The Original Songs of Jesus' Birth - Part 2 The Song of Zechariah

Introduction

You all got to meet my niece, Darby, this past Wednesday. I have had lots of pretend nieces and nephews, but it was very cool to spend some time with my only real one. Incidentally, I had the same effect holding her that I do preaching to you – I put her right to sleep!

You all know that I have joked that my sister-in-law Kelli and her husband Ryan timed having Darby just to steal the spotlight away from Kristi and me, since she was born just a few weeks after we were married. But they had waited a long time to have a child, so it just made that time of year even more special for all of us.

Full Preterism and the Resurrection

The word preterist comes from the Latin word for “past,” and in the study of biblical prophecy preterism refers to the belief that prophetic events have already been fulfilled in the past. My notes on the Book of Revelation, for instance, would be described as “partial preterist,” because I take the view that most of the book’s prophecies have already been fulfilled.

There is also a form of preterism known as full preterism. This is the belief that all Bible prophecy has been fulfilled, including the second coming, the resurrection, and the judgment. Among brethren this view is sometimes called “the AD 70 doctrine,”

The Original Songs of Jesus' Birth - Part 1 The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55)

Introduction

Last year’s series on “Christmas Carols”

-Did not focus on the many trappings of the traditional Christmas story that are not what we find in Scripture (date of Dec. 25; 3 wise men).

-Instead, focused on the overall feel of the songs, which often sterilize the story of Jesus’ birth in a way that makes it completely unrealistic to picture as a historical event.

“All is calm, all is bright” vs the upheaval that marked the Jewish experience of Roman domination in the first century.

This year I want to do three lessons on the songs that were actually sung about Jesus’ birth. They are all found in Luke’s gospel:

Notes on Islam - Lesson 9 Salvation

Similarities with the Bible

Life, death, judgment, heaven/hell (40:38-40).

Must prepare for judgment and eternity (2:284; 3:185)

Reward/punishment (99:7-8)

Race, Marriage and Christ

     This week a small Free Will Baptist congregation in eastern Kentucky voted to bar an interracial couple from membership. The latest reports indicate that the church may overturn its initial decision, with pressure coming from the national Free Will Baptist association leadership.
   The story of this church’s vote hit close to home for me for several reasons. My “people” are

The Gospel Truth: Lesson 5 Did the Gospels Borrow from Pagan Mythology?

Some unbelievers argue that various pagan religions had stories about virgin births, and dying and rising gods, centuries before the gospels were written, and that the gospel writers simply took those stories and made them about Jesus. This concept was first popularized by German scholars in the early 1900s, in what is usually called the “Old History of Religions School” (Religionsgeschichtliche) of thought.

The Gospel Truth - Lesson 6 - The Preservation of the Gospels

So far we have shown that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote reliable histories of the life of Jesus. But some object that what they wrote has not been reliably preserved.

In some instances, the very meaning of the text is at stake, depending on how one resolves a textual problem: Was Jesus an angry man? Was he completely distraught in the face of death? Did he tell his disciples that they could drink poison without being harmed? Did he let an adulteress off the hook with nothing but a mild warning? Is the doctrine of the Trinity explicitly taught in the New Testament? Is Jesus actually called “the unique God” there? Does the New Testament indicate that even the Son of God himself does not know when the end will come? The questions go on and on, and all of them are related to how one resolves difficulties in the manuscript tradition as it has come down to us.  -Bart Erhman, Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why, p. 208 

In this lesson we will take a look at the text of the New Testament.

JFK and Oswald

Since today is the anniversary of JFK's assassination, I thought I would post a link to a neat video (really, the first in a series). Back in the mid 80's a production company decided to put Oswald "on trial" for the murder of JFK, using a real judge, a real jury, and real lawyers. The prosecutor was famed Charles Manson prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, and the defense attorney was the famed cowboy lawyer, Gerry Spence. I don't believe either of these men ever lost a jury murder trial in their careers, so it was a battle of the heavyweights.

Someone digested the series into small youtube clips. Here is the first - but WARNING - once you start watching you may not be able to stop!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO-UrGDUUzA

The Gospel Truth - Lesson 4 - The Writing of the Gospels

Lesson 4: The Writing of the Gospels

In the last lesson we looked at the writers of the gospels. In this lesson we will look at the writing of the gospels.

Notes on Islam - Lesson 8 Jesus

Jesus is revered in Islam as a great prophet. Known as Isa in Arabic, Jesus is mentioned over 90 times in the Quran in 15 various surahs.

In this lesson we are going to look at what the Bible and the Quran have in common regarding Jesus, and then look at the substantial differences.

The Gospel Truth: Lesson 3 - Who Wrote the Gospels

None of the four gospels contains a formal statement of authorship. Many critics latch on to this point and suggest that the gospels were written much later than the first century, and reflect the growth of unreliable traditions about Jesus.

Notes on Islam - Lesson 7 God in the Quran and the Bible

A Passion for God

As we discussed in a previous lesson, the central confession of Islam is “There is no god but God and Muhammad is the messenger of God” (the Shahadah). Islam is one of the world’s three monotheistic faiths, along with Judaism and Christianity. The doctrine of the oneness of God, tawhid, is the fundmantal dogma of Islam. “Say, ‘He is God the One, God the eternal. He begot no one nor was He begotten. No one is comparable to Him’” (Surah 112:1-4).

Notes on Islam - Lesson 5: Sunni, Shia, and Sufi

In the last lesson we studied the origin of the Sunni – Shia split. In this lesson we will discuss the differences between the two major sects of Islam, plus the mystical tradition known as Sufiism.

The Gospels, History and Inspiration

A few years ago a friend of mine and I were discussing a sermon we had recently heard, during which the speaker mentioned the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. My friend asked me what historical evidence he was talking about, and I replied that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were excellent places to start! His reaction astonished me

A Tunic, A Sponge and a Spear

Tomorrow morning to introduce my new sermon series I am going to read this little piece of fiction I wrote tonight.

The Gospel Truth - Lesson 1: The Gospels as History

The gospels claim to be history, the written description of events that actually happened (Luke 1:1-4; John 20:30-31).  But what are we to make of these claims?

The Style of the Gospels

The consensus among scholars of the New Testament is that the gospels belong in the category of bioi, “lives,” ancient biographies.

Some Great Ideas for Wall Street Reform

In a recent column in Rolling Stone, Matt Taibi offered some concrete proposals for reforming Wall Street that I think are worth merit. Incidentally, it seems to me lately that many Christians have become knee-jerk defenders of anything remotely labeled capitalism. There is no question the Bible supports personal property rights (Acts 5:3-4), and promotes the individual work ethic (Ephesians 4:28). But there is also no question that the Bible condemns stealing (Ephesians 4:28), as well as the abuse of the poor by the wealthy (James 5:1-6), and affirms the role of the civil government in punishing evildoers (Romans 13:3-7). With that in mind, here are my favorite reforms Taibi mentions:

Jesus vs Muhammad - The Cross vs the Sword

Over the last few weeks as I have been studying for my class on Islam I have thought a lot about the similarities and differences between Islam and Christianity, and between Christ and Muhammad. Today I want to talk about one of the most vital differences, what each man taught with regard to violence. But to put this fundamental difference in sharper contrast, I want to begin by noticing some similarities between them.

Notes on Islam - Class 4 - After Muhammad

In this lesson we will examine the often violent struggle for leadership of Islam after the death of Muhammad.

Notes on Islam - Class 3 - Muhammad

Muhammad was born in 570, in the Arabian city of Mecca. In this lesson we are going to examine the life of the man considered the “Seal of the Prophets” by Muslims.

Praying for Christians Facing Persecution

Iran's Supreme Court has refused to overturn a death sentence pronounced on a former Muslim who now preaches Christianity. Only the mercy of the lower courts can save Youcef Nadarkhani from execution.


Many Muslim countries allow professing Christians to profess their faith.

Notes on Islam - Class Two - Basic Beliefs

Islam means “submission” in Arabic, and the essence of Islam is submission of the will of God. In this lesson we will do an overview of the basic beliefs of Islam that define what the Muslim understanding of submission to the will of God entails.

