Don't you know who I am?

An incident from about thirty years ago still makes me smile with amusement at the arrogance that gripped me back then. (Hopefully, it's moderated some by time and the Spirit's influence.) The family and I were headed home from Sunday worship at the church where I was the newly minted Associate Pastor, very impressed with my new position and title. I took pleasure in signing everything - Rev. Jerry Scott! I pulled out of the church parking lot and accelerated much too fast for the residential street. Seconds later, I saw the flashing lights of a police cruiser in the rearview mirror. When the young officer stepped up to my window, I said, "Don't you know who I am?" I'd heard about 'clergy courtesy' and figured I deserved it! He didn't care if I was the Princes of Wales and handed me a speeding ticket, as he should have.

The Bible says that some people have a mistaken notion that when they come before the Lord in the Judgment, they will be exempt from accountability because of their religious reputation. Take a look. Jesus said, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" (Matthew 7:21-23, NIV) Amazing and sobering, isn't it? Religious practices won't exempt you or me from the Lord's judgment. The fact that we knew the right words, or even that we did some of the right things, won't cause the Lord of Glory to hand us the key to His house. "But, Lord, don't you know who I am? I'm the guy who got the perfect attendance award from Sunday School when I was a kid. I gave $thousands to charities. I served on the church board for years." He'll be unimpressed, because it is possible to do all those right things for all the wrong reasons.

Jesus Christ wants to know you and me, to walk with us, to shape our lives by His daily Presence. There is a story from the book of the Acts where Peter and John were hauled into a court to answer for their teaching of Christ as Lord. These men, who had no seminary degrees, who were unsophisticated, offered an amazing defense of their doctrine. The Council sent them out of the room and conferred, coming to this conclusion - "they took note that they had been with Jesus!" (4.13) The difference was the relationship. Yes, Believer, that still is the remarkable difference. Those who are full of religion may accomplish much, driven by the need to prove their goodness or even by a keen sense of humanitarian concern, but they will not have the fragrance of the Lord's Presence about them. They will not ultimately find themselves in God's graces, either. When they ask, "Don't You know who I am?" Jesus will honestly have to say, "No. You never spent anytime with me."

Ah, friend, do you know Him? The question is not - do you know about Him?
How long has it been since you just spent time loving Him, not doing anything, not working, not singing, not serving ... just loving Him?
Yes, it is true, that when we love Him, we will serve Him. Our devotion to Christ will find expression in the ways we serve others. BUT, we must not make the mistake of trusting in our own goodness, in our long list of church accomplishments as proof of our acceptability to God. If we do, we will become pious frauds or worse. Let God love you today. Invite the Spirit to come close and receive the grace of God!

Here's a word from the Word. Pray for the Spirit's wisdom to understand it. And then, revel in the Love of Christ which makes you holy and acceptable in the sight of God.
"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s special favor that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms—all because we are one with Christ Jesus.

And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus. God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:4-10, NLT)

If you have believed, received, and lived in love for Him - you will never have to ask, "Do You know who I am?" Instead, when it comes your time to 'go home,' you will be met by the angels of Glory who will usher you into the Presence of your beloved Lord, who will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share your Master's happiness." (Matthew 25:21)

Making the connection

Some subjects make for an interesting conversation, and that's all. You know, the great issues of life like:
Should the English monarchy continue to be supported by the government?
Will Oprah ever marry Stedman?
What are the primary colors for Fall fashions?
Will the Patriots make the play-offs this year and defeat Pittsburgh?
You're laughing, I hope. My point is that there are things we simply chat about that have little consequence in our daily lives.

Believer, I am concerned that for some Christianity falls into that same category: conversation without consequence. Endless talk will sideline us from the core issues of discipleship into endless discussions about End Times scenarios, debates about interpretations of Genesis, and the authorship of the book of Hebrews. Will you spend more time analyzing the style in which the Sunday sermon was delivered than you spend in application of its content? Will you spend more thought on the tone of voice used by the reader of the Scripture than understanding the words of truth she reads?

I sometimes ask myself, "How is it that this person has been attending church and 'studying' the Bible for so long and yet shows so little evidence of genuine Christ-likeness?" Perhaps part of the answer is that they dabble constantly in secondary issues and seldom let the Word speak directly to the issues of life! James warns about not letting the Bible work on us. He says, "remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don’t obey, you are only fooling yourself. For if you just listen and don’t obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you keep looking steadily into God’s perfect law—the law that sets you free—and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." (James 1:22-25, NLT) People who turn the Bible into a source of conversation only, are as foolish as a person with a big splotch of dirt on their face who see it in the mirror, but walk away forgetting to wipe it off! Gaze intently into the mirror of the Word and ask the Spirit to help you to understand what you're seeing. The result will be a transformed life that is God-approved.

