANITY
God saving hopeless man (1 Tim. 1:15)
RELIGION
RELIGION is man trying to BRING HIMSELF TO GOD (by human effort, good works, ritualism, traditionalism, sacraments, etc.).
CHRISTIANITY
CHRISTIANITY is Christ BRINGING US TO GOD on the basis of what He did for us on the cross (1 Peter 3:18).
RELIGION
Religion is man trusting his own good works (Titus 3:5).
CHRISTIANITY
Salvation is man trusting the good work which the Lord Jesus did on the cross (Rom. 3:22-26).
RELIGION
A religious ritual A real relationship (John 17:3)
CHRISTIANITY
Following rules Enjoying life (John 6:47; 10:10).
RELIGION
"I must reform my life and turn over a new leaf"
CHRISTIANITY
Doing Something Knowing Someone (John 17:3)
RELIGION
Man trying to please God in the wrong way (Rom. 8:8--"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God").
CHRISTIANITY
Man truly pleasing God in the only way (Hebrews 11:6--"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him").
RELIGION
Seeking to earn God's favour by works
CHRISTIANITY
Receiving God's favour by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8 and see Eph. 1:6).
RELIGION
"I can work my way to heaven and earn my salvation" (Romans 6:23 teaches that we have earned our way to hell: "the wages of sin is death")
CHRISTIANITY
"I could never live well enough to earn my way to heaven. Christ had to pay the price for my salvation (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
RELIGION
"Salvation is something that a person must earn."
CHRISTIANITY
"Salvation is a free gift" (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 4:10).
RELIGION
The sinner sees himself as good (Luke 18:11-12).
CHRISTIANITY
The sinner sees himself as sinful (Luke 18:13).
RELIGION
The religious man compares himself with others (Luke 18:11).
CHRISTIANITY
The saved man sees himself as God sees him (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 53:1-3; Rom. 3:10-12).
RELIGION
TRUSTING SELF (Luke 18:9)
CHRISTIANITY
TRUSTING CHRIST (Eph. 1:12-13)
RELIGION
BOASTING IN SELF (Luke 18:11-12)
CHRISTIANITY
BOASTING IN THE LORD (1 Cor. 1:29-31; Eph. 2:9)
RELIGION
"I have kept the law! I have done that which God has required" (Matthew 19:16-20).
CHRISTIANITY
"I have broken the law but I am trusting the One who came into this world to save guilty lawbreakers" (1 Tim. 1:15).
RELIGION
The religious man is seeking to establish his own righteousness (Rom. 10:3).
CHRISTIANITY
The saved man is satisfied with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).
RELIGION
Religion is pictured in Genesis 3 by the fig leaves that Adam and Eve made for themselves--a terrible covering (Gen. 3:7 and see Isaiah 64:6).
CHRISTIANITY
Salvation is pictured in Genesis 3 by the coats of skin which God provided by way of the shedding of blood--a perfect covering (Gen. 3:21; Rev. 19:8).
RELIGION
CAIN'S RELIGION--"I bring to God the labour of my own hands" (Gen. 4:3).
CHRISTIANITY
ABEL'S FAITH--"I bring to God a blood sacrifice. An innocent substitute must die to save me" (Gen. 4:4).
RELIGION
Hoping to be saved by good works (a false hope)
CHRISTIANITY
Saved unto good works by God's grace (Eph. 2:10).
RELIGION
Religion teaches that good works are the cause of salvation.
CHRISTIANITY
The Bible teaches that good works are the result of salvation.
RELIGION
Religion says, "Good works are those things that a person does to be saved."
CHRISTIANITY
The Bible says, "Good works are those things that a saved person does" (James 2:14-26).
RELIGION
"Christ is my Example and Teacher. I try to follow Him and live as He lived."
CHRISTIANITY
Christ is my Saviour and Substitute. I am trusting Him and only Him to save me" (Luke 23:40-43).
RELIGION
"I hope I will be saved."
"I think I will be saved."
"I feel that I will be saved, maybe."
CHRISTIANITY
"I KNOW I am saved right now" (1 John 5:13-"These things have I written unto you that believe on to name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life").