The core conviction of Islam is expressed in the Shahada, the “testimony” that every Muslim must confess. Transliterated from Arabic it looks like this: la ilaha illa Allah Mohammed rasul Allah.  Translated, it means, “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.”  Let’s break this statement down to explore what it means to Muslims.

Who Is the Brother You Like the Least?

Last night after speaking to the New Salisbury church I had a wonderful conversation with my friend Gary Fisher. He told me that he had recently preached a sermon elsewhere about love from First Corinthians 13, with special emphasis on how to love the brother you liked the least in the congregation. After the sermon, a man came forward,

Notes from Class on Islam - Lesson 1 Right Attitudes

The reason for this study can be summed up by something a Christian said on my Facebook page: “I learned all I needed to know about Islam on 9/11/2001.” That combination of ignorance, prejudice, and indifference is unbecoming of Christians. We are called to make disciples of all nations – including Muslims – and the only way we can do this is if we understand those we are trying to reach.

"No King But Caesar"

Pilate was trapped. He knew that the prisoner was innocent, that whatever claims he had been making to kingship were far different than the usual routine of Messianic fervor in Palestine. But he also knew that the hostile crowd of Jews (stirred up by the religious leadership) were determined to have this man executed, and the last thing he needed was a report to reach Caesar’s ears that the Governor of Syria tolerated self-appointed kings. So justice gave way to self-preservation.

Job Satisfaction Survey: Preachers Rank First!

A recent study published by Christian Science Monitor ranked the ten happiest jobs, and "clergy" ranked first. This study certainly reflects the way I feel about preaching. I enjoy what I do, and I feel grateful that the members of the Woodland Hills congregation

The Passing of Generations

This week our brother C.D. Williams passed from this life to the next. C.D. was a truly loveable person, always cheerful and positive. Even in the face of his declining health, C.D.’s bright outlook did not diminish. And it is no secret why C.D. was so happy. He was a Christian,

Book Review: No god But God, by Reza Aslan

No god But God is an extremely well-written introduction to the history and development of the Muslim faith. The author, Iranian religion scholar Reza Aslan, traces the key developments in the evolution of Islam, and also offers an alternative explanation to thesis that Islam is at war with Western Civilization.

A Biblical View of Competition

I love to compete. Whether it is a friendly game of Trivial Pursuit, a fierce battle of ping pong, or a barbershop singing contest, I love the rush of adrenalin that comes from matching wits and skill with someone else. But I also love the Lord, and His word is clear that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Taking delight in crushing someone else hardly seems consistent with the selflessness to which Christ calls His people. So how should Christians view competition? Is it possible to reconcile the competitive spirit with the Holy Spirit?

Excellent Lecture by Ben Witherington

Take a moment to check out the lecture by Ben Witherington posted on his blog about the proper way to evaluate the historicity of the gospels. Great response to "fundamentalist skepticism."

http://www.patheos.com/community/bibleandculture/

The English Standard Version vs the New American Standard Bible

In the winter of 2004/2005 I was debating switching from the New American Standard Bible to the English Standard Version. After some comparison, I decided to make the switch. Here is my review from six years ago explaining why.

In 2001 Crossway released a new translation, the English Standard Version (ESV). The purpose of this translation is to be more literal than the New International Version (NIV) -

Restoration and Expository Preaching

Last week I attended the lectureship at my old school, Florida College, which was on the theme of Restoration. The lessons were based out of the books from the period of Israel's restoration from Babylonian Captivity (Ezra-Esther, Haggai-Malachi). This theme was chosen because of its relevance to the modern effort to restore New Testament Christianity.

The concept of restoration is a simple one. Each generation has the obligation to challenge its assumptions, beliefs and practices by the standard of Scripture, and align itself to the will of God. This is a challenging task - it is a lot easier to settle for the status quo of tradition.

One of the great dangers of restorationism is that it can easily degenerate into a purely reactionary posture in which the entire focus of preaching and teaching is on what is wrong with current religious practice. As a result the sum of truth is contracted down to a few key passages which relate to the areas in question. This leads to sermons and classes that the unquestionably biblical (they focus on the meaning of biblical texts), but which is not fully truthful because so much of what God's revealed will teaches is minimized, abbreviated, or neglected.

There may be other ways to avoid this pitfall, but the only way that I know to steer clear of reaction while seeking restoration is expository preaching. In my experience as a listener and a preacher, the vast majority of sermons have been topical. In this style of preaching various verses from throughout Scripture are marshaled together to make a point. This is not inherently wrong (take a look at Acts 2 or Hebrews 1 for instance). But it is all to easy to selects topics that fall into the reactionary pattern of preaching, which in turn means that the only verses that are selected for study and preaching are those that are relevant to that topic. Not only does this style make it easy to snatch verses completely out of context and distort their meaning to score points on a pet issue, but even worse, it makes it easy to ignore much of the Bible.

Expository preaching systematically works through books of the Bible, and it forces the preacher and the listener to carefully consider each verse of God's word. This kind of preaching lets the Bible dictate the agenda of our study, rather than the other way around. Of course it is possible to pretend to do expository preaching while in fact imposing the same sort of reactionary concerns on the text that topical preaching does. But hopefully this will be easier to spot on the part of the listener.

Expository preaches done correctly demands that you study and apply all of God's will, not just the select verses that apply to the controversial issues of the day. It affords opportunity to make corrections when relevant to the meaning of the text, but it keeps preachers from veering into the rut of reaction, a ditch it is easy to skid into but difficult to emerge from.

Book Review: Who Speaks for Islam?

"I learned everything I need to know about Islam from 9-11."

Someone actually said this to me during a discussion about Islam, and sadly reflects how little Americans know about Islam. Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think is a fascinating report on the most extensive polling ever done of Muslims around the world. I encourage all Christians to read this book to understand more about Islam, to avoid the grossly unfair stereotypes reflected in the media, particularly talk radio.

Between 2001-2007 Gallup conducted tens of thousands of hour long, face to face interviews with residents of 35 nations that are predominantly or substantially Muslim. Two appendices (169-184) explain methodology in detail. The book explores how incredibly diverse the Muslim world really is, and the nature of Muslims grievances with the West.

According to the authors (John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed), the most important insight from this polling is that "conflict between the Muslim and Western communities is far from inevitable.” (xi)

Here is a chapter-by-chapter look at the book.

Chapter 1: Who Are Muslims?

The first chapter explores the great diversity among Muslims. Only 1 in 5 Muslims are Arab. The largest communities in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Nigeria. There are two major schools Islam (Sunni represents 85% of Muslims, Shia 15%), and there are vast differences among Muslims in terms of how to interpret Islam.

Chapter 2: Democracy or Theocracy?

The second chapter addresses the issue of democracy, and particularly the extent to which Muslims desire Sharia (Muslims principles of faith) to direct laws. Majorities in most Muslim countries (women as well as men) want Sharia as at least a source of Law. In the same poll 46% of Americans said the Bible should be a source of legislation. And just as in the case of Americans, Muslims differ wide in terms of how the principles of Sharia should be applied in civil government.

For instance, contrary to the popular belief in America that Sharia law inherently oppresses women, majorities in most Muslims countries believe women should have:

-the same legal rights as men

-the right to vote

-the right to hold any job outside home they are qualified for

-the right to hold leadership in government

“Muslims who want to see Sharia as a source of law in constitutions therefore have very different visions of how that would manifest…some expect full implementation of classical or medieval Islamic law; others want a more restricted approach, like prohibiting alcohol, requiring the head of state to be a Muslim, or creating Sharia courts to hear cases involving Muslim family law…" (p. 53)

Further, while it is popular to claim that Muslims hate the freedom we have in America, it is actually one of the thing Muslims admire the most. And it is the reason many Muslims believe there is a double standard in US foreign policy, supporting authoritarian regimes that oppress Muslims (p. 58).

What can the West do to improve relations with the Muslim world, Muslims typically responded:

-Demonstrate more respect; more consideration toward Muslim countries.

-Do not underestimate the status of Arab/Muslim countries.

-Demonstrate more understanding of Islam, do not downgrade what it stands for.