As I was teaching a Bible study on love and forgiveness in a prison recently, I saw the power of the Word in action! Several of those in attendance became very quiet, then tears formed in their eyes as the Spirit used His Word to pierce their hearts with conviction. One of the things I love about prison Bible Class is the honest reaction. One man blurted out, "If I actually started to live like that, people would think I was weak and I'd get beat up and taken advantage of in this place." Another woman became agitated, convicted by the Spirit I'm sure, and literally turned her back on me for the rest of the study, refusing to make eye contact. These men and women were taking it seriously and God's Spirit was driving the Truth deep into their lives. They didn't turn it into an intellectual and/or theoretical debate. It was the stuff of life and they were dealing with the Truth.

Do you read and hear God's Word as the stuff of life?
When you come upon a passage that shakes up your world view or that makes you acutely uncomfortable, what's your reaction, if any?

Watch out for a response like that of the religion scholar who came to Jesus with a question: “Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?” Good question, right? One we all need to ask.
Jesus answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?” He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.” “Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you’ll live.”

Now, take special note of the scholar's next question. Looking for a loophole, he asked, “And just how would you define ‘neighbor’?”" (Luke 10:25-29, The Message) Jesus responded with a pointed story about the Samaritan who involved himself in costly care of a Jewish man who had been beaten and robbed, even when a priest and a scholar wouldn't! I don't think that religion scholar succeeded in diverting the conversation into a fruitless debate! Was he changed? Only Heaven knows.

Here's a word from the Word on which to meditate today - "With God as your witness, you must warn them not to argue about words. These arguments don’t help anyone. In fact, they ruin everyone who listens to them. Do your best to win God’s approval as a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed and who teaches only the true message. Keep away from worthless and useless talk. It only leads people farther away from God." (2 Timothy 2:14-16, CEV)
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In the grip of pride?

The conversation bordered on the bizarre as the person insisted that his whole family was his enemy. It is a sad scenario in which he has become increasingly committed to his perceptions, no matter who tries to help him grasp the realities of his situation. This person is not mentally ill, functions well in his place of work, but in this one area - he has become willfully blind to the truth. His mind is made up. As he sees it, he is being persecuted - and it is his 'truth.' Have you ever tried to dialogue with someone who is committed to their version of the 'facts,' who is completely unwilling to consider the possibility that they could be getting it wrong? It is frustrating, to say the least.

When we close our mind on a subject, we begin to interpret all the data that flows our way in a way that supports our conclusions. The results can sometimes be hilarious and often tragic! I have a friend who refuses to believe that American astronauts ever walked on the moon. With a straight face, he'll tell you that all the videos and pictures from the moon explorations were fabricated by the government. His mind is closed! One of the more loony conspiracy theories that keeps making its way around these days is that the US Government brought down the World Trade Center on 9/11! The fringe who propagates that idea is committed to it despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

So, are you in the grip of a closed mind (an expression of pride), unwilling and/or unable to see the facts and deal with the truth?
If you are, it is unlikely you will admit it! And so the delusions deepen.

As a Christian Believer, I personally walk the line between two competing ideals -
being committed to the Truth of Christ and the Holy Scripture, and
remaining open to instruction that allows for correction.

From the Scriptures, I learn facts that are unchanging - God is the Creator; Jesus Christ is the Savior; the Holy Spirit is present, at work in the world now. The Gospels inform me that love of God and fellow man are God's basic requirement of all people, at all times, in every place. I am a committed Christian who believes in the exclusive Truth claim made by Jesus who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6, NKJV)

But I am wary of pride that would keep me from hearing the correcting voices that would keep me from slipping into a world of illusions born of my own twisted understandings of the 'facts.' There are no more frightening people in the world to me than those who proudly announce - "We are the 'true' people of God, for we possess 'all' the truth." When the sin of pride is wedded to the power of 'truth' - the results are terrifying! That is one reason I am so reluctant to ever make the claim that "God told me to tell you...." It is much different to say, "I believe that the Lord wants me to share this with you." The second statement allows for the real possibility that the 'prophet' got it wrong! Pride is a singular sin that feeds itself and keeps us from God and the Truth, regardless of our religiosity or lack thereof. Pride is a form of idolatry, a love of self that excludes God and good.

C.S. Lewis, in his book, Mere Christianity, writes this about pride.

"There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which every one in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine that they are guilty themselves.. . . There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others. The vice I am talking of is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility. You may remember, when I was talking about sexual morality, I warned you that the centre of Christian morals did not lie there. Well, now, we have come to the centre. According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind."

Later in the same chapter, he writes -

"How is it that people who are quite obviously eaten up with Pride can say they believe in God and appear to themselves very religious? I am afraid it means they are worshipping an imaginary God. They theoretically admit themselves to be nothing in the presence of this phantom God, but are really all the time imagining how He approves of them and thinks them far better than ordinary people: that is, they pay a pennyworth of imaginary humility to Him and get out of it a pound's worth of Pride towards their fellowmen.

I suppose it was of those people Christ was thinking when He said that some would preach about Him and cast out devils in His name, only to be told at the end of the world that He had never known them. And any of us may at any moment be in this death-trap. Luckily, we have a test. Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good --above all, that we are better than someone else -- I think we may be sure that we are being acted on, not by God, but by the devil. The real test of being in presence of God is, that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object. It is better to forget about yourself altogether."

Choose the discipline of service, which will open pathways for the Spirit to work humility into your character. Choose to associate with people unlike yourself. Listen, really listen, to those with whom you differ. Pray for the grace of humility, and when God lets life disappoint you, allow Him to use it to accomplish His work of humiliation.

Here's a word from the Word to ponder today - "Jesus called a small child over to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 18:2-4, NLT)

God's Wonderful People

Lanny Wolfe penned a song in the 1970's called "God's Wonderful People." Part of the lyrics say, "There's no place I'd rather be, than with the ones who've been set free, I'm so glad I'm in God's great big family." It's not the language of Shakespeare, but the sentiment is one I share. Sunday evening at the annual meeting of our church, each ministry presented their report for the fiscal year which ended June 30. We celebrated a good year of effective service done in the name of Jesus, our Lord. What really touched my heart was the amount of work that a relatively small group of people accomplishes! Thousands of dollars and thousands of hours of service are invested by those who volunteer - teaching classes, mowing the lawns, leading worship, doing community service - to build the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Yes, our church is a big family, in every sense of the word. We care about each other, pray for each other, and work together. And, we bicker and squabble and criticize, too! I don't want to create a false picture as though we've established utopia in Washington, NJ. But, we are drawn together by a shared vision of a different world that is possible because of the Good News of Jesus Christ. That shared love for the Lord and a common vision produces a community that actually works - God's wonderful people- "the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—" (1 Peter 2:9, The Message)

At the beginning of the year, I preached a series of messages to define the kind of people that I believe God wants us to be.

First of all, God wants His people to be real- Authentic. It's not for this congregation to embrace a superficial religiosity that is a thin veneer laid over top of unchanged lives. Integrity is our desire. We pray that the Holy Spirit will disturb us, pulling us from apathy.

Second, we believe that God wants us to be loving - Accepting. Our love will not be feigned, nor will it thrive just in rhetoric. We will pray for a love like that of Jesus - sacrificial and deep.

Third, our community is committed to the work of encouraging growth- Accelerating. It is not part of our culture here to be content with yesterday's success. We are not threatened by excellence, nor are we so in love with tradition that we resist innovation.

Yes, the annual meeting, far from being just a recitation of stats and figures, was a celebration of service done for the glory of God. Much remains to be done! Jesus challenges those who follow Him to "go and tell the Good News." We go out as teachers, warriors (with weapons of love!) that defeat evil, and servants to all.

Are you part of His wonderful people?
If not, join up today. Membership comes through faith in Christ, our King.

The Bible says, "you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have been made like him. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For you are all Christians—you are one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and now all the promises God gave to him belong to you." (Galatians 3:26-29, NLT)
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Do you hear them coming brother,
Thronging up the steeps of light,
Clad in glorious shining garments,
Blood washed garments pure and white?

'Tis a glorious church, Without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb;
'Tis a glorious church, Without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Do you hear the stirring anthems
Filling all the earth and sky?
'Tis a grand, victorious army,
Lift its banner up on high!

Never fear the clouds of sorrow,
Never fear the storms of sin.
We shall triumph on the morrow,
Even now our joys begin.

Wave the banner, shout His praises,
For our victory is nigh!
We shall join our conqu'ring Savior,
We shall reign with Him on high!

-- A Glorious Church Hudson, Ralph E.CCLI Administration Account© Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055

Hatred in the name of God

Five years ago today, 19 men full of hatred for 'the Great Satan' - America - hijacked 4 airliners and turned them into flying bombs. By Noon that day, 3000 people had died, billions of dollars in property damage was done, and America was changed. Those young men acted in the name of Allah, their hatred and rage fueled by religious fervor, born in fear. I am no expert on Islam, but I am told that theirs is a twisted interpretation of that religion and I certainly hope that is true. It is not just fringe adherents to Islam that practice hatred in the name of God! Christianity has a radical fringe of haters, as well.

Where does religious hatred come from?
It grows in a very fertile soil called -fear: fear of a changing world, fear of those who are 'different,' fear that what we value is being destroyed. When people perceive that their way of life is threatened, they grow fearful. Questions arise about the very meaning of life, the kind of world our children will live in, about the most precious things to us being torn away. The natural human reaction to that kind of threat is to become protective and belligerent. I have heard and/or read sermons delivered by Christian preachers who are filled with fear about the world. They focus their fear on dozens of different targets - homosexuals, doctors who perform abortions, 'liberals,' evolutionists, people of color, Jews, Hollywood, rock music - and the list could go on and on. I've heard some of those same preachers move beyond condemning their targets and moving into outright hatred! For example, in the name of God some advocate bombing clinics where abortions are done or shooting doctors that perform those abortions. Often the hatred is contained in discriminatory words that stops short of advocating outright violence. I have even sat through prayer gatherings where sincere Believers caught up in their fears have prayed prayers that are packed with hateful venom poured out in the most holy moments.

Jesus speaks directly to those who follow Him and He forbids hatred! He says, "Judge not!" “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own." (Matthew 7:1-3, The Message) We read His words about the the two Great Commandments - "Love God with your whole being, and love others as you love yourselves!" There is no room for hating in those commands, is there? Only God can judge and condemn, for only He has the full knowledge of the motives and ways of those who do evil.

So you might ask, "Jerry, when we see the reality of sin and evil, we must respond to it, right?" Yes, absolutely. We would be fools to pretend that we are living in a world that welcomes the ways of Jesus Christ. Sin abounds around us. It is true that there is a real Enemy of God who actively resists all that is good. The Evil One is sowing his seeds of destruction. But we cannot overcome him by using the tactics of hatred and violence. Our response must be different. (I speak to each of us personally. This TFTD is not about national politics. The debate about 'just war' is for another time.)

What did Jesus command of us?
Ponder these words, so often forgotten or laid aside in moments of fear.
“You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘If an eye is injured, injure the eye of the person who did it. If a tooth gets knocked out, knock out the tooth of the person who did it.’ But I say, don’t resist an evil person! If you are slapped on the right cheek, turn the other, too. ...
You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy.
But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!
In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too." (Matthew 5:38-45, NLT)

So, how can we act in such an unnatural way?
By being secure in the Love of God for us. We believe the promises of God that He will never leave, nor forsake us.
We hold to His declaration that His Kingdom cannot fall, and we then live confidently. As Martin Luther wrote,
And though this world with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us
We will not fear for God hath willed,
His truth to triumph through us! (A Mighty Fortress)

Apart from being deeply loved by God, and living in His promises, there is no other way we can be kept from fear, especially in our time of rapid change and perceived threat to all that we hold dear. We cannot win over evil by becoming evil. We cannot defeat those who hate us because of Christ, by hating them in return. We overcome evil with Good, hatred with love. Let God love you! When you begin to fear, reach out to Jesus and ask Him to grant you peace. When the future looks dark, pray for eyes to see the Glory that is promised to those who are in Christ. Then, go live in love.
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Lord I come to You
Let my heart be changed, renewed;
Flowing from the grace
That I’ve found in You!

And Lord I’ve come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away,
By the power of Your love!

Hold me close,
Let Your love surround me.
Bring me near,
Draw me to Your side.
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle;
And I will soar with You,
Your Spirit leads me on,
In the power of Your love!

Lord unveil my eyes,
Let me see You face to face,
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me.
And Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life,
In living every day
By the power of Your love!

-- The Power of Your Love- by Geoff Bullocks