Have you done the dishes lately?

Photo Credit: Kaan Tanriover 

“but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”—Mathew 6:15 (ESV)

The dishwasher in our house is broken. There were times we had to try to run dishes through the wash twice to get all of the junk off them (to no avail). It eventually got so bad we called a technician in last week and are still waiting on a part. As a result, our kitchen sink is often piled with dirty silverware, glasses, sippy cups, bowls and dishes. Last week, we even purchased paper plates to reduce the amount of dishes we had to wash by hand. Even with paper plates, it is amazing how much ends up in the sink. We need to wash the dishes daily to keep the amount manageable. If we did not wash them regularly, I do not want to think about how terrible it would get. There would be no room in the sink to wash our hands, to rinse items, to wet a rag, or even to get a drink of water. Not only the sink, a good portion of our kitchen counters would be filled. The dirty dishes can render the sink (and counters) useless. If they were to remain a significant time, it would begin to smell and flies would fester, making it even worse.

This makes me think about the sin in our lives and all of the “dirty dishes” in our sink. For a moment with me, think of all of the times where people have lied to you. Imagine those times where people have stolen from you as glasses. Times where people have gossiped about you as plates….I think you get the picture. We would need a giant sink to fit them all. The reality is, we do not have a big enough sink. So what needs to happen?

We need to wash the dishes….we need to get rid of the stains, the smells and the stink so we can use the sink again.  We need to exercise forgiveness. You might say, Pastor Mike…you do not know what they did! Agreed, I do not know what they did, yet we still need to forgive them. This is the plan and the will of God for us, as it says above, we need to forgive. 

1. I need to forgive….because it is the command of God

I could end the blog with this point here. The scripture above is very clear God wants us to forgive those who have done us wrong in the past, present, and future. While it is a command of God, it does not make it easy for us to do. Some people have serious grievances, not simply a candy bar or a pencil stolen. They dealing with the loss of loved ones, spousal infidelity, abuse, something done to their children, etc. I do not want to minimize their pain. Despite this, we all have the same command to forgive. We can see a similar command following the parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:21-35. God wants us to forgive.

2. Forgiving demonstrates an understanding of God’s love.

We may think, well, the sins I committed are not too bad. And I have not (insert a sin here), while others have. We may compare ourselves to Hitler, Houssein, Amin and think, not so bad after all. The reality is, all of us deserve death. No exceptions. Even the smallest infraction against God is a sin, and therefore is deserving of death.

This is not the end of the story of course. A beautiful piece of scripture is Romans 5:8 which says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (ESV). I cannot speak for you, however when I analyze and look at my life, I know I am a sinner. I am saved however by grace. I am experiencing forgiveness for my sins because of what Christ did on the cross. I hope you have found the same grace at the cross (or will) as well. If we truly have experienced such a great forgiveness, refusing to pardon someone who wronged us is an insult to the cross. Failing to extend forgiveness demonstrates we have not truly understood what Jesus did for us.

3. Forgiving allows for God’s justice

God is perfect. God is loving. God is forgiving. God is just. Take a moment and let this sink in, especially the last one. To seek revenge is short-sighted. God will judge in the end and his ruling will be complete. When we forgive an individual, we certainly take the costly pain of forgiveness, yet we allow for something greater to happen: we allow God to avenge us. Romans 12:19 says, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (ESV). Please do not view this point as an opportunity to get revenge. God is not going to let injustice go unpunished and we should allow God his right. We forgive and we allow God to have the final word on our behalf.

What if I cannot forgive?

We need to make the effort and not give up. Do not say I will never forgive x. Pray for God to work in your heart to extend forgiveness. Pray for the person who wronged you. Pray for grace and the strength to forgive. Thank God for the forgiveness he gave to you at the cross.

One final thought

Forgiveness does not equal reconciliation.  While we may extend forgiveness,  it does not mean we immediately trust. We may forgive someone and still experience hurt. We may forgive and not be able to reconcile. When sin enters into the picture there is fallout, there is damage. Sometimes this damage can be repaired, with help from God. For instance, we can forgive someone for stealing from us and we probably will not give them our life’s savings in cash.  God can work wonders through is power, love and grace.

What about you? When was the last time you did the dishes?

The points and ideas I have expressed here come from Pastor John Piper in his Ask Pastor John post. To see his interview, or to read a transcript go to

http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/if-i-fail-to-forgive-others-will-god-not-forgive-me

Stop it!