In response to the question of what the US could do to improve life in your country, Muslims responded most frequently:

-Reduce unemployment and improve infrastructure

-Stop interfering in the internal affairs of Arab/Islamic states

-Stop imposing your beliefs

-Respect our political rights and stop controlling us

Chapter 3: What Makes a Radical?

This chapter was the saddest in many ways because it demonstrated what a sharp contrast there is between how we in America view ourselves versus how Muslims perceive America. We are not the good guys fighting for democracy in the eyes of most Muslims. “Majorities in virtually every nation with majority or sizable Muslim populations disagree that the United States is serious about the establishment of democratic systems in the region.” (p. 83)

In 10 predominantly Muslim countries here were the attributes associated with US:

-ruthless 68%

-advanced 68%

-aggressive 66%

-conceited 65%

-morally decadent 64%

If we are going to effectively understand radical Islam, we are going to have to do a better job of understanding the root causes that fuel radicalism, and these causes are American foreign policy. Whether that policy is correct is a matter for debate, of course, but we cannot dismiss radicalism as mere anger against "how good we are."

This chapter also dealt with the issue of violence. Shockingly, more Americans said that attacks intentionally aimed at civilians were completely justified than did Muslims (US 6%, Lebanon and Iran 2%, Saudi Arabia 4%). Attacks intentionally aimed at civilians are “never justified” according to 46% of Americans, 74% in Indonesia, 86% in Pakistan, 80% in Iran.

(As an aside - this is the reason many Muslims refused to believe Islamic terrorists were behind 9-11; the attacks violated sacred principles of Islam).

Chapter 4: What Do Women Want?

This chapter reiterated information from earlier in the book, and explained that many Muslims believe women in the West are far more exploited and oppressed than in Muslim culture because of the way women are used as sex objects.

Chapter 5: Clash or Coexistence?

It is common to hear pundits simply blame Islam for violence.

“But blaming Islam is a simple answer, easier and less controversial than re-examining the core political issues and grievances that resonate in much of the Muslim world: the failures of many Muslim governments and societies, some aspects of U.S. foreign policy representing intervention and dominance, Western support for authoritarian regimes, the invasion and occupation of Iraq, or support for Israel’s military battles with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.” (p. 136-137)

“The primary cause of broad-based anger and anti-Americanism is not a clash of civilizations but the perceived effect of U.S. foreign policy in the Muslim world.” (p. 156)

Final Thoughts

This book provided an illuminating window into the diverse world of Islam. It is an uncomfortable book to read as an American because it is clear that our government's policies, though well-intentioned, have created a tremendous backlash all across the Muslim world. I don't know in the current state of political discourse if Americans are open to serious self-examination of these policies.

As a Christian, I found the information in this book extremely helpful in terms of thinking of ways to build bridges in order to share the gospel with these sons of Abraham.

Bragging on God

In Romans 5:2 Paul says, "Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Then in 5:3 he says, "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings." And in verse 11, "More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."

The word translated rejoice in these verses is kauchaomai. It means "boast, glory, pride in oneself, brag." It is the same word he used in Rom. 2:17 and 2:23 when he spoke to Jews who boasted in their possession of the Law of Moses. There is no ground for boasting on the basis of the Law, since as Paul shows in Romans, the Jews failed to keep the Law and could only find condemnation on the basis of the Law.

But through the death of Jesus we can have peace with God (Rom. 5:1), and it is on the basis of the work of Christ that we can rejoice/boast. We don't have anything to brag about in ourselves - but we do have a great Savior, and He is worthy of bragging on! Later in Romans Paul strings together a series of boasts about God:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. (Rom. 8:31-33)

Even when Paul says in 5:3 that we rejoice/boast in our sufferings, it is not because of any human achievement, but rather because suffering leads to hope, "and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (5:5). We rejoice/boast "in hope of the glory of God" (5:2).

The late pitcher Dizzy Dean once said, "It ain't bragging if you can do it!" Christians can brag on
God because He has done it, and He will do it.

Bearing with One Another

Ephesians 4

¹I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

God’s people are to be one because every essential doctrine of Christianity is defined by oneness. One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.

But Christianity is also defined by its one-another-ness. We are a body, an assembly, a family. And therein lies the big obstacle to oneness. How do we learn to get along with each other, to maintain the unity which God by His Spirit has created for us.

I have been thinking with you over the last few weeks about the qualities Paul set forth as the basic building blocks of unity. I hope that as we have looked at what the Bible says about humility, gentleness, and patience, that you have looked for ways to apply these virtues in a more determined way to your fellowship in this congregation and to your relationships at home.

Today we are going to study the final quality Paul lays out for those truly eager to be what God intends, the virtue of forbearance, “bearing with one another in love”.

The Meaning of Forbearance

“Bearing with one another” is a very literal translation of the word Paul uses here in Ephesians 4. I took a look at some other versions to see how they expressed the meaning of forbearance.

The New American Standard Bible puts it like this: “showing tolerance for each other.” Forbearance means that we tolerate each other. Normally I don’t think of tolerance in connection with people, but with things, like medicine, or weather, or pain. I can’t tolerate penicillin (I’m allergic to it and it makes me break out in hives). I can’t tolerate hot weather very well (and many of you by the excessive sweaters, coats, shawls, blankets and parkas you are wearing clearly show that you can’t tolerate cold weather). I can tolerate needles, but I can’t tolerate swallowing big pills very well.

So for Paul to say we must show tolerance to each other, means that sometimes people do things that irritate us, that make us want to break out in hives. That make us feel uncomfortable, even to the point of being painful.

And the fact that he says we must do this for each other means that not only will there be times where you get on my nerves, but – as unthinkable as this may be – I just might get on your nerves. Forbearance is one of those virtues that is truly “more blessed to give than to receive.” It is noble to be forbearing; to tolerate someone else. We don’t like to think of it in terms of receiving forbearance – that someone has to tolerate us!

This is why forbearance is possible only for those who are humble, who have the self-awareness to realize that they are the problem. A humble person recognizes that just because other people don’t have the same personality they do, or the same talents they do, or always see things the same way they do, that doesn’t necessarily make them right or wrong, just different. Rather than resent those differences and clash, a humble person rejoices in those differences and shows tolerance.

And by placing great value on the ways we are different and celebrating those differences, we can then achieve far more together than we would on our own. That is part of Paul’s point in 1 Corinthians 12 when he illustrated the members of the church as the parts of the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12

¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? ¹⁸But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. ¹⁹If all were a single member, where would the body be? ²⁰As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

That’s why we show tolerance toward each other – we are different because that is how God made us, and if we treat each other like we should there is a powerful synergy between us because the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Here’s another way to translate this word, this time from the New Living Translation. “Making allowance for each other’s faults.” We are different from each other – that inherently creates potential conflict. But on top of that diversity, there is another layer of possible contention. We have faults. People make mistakes. We lose our cool and say things we shouldn’t. We jump to conclusions and make rash accusations. We are selfish and petty. Forbearance takes this into account, and doesn’t react with feigned moral outrage every time someone says or does something they shouldn’t. “Well, I just can’t believe you would ever do that!” Really? Knowing what you know about the sinfulness of humanity in Scripture, it is shocking that someone might actually do something that they shouldn’t? That isn’t realistic, and even more to the point, it isn’t forbearing. I must accept the fact that from time to time someone that knows better will blow it, possibly at my expense.

And a forbearing person, one who makes allowance for the fact that other people sin time to time, treats those mistakes with the gentleness we talked about two weeks ago. Instead of dismissing someone because they are flawed, we are to bear with one another, correcting them with kindness and consideration.

A third way to translate this word comes from the Contemporary English Version: “put up with each other.” Have you ever said, “I don’t have to put up with this!” Well, we do have to put up with each other if we are going to maintain the unity of the Spirit. Forbearance is the commitment to show tolerance for differences and make allowance for mistakes over the long haul.