RELIGION
"Salvation is something I must do. I must somehow earn or gain salvation by the way I live."
CHRISTIANITY
"Salvation is something only God can do. Salvation is of the LORD!" (Eph. 2:8-9; Jonah 2:9).
RELIGION
Religion is summed up in one word: DO--man trying to DO different things to please God and earn His favour.
CHRISTIANITY
Christianity is summed up in one word: DONE--Christ dying on the cross to save sinful man (John 19:30).
RELIGION
The religious man is busy "working" (doing good works) in order to be saved.
CHRISTIANITY
The saved person is "not working" (Rom. 4:5) but is RESTING upon the finished work of Another.
RELIGION
TRYING
CHRISTIANITY
TRUSTING (Acts 16:31
RELIGION
A Work to Do which is never done (How can anyone work well enough and hard enough to earn salvation?)
CHRISTIANITY
A Word to Believe (1 Pet. 1:25) about a Work that is Done (1 Pet. 1:18-19).
RELIGION
Man hoping to save himself
CHRISTIANITY
God saving hopeless man (1 Tim. 1:15)
RELIGION
RELIGION is man trying to BRING HIMSELF TO GOD (by human effort, good works, ritualism, traditionalism, sacraments, etc.).
CHRISTIANITY
CHRISTIANITY is Christ BRINGING US TO GOD on the basis of what He did for us on the cross (1 Peter 3:18).
RELIGION
Religion is man trusting his own good works (Titus 3:5).
CHRISTIANITY
Salvation is man trusting the good work which the Lord Jesus did on the cross (Rom. 3:22-26).
RELIGION
A religious ritual A real relationship (John 17:3)
CHRISTIANITY
Following rules Enjoying life (John 6:47; 10:10).
RELIGION
"I must reform my life and turn over a new leaf"
CHRISTIANITY
Doing Something Knowing Someone (John 17:3)
RELIGION
Man trying to please God in the wrong way (Rom. 8:8--"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God").
CHRISTIANITY
Man truly pleasing God in the only way (Hebrews 11:6--"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him").
RELIGION
Seeking to earn God's favour by works
CHRISTIANITY
Receiving God's favour by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8 and see Eph. 1:6).
RELIGION
"I can work my way to heaven and earn my salvation" (Romans 6:23 teaches that we have earned our way to hell: "the wages of sin is death")
CHRISTIANITY
"I could never live well enough to earn my way to heaven. Christ had to pay the price for my salvation (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
RELIGION
"Salvation is something that a person must earn."
CHRISTIANITY
"Salvation is a free gift" (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 4:10).
RELIGION
The sinner sees himself as good (Luke 18:11-12).
CHRISTIANITY
The sinner sees himself as sinful (Luke 18:13).
RELIGION
The religious man compares himself with others (Luke 18:11).
CHRISTIANITY
The saved man sees himself as God sees him (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 53:1-3; Rom. 3:10-12).
RELIGION
TRUSTING SELF (Luke 18:9)
CHRISTIANITY
TRUSTING CHRIST (Eph. 1:12-13)
RELIGION
BOASTING IN SELF (Luke 18:11-12)
CHRISTIANITY
BOASTING IN THE LORD (1 Cor. 1:29-31; Eph. 2:9)
RELIGION
"I have kept the law! I have done that which God has required" (Matthew 19:16-20).
CHRISTIANITY
"I have broken the law but I am trusting the One who came into this world to save guilty lawbreakers" (1 Tim. 1:15).
RELIGION
The religious man is seeking to establish his own righteousness (Rom. 10:3).
CHRISTIANITY
The saved man is satisfied with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).
RELIGION
Religion is pictured in Genesis 3 by the fig leaves that Adam and Eve made for themselves--a terrible covering (Gen. 3:7 and see Isaiah 64:6).
CHRISTIANITY
Salvation is pictured in Genesis 3 by the coats of skin which God provided by way of the shedding of blood--a perfect covering (Gen. 3:21; Rev. 19:8).
