True zeal and the spreading of fiery joy in Africa

Last Sunday, our sermon centered on the command from Romans 12:11. Here we observed that in living out our service (or worship) to the Lord, we are to not be lazy in zeal, but fervent in spirit. Zeal, we saw, involves more than just feelings that we experience. Biblical zeal involves both diligence and earnest passion for Christ. It involves our heads and hearts, led by the Spirit, through the Word, visibly expressing and building fiery joy in God. The fiery idea comes from fervent, which literally means very hot. The context of the message focused more on what this could look like in a worship service setting. The sermon’s main illustration was of the negative and positive examples from 2 Samuel 6. Here, we remember, David directed the ark of the covenant to be brought to Jerusalem. With that decision, and the worship setting that followed, we saw zeal that involved the heart and body. “David and all the house of Israel were making merry before the LORD, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals,” (2 Samuel 6:5).

In our minds, we can see the excitement of David and the musicians. But this wasn’t the fulness of biblical zeal. It lacked the spiritual and mental diligence and doggedness to seek and obey the Spirit’s clear directive as revealed in God’s Word. In this time of worship, the ark, representing God’s holy presence on earth, was not held up by poles going through rings on its side (Exodus 25:14-15), nor was it carried by those poles on the Levite’s (specifically sons of Kohath’s) shoulders (Numbers 7:9). Instead, the very presence of the one and only, holy God was treated by His redeemed people just as the pagan Philistines had treated it (see 1 Samuel 6:7-12). The warning that it must never be touched, upon penalty of death (Numbers 4:15), was also overlooked with devastating consequences (2 Samuel 6:6-7).

The second attempt to bring the ark into the new capital of Jerusalem did witness, however, true, biblical zeal and fiery excitement in God. David repented, admitting his wrong and error he had committed publicly (1 Chronicles 15:13). He clearly obeyed the Word of the Lord this time (1 Chronicles 15:4,15). He prepared a place and pitched a tent to house the ark (1 Chronicles 15:1). He also showed even greater faith and joy by formally commanding a group of singers and musicians to be formed for recognizing God’s majesty and leading the people into joyful praise (1 Chronicles 15:16-24). Before arriving in Jerusalem, indeed when the Kohathites bearing the ark had gone only six steps, David had them sacrifice to the LORD (2 Samuel 6:13). During this time David danced before the LORD with all his might (2 Samuel 6:14). The zeal involving the head, heart, and bodily expression of joy in God only grew as the LORD’s special presence grew closer and closer to Jerusalem.

The joy in God grew in the people, with one major and noted exception – Michal. David’s wife, purposefully referred to as the daughter of Saul (the disobedient and dead King) actually despised David’s zeal (2 Samuel 6:16). When he returned home, she actually rebuked David. She pridefully mistook His fiery joy and humble demonstration of God as King as shameless indecency and below him (2 Samuel 6:21).

We also mentioned Sunday, how these warnings of laziness in our fiery zeal could apply to us in our current arrangement as a bilingual church of English and Swahili speakers. What wasn’t touched on as much though, was what this could look like outside a worship service. What follows is a testimony I believe demonstrates biblical zeal in its full sense, visibly expressing and building fiery joy in God. I pray it is helpful for you.

A year into seminary, Katie and I were blessed with the opportunity to go on a short-term trip with mentors of ours to a small, African village in Mwandi, Zambia. While there, just after a Sunday worship service, we met a young local who was in missionary training and soon to be on route to spread the Gospel among bushmen in Malawi. His name was Percy, and as God would have it, he was back home in Mwandi for a short time. After a long conversation about missions and the Gospel following church the first Sunday, he abruptly decided that he would find me the next day and take Katie and I around the community to share the Gospel with the villagers. As we were going around the next day (my first ever experience of evangelism!), there was a woman whom several people recommended we see. It took two days of making the rounds before we were able to meet this woman, and when we did, we were in for the shock of my lives.

We walked up to this woman’s typical Mwandi-style mud hut with a thatched roof to find a lady sitting in a small chair to the left of her house. Her face was one of gloom, and through the translator we learned that she was in terrible pain after going to see the local witchdoctor. I looked at her arms and they had these strange, dotted tattoos all over them. She told us the witchdoctor had given her these, and then I heard words that took me aback. She stated very clearly that the witchdoctor had sent demons into her.

