Showing the Gospel, an important part of telling it

Pastor Steve Sjogren suggests that before we try to convince other people of God's love with a four point presentation and carefully printed literature we ought to show them the love of God practically. Case in point; Theresa, a young single mom, who was broke and discouraged. Her dented Toyota idled roughly at the Taco Bell drive thru. She was there because a search for loose change had produced a few bucks, all she had in the world. She just decided to take her 8 year old son out thinking, "Anyway you look at it, we don't have enough money to make it to my next welfare check, so let's go out with a little style." As she pulled up to the window to pay, the guy standing there met her with a big smile and told her it was her lucky day. "The people in the car ahead of you paid for your order and told me to give you this card." On it she read, "We hope this small act of service shows you God's love in a practical way." A church's name and address were printed on the flip side of the card. The next day found Theresa and her son in that church, where she found the help she needed to get back on her feet and a new beginning in life. (REV., January, 2007)

James urges us to keep our faith connected to real life. What we truly believe, he says, will always have a discernable effect on the way we live. "What’s the use of saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can’t save anyone. Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, “Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all—it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” I say, “I can’t see your faith if you don’t have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds.” (James 2:14-18, NLT)

I am examining my life for places where my professed faith in Jesus is disconnected from my words and actions. I don't want to bring dishonor on the Name of Christ by being hypocritical, that is, living a life where my rhetoric is unmatched by what I do, even unconsciously. This applies to so many areas in addition to compassion to those who are poor which is where James, the Apostle, makes his point. How about the way we deal with outcasts? For example, there is a whole group of people in America that experience rejection on a grand scale everyday - those convicted of crimes of a sexual nature, especially against children. Yes, such a crime is repugnant and has terrible consequences for those who are abused, but Jesus loves and died for pedophiles, didn't He? Shouldn't we love them, too, albeit with proper safeguards in place for our children? Of course, we must! Conservative Christians have had a terrible relationship with homosexuals, in part admittedly because we hold to the Bible's truth that homosexual behavior is not acceptable to God. But we also need to face the fact that, as a group, we have not exactly extended a welcome mat to gay men and lesbian women in our church communities, either.

"I will show you my faith through my good deeds" has implications for our personal relationships, too. Love is the core of Jesus' teaching, and yet many who claim to be His followers are carrying around terrible anger over unresolved conflicts. How many of us, even as we say we love God and are loved by Him, at the same time, continue to harbor bitterness against a neighbor, or a family member, or a church leader? How can this be? Can we really have experienced the reality of God's love and remain hateful? Not according to Scripture. "If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another Christian is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them." (1 John 3:14-15, NLT) Ouch! That hits kind of close to home, doesn't it? Since conflict is the number one issue for most American churches, I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions about the reality of the spiritual experience of many who claim to be followers of Christ! What I will do is to ask the Holy Spirit to help me to close the gap between my words and actions, to make my faith real and observable to those among whom I work and play.

We must not miss the point of being a Christian. We are not Christians simply because we have claimed to have understood the four spiritual laws, or because we once said a prayer with Billy Graham at the end of a televised service, or because we affirmed some doctrinal statement and received a baptism certificate. We are Christians when our faith is real, which leads us to working out the implications of the Gospel of Christ in the real world, with the Spirit's help, on a daily basis. John says, "My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality." (1 John 3:18-19, The Message)

Here's a 50 cent phrase to remember - Orthodoxy will produce orthopraxy. In simpler terms, if we really connect to the truth of God, our lives will come into line with the will of God!

So, it's Christmas. There's a ton of sentimentality attached to this holiday. Let me encourage you to go beyond that little tear in the corner of your eye, that catch in your throat, to do the tough work of applying the Story to life. If you believe that Jesus is really Emmanuel, God with us, then invite Him to live in you. Think through what it means to embrace Him as both Savior and Lord - and let it show- for the glory of God.
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O come, O come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

O come, thou Rod of Jesse free,
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of hell thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave

O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
And drive away the shades of night,
And pierce the clouds and bring us light.

O come, thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O Come O Come Emmanuel -Neale, John M. / Coffin, Henry S. / Helmore, Thomas
© Public Domain

I'm better than you are.