RELIGION
CAIN'S RELIGION--"I bring to God the labour of my own hands" (Gen. 4:3).
CHRISTIANITY
ABEL'S FAITH--"I bring to God a blood sacrifice. An innocent substitute must die to save me" (Gen. 4:4).
RELIGION
Hoping to be saved by good works (a false hope)
CHRISTIANITY
Saved unto good works by God's grace (Eph. 2:10).
RELIGION
Religion teaches that good works are the cause of salvation.
CHRISTIANITY
The Bible teaches that good works are the result of salvation.
RELIGION
Religion says, "Good works are those things that a person does to be saved."
CHRISTIANITY
The Bible says, "Good works are those things that a saved person does" (James 2:14-26).
RELIGION
"Christ is my Example and Teacher. I try to follow Him and live as He lived."
CHRISTIANITY
Christ is my Saviour and Substitute. I am trusting Him and only Him to save me" (Luke 23:40-43).
RELIGION
"I hope I will be saved."
"I think I will be saved."
"I feel that I will be saved, maybe."
CHRISTIANITY
"I KNOW I am saved right now" (1 John 5:13-"These things have I written unto you that believe on to name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life").
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
A Soldier's View of the Tomb
by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
Cassius stood at rigid attention in front of the commanding officer of Jerusalem's military cohort. "Centurion," the officer barked, "explain yourself! One of your squads was assigned to guard a tomb, a dead man. What could be so hard about that? Now I'm hearing rumors that the body is missing? Tell me this is all a mistake!"
"Sir, may I be frank, one old soldier to another?" asked the Centurion. He and the Tribune went back a long way, though the Tribune was of the equestrian class, and he a mere commoner.
"Please, Cassius," he said somewhat more gently, and motioned for the Centurion to take a seat.
"I must beg your indulgence, sir," Cassius began. "The story actually begins weeks ago."
"Take your time," the Tribune said, relaxing somewhat.
"Ever since this Jesus began preaching around Jerusalem, we thought he might be some kind of revolutionary bent on stirring up the populace with his talk of the Kingdom of God. But I went and listened to him, sir. He was no threat. Thousands would sit in rapt attention as he would talk about his Father, and loving your neighbor, forgiveness from past sins, and beginning a new life. It was fascinating, sir. Made you feel like he cared about you personally, he did."
The Tribune was resting his chin on his hand. "Go on, soldier."
"The next I saw him, we had been ordered to stand guard outside the Governor's official residence. The crowd was getting ugly. Pontius Pilate was sitting up there on the judgment seat and Jesus stood before him. Someone had roughed him up a bit, sir.
"What did you expect, Centurion?"
"Finally," Cassius continued, "Pilate motioned for silence. 'I find no crime in this man,' he called out. Then he tried to set Jesus free. He asked them to choose between Barabbas--a known murderer and rebel--and Jesus."
"And now that criminal Barabbas is walking free again."
"Jews from the ruling Sanhedrin were shouting, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' The rabble took up the cry. It was touch and go for a minute there, sir. Then Pilate called for a basin, and began to wash his prissy little hands ...."
"Centurion, I'll allow no disrespect," the Tribune said sharply.
"Yes sir, but you know Jesus was innocent, pure and simple. He had just offended some powerful priests. But when Pilate saw how the wind was blowing he went along. I thought Rome was about law and justice, not expediency."
"Ruling is sometimes dirty business, Centurion," interjected the Tribune.
"So is soldiering, sir. On your orders one of my squad was picked to scourge the man."
"Oh, they enjoyed it well enough," said the Tribune. "That tall soldier ... Publius, wasn't it? He flogged like a madman, as I recall, with the metal tips of the scourge biting into his back until the skin lay in tatters and blood ran free."
"Few times in my career have I been sickened by blood," commented Cassius, "but to see an innocent man treated with such cruelty...."
"I don't recall you stopping them from dressing him in a purple robe with a reed for a scepter and a crown of thorns. Oh, they were having fun, all right."
"I've crucified hundreds in my time," Cassius replied, "but this man was different. He didn't curse. He didn't whimper. He was half-dead already from the beating Publius gave him, and he fell on the way to Golgotha."
