We're All a Little Weird

All of us are a little strange, because to be strange is to be out of the ordinary; and there are way too many human varieties to ever define what is absolutely normal. We can define what is right, but not what is normal.

A college student had just heard a lecture on psychopathology. He raised his had for permission to ask a question. “Yes,” the teacher said, acknowledging him. “You have a question?”

“Yes, Professor. You’ve told us about the abnormal person and his behavior, but what about the normal person?”

“Well,” the professor responded after a pause, “If we ever find him, we’ll cure him.”

It’s because of that common trait of weirdness that Paul instructs the Ephesians to “put up with each other in love” (Ephesians 4:2). Putting up each other means keeping the relationship between us strong despite fault and weirdness. We need to do that in all of our relationships. Keep your relationship strong with your spouse, your kids, your brothers and sisters in Christ, your neighbors, your coworkers, and the family you’ll visit for Christmas. I know they are strange, but so are you. That’s Life at Work!

Giving Challenge

The rich man didn’t walk away sad because he had nothing to give. The poor widow didn’t give all she had just because she only had one coin. The rich man walked away sad and widow gave all she had because of attitudes about God and money.

We’ve got a real challenge before us in 2007. We are being asked, as the body of Christ in our community, to give more each week than we have ever given. Some might say, “Have you seen gas prices recently?” Others might ask, “Don’t you know that debt loads are increasing for the average family?” Still others ask, “Are you watching the housing costs?”

The truth is that while gas prices are higher, debt loads are heavier, and housing costs are often through the roof, all that has little to do with whether people make the choice to be generous in their spiritual, charitable giving. Our choice has to do with how we answer these five questions:

Is my spiritual, charitable giving my first decision regarding money? The principle of giving firstfruits to God is longstanding. “Bring your firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God,” was God’s expectation for the Israelites (Exodus 34:26). After the captivity in Babylon, the Jews who heard Ezra read the Law promised they would give the firstfruits of the flocks and the firstborn of their herds and flocks to God (Nehemiah 10:35-36). Therefore, when we consider how we will spend our income in the future, we should consider spiritual, charitable giving first.

Am I seeing the need to support the ministry of the body of Christ with my income? The church does important work. As the “fullness of him that fills all in all” our obligation is to the mission that Christ began and placed in our hands.

Do I see my money as a gift from God and something to be used according to his direction? Paul told Timothy that money, like all other good things, is a gift from God for the purposes of enjoyment and sharing with others (1 Tim 6:17). We are stewards of our time, our abilities, and our money. We are to use money for the glory of the God, who has graciously given it to us.

Do I have allegiance to God above money? The Pharisees loved money and Jesus warned that one can’t serve both? The rich ruler (Matt 19) apparently loved his money and he walked away from Jesus though he pursued Jesus at first. Paul cautioned Timothy regarding those who pierced themselves with many griefs because they loved money and were led to all kinds of evil.

Do I trust Jesus when he says that if I will seek the kingdom of God first, then God will give me what I need? Do I really believe that I will reap what I sow?

When you consider spiritual giving first, understand the importance of supporting the ministry of the body, see your money as a gift from God, are committed to God instead of mony, and trust Jesus to provide for you daily; then you will meet the challenge of 2007 with your highest level of generosity ever! That’s Life at Work!

Circumstances for Good

In his recent book, Prayer, Philip Yancey quotes author John Baille about using the circumstances of life for good instead of evil.  “Teach me, O God, so to use all the circumstances of my life today that they may bring forth in me the fruits of holiness rather than the fruits of sin.”  Specifically he prayed:

Let me use disappointment as material for patience.
Let me use success as material for thankfulness.
Le me use trouble as material for perseverance.
Let me use danger as material for courage.
Let me use reproach as material for long suffering.
Let me use praise as material for humility.
Let me use pleasures as material for temperance.
Let me use pain as material for endurance.

What have the recent circumstances of your life been turned to by you?  More importantly, what are you going to make out of the circumstances of your life today and tomorrow, assuming tomorrow comes?  Use everything today as material for good.  You won’t be working alone; God is leading the way.  That’s Life at Work!

