January 10, 2011 [Monday]

          Yesterday’s service (I am referring to the one at the church I pastor) was, well it was what I sincerely believe church should be—a genuine experience of His Presence. I wish each of you could have been present. I really do mean that! The love the people expressed not only to one another, but also to our visitors, the affirmation the people gave to one another, the compassion the people demonstrated to the hurting, the prayers that were offered for the sick, the reading of the Litany of Penitence, and, certainly, the celebration of the Eucharist are all evidences of a true, Spirit-filled service.

          Yes, I am sure the service you attended was Spirit-filled, as well; however, I really wish you could have been with us today. There was something about this particular gathering of believers that would have made the trip to GCF (Grace Christian Fellowship) worth your while, regardless of how far you might have had to travel.

          On second thought, I do realize that God had who He wanted in attendance. Every person who attended did so because God had so ordered his/her steps. That is just the way He works, and the way He works is perfect. Even so, if you were not present, you missed something, something that was very, very good.

          We were especially blessed by a group from Reynolds, GA (the town where I grew up, if I ever did), who came to worship with us. My long-time friend, Heath Holly, brought his wife and children, along with a group who meet in his house on Sunday mornings, where they experience House Church, a fast-growing movement all across the world. The group consisted of several very precious young people, along with my first cousin, Lucy Jon (who is not so young!). One of Lucy Jon’s daughters is an incredible pianist. I was envious, as I listened to her! To top it off, my own son was present (he usually meets with Heath in Reynolds). It was he who read the Litany of Penitence. Needless to say, I was blessed and then some.

          It becomes increasingly obvious to me that Jesus really does reveal Himself in the Eucharist, in the eating of the bread and the drinking of the wine. We can sing, share testimonies, pray, preach, do whatever; however, the highlight of the service (always!) comes when we gather around the Table and the bread and wine are shared—the bread that was given for us, the wine that was poured out for us. Yesterday’s experience was beyond wonderful.

          With all the adversity that is happening in the world in which we live, I truly treasure the kinds of experiences we enjoyed yesterday—true visitations of the Holy Spirit. They remind me that God is still God, that He still rules and reigns over His universe, that He is in control every time and all the time, that He is working all together for good for those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose, and that His Beloved Son, Jesus, is coming again—sooner, rather than later.

Below are the notes from yesterday’s message:

FROM LAST SUNDAY [January 2, 2011]—

In Macon, GA murder is almost as commonplace and the common cold (20+ in 2010), and that will get worse, not better.

Theft is even more common (Someone just entered an 82 year old man’s shop, a man I happen to know quite well, and stole thousands of dollars worth of equipment).

The illegal drug crisis is as critical as critical can be, but few have any clue as to its potential devastation (I can tell you this: when an addict is craving drugs, he/she will kill his/her own mother, if that is what it takes to get the money to buy the drugs, and, I might add, most of the crimes that are being committed right here in Macon are drug related).

The public schools are in shambles—physically, fiscally, and academically, with little hope of improvement.

The city is bankrupt, but won’t admit it. 

The policemen, firemen, and EMTs are so poorly paid, that I wonder why they even bother to work.

Most churches have more debt than they can possibly pay; consequently, their leaders are more interested in raising money, than they are in preaching the gospel.

Only God knows how many people have lost their homes (I saw with my own eyes a sign in front of a house that read, “Would you like to win this house?” I don’t know exactly what that meant, but I do know that someone is in trouble).

I am not sure that even God knows how many have lost their jobs (just kidding, I know He knows but He is the ONLY one).

The Med Center is overrun with those waiting for free medical attention (If you don’t already have a disease, spend a few hours in the ER, or in the same day surgery waiting area, and I promise you will be exposed to whichever one you prefer).

At the rate Medicare is paying the Docs, sooner, rather than later, the number of competent doctors (not all of them are!) will be so small that none of us will be able to get competent medical treatment (rest assured that no one in his/her right mind is going to spend 12-15 years in school, only to graduate and have the government decide what they will be paid).

Few, if any of you, will ever receive any of the money you are donating to Social Security.

And Medicare will fizzle out sooner than most think.

Not to mention the terror groups that are determined to kill all of us.

In other words, IF we are looking through natural eyes, the outlook for the future is rather dim, and we can, certainly, expect some ADVERSITY along the way, adversity that we will label as suffering.

FOR TODAY [1/09/11]—

TEXT:

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God” (1 Peter 4: 12-19; emphasis added; NASB).

THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST:

1.    Jesus suffered, first and foremost, not because He sinned, but because we sinned, i.e., His suffering was vicarious.

2.    Jesus suffered because it pleased His Father to crush Him.

3.    Jesus suffered because He chose to please His Father, not the Jewish leaders.

4.    Jesus suffered because He chose to associate with sinners and to treat them with kindness and compassion.

5.    Jesus suffered because He chose, not to cast stones at His enemies, but to forgive them.

6.    Jesus suffered because He refused to compromise truth, i.e. He took a stand and He stood, even while being well-aware of the extremely high cost of doing so.

7.    Jesus suffered because He preached that losing is winning; that the first shall be last and the last shall be first; that we must die before we can live; that unless we eat His flesh and drink His blood we can have no part with Him; that He is the way, the truth, and the life; that no one can come to the Father, unless they come through Him; that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

8.    Jesus suffered because He called the religious of His day what they were—hypocrites.

9.    Jesus suffered because, well because He was destined to suffer, in order that we might have eternal life.

10. Jesus never suffered because of foolish choices.

Please notice that Peter makes a clear distinction between our suffering because of our foolish choices and our suffering because we have identified with Jesus.

Admittedly, there are times when we suffer because of the actions of others (actions that are out of our control), and there are times when we suffer because we are Christians (in this country, not often), but the truth is, much of our suffering is self-imposed—the result of foolish choices, the kind of choices that Jesus never made.

EXAMPLES:

1.    The foolish choices you have made, and probably continue to make, because you refused to listen to those wiser than you.

2.    The foolish choices you have made, and probably continue to make, because you didn’t bother even to seek the counsel of those wiser than you.

3.    The foolish choices you have made, and probably continue to make, because you ignored the clear direction of the Scriptures.

4.    The foolish choices you have made, and probably continue to make, because in your mind seeking help was a weakness, not a strength.

5.    The foolish choices you have made, and probably continue to make, because of unresolved anger.

6.    The foolish choices you have made, and probably continue to make, because you have not yet learned just how little you really know.

7.    The foolish choices you have made, and probably continue to make, because you refused to humble yourself.

8.    The foolish choices you have made, and probably continue to make, because of your fear of failing.

9.    The foolish choices you have made, and probably continue to make, because you see yourself as a failure.

10. The foolish choices you have made, and probably continue to make, because you have refused to accept Jesus’ love.

Now, to paraphrase Peter: the more you share in Jesus’ sufferings, the more you should rejoice. What a novel idea, that somehow sharing in Jesus’ sufferings is somehow related to a joyous life.

On the other hand, there is no joy in suffering because of your own foolish choices!

Yes, our foolish choices do offer an opportunity for growth, but from what I can see, very few ever take advantage of those opportunities; instead they continue making the same foolish choices, expecting a different result every time.

A SUGGESTION: With all that is in front of us, mostly the actions of others over which we have no control, it is time for us to seriously consider the advantages of making wise choices and, thereby, to know the joy of fellowshipping in His sufferings.

You can continue to do just what you are doing now, and in five years, you will be riding in the same boat you are in now, only it will be a wreck a wash on the beach.

         

"This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29 NASB).