Posts
Monday, December 15, 2008
Incarnation Sermon Audio
Just an extra, here is a blog I wrote a couple of years ago in college on the Incarnation of Christ:
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:8-11)
Over Christmas I am hanging out in my hometown of Crane, a small town in west Texas with not much to do, so tonight I took a drive for about half an hour out of town. I drove out on a dark highway west of town then turned north on a county road toward the gas plant where my dad works, then onto Dump Ground Road which heads back toward town. I enjoy this part of the country because the roads go on forever with very little traffic. In fact, I didn't see anyone on tonight's short journey. It is nice to take a break from everything and just get out alone with time to think and pray. Tonight it was just me and Third Day's album, 'Christmas Offerings'. As I drove singing with the stereo I started thinking back to my 'Life of Christ' class this past semester. One class period the professor asked the question, "What was the first recorded miracle of Jesus?" Of course, the class consensus was that it was when He turned water into wine. As the professor continued his lecture my friend McCauley looked at me and (not surprisingly) informed me that he disagreed. Being the disagreeable type myself I listened as he told me that the first recorded miracle was not the water to wine at the party, but it was His Incarnation. With Christmas here, and Jesus' birth being the center of attention to all Christians, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on this miracle.
Dictionary.com defines Incarnation as "the doctrine that the second person of the Trinity assumed human form in the person of Jesus Christ and is completely both God and man." It is an astounding thought that has been captivating my imagination for some time now. On the way out to Crane from the Metroplex I was listening to David Crowder's CD, 'A Collision', and a song called 'Here is Our King' got me thinking about the subject again. It says,
Here is our King
Here is our love
Here is our God who's come
To bring us back to Him
He is the One
He is Jesus
God wanted to be in fellowship with His creation, but the creation had tossed Him aside to enjoy itself. The heartache that this must have caused Him. This perfect Father whose child runs away to play with imperfection. Now, something had to be done to make things right. The problem was that "all have sinned" and so when we are talking about redeeming mankind from sin and restoring them to their original image – that image of God; imago Dei – there was not a human alive that could do it. Through leaving the Garden of Eden and the inability to keep God's law it appeared that humanity was helpless. But imagine, our God, who had watched His creation do the one thing that He told them not to do, had a plan to fix the situation. He Himself would enter into His creation. He would leave eternity to come into time and space. He would leave His own characteristics of being all-powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing (omniscient), and everywhere-present (omnipresent), to take on human flesh and be born as a little baby. God would have to grow up. God would have to learn how to walk. Gow would have to learn how to talk. God would deal with puberty and the struggles in becoming a man. God became flesh and lived among mankind. John says, "and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth." Imagine such compassion. Imagine the grace that God was showing on us that He would come down and live among men in order that a sinless man actually could exist. It couldn't happen any other way. Mankind is born into sin, therefore, the only way to get a sinless man is for God to become that man. This is the miracle of Christmas. This is the miracle of the Incarnation. This is our reason to celebrate.
Of course, this miracle was followed by many more miracles, including the turning of water into wine, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, casting out demons, feeding thousands on a little child's lunch, and then of course taking our sins onto Himself, dying on the cross, being buried, but not being bound by death He came back to life three days later and ascended to Heaven where He is "at the right hand of God" and "intercedes on our behalf." (Romans 8:34)
It is an awesome thought that the grace that humanity has been shown in the life of Christ all started with a birth. A miraculous birth in which God got a body. As we celebrate Christmas and exchange gifts with friends and family let's remember the greatest gift of all time: when God gave us Himself as a Saviour.
"O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord."
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thoughts on Evolution
So I have been thinking about evolution a lot lately. I am of the postmodern mindset and a lot of times I find myself questioning my faith in God because of the rationality of it. For the last week I have been struggling with my faith again and keep having to remind myself that the Christian faith fits what I see going on in the world. Here is what I mean.
First of all, I struggle with the miracles of Christ, and even the miracle of creation itself breaking all of the laws of physics. In response, the only "credible" alternate explanation to creation is the theory of evolution which also breaks all of the basic laws of physics. For instance, things like energy cannot be created or destroyed and objects at rest stay at rest. Yet from nothing, a big burst of everything happened. without any cause the universe was set into motion. Also, when I look at nature I see that without intelligent intervention, order never comes from chaos. Yet evolution teaches that from an explosion in the nothingness we now have an ordered universe so intricately made that it can sustain life, and also that life forms themselves continue to get better and better until you no longer have the law of the jungle, but we have modern civilization. Let me just say, God makes more sense in this area.
Yet my struggle is also with the idea of sin. When I have all of these desires fighting within me that the Christian faith calls sin, it would be infinitely easier to assume that it is just my nature and that there is nothing inherently wrong with it. Evolution give me the way out to act on my "natural" desires.
However, when you follow this thought process out, by the process of evolution, in which only the strong survive, we must determine that for the continued existence of the human race (and the subsequent life-forms which will come from it), then the moral law which has been set up to govern our lives must be viewed as 'evil' because it will lead to our downfall.
Evolution must leave us in a utilitarian world in which I only have rights because I am stronger than you. Racism, then, and even slavery is not only justifiable action, but it is a necessity for my evolutionary success. Civilization, somewhere along the line, has become a danger to the evolutionary process because it holds us back from what may come. In fact, even modern intelligence which support evolution have at times used that futile intellect against what should have happened. For instance, if evolution is true, then Hitler should not have been stopped. Orphanages and hospitals should have never been built. Government is dangerous to the continuance of life. And the list could go on and on.
So, because there is something within us that says that there does exist some form of right and wrong, and evolution cannot explain why, then God makes more sense to me. To live by the law of evolution, then rape, murder, violence, and abuse are all in line with the universe's plan and should be continued. But, if there is a God, and this God has given gifts to human kind, among which are faith, hope, and love, then to follow the law of love is the "right" way to live, and these other things become "sin".