Life at Work

Herbert Spencer was a British philosopher and economist. He is known best perhaps coining the phrase “the survival of the fittest.” Spencer was a supporter of Darwinism. Knowing that, it was interesting when I came across an anecdote ascribed to Spencer. He was playing billiards with a subordinate who was really good. Spencer missed his first shot, and the young man ran the table. The frustrated philosopher remarked, “A certain dexterity in games of skill argues a well-balanced mind, but such dexterity as you have shown is evidence, I fear, of a misspent youth.”

A misspent youth? That's strange from a man whose writings about society and philosophy have evolutionary ideas oozing out of them. Here's a man who argues that mankind's youth was no different from that of my golden retriever's or that salamander whose tail broke off as he ran into the hole in the bricks of my garage. Misspent youth? Weird words from a man who would teach that this world is all there is and that when I'm dead I'll be like Rover -- dead all over.

If human life evolved from single-cell organisms and all animals came from that same source, then why should my youth be spent in any noble or God-fearing way? If life is simply the survival of the fittest, then how can youth be misspent if I am still alive today. Today is all I could have hoped for yesterday, it would seem. If this life is all there is for me and when I'm dead, that's it, then why would playing billiards everyday mean a misspent youth. Give me what is good for me now! I want to spend my youth doing what is right in my own eyes, grabbing at every pleasure possible, if this life is it.

But this life is not all there is; and while I love to play pool, I love my creator, too. Loving him gives me purpose in life. I’ve got things to do today that impact eternity. You do, too. That’s Life at Work!

Anything Better than Jesus?

Is there anything better than Jesus? Can any gift better than eternal life be offered by anybody? Maybe when these questions are asked point blank the answers are quickly shouted, "No!" But often the questions are not that pointed and the answer is one made not with the mouth, but with actions. It seems that for many the answer to both questions is "Yes."

Some are continuing in immoral sexual behavior. You know that your actions are not pleasing to God, yet you won't repent. With your actions you are saying, "This relationship is better than a relationship with Jesus."

Some are so enamored by money that you'll do nearly anything to have more. You're unethical, if not a thief; you're a gambler with your families resources; or maybe just plain covetous or stingy. What you say by your actions is, "The blessings of my possessions are greater to me than the gift from God."

There is surely some "cross bearing" for the Christian in this life, but we consider it all joy to suffer here, to do without here, to resist pleasures of the flesh here, if it means heaven later. Every day Jesus says, "Will you pick up your cross!" (Luke 9:23) Everyday we answer "yes" or "no" by the choices we make from the heart. That’s Life at Work?

Denominationalism

I’ve always thought that denominationalism was a dirty word. I still think that. Most often denominationalism relates to grouping within a group, particularly a religious group. Grouping within a group is contrary to Paul’s teaching in 1 Cor 1-3 and is in defiance of Jesus’ prayer that believers be united (John 17).

Contemporary definitions emphasize naming the group, as if giving the group in a group a name is what distinguishes it from the other named groups. Certainly naming the group in a group does that, but denominationalism begins long before that happens.

Denonimationalism doesn’t begin with a sign in front of a building, and taking down the sign is not the cure for denominationalism. Denominationalism begins in the heart and usually is exhibited in other divisive ways before anyone ever thinks of a name or a sign. Denominationalism begins when one Christian decides he or she will have nothing to do with another Christian because of some disagreement. Denominationalism is first seen by in a sneering looking, a harsh word, a refusal of fellowship, an inhospitable act, a move to another pew, or an act of avoidance in a foyer.

Denominational lines were drawn in Corinth according to favorite preachers, convictions regarding food, gifts of the Spirit, and bank account size. They made groups within the group, dividing from the others in their hearts; and they never made up any names or painted any signs. The body of Christ was divided. Denominationalism was in the body of Christ, and Paul’s response was to call them to repent.