In fact, you could easily translate this word as “endurance.” That’s how it is rendered in 2 Thessalonians 1:4-

⁴Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

The Thessalonians did not quit when they faced trials; they endured. They put up with affliction. And in order for our relationships to endure, to stand the test of time, we must endure each other! This aspect of forbearance requires the patience we talked about last week, the willingness to be long-suffering toward each other. Anyone can put up with an annoyance for a couple of minutes, or excuse a one-time offense. True forbearance is an enduring determination not to give in to the impulses of resentment or retaliation.

The Pharisees were the embodiment of the exact opposite of forbearance. They were arrogant, assumed the posture that everyone else was wrong and only they were right. They sneered at those they deemed unworthy, as Jesus illustrated with the parable in Luke 18 about the Pharisee and the publican.

Luke 18

¹¹The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.'

And rather than teach tax-gatherers and sinners with gentleness, the Pharisees shunned them, and blistered anyone who dared to eat with them. Jesus illustrated their harsh, unforgiving spirit with the character of the older brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, who angrily and resentfully refused to join the celebration when the prodigal returned.

It is a lot easier to be a Pharisee than it is to be forbearing. It is tough to be humble, gentle, and patient - and forbearance requires all three! This is the reason so many churches split. It is the reason so many marriages end in divorce. One of the definitions I found for this word was “to undergo something onerous or troublesome without giving in.” It is so much easier to give in, isn’t it. To throw in the towel and said, “I have had enough.”

So what I need from Scripture is some help in a practical way to understand how to bear with others. We can find just that sort of instruction over at the end of the book of Romans.

Bearing With Each Other (Romans 14-15)

In Romans 15:1a, Paul says, “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak.” This is actually the continuation of the instructions he gave to the Christians in Rome starting in chapter 14. In 14:1 he says, “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.” Who is this person who is weak in the faith? Paul identifies him in verse 2. “One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.” Who would have only eaten vegetables in the first century? A Jew. Many Jews did not eat meat at all. Some of it (like pork) was expressly forbidden under the Law. And since just about all meat purchased in the market came from a pagan temple, lots of Jews chose to forego meat totally.

Paul refers to this person as weak in faith, meaning that although they have put their faith in Christ, they have not grown deep enough in their new faith to understand that the Mosaic covenant and its restrictions are no longer binding. Paul was strong in the faith. He understood, as he says in verse 14, “I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.”

Through the years brethren have tried to dump all sorts of disagreements with each other into this chapter. I am not convinced that there are many issues we disagree about today that are parallel to what was going on in Romans 14-15. This had to do with Jews and Gentiles learning how to get along with each other in spite of different levels of understanding about the ramifications of the New Covenant. But I do think that there are certain attitudes Paul addresses in these chapters that are always going to be applicable to how we deal with each other.

Paul says that the strong are to “bear with the failing of the weak” in 15:1. Gentiles were not to arrogantly dismiss their Jewish brethren who still had scruples about the kosher laws as spiritual juveniles. They were to bear with them. And in particular, Paul gives three instructions to the strong:

First, don’t be too quick to judge.

Romans 14

³Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. ⁴ Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

A judgmental spirit is the very antithesis of the tolerance called for in forbearance. We all understand that some issues are not simply “a matter of conscience,” but are a matter of congregational fellowship. But one lesson we can take from what Paul says here in Romans 14 is that when we disagree with each other we should not be too quick to dismiss a brother as a flaming liberal or a fossilized Pharisee. It may be that we just have a different conscience about something, but are both deeply concerned about pleasing the Lord.

There may come a time to withdraw fellowship from someone, but if our mentality is always going to be to shoot first and ask questions later, we will never be able to get along with each other.

Here is a second important attitude that Paul sets forth in Romans 14. Don’t put a stumbling block in front of someone.

Romans 14

¹³ Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother… ¹⁵For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.

In this particular context, what Paul meant was, if you believe it is ok to eat meat, but a brother is uncertain, don’t feed him hamburgers, because he can’t give thanks for it in good conscience, and if he eats, he will be doing something he thinks is displeasing to the Lord rather than something stemming from faithful obedience. And as Paul says in verse 23, “But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”

Again, we need to be careful about how we apply this text to our own day. I remember when I was in high school and doing a little preaching around central Kentucky that a dear lady came up to me after worship and asked me to preach a sermon on the rock music her kids listened to, because, as she put, “it offends me.” Well, most rock music offends me too – but as a musician, not as a Christian! To be “offended” in the sense of Romans 14 is not to be annoyed by something you don’t like – it is to be tripped up into sin by a stumbling block.

But I do think there is a wider application of the text that the Jew-Gentile issues of Paul’s time. Look at 15:1 again: “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” We cannot just live for ourselves. Forbearance means that we are considerate of what is in the best spiritual interests of our brethren, taking into account their failings. That’s why I don’t serve them ribeye steaks if they have a scruple about meat. I love ribeye, but Christianity isn’t about what I want – it is about what is best for my brother or sister.

There is a third attitude Paul spells out here in this passage. Look in 14:19: “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” Pursue the things that make for peace to build each other up. Intolerant people can’t do that. If they know there is a difference that exists, they have to pick at it and pick at it and constantly wrangle over it because they cannot be content that someone sees something differently than them. And usually this ends up in a contentious argument that makes for turmoil rather than peace.

The second congregation I preach at was up in Portage, IN. When I went up to try out, I went out for breakfast with one of the elders, and during our discussion the subject of Christmas came up (it was in the during the winter). He was of the conviction that Christians should not celebrate Christmas in any fashion, which is not my opinion. Anyway, after I tried out he told me that the elders would take a couple of weeks and then get back to me. Just a few days later, the phone rang, and it was Joel, and he said, “Shane, are you ready to become a Hoosier?” I was pretty excited, and I said, “Wow, Joel, this is great, I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon. This is like getting a Chri- um, a birthday present two weeks early!” And we both started to laugh. My point is that we both worked to be good natured about our differences. If we had decided to wrangle about this topic every time we went to breakfast, what would have happened to our relationship? Instead, we pursued the things that made for peace. That congregation had a preacher’s house right next to the building, so I decided not to decorate the outside of the house for the holidays, since Joel and anyone else who felt like him would have to deal with that every time they came to worship. I love Christmas, but I loved Joel a lot more.

Instead of tearing at each other, Paul says we are to build each other up. “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up” (15:2). This is the convergence of humility (my neighbor’s welfare is more important than mine); gentleness (I am going to be considerate of his needs); and patience (I am going to put in the time and energy to build him up). That is what it means to bear with the failings of the weak.

Not only does Paul explain on a practical level what forbearance demands, he also reminds us of the great forbearance all of us have been show in Christ. Look at Romans 15:3-4.

³For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me."

Just as Christ is the ultimate model of humility, gentleness and patience, He is the foremost example of forbearance. Talk about bearing with the failings of the weak! Christ came to bear our sins in His body on the cross! In the language of Ps. 69:9, our reproaches became His reproaches.

Then after quoting from the OT Scriptures Paul says:

⁴For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

At the time Paul wrote Romans much of the NT was still to be written. So he turned to the Scriptures that were available, such as the Psalms, to draw encouragement. I have quoted Romans 15:4 a lot to make a general point about the value of the Old Testament. But specifically, the point Paul was making here is, you should be encouraged to have the endurance to bear each other’s failings, because according to the OT, that is what Christ has done for all of us!

It isn’t easy to endure other people. But I make mistakes, and I need patience and tolerance and forgiveness, and since I recognize that, it makes forbearance a little easier. How “easy” do you think it is for Christ to put up with you? The One who has no sin came to bear your sins and mine. That makes our lack of forbearance toward each other nothing less than shameful ingratitude for the forbearance of Christ.

But if we will look to Jesus in grateful imitation of His gracious forbearance, the result is amazing:

Romans 15

⁵May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, ⁶that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Our unity is not the end. It is a means to an end. “That together [we] may with one voice glorify God…for the glory of God.” Which by the way means that when we do not bear with each other, the result is disharmony, and God is not glorified. Does this church glorify God? Does your marriage glorify God? Only if you live in harmony, which happens only bear with each other.

Conclusion

Going back to Ephesians 4, there is one more little phrase that I haven’t touched on yet: “Bearing with one another in love.” I thought about doing a separate sermon on “love,” as a fifth quality of unity, but I really think in this context Paul is qualifying the forbearance we show each other. It is done “in love.”