(Say what you want about the history of our country, but the founders who wrote our nation into existence understood this law of love to be the guiding fact in the universe penned in the words "All men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.")
In light of all of this, I cannot look at the world through the eyes of evolution. Instead, what I see is a perfectly in balance creation which was purposely designed to propagate life. And I see human beings who are so complex, but have some spark of divine in them that they must be created in the image of God. Yet, in their complexity something apparently went wrong and this thing called sin entered the world. What I see in the world is a people running from their God. But I also believe that God is on a mission to reconcile these people to Himself. I long for that day to come. In all of the mess of the world, God and His story are the only things that make sense of it all.
First of all, I struggle with the miracles of Christ, and even the miracle of creation itself breaking all of the laws of physics. In response, the only "credible" alternate explanation to creation is the theory of evolution which also breaks all of the basic laws of physics. For instance, things like energy cannot be created or destroyed and objects at rest stay at rest. Yet from nothing, a big burst of everything happened. without any cause the universe was set into motion. Also, when I look at nature I see that without intelligent intervention, order never comes from chaos. Yet evolution teaches that from an explosion in the nothingness we now have an ordered universe so intricately made that it can sustain life, and also that life forms themselves continue to get better and better until you no longer have the law of the jungle, but we have modern civilization. Let me just say, God makes more sense in this area.
Yet my struggle is also with the idea of sin. When I have all of these desires fighting within me that the Christian faith calls sin, it would be infinitely easier to assume that it is just my nature and that there is nothing inherently wrong with it. Evolution give me the way out to act on my "natural" desires.
However, when you follow this thought process out, by the process of evolution, in which only the strong survive, we must determine that for the continued existence of the human race (and the subsequent life-forms which will come from it), then the moral law which has been set up to govern our lives must be viewed as 'evil' because it will lead to our downfall.
Evolution must leave us in a utilitarian world in which I only have rights because I am stronger than you. Racism, then, and even slavery is not only justifiable action, but it is a necessity for my evolutionary success. Civilization, somewhere along the line, has become a danger to the evolutionary process because it holds us back from what may come. In fact, even modern intelligence which support evolution have at times used that futile intellect against what should have happened. For instance, if evolution is true, then Hitler should not have been stopped. Orphanages and hospitals should have never been built. Government is dangerous to the continuance of life. And the list could go on and on.
So, because there is something within us that says that there does exist some form of right and wrong, and evolution cannot explain why, then God makes more sense to me. To live by the law of evolution, then rape, murder, violence, and abuse are all in line with the universe's plan and should be continued. But, if there is a God, and this God has given gifts to human kind, among which are faith, hope, and love, then to follow the law of love is the "right" way to live, and these other things become "sin".
(Say what you want about the history of our country, but the founders who wrote our nation into existence understood this law of love to be the guiding fact in the universe penned in the words "All men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.")
In light of all of this, I cannot look at the world through the eyes of evolution. Instead, what I see is a perfectly in balance creation which was purposely designed to propagate life. And I see human beings who are so complex, but have some spark of divine in them that they must be created in the image of God. Yet, in their complexity something apparently went wrong and this thing called sin entered the world. What I see in the world is a people running from their God. But I also believe that God is on a mission to reconcile these people to Himself. I long for that day to come. In all of the mess of the world, God and His story are the only things that make sense of it all.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
All Things Work Together for the Good of Who?
Ok, first of all I am sorry to everyone bugging me because I still haven't written. Secondly, I don't know how many of you listen to my sermons but I will include the player at the bottom of this post. The topic from Sunday night (1 Peter 4)goes along well with what I am about to write about.Third, although I have been thinking about all of this for a while, writing this down is still me working through some of it so don't criticize if you think I am wrong, we can discuss it in the comments section below.
So, I have been thinking a lot about the fact that we love to quote the verse that says, "...God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God..." (Romans 8:28, NASB). The problem is that too many of us just try to use it to justify our own selfishness. Random example, let's say that I have been engaged in online gambling because I want a new car. Perhaps I find a way to manipulate the system to win more often than not, so I am quickly getting the money I need for the car. Then, someone finds out that I am cheating the system and I lose all the money and now am facing criminal charges. BUT, I am a Christian and I know that "all things work together for good to those who love God..."
Now, yes, that was a spur of the moment example, and no, I don't think that most of us would cheat at internet gambling (unless we knew how...), but I think the attitude is the same: I am thinking only about me, then when it doesn't work out my way I can always trust that it is God's plan and there will not be consequences for my self-loving actions.
Simple response: God forgives sins, but until He returns there will be consequences in this life for our actions.
Extended response: Before we use this verse as a comfort to our selfishness-gone-wrong, we need to understand what the qualifier is in the statement. It says that God will work all things for the good of who? Not just everyone who calls themselves Christian. God will work it out for "those who love God."
I think that this little qualifying statement has much to say to many Christians who are disillusioned with their faith and angry at God because He didn't do what they supposed, or were told He would do. An example of this would be the many people who put money in the ministries of televangelists like they were slot machines in Vegas. Now, do I think that God will bless our financial giving, especially when it is sacrificial. Yes, when done with right intentions. But we must remember that God is continually examining the heart of people and if the heart of the person is saying, "I am going to give this money because then God will give me more money in return," this is revealing a person who does not love the Lord, but is filled with greed. This just sounds more reliable than the lottery, so they put their money here instead.