Now, my simple Presbyterian upbringing had barely mentioned (as far as I can remember anyway) the Holy Spirit, much less spiritual warfare or demonic possession! I have to admit, I was initially very skeptical of the lady’s words. There was a large part of me that simply believed this woman was severely depressed. But thankfully, I was with brothers and sisters in Christ who knew well the Scriptures concerning demonic influence, and had faith and zeal to act on what they knew. With fervent hearts they said they were going to pray for this dear lady. I am grateful I was with these dear brothers and sisters that day, because without them, I could easily have quenched the Spirit with faint prayers for visible symptoms and totally missed the heart of the matter. This woman didn’t need merely delicate words of cheer and encouragement, this woman needed Spirit-empowered deliverance!

All this was happening so fast though, and my heart was racing. Should I even be a part of this prayer? Did I believe this was a legitimate case of possession and did the Scriptures permit, or even call believers to pray prayers like what this group was about to pray? My mind began sprinting back to the little I did know from the Scriptures on possession. Unlike at times where it appears some were not immediately healed who sought it (Trophimus in II Timothy 4:20) or sometimes ever healed (Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9), in that moment I couldn’t think of any times where a person possessed ever came across Jesus’ or the apostles paths without them praying for their deliverance. I decided somewhat reluctantly that I could pray a simple prayer in my mind while keeping my eyes open as I had been instructed. I remember hearing great cries of prayer to the LORD for His help and for deliverance in the name of Jesus for this poor soul. Then after a while, my mentor came and wonderfully shared the Gospel with this dear lady. His point, going back to everyone’s need for salvation in Christ through faith, and specifically to Matthew 12:43-45 was that this lady didn’t just need her soul (house) cleaned of demons, she needed the transforming power of Christ Jesus, and a new resident and defender – the Holy Spirit. After the Gospel was presented,  Katie and the other ladies remained in the house and prayed more for her, while the men prayed outside. Our friend Percy sensed that she wasn’t immediately receptive to the Gospel, but the prayers had been fervently prayed and the Gospel had been clearly articulated.

Just two days later we stopped by in hopes of visiting this poor lady. A woman outside her house invited us in. While inside, we waited for some time wondering what had happened to this woman. After a long time, Percy shared with us that the lady who had invited us in was the very same that we had prayed for just two days prior. I didn’t even recognize her! The countenance of her face, her body language, her demeanor was completely changed. She was smiling brightly. We learned this precious, new sister-in-Christ’s name was Agnes. Sometime since our last visit, she had received Christ! Through the power of Jesus, she was a new creature, rescued from bondage and now walking in freedom. As we left, she specifically told us that she was planning to come to Church that Sunday.

A few days later, as the Lord would have it, we arrived late to church and were placed in the choir section at the front of the packed church. This meant that for the entirety of the service we were looking out on the congregation. I will never forget what I saw that day. There, a couple of seats to the left of the middle aisle about halfway back was Agnes. It was a special harvest Sunday for the church and so the people brought what they had up front to give to the Lord and use to help the needy. Agnes presented her gift at the front the same way she conducted herself for the entire service. She danced, enraptured in the joys of her new Savior and Master – Jesus Christ! I have never been the same since that day – seeing the utter joy and excitement of Jesus on her face as she danced the whole service before the Lord.

The heartfelt prayers of deliverance from others and my mentor’s sharing of the Gospel clarity and truth was true zeal on display. Now the fiery joy had spread to the soul of a new sister-in-Christ, and her inextinguishable joy was spreading to others. She was free and fervently serving as a witness of Christ’s love, power, and mercy. Years later, my mentor met her again and found her faith stronger and deeper. One day you’ll meet her in glory. And there she’ll share of the joy she’s found in our Triune God, and you’ll share yours with her in our Lord’s very presence. But until then, let the fire of your joy in Jesus be displayed through zealous lives, so more and more dear souls will be set ablaze for Christ.

Shame, Death, and The Image of God

 

As we have continued our image of God series this year we have seen how idolatry plays a role in us lending our bodies to serve things other than God. Paul implores us in Romans 6:12 to not let sin reign in our bodies.The picture this invokes is one of a throne set in a kingdom that has wealth and power. But instead of the rightful king reigning on the throne in his place we see a small evil subject who, if allowed to reign on the throne, can use all of the king’s wealth and power to cause death instead of create life—to tear down instead of build up. Paul implores us not to let this happen. In fact, he tells us exactly what will happen if we do. If we let Sin to reign it will lead to Lawlessness and Death. But if God reigns he will lead to Sanctification and Life.

When faced with these two options side by side—Sin-Lawlessness-Death or God-Sanctification-Life—we could wonder how anyone ever chooses the evil servant over the rightful king. Unfortunately for us, this choice does not always present it self this way.  The road to idolatry is paved with deception. Just as Satan deceived in the garden, the same happens to us. If the enemy can make life with God look like death or make increasing lawlessness look and feel like sanctification, then we are undone. Sin will reign in our life, and we will serve it instead of our King.