It is certainly not prompted by justice. The people who struggle the most with forbearance are often the people who have a strong sense of fairness. It isn’t fair to be mistreated by a brother or sister. It isn’t fair for my husband or wife to be short with me. Why don’t I get to retaliate!?! But we don’t bear with one another in fairness or justice. We bear with each other in love, and love is not a matter of fairness. It is a matter of doing good for the undeserving. And the most unfair love of all is that of Christ’s love for us, bearing our sins so we could be His people.

If you think about the way the Book of Ephesians is laid out, for three chapters Paul explains just how much God loves us, and just how undeserving we were, and just how great the riches of His grace in Christ Jesus are. Then he says to walk worthy of this calling, in humility, gentleness, patience and forbearance. That’s the only way any of us will ever treat each other like we should – by thinking deeply about what God has done for us in Christ.

Paul asked his readers in Romans a question related to God’s forbearance.

Romans 2

⁴Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

I think there are two senses in which we can presume on God’s forbearance. The sense in this specific passage is to assume that God’s forbearance is without limit, that we can just go on living any way we want to and we will never have to answer for ourselves. That is presumptuous. God’s forbearance should lead us to embrace the gospel in repentance, amazed that He has put up with us for as long as He has. And that is our invitation to anyone who is not saved today. To turn to the cross in repentance, trusting in Christ’s payment for sin, and being baptized into Christ.

But another way we can presume upon God’s forbearance is to expect it for ourselves while refusing to give it to others. How presumptuous to think that God should have put up with us, but we don’t have to put up with anyone else. If you need to repent, we urge you to be driven to your knees by being reminded of what God has done for you.

The Mindfulness of God

Today I read Job 7, which is part of Job's response to the the first speech of Eliphaz. In Job 7:17 he asks, "What is man, that you make so much of him?" My mind immediately went to Psalm 8, where David asks a similar question when contemplating God's special care for humanity in light of the vastness of the universe. "What is man that you are mindful of him?" (Psalm 8:4).

However, Job has a much different perspective than David. David was grateful for God's attentiveness to humanity. Job is resentful of God's attentiveness.

"What is man, that you make so much of him,
and that you set your heart on him,
visit him every morning
and test him every moment?" (Job 7:17-18).

The last thing Job wanted was God's attention. In verse 19 he prayed for God to look away from him and leave him alone.

This isn't the first time in Scripture that someone wished to be free from the presence of God. Adam and Even tried to hide from the Lord after their sin, and ever since the Garden, rebellious humanity has desired to escape the notice of God. "For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed" (John 3:20).

But Job's case is much different. He is not a wrong-doer; he is "blameless and upright" (Job 1:1), and he cannot understand why he is suffering so much. The only conclusion he can reach is that God has decided to subject him to constant scrutiny and to punish him once any fault is exposed (as it inevitably would be with any human being).

No wonder Job wanted God to leave Him alone - or better yet - to allow him to die (Job 6:9).

It is understandable why Job felt such despair. He was grief-stricken and paid-ridden. But he was also fundamentally mistaken about God (and so were his friends, as well-intentioned as they may have been). God is not like some corrupt sheriff who tails us waiting to find one little slip up and then ready to pounce once he does. It is the devil who is always on the look-out for some opportunity to tempt with sin or inflict with pain, as was the case with Job.

Those who are disobedient to God should be alarmed by God's omniscience. But those who love the Lord should take great comfort in God's mindfulness. He knows our sorrows, He feels our grief, and He senses our despair. Knowing that He knows what we are going through is not an imposition on us, but an invitation to us to hand those troubles over to Him. "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6-7).

Learning to Pray More Effectively

Last week I was browsing the web and came across an article by Tim Keller on how to pray more effectively. I really enjoyed his insights, so I turned it into a sermon for Sunday night. Here were the basic points.

In Luke 11:1-4 the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, and He gave them this prayer:

"Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation."

Not all prayers in the Bible are the same, of course. But it is common for prayers in Scripture to do the same three things Jesus did in this prayer:

1) Say something about God. In this case, Jesus described God as our "Father," which implies that God is Creator and Ruler.

2) Request something from God. We are to ask God for blessings such as daily food, forgiveness of sins, and protection from evil.

3) Desire something for God. In the model prayer Jesus expressed two desires for God: that His name be hallowed and that His kingdom would come.

In the rest of the sermon I just read through various prayers in Scripture and noticed how they included these same elements. For example, look at the prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21-

1) Say something about God

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory..."

2) Request something from God

"he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

3) Desire something for God

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

The other prayers we studied were Psalm 51; Psalm 71; Isaiah 37:15-20; Romans 15:5-7.

Finally, we talked about why these elements of prayer are so important.

• They turn prayer into praise as we profess the greatness of God.
• They instill confidence in God's power to answer our prayers as we reflect on His attributes.
• They center prayer on Gods will rather than ours, which is always what prayer should be about.
  

Humility That Leads to Unity

(This is my sermon from Sunday morning, the first in a series on the four qualities Paul listed in Ephesians 4:2 as a pre-requisite for maintaining the unity of the Spirit in Ephesians 4:3).

This morning I am going to talk with you about humility, and I have to tell you, this is going to be the greatest sermon on that subject ever! It would be great if the absurdity of pride was always that easy to recognize, but of course it is not. Other than Muhammad Ali not many people go around shouting, “I’m the Greatest” – and he doesn’t do it any more. Pride is far more insidious than that. And since James 3:16 attributes disorder in relationships to selfish ambition, and since there is conflict so often in churches and families, pride must be far more common a problem than any of us care to admit.

No wonder that when Paul exhorted the Ephesians in 4:3 to “maintain the unity of the Spirit” that the very first attribute he listed as essential to the preservation of oneness was humility (Eph. 4:2). So this morning we are going to study this foundational attitude, this key safeguard of the unity of the Spirit, and we’re going to do so by looking at a passage in another book Paul wrote during his imprisonment, the Book of Philippians.

Take a look at how closely the language of Ephesians 4 resembles Philippians 1. Ephesians 4:1-3 says:

¹I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

And then look in Philippians 1:27-

²⁷Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.

See how similar these passages are? In Ephesians, “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” In Philippians, “let your life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” And in both passages, what is the particular virtue Paul says demonstrates the conduct worthy of Christians? Unity. In Ephesians, “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit,” and in Philippians, “standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side.” In John 17 Jesus prayed for His followers to be one, and now Paul admonishes Christ’s people to live up to that holy prayer of Christ Himself by being one.

Beginning at Phil. 1:27 and continuing through the first part of Philippians 2, Paul explains how unity can be maintained. There are several different ways to put it – being of “one mind” in 1:27. Being of the “same mind” as in 2:2. Having the “mind of Christ” as he describes it in 2:5. Being like-minded. So let’s begin here in Phil. 1:27, where Paul expresses his desire for unity among Philippians.

Be Like-Minded (Philippians 1:27-2:2)

In my Bible the first word of verse 27 is “only.” A better way to express Paul’s meaning here would be “above all else” (CEV). The number one priority for you Philippians, Paul says, is

“let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.”

This is pretty emotional language, and reflects the deep friendship Paul felt for the Philippians. This bond was forged as Paul and the Philippians suffered together for the cause of Christ. You remember the story of the conversion of the Philippians jailer in Acts 16. That’s the chapter which recounts the planting of the gospel in Philippi. And you may recall that Paul was severely beaten along with Silas and thrown into prison. Some of you who have served in the military can identify with the profound camaraderie Paul shared with the Philippians. When you are in tough fight the people who stand side by side with you in the trenches come to mean more to you than many members of your own family. These people in Philippi knew what Paul went through for them to get the gospel to them, and after he had to leave Macedonia, that affection remained. By the time this letter was written Paul was in prison again (probably in Rome). And though separated by hundreds of miles, Paul was still very much on the heart the Christians in Philippi, and when they heard about his suffering they sent him financial aid. In 4:16 Paul says, “It was kind of you to share my trouble.”

Earlier in Philippians Paul expresses optimism that he will be released and will be able to see them again. But whether that happened or not, his greatest desire – and their greatest duty – was to be united.

“Whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸and not frightened in anything by your opponents.”

Dissension in the ranks of an army is a sure path to defeat. Paul wanted to be assured that the Philippians were presenting a united front to their enemies, free from intimidation. He might be referring to pagan opposition to the gospel, such as what he encountered in the first days of the work there. Or, he might be warning about Jewish opponents like the ones he describes in the third chapter of Philippians as “dogs, evildoers, those who mutilate the flesh” (3:2). Regardless of their identity, the important thing was for the Lord’s soldiers to engage the enemy with such solidarity, that their opponents should recognize they were on the losing side. Verse 28 - “This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.”

Christianity is a fight – a striving – a “conflict” as Paul says in verse 30. It was a fight for Christ Himself. He had enemies who did everything they could to intimidate Him. And He eagerly came to grips with His enemies, and above all with the Adversary, the devil. He suffered, but He won. If we are going to follow Him, we are going to fight, and we are going to suffer, and by His power we will also prevail. It is part of Christ-likeness.

²⁹For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, ³⁰engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

If we are going to face the conflict Paul and the Philippians (and for that matter Christ) faced, if we are going to have to dig in and “strive for the faith of the gospel,” we are going to have to do it “side by side.” That is why Paul is so insistent that the Philippians be united.

Philippians 2

¹So if there is any encouragement in Christ (and the idea here is not “I don’t know if there is or not” but rather “since in fact there is), any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ² complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Years ago there was a coffee commercial that said, “Fill it to the rim with Brim.” Paul tells the Philippians they can fill his joy to the rim by “being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” Imagine how distraught Paul would be to hear that in the face of the onslaught of the enemy the Philippians were torn apart by factions and feuds. The one thing that would reassure the apostle is the knowledge that his brothers for whom he cares so much are “united in spirit and intent on one purpose” (NASB), the faith of the gospel.

So that is Paul’s desire. Unity. Like-mindedness. But it is one thing to command people to be united, or to pray that they will be. Paul does more than that.

Be Lowly-Minded (Philippians 2:3-4)

In verses 3-4 he explains the blueprint or design of unity. And that is through humility, through being lowly-minded.

³Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

If I were to pick one word above all from these verses, it would be the word “humility.” That is the simple formula for unity. Be humble. But in these verses Paul fleshes out this design by explaining what humility involves.

First, it involves rejecting what the ESV translates as “rivalry or conceit.” The first word was used by Aristotle to describe the self-seeking pursuit of political office by unfair means. I had to quote Aristotle because we don’t have anything like that going on today! It could also be translated “strife” (as in the KJV), because it is inevitable that power hungry people will clash with others scratching and clawing for the same power. The NIV calls it “selfish ambition,” which leads to “rivalry” as in the ESV, which in turn leads to “strife.”

The second word, “conceit,” comes from a word that literally means “empty glory.” The KJV uses an old fashioned term, “vainglory,” but that is spot on. Here’s the connection between conceit and vainglory. How many of you fathers has a shirt or hat or coffee mug or some other sort of paraphernalia that says “World’s Greatest Dad”? Now, we all understand that it is conceited for a person to think they are the world’s greatest anything. But how much stock do the rest of us place in those accolades? Not much. They don’t have a lot of value. The glory is empty – it is in vain.

Now presumably your wife or your children bought you that “World’s Greatest Dad” piece of merchandise. Hopefully it wasn’t your idea! If I walked around here with a “World’s Greatest Preacher” shirt on, you would think three things: Shane is conceited; Shane is delusional; and whatever he paid for that shirt was way too much! That’s what Paul means here in Phil. 2:3. Someone who is conceited is also delusional. They are ascribing glory to themselves which only God deserves, so any greatness they imagine for themselves it just that – imaginary; and therefore their glory is worthless.

“For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself” (Gal. 6:3).

A sad picture of just such a person is found in 3 John 9-10:

⁹I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. ¹⁰So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

Diotrephes is the epitome of what Paul says we must reject. He was ambitious, or as John says, he liked to put himself first. He had to have his way, which meant crushing anyone who challenged him, even if they were apostles. This is the very opposite of a true follower of Christ, who denies self and takes up a cross and follows Jesus. Christ’s people practice self-denial; not self-promotion or self-glorification.

It is easy to see the flaws of a villain like Diotrephes. It isn't so easy to see the same qualities when they emerge in us. Here are the tough questions I have to ask myself. Do you always have to get your way? Do throw a fit if everything isn’t just how you like it? If someone else gets credit for something rather than you, are you jealous or resentful? If someone gets an honor or award, do you immediately start to tear them down or think about all the reasons you should have gotten it instead of them? Those are the attitudes - selfish ambition and vain conceit - Paul says we must reject.

In the second place, Paul tells the Philippians to regard others “as more significant than yourselves.” He does not mean that in actual fact there are some Christians more valuable or important than others. We are one body in Christ. And as he says in 1 Corinthians 12:22, “the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.” I am not sure I know exactly what the criteria are in that passage for parts of the body that “seem to be weaker”, but surely the point is that every Christian has a significance by virtue of membership in Christ’s body, and no one’s contribution to the service of the Lord should be trivialized.

But in Philippians 2 Paul doesn’t say “regard others as significant as yourselves.” We are to regard others as more significant. A humble person doesn’t spend their time calculating all the ways they are better than others, or do more than others, or are more valuable to the kingdom than others. A humble person assumes the mindset that says, “you matter more than I do.”

The night of Jesus’ arrest, before He and the disciples left the upper room and made their way to the garden, the apostles were having an argument. Do you remember the nature of the quarrel? It was an argument over which one was the greatest! When is the last time you heard people at your job argue over which one was the greatest? I mean, I might think I am the greatest, but I have a hard time imagining publicly arguing that’s the case!

But how many arguments happen because we think that we’re better than someone else, that we matter more, that they should think about who it is they are talking to. The only antidote to this mentality is to regard others as more significant than ourselves. Paul expresses it another way in Romans 12:10b - “Outdo one another in showing honor.”

How different would that last supper have been had the topic of discussion had been reasons why the other eleven men were more significant. How different would our home life be if the worst arguments we had were all the reasons our spouse or sibling deserved honor more than us. How different would a congregation be if each member dwelled on all the reasons the church is better off because the person next to us is a member. Outdo one another in showing honor.

A humble person rejects selfish ambition, and regards others as more significant. And third, a humble person recognizes the needs of others. Philippians 2:4:

⁴Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Paul doesn’t have to command us to look out for our own interests – we instinctively manage to do that. But what runs counter to our impulses is thinking about what others need. Later in the chapter Paul commended his son in the faith for displaying this rare ability-

¹⁹I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. ²⁰For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. ²¹For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

It’s tough to be the kind of person that doesn’t always look out for number 1, that thinks about others. There is probably no part of daily life that tests my ability to do this more than driving. Just yesterday I was over at Josiah’s, and on the way home stopped at the Kangaroo gas station because the gas is always cheaper there than anywhere. Once I was done I started to pull out of the drive, and the way the side street is laid out, there are three lanes of traffic. The one closest to me is right turn only. Then a middle lane, which is straight ahead. Then the far left lane, which is left turn only, and the one I needed. I sat and sat and sat at not one person considered my interests and allowed me to pull across. So, outraged, I circled around the gas station, found an opening behind where I was, and managed to squeeze across the first lane and most of the middle one to get to the far lane. But I was not quite all the way there, and consequently I was blocking part of the middle lane. And you know what? I didn’t even look in the rearview mirror to see how many people I was keeping from where they wanted to be. Maybe one of them is using me as a sermon illustration right now!

In a world as cruel as ours, it doesn’t take much to be hurt, then hardened, then just as callous as everyone else. That is why it is so hard to truly think about what is best for others rather than ourselves. But we cannot allow the world to squeeze us into its prideful mold. And if you only think about what’s best for others when they reciprocate and do the same for you, it won’t be long at all before nobody thinks of anybody but themselves.

In 1 Corinthians 10:24 the Scripture says: “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.” First Corinthians 7:33-34 says that husbands are to please their wives and wives are to please their husbands. This is humility in action.

