Posts the highlight our mission as believers

Test Time

My husband and my son are both taking online classes this summer. This means lots of books to read, online lectures, discussion forums, papers, and the inevitable exams. With these classes, there may only be two or three tests, so doing well on them is key to doing well in the class. So when the lecture comes or the information is posted about what the exam will cover, everyone pays close attention. You may recall classmates (or maybe it was you) in high school or college interrupting a lecture with the $64 question: “Is this going to be on the test?” How the instructor answered that question determined whether we listened for the next few minutes or went back to doodling in the margins of our notebooks. None of us wanted to waste time studying things that seemingly didn’t matter.

In Matthew 24, the disciples ask Jesus a couple of important questions – “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3) Jesus answers their questions in a lengthy passage called the Olivet Discourse. Then He gives His guys a couple of parables to help them understand. After the parable of the talents, one which underscores the importance of seizing the opportunity to demonstrate faithfulness, stewardship, and diligence in service to the master, Jesus gives them one more admonition.

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Matthew 25:35-36

When He comes in His glory, a separation will be made between His sheep and the goats. His sheep will be admitted to eternal rest prepared for them from the foundation of the world, while the goats are consigned to outer darkness. Without arguing the eschatological timing of this separation, let’s focus on the criteria in Matthew 25:35-36.

Feeding the hungry.
Satisfying the thirsty.
Welcoming the outsiders.
Clothing the naked.
Visiting the sick.
Caring for the prisoners.

Jesus, the King, explains, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:40

My friends, this is what is on the test.

Did our genuine faith lead us to care for others? James hits this hard in his short book.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:15-17

Did we see the unseen? Are we generous? Did we love the marginalized? Did we stand up for those who have no voice?

Or did we hoard our resources? Did we expend them on ourselves? Did we make our names great rather than growing the kingdom? Did we cross over to the other side of the road so we didn’t have to see, so we didn’t have to get involved?

This is not to say that we stop doing the one thing that only we as believers can do and that is spreading the gospel. Not at all, but as the gospel goes out, compassion and caring go with it. We feed the hungry because we know where they can find the Bread of Life. We satisfy the thirsty because we can offer them springs of living water. We welcome the outsiders because Jesus said. “Come unto Me.” We clothe the naked because He offers us His righteousness in exchange for our filthy rags. We visit the sick because the Great Physician has healed us of the sin that was destroying our souls. We care for the prisoners because we have been set free.

Or we abdicate that responsibility, that stewardship and let governments or agencies or nonprofits try it. The body of Christ will continue to grow weak and ineffective and irrelevant.

I believe we have a moment of testing right now. I know Covid-19 has presented challenges to believers and churches unlike any we have seen. But this season of unrest and upheaval in our societies is even greater. The test papers have been handed out. We know what’s on the exam.

How will we respond?

7 Things That Can Happen When We Share the Gospel

By Paula

At the end of Matthew’s and Mark’s gospels, right before Jesus returns to heaven, He commissions His followers to share the gospel. Preach it everywhere to everyone. Simple enough. The book of Acts shows us a lot can happen when we tell people about Jesus. Let’s look at Peter and John in chapter 4 to find out what those things are.

While they [Peter and John] were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them, Acts 4:1

1. Confrontation. The gospel can bring on confrontation. Why? At it’s very core, the message is that we are wrong, that our good works can’t save us and that our systems are inadequate. We hate being told that.

because they were annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. Acts 4:2

2. Annoyance. We are told not to rock the boat. People don’t want their illusions shattered. When we share the gospel, people’s ideas that they are basically good, or at least good enough are challenged. The gospel tells us there is only one way and that is through Jesus.

So they seized them and took them into custody until the next day since it was already evening. Acts 4:3

3. Persecution. Peter and John were arrested for preaching the truth. This is a reality for many believers even today. Pray for them. IT reminds us words DO have power and the gospel of grace is the most powerful word.

When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13

4. Recognition. Even the opposition realized that something was going on with Peter and John. The legal and religious leaders viewed them as uneducated hicks. … which I guess they were. However, when they heard the strength of their argument and the boldness with which they proclaimed it, they knew there was more to the message and the messengers. It is important to remember that boldness does not mean disrespectful.