You would call me an amillennialist, non-instrumentalist, pro-cooperation, multi-cup, Bible Class Christian. Some call me progressive, some call me liberal. Others would say I’m conservative. Some might say I’m balanced. I believe it's fine to pay a preacher to work in a particular place. I could use fermented or non-fermented grape juice for the communion, and I break off the large loaf instead of picking up a pre-cut piece of the unleavened bread. I think it's fine to eat and play basketball inside a building that the church owns, though it’s probably not a good idea to eat and play at the same time. Christmas parties are fine with me and so are Halloween parties. I preach about the resurrection at Easter, but I don’t celebrate the day any differently than I do any other Sunday. All these things are true about me, but here’s one thing: I’m not going to say you are less of Christian or not a Christian because you are not quite like me in these areas. That would be denominational. As much as in me is, I will keep the unity of the Spirit though the bond of peace. I will agree with you that division between us will not exist. I will seek to be with other Christians what Jesus prayed we would be. That’s Life at Work!

We Believe Jesus is Coming Back

We believe that Jesus is coming again, at a time unknown, to judge the world according to the Word.

When the Terminator said, “I’ll be back,” he was threatening, though the threat was veiled. A few minutes later, he drove a vehicle through the doors of the building he had left moments earlier. In Independence Day, former Air Force pilot Russel Casse flew his plane into the belly of the Mother Ship of the aliens whom he said had kidnapped him years before. As he flew in to their destruction and his own, he said, “Hello, boys. I’m back!”

As the disciples stood gazing into heaven trying to catch one more glimpse of the ascending Jesus, two men dressed in white affirmed just as they had seen him go, he would come back. To some, the return of Jesus may be threatening. For some, the return of Jesus will be a complete surprise and his return will involve destruction. But for the apostles, and for us, the return of Jesus is the most glorious event we will ever witness. For us the return of Jesus is about resurrection, immortality, worship, and salvation.

One of these days
I'm gonna see the hands that took the nails for me
One of these days
I'm gonna hold the keys to the mansion built for me
One of these days
I'm gonna walk the streets of gold that were paved for me
One of these days
I'm gonna see my Savior face to face
One of these days

(FFH, “One of these Days”)

He is coming. Don’t allow the delay to cause you to doubt. There are good reasons for waiting (2 Peter 3:3-10). The time of his return is unknown, be ready today and tomorrow. The purpose of his coming is not to bear sin, like his earlier coming. This time he is coming to bring salvation to those waiting for him (Heb 9:28). If you want to be ready, you’ve got to know his word. His word, he proclaimed, will be the standard of judgment when he returns (John 12:47-50).

Come, Lord Jesus. That’s Life at Work!

If I Lost Everything

Lindsay Lohan was in Heathrow Airport and discovered that her handbag with jewelry and asthma medicine in it disappeared.  Apparently, it was recovered later, and according to some reports, the jewelry which was worth a million dollars was still in the bag with the medicine.  Imagine her happiness at the return of her bag.

If I lost everything I had right now, I would feel devastated.  But then, if somehow everything that I lost was returned to me, I would be incredibly happy.  Since that is true, why can’t I be happy with what I’ve got?  Why would I have to lose it, and then get it back, to be content with what I possess?

At a time in his life when his possessions were few, Paul wrote to some friends who had wanted to help him earlier, but had been unable.  When they were able to help him, he thanked them and taught them:

“I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Phil 4:10-13).

Don’t live in jealousy or lust for what you don’t have.  If you lost everything you owned, you would be happy if you got it back.  So be happy with what you have today.  That’s Life at Work!

Life at Work

We believe our responsibility to God can be summed up: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.”

When I hear Martina McBride sing Love’s the Only House, I’m reminded in a contemporary way of this important foundational belief. She sings:

“You drive three miles from all this prosperity
Down across the river and you see a ghetto there
An' We got children walking around with guns
And they got knives and drugs and pain to spare
And here I am in my clean, white shirt, With a little money in my pocket and a nice warm home
And we got teenagers walking around in a culture of darkness Living together alone...all ll I could say is
Love’s the only house big enough for all the pain in the world.
Yea, love’s the only house big enough for all the pain.