Shame can act as the proverbial canary in the coal mine—like a warning system that our ways are leading to death instead of life.

The grace of God has given us mercies to avoid deception. He has given us sound doctrine to know right from wrong. He has given us new hearts to desire the things of God, and built into our image a signal that will help us avoid deception—shame. Paul notes for us in Romans 6:21 that the behavior of our old lives now lead to shame and the fruit of our old lives lead to death. Recall that Adam and Eve’s first response to disobeying God was to hide themselves because of their shame (Genesis 3:6-8). We are tempted to respond this way as well. Instead of coming to God with our sin and guilt to be cleaned and set back on the right path, we run. Shame can act as the proverbial canary in the coal mine—like a warning system that our ways are leading to death instead of life. Shame should help nudge us back to a loving God who is willing to clothe us when he finds us in our foolish, deceived, nakedness (Genesis 3:21).

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God

– Hebrews 12:2

We should ask ourselves what causes us to experience shame? Are we feeling shame because of something we have done wrong and want to hide? Perhaps, even worse, are we ashamed of the things that we are doing that’s righteous? For example, consider the sinful shame we may feel when speak out for what is right or share our testimony. In either case we should know that we have a king in Christ who welcomes. He covers our sins with his righteousness when we do wrong, and he also shows us how to overcome the shame we may feel when we do right (Hebrews 12:2). So let us not ignore our shame! We must quickly bring it to God when we sin because the shame is justified. We must also conquer it like Christ when the fear of man takes hold in our hearts when we aim to do what is right. Let us use it to avoid deception and conform to the Image of God in which we are made.

Christmas Exposes the Heart

Christmas exposes the heart. That is to say, Jesus’ presence exposes the heart.

Christmas does so in two ways,

  1. Christmas exposes what the heart treasures
  2. Christmas exposes the heart’s knowledge of or lack of knowledge of God

We can see this illustrated in the familiar story of the wise men coming to worship Jesus in Matthew 2:1–12.

First we’ll consider how the first Christmas (Jesus’ initial presence on earth) revealed what the hearts of the wise men treasure. Then, we’ll consider how that first Christmas revealed what Herod’s heart treasured. And finally, we’ll see how Christmas revealed the wise men’s knowledge of God and exposed Herod’s lack of knowledge of God.

 

1) Christmas Exposes What the Heart Treasures
To arrive at our conclusion about what the wise men’s hearts treasure, let’s make atwo observations about the wise men that Jesus’ first advent reveals.

 

The Wise Men
First, the wise men are looking for and waiting for King Jesus. What is the quest of the wise men? Matthew 2:2 tells us: They come to Herod in Jerusalem “saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?’”

The wise men are searching for the new born Jesus. Why now? What inspired them to search now? The reason they offer is: “For we saw his star when it rose” (Matthew 2:2).

These wise men are familiar with the prophecy that Balaam spoke concerning Israel when they were camped on the plains of Moab. While Israel made their way to the Promised Land, Balaam prophesied that a king would rise from the Jews like a star. Numbers 24:17 records the prophecy,

 

“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17).

 

The wise men knew this prophecy, and they sat on it in hopeful anticipation. A when a stellar phenomenon appeared in the sky, they took this as their cue: the king is coming. The wise men were not caught off guard by his coming. Rather, the wise men were looking for his coming in hopeful anticipation. The wise men were looking for and waiting for King Jesus.

 

Second, Jesus’ presence moves the wise men to joyful, sacrificial worship. The rest of Matthew 2:2 makes clear that the wise men, upon seeing the star, seek out Jesus in order to worship him,

 

“we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2)

 

How do they worship Jesus? Joyfully. Well this isn’t hum drum dutiful worship. This is white hot, joyful, incandescent worship. Matthew piles up the descriptions of their joy in 2:10 when he tells us that when they saw the star, “they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” Jesus’ presence is their joy.

What else marks their worship? Sacrificial giving. Matthew 2:11 tells us that they give gifts, treasures to him—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The wise men were waiting for Jesus and they came to joyfully worship him personally by giving gifts.

What do these two observations (their hopeful waiting for the king and their joyful, sacrificial worship) together tell us about what the wise men’s hearts treasure? To answer, let’s ask one more question: Does Jesus, the Son of God and King of all creation need the wise men’s presence or their gifts? The answer is a resounding no.