To put it another way, suppose you made a list of everything you don’t like about this congregation. And then suppose you made a list of all the things you liked about it. An arrogant person never considers that some of the things on their list of “don’t likes” might be on the list of someone else’s “do likes.” Whereas a humble person looks at their list of things they don’t like, what they think is, “well, I would prefer something else, but other people may really like this or need this and that’s what is most important.”

Paul desired unity, and he explained the design of unity. Humility that elevates others and dwells on meeting their needs. And finally, in verses 5-8, he shows us a demonstration of the humility on which unity depends. We must be Christ-minded.

Be Christ-Minded (Philippians 2:5-8)

⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

The only way for us to truly be of one mind is not for you to accept my mind, or me to impose yours, but for both of us to embrace Christ’s. He embodied the qualities of humility Paul outlined in verses 3-4. He did not come to be served, but to serve. He put the needs of others ahead of His own desires. And He did this even at the cost of His own life.

In verse 6 Paul says Christ existed in the form of God. What God is He is. But He did not count this equality with God “a thing to be grasped,” or as the NIV renders is, “to be used for His own advantage.” Unlike dictators who use their position only to get from others, Jesus used His position to give to others.

Verse 7 – “He made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant.” This doesn’t mean that Jesus stopped being in the form of God when He became a servant. It means that as God He served. Think of the upper room again, but this time John’s account in John 13. What did Jesus do for the disciples? He washed their feet. That was the work of a slave. Did Jesus stop being their Master when He washed their feet? Not at all.

John 13

¹⁴If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

Jesus was Lord, but He was also a servant. He chose to do one of the most menial tasks because His disciples needed to learn a lesson.

And this One who existed in the very form of God saw what I needed, and you needed, and because He looked not at His own interests but also the interests of others, He served, and bled, and died.

The next time you think you are too good to help someone else, think of Jesus. The next time you think you are just a little better than someone else, think of Jesus. The next time you think getting your way is more important than what someone else needs, think of Jesus. How ashamed we ought to be when we are so petty and so selfish when Jesus was willing to give so much and serve so sacrificially and die “even death on a cross.”

Be like-minded. Be lowly minded. Be Christ-minded.

This was not just a theoretical matter for Paul. Look with me at the last chapter of Philippians.

“I entreat Eudoia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life” (4:2-3).

We are not told much about Euodia and Syntyche, but in Paul’s estimation they were valued co-workers in the gospel. But it also appears that there was some tension in their relationship, and Paul’s personal appeal to them is to “agree in the Lord.” That is what Paul would say to all of us. Agree in the Lord. And we don’t know who the “true companion” is that Paul asks to help these women, but each of us has a part to play in helping one another be like-minded, lowly-minded, and Christ-minded.

The Devil Behind the Scenes

Today in my Bible reading I looked at Genesis 3-4, Job 2, and Matthew 2-3. By coincidence these three readings present a slightly different picture of Satan at work. Genesis 3 is an explicit picture of the Devil at work, using the form of a serpent to beguile Eve and bring ruin upon creation. In the case of Job 2, the picture is two-sided. We are allowed a glimpse of Satan's machinations behind the scenes as well as a display of the havoc he wreaked in Job's life. And in Matthew 2, Satan is not mentioned, but his fingerprints are everywhere in the murderous outbreak of Herod. What is implicit in Matthew 2 becomes explicit in Revelation 12 in John's vision of the great red dragon.

Just as we understand that God is always at the helm of providence-even when Scripture does not specifically say so-we must also understand that sinister spiritual forces are also always in play-even when the text does not spell this out. We are in a world at war.

I do not mean to suggest that Satan is as powerful as the Lord. That would be blasphemy. And just as the story of Job and the story of Jesus ended with triumphant victories over Satan, the Bible promises us the same will be true in our struggle against the adversary. Both of these truths are worthy of constant reflection: we are at war, and we will win.

Our Congregational Theme for 2011 - "Eager to Maintain the Unity of the Spirit"

(This was my sermon for January 2, 2011, introducing Ephesians 4:3 as our theme passage this year)

I want to begin this morning by asking you a question. What is the one greatest area of need we have as a church that we could benefit the most from really working on this year? Or to put it another way, can you think of a particular scripture that would address what you think should be our number priority this year as a congregation?

Of course we all recognize that every verse of Scripture is inspired by God, that we must be faithful to the entire message of the Bible, and that my obligation is to preach the whole counsel of God. But at the same time, it is undeniable that at specific moments in the life of a church (and for that matter, the life of an individual Christian), situations and circumstances arise such that certain teachings in the Bible have more pressing relevance.

So, if you were to pick one crucial area where we stand to gain the most by concentrated effort, what would it be? That is the very question the elders contemplated a few weeks ago, and what they concluded is that for the year 2011, for a variety of reasons, a key passage for this fellowship is Ephesians 4:3.

“Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

So for the year 2011, in my sermons, in articles in the bulletin, and in Bible classes where appropriate, my focus is going to be on the various dimensions of this Scripture. There will obviously be other subjects that we will deal with this year, and other passages to explore. But as much as is possible and practical, the theme of my work is going to be Ephesians 4:3. “Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Why This Theme?

So why did the elders choose this theme passage? Go ask them! Actually, the primary factor was various comments and concerns that you as the members have raised over the last few months. So this really grew out of their effort to listen to you, which they have been doing in some face to face sessions with our membership. And I really want to commend our elders for being genuinely interested in wanting to know what you think, of working hard to be true shepherds who know the flock.

Two issues in particular have driven the decision to pick maintaining the unity of the Spirit as our congregational theme. First, the issue of togetherness. We are very blessed as a group of people in that we are at peace. This is not the case in a lot of places. I have worked in churches that had a history of ugly divisiveness, and been through the some situations that began to resemble the bitter factionalism of the church in Corinth, where members were pitted against each other. That is not a problem here, and thanks be the Lord that’s the case!

So when I say the elders are concerned about the issue of togetherness, that is in no way a reflection of worry over some kind of schism. But just because we are not at war with each other doesn’t mean we are as close as we can be. True fellowship in the Lord is not simply a matter of never fussing with each other, but is instead a partnership of like-minded followers of Christ held together by brotherly affection. It is the kind of relationship Paul spoke of the Philippians having in Phil. 1:27, “you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.”

To put it another way, some of you may come from families marred by all sorts of jealous rivalries and feuds. That is a tragic and painful situation to be in. But just as sad is a family that – while not full of hate and conflict – lacks any sense of warmth, that rarely communicates or does anything together as a family. Where members feel isolated and unwanted.

That might be true of our flesh and blood families, but it should never be true of our blood-bought family. And so to help all of us in the Woodland Hills family be even more sensitive to our need for each other and our responsibility to be one heart, one mind, one spirit, the elders want us to dwell on the implication of maintaining the unity of the Spirit.

There is a second issue that made Ephesians 4:3 stand out as a vitally important passage for us. That is our need for unity in the home just as in the church. Marriage is a living demonstration of God’s power to unify. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Eph. 5:31). Because marriage is such an intense expression of unity, it is also the place where unity is most intensely tested.

And so if maintaining the unity of the Spirit is important for a church, it is even more so for a family. In fact in Ephesians 5 Paul makes a direct link between the oneness of a husband and wife and the oneness of Christ and the church.

Eph. 5

³²This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. ³³However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Your marriage is to be a vibrant example of the unifying work of God, on par with the relationship of Christ to the church itself.

In fact, the elders are working on plans to do some special teaching on marriage later this year. But in the meantime every family here stands to gain by making Ephesians 4:3 the theme verse of your family just as it will be of our congregation.

So that’s why the elders have selected this as our theme. Let’s spend the rest of our time together looking at what the verse actually says and start laying a foundation for what we can work on together this year.

Unity of the Spirit

The first point I want to emphasize about this passage is that Paul says we are to maintain the unity of the Spirit. He doesn’t say we are to obtain it but to maintain it, implying that we do not create unity. It is created for us. And in the text Paul says it is unity of the Spirit. In other words, we are united by the Spirit. Oneness is the work of God, indeed it is the gift of God.