Photo Credit: Mihailo Radicevic

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her. Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

Life is often measured in productivity and efficiency. The productivity model transcends into all areas of life. On a sports team, one of the most valued abilities in a player is their availability. While one might be the most talented player on the team, the team cannot benefit much if they only play two out of eight or ten games. Similarly, in businesses world we apply this principle. The “no-shows,” the chronically late and chronically sick can be detrimental to company performance and morale. While we recognize this in the “business world,” do we apply the same principles in our family and spiritual life? Unfortunately all too often we shoot ourselves in the foot! We need to STOP it. Christ is much more important than our business, Christ should be the center of our lives. For the next few moments, let us investigate three areas where we limit our effectiveness and what we can do about it.

Problem 1: We limit our effectiveness because we are overdoing it.

How many times in our lives do we over extend ourselves. There are times around the house where I help pick up and sometimes clean. I am not very good because I am a scatterbrained cleaner. I will pick up a few items in one room, put them in their proper place in another room, then start to pick up objects in the new room. I can keep on doing the “easy” items for a while and when someone comes to look and see the progress, there is not much of one because I have only done a little in a large amount of rooms.
We overestimate how much we can get done. Oh I can get one more thing done…and another one…finding ourselves late. We often have an excuse: our best friend asked us to do it, the pastor asked us to do it, it is for a good cause. So it is ok, right? Our culture tells us we can do everything and we need to do everything, yet this is not how God designed life. When God created Adam he said it was not good for him to be alone so he created a helpmate for him. He created males and females to complement each other. We on our own are not enough. God wants us to lean on one another, and more importantly to cling to him! We cannot be “Hans Brinker” trying to plug all of the leaks in the dike of the world. We have a limited number of fingers and a seemingly unlimited number of holes. There always will be more to do. There are times where we do not get everything done. Do not fall in to a trap of doubling our efforts thinking it was a failure on our end. If I had better time management, I could have accomplished all the tasks. There may be times where this is true, however try to have a realistic outlook on what can be done.

What can I do about it? 

To be effective as Christians, we need to love Christ, and others while acting wisely. It is better to do a few tasks well opposed to being on everything and being so exhausted we can only give a maximum of a 50-75% effort. I am not talking about simply being under the weather rather we do not have our hearts invested in it. We may have a few areas we are especially passionate in, invest in those areas and hit them full throttle. Do not pick everything. If you have a number of interests switch off….say I can only commit to once a week or once a month.  For those you cannot, let 

others step in, recommend others for the opportunity (with their permission) and let God handle it.

Problem 2:  We limit our effectiveness because of a false sense of time.

I have heard at times of retirees being busier than while they were working as they agree to all of those opportunities they once denied. I have also heard of retirees holding off on traveling because they felt they had all the time in the world to do it. Some of these couples later regret their decisions as they find health problems progress quicker than they hoped thus having to give up.
Jesus gives some words to those who wanted to follow, and his instruction was to go now. Not to wait. Luke 9:59-60 says, “To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (ESV). When you look further into this text, it seems to be more he is waiting for his parents to pass, wanting to fulfill his obligation to take care of his family.
There are countless opportunities and tasks we think we can get done later and certainly there are some we can put off. Perhaps cleaning the basement does not need to be done this moment, however feeding our children cannot really wait. What about in our christian lives? Volunteering at the mission can wait, our prayer and scripture life cannot. It is our lifeblood.

We tell ourselves lies regarding time. When I have “more time”….I will get my prayer life on track….I will start my new devotional…I will read scripture with my kids. It does not work this way. The only way we have time is if we make time. If we are not growing, we potentially are dying on the vine. We are missing a deeper intimacy with God. We at times say these phrases knowing we want them and we value them, albeit not enough. Perhaps we remember times where our devotions were more regular and we enjoyed a fruitful relationship. We need to return to it. We can also be confident God will reward the time we spend with him in our lives. We will not always have time “later” because at some point, the time the Lord ordained for us will be over and we will not be able to buy more time on this earth.

What can I do about it?