Yesterday, as I was reading yet another article about Ted Haggard, the former pastor of a large church in Colorado who resigned after sins involving drug use and sexual misconduct in his life become public, I found myself thinking, - "Why didn't he shape up? What's wrong with him?" God forgive me! What gracelessness! In fact, I fail, too. However, because they are 'my' failures, in my mind they are excusable, even reasonable under the circumstances. For example, if I am short-tempered or unloving, I let myself off the hook because "I am tired due to my full schedule."

So, as I was mentally railing on Ted Haggard, I heard the Spirit's challenge as He asked me: "Why are you so unwilling and/or unable to give others the same grace that you give to yourself?" What I desire is that God will continue to work on transformation of my heart and mind that causes me to love, to encourage, to comfort, and even when there is reason to correct another person, to be able to do it with such grace, that even words of rebuke are heard as a gift. I am challenged today by this passage from the Word. It is lengthy and probably familiar, but I urge you to read it attentively.

"We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. . . .

Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith." (Romans 3:22-27, NLT)

Does that mean we are free to live as we want to live, that our daily actions are unimportant in terms of our relationship with God?
Some might reach that conclusion, but they would be wrong. We are set right with God by faith in Christ Jesus, but that faith is not a ethereal thing, disconnected from 'real' life! Here's the glory of grace-based Christianity. When we take the focus off of ourselves and put it rightly on God's gracious work, we gain the ability to say, 'no' to ungodliness and 'yes' to the Spirit. What all of our self-discipline, peer pressure from other Believers, and moral codes can never accomplish - making us truly good and completely acceptable to God- begins to take place from the inside out!

When I am focused on me- determined to be good, to say the right things, to make a good impression - all supposedly 'for the glory of God,' I get stressed and graceless, losing the joy of the Lord. When I face up to my religiosity, I have to admit that concern for reputation and respect, which are all about Jerry, have crept up on me; again! There is only one thing to do in that moment - get on my face before the Lord and 'give up.' "I did it again, Lord. I became proud, I compared myself to someone else. I started to believe You are blessed to have me on your team!" That confession, coupled with thankfulness for Jesus Christ, the great grace gift, whose death and resurrection brings me the promise of life and godliness, restores my joy, and - that moment of grace renewal - temptation loses much of its power over me.

Pastor Ted, I am not better than you are! We are both sinners in need of the grace of Christ. I pray he understands that today, more than intellectually.
I pray that I will continue to hang onto to Jesus's grace, kept from disgrace and from dishonoring His Holy Name - by grace and grace alone.
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Father, Your love for me is astounding.
Your favor extended to me makes me both glad and uncomfortable.
I want to do something to pay you back, but I know that I never could,
and even to attempt to do so, insults You!
Defeat my sinful tendency to perfectionism and religiosity, which leads to judgment.
Stir up a love for You in me that spills over to others, that takes no thought of their deservedness.

Thank you, Jesus, for the Manger, which speaks to me so powerfully that you became Flesh, God with us;
for the Cross that shows me Your love and sacrifice, and
the Empty Tomb, which assures me that the work done for sinners is complete!

Spirit of God, guide me into all Truth today.
Keep me centered on You.
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.... yes, for the glory of God alone. Amen.

Christmas gifts

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? Many of us still have people on our gift list without a matching present! We will venture out to make our purchases motivated in many different ways. Consider these...

There is the CHEAP giver. He is driven by one goal - buying something, anything, that satisfies the imperative for gift giving - while spending as little money or energy as possible. My one question to this person is - "Why bother?" You have missed the meaning of Christmas entirely. Save yourself the effort because the person who receives your 'gift' will only be obligated to write an insincere 'thank you' note!

There is HURRIED giver. With hummingbird-like rapidity, she darts from store to store, grabbing this and that, checking off the names on her list. Obligation, not love, is the primary motivation for giving a gift, so most any gift will do, just get it and wrap it up.

There is the PAY MY DEBTS giver. This person foolishly believes that with one gift, usually one that costs way too much, he can make up for his failures through the year. Yes, it is particularly a 'man' thing! Men are much more likely, according to published reports, to overspend to compensate for misdeeds than women. But, the truth is, no single gift can erase a year's worth of inattention or emotional distance. This shopper is in for disappointment!