The Sovereign God, Creator of the Universe needs nothing. Jesus the Son of God incarnate certainly has no need of something these wise men or his worshipers could bring as a gift or provide by their presence. So why do the wise men look and wait for Jesus to come and then journey what was likely a great distance to personally bring Jesus these treasures? They waited for Jesus, they journeyed to Jesus, and they brought Jesus these treasures not because Jesus had need of them personally or what they could provide, but because they had need of Jesus.

The wise men did all this as a way of saying, “Jesus, you are worth more than these or any earthly treasures.”

Piper reflecting on this scene says this,

 

When you give a gift to Christ like this, it’s a way of saying something like this: The joy that I pursue is not the hope of getting rich with things from you. I have not come to you for your things but for yourself. And this desire I now intensify and demonstrate by giving up things in the hope of enjoying you more, not the things. By giving to you what you do not need an what I might enjoy, I am saying more earnestly and more authentically, ‘You are my treasure, not these things.’ [1]

 

When Jesus, whom they had waited for in hopeful anticipation, showed up at that first Christmas, their response was rejoicing with exceedingly great joy. Their response was to go and worship. That first Christmas, Jesus’ presence revealed that the wise men’s hearts treasured Jesus above all else.

Compare this to Herod.

 

Herod
First, Herod was not looking for or waiting for Jesus. What was Herod’s response when the wise men informed him of their mission? First, Matthew 2:3 makes clear that Herod was surprised. Matthew tells us that upon hearing the news from the wise men of the coming promised king, Herod had to ask his chief priests and scribes where the Christ was going to be born. Here is a king in Israel, who is not even looking for the coming of the promised Messiah. Jesus is not even on his radar.

Second, Jesus’ presence troubles Herod. Matthew 2:3 makes clear that upon hearing the news of Jesus’ presence, Herod wasn’t only taken off guard in surprise, he was also troubled. Herod’s response was not to rejoice exceedingly with great joy. His response was distress. Why?

Well, what did Herod ultimately seek to do? Herod sought to kill Jesus, and he went so far as killing all the male children in Bethlehem two years old and under (Matthew 2:16–18). What does this tell us? Herod saw Jesus’ presence not as a reason for joy, but as a threat to his joy, namely his throne.

So, Herod was not even looking for Jesus, and at his arrival he was greatly troubled and sought to destroy him because he saw him as a threat. What do these two observations tell us about what Herod’s heart treasures? Herod’s heart treasures his own rule and reign over Jesus.

So here in the wise men and King Herod’s response to that first Christmas, we get a picture into the human heart. When Jesus enters into our lives, his presence demands a response. Our response to his presence exposes what our heart truly treasures. Do we treasure Jesus above all things, or do we see him as a threat to something we treasure more?

If we are growing in Christ, both of these responses will be present in our lives. We should worship Jesus with white hot passion sacrificially giving our time, energy, and resources as a way of expressing our treasuring of him and for the sake of his kingdom advance. But we should not be surprised when we suddenly find ourselves feeling disturbed by Jesus’ presence either. None of us treasures Jesus as we should. We should expect that his presence in our lives will begin to reveal things we tend to treasure more than him. And when he exposes those idols and rises like a star in our hearts to remind us, “I am your King. I am your treasure. Worship me,” we should shake off our troubled thoughts, emphatically cast aside and abandon our idols, and run to him, rejoicing exceedingly with great joy in worship.

Christmas exposes what the heart treasures. And, by doing so, the bottom line is this: Christmas exposes who we know or think God is.

 

2) Christmas Exposes the Heart’s Knowledge of or Lack of Knowledge of God
Christmas reveals whether the heart rightly knows God as the all benevolent giver or wrongly thinks of God as a malevolent taker. Consider the contrast between the wise men and Herod again.

 

The Wise Men
The wise men’s treasuring of Jesus above all else reveals that they know God to be the most benevolent giver. They recognize that the God, who has need of nothing, has given to them something they desperately need in Jesus. Their actions reveal that they recognize Jesus’ presence will cost them something, because they give up expensive treasures and time and energy just to be with him. Yet their worship reveals that they know whatever God may demand from them, he has given them something so much more in Jesus. They trust God’s goodness toward them to take away what they don’t need and give them what they truly need. The wise men know God to be the most benevolent giver.

 

Herod
Herod’s treasuring of his throne exposes that he sees God as a malevolent taker. He does not truly know God, who gives eternal joy and life, and who seeks nothing nor needs nothing in return other than one’s joyful surrender to his rule and reign. Herod sees God’s king, Jesus, as one who would take his power to his ultimate harm. But, Jesus would take only in order to give something greater: salvation. Herod wrongly believes God to be a malevolent taker.