For some, this may be one of our harder fixes. Why? We may not think anything is wrong. We need to re-evaluate our priorities. I heard it said from a number of places we need to live with a God first, others second, me third mentality. Some may look at this and say, those are my priorities? If we charted how much time we spent in the average week on those activities, how would it come out? We may not like the answer. If we need an adjustment...Set a time with God by yourself. Give God the "first fruits" by getting up early....have breakfast with God. Give the first few minutes of your lunch break with God and have a mid-day check in. Talk with him in the car while traveling. We can do it.
We need to prioritize our relationship with God and let the first relationship overflow into the others. Some of these do not need to be mutually exclusive. Spend time in prayer with your spouse, with your kids. Charles Spurgeon says, “To pray is to enter the treasure-house of God and to gather riches out of an inexhaustible storehouse.” We often want more, more time, more resources…if we go to God perhaps we will be joyful and content with less when we find our satisfaction in him. He may also open up his storehouses to us if it is in his will.

Problem 3: We limit our effectiveness because we are not fully invested in the moment.

There are a plethora of distractions available in our world. In a large sense, the traditional 9-5 jobs are becoming extinct. Some might say, no they are not. Why would I make such a claim? I would argue technology and profits have changed our job landscape. With cellphones we can be contacted at any time. It does not matter on day or night. Smart phones connect us with our e-mail while we are away from work. We may be moving from New York City as the "city which never sleeps" to a country which never sleeps.
We may always think there is always a task to be accomplished and we miss the present. Looking back to the scripture above, we see Mary investing in her relationship with Jesus and Martha is upset over Mary leaving her with all of the work. Martha has a point. She has worried and begun distracted from the moment and the importance of what was happening before her. How many times do we act in a similar fashion? At times we are too self-centered and not others-centered. My boys are playing and I am on the computer, phone or the television? I could be reading with a book or wrestling with them.  I am “present” yet not really interacting.

What can I do about it?

What about you? What is your major distraction? Name it. Call it out. If you cannot identify one, ask your spouse or a trusted friend. After identifying them, we need to learn to manage the distractions in our lives, if not eradicate them completely. My biggest distraction is technology. I need to put my cell phone and computer away.  If we cannot eliminate the distraction completely, we MUST set limits. Farmers place animals in fences to keep the animals in, as well as to keep others out, right? Fences can serve two purposes. We may want to think of our limits as fences. The benefit of a fence is it keeps those animals in order, yet it comes with a cost....it is harder to get in. This is not a cost in terms of distraction, rather a benefit.  What does a "distraction fence" look like? For me, it could be placing my phone in a central location of the house in a high place where I can hear it for emergencies and commit to only checking e-mail/voicemail a certain time for a specified time. We also can turn our distraction to God. We can pray about it and leave it in God’s hands.

Follow Up

What do you think? What is limiting your effectiveness as a Christian? Are you trying to do too much? Do you have your priorities mixed up? What is distracting you?

Leave a comment or e-mail Pastor Mike
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Defining the Relationship

Photo Credit: Jonathan Paquette

14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV)

Early in our relationship, Krystal and I discussed our desires, compatibility and the viability of a long-term relationship together. We did not want to proceed without a potential future. A couple of years ago I was introduced to the abbreviation DTR - “define the relationship” - in Kyle Idleman’s book, Not a Fan. Krys and I did this without even knowing the term. Idleman talks of defining our relationship with God.  As the passage above in Joshua tells us, we must choose what god we will serve. I pray we all choose the Triune God of Father/Son/Holy Spirit. Some might ask the question, “Why should I define the relationship?” I would like to offer three reasons why we should define our relationship with God. 

1. Defining the relationship signifies exclusivity.

In today’s culture we live in an age where we like options. We want to have a no strings attached relationship in case it does not work out. In a study by Pamela J. Smock of The University of Michigan found “Between 1995 and 2006 to 2010, first-time cohabitation jumped by 43 percent for white women, 57 percent for Hispanic women and 39 percent for black women. Only Asian women stayed the same, with about 22 percent cohabiting during both time periods.” Some couples decide to cohabitate as a test ride before making a commitment. Some couples may make a loose agreement, an “open marriage” rubber-stamping their approval for their spouse to have sexual relations with others. For us as Christians, however this is not a viable option. God ordains marriage as a sacred covenant between one man and one woman.

When we define our status as disciples of Jesus Christ, we are committing to him. A common line in traditional marriage vows includes the phrase “forsaking all others” Merriam-Webster dictionary defines forsake as “giving up or leaving (someone or something) entirely.” There is no going back. This is not like when I go to a restaurant and they do not have Coke Zero, so I order a Diet Coke or a Diet Pepsi. It is not whimsical or “fair-weather.” Choosing Christ means nothing else. 

