As we approach Easter, it's good to review God's New Deal--the New Covenant of Grace. What Jesus did this week made it possible for us to be blessed beyond our wildest dreams. Are you ready to accept "God's Deal?"
Real Love is a REAL Miracle
In I Corinthians 12:30-13:1, we read, "Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal...."
Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians is famous mostly due to it's popular use at weddings. We'll preach from it next week as we look at real love in detail. Still, the context of this teaching is amazing. Paul is talking about miraculous, powerful supernatural gifts that we'd all love to experience. We love the manifestations because they make a big display and "shiver our timbers," (a little pirate lingo for ya). But Paul says several things of note here:
1. Not everyone can or necessarily should speak in tongues, do healings, interpret tongues, etc.
2. There are "higher gifts" than these noticeable gifts everyone pursues/wants.
3. And---there's a "more excellent" way than even these powerful tools of God...and that way is true, outgoing concern/love (Gr. agape).
4. Finally, even if we get the showy, super-power gifts, if we DON'T have agape love, they are useless.
Ouch!
So to God, love comes first, "higher gifts" (those that chapter 14 defines as edifying) second, and the showy, manifestation gifts third (at best). As believers, we must then seek out the meaning of and application of true love before worrying about other things. We must find out what love looks like and acts like...and then, yes, what it "feels" like before we move forward. Our ability to function biblically and effectively for God is in direct proportion to our ability to love--HIS way.
So are you ready?
It's simple really--REAL love is sacrifice. It's what Jesus demonstrated on the cross. It's the choice to exercise outgoing concern for people even when it hurts. Paul "breaks it down" for us in verses 4-8. In summary, he shows us that love produces patience, kindness, a lack of envy, humility, selfless behavior, forgiveness, celebration of truth over falsehood/evil, and a willingness to bear with, believe, hope and endure. Love is a decision--a choice to be sacrificial in our relationships.
Let's ask God to empower us to make that choice today--and every day!
In Jesus,
Pastor Joel
Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians is famous mostly due to it's popular use at weddings. We'll preach from it next week as we look at real love in detail. Still, the context of this teaching is amazing. Paul is talking about miraculous, powerful supernatural gifts that we'd all love to experience. We love the manifestations because they make a big display and "shiver our timbers," (a little pirate lingo for ya). But Paul says several things of note here:
1. Not everyone can or necessarily should speak in tongues, do healings, interpret tongues, etc.
2. There are "higher gifts" than these noticeable gifts everyone pursues/wants.
3. And---there's a "more excellent" way than even these powerful tools of God...and that way is true, outgoing concern/love (Gr. agape).
4. Finally, even if we get the showy, super-power gifts, if we DON'T have agape love, they are useless.
Ouch!
So to God, love comes first, "higher gifts" (those that chapter 14 defines as edifying) second, and the showy, manifestation gifts third (at best). As believers, we must then seek out the meaning of and application of true love before worrying about other things. We must find out what love looks like and acts like...and then, yes, what it "feels" like before we move forward. Our ability to function biblically and effectively for God is in direct proportion to our ability to love--HIS way.
So are you ready?
It's simple really--REAL love is sacrifice. It's what Jesus demonstrated on the cross. It's the choice to exercise outgoing concern for people even when it hurts. Paul "breaks it down" for us in verses 4-8. In summary, he shows us that love produces patience, kindness, a lack of envy, humility, selfless behavior, forgiveness, celebration of truth over falsehood/evil, and a willingness to bear with, believe, hope and endure. Love is a decision--a choice to be sacrificial in our relationships.
Let's ask God to empower us to make that choice today--and every day!
In Jesus,
Pastor Joel
Joint Benefactors
I Corinthians 9:22-23 says,
"To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.(NIV)."
We often use verse 22 as a strategic guide for outreach, saying that we meet people where they are and try to connect with them. We become flexible with methods, (not message), to help bring them to Christ. That's true and good. Still, we rarely quote 23 with it, even though it is obviously part of the same context. Paul says his true motivation for making that self-sacrifice is not for they sake of those lost people. Interestingly, he says it's for two different reasons:
1. For the "sake of the gospel" itself.
And,
2. For himself--that he might "share in its blessings."
I think that's pretty honest and yet convicting at the same time. Paul says that the good news about Jesus is worthy of sharing in and of itself. Ultimately, Jesus is worthy of being shared and honored in that way even if others don't respond. What's more shocking however is his admission of sharing the gospel so he personally can "share in its blessings." The NIV makes it sound like Paul just wants blessings--like maybe a new car, or a nicer house. Or, maybe it's spiritual blessing, like a better mansion in heaven or something. This misses the boat of the true meaning of the passage, in my opinion.
You see, most other translations make this statement even stronger and clearer in intent. For instance, the ASV says Paul shares the gospel, "that (he) might be a joint partaker thereof." Could it be that Paul is suggesting that if we don't/won't reach out in sensitive ways to share the gospel with others, we may not be "joint partakers" of the gospel of salvation? Oh yeah...I believer that's EXACTLY what he's saying. In other words, since Jesus calls all to be "fishers of men," "witnesses," "Ambassadors," etc.; a person who WON'T share isn't a disciple of Christ. And, if we're not a disciple, are we saved? Not as I understand scripture.