"Fell?"
"He was just too weak to carry the cross, so we conscripted a strong Cyrenean to carry it. Then we crucified Jesus."
"All men die the same."
"Not like he did," replied Cassius. "We spiked him to the cross-bar and hoisted it onto the upright, but I'll never forget his prayer: 'Father forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing.' Sir, I was responsible for killing him, and he forgave me."
"Haven't you been a soldier too long to be troubled by a guilty conscience, Cassius?"
"Then the thief crucified next to him asked to be remembered when Jesus came into his kingdom."
"His kingdom!" the Tribune sneered.
"But listen to his answer: 'Today you will be with me in paradise.' Amazing! About noon, Tribune, the sky grew dark. Everyone saw it, and felt the cold chill when he cried, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' He sounded like the loneliest man in the world, hanging in the darkness. He spoke scarcely a word until three in the afternoon when he shouted, almost triumphantly, 'It is finished!' And, if you listened closely, you could hear him whisper, 'Into your hands I commit my spirit.'
"At that very moment the ground began to tremble and roll," said Cassius. "Knocked me to the ground for a moment. And then the darkness began to lift. I tell you, Tribune, that was no mere man we crucified, he was the Son of God."
"A few freak coincidences and you're willing to declare him divine? He's just as dead as anyone."
"No, Tribune, he's not."
"He's not?"
"The chief priests and Pharisees insisted that Pilate guard the tomb so Jesus' disciples wouldn't steal the body."
"I know. I ordered it."
"We posted three men around the clock, relieved every eight hours as regulations call for. I sealed the tomb before they began. It was secure."
"So, what's this rumor that the body is gone?"
"It is gone, sir."
"I'll have your hide, Centurion!" the Tribune shouted, rising to his feet.
Cassius stood, too, but went on. "Sunday morning, sir, the three soldiers on duty came running into the barracks like they'd seen a ghost. 'Centurion! Centurion!' they shouted. 'He's alive!' I got them calmed down, and made them tell me every detail.
"Their shift had begun in the evening," he said. They had been wide awake all night--telling stories about their girlfriends back home most of the time, I understand. Then, while it was still dark, they said the garden tomb lit up as if it were high noon, and an angel with garments like lightning came and rolled the stone away from the tomb. They just sat there trembling. Then one of them got up-- Publius, I think they said--and looked in the tomb. The body was gone, and the graveclothes were lying on the limestone shelf wrapped round and round, but no body in them."
"You expect me to believe that?" the Tribune responded disdainfully.
"I questioned them closely. Each looked. Each saw the same thing. The body was gone."
"They must have fallen asleep, and told a story to cover themselves."
"They were battle-hardened veterans, sir, not some green troops. I know those men. Besides, sir, you'd think the sound of people trying to roll a huge stone would awaken sleeping soldiers. No, they were telling the truth, all right."
"What do you expect me to tell people, Centurion? That he rose from the dead?"
"I don't know what you're going to tell them, Tribune, but that's what happened. He's alive. I tell you, he's alive!"
"We'll tell the soldiers to say they fell asleep and his disciples stole the body," suggested the Tribune.
"What soldier is willing to say he fell asleep?" asked Cassius with a thin smile on his face.
"We'll pay them to say it," said the Tribune. "The chief priests owe us. They'll come up with a goodly sum to bury this story.... I'll take care of it from here on out, Centurion. You didn't see anything. You don't know anything. Got it?"
"But I do know, and I did see, Tribune. I can't change what happened. Jesus is out there alive. More than alive."
"Forget this ever happened, Cassius."
"Forget it if you can, sir. But with all respect, Jesus is alive, and that changes everything."
Cassius stood at rigid attention in front of the commanding officer of Jerusalem's military cohort. "Centurion," the officer barked, "explain yourself! One of your squads was assigned to guard a tomb, a dead man. What could be so hard about that? Now I'm hearing rumors that the body is missing? Tell me this is all a mistake!"
