Doing what’s right isn’t always easy. There are times that standing up for God will mean standing alone against a mountain of opposition. The media of this country is often outraged by what the Bible teaches us is right, and has infected the minds of many against the truth. We know there will be immense pressure for us to change our ways if we stand up for what’s right. It would be much easier if we conceded, and accepted the status quo.
Elijah dealt with this way back in 1 Kings. At this time many of those in Israel had turned from God, and instead worshipped the Baal’s. Even those who did stay loyal to God not were unwilling to stand up and declare that God is Lord, for they feared how they might be persecuted. It caused Elijah to make this statement in 1 Kings 18:22:
“I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; for Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.”
Elijah was alone, and yet He didn’t back down. Elijah was alone, but He remained steadfast. Elijah was alone, and yet He stood up for the Lord. Elijah did this because He understood the truth. There may have been 450 prophets of a false God opposing him, but He had one real God on His side. It may not have looked like it, but Elijah had the upper hand. That became clear when God consumed those false prophets later in the passage, and Elijah had a great victory.
If you are 1 vs. 450. 1 vs. 5, or 1 vs. a million you have the upper hand if you stand up for the Lord. Many people may say that it is wrong for us to claim that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light, and one can only come to God through Him. Many may say it is wrong for us to claim only our religion is right. Many may say that it is old and outdated for us to think a person should wait until marriage to have sex. Many may call us fools for committing our lives to an ancient religion.
None of that matters. What many claim is nothing compared to what one God says. The many that oppose us have no power compared to the one God who is for us. Do not fear when they call you stupid, offensive, or wrong. Don’t hide in the shadows, and not let anyone know what it is you believe. Stand up for the truth as Elijah did, and know that God is with you. What God is with no one can stand against. What God has created no one can destroy. Stand alone if you must, but stand. God will always be on your side.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
So Drama
There is something I’ve noticed in many of the churches I’ve attended that has made me uncomfortable. It’s during a point in the service when someone, maybe the worship leader or preacher, wants to heighten the drama. They sometimes do this by saying a prayer where the words are used to lead into a song, or to start back into another song. It’s supposed to be dramatic. I think it’s wrong. Don’t use God for your drama.
Prayer is amazing. Being able to know, speak to, and have a relationship with the living God of the universe is a great blessing. When we use our relationship with God to heighten drama, however, we don’t honor Him. We cheapen our relationship with Him. We make it little more than a tool for us to use when we want.
God does not let us speak to Him so we can make our worship songs more moving. God did not give us prayer so we could abuse it for our drama. He gave us prayer, and introduced Himself to us so we could be transformed into a new person saved by grace. He did not do it so we could be dramatic.
Prayer is amazing. Being able to know, speak to, and have a relationship with the living God of the universe is a great blessing. When we use our relationship with God to heighten drama, however, we don’t honor Him. We cheapen our relationship with Him. We make it little more than a tool for us to use when we want.
God does not let us speak to Him so we can make our worship songs more moving. God did not give us prayer so we could abuse it for our drama. He gave us prayer, and introduced Himself to us so we could be transformed into a new person saved by grace. He did not do it so we could be dramatic.
Monday, January 24, 2011
At the Well: One Lost Person
This story ends in a powerful way in John 4:39-41:
“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word.”
What this shows is the amazing impact witnessing to one lost sinner can have. Many of the Samaritans came to believe because one sinful woman was witnessed to, and she witnessed to others. Jesus did not judge this woman, did not condemn her, and did not refuse to speak to her. He addressed her, forgave her, and offered her salvation. Through this singular act many came to believe in the truth.
We should never turn our backs on one lost person. We should never think anyone is too depraved to be saved, or they’re not worth saving. Jesus reached out to one sinful woman, and countless people were saved as a result. Countless more could be saved if we would witness to just one. Just one person can transform the world.
We should look for such people in our lives, and witness to them as Jesus witnessed to the woman at the well. We never know what our witness could accomplish through them. Even if we only save them it is enough. The heavens rejoice when one lost person is found.
“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word.”