At the root of it all, I am convince that the dividing line in humanity is this: there are those who love God, and there are those who love themselves as god. Throughout the Bible we see men obeying God to the best of their sinful ability, but in the end there is no blessing for them because they are doing it out of pride and selfishness (for examples see Christ's condemnation of the Pharisees in Matthew 23). And on the other hand we see men in the Bible who continually fail miserably at living in obedience to God, but because of their love for Him there is forgiveness for them (for examples of this read about the life of King David).
I think that the problem that continually arises within Christianity is that we don't advertise this on our signs or even preach it in our sermons. We confuse people by telling them that if they will simply recite a prayer then there is forgiveness and then send them on their way.
The message of the Gospel is that "we love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). The goal of sanctification is that we learn to love ourselves less and to love Jesus more. And the essence of discipleship is that we teach people how to do that. Then, the message of hope that we can hold to is that no matter what suffering and persecution comes in this life (John 15:18-20) I know that it is only because of my love/love relationship with the Lord and He is going to work it all out for my good in the end.
I know of no better example in the Bible than the life of Joseph beginning in Genesis 37. Joseph knows that God has placed a blessing on his life and so he never gives up hope. When he tells his brothers what God has told him they throw him into a pit plotting murder, then decided to sell him into slavery (but Joseph loves the Lord and knows he is in God's hands). While in slavery to Potiphar, Joseph is blessed by God to the place of power in his master's household. Then as we see Potiphar's wife propositioning Joseph we hear of Joseph's relationship with God as he asks, "How could I sin against God like that?" (Gen. 39:9). As the story goes on, Joseph is cast into prison, where God still gives him a ministry, and then uses the time in jail to raise Joseph to second in command over all of Egypt. At the end of the story, as we see Joseph showing mercy to his brothers, he makes this statement: "Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good..." (Gen. 50:19-20).
Joseph loved God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind, and because of that relationship he knew that "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God."
So what about you? Do you love God above all, or do you still buy into the lie that you are the god of your life (Gen. 3:5)? If you are your own god, then don't expect the blessing of the One, True God on your life (or death).
I want your comment and thoughts. Also, for another study into this idea, I suggest reading about the life of King Asa found in 2 Chronicles 14-16, paying special attention to 16:9 (thanks Micah).
And here is the sermon audio. Sunday night is #7.
So, I have been thinking a lot about the fact that we love to quote the verse that says, "...God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God..." (Romans 8:28, NASB). The problem is that too many of us just try to use it to justify our own selfishness. Random example, let's say that I have been engaged in online gambling because I want a new car. Perhaps I find a way to manipulate the system to win more often than not, so I am quickly getting the money I need for the car. Then, someone finds out that I am cheating the system and I lose all the money and now am facing criminal charges. BUT, I am a Christian and I know that "all things work together for good to those who love God..."
Now, yes, that was a spur of the moment example, and no, I don't think that most of us would cheat at internet gambling (unless we knew how...), but I think the attitude is the same: I am thinking only about me, then when it doesn't work out my way I can always trust that it is God's plan and there will not be consequences for my self-loving actions.
Simple response: God forgives sins, but until He returns there will be consequences in this life for our actions.
Extended response: Before we use this verse as a comfort to our selfishness-gone-wrong, we need to understand what the qualifier is in the statement. It says that God will work all things for the good of who? Not just everyone who calls themselves Christian. God will work it out for "those who love God."
I think that this little qualifying statement has much to say to many Christians who are disillusioned with their faith and angry at God because He didn't do what they supposed, or were told He would do. An example of this would be the many people who put money in the ministries of televangelists like they were slot machines in Vegas. Now, do I think that God will bless our financial giving, especially when it is sacrificial. Yes, when done with right intentions. But we must remember that God is continually examining the heart of people and if the heart of the person is saying, "I am going to give this money because then God will give me more money in return," this is revealing a person who does not love the Lord, but is filled with greed. This just sounds more reliable than the lottery, so they put their money here instead.
At the root of it all, I am convince that the dividing line in humanity is this: there are those who love God, and there are those who love themselves as god. Throughout the Bible we see men obeying God to the best of their sinful ability, but in the end there is no blessing for them because they are doing it out of pride and selfishness (for examples see Christ's condemnation of the Pharisees in Matthew 23). And on the other hand we see men in the Bible who continually fail miserably at living in obedience to God, but because of their love for Him there is forgiveness for them (for examples of this read about the life of King David).
I think that the problem that continually arises within Christianity is that we don't advertise this on our signs or even preach it in our sermons. We confuse people by telling them that if they will simply recite a prayer then there is forgiveness and then send them on their way.
The message of the Gospel is that "we love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). The goal of sanctification is that we learn to love ourselves less and to love Jesus more. And the essence of discipleship is that we teach people how to do that. Then, the message of hope that we can hold to is that no matter what suffering and persecution comes in this life (John 15:18-20) I know that it is only because of my love/love relationship with the Lord and He is going to work it all out for my good in the end.
I know of no better example in the Bible than the life of Joseph beginning in Genesis 37. Joseph knows that God has placed a blessing on his life and so he never gives up hope. When he tells his brothers what God has told him they throw him into a pit plotting murder, then decided to sell him into slavery (but Joseph loves the Lord and knows he is in God's hands). While in slavery to Potiphar, Joseph is blessed by God to the place of power in his master's household. Then as we see Potiphar's wife propositioning Joseph we hear of Joseph's relationship with God as he asks, "How could I sin against God like that?" (Gen. 39:9). As the story goes on, Joseph is cast into prison, where God still gives him a ministry, and then uses the time in jail to raise Joseph to second in command over all of Egypt. At the end of the story, as we see Joseph showing mercy to his brothers, he makes this statement: "Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good..." (Gen. 50:19-20).
Joseph loved God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind, and because of that relationship he knew that "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God."
So what about you? Do you love God above all, or do you still buy into the lie that you are the god of your life (Gen. 3:5)? If you are your own god, then don't expect the blessing of the One, True God on your life (or death).