And I can't explain it, and I can't understand
But I'll come down and get my hands dirty and together we'll make a stand.”

Loving God with all of who you are and loving your neighbor as yourself are the greatest commands (Matt 22:34-40)! There is a difference between reducing the demands and summing them up. To reduce is to speak as if other commands are unimportant as long as you do the significant. To sum them up is to state them in a concise way. That’s what Jesus did.

Loving God sums up the commands regarding our response to him. John’s readers needed to remember “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome…” (1 John 5:3). The Romans needed to how love sums up our commands regarding others, so Paul wrote to them, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not covet,’ and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom 13:8-10).

When you practice lovingkindness with others you fulfill the law. Sometimes that may mean carrying their burden, or being merciful, or doing for them what you would want done for yourself. Consider what you are doing and ask yourself if it is the way of love. That’s Life at Work!

No Peer Pressure

A 104 year old lady celebrating her birthday was being interviewed by a TV reporter for local airing. He asked her, “What’s the best thing about being one hundred and four?”

This was an easy question. “No peer pressure,” she replied.

I suppose she’s right, but the rest of us youngsters do experience peer pressure even in adulthood. That’s why it is vital that we keep reminding ourselves of the principle of passages like these:

“He who walks with the wise grows wise,
but a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20).

“I am a friend to all who fear you,
to all who follow your precepts” (Psalms 119:63)

As I walk with those who avoid immorality, alcohol and drug abuse, godless chatter, and dishonesty, I create in my life greater strength and motivation to avoid them, too. As I befriend those who respect their marriages and spouses, who think more about others than they do themselves, who speak in ways that build up instead of tear down, I will conform to that kind of goodness. That’s Life at Work!

We Believe that Salvation is by Grace through Faith

We believe that salvation is by grace through faith.  Continued trust in Jesus, demonstrated by Spirit-led life, is a must for the Christian.

We are saved by grace.  The vehicle through which grace saves us is faith.  That’s true at the moment sins are forgiven, and that continues to be true as I live out my post-baptism walk with Christ.

If then, my faith is gone, the vehicle through which God’s grace saves me, is gone.  In this way, the salvation that was once mine has been forfeited along with my faith.  In scripture, this happened with some of the formerly faithful in Galatia.  Paul had preached the gospel, they had responded in faith, been saved by God’s grace; and then, they believed “another gospel.”  When their faith in Jesus was gone, having been replaced by trust in their own efforts, Paul told them the horrible consequence:

“Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.  Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.  You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace” (Galatians 2:2-4).

It is also true that since faith is the basis of my discipleship, if I turn from the way of righteousness to walk the path of sin, I am no longer a person of faith.  That’s why Peter could write:

“If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.  It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.  Of them the proverbs are true: ‘A dog returns to its vomit,’ and, ‘A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud’” (2 Peter 2:20-22).

My faith causes me to look to Jesus for my salvation.  My faith causes me to walk according to the Spirit.  If I look elsewhere for my salvation or turn back to the works of the sinful nature I do so because of a lack of faith.  If salvation is by grace through faith, then when that faith is gone, so is salvation by grace.

I demonstrated my faith when I repented of my sins and was baptized for the forgiveness of my sins.  I demonstrate my faith still as I keep in step with the Spirit and look to Jesus for forgiveness when I fail.  That’s Life at Work!

We Believe in Baptism

We believe that believers in Jesus must repent and be immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins.

When people are convinced that the good news about Jesus is true, they are called in scripture to respond to that faith by repenting of their sins and being baptized so that their sins will be forgiven.

By definition, baptism is an immersion. Acts 8 helps us understand that this immersion is in water. Acts 10 lets us know that even in the incredible event of someone being given the Holy Spirit so that they could speak in tongues; they were still responsible to the call to be baptized. Acts 19 explains that if someone had experienced the baptism of John, which was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, but had not been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, they were subjects for baptism in the name of Jesus.[1]

Many people who profess the Christian Faith agree with what we believe regarding the Oneness of God, the deity of Jesus, the work the Holy Spirit, and the authority of Scripture; but do not believe what we believe about the significance and necessity of believer’s baptism. They contend that baptism is a work; and since salvation is by faith, not by works, baptism cannot be mandatory.