What this shows is the amazing impact witnessing to one lost sinner can have. Many of the Samaritans came to believe because one sinful woman was witnessed to, and she witnessed to others. Jesus did not judge this woman, did not condemn her, and did not refuse to speak to her. He addressed her, forgave her, and offered her salvation. Through this singular act many came to believe in the truth.
We should never turn our backs on one lost person. We should never think anyone is too depraved to be saved, or they’re not worth saving. Jesus reached out to one sinful woman, and countless people were saved as a result. Countless more could be saved if we would witness to just one. Just one person can transform the world.
We should look for such people in our lives, and witness to them as Jesus witnessed to the woman at the well. We never know what our witness could accomplish through them. Even if we only save them it is enough. The heavens rejoice when one lost person is found.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
At the Well: Unexpected Sources
Why did the woman leave her waterpot? Where did she go? John 4:28-30 tells us:
“The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ Then they went out of the city, and they came to Him.”
The woman left her waterpot because she went to go tell others about Jesus. This woman who just earlier in this same day had been the sinning woman who had five husbands, was now living with a man who was not her husband, and had to go to the well on her own because she was such a social outcast was now the witness to the grace of Jesus Christ.
It is unlikely that any of these Samaritan men thought this woman would be the witness that would bring the good news of Jesus Christ to their land, but that’s what happened. The woman witnesses. She is an unexpected source, but she is listened to. The men go to see Jesus because of her.
We may be sinners. There may be people around us who know the ways we’ve stumbled, and we may fear what they can say about us if we ever confess the name of Jesus. We must not let that stop us. Jesus used this woman as an unexpected source, and He can also use us. He can use those around us we have always known to be great sinners. We should not be afraid to listen to unexpected sources of wisdom in our day.
Jesus can use us to witness to His power no matter the depraved state we were in before we knew Him. How evil we were before we knew Him demonstrates His power, for when we’ve changed as this woman did it shows just how good Jesus is. He can turn us sinners into good. He can transform us. He can witness through all of us.
“The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ Then they went out of the city, and they came to Him.”
The woman left her waterpot because she went to go tell others about Jesus. This woman who just earlier in this same day had been the sinning woman who had five husbands, was now living with a man who was not her husband, and had to go to the well on her own because she was such a social outcast was now the witness to the grace of Jesus Christ.
It is unlikely that any of these Samaritan men thought this woman would be the witness that would bring the good news of Jesus Christ to their land, but that’s what happened. The woman witnesses. She is an unexpected source, but she is listened to. The men go to see Jesus because of her.
We may be sinners. There may be people around us who know the ways we’ve stumbled, and we may fear what they can say about us if we ever confess the name of Jesus. We must not let that stop us. Jesus used this woman as an unexpected source, and He can also use us. He can use those around us we have always known to be great sinners. We should not be afraid to listen to unexpected sources of wisdom in our day.
Jesus can use us to witness to His power no matter the depraved state we were in before we knew Him. How evil we were before we knew Him demonstrates His power, for when we’ve changed as this woman did it shows just how good Jesus is. He can turn us sinners into good. He can transform us. He can witness through all of us.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
At the Well: Waterpots
The starting words of the next verse are perhaps the most impactful of this entire story. They show the reaction of the woman to all Jesus has told her about himself. She doesn’t need to tell us if she’s accepted the truth. These starting words are in John 4:28:
“The woman than left her waterpot,”
They may not seem like much, but these words are like an explosion. They’re huge. The woman went to the well because she was thirsty, and then she left her waterpot. How could she do this? It was more than just her being forgetful. The woman got what Jesus taught her.
The truth so touched the woman she forgot her need for water because the love of Jesus so filled her. That really is amazing, and shows what the truth can do to a person. When we finally accept the grace Jesus Christ offers us we can forget all these other things we use to fill ourselves up. We won’t need to constantly find a new person to have sex with, for we’ll find that grace fills us more than those hollow relationships ever could. We won’t need to always find new ways to acquire money, for Jesus can make us more rich than wealth ever could. We won’t always need to buy new video games when we accept Jesus can offer us so much more than created experiences ever can. We can leave these things when we bow down to the throne of righteousness, and accept that what we really need to be filled with is the living water offered to us by Jesus Christ.