I want your comment and thoughts. Also, for another study into this idea, I suggest reading about the life of King Asa found in 2 Chronicles 14-16, paying special attention to 16:9 (thanks Micah).
And here is the sermon audio. Sunday night is #7.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Just a note
Hey all, just wanted to apologize for not writing in a couple of weeks. Been out of the country. But, God has been dealing with me on a very personal level so you guys can expect something in the next couple of days.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Sermon Audio - 1 Peter 3:8-18
We have begun our missions month at church and last night's lesson fit in perfectly. Leave me your comments:
Gabcast! Scott's Sermon Audio #5 - 1 Peter 3:8-18
Preached on November 2, 2008. Topic is Evangelism
Also, we leave for Panama early in the morning until next Tuesday. It is a team of 12 out of our church. Please keep us in your prayers this week.
Gabcast! Scott's Sermon Audio #5 - 1 Peter 3:8-18
Preached on November 2, 2008. Topic is Evangelism
Also, we leave for Panama early in the morning until next Tuesday. It is a team of 12 out of our church. Please keep us in your prayers this week.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Kingdom Builders - but Whose Kingdom?
This morning I have been reading through the book of Amos. This is probably my favorite book in the Bible as it clearly demonstrates what the intentions of the law were and what God's heart is for His people.
The central message of the book is that every human being has become a tyrant fighting to overthrow God, the one good King. In this effort we have thrown everyone else to the ground where we attempt to walk all over them. We are building our own kingdoms under the delusion that our ways are better than than Gods and that we are just as capable of running things as He is. This was the temptation which led to the first sin, and it is the same temptation that creeps in on us every moment of every day, especially on those of us who know the Lord and what He requires, but often decide to do it our way, anyway.
This attitude is one of pride and arrogance, and is demonstrated well in Amos 2:6-8, "...they have perverted justice by selling honest people for silver and poor people for a pair of sandals. They trample helpless people in the dust and deny justice to those who are oppressed. Both father and son sleep with the same woman, corrupting My holy name. At their religious festivals, they lounge around in clothing stolen form their debtors. In the house of their God, they present offerings of wine purchased with stolen money."
In our arrogance we find ourselves thinking that we are better than that. I mean, I have never sold anyone for a pair of shoes or any of that stuff. But we must look at the heart of the issue. These accusations that the Lord brings against His people are that they still don't understand that all people are created in His image and worthy of being treated fairly. We may not sell the neighborhood kids for a new pair of Sketchers, but too often we do treat our relationships as a means for personal gain.
God continues in Amos 5:21, in one of the most terrifying passages of scripture, by saying, "I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies...Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living."
What He is saying is that it will never be enough to simply be religious people, or even claim to be born-again if there is never any heart change toward people and toward God.
To follow God as loyal subjects of His Kingdom is demonstrated by humbling ourselves not only before God, but before all men as well. If we continue to see ourselves as more important of more valuable than even one person, then we are still merely building kingdoms of our own, even though they have a very spiritual appearance to them.
The challenge comes to us in Amos 5:14-15 in which He says, "Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God Almighty will truly be your helper, just as you have claimed He is. Hate evil and love what is good; remodel your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the people who remain."
This calling on our lives is recurrent on almost every page of scripture. Perhaps we all have some self-examination to do, and then some kingdoms to start deconstructing so that His can be built.
The central message of the book is that every human being has become a tyrant fighting to overthrow God, the one good King. In this effort we have thrown everyone else to the ground where we attempt to walk all over them. We are building our own kingdoms under the delusion that our ways are better than than Gods and that we are just as capable of running things as He is. This was the temptation which led to the first sin, and it is the same temptation that creeps in on us every moment of every day, especially on those of us who know the Lord and what He requires, but often decide to do it our way, anyway.
This attitude is one of pride and arrogance, and is demonstrated well in Amos 2:6-8, "...they have perverted justice by selling honest people for silver and poor people for a pair of sandals. They trample helpless people in the dust and deny justice to those who are oppressed. Both father and son sleep with the same woman, corrupting My holy name. At their religious festivals, they lounge around in clothing stolen form their debtors. In the house of their God, they present offerings of wine purchased with stolen money."
In our arrogance we find ourselves thinking that we are better than that. I mean, I have never sold anyone for a pair of shoes or any of that stuff. But we must look at the heart of the issue. These accusations that the Lord brings against His people are that they still don't understand that all people are created in His image and worthy of being treated fairly. We may not sell the neighborhood kids for a new pair of Sketchers, but too often we do treat our relationships as a means for personal gain.
God continues in Amos 5:21, in one of the most terrifying passages of scripture, by saying, "I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies...Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living."
What He is saying is that it will never be enough to simply be religious people, or even claim to be born-again if there is never any heart change toward people and toward God.
To follow God as loyal subjects of His Kingdom is demonstrated by humbling ourselves not only before God, but before all men as well. If we continue to see ourselves as more important of more valuable than even one person, then we are still merely building kingdoms of our own, even though they have a very spiritual appearance to them.
The challenge comes to us in Amos 5:14-15 in which He says, "Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live! Then the Lord God Almighty will truly be your helper, just as you have claimed He is. Hate evil and love what is good; remodel your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the people who remain."
This calling on our lives is recurrent on almost every page of scripture. Perhaps we all have some self-examination to do, and then some kingdoms to start deconstructing so that His can be built.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Lesser of Two Evils?
Today I am faced with quite a predicament. On November 4th I will be traveling to Panama on a church mission trip, so today I need to go to the courthouse and vote early. The problem is, that even with the full election only a couple of weeks away, I still cannot see myself voting for either presidential candidate.