We believe that salvation is by faith, not by works. We believe that one must be baptized to be saved, too. Furthermore, we believe that those beliefs do not stand in contradiction to each other. Baptism is not a work by which we earn salvation – we have no reason to boast when we have been baptized. Baptism is our response of faith, and God does the forgiving and saving in that faith response, so the work is his, not ours. Baptism doesn’t save in a meritorious fashion, as if I’ve earned salvation. Baptism saves through the resurrection of Christ; once again, the work of God.

It cannot be denied that Peter preached that believers were to “repent and be baptized… for the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38). Ananias did say to Paul, “Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16). Whatever one believes about the meaning of “saved through faith,” it should reflect the significance of baptism, not dismiss it.


[1] Later in Acts 18, Apollos; who spoke about Jesus but only knew about the baptism of John, was instructed by Priscilla and Aquila regarding the information that he lacked. One would suppose that their instruction was about baptism, considering the context. There is no mention of Apollos’ baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus like there is regarding the disciples of John in Acts 19. We are only told that he was given fuller instruction, we are not told whether he was baptized on that occasion. We know that his response was positive enough to what he had learned that when he left he wanted to go to Achaia to continue teaching about Jesus and the disciples were told to welcome him there. I believe that he was baptized at that time.

Customs

My wife ordered enchiladas with sour cream sauce, Mexican mashed potatoes, and Mexican corn (in a white cream sauce). Everything was white, including the plate. Our youth minister Josh saw her plate and remarked, “You know, you can’t order that after Labor Day.”

Customs are interesting, aren’t they? White shoes on August 30 are fine, but not on September 4. The bride’s family arranges the wedding, and the groom’s family provides for the rehearsal. Men remove their hats when a prayer is being offered.

Laban justified his trickery by claiming that it was against custom to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older. John and Mark remarked that customarily a prisoner was released around time of the Feast. Mary and Joseph took their infant Jesus to be consecrated before the Lord because that is what the “custom of the Law” required.

Sometimes customs are cultural. They may stick around for a long time, that’s what makes them customs, but they are subject to change with time and location; and if they change, that’s fine. Other customs have their roots in Scripture, and if they change, that’s not fine. Men and women marry when they seek lifelong companionship. Adult children take care of their aging parents. Believers in Jesus are immersed for the forgiveness of sins. Followers of Jesus pray for those who persecute them. To live, you work instead of steal. Some customs are not supposed to change. That’s Life at Work!

We Believe the Bible

We believe that the Bible is the only written revelation from God. The Holy Spirit moved men to write the messages from God. Those messages, combined in the Old and New Testaments completely equip us to do God’s work.

There are Buddhist texts called Tripitaka, the “three baskets," containing the discourses of the Buddha, commentaries on those discourses, and rules for monks and nuns.

There are Hindu writings called Vedas which many Hindus believe have no author because they are eternal texts. Historians have determined that the writings are old, but not eternal. Most Hindus have never read the Vedas or the other texts sacred to the Hindus.

The sacred text of Islam is the Koran. Muslims believe that the Koran is the revelation from Allah to the prophet Mohammed through the angel Gabriel. They believe this revelation is superior to the Bible because it is a later revelation than was given through Jesus.

The Book of Mormon, according to Latter Day Saints founder Joseph Smith, is the result of revelation being given in North America so that the ancestors of Native American Indians could know about Jesus. That revelation was written on gold or brass pages and hidden until the angel Moroni led Smith to their location. Smith was given the ability to translate these writings which to the Mormons carry the same authority as the Bible.