This is how the book of Ephesians began. In 1:9-10, listen to how Paul summarized God’s eternal plan:

Eph.1

⁹ making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ ¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

God’s eternal plan, once unrevealed in mystery, but now revealed in Scripture, is to unite all things in Christ. The way Christ did this was to die for the sins of humanity, making it possible for us to be at peace with God and with each other, and especially in light of the first century, for Jews and Gentiles to be at peace with each other.

Christ taught, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9). The Son of God was the ultimate Peacemaker.

Eph. 2
¹¹Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— ¹²remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace

Christ is our peace; His cross made peace. And it is through that peace that we can be bound together. That is why Paul says in 4:3 we are to maintain the unity of the Spirit “in the bond of peace.” We are to maintain unity created through the peace-making work of Jesus.

Also, in Ephesians 2, Paul explains why this unity is in the Spirit.

Eph. 2

¹⁸For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

²²In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

It is in the one Spirit that we have access to God. We are built together by the Spirit. It is the unity of the Spirit.

None of us deserved the peace Christ purchased for us. None of us deserved to dwell with God by the Spirit. This unity and peace is the gift of God. The recognition that oneness is a display of God’s grace and love should motivate us to work in grateful diligence to preserve what God has done for us. This is the very way Paul exhorts the Ephesians in the opening of chapter 4.

Eph. 4

¹I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

We have been called by God to share the rich inheritance of His saving work and unifying purpose. In the words of one translation, we are to “live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own” (CEV) and a crucial part of that worthy walk is maintaining the unity of the Spirit.

So unity comes from God. It doesn’t come from us. We don’t invent it or manufacture it. But we are to maintain it. So let’s think about what that means.

Maintain the Unity of the Spirit

I think I told you all the story about getting this Bible. It is my dream Bible, with wonderful calfskin (it smells like a cow – in a good way!), a great layout for reading, and good paper for taking notes. I had been talking with one of the members of the Weatherly Heights church in Huntsville (where I recently preached) about Bibles, and he graciously sent this to me. One of my preacher friends asked me to set up a gospel meeting for him so he could mention his dream truck!

Anyway, this Bible was a very thoughtful gift. But now that is has been given to me, it is my responsibility to take care of it. My old Bible is coming apart because it has been dropped far too many times. There’s a section of the book of Isaiah that has coffee stains from an accident that took place while teaching a home Bible study. And because I forgot to put the cap on a red pen one day, a large section of the gospels and Acts has an enormous red ink stain. So I am a little paranoid about this new Bible. This is the first time I have brought it to the assembly, and I feel as cautious as those of you who have brought newborns to church the first time!

The point is that it’s one thing to get a gift; it’s another thing to take care of a gift. Some of you who are clumsy or absent minded or just plain sloppy may have heard the same thing I heard a lot growing up – “I just can’t get you anything nice because you’ll just ruin it!” Well God has given us unity, a very costly gift, and we are to have the maturity to recognize this gift is precious and therefore take care of it.

The word Paul uses in this verse expresses urgency. “Maintain” is almost too weak. It sounds like instructions in your car manual (for proper maintenance of your engine change your oil every three thousand miles). Of course, if you don’t do proper maintenance, you’ll have serious car trouble. And if we don’t do proper spiritual maintenance, we‘ll have problems, too.

But this word means to “keep watch over, keep, preserve, holding on to something so as not to give it up or lose it.” In fact it often is used for holding a prisoner in custody, as in Acts 24:23.

Unity is something that we must carefully guard and protect. And undoubtedly it requires this vigilance because it is so easily lost. That is because our natural inclination is selfishness, which only leads to strife. Paul said this to Corinthians in 1 Cor. 3-

1 Cor. 3

¹But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. ² I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, ³for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? ⁴For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human?

Sometimes we dismiss faults by saying “well, we’re only human.” But you and I as children of God are not “only human.” We are forgiven; we are converted; we are raised to walk in newness of life; we are a new creation in Christ! And as such we cannot revert back to being “just human.” We must walk worthy of our new calling in Christ, maintaining the unity of the Spirit.

But to do this requires constant surveillance of our own attitude and heart so that the divine gift of unity is preserved rather than squandered.

Over the next few weeks I am going to preach about the key attitudes we need to safeguard unity. They come right out of the same context as our theme verse. Look at Eph. 4:2:

Eph. 4

²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.

That’s a good place to start: humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearance love. It will require intentional effort to maintain unity, and meditation on these virtues is the foundation of the worthy walk of unity.

But there is one more attitude that we need to accomplish this, perhaps the most important of all. And it is the first word of our theme verse. “Eager.”

Eager to Maintain the Unity of the Spirit

Lots of people make resolutions this time of the year. Some of you may have written down some goals for self-improvement. Lose weight, exercise, get out of debt, pray more, read the Bible through, etc. There is nothing wrong with making resolutions – it’s good to have something to shoot for.

The problem is that most people do not follow up on resolutions. They stick with it the first few days of the year, and then the novelty of the moment wears off. Lots of people buy exercise equipment in January that by February they use to hang clothes on. The problem is that simply turning a page on a calendar doesn’t magically change anything. Real change only comes from within.

And that is what Paul means when he says we must be “eager” to maintain the unity of the Spirit. The definition of this word in Greek is “to be zealous, take pains, make every effort (which is how the NIV translates it in Eph. 4:3), to be especially conscientious in discharging an obligation.”

New Year’s Resolutions often fail because they are not prompted by a New Year’s conviction – they are artificially contrived because the calendar says it is a particular day and month. And by the way, the elders are under no illusion that just because we are announcing a theme for the year that it will magically come to pass. But what we hope is that by drawing attention to the word of God and what it says about unity that the Scripture will elicit that conviction in honest and good hearts, and that all of us will be truly eager – zealous – diligent – and determined to maintain the unity of the Spirit.

I wish there was a simple way to produce eagerness. There isn’t. But I think there is a pretty simple set of reasons why we do become eager to do what we are supposed to. Last August I started working on getting healthier. I didn’t make a big announcement about it – in fact, I told a couple of people. And it wasn’t because mid-August was a magical time to lose weight. It was because by that point in time I was in a lot of pain after injuring my knee and having surgery, and I knew that I needed to do something. And second, it was because I finally convinced myself I could do it. And third, it was because I knew that if I wanted to think about sharing my life with someone else, it was what was best for them. And if any of you have ever lost weight or stopped smoking or made some other huge adjustment in life, I would bet it has been for those same kinds of reasons.

That is what I think Paul means when he speaks of “eagerness.” You and I need to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the first place because we need that unity. I need you. We cannot function as Christians going at it alone. Satan is too fierce and the world is too unfriendly to possibly try to make it as an isolated Christian. To try to be a spiritual loner is to bring pain and disappointment.

In the second place, we must convince ourselves that unity is a real possibility, that we can truly be of one mind and spirit. If the Lord could bring Jews and Gentiles together after centuries of hostility and enmity, what reason do we have for thinking He cannot still create the unity of the Spirit? Why would we doubt that Christ can restore a marriage? Why would we question that Christ can heal division? Eagerness means we are convicted that we need others and convinced that Christ can bring us together.

And finally, eagerness means that we are aware that others need us. I bet we all know guys who were pretty immature and irresponsible who straightened up once they got serious about a girl. Sometimes bums never change, but sometimes the awareness that others depend on them and need them is the very thing that a man needs to awaken the conscientious of responsibility. I know that I need you, but I also know that I am needed, and that makes me want to do what I can to be there for you.

Conclusion

This past year we have gone through a lot as a congregation. Some of our older members have reached the point where they can no longer be with us. Several families have moved away. Many of us have lost people special to us. If you are looking for reasons to be discouraged and demoralized, you can find them.

But the Lord has been gracious to us as well. He has allowed many of our older members to continue their assembly with us and the blessing of their influence. We have lots of great young families. The Lord has given us several babies, with more on the way. We’ve had lots of visitors recently. And we have a very dedicated core of hard-working, loving people at peace.

There is a lot to be excited about, and lots to do. We just need to make sure we do it together, “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”