Everyday my inbox is flooded with emails on why Obama is evil and cannot be trusted. Honestly, I don't trust the man, but not because he is black. Not because he has a Muslim background. Not because of Bill Ayers, or any of the other things you see in the news. Deep down, I don't trust him because it is how I have been brought up - Republican. Most democrats scare me. Not the people, but the things they seem to believe to be true.
On the other side, I hate the idea of voting for John McCain. I know he is a war hero and that he has all the experience, etc. But since I first became interested in politics after 9/11, all I have ever known of John McCain is that he flip flops on too many issues, he lies without excuse, and I have learned that he cannot be trusted.
People keep telling me that I have to pick the lesser of two evils. Most of them (being that I am still in west Texas) say that, meaning that I have to vote John McCain. But I hate that my only option is to pick whichever one is the least unfavorable. I mean, I understand each party's beliefs on government, foreign policy and economics, but when we come right down to today, neither of them become favorable.
On the democratic side we have a candidate who will not go to war just because it is good business (that's good to me), in fact, they want to stop spending excessively on a war that will never really end at the rate we are going (also good to me). But then they also want to instill higher taxes and have government controls over business. They support big government which costs more and takes freedoms out of the individual's hands. None of that sounds good to me.
On the republican side, we have a candidate who is definatly a warmonger, as shown in his history, support of staying indefinitely in Iraq, and spending more and more money on newer military technology (I believe that war cannot lead to peace, it only births hatred and more war, so this is bad to me). McCain also supports tax cuts and letting people control their own lives (this is good to me). I don't like the huge tax cuts for big business, but I also don't like higher taxes on myself from the other party so this one is better.
Presidential election are more than just choosing the leader of the free world, sometimes it is literally a matter of life and death. For example: If I vote for Barak Obama, I am voting to strengthen Roe v. Wade, and make abortion more legal than it already is. But, if I vote for McCain, he will fight to make abortion illegal, yet he will send more of our countries 'greatest resource' overseas to fight and continue to die. Which one is better, to die before birth or at age 17?
To state this very clearly: I don't want to vote for Barak Obama. I don't want to vote for John McCain. I am stuck.
I am not going to tell you who to vote for or anything like that, but I am going to encourage you to think a little bit before you do. Don't think that this is just another election that will come and go. This will decide our fate for at least the next four years. So pray about it. Seek God's will. And vote with some kind of conviction. T.hen, when whoever wins sucks (because he will), take peace in the sovereignty of God (see Daniel 2:20-21)
I know this is a jumbled rant, but leave me your thoughts.
Everyday my inbox is flooded with emails on why Obama is evil and cannot be trusted. Honestly, I don't trust the man, but not because he is black. Not because he has a Muslim background. Not because of Bill Ayers, or any of the other things you see in the news. Deep down, I don't trust him because it is how I have been brought up - Republican. Most democrats scare me. Not the people, but the things they seem to believe to be true.
On the other side, I hate the idea of voting for John McCain. I know he is a war hero and that he has all the experience, etc. But since I first became interested in politics after 9/11, all I have ever known of John McCain is that he flip flops on too many issues, he lies without excuse, and I have learned that he cannot be trusted.
People keep telling me that I have to pick the lesser of two evils. Most of them (being that I am still in west Texas) say that, meaning that I have to vote John McCain. But I hate that my only option is to pick whichever one is the least unfavorable. I mean, I understand each party's beliefs on government, foreign policy and economics, but when we come right down to today, neither of them become favorable.
On the democratic side we have a candidate who will not go to war just because it is good business (that's good to me), in fact, they want to stop spending excessively on a war that will never really end at the rate we are going (also good to me). But then they also want to instill higher taxes and have government controls over business. They support big government which costs more and takes freedoms out of the individual's hands. None of that sounds good to me.
On the republican side, we have a candidate who is definatly a warmonger, as shown in his history, support of staying indefinitely in Iraq, and spending more and more money on newer military technology (I believe that war cannot lead to peace, it only births hatred and more war, so this is bad to me). McCain also supports tax cuts and letting people control their own lives (this is good to me). I don't like the huge tax cuts for big business, but I also don't like higher taxes on myself from the other party so this one is better.
Presidential election are more than just choosing the leader of the free world, sometimes it is literally a matter of life and death. For example: If I vote for Barak Obama, I am voting to strengthen Roe v. Wade, and make abortion more legal than it already is. But, if I vote for McCain, he will fight to make abortion illegal, yet he will send more of our countries 'greatest resource' overseas to fight and continue to die. Which one is better, to die before birth or at age 17?
To state this very clearly: I don't want to vote for Barak Obama. I don't want to vote for John McCain. I am stuck.
I am not going to tell you who to vote for or anything like that, but I am going to encourage you to think a little bit before you do. Don't think that this is just another election that will come and go. This will decide our fate for at least the next four years. So pray about it. Seek God's will. And vote with some kind of conviction. T.hen, when whoever wins sucks (because he will), take peace in the sovereignty of God (see Daniel 2:20-21)
I know this is a jumbled rant, but leave me your thoughts.
Missing Sermon Highlights
If you are listening to the sermons I have been preaching through 1 Peter, you will notice that there is one missing. Here is the very basic outline of that message.
The passage is 1 Peter 1:13 through 2:3 and is divided into two sections. The first section is 1:13-20 and I called it 'Obedience in Our Proximity to God.' In chapter 1, Peter starts out with the vocabulary of adoption concerning how we fit into God's family. This continues that language by calling us to continue to hope in God. If He has adopted us, then He will continue to bring us through as we are his children. It then tells us to learn to live as God's obedient children and not to slip back into our old ways. We are to "be holy as God is holy."