The woman left her waterpot. What do we need to leave? We can leave it, for Jesus can make us never go thirsty again. We can abandon our sin. We can overcome it. We can continue to have things like money, video games, and sex (with our spouses), but we can live free of the chains such things can put on us. We can realize we don’t need to turn to such things to be filled. The only thing that can really fill us, and leave us full is Jesus. We can leave our waterpots. We can be filled with Him.
“The woman than left her waterpot,”
They may not seem like much, but these words are like an explosion. They’re huge. The woman went to the well because she was thirsty, and then she left her waterpot. How could she do this? It was more than just her being forgetful. The woman got what Jesus taught her.
The truth so touched the woman she forgot her need for water because the love of Jesus so filled her. That really is amazing, and shows what the truth can do to a person. When we finally accept the grace Jesus Christ offers us we can forget all these other things we use to fill ourselves up. We won’t need to constantly find a new person to have sex with, for we’ll find that grace fills us more than those hollow relationships ever could. We won’t need to always find new ways to acquire money, for Jesus can make us more rich than wealth ever could. We won’t always need to buy new video games when we accept Jesus can offer us so much more than created experiences ever can. We can leave these things when we bow down to the throne of righteousness, and accept that what we really need to be filled with is the living water offered to us by Jesus Christ.
The woman left her waterpot. What do we need to leave? We can leave it, for Jesus can make us never go thirsty again. We can abandon our sin. We can overcome it. We can continue to have things like money, video games, and sex (with our spouses), but we can live free of the chains such things can put on us. We can realize we don’t need to turn to such things to be filled. The only thing that can really fill us, and leave us full is Jesus. We can leave our waterpots. We can be filled with Him.
Monday, January 17, 2011
At the Well: For the Helpless
Up to this point Jesus was alone with the woman at the well. John 4:27 shows what happens when the disciples return to Him:
“And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said ‘What do you seek?’ or, ‘Why are You talking with her?”
The disciples judged. That’s what it means that they marveled. Not that they were amazed with Him. Instead they wondered why He, a Jewish rabbi, was lowering himself to talk to some lowly Samaritan woman. They judged her as unworthy of His time. This is a good example of a time the disciples teach an important lesson by doing something stupid.
They should not have judged, and yet they did. So do we in such times. When someone confesses the name of Jesus we often feel anger toward them because we get offended for others. When they break through social taboos to share the gospel, as Jesus did here, we are more concerned with the rules they break than with the truth they share. When we consider witnessing or reaching out to others in the name of Christ we often ignore the needs of those who are homeless, drug addicts, or consumed by perversion because we are better than that. We are too good to witness to such people. We are above them, and would have to lower ourselves to be in their presence.
This ought not to be. If we must lower ourselves then we should. The homeless person under the bridge deserves the chance to hear Jesus as much as the rich guy in the gated community. We are not called to share the gospel with only certain types of people. All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. All need to be redeemed. We shouldn’t refuse to go on a mission trip to Africa because we might get a little dirty. It is wrong to leave a pregnant teenage girl to fend for herself when she’s been thrown out of the house because of the mistakes she’s made. We are called to help the helpless, and to love the unlovable.
That’s the example Jesus set when He witnessed to a fallen Samaritan woman. We should never judge as the disciples did when we see others loving the unlovable as Jesus taught them to. We should join in. We represent Christ, and we should be like Him. Look beyond your own social circles, and see there’s a whole world out there that needs salvation. Get down, and get dirty to make sure others can know Jesus. Humble yourself. Help the helpless. Love the unlovable. Share the love of Jesus.
“And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said ‘What do you seek?’ or, ‘Why are You talking with her?”
The disciples judged. That’s what it means that they marveled. Not that they were amazed with Him. Instead they wondered why He, a Jewish rabbi, was lowering himself to talk to some lowly Samaritan woman. They judged her as unworthy of His time. This is a good example of a time the disciples teach an important lesson by doing something stupid.