 

Christmas Reveals Who God Is
Christmas reveals that God is the God who would give us his very own Son so that we might be with him forever. And if this is the case, how will he not give us all things?

 

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32).

 

God is the most benevolent of givers, who needs and seeks nothing in return but your joy, and who offers us the greatest treasure in his Son. So let Christmas has its full effect on your heart this year—let the presence of Jesus expose your heart. And, see Jesus as your greatest treasure. Rejoice at his presence. And, when you find yourself disturbed by his presence exposing a hidden treasure you didn’t know was there, bring it to him freely. For he promises to give you so much more in return.

[1] John Piper, The Dawning of Indestructible Joy: Daily Readings for Advent (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014), 51–52.

The Fruits of the Incarnation

1 John 1:1-4
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands concerning the word of life – 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us – 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

The miracle of Christmas is the miracle of the Incarnation. God, the eternal Son, took on flesh and dwelt among people in the person of Jesus Christ! John brings this out in his Gospel (John 1:14 among other spots), his Revelation (5:5-10), and in his first letter in our passage above. Look at how He describes it in this first epistle. The very God who was from the beginning, we’ve heard Him! We’ve seen Him with our very eyes! More than seeing Him, we’ve looked upon Almighty God and touched Him with our hands – the very word of life!

Can you sense the excitement?! Can you take in the amazement? The One who is life itself has been revealed as life Himself, and has made Himself known to John and the other apostles through the Incarnation! What is the outcome of this? Verse three tells us – shared fellowship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ and growing joy.

Many of us know this feeling of being a kid on Christmas morning – running to the room to see the gifts out on display or neatly wrapped and ready to open. As you get older though, you realize the gifts weren’t the gift. The gift was the people present who thought enough about you to sacrifice their time, treasure, and talents to provide you those loving moments and memories wrapped in gifts yes, but even more in their time with you, their provisions to you, their affection for you. Being present with them, during those times – that was the gift. The essence of this gift points to one much greater.

Now imagine you are a child again and you receive a gift you’ve been longing for, only this gift is different. It’s different because it comes directly from the One who knew you well enough to give you the perfect gift, a gift you were most longing for, but that was above and beyond anything you could have formed into words or penned on a list. On this occasion, the One who gave you the true gift for which you’d unknowingly been longing, was the author and designer of every good gift you have ever, and will ever receive. And it turns out this greatest gift – this eternal life – is to know God the Father and the One whom He has sent (John 17:3). This is to know in intimate, ever-growing communion the Triune God of whom David once wrote, “…in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore,” (Psalm 16:11). This is to see and bask in His matchless and inestimable worth described by the Asaph, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever,” (Psalm 73:25-26). This is to take and drink of the all-refreshing, living water that Jesus offered the woman at the well in John 4 – the kind that leaves you satisfied and is a spring that never runs dry.

This fellowship, this intimate, joy-filled relationship with the Almighty King, the lover of our souls, the Holy God, came at the most astounding of costs. It meant the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us (John 1:14). It meant the King of Kings and Lord of lords leaving the riches of heaven and taking on the form of a servant by being born in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7). It meant this King in human form humbling Himself even further to experience death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). Why did He do this? He did this so that we, enslaved in our sin, doomed and deserving of Hell, could but look to Christ lifted up and be cleansed from all our sin by His blood. Through His shed blood and resurrection, by faith springing up from the Spirit (see John 3:3-8; 1:12-13; 4:10,14), we are cleansed and enter into that eternal life in fellowship with the Father and Jesus His Son – to His eternal praise and our everlasting joy.

But this joy we find in fellowship with God, through faith in the shed blood of the Son, is a growing joy. Verses 3 and 4 tell us that John and the other believers are proclaiming the wonders of personally experiencing the Incarnation and the fellowship believers have with the Father and the Son, for a very specific reason. What they have witnessed and enjoyed in fellowship with each other and with God, they want others to experience. “We proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ,” (1 John 1:3). When you’ve found forgiveness, life eternal, and the loving embrace of the Father and Son of the universe, you want that for others. Your joy isn’t only found in your enjoyment of God eternal, but in others finding their ultimate satisfaction in Him as well.

That’s why we go out to meet and pray for our neighbors, to sing carols, to have outreach services like this Sunday, to go and support others going to the ends of the earth proclaiming the matchless name of Jesus. Others finding joy in Him is the wonderful work God has given us to do that glorifies Him and completes our joy (John 1:4).