The passage above says to serve him in sincerity. What does sincerity mean to you? In a relationship context, I see it as being authentic. We remember the television episodes where someone mixes up their days and ends up with two dates on the same night. How does such an episode end? Generally we as the audience we have laughter and the protagonist ends up with two upset dates. We do not want to be second place, and neither does God.

2. Defining the relationship establishes security.

For a moment, take an inventory of who has keys to your house. Is it a high number or a low number? My guess is you have a set, your spouse has a set, your kids (if they are old enough/responsible enough may have one) and you have an emergency key with either a neighbor or a hidden place around your house. We do not give a set of keys to our house to anyone we meet on the street. Why? We do not know if they are trustworthy. Giving someone a set of keys to your house signifies a certain level of trust. Well who do we give the keys to our heart, which is vastly more important?

We need to give the keys to our heart to God, no exceptions. There certainly is fear in this action and yet our calling is to trust. Remember Peter walking on the water? Want proof of God’s continued faithfulness? He was faithful to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was faithful to the Israelites, to David, to the early church and he never changes. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (ESV). Often we do not want to commit to someone or something because of fear they will let us down. With God, this fear is unwarranted. God is faithful to us despite our unfaithfulness to him.

In choosing Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are allowing him into every area of our lives without exception. Jesus knows our every wart, fault and thought, still loving us. As Charlotte Elliot writes in the classic hymn Just as I Am,

“Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,

Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;

Because Thy promise I believe,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.”

Knowing us intimately, he calls us to himself. His love and his justice sent down Jesus to die for us. He loved us more than he loved himself. If this does not mean security, what does? We have security in our relationship with Christ.

3. Defining the relationship looks to the future.

Unfortunately, in life there is a lack of permanence. A quotation going back to Benjamin Franklin says, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.” We have certainty in this world; the certainty is God. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (ESV). God does not change. God is not changing his mind. God is not going to “renege” on us. He showed his commitment through Jesus Christ. He stuck with the “adulterous” nation of Israel. God loves with a steadfast love opposed to a conditional love we at times employ.

We do not need to fear God leaving us unless we give up on him. Billy Graham says, “God doesn’t give up on us until we give up on Him. Only when we repeatedly turn our backs on Him and stubbornly refuse His offer of forgiveness will He finally let us go.” When we define our relationship, and commit to Christ, we are saying we are going to do this. We can do it, albeit not under our own power rather under his power and his grace through the Holy Spirit. There is a promised future of salvation for those in Christ.

How do we move into such a future? A relationship does not go anywhere without work.  God wants to cultivate a relationship with us and we need to be committed to it DAILY. I have three young boys (and a daughter on the way) I have to (and need to more) dedicate time with them whether it be playing, praying, talking or teaching. I need to love them. I need to show them they are special with my actions and if I do not, I will miss a deeper intimacy with them. I do not want them to say, “Dad was not there for me when I was young.” I want a relationship. If I do not work at it, I will blink my eyes and they will be 31 with their own kids, and some opportunity lost. Do miss the time with our savior either. Make time for him. Go on “dates,” talk with him. If we do this, we will find ourselves fulfilled, satisfied and dedicated to the future we have with God.

Have you defined your relationship with Christ? Do you see the benefits of defining the relationship? Perhaps we have fallen away and need to re-establish a relationship. If we do define our relationship, we will find comfort, security and a wonderful future.

What are your thoughts?

Hopefulness

Photo Credit: Katherine Evans 

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.—Romans 8:22-25 (ESV)

Life changes rapidly in a year. Countries go from peace to war. A newborn goes from being largely immobile to getting into everything. They transition from sitting and rolling over, to crawling, standing walking, and in some cases, running. We look at the pictures of our children on the first and last days of school and see change. Our jobs responsibilities may change along with our co-workers. The grocery stores at times shuffle their aisles and change (I hear the new Canton Hy-Vee design is nice).

While life certainly changes rapidly in some aspects, others demonstrate little change. On April 6, I became a year older; I do not feel any different. Many of our laws remain the same. We still drive the same cars, the same ways to work (unless IL-116 is under construction for the Peoria commuters). Many churches too have reputations for little change. There may be a few new faces, a few new songs; however, the majority is the same.