So they called for them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Acts 4:18

5. Silencing. In some ways this is more chilling than the persecution. Not only did the religious leaders not want to hear the gospel, they didn’t want anyone else to hear it either. They set themselves up as the arbiters of truth. We live in a culture that accepts every truth as equally valid, and so seeks to silence the truth of the gospel by drowning it in a sea of competing ideas. We must ensure the life-changing message of Christ is heard.

But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. Acts 4:4

6. Belief. Just like the seed that hits the good soil, sometimes the message is embraced and lives are transformed.

One or more of these can result when we share the gospel of Jesus. We can’t always predict those outcomes and the truth is, we aren’t responsible for the results, just the witnessing. However there is one outcome that is guaranteed when we share Jesus. Guaranteed.

After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done. Acts 4:21

7. Glory. God gets glory. That makes all the other opposition and difficulty worth it, to know that our actions and efforts bring glory to the King of the universe.

Want to learn more about sharing the gospel? These resources from Billy Graham may help. Share Your Faith 101

Easter at a Distance: Peter, revisited

By Paula

“Don’t worry about him. You follow me” (v. 22). No more following at a distance, Peter.

We’re finishing up our series on Easter at a distance. Our first entry was Peter, following at distance to the home on the high priest and eventually denying Jesus. Today we’ll revisit Peter sometime after the resurrection. Meeting up with the disciples back in Galilee was part of the plan. Jesus had instructed them in Matthew 26: 32. The angels at the empty tomb told the women that was the plan (Matthew 28:7) and Jesus Himself told the women to pass that on to the guys (Matthew 28:10).

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:6-7 that the risen Christ was seen by 500 people and particularly by His brother, James. It is likely those appearances happened in Galilee. But here, John records a particular conversation Jesus had with Peter. It is one of my favorites in the Gospels, so my own challenge will be to keep this post to a reasonable length.

John tells us seven of the disciples were there with no comment on where the others were or why they weren’t there. That presents us with a bonus takeaway before we even get to the discussion of Peter. When we disregard the instructions of Christ, we miss out. We miss out on His presence. We miss out on Him revealing Himself. We miss out on the amazing work He is doing. Notice Thomas is included in this group (John 21:2). He missed the Resurrection Day appearance of Jesus. He learned his lesson. He wasn’t about to miss out again.

While waiting for Jesus, Peter goes back to fishing. It was familiar and comfortable. After all he’d been through in the last couple of weeks, it was probably a welcome distraction. Something simple, physical. Something connected to his family, his heritage. They spent a long night and had exactly zero fish to show for it. Jesus is on the shore but they don’t recognize Him. He calls out to them to throw the nets on the right side of the boat and they pull in a miraculous haul of fish.

Here’s another important takeaway. When we are following Jesus, the results are His responsibility, not ours. It is easy for us to get caught up in metrics and thereby get discouraged. We are called to faithfulness not production quotas.

After cooking a breakfast of fish, Jesus engages Peter in a grace-filled, but very frank conversation about love and feeding sheep. Commentators and perhaps the notes in your study Bible will explain that Jesus and Peter use two different Greek words for love. Jesus used the word agape. That’s way Jesus loves, with a committed, self-sacrificing love. Peter responds with phileo. It’s committed, but not all in. Perhaps after his denials, Peter is not willing to agree to something he can’t follow through with.

Jesus, however, keeps on him. Not only will the job of feeding and tending the sheep, other believers, require a full commitment, but Jesus very frankly says that Peter’s ministry will cost him his life. He has to be all in.

Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” John 21:22

Then Peter asks Jesus what will happen to John. Jesus recognizes the stall tactic, and responds. “Don’t worry about him. You follow me” (v. 22). No more following at a distance, Peter.

John leaves the ending out. We know from Acts and from Peter’s letters that he embraced that mission Jesus gave him. He was bold. He was obedient and he and the other guys turned the first century world upside down.

Just like Peter, we can no longer follow at a distance. We must be all in when it comes to our love and commitment to Christ. We need to follow His instructions and go where He leads. What will happen when we do? I don’t know. But Jesus says, “You follow me.”

Paul’s Partners: Timothy

By Paula

For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. 1 Corinthians 4:17

Paul was the most influential figure in the establishment of the early church. However, he didn’t work alone. He had several key partners who gave him very necessary support. We’ve been taking a closer look at some of these guys and learning how we can follow their examples even today. So far we’ve studied Barnabas and Silas.