There is the "I'D SURE LIKE THAT" giver who buys things he would like to receive and presents them to others! His gifts are often very nice, but they don't 'fit.' Why? Because, his gifts are not thoughtfully chosen with the recipient in mind. Even his 'giving' reflects his preoccupation with himself. To me a 1 Gig USB Flash Drive is a fine gift, but if I buy one for my wife, she'll say, "What's this?" She has no use for it, and probably doesn't even know what it is.

And, there is the "BECAUSE I LOVE YOU" giver. Finally, we find the heart of Christmas! This person thinks carefully about the tastes, the needs, the personality of the person for whom he is getting a gift and, after a careful search, prepares a gift that he presents with no strings attached. This kind of giving reflects what the Bible says, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35, NLT) This is how God gave to us. John says, that "God so loved the world (you could insert your name in place of 'the world') that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NIV)

God's Gift to us was costly, prepared from eternity, based on my need, and shaped by love! What a gift.

"Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ." (Romans 3:24, The Message)

In your gift-giving, make LOVE the reason. Having trouble finding a gift for someone on your list? Relax and think about who they are, what they need, and how you can express love in a language they'll understand. It will come to you!
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Pressured and Squeezed

I think I'll re-write a holiday song, "T'is the Season to be pressured, Oh, oh, oh, oh, how much can I stand?" I am fairly certain that it is not just me that feels the weight of social obligations, family expectations, the desire to something meaningful in God's name, and even the weight of my own hopes for the holiday. The pressure comes in all sizes of packages- "Could Christmas finally bring resolution to that old grudge that Aunt Ruth holds against me?" or- "I hope the gift I selected for him communicates the right message," or - "God please let me worship you from my heart." We pile on extra activities this time of year, stir in a large helping of travel, and what should be a time to celebrate too often turns into a month to endure. When we finally get to January, we breath a sigh of relief that it is finally over!

So how can we better celebrate this Season?

First of all, we need to become conscious of the expectations we are putting on ourselves and others. Often the pressure comes from a place deep in our sub-conscious where, in an almost childish way, we somehow believe that there is something magical about Christmas day. Sure, we may be a little more kind, somewhat more generous and thoughtful. But, a single day does not change a person's character or personality! Old Ebenezer Scrooge may have had a revelation about his life in Dickens's "Christmas Carol," but a true change of his ways required more than the visitations of Christmas' Past, Present, and Future! Just because it is Christmas, don't expect that miserable person that rains on your parade to suddenly become Sam Sunshine. Be realistic! Know, too, that one gift or gesture, as nice or generous as it may be, cannot erase a past event. Face the fact that a marriage that is cracking at the seams won't be repaired by an expensive gift. If we are realistic about the limits of the day, it will help us to celebrate with more joy.

Second, focus on the spiritual part of the Season. Yep, you've heard that before, too, haven't you? It is celebration of Christ's birthday. You won't find Him in the mall, on Overstock.com, or in the twinkling lights of the decorations. Giving gifts can be a lot of fun. Decorating our homes and offices can add a festive air. Parties are great, sometimes. It is worship, however, that brings true peace, that connects us to the One who came to be our Prince of Peace. Prioritize (don't you hate that word?) your life so that there are quiet moments in which you can listen to God's voice. Make time to pray and meditate. Serve someone in the Name of Jesus with no ulterior motive. Go to church having prepared your heart to participate in the corporate acts of worship.

Third, admit to yourself - "I cannot do it all!" Somebody will be disappointed that you didn't get to their party. Somebody won't get the perfect gift. The pie you bake might turn out with a burnt crust. That's life. Smile, anyway! It's all right to be human. Admit it - first to yourself. If you own your own humanity, it is a way to unload a ton of pressure.

And, don't forget to be child-like. Give yourself permission to experience some wonder. Let the Grinch be cynical! Laugh at those things that are absurd. Hug Grandma. Sing, even you can't, and enjoy the experience. Ponder the story of a Baby born in a manger, of Shepherds who heard angels sing, of God come to earth to change everything, including your eternal destiny. Ask God to give you the eyes of a child again.