 It was about this time last year when our family was driving on vacation for a trip to Michigan. Around Chicago, we tuned into the radio station and the topic of the day was the case regarding the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. In a matter of days police reform, racism, and gun control became buzzwords and hot topics, and to some extent still are. We read (and heard) legitimate stories from both sides. One from a mother with a young African American son who instructed him to keep his driver’s license and insurance information easily accessible in the event they were pulled over. She did not want the cop suspecting her son of carrying a gun while opening the glove compartment. From the perspective of the officer, they have a split second to make a decision, which can mean life or death for them and whether they return home to their families.

Oh my. Does a year change anything, or not? Talk. Shouting. Outrage. Where is the change? While we have seen police brutality in New York and Baltimore, we have also seen 19 law enforcement officers killed through gunfire. Forgive us, Lord. We have fallen short. All of these lives matter. All lives matter to God. All lives SHOULD matter to us. Whether we are black or white, male or female, in the womb or out of the womb, young or old, God created us.

The passage from Romans declares the world groaning from childbirth. While sin’s foothold is in this world, we know it is temporary God is still at work and we must wait patiently. Our first call as Christians is to remember where we find our hope. Our hope is not in family, our friends, neighbors, or ourselves, our government or its agencies. Our hope is in God, a mellifluous promise. Jesus’ resurrection defeated sin and death. Jesus stands ready to deliver at the anointed time. As we await this final blow, let us consider how we work for change in this world. The love of Christ compels us to advocate for our fellow human beings who have little voice or no voice.

Let us hope for what we do not currently see. Let us work towards wholeness and grace. Let us have discussions on how we can attack the issues rather than attacking each other. We must love our neighbor as ourselves. What does this mean for you? What does it mean for me?

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Commas and Periods in Life

“Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness. An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing.” --Proverbs 16:17

There was a picture going around Facebook with the following story, “If I offered you $100,000 to jump out of a plane without a parachute, would you do it? I bet you said NO! But what if I told you the plane was on the ground?...Moral of the story; know all the facts before you open your mouth.”

In our lives, information travels at light speed. We see news stories spread to millions within a few seconds sometimes these stories come so fast the facts come later and the story needs to be altered. Gossip and rumors also spread like wildfire in small towns as well as big cities. Perhaps you have seen this happen in the greater Fairview area. This too is unfortunate because it destroys reputations and it exposes individuals to ridicule and condemnation, which may or may not be true. Regardless of whether a rumor is true or not, it is still not anything to be sharing. The truth is many times we can avoid these situations. How do we do this? We do not get involved in such a situation, we may confront the situation and say, “Did he/she tell you this personally?” Maybe we should stop to think!

At the end of the majority of sentences we place a period. At times in our grammar, we place a comma to continue a sentence or to separate a phrase. When I read this scripture about thinking before acting, it makes me think of punctuation in my life. There are times where a coma is appropriate and necessary. For instance perhaps you are feuding with your spouse or disciplining our children. Taking a break or inserting a comma, can greatly change the situation the break the few seconds can give us a new perspective and allow us to proceed with less emotion and fire. Perhaps we may need to insert a period as well. Taking the time to think, pausing, and ultimately deciding to end the conversation or situation altogether.

God wants us to act wisely and at times, this may mean we need to use a comma or a period in our lives. This way we do not stumble, fall or bring shame to ourselves or worse, to Christ.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Power of Words

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)

Talking. Talking is something that we do from the earliest stages of our lives. Babies begin to “babble” and mimic what you are saying. Words such as “Da Da,” “Ma Ma”, “NO”, and “Ball” are formed. And as a parent sometimes you fear that you may catch your child repeating a word or a phrase that we did not intend for them to hear. We all have probably done it at some point, caught a child emulating that very behavior and then spend time explaining that it was a poor choice of words and hoping and praying that they forget such phrases quickly. But unfortunately with words, we cannot take them back. There is no rewind button or white out. We cannot gather them in again, once they leave the tips of our tongue they are gone forever and with the development of social media, the internet, and cell phones some of our finest words and not so finest words are available at a moment’s notice. They do not go away easily (or ever). 

As children we are taught the nursery rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words may never hurt me.” Yes, parents have told us that to help us and console us, but the reality is that words do hurt. Words can be very destructive. In the third chapter of the epistle of James, we see some examples and images of the importance of words. Words have power to heal and destroy. Some of us still may hurt from comments made about us years ago in school, or made about our bodies, or made about our children, our parenting, or our lifestyle choices. Hopefully we also take to heart the encouraging and positive words we have heard as well. 