Father, have Your way among us this Sunday! By Your Spirit at work in and through us, take the joy of our fellowship we have with You and Your Son and allow children in our midst, and those who don’t yet know you, to look to Christ and receive the gift of eternal fellowship with us and You! Be at work to complete their joy and ours for Your glory we pray. In the name of Your Son Jesus, we ask. Amen.


To Fear or Not To Fear, That Is the Question – Matthew 10:24-33

(Note: This devotion has been slightly modified from a devotion I gave last week on 3/11/24 at Billy Graham)

Most of us know that found throughout the Bible is, the command “Do not fear.” It’s an incredibly encouraging command, because it’s usually included with the vital fact that the reason to not fear is because God is near (see Joshua 1:9; Philippians 4:5-7). Alongside this command in the Old Testament is the concept of “the fear the LORD”. This is perhaps most famously stated in the early lines of Proverbs in chapter 1, verse 7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” But does the fear of the Lord concept continue in the New Testament? How does this concept work alongside the continued command to not fear? Let’s peer and ponder our Lord’s answer in Matthew 10:24-33

24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of His household.

26 So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in Hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before My Father who is in Heaven, 33 but whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before My Father who is in Heaven.

So quickly, two things to not fear and One whom we should fear.

  1. Don’t fear the smear. Jesus is saying these words in the context of sending out His 12 apostles to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God and to verify it through miracles. He’s warned them, just before our passage in verse 16, that He’s sending them, “out as sheep in the midst of wolves.” He’s told them they’ll be dragged to court, and hated by others (even family members), for Jesus’ namesake. He’s telling them this ahead of time, so they won’t be surprised, but so they’ll endure and be saved. Here in verses 24-25, we’re given a clear reason why His disciples will be hated and mistreated. “A disciple is not above His teacher, nor a servant above His master.” Certainly a learner is not above the one who is teaching him, or someone who is serving above the one whom he’s serving. Clear enough. And now Jesus puts the focus on what He’s already been called and hatefully labeled by the Pharisees. He gets specific and personal. He tells them, He has been called “Beelzebul”, or the prince of demons as we see in Matthew 9:34. We later learn in Chapter 12 from Jesus that He attributes this prince of demons to Satan Himself. So consider this: If Jesus, the sinless and always-loving Teacher and Master is being labeled, dare we say cancelled, as Satan himself, then how much more will Jesus’ students and servants within His own household experience this?

But here we see Jesus’ first exhortation in verse 26, “So have no fear of them.” Who is “them” referring to? Those who would hatefully label, cancel, and malign His followers. Don’t fear the smear of others. Instead, Jesus says since all things will be revealed in the end anyway, the light of the good news of Jesus and the kingdom must not be hidden, but shared and proclaimed in all our lives.

We just heard Pastor Jacob preach from Mark 14 and 15 of Peter and Pilate and the way they feared the smear of others and allowed it to turn them away from Jesus. (Thankfully, for Peter, he repented and was graciously restored and used mightily!)  In both cases, with Peter denying Christ and Pilate seeking to satisfy the crowd,  we saw they did not shine the light of Christ, when the opportunity presented itself.

  1. Secondly, don’t fear the spear. Jesus says in verse 28, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” In the midst of risking one’s life to make Christ known and let His light shine, there is a limit to what can be done to us. We, thankfully, don’t know much of this type of persecution for the sake of Christ in this country. However, our brothers and sisters around the world know it. Listen to these words from a typical Chinese house church interaction with security police when faced with threats like these. This came from a book, “The Insanity of God” by Nic Ripkin:

Security police – “When we take your property (where they were meeting to worship), you and your family will have nowhere to live!’”

House church believers – “Then we will be free to trust God for shelter as well as for our daily bread.”

Security police – “If you keep this up, we will beat you!

House church believers – “Then we will be free to trust Jesus for healing!”

Security police – “And then we will put you in prison!

House church believers – “Then we will be free to preach the good news of Jesus to the captives, to set them free. We will be free to plant churches in prison.”

Security police – “If you try to do that, we will kill you!”

House church believers – “Then we will be free to go to heaven and be with Jesus forever!“

 

How does one get to this level of boldness? By following the One Jesus gives us to fear.

  1. Fear and love the Overseer of sparrows and our souls.

To fear God seems to mean these two things together. One, on our own, considering God’s holiness, unlimited power, righteousness, and justice, we know we are sinners deserving instant destruction. But at the same time, this holy, all-powerful, righteous, just God has loved you in the most generous way possible by sending His Son to die in your place, to bring you an enemy into His forever, loving family! In light of these two truths, we have a rightful fear, awe, reverence of His unequaled power, and a shalom and Fatherly calm knowing we as outsiders have been made insiders by faith in Jesus’ precious blood, shed for us!