The Buddha, the authors of Vedas, Mohammed, and Joseph Smith are all dead; and once dead, they stayed dead. Jesus, on the other hand, though crucified on the cross, resurrected from the dead. He had promised that his apostles and prophets of God would continue the story begun in the Jewish scripture, revealing the good news about salvation in him. His resurrection which backs up his claim regarding his authority, declares all these other “sacred” writings as bogus teachings. They have no real authority and can offer readers nothing in the way of wisdom from God.

When Jesus asked the disciples if they were going to desert him like so many others had, they replied, “To whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life!” They were absolutely right. The Holy Spirit has revealed Jesus’ words to us, and they are in the Bible! The Bible is the only revelation from God and is the only authority from heaven for our faith and practice. That’s Life at Work!

Ears to Hear

When Ben Franklin was still young, he told his mom,” I have imbided an acephalous mullouscous.”  She was convinced that he had swallowed something poisonous, so she forced him to take some medicine that prompted him to lose his lunch.

When he was over the trauma of the medicine, he told his mom what he had said before, but in a better way.  “I ate an oyster,” he said.  Then, his mom punished him for deceiving her.  He vowed that day that he would never again use big words when little words would do.

The communication problem between Franklin and his mom was one of vocabulary.  When Jesus’ communication with the Pharisees failed, it was a problem of the heart.  Jesus used common words and familiar word pictures in his stories (parables), but the hearers weren’t listening to hear.  They were listening to accuse and reject.  So Jesus told them, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving” (Matt 13:14).

There were others around who did want to learn, and Jesus had a message for them, too, “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear” (Matt 13:16).

Jesus has some incredibly important thing for your ears to hear, but your heart has to prepare the way for the message.  That’s Life at Work!  

We Believe that Jesus is the Son of God

We believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God – God in the flesh. He is the Christ about whom the prophets prophesied. He was virgin born, lived perfectly, died for the sins of every person, was buried, and resurrected. Because of his death, burial and resurrection forgiveness of sin, access to God, and eternal life is available for us. Jesus is the only one through whom salvation can be obtained.

The Word, who was God, “…became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14).

There is a powerful negative side and a powerful positive side to belief in Jesus. Both sides are expressed by John in his gospel story. If we disbelieve, there are dire consequences. “If you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins,” Jesus said. Then John reveals what Jesus said about belief and life: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25-26). If we believe, there are rewards.

“Do you believe this?”

That’s what Jesus wanted to know after he told Martha about the connection between belief in him and eternal life. He wants an answer from you, too.

Do you believe that Jesus was the one about whom the Prophets spoke when they told about the Anointed One? Do you believe that in Jesus “all the fullness of Deity lives in bodily form” (Col 2:9)? Do you believe that Jesus was perfect; and, therefore without spot or blemish, making him the perfect sacrifice for your sins? Do you believe that the story of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is the message by which you can be saved? Do you believe that through Jesus, your relationship with God can be fully restored?

Do you believe that Jesus is the only one about whom these things are true?

Do you believe this? Believe and live! That’s Life at Work!

Saturated

I was reading Norman Wright’s The Perfect Catch: Lessons for Life from a Bass Fisherman this morning. Like my family, Norm likes retrievers, so when he wrote about his retriever falling out of his bass boat, I pictured our dog, Rocky in that situation. It brought a smile to my face.

Norm makes a point about a wet retriever that is significant for us. When a retriever gets wet, he doesn’t get all wet. He gets sorta wet. His coat is thick enough that water doesn’t get to the skin in a short swim. He gets wet, but not saturated. That’s good for a retriever who has fallen out of the bass boat.

God used language sometimes, though, to describe how saturated we should be in him. “His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psa 1:2). “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (Jn 6:53).
Steven Curtis Chapman sang in “Dive” (Speechless, 1999) about the plunge we should take and the reward of being saturated in what Jesus has to offer, “But we will never know the awesome power of the grace of God until we let ourselves get swept away into this holy flood.” Don’t get out of the water yet. Whether you dove in or fell out of the boat, get soaked to the skin in Jesus. That’s Life at Work!