This reference that Peter uses takes us back to the book of Leviticus where God calls his people to be holy as He is holy in 11:44-45. God then continually throughout Leviticus tells them to do or not do certain things "because I am the Lord your God." The Jews Leviticus was written to had just been released from slavery by this God and so what He is essentially telling them is that in Egypt, they belonged to Pharaoh and acted like Egyptians, but now they are walking with God, they are His people, so He expects them to act a certain way. In the same way they were told this in Exodus, Peter writes to tell us that since we have been adopted into this new family, we need to start taking on some family traits.
The second section, 1:21-2:3 changes from using the adoption language to using terms like "born-again." I called this section 'Obedience in Our New Nature.' It is in this section that Peter begins taking the idea that we, as humans, are consumed with sin (called 'total depravity'), but that God has cleansed us from sin and is regenerating us into the image of God. As a result, our nature is changed from being sinful to showing a new, more Christ-like nature, in which our actions are not just played out in trying to do right even when we don't want to, but to the point that we do right because that is what God has placed in our hearts to do.
The first section - walking in obedience due to our proximity to God - calls us out of any idea of having a license to sin, while the second section - walking in obedience due to our new nature - prevents us from falling into legalism and simply trying to adhere to some strict moral code. We are adopted into a family requiring obedience to God's Word because He wants us to, but through the process of sanctification, we are also set free to obey God's Word because we want to.
Leave me your thoughts.
The passage is 1 Peter 1:13 through 2:3 and is divided into two sections. The first section is 1:13-20 and I called it 'Obedience in Our Proximity to God.' In chapter 1, Peter starts out with the vocabulary of adoption concerning how we fit into God's family. This continues that language by calling us to continue to hope in God. If He has adopted us, then He will continue to bring us through as we are his children. It then tells us to learn to live as God's obedient children and not to slip back into our old ways. We are to "be holy as God is holy."
This reference that Peter uses takes us back to the book of Leviticus where God calls his people to be holy as He is holy in 11:44-45. God then continually throughout Leviticus tells them to do or not do certain things "because I am the Lord your God." The Jews Leviticus was written to had just been released from slavery by this God and so what He is essentially telling them is that in Egypt, they belonged to Pharaoh and acted like Egyptians, but now they are walking with God, they are His people, so He expects them to act a certain way. In the same way they were told this in Exodus, Peter writes to tell us that since we have been adopted into this new family, we need to start taking on some family traits.
The second section, 1:21-2:3 changes from using the adoption language to using terms like "born-again." I called this section 'Obedience in Our New Nature.' It is in this section that Peter begins taking the idea that we, as humans, are consumed with sin (called 'total depravity'), but that God has cleansed us from sin and is regenerating us into the image of God. As a result, our nature is changed from being sinful to showing a new, more Christ-like nature, in which our actions are not just played out in trying to do right even when we don't want to, but to the point that we do right because that is what God has placed in our hearts to do.
The first section - walking in obedience due to our proximity to God - calls us out of any idea of having a license to sin, while the second section - walking in obedience due to our new nature - prevents us from falling into legalism and simply trying to adhere to some strict moral code. We are adopted into a family requiring obedience to God's Word because He wants us to, but through the process of sanctification, we are also set free to obey God's Word because we want to.
Leave me your thoughts.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Update and Sermon Audio
Hey all, sorry I haven't blogged anything in the past week. I have been sick and anything I thought would be profound probably wouldn't have made sense. Also, I tried to put last weeks sermon audio online but the recording was messed up and didn't work. Anyways, I am almost over all the sickness and tonight's recording worked so here is the audio. I will type up the highlights of the missing sermon for whoever wants it tomorrow.
Gabcast! Scott's Sermon Audio #4 - 1 Peter 2:4-12
Preached October 19, 2008 at Grace Baptist Church, Odessa, TX
Gabcast! Scott's Sermon Audio #4 - 1 Peter 2:4-12
Preached October 19, 2008 at Grace Baptist Church, Odessa, TX
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Click Here!!!
This isn't on the topic of tolerance, but it is huge. Click above, read the statistics, ask where your church fits, figure out where we need to change. Feel free to discuss this in the comments.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Tolerance
Recently I submitted an article for a soon-to-be-released book on the issue of Morals and American Culture. In this article I wrote:
Even as you read these words, I suspect that you see the improbability in this happening. What I find in scripture is that people are consumed by sin. That is what identifies everyone. The version of tolerance you will hear preached on every avenue in American culture is aimed at tolerance of sin. I am not talking about equality of race or gender here, because we as Americans hold that it is evident that everyone is created equal in the eyes of God. I am talking about the type of tolerance for any belief system that embraces that there are not universal morals and will accept any action as acceptable. Meaning, I should be okay with him being gay, because it doesn't infringe on my Christianity, but I must hold back my beliefs because they are opposed to his own lifestyle.
If sin is what defines the human race, then I could easily go on a rant here about existentialism and how what you justify for yourself to do as acceptable you therefore justify for all men to do, but I think what describes what I am talking about better than that is found in Romans 1:32. This passage is talking about people who have heard the truth of God but refuse to turn to Him. It says, "They know God's justice... yet they continue to sin anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do so, too."
Here is the reality for us as Christians. We cannot try to enter this culture of tolerance and expect to have our gospel accepted and embraced. It will embrace any form of sinful nature because it does not bring the guild and shame on them that the gospel does, but they will continue to refuse to hear the truth of scripture. Jesus told the disciples that the servant is no better than his master so if they hated Jesus, they will hate us too. Well, in the end, they hated Jesus. In fact, all but one of the disciples ended up murdered too. If you are faithful, don't expect a warm welcome by the lost because your life is convicting to them.
All of that said, what we must do is to strive to be faithful to the work which God has called us to, realizing that things aren't always going to go well for us. I want to urge you guys this week to remain unwavering in your faith, even when the world hates you for it.