I think if you'll do these things, January 1st will roll around, and you'll wish it were still Christmas, instead of being glad it is gone for another year. Let me know, won't you?

Read these ancient words today. I pray that you will experience something like the wonder of those who lived the story.
"And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:6-11, KJV)
"And all they that heard it wondered at those things ..." (Luke 2:18, KJV)

For whom do you sing?

In his book, The Cry of the Soul, Dan Allender tells the true story of Tom, a young preacher fresh out of seminary, who was struggling to be effective in the pulpit. One day a man from the congregation showed up in Tom's office with 7 tapes in hand. "Week after week we listen to you drone on. Your preaching is killing us and you're going to destroy this church." He pushed the tapes into Tom's hands with the admonition that he should listen to the speaker on them and learn his style! Of course the next Sunday in the pulpit was torture for Tom. Try as he may, he could not see anyone in the congregation except his critic and that man seemed to be glaring at him. His mouth was dry and there was knot in his stomach. Such is the stuff of fear! After that service, he was standing by the door greeting the departing congregants. The last person to leave was an elderly woman. She approached with a stern expression on her face. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Tom, but you are preaching to please someone in this church. I want you to go to your study immediately and repent. Next week, just preach to please God!"

Most of us are performing for somebody: saying the things that we hope will earn their approval, trying to do a job that will assure our value as an employee, even telling ourselves, "I'm OK," and then trying prove it with money, beauty, awards, or whatever we believe worthy. Such a life is marked by the sin of idol worship! We have put someone else or Self in the place at the center of our life that only God should occupy. There's another problem with living that way, too. Fear and her cousin, inferiority, are our constant companion. If we measure our worth as a person by what we do or by what others say of us, the prize almost always slips from our grasp. One critic drowns out the voices of a hundred who praise us. Someone in life's competition shows up to outwit, out race, or out shine us just when we think we're about to win. And even if we do 'win,' our victory is soon eclipsed by another's performance.

The Scripture declares - "Those who fear the Lord are secure; he will be a place of refuge for their children. Fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death." (Proverbs 14:26-27, NLT) When God says, "Fear Me alone!" - He is not asking us to live in terror. He wants us to live for His approval alone. "Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God, insight into life from knowing a Holy God." (Proverbs 9:10, The Message) Oh, that we would believe that. It is true! Yes, it is amazingly, wonderfully true. If we are living for God and God alone, much of the silly posturing that we put ourselves through, drops away. We don't have to work so hard at concealing our true selves and creating an image we think that others will like. We no longer attempt to 'look good,' for if we are living and working for God, we actually become good because of the love of Jesus Christ and the life of the Holy Spirit.

Friend, I write this as one who knows what it is to fall into the idolatry of the fear of man! I have spent more than a few days in the grip of critics, squeezed into their expectations, but unable to fit there comfortably. I've spent many days dancing feverishly to win the applause of those who surround me. Sometimes I've succeeded and drank from the cup of their affirmation, but the refreshment I find there is short-lived and soon, I thirst for more, and even more intensely than I did before.

Then, too, I can say I have experienced the warm smile of God. I have known what it is to just be who He wants me to be, not perfectly, but none-the-less accepted in His love. What rest, what joy, what wholeness is found in that place. My prayer is that He would deliver me from idols and fill all my vision!

Today, take a look at your life. Listen to your conversation. Whose praise are you seeking? Whose approval matters most -- God's or that of the people around you?

Pray that the 'fear of the Lord will become a life-giving fountain,' so that as you are at rest and at peace, whole, healed, and satisfied - you will pour that peace and wholeness into the world in which you walk today.
Soli Deo Gloria! (For the glory of God alone!)
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Be Thou my Vision,
O Lord of my heart;
Nought be all else to me,
Save that Thou art
Thou my best thought,
By day or by night,
Waking or sleeping,
Thy presence my light.

Riches I heed not,
Nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance,
Now and always:
Thou and Thou only,
First in my heart,
High King of heaven,
My Treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven,
My victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys,
O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart,
Whatever befall,
Still be my Vision,
O Ruler of all.

© Public Domain