"Sir, may I be frank, one old soldier to another?" asked the Centurion. He and the Tribune went back a long way, though the Tribune was of the equestrian class, and he a mere commoner.
"Please, Cassius," he said somewhat more gently, and motioned for the Centurion to take a seat.
"I must beg your indulgence, sir," Cassius began. "The story actually begins weeks ago."
"Take your time," the Tribune said, relaxing somewhat.
"Ever since this Jesus began preaching around Jerusalem, we thought he might be some kind of revolutionary bent on stirring up the populace with his talk of the Kingdom of God. But I went and listened to him, sir. He was no threat. Thousands would sit in rapt attention as he would talk about his Father, and loving your neighbor, forgiveness from past sins, and beginning a new life. It was fascinating, sir. Made you feel like he cared about you personally, he did."
The Tribune was resting his chin on his hand. "Go on, soldier."
"The next I saw him, we had been ordered to stand guard outside the Governor's official residence. The crowd was getting ugly. Pontius Pilate was sitting up there on the judgment seat and Jesus stood before him. Someone had roughed him up a bit, sir.
"What did you expect, Centurion?"
"Finally," Cassius continued, "Pilate motioned for silence. 'I find no crime in this man,' he called out. Then he tried to set Jesus free. He asked them to choose between Barabbas--a known murderer and rebel--and Jesus."
"And now that criminal Barabbas is walking free again."
"Jews from the ruling Sanhedrin were shouting, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' The rabble took up the cry. It was touch and go for a minute there, sir. Then Pilate called for a basin, and began to wash his prissy little hands ...."
"Centurion, I'll allow no disrespect," the Tribune said sharply.
"Yes sir, but you know Jesus was innocent, pure and simple. He had just offended some powerful priests. But when Pilate saw how the wind was blowing he went along. I thought Rome was about law and justice, not expediency."
"Ruling is sometimes dirty business, Centurion," interjected the Tribune.
"So is soldiering, sir. On your orders one of my squad was picked to scourge the man."
"Oh, they enjoyed it well enough," said the Tribune. "That tall soldier ... Publius, wasn't it? He flogged like a madman, as I recall, with the metal tips of the scourge biting into his back until the skin lay in tatters and blood ran free."
"Few times in my career have I been sickened by blood," commented Cassius, "but to see an innocent man treated with such cruelty...."
"I don't recall you stopping them from dressing him in a purple robe with a reed for a scepter and a crown of thorns. Oh, they were having fun, all right."
"I've crucified hundreds in my time," Cassius replied, "but this man was different. He didn't curse. He didn't whimper. He was half-dead already from the beating Publius gave him, and he fell on the way to Golgotha."
"Fell?"
"He was just too weak to carry the cross, so we conscripted a strong Cyrenean to carry it. Then we crucified Jesus."
"All men die the same."
"Not like he did," replied Cassius. "We spiked him to the cross-bar and hoisted it onto the upright, but I'll never forget his prayer: 'Father forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing.' Sir, I was responsible for killing him, and he forgave me."
"Haven't you been a soldier too long to be troubled by a guilty conscience, Cassius?"
"Then the thief crucified next to him asked to be remembered when Jesus came into his kingdom."
"His kingdom!" the Tribune sneered.
"But listen to his answer: 'Today you will be with me in paradise.' Amazing! About noon, Tribune, the sky grew dark. Everyone saw it, and felt the cold chill when he cried, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' He sounded like the loneliest man in the world, hanging in the darkness. He spoke scarcely a word until three in the afternoon when he shouted, almost triumphantly, 'It is finished!' And, if you listened closely, you could hear him whisper, 'Into your hands I commit my spirit.'
"At that very moment the ground began to tremble and roll," said Cassius. "Knocked me to the ground for a moment. And then the darkness began to lift. I tell you, Tribune, that was no mere man we crucified, he was the Son of God."
"A few freak coincidences and you're willing to declare him divine? He's just as dead as anyone."
"No, Tribune, he's not."
"He's not?"
"The chief priests and Pharisees insisted that Pilate guard the tomb so Jesus' disciples wouldn't steal the body."
"I know. I ordered it."