The Perfect Couple

“The Perfect Couple.” That’s the subject line on the email with the link to an animated flash cartoon about a perfect man and woman who got married. The perfect man and the perfect woman had a perfect marriage. They went on the perfect vacation, and as they traveled, when they saw someone stranded on the side of the rode, they stopped to give him a ride. That’s what a perfect couple would do after all. The person they found was Santa Clause, and the night they found him was Christmas Eve. The perfect couple knew they couldn’t let the children of the world be disappointed so they committed to help Santa get his toys to the right homes. As they traveled the weather deteriorated. The road became slick, and the car crashed. Only one person survived. Who do you think it was?

Well, Santa Clause is make-believe. So is a perfect man. Since they are not real, the survivor must have been the perfect woman. Of course, since the perfect woman is the only real character in the story, it must have been her who was driving the car when it crashed!

You already know that there are no perfect people. Paul confirmed that for us when he said, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” You come face to face with imperfect people every day. You find them in the mirror, at your work place, where you eat lunch, at your church, and in your home. “… clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Col. 3:12-13). Joseph Cooke comments “Grace is the face that love wears when it meets imperfection.”

That’s Life at Work!

Who Is Bringing Temptation

A twelve year-old boy from Alaska died after “voluntarily inhaling gas for nearly twenty minutes” this week, according to the AP. Adults should know that a popular activity in some circles called “huffing” is the inhalation of chemical vapors in order to get high.”

A year ago my wife and I were riding in a car with some friends and their eight year-old grandson. The grandson was talking about a babysitter. He described something she had done that normal baby-sitters do, and then he added, “She’s a cutter.” Cutters abuse themselves with sharp objects.

My guess is that many of you have heard about huffing and have never attempted it. Many of you may have heard about cutting and have never attempted it. Maybe you have even spoken to your children about these activities, warning them sternly. Good for you!

I am very concerned that the children in these stories are so young, yet they have been exposed to dangerous behaviors that a few years ago were exclusive to older kids. The Bible teaches that temptations will come, but harsh judgment is due to those through whom temptations come (Matt 18:7). Who is bringing temptation, including unhealthy knowledge about these kinds of things into your home? Give the time, attention, and instruction to your kids that they need. That’s Life at Work!

The End and the Beginning of the Jesus Perspective

Those sitting on the mountainside who heard the Jesus Perspective knew that there was authority behind what they heard that day. Matthew records that when the sermon was done, “…the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law” (Matt. 7:28-29). Mark says the same thing about those who heard Jesus teaching in the synagogue (Mk. 1:22). We must understand, then, as we come to the end of the Jesus Perspective, that it isn’t just another set of ideas to consider. My ideas are not on a level with Jesus’ teachings. Yours aren’t either. Plato’s wisdom, Confucius’ wisdom, Mohammed’s wisdom, all shrink into the category of foolishness when compared to the Jesus Perspective. Philosophers taught the Golden Mean, but Jesus taught the Golden Rule, and it is greater! Even the godly men Moses and Elijah are moved to the background in the glorification of Jesus as God said from heaven, “This is my Son, whom I love. With him I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

Jesus claimed authority. Matthew claimed he had authority. So at the end of the day, Jesus says that you can choose the difficult way that leads to life or you can choose the broad way that leads to destruction. There is no questioning what he means by the difficult way. It is his way as he has expressed it in the sermon.

In case the picture isn’t clear, he illustrates his final point with a story of two builders. One builder was wise. He built his home on a rock, and when the storm came, though it was ferocious, the home stood. One builder was foolish – a bonehead. He built his home on the sand, and when the storm came, because the foundation was weak, the home collapsed with a great crash!

Who is the wise builder whose home can withstand the ferocious storm? He is the man who hears the words of Jesus and puts them into practice.

When Jesus walked away from the mountain, maybe some said, “He’s finished. Let’s go home.” But it wasn’t finished for them. It isn’t finished for us either. Louis L’Amour said, “There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.” The words are completed, but the choice remains. Will you take the difficult road or the broad road? Will you build on rock or sand? Will you hear and do, or will you not? That’s Life at Work!