But we do fear people and fall into that snare. We do fear death, and live in protection mode. We cower at the cancellers of our culture and those who could ruin or snuff out our lives.

But the good news of this message is not ourselves, our abilities, our performance, or our achievements. No, the good news we proclaim is our champion. We proclaim the King of heaven who became a Child of earth. We proclaim the Child who grew and chose death on the cross. We proclaim the Chosen One who was crucified and yet triumphed and cheated death.

He chose and challenges you today to not fear the smear of man. He says, don’t fear the spear of death. He tells us to fear Him – the founder of our faith and the lover of your soul who laid down His own life to make you free, so you’d live free! He wants you to live free from the fear of death; free from the hateful words and lies of people.

Think about this, the only One with the power, not only over your life, but also your eternal home, is the One who didn’t even spare His own Son for You, but came and laid down His life that You might belong in His house forever!

So how do we live out fearing God? We don’t hide, and blend into the world. In all places of our lives we acknowledge Jesus. We’re made right with God through faith alone, by God’s grace alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. But true faith is never alone; true faith always acts and acknowledges Jesus Christ before others. This acknowledgement demonstrates trust and fear in our triune God alone. If He cares for sparrows, how much more does He care for us – those He’s purchased through the blood of His own Son? He’s promised that our fearing Him through bold acknowledgement of Him as King, Lord, treasure of our lives means that He’ll acknowledge us before His Father. But if we deny Him or have denied Him, we must repent because the promise goes the other way also. Apart from repentance and faith in Him, an enduring denial of Him will mean He’ll deny us before His Father. So let’s look to Christ as our joy and share our greatest treasure with others.

Lord, build in us a holy fear of you that spurs us to obedience to speak and acknowledge You and rests in our loving acceptance in Christ.

How to Keep a New Year’s Resolution: Be Empowered by God

One of the joys of a new year is the hope it generates that our lives can improve or our flaws can be overcome. The power of this hope often results in a New Year’s resolution. While there is disagreement about the usefulness of these resolutions or what makes a good resolution the one thing that we can all agree is we aren’t very good at keeping them. The average New Year’s resolution lasts about 10 days so by the time you read this post you will likely be more than halfway through a typical New Year’s resolution lifetime. So Instead of providing insight on what your New Year resolution should be or if you should have one at all (if you are interested in this topic see Jacob Smith’s post from December 2022), the focus of this post is how to keep a resolution (New Year’s or otherwise) to begin with. Put another way how do we develop a godly resolve to keep our commitments?

 

We should not rely on the power of our own will to complete the commitments God has set in our hearts.

 

First we should see that our conversion itself is a kind of resolution, empowered by God, to follow him. We have been saved from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light and are now slaves to righteousness (Colossians 1:13, Romans 6:15-23). Upon conversion our life is now marked by a commitment to follow the ways of Christ. This commitment comes with great power to obey him. We should not rely on the power of our own will to complete the commitments God has set in our hearts. Instead we must trust that he will provide the power and encouragement to us. Knowing that he has rescued us and that he now empowers us reminds us that we should actively depend on him to keep the “resolves for good” that we have (2 Thessalonians 1:11–12).

 

Our failures are an opportunity to depend on God even more to restore the path he has set for us and keep our commitments.

 

Another key to keeping a godly commitment is knowing how to respond to failure. Failure of some kind is inevitable with a year long (or life long) commitment, so it is critical that we train ourselves to persevere and overcome them.  Godly resolutions don’t die because we fail to keep a commitment perfectly, they die because we simply quit. Often times our failures are so demoralizing and debilitating that we are tempted to give up our commitments altogether. Because of our sin, we should expect to fail at some point. This fact shouldn’t provide us comfort but rather it should encourage us to prepare ourselves to respond to our failures in a godly way. The prophet Micah is great example and encouragement in this regard. His response to failure is not to run away from God but to acknowledge the results of his sin and put his trust in the same God he has sinned against to “bring him out to the light” (Micah 7:8-9). So even our failures are an opportunity to depend on God even more to restore the path he has set for us and keep our commitments.

If despair is the disease that weakens our godly resolve, then joy is the tonic.

If despair is the disease that weakens our godly resolve, then joy is the tonic. Paul describes his ministry to the church in Corinth as a work “with you for your joy” (2 Corinthians 1:24). He goes on to give them many godly commitments that make for good resolutions. There are encouragements to give (2 Corinthians 9:6-15), to reconcile both to God and man (2 Corinthians 5:18), and to not tamper with God’s Word (2 Corinthians 4:2). We should see our godly commitments as a way to increase our joy in Christ, remove our despair, and keep our godly resolve. Our New Year’s resolutions and how we keep them (or not keep them) show us what we put our hope in. As we make these commitments, let us trust in God’s power to fulfill them, fight against our despair, and work toward joy in Christ.

