Friday, April 17, 2009

A note of encouragement to my congregation

I can’t thank you enough for your support through this time of my surgery and medical needs. I would be understating things if I didn’t acknowledge that this has been one of my most challenging hours. But through this have also been some very encouraging and deepening times with the Lord and I don’t want to miss the opportunity to convey some of those to you and enourage you likewise.

It seems that it often takes times of being stretched even to brokenness that God proves His sufficiency and that has been true. The sole sufficiency of trusting in God alone and the reality of His presence has been a constant encouragement. I don’t think I have valued people as much as I do now. Your support and prayers are highly valued. You are highly valued.

How does one get ready for times like this? Let me offer two passages and a word of practical application.

(Rom 8:28-29 NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. {29} For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

(Phil 2:12-13 NIV) Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, {13} for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Before you run off and add more to your to do list on trying to correct spiritual deficiencies in your life, I really want to encourage you to camp on Phil 2:13 and Rom 8:29 and by faith daily reflect on the God-side of what He is doing. You have an inseparable relationship with someone who is at work in your life and loves you unconditionally and inseparably. Count on Him to be doing His work in you. You are not alone in this process and guess who is going to be more faithful. You and I don’t have the capacity to do this without His help. Taking time each day will keep your mind and heart focused in the right direction.

I came back from vacation last August, highly motivated to gear us up for a new level of focusing on our vision. I was delighted that the leadership owned the vision as I believe is still the case. That vision hasn’t changed. We are still seeking to build a community to reach a community but I have added some additional words for clarification. We are building a growing biblical community that seeks to graciously connect the transforming power of Jesus Christ with our unchurched community. Building a biblical community means we are anchored on God’s truth and seeking to build relationships, a major theme in the Bible. We have a whole community around us that needs to know the power of God in their life and grow in community. I can’t think of a better place. Churches don’t need a lot of programs but a simple ministry with a focused mission.

Overarching all that has been happening is what God is doing in all of us. We need to stay focused on what He is trying to accomplish and follow His lead.


Pastor Joel

Sunday, April 5, 2009

The Centrality of the Cross

Good Friday and Easter bring to us a reminder of what God accomplished in Jesus’ death on the cross. For any of us (who contemplate a right relationship with God in His terms) are interested in how God wants us to come into a relationship with Him that is free from guilt and punishment. The good news is that God has taken care of everything for us. This is often hard news because we all live in or have lived in performance demanding cultures. Certainly the disciples had their taste of performance demands coming out of a Pharisaic culture. But even today with a culture that demands acceptance by performance, it is too often to feel regularly ashamed because we don’t think we have done enough: attend church enough, been kind enough, served enough, etc. How much is enough? How do you meet the high and holy standards of a Holy God whose standards are perfect.
Test this out on anyone who says that they think that the way to heaven is by living the Ten Commandments, then ask them to repeat them. This can get startling so be careful. A good follow-up is then to turn to the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus nailed the Pharisees who thought they were doing OK but then He took them to the heart of the matter and culminated by saying they needed to be perfect as His Father is. We are done in at the start.

The good news is, although God does grade on performance, it is Jesus’ performance that satisfies God’s demands. The perfection that God requires has been accomplished in the perfect performance of Jesus Christ by His perfect life and obedient death on the cross. Easter and the resurrection is the defining event to confirm Jesus’ qualification as the Son of God to accomplish our redemption.

No wonder the gospel writers focused most of their verses of gospel account on the last week and the cross. No wonder Paul always places so much emphasis on the work of the cross.
Though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:4-8)

Or in his letter to the Galatians where he addresses an attempted performance add-on to the purity of the gospel.
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.Galatians 2:20

My favorite is found in Paul’s magnum opus on the gospel (or how does one come into right standing before God?).
there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)

This is good news. As a believer in Jesus Christ my trust is in what He has done. My right relationship with God is by faith, which if you remember my definitions of faith, is my trust in the truth and reality that God has established and reveals through His Word. If He says that Jesus’ death establishes a relationship of no condemnation, then I can now live with and before Him enjoying life. My performance is one of every growing, every enjoying the greatness of God and His transforming work in my life. Acceptance is full and complete. Love is unconditional and inseparable. This is wonderful good news and a daily joy and expression of worship Remember that the One who knows you best loves you most. As before, let me know what you think.