"We posted three men around the clock, relieved every eight hours as regulations call for. I sealed the tomb before they began. It was secure."
"So, what's this rumor that the body is gone?"
"It is gone, sir."
"I'll have your hide, Centurion!" the Tribune shouted, rising to his feet.
Cassius stood, too, but went on. "Sunday morning, sir, the three soldiers on duty came running into the barracks like they'd seen a ghost. 'Centurion! Centurion!' they shouted. 'He's alive!' I got them calmed down, and made them tell me every detail.
"Their shift had begun in the evening," he said. They had been wide awake all night--telling stories about their girlfriends back home most of the time, I understand. Then, while it was still dark, they said the garden tomb lit up as if it were high noon, and an angel with garments like lightning came and rolled the stone away from the tomb. They just sat there trembling. Then one of them got up-- Publius, I think they said--and looked in the tomb. The body was gone, and the graveclothes were lying on the limestone shelf wrapped round and round, but no body in them."
"You expect me to believe that?" the Tribune responded disdainfully.
"I questioned them closely. Each looked. Each saw the same thing. The body was gone."
"They must have fallen asleep, and told a story to cover themselves."
"They were battle-hardened veterans, sir, not some green troops. I know those men. Besides, sir, you'd think the sound of people trying to roll a huge stone would awaken sleeping soldiers. No, they were telling the truth, all right."
"What do you expect me to tell people, Centurion? That he rose from the dead?"
"I don't know what you're going to tell them, Tribune, but that's what happened. He's alive. I tell you, he's alive!"
"We'll tell the soldiers to say they fell asleep and his disciples stole the body," suggested the Tribune.
"What soldier is willing to say he fell asleep?" asked Cassius with a thin smile on his face.
"We'll pay them to say it," said the Tribune. "The chief priests owe us. They'll come up with a goodly sum to bury this story.... I'll take care of it from here on out, Centurion. You didn't see anything. You don't know anything. Got it?"
"But I do know, and I did see, Tribune. I can't change what happened. Jesus is out there alive. More than alive."
"Forget this ever happened, Cassius."
"Forget it if you can, sir. But with all respect, Jesus is alive, and that changes everything."
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Transformers
When I was raising children we use to buy them toys called Transformers. Transformers were robot-like men who could also be a vehicle of some kind. They were cool! Our kids would push them around as a car for awhile then "bam" instantly they were transformed into a alien space man with powers. The mind of children would soar with the possiblities.
The mission of the church is to also to transform. To transform the minds of people.
We are not just trying to win arguments or make points in a debate class. We are not trying to push our beliefs on others or just put down someone else's beliefs. Our goal is to introduce someone to a Person, His Name is Truth!
To whole body of Christ is focused on seeing that a person clearly hears the Gospel or good news of Jesus so they can accept or reject its offer of life. We see transformation happen right before our eyes when people fully surrender into His arms.
How do people transform?
There are only three possible ways by which men have ever been transformed:
1) By the strength of another
2) By the costs of a purchaser
3) By conviction of a truth
Men and even nations have been transformed by the use of the strength of another. When a person’s life or physical welfare is sufficiently threatened by the use of force, he will usually submit to the will of another. The history books are full of examples of this kind of tranformation.
Likewise, if a sufficient price or consideration is offered to most people, they will tranform their lives to conform to the will of the person paying the cost. This is readily recognized in the area of wages or even bribes. When compelling reasons are given for a different course of action, a person may frequently be convinced to change both his mind and his conduct.
Now, of these three ways by which man can be changed, which is/are acceptable for use by us?
Obviously the first two, strength or paying the cost does not transform the mind or the disagreememt. Neither one of these methods has anything to do with tranforming the mind of the individual. These methods might change his actions but they will not change his convictions. Belief in what is right cannot be imposed on the human mind by either force or money. Even the change in conduct wrought by these methods lasts only as long as the force or the money holds out.
The only tool left to the Christian is the power of persuasion! This is precisely as God has ordained it. Note the following two passages:
“Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men….” (2 Corinthians 5:11).
“….and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God, and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening” (Acts 28:23).