This week, let’s talk about Timothy.

Timothy was from Lystra, a city in Asia Minor. Paul had stopped there on his first missionary trip and then again early in his second trip. Timothy’s mother and grandmother were devout Jews who had taught him the Hebrew scriptures from the time he was old enough to understand them. As a result, he was fully prepared for the gospel message that Paul brought. It is reasonable to suppose that he became a believer in Christ as a teenager, perhaps during Paul’s first visit.

We meet him in Acts 16:1 at the beginning of Paul’s second trip. He was called a disciple and we learn his mother was a Jewish believer and his father was Greek. This gave Timothy unique, insider familiarity with both cultures which would prove invaluable in his soon coming ministry.

What cultural background or experiences do we have that can open kingdom doors for us?
Your job, your hobbies, your education, where you go on vacation, your hometown, your life experiences … every single one can connect us with someone around us. Those relationships we build are foundational to sharing the gospel.

In the very next verse, we find out Timothy was highly regarded by the believers in Lystra and Iconium (a nearby town). This wouldn’t be possible unless Timothy was active and vocal about his faith.

Do we have a good reputation among other believers?
Are we known for our strong testimony? Can others count on us to participate in the work of our church? Are we generous? Does our character reflect positively on the gospel and on Christ?

In Acts 16:3, we learn that because of Timothy’s reputation and character, Paul wanted the young man to accompany him on the rest of the trip. This was not a casual invitation. No doubt they all remembered what happened the last time Paul was in Lystra when he was stoned and left for dead. (Acts 14:19). This would be gritty, hard work. Timothy took the opportunity.

Do we pass on ministry opportunities because they are difficult, or even dangerous?
Do we prefer the comfortable and the familiar to the unknown and living by faith? I admit I’m pretty fond of the comfortable and the familiar. But what are we missing when we shy away from taking a step of faith?

Acts 16:4 tells us Timothy hit the ground running. Paul immediately put him to work teaching. (After having him circumcised to give him the proper credibility with the Jews they would encounter.) And the following verse says the churches were strengthened and grew.

Do we eagerly take on new ministries God moves us into?
This was undoubtedly a challenging, faith-stretching opportunity for Timothy, but reading between the lines of Scripture, he seems to have taken right to it. Do we have that same enthusiasm and confidence?

Paul sent Timothy to Philippi as his proxy since he was in prison. In Philippians 2:20-22, Paul explains that no one else cares for their welfare like Timothy. Paul further said Timothy was a man singularly devoted to the things of Christ.

Are we known first and foremost for our compassion and for our unswerving commitment to Christ?
Paul also said Timothy was a man of proven worth. Have we proven ourselves as valuable team members when it comes to spreading the gospel?

In his deeply personal letters to Timothy, now a young pastor of the church at Ephesus, Paul calls him beloved and his true son in the faith.

Are we being mentored in the faith? Are we mentoring someone?
Jesus modeled that mentoring relationship first with his disciples. Paul followed that example with his young associates. We thrive when we learn from Scripture, then from others, then from practice and experience.

Paul loved Timothy like a son, and from his faithful loyalty to Paul, we know Timothy felt the same way. In chasing the references about Timothy, his character kept coming up as his distinguishing characteristic. When Paul charged him to be an example of the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity (1 Timothy 4:12) Timothy took that charge seriously. What kind of example are we? Hopefully one like Timothy.

Next week: Titus

What we can learn about spreading the gospel from Paul’s encounter with a demon-possessed girl in Philippi

By Paula

This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” Acts 16:17

In Acts 16, Paul arrives in the city of Philippi. Not long after his initial contact with Lydia, he and his companions were on their way to prayer when they were confronted by a slave girl who was demon-possessed. Unlike the demon possessions in the gospels where the victims were unfit for society or stricken with physical ailments, this girl had the ability to foretell the future … kind of. But she was able to bring in a handsome profit for her owners. She loudly proclaimed, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”

She was one hundred percent correct.

Paul and his friends were absolutely servants of the Most High God. Most High God was a regularly-used Old Testament name for God. And the whole reason that they were in Philippi was to preach the gospel, the way of salvation. She nailed them. So why was Paul so irritated with her?

It was the demon talking, not the girl.

But the demon was telling the truth. Isn’t that a good thing?

Actually, it presents several problems which may give us some insight as we carry out the gospel.