They should not have judged, and yet they did. So do we in such times. When someone confesses the name of Jesus we often feel anger toward them because we get offended for others. When they break through social taboos to share the gospel, as Jesus did here, we are more concerned with the rules they break than with the truth they share. When we consider witnessing or reaching out to others in the name of Christ we often ignore the needs of those who are homeless, drug addicts, or consumed by perversion because we are better than that. We are too good to witness to such people. We are above them, and would have to lower ourselves to be in their presence.
This ought not to be. If we must lower ourselves then we should. The homeless person under the bridge deserves the chance to hear Jesus as much as the rich guy in the gated community. We are not called to share the gospel with only certain types of people. All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. All need to be redeemed. We shouldn’t refuse to go on a mission trip to Africa because we might get a little dirty. It is wrong to leave a pregnant teenage girl to fend for herself when she’s been thrown out of the house because of the mistakes she’s made. We are called to help the helpless, and to love the unlovable.
That’s the example Jesus set when He witnessed to a fallen Samaritan woman. We should never judge as the disciples did when we see others loving the unlovable as Jesus taught them to. We should join in. We represent Christ, and we should be like Him. Look beyond your own social circles, and see there’s a whole world out there that needs salvation. Get down, and get dirty to make sure others can know Jesus. Humble yourself. Help the helpless. Love the unlovable. Share the love of Jesus.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
At the Well: In Spirit and Truth
In the verses I discussed in the last entry I mainly noted how the woman was trying to find a way to distract Jesus. Her question, however, is an important one that is still often raised today. As a reminder, what she said is in John 4:19-20:
“The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
She is really asking where it is God ought to be worshipped. Jews said in Jerusalem. Samaritan’s said elsewhere. This fight reflects one that still happens among the denominations today. Should we worship God in a Baptist church, or in a Lutheran church? Should we worship God as Catholics while taking mass, or as Pentecostals while speaking in tongues? What denomination has the best claim to worship? Who has it in with God? Jesus answers this in verses 21-24:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, or in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth.”
Jesus gives a good answer to the question of where we can worship. The answer? Anywhere. Catholics, Baptist, Jews, Gentiles, Americans, Arabs, and anyone else can worship God from anywhere because God does not reside in a building. God is not walls, or steeples. God is not a mountain. “God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth.”
With the coming of Jesus the Holy Spirit now resides within us when we accept the truth that Jesus came to die on the cross for all our sins, and to redeem us from death. We don’t need to be Baptist, Catholic, Episcopalian, Methodist, or anything else to worship. We only have to have the conversation the Samaritan woman has with Jesus in verses 25-26:
“The woman said to Him, ‘I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.”
Believe those words Jesus said, and worship in Spirit and Truth. Worship Him in your house, at your job, on the beach, in your car, and everywhere else. Worship Him by living with Him. Go to church, but also be the church. Don’t fight over who has the greatest claim to Jesus. Thanks to His redemptive power we all can claim His grace. We all can worship Him from where we are.
“The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
She is really asking where it is God ought to be worshipped. Jews said in Jerusalem. Samaritan’s said elsewhere. This fight reflects one that still happens among the denominations today. Should we worship God in a Baptist church, or in a Lutheran church? Should we worship God as Catholics while taking mass, or as Pentecostals while speaking in tongues? What denomination has the best claim to worship? Who has it in with God? Jesus answers this in verses 21-24:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, or in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth.”
Jesus gives a good answer to the question of where we can worship. The answer? Anywhere. Catholics, Baptist, Jews, Gentiles, Americans, Arabs, and anyone else can worship God from anywhere because God does not reside in a building. God is not walls, or steeples. God is not a mountain. “God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth.”
With the coming of Jesus the Holy Spirit now resides within us when we accept the truth that Jesus came to die on the cross for all our sins, and to redeem us from death. We don’t need to be Baptist, Catholic, Episcopalian, Methodist, or anything else to worship. We only have to have the conversation the Samaritan woman has with Jesus in verses 25-26:
“The woman said to Him, ‘I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.”
Believe those words Jesus said, and worship in Spirit and Truth. Worship Him in your house, at your job, on the beach, in your car, and everywhere else. Worship Him by living with Him. Go to church, but also be the church. Don’t fight over who has the greatest claim to Jesus. Thanks to His redemptive power we all can claim His grace. We all can worship Him from where we are.
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