Sharing the gospel isn't just for evangelists. It's not optional or just a "nice thing to do" if and when we have time. Sharing the gospel is a must for all of us because its an inseparable part of what it means to be a Christian. Oh, we all have different ways of doing it, but sharing our relationship with Jesus in culturally-relevant ways isn't optional. No, I'm not saying that doing the work of outreach is what saves us--grace alone through trust/faith is what saves. But IF we're saved, we will ALWAYS be about our Father's business--sharing the good news about Jesus whenever possible. If we're not, we may not be saved, or at least, we may need to recommit ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus the master...
The bottom line? Our calling is to share. May that be your focus--today--and always!
In Jesus,
Pastor Joel
"To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.(NIV)."
We often use verse 22 as a strategic guide for outreach, saying that we meet people where they are and try to connect with them. We become flexible with methods, (not message), to help bring them to Christ. That's true and good. Still, we rarely quote 23 with it, even though it is obviously part of the same context. Paul says his true motivation for making that self-sacrifice is not for they sake of those lost people. Interestingly, he says it's for two different reasons:
1. For the "sake of the gospel" itself.
And,
2. For himself--that he might "share in its blessings."
I think that's pretty honest and yet convicting at the same time. Paul says that the good news about Jesus is worthy of sharing in and of itself. Ultimately, Jesus is worthy of being shared and honored in that way even if others don't respond. What's more shocking however is his admission of sharing the gospel so he personally can "share in its blessings." The NIV makes it sound like Paul just wants blessings--like maybe a new car, or a nicer house. Or, maybe it's spiritual blessing, like a better mansion in heaven or something. This misses the boat of the true meaning of the passage, in my opinion.
You see, most other translations make this statement even stronger and clearer in intent. For instance, the ASV says Paul shares the gospel, "that (he) might be a joint partaker thereof." Could it be that Paul is suggesting that if we don't/won't reach out in sensitive ways to share the gospel with others, we may not be "joint partakers" of the gospel of salvation? Oh yeah...I believer that's EXACTLY what he's saying. In other words, since Jesus calls all to be "fishers of men," "witnesses," "Ambassadors," etc.; a person who WON'T share isn't a disciple of Christ. And, if we're not a disciple, are we saved? Not as I understand scripture.
Sharing the gospel isn't just for evangelists. It's not optional or just a "nice thing to do" if and when we have time. Sharing the gospel is a must for all of us because its an inseparable part of what it means to be a Christian. Oh, we all have different ways of doing it, but sharing our relationship with Jesus in culturally-relevant ways isn't optional. No, I'm not saying that doing the work of outreach is what saves us--grace alone through trust/faith is what saves. But IF we're saved, we will ALWAYS be about our Father's business--sharing the good news about Jesus whenever possible. If we're not, we may not be saved, or at least, we may need to recommit ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus the master...
The bottom line? Our calling is to share. May that be your focus--today--and always!
In Jesus,
Pastor Joel
PastorPod: Knowledge Vs. Real Love
Find more videos like this on Pond Place
People don't care how much you know till they know how much you care. This principle is biblical. Pastor Joel looks at two verses that demonstrate why it's true!
Checkbooks and Calendars
Can you imagine your boss telling you that you need to be at work by 9:00 AM Monday or be fired? In this economy, there would be 100 people at the door waiting to take your place if you didn't comply. If you heard this threat come out of his mouth, how diligent would you be to get there? Would you set and double-check your alarm? Would you maybe even get-up a bit earlier to make sure you weren't late? To make THAT happen, you'd probably go to be earlier Sunday night so you wouldn't oversleep. Basically, you'd do everything in your power to be on the job by 9:00 if not earlier!
Am I on track thus far?
With all that in mind, what would you tell someone who called you Monday night crying about how he'd lost his job because he came in at 10:00 after being told to show-up at 9:00? If he stayed up to 2:00 AM, slept through the alarm, crawled into work an hour late and then got fired, would you feel sorry for him? No! You'd probably tell him that he should have done everything we just agreed YOU would have done. By NOT doing so, he in essence chose to be fired...right?! Of course!
But what about Church attendance? Is THAT important? Despite God's clear command in Hebrews 10:25, many Christians argue, "No!" Oh, they might not say it out loud, but they "vote with their feet" many Sundays. They either don't show-up at all or wander in 30, 40, 50 minutes late or more as if to say, "Oh well, God, you're nowhere NEAR as important as my boss."
But when these folks don't hear answers to their prayers, don't feel God's presence, don't have any assistance from God financially, go through "relationship hell," don't receive healing when sick, etc.; they cry and even blame God for His lack of action.
Amazing isn't it?
Our checkbooks and calendars tell a clear story of our priorities. If we don't give and we don't attend church weekly, we don't put God first--period! What does yours tell you about whether or not Jesus is Lord (in first place and in charge) of your life?