Aristotle said, “Tolerance and apathy are the last virtues of a dying society,” yet it seems that these two precisely describe modern day America. We have come to a place where no one wants to buy into absolute truths, yet we still expect that America can hold on to her freedoms and privileges without question. If we no longer hold to any self-evident truths, then we have no grounds on which our nation can stand.A couple of weeks ago I was hanging out with some new friends talking about going to a local fair. One mentioned the fact that she wanted to bring another friend but that he was gay, and wanted to know if I would be okay with that. My response was that I would be fine hanging around with him, but would he be okay hanging around with me. My reasoning was that if he is gay, and that is how he defines himself as a person, then I should expect him to act in such a way to display this identity. In the same way, if I define myself as a Christian and a minister, then he should also expect me to act in such a way as to display my own identity. In other words, if he is going to want me to be okay when he points out how hott some other guy is, then I should also expect him to be fine with me talking about how amazing my God is.
If the moral standard for America is to take all you can before it is taken from you, then we do not believe “that all men are created equal” nor do all men share in the rights of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” What we essentially believe is that I have the right to do whatever I want even at the expense of everyone else around. And then when I feel that my self-given rights are violated I loudly declare intolerance.
Even as you read these words, I suspect that you see the improbability in this happening. What I find in scripture is that people are consumed by sin. That is what identifies everyone. The version of tolerance you will hear preached on every avenue in American culture is aimed at tolerance of sin. I am not talking about equality of race or gender here, because we as Americans hold that it is evident that everyone is created equal in the eyes of God. I am talking about the type of tolerance for any belief system that embraces that there are not universal morals and will accept any action as acceptable. Meaning, I should be okay with him being gay, because it doesn't infringe on my Christianity, but I must hold back my beliefs because they are opposed to his own lifestyle.
If sin is what defines the human race, then I could easily go on a rant here about existentialism and how what you justify for yourself to do as acceptable you therefore justify for all men to do, but I think what describes what I am talking about better than that is found in Romans 1:32. This passage is talking about people who have heard the truth of God but refuse to turn to Him. It says, "They know God's justice... yet they continue to sin anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do so, too."
Here is the reality for us as Christians. We cannot try to enter this culture of tolerance and expect to have our gospel accepted and embraced. It will embrace any form of sinful nature because it does not bring the guild and shame on them that the gospel does, but they will continue to refuse to hear the truth of scripture. Jesus told the disciples that the servant is no better than his master so if they hated Jesus, they will hate us too. Well, in the end, they hated Jesus. In fact, all but one of the disciples ended up murdered too. If you are faithful, don't expect a warm welcome by the lost because your life is convicting to them.
All of that said, what we must do is to strive to be faithful to the work which God has called us to, realizing that things aren't always going to go well for us. I want to urge you guys this week to remain unwavering in your faith, even when the world hates you for it.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Thoughts on Door-Knocking
So I watched this video telling me how to witness by door knocking.
1. Most people are not going to talk to you for 10 minutes when you interrupt their T.V. time, let's just be realistic about that. The only ones who really care to talk to door knockers are preachers or bible college students who like to argue when the mormons come around.
2. Why does everyone who posts anything about witnessing online always feel the need to push the fact that people are going to hell versus heaven. It is a scare tactic to coerce people into saying a prayer, but it never gives them any of the reality of what it means to live as a child of God or discipleship.
3. The prayer mentality in itself is a joke. Dietrich Bonhoffer discusses this as 'cheap grace' in his book The Cost of Discipleship. True grace is that which calls people into discipleship, not just to simply say a prayer to be saved.
4. I thank God that I am Calvinist for this reason: If the man at the door rejects the preacher, then the preacher gives up on their salvation and moves on taking it as a personal rejection and then sins in judgment of this person. But, if God's Spirit comes into this man's life, it doesn't matter how long it takes, God won't give up on him - He will come to salvation.
5. Just a quick though towards "The Way of the Master" style of evangelism. I don't think Jesus ever did this. Ever. Just saying.
I thank God for the Gospel, but door knocking is never used in the Bible for evangelism. Instead, Jesus called His disciples to give their lives to the demonstration of what it means to live in God's Kingdom. If we will truly worship God with all our hearts, souls, strengths, and minds, then God will shine through our lives and words without ever handing a tract to anyone. I am not saying don't tell people what the Bible says, I am just saying that we need to be witnesses to the people at work, school, library, in traffic, at sporting events, in restaurants, etc. Not just when it is convenient to put on a suit, grab our King James Bible, and spend an hour disturbing our neighbors.
1. Most people are not going to talk to you for 10 minutes when you interrupt their T.V. time, let's just be realistic about that. The only ones who really care to talk to door knockers are preachers or bible college students who like to argue when the mormons come around.
2. Why does everyone who posts anything about witnessing online always feel the need to push the fact that people are going to hell versus heaven. It is a scare tactic to coerce people into saying a prayer, but it never gives them any of the reality of what it means to live as a child of God or discipleship.
3. The prayer mentality in itself is a joke. Dietrich Bonhoffer discusses this as 'cheap grace' in his book The Cost of Discipleship. True grace is that which calls people into discipleship, not just to simply say a prayer to be saved.
4. I thank God that I am Calvinist for this reason: If the man at the door rejects the preacher, then the preacher gives up on their salvation and moves on taking it as a personal rejection and then sins in judgment of this person. But, if God's Spirit comes into this man's life, it doesn't matter how long it takes, God won't give up on him - He will come to salvation.
5. Just a quick though towards "The Way of the Master" style of evangelism. I don't think Jesus ever did this. Ever. Just saying.