We must be keenly aware of our tongues in our lives as Christians. Gossip. Slander. Rumor. Lies. Insults. All of these things that not only destroy individuals, but they can tear apart families and churches.  The letter to the church at Ephesus reminds us of the importance of positive words and actions. We can use this as a litmus test for whether it should be said. Is it wholesome? Is it helpful? Does it build up? Does it benefit? Alan Redgrave also offers these suggestions with the acronym “T-H-I-N-K.  Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it inspiring? Is it necessary, is it kind?”[1] When we use these lenses and these thought processes we can certainly protect those we love and ourselves from unnecessary pain and harm as well as exalting Christ through our behavior.

 Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Photo Credit: marczini

http://www.freeimages.com/photo/1382970

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[1] Redpath, Alan. Taken from A Passion for Preaching.  Found online at http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/g/gossip.htmAccessed 8 July 2015. 

(Is it) Time for Change?

One of the hotbed words in today’s culture is often change, and our lives live on change. Change brings emotions; for me change can bring out fear, while for others it may bring out excitement. People change jobs, change homes, change cars, change clothing styles and hair color. Political candidates often run on platforms of change, saying that they are going to change from their predecessors. Other times change comes through major decisions, on June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States, changed the landscape of marriage for a generation. With this change, some will respond with fear, others excitement. I know that I am “late” in getting into the conversation, and I am sure that I am probably not re-inventing the wheel. More than likely, someone else has said what I am going to say in a more eloquent way. I ask nonetheless, that perhaps you give me the privilege of sharing one thought

Aside from John 3:16, one of widely recognized verses in the Bible comes from Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, which says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” A scripture opens and cuts us! Why? We all will find ourselves in the same predicament. It is a reminder of who we are. If you were to replace the “for all have” with “Mike Holleman has” sinned, or insert your own name into the scripture it reminds us of our sin and failure. I am broken. I am guilty. I am a mess-up. I am depraved. I am deserving of death. We really, could replace any name or group of people in that picture, “Republicans have sinned…” “Democrats have sinned…” “The Church has sinned…” The painful truth is that we all are in the same predicament. Whether we want to recognize it or not, God is present. He sees us. He sees us in all of our “glory.”

All of us have sinned, are sinning and will sin in the future. Despite our best efforts to combat or curb sin, the fact is that we cannot and will not eliminate sin from our lives. Thankfully, this is not the end of the story, for God made a way for us.  Romans 5:6-8 expresses it well, “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

This scripture brings hope. It means that sinners can saved by grace through faith. Christ died for the sinners. Does the Bible designate that only a few sins can be forgiven? NO! It says that sinners can be saved. It does not say that X sin will not be forgiven, or Y sin will not be forgiven. The only sin not forgiven is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (which is another discussion for a different time). We need to be preaching the gospel. We need to be preaching the transforming power of Christ.  

Up to this point, nothing there should shock anyone, right?  That is the story that has been the story for 2000 years. In that respect, nothing has changed. The world is populated with sinners and Jesus made a way. As Canadian pastor Carey Nieuhoff said, “The church as always been counter-cultural…and continues later saying…Being counter-cultural usually helps the church more than it hurts it.” Here is where the change needs to take place. God can and does work in the midst of every situation, whether we see it as good or bad.

Perhaps, we need to stop living too much into the culture, but attempt to be the Church. As Christians, we need to take a strong stand against ALL sins. We cannot (and should not) demonize some sins and whilst overlooking others. All lies are sin. All gossip is sin. All racism is sin. All theft is sin. All forms of sexual immorality are sin. As Christians, we cannot and should not be hypocritical picking out specific sins while neglecting the whole. We do it not in a spirit of judgment and condemnation, but in a spirit of love. We dialogue. We share. We show compassion. We help. We love. Moreover, we should do our best to proclaim that in love. We come not from a place where we are perfect, rather one where we have experienced grace and thus should extend grace as well. You have probably heard the quotation “The Church is a hospital not a museum of saints.” If the church were full of “perfect” people, no one would be there except Christ.

So in effect needs to change? I might argue is our Church. We still have the same Christ, who still offers the same love, the same grace, the same, mercy and the same forgiveness. The only necessary change is the one that we need to make in our hearts. Are we going to respond with fear or a renewed vigor for the church to stand against all sin, and to love our neighbors?

What do you think?

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.