Peace and Holiness

My previous blog post reflected on love and humility as the distinguishing marks of a Christian and on how Jesus displays those qualities perfectly in the gospel. Indeed, it was Jesus’ love and humility that saved us. A sentence in a letter that John Newton wrote to his friend and fellow minister the Reverend Mr. Whitford proved to be the jumping off point for that post. Newton wrote to Whitford, “I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ, and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master.”[1] Christians are marked by love and humility because they are being conformed into the image of their loving, humble savior, Jesus, the Son of God.

“I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ, and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master.”—John Newton

Well, as it turns out, Newton has grabbed me again with another sentence—well two sentences actually. It looks like at least a two-part series inspired by John Newton is in order. Who knows, it could run longer.

Newton’s Sentence(s)

In another letter written to Mr. Whitford, Newton continues to encourage him to be a beacon of gospel cooperation in divisive times within the church. Newton addresses “seeking after peace and holiness” and the “Vanity of religious disputation.”[2] The sentences that grabbed my attention this time were these: “The two great points we are called to pursue in this sinful divided world, are peace and holiness…These are the peculiar characteristics of a disciple of Jesus; they are the richest parts of the enjoyments of heaven; and so far as they are received into the heart, they bring down heaven upon earth; and they are more inseparably connected between themselves than some of us are aware of.”[3]

“The two great points we are called to pursue in this sinful divided world, are peace and holiness…These are the peculiar characteristics of a disciple of Jesus; they are the richest parts of the enjoyments of heaven; and so far as they are received into the heart, they bring down heaven upon earth; and they are more inseparably connected between themselves than some of us are aware of.”—John Newton

According to Newton, when the climate of the day, even in the church, is that of divisiveness, the most “peculiar characteristics” that mark a disciple, the marks they should seek to pursue are peace and holiness. Like love and humility, peace and holiness go hand-in-hand, as Newton observes. Let’s consider how.

 

Peace and Holiness

After heralding the gospel in the first eleven chapters of Romans, including what many consider the greatest stretch of Scripture in the Bible in Romans 8–11, Paul sets his sights on his audience in Romans 12 to exhort them to live in light of the gospel reality. (This is Paul’s typical pattern for his epistles and a good framework to utilize when reading Paul. He outlines gospel indicatives and then issues gospel imperatives. Essentially Paul says, “This is the gospel…Therefore, you who are in Christ, live like this!”). First, consider the gospel indicative. It answers the question: What does the gospel of Jesus mean? Answer: the gospel of Jesus means our holiness before and our peace with God. And God is the “richest parts of the enjoyments of heaven.”

Paul touches on this in Romans 5. Through faith in Jesus we have peace with God: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). By trusting in Jesus’ perfectly holy life and perfect sin atoning sacrifice, we are justified. That is, through the cross, God declares us righteous. And through the cross by the Holy Spirit, God imputes the righteousness of Jesus to us. So then, we are ones who are called to be holy (1 Peter 1:14). In one sense, we have been perfected in this holiness through Jesus’ sacrifice (Hebrews 10:14). His holiness is ours, and we are made saints, that is, holy ones (Romans 1:7; 8:27; 12:13, etc.).  Likewise, just as we have holiness through the gospel, we also have peace through the gospel. Our justification means our holiness, and because of our holiness, we have perfect peace with God through Jesus. God himself—”The richest parts of the enjoyments of heaven”—is ours because through Jesus we have peace and holiness. In another sense, though, we are still being made holy (Hebrews 10:14), and we must still strive for peace and holiness with one another. Thus, Paul moves on to the gospel imperatives in Romans 12 and exhorts the Roman Christians to live in light of both of these gospel-won realities, peace and holiness.  When we bear these marks, we bear witness to the world that Jesus saves, and bearing these marks “bring[s] down heaven upon earth.”

In Romans 12, Paul begins exhorting the Roman Christians with an umbrella command that subsumes much of what follows: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). We seek to be holy because in Christ God has made us and is making us holy, which yields our peace with God. And, in light of our peace with God, we strive to live in peace with one another: “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” (Romans 14:19). The gospel of Jesus means our holiness before God and our peace with God. Therefore, the gospel of Jesus means our pursuit of holiness and our pursuit of peace with one another: “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). This is how we “bring down heaven upon earth.”

 

Heaven on Earth and Wisdom for the Church

This pursuit of