Since the demon was saying the same kinds of things Paul was saying, the hearers would have a hard time seeing the difference between the occultism the girl and her masters were promoting and the life-transforming gospel Paul preached. The logical conclusion then is if the words were the same, then it really didn’t matter which one you followed, right? It’s the “all religions are the same” argument that we still hear today. That argument is patently false. Christ alone saves us by His atoning death as a result of His great grace, mercy, and love.

Second, Paul refused to accept the “help” of demons when it came to spreading the message of Christ. Granted, Romans and Greeks put a lot of stock in divination and having their message “certified” might have opened doors for Paul and his team. However, he was determined to seize the opportunities God presented him and to walk through the doors the Holy Spirit opened. He had enough discernment and faith NOT to partner with those who would ultimately undermine the gospel, no matter what kind of promotional advantage they offered. Even when it resulted in a riot, arrest, and jail. We, too, have to be wise and discerning as we carry out the Commission Jesus gave us.

Finally, no matter what the girl was saying, the reality was that she was in bondage, not to her owners, but to the demon that controlled her. Her “testimony” was empty and meaningless. Paul knew that until she was free of the demon and her heart changed, it didn’t matter that her words were true. We encounter people all the time who can use all the right “church-y” words but their hearts and lives show no evidence of transformation. We like Paul need to recognize what the root problem is. While we may not be able to command the chains to fall away, we can pray to the One who can.

So what can we learn from Paul’s encounter with a demon-possessed girl in Philippi?
The gospel stands alone among all other religious systems and messages.
In carrying out the gospel, make sure the only spirit helping is the Holy Spirit.
What’s in the heart matters, not the words.

The Mission

By Paula

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58

I read a survey recently that found over half of American workers are unhappy with their jobs. Not just low-wage jobs either. Almost 60% of workers earning in the $50,000 to $75,000 range were unhappy. The reasons for this are pure speculation at this point. Some suggest that economic pressures compel people to stay in a job they don’t like for fear of not finding another one. However, one analyst believes that the root of dissatisfaction is when workers feel disconnected from their mission.

I suspect it’s not much different in our Christian life. We are part of a vibrant body of believers, lavishly blessed by Almighty God, and yet, in our quietest moments, I’d conjecture many of us, maybe most of us, feel a level of dissatisfaction, and I wonder if it’s not because we’ve become disconnected from our mission.

Jesus stated our mission succinctly in Matthew 28:18-20. It boils down to two things – evangelism and discipleship. We bring people to Jesus and we help them learn and grow. You may have already guessed, a satisfying mission is not the same thing as an easy one. In fact, evangelism and discipleship are anything but easy. They require investing in the lives of others. They call for energy and prayerfulness. They require grace and perseverance.

Relationships
I understand the hesitation. I really do. I am a 100% introvert (Seriously. I took a test. 100%) and the thoughts of knocking on doors or striking up conversations with strangers are honestly terrifying. But asking people about their lives and letting them talk isn’t so bad. You learn their needs, their hopes, and fears. You learn how to serve with love and compassion. Building relationships with people is the first step to know how to pray for them.

Prayer
Praying for people, specifically, softens our heart toward them. It deepens our compassion and we see more of God’s heart for them. It makes us more attuned to the areas where God is already at work as well. Prayer reminds us not go in our own strength or brilliance or persuasiveness, but to follow God’s lead. And be aware, that in many cases, one quick prayer isn’t enough.

Patience
If you remember, Jesus talked about how spreading the gospel was like planting a crop. You over-plant to make sure something comes up. There are long periods of time when it looks like nothing is happening. You can do a lot of work, but the results are largely out of your hands. But Paul reminds us that the only surefire way not to see results is to give up. (Galatians 6:9)

Granted, evangelism and discipleship take on many different forms and are accomplished through a host of methods, but when we lose sight of them, we falter and flounder as the body of Christ and as individual believers. Seeing people discover the overwhelming love of God in Jesus Christ, and then continue to be blown away by that reality, is the most satisfying, amazing experience apart from our own salvation. But if it is no longer our focus, our passion, our very reason for being, it is time for some re-evaluation. It is time to re-embrace our mission.

Test Time

Easter at a Distance: Peter, revisited

Paul’s Partners: Timothy

The Mission

Encounters Series

Covenant of Trust Series

Foundations Series