I thank God for the Gospel, but door knocking is never used in the Bible for evangelism. Instead, Jesus called His disciples to give their lives to the demonstration of what it means to live in God's Kingdom. If we will truly worship God with all our hearts, souls, strengths, and minds, then God will shine through our lives and words without ever handing a tract to anyone. I am not saying don't tell people what the Bible says, I am just saying that we need to be witnesses to the people at work, school, library, in traffic, at sporting events, in restaurants, etc. Not just when it is convenient to put on a suit, grab our King James Bible, and spend an hour disturbing our neighbors.
"Go and Make Disciples"
If you have been a Christian long I am sure you are familiar with the passage found in Mark 16 (or at least Matthew 20) where Jesus tells the disciples to go into all the world preaching and making disciples. It is at the end of His earthly ministry and even after the resurrection has taken place. It seems as if He is telling them, I am leaving, but you are ready to do what I have been doing.
This week I have been faced with a few Christians who have all said things to the effect of, "I am just not prepared for outreach" or "I am still working on myself." This sounds spiritual and we could probably say that there needs to be some time 'settling in' this Christian life before we go out and try and make converts.
We could even look at where the disciples find themselves standing three years into it getting a commission from the Lord and say, well, He had trained them until they were prepared so we should be trained and ready before we try our hand at evangelism. The problem I find with this interpretation of what is going on is that it is a lie from the Devil. What I find in scripture is that not only is the last call to the disciples, "go and make disciples," but it is the first as well.
In Mark chapter 1 we find Jesus walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. When He comes across the brothers, Simon and Andrew fishing He calls out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers for people." He is essentially saying, "Come be my disciples so that you can make disciples."
As we follow the story line along it doesn't take long for Jesus to be followed by huge crowds in which he heals the sick, casts out demons, and preaches salvation from the Lord. But He never says to the disciples, "sit close and take notes because you will take over when I am gone." One day, in fact, He just tells them to go out in pairs and heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach salvation. Essentially, "Go and make disciples." (You can read about this in Luke 9.)
When they return to Him, sure, I am sure they had problems, but Jesus then returns to a time of instruction before sending them out again, and this time a larger number of them. (You can read this in Luke 10).
When we look at the disciples we can plainly say that they weren't ready. I mean Peter is soon to deny Jesus three times, so we can't say His faith was solid yet. And even Judas Iscariot was one of the ones sent out. But Jesus never said that they need to work on themselves before going out. What He taught them was that the Kingdom of God is too big to be contained and must be taken into the world.
This week, my challenge to you is to get over yourself and preach the Good News wherever you are. I will also be posting some stuff on evangelism through the week so check back.
This week I have been faced with a few Christians who have all said things to the effect of, "I am just not prepared for outreach" or "I am still working on myself." This sounds spiritual and we could probably say that there needs to be some time 'settling in' this Christian life before we go out and try and make converts.
We could even look at where the disciples find themselves standing three years into it getting a commission from the Lord and say, well, He had trained them until they were prepared so we should be trained and ready before we try our hand at evangelism. The problem I find with this interpretation of what is going on is that it is a lie from the Devil. What I find in scripture is that not only is the last call to the disciples, "go and make disciples," but it is the first as well.
In Mark chapter 1 we find Jesus walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. When He comes across the brothers, Simon and Andrew fishing He calls out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers for people." He is essentially saying, "Come be my disciples so that you can make disciples."
As we follow the story line along it doesn't take long for Jesus to be followed by huge crowds in which he heals the sick, casts out demons, and preaches salvation from the Lord. But He never says to the disciples, "sit close and take notes because you will take over when I am gone." One day, in fact, He just tells them to go out in pairs and heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach salvation. Essentially, "Go and make disciples." (You can read about this in Luke 9.)
When they return to Him, sure, I am sure they had problems, but Jesus then returns to a time of instruction before sending them out again, and this time a larger number of them. (You can read this in Luke 10).
When we look at the disciples we can plainly say that they weren't ready. I mean Peter is soon to deny Jesus three times, so we can't say His faith was solid yet. And even Judas Iscariot was one of the ones sent out. But Jesus never said that they need to work on themselves before going out. What He taught them was that the Kingdom of God is too big to be contained and must be taken into the world.
This week, my challenge to you is to get over yourself and preach the Good News wherever you are. I will also be posting some stuff on evangelism through the week so check back.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Waiting on this book... total nerd.
Ok, so I intended on writing something today on Mark 1:17, and I will get there, it just apparently isn't going to happen today. Maybe tomorrow night. Anyways, just wanted to promote this book. It comes out Sept. 30 and is going to be deep theological ideas simplified for anyone to get. I can't wait.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Always amazed by Crowder
Ok. On David Crowder Band's newest CD, Remedy, my favorite song in Neverending. I will get in the car and play it 10 times. So I was looking for a live video on youtube and came across this little treasure. Not only does he play the song Neverending, but he plays it on a Guitar Hero controller that the drummer programmed with chords. Check it out.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
A couple of videos
First, Dr. Tim Keller, Founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan talks about his new book 'The Reason for God'. Thought this is a great lecture, wish it was longer. What I really enjoyed is the attitude of humility he holds to during the questions at the end:
And second, Do Christians get on your nerves? Surprisingly to me, only 44% said yes:
And second, Do Christians get on your nerves? Surprisingly to me, only 44% said yes:
Ancient Gates???
"Open up, Ancient Gates! Open up ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle. Open up, Ancient Gates! Open up ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven's Armies - he is the King of Glory" (Psalm 24:7-10, NLT)
If Christ is the King of Glory, then humanity must be the ancient gates. Since the time of Adam and Eve we have shut ourselves off from Him. It is time to open up and let the King of Glory in.
If Christ is the King of Glory, then humanity must be the ancient gates. Since the time of Adam and Eve we have shut ourselves off from Him. It is time to open up and let the King of Glory in.
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