Pray on this...then act! You'll be blessed if you do!
In His Love,
Pastor Joel
Am I on track thus far?
With all that in mind, what would you tell someone who called you Monday night crying about how he'd lost his job because he came in at 10:00 after being told to show-up at 9:00? If he stayed up to 2:00 AM, slept through the alarm, crawled into work an hour late and then got fired, would you feel sorry for him? No! You'd probably tell him that he should have done everything we just agreed YOU would have done. By NOT doing so, he in essence chose to be fired...right?! Of course!
But what about Church attendance? Is THAT important? Despite God's clear command in Hebrews 10:25, many Christians argue, "No!" Oh, they might not say it out loud, but they "vote with their feet" many Sundays. They either don't show-up at all or wander in 30, 40, 50 minutes late or more as if to say, "Oh well, God, you're nowhere NEAR as important as my boss."
But when these folks don't hear answers to their prayers, don't feel God's presence, don't have any assistance from God financially, go through "relationship hell," don't receive healing when sick, etc.; they cry and even blame God for His lack of action.
Amazing isn't it?
Our checkbooks and calendars tell a clear story of our priorities. If we don't give and we don't attend church weekly, we don't put God first--period! What does yours tell you about whether or not Jesus is Lord (in first place and in charge) of your life?
Pray on this...then act! You'll be blessed if you do!
In His Love,
Pastor Joel
Life is Good
Maybe you've seen them--those tire covers on SUV's--they have a simple and yet joyful message, "Life Is Good." Now I realize that the essence of this is somewhat materialistic since the point is that since they can afford to drive the SUV, life is going well for them. Still, the message in and of itself, is a good one. Life truly IS good!
Life is good because it's from God. James 1:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning." It means God is the source and he has no evil motives, neither does he change "with the wind." Life is good, because it comes from a good God who wants the best for you. That's why we oppose abortion. That's why we oppose genocide and murder. Even more, that's why we support living life to the fullest as God intends.
Too often, we build what Proverbs calls a "hedge of thorns" around ourselves (see Prov. 15:19). We have tons of negative "what ifs" that hold us back and generate a lazy, lackluster, hopeless life. That's NOT from God. I know life has problems and limits. That's a given. But do we focus on those or do we focus on opportunity and blessing. Just taking a breath is a blessing--have you told God that you know that recently?
Life is good--let's treat God well by praising Him for it and living it our "to the max!"
In Jesus,
Pastor Joel
Life is good because it's from God. James 1:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning." It means God is the source and he has no evil motives, neither does he change "with the wind." Life is good, because it comes from a good God who wants the best for you. That's why we oppose abortion. That's why we oppose genocide and murder. Even more, that's why we support living life to the fullest as God intends.
Too often, we build what Proverbs calls a "hedge of thorns" around ourselves (see Prov. 15:19). We have tons of negative "what ifs" that hold us back and generate a lazy, lackluster, hopeless life. That's NOT from God. I know life has problems and limits. That's a given. But do we focus on those or do we focus on opportunity and blessing. Just taking a breath is a blessing--have you told God that you know that recently?
Life is good--let's treat God well by praising Him for it and living it our "to the max!"
In Jesus,
Pastor Joel
The REAL Refuge
Psalm 46:1-2 says,
With all the earthquakes and tsunami threats recently, this verse has taken-on special significance. I was joking with someone Sunday about the absurd media hype over the tsunami threats to Hawaii. There were shore cameras and reporters standing by for hours, waiting to see what turned-out to be little more than a repeat high tide. Still, it demonstrates both our obsession with disaster and our fear.
At times like these, we need a "gut check." IS God our refuge? Or is it the assurances of "experts" on CNN or Fox News? Do we run to God or Glen Beck, to the Word of God or "World News Tonight?" Scripture promises that God is "very present," but do we feel or even seek Him?
I sometimes think that while God doesn't "cause" these natural disasters, he allows them to remind believers of His rightful place as our refuge. Regardless, it's a proper response to use them as a motivation for prayer, fasting, study, and meditation.
Are you?
Let's pray for and encourage each other to that end!
In Jesus,
Pastor Joel
"God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth do change. And though the mountains be shaken into the heart of the seas."
With all the earthquakes and tsunami threats recently, this verse has taken-on special significance. I was joking with someone Sunday about the absurd media hype over the tsunami threats to Hawaii. There were shore cameras and reporters standing by for hours, waiting to see what turned-out to be little more than a repeat high tide. Still, it demonstrates both our obsession with disaster and our fear.
At times like these, we need a "gut check." IS God our refuge? Or is it the assurances of "experts" on CNN or Fox News? Do we run to God or Glen Beck, to the Word of God or "World News Tonight?" Scripture promises that God is "very present," but do we feel or even seek Him?
I sometimes think that while God doesn't "cause" these natural disasters, he allows them to remind believers of His rightful place as our refuge. Regardless, it's a proper response to use them as a motivation for prayer, fasting, study, and meditation.
Are you?
Let's pray for and encourage each other to that end!
In Jesus,
Pastor Joel
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