Our Lord is not interested in “forced” service or “bribed” obedience. He is interested in people being persuaded to “obey from the heart” (Romans 6:17). God desires a transformation of the whole man which begins with “the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
While the power of persuasion is all we have, it is enough! The only thing that renders it ineffective is our refusal or negligence to use it. May God always find us busily engaged in using the power of persuasion to change the minds of men.
The mission of the church is to also to transform. To transform the minds of people.
We are not just trying to win arguments or make points in a debate class. We are not trying to push our beliefs on others or just put down someone else's beliefs. Our goal is to introduce someone to a Person, His Name is Truth!
To whole body of Christ is focused on seeing that a person clearly hears the Gospel or good news of Jesus so they can accept or reject its offer of life. We see transformation happen right before our eyes when people fully surrender into His arms.
How do people transform?
There are only three possible ways by which men have ever been transformed:
1) By the strength of another
2) By the costs of a purchaser
3) By conviction of a truth
Men and even nations have been transformed by the use of the strength of another. When a person’s life or physical welfare is sufficiently threatened by the use of force, he will usually submit to the will of another. The history books are full of examples of this kind of tranformation.
Likewise, if a sufficient price or consideration is offered to most people, they will tranform their lives to conform to the will of the person paying the cost. This is readily recognized in the area of wages or even bribes. When compelling reasons are given for a different course of action, a person may frequently be convinced to change both his mind and his conduct.
Now, of these three ways by which man can be changed, which is/are acceptable for use by us?
Obviously the first two, strength or paying the cost does not transform the mind or the disagreememt. Neither one of these methods has anything to do with tranforming the mind of the individual. These methods might change his actions but they will not change his convictions. Belief in what is right cannot be imposed on the human mind by either force or money. Even the change in conduct wrought by these methods lasts only as long as the force or the money holds out.
The only tool left to the Christian is the power of persuasion! This is precisely as God has ordained it. Note the following two passages:
“Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men….” (2 Corinthians 5:11).
“….and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God, and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening” (Acts 28:23).
Our Lord is not interested in “forced” service or “bribed” obedience. He is interested in people being persuaded to “obey from the heart” (Romans 6:17). God desires a transformation of the whole man which begins with “the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
While the power of persuasion is all we have, it is enough! The only thing that renders it ineffective is our refusal or negligence to use it. May God always find us busily engaged in using the power of persuasion to change the minds of men.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Martyrs - People Who Attack False Beliefs
Martyrs were people who aggressively attacked false beliefs. They were not passive observers but instead people who were willing to take great risks to see that the gospel of Christ was declared throughout the world. This risk was to their personal sacrifice of their lives many times.
Here are some examples of the early church's witnesses:
Stephen was preaching the gospel in Jerusalem on the Passover after Christ’s crucifixion. He was cast out of the city and stoned to death. About 2,000 Christians suffered martyrdom during this time (about 34 A.D.).
James, the son of Zebedee and the elder brother of John, was killed when Herod Agrippa arrived as governor of Judea. Many early disciples were martyred under Agrippa’s rule, including Timon and Parmenas (about 44 A.D.).
Philip, a disciple from Bethsaida, in Galilee, suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified (about 54 A.D.).
Matthew, the tax-collector from Nazareth who wrote a gospel in Hebrew, was preaching in Ethiopia when he suffered martyrdom by the sword (about 60 A.D.).
James, the Brother of Jesus, administered the early church in Jerusalem and was the author of a book in the Bible. At the age of 94 he was beat and stoned, and finally had his brains bashed out with a fuller's club.
Matthias was the apostle who filled the vacant place of Judas. He was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded.
Andrew, the brother of Peter, preached the gospel throughout Asia. On his arrival at Edessa, he was arrested and crucified on a cross, two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground (thus the term, St. Andrew's Cross).
Mark was converted to Christianity by Peter, and then transcribed Peter’s account of Jesus in his Gospel. Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria in front of Serapis, their pagan idol.
Peter was condemned to death and crucified at Rome. Jerome holds that Peter was crucified upside down, at his own request, because he said he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord.
Paul suffered in the first persecution under Nero. Because of the converting impact he was having on people in the face of martyrdom, he was led to a private place outside the city where he gave his neck to the sword.
Jude, the brother of James, was commonly called Thaddeus. He was crucified at Edessa in about 72 A.D.
Bartholomew translated the Gospel of Matthew in India. He was cruelly beaten and crucified by idolaters there.
Thomas, called Didymus, preached in Parthia and India. He was thrust through with a spear by pagan priests.
Luke was the author of the Gospel under his name. He traveled with Paul through various countries and was supposedly hanged on an olive tree by idolatrous priests in Greece.
Barnabas, of Cyprus, was killed without many known facts about 73 A.D. Simon, surnamed Zelotes, preached in Africa and Britain, where he was crucified in about 74 A.D.
John, the "beloved disciple," was the brother of James. Although he suffered great persecution, including imprisonment where he wrote the book of Revelation, he was the only apostle who escaped a violent death.
The witness of Christ is costly because the message is the direct opposite of the world's message. The world's message is, there is no god, do whatever you want, there are no eternal consequences for your actions. Christ's message is, there is a God who should be feared if you go against Him and His teaching, you will be held responsible for your actions and they have eternal consequences.
Keep the faith! Keep the witness! Declare the gospel, even if it cost you!
Here are some examples of the early church's witnesses:
Stephen was preaching the gospel in Jerusalem on the Passover after Christ’s crucifixion. He was cast out of the city and stoned to death. About 2,000 Christians suffered martyrdom during this time (about 34 A.D.).
James, the son of Zebedee and the elder brother of John, was killed when Herod Agrippa arrived as governor of Judea. Many early disciples were martyred under Agrippa’s rule, including Timon and Parmenas (about 44 A.D.).
Philip, a disciple from Bethsaida, in Galilee, suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified (about 54 A.D.).
Matthew, the tax-collector from Nazareth who wrote a gospel in Hebrew, was preaching in Ethiopia when he suffered martyrdom by the sword (about 60 A.D.).
James, the Brother of Jesus, administered the early church in Jerusalem and was the author of a book in the Bible. At the age of 94 he was beat and stoned, and finally had his brains bashed out with a fuller's club.
Matthias was the apostle who filled the vacant place of Judas. He was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded.
Andrew, the brother of Peter, preached the gospel throughout Asia. On his arrival at Edessa, he was arrested and crucified on a cross, two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground (thus the term, St. Andrew's Cross).
Mark was converted to Christianity by Peter, and then transcribed Peter’s account of Jesus in his Gospel. Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria in front of Serapis, their pagan idol.
Peter was condemned to death and crucified at Rome. Jerome holds that Peter was crucified upside down, at his own request, because he said he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord.
Paul suffered in the first persecution under Nero. Because of the converting impact he was having on people in the face of martyrdom, he was led to a private place outside the city where he gave his neck to the sword.
Jude, the brother of James, was commonly called Thaddeus. He was crucified at Edessa in about 72 A.D.
Bartholomew translated the Gospel of Matthew in India. He was cruelly beaten and crucified by idolaters there.
Thomas, called Didymus, preached in Parthia and India. He was thrust through with a spear by pagan priests.
Luke was the author of the Gospel under his name. He traveled with Paul through various countries and was supposedly hanged on an olive tree by idolatrous priests in Greece.
Barnabas, of Cyprus, was killed without many known facts about 73 A.D. Simon, surnamed Zelotes, preached in Africa and Britain, where he was crucified in about 74 A.D.
John, the "beloved disciple," was the brother of James. Although he suffered great persecution, including imprisonment where he wrote the book of Revelation, he was the only apostle who escaped a violent death.
The witness of Christ is costly because the message is the direct opposite of the world's message. The world's message is, there is no god, do whatever you want, there are no eternal consequences for your actions. Christ's message is, there is a God who should be feared if you go against Him and His teaching, you will be held responsible for your actions and they have eternal consequences.
Keep the faith! Keep the witness! Declare the gospel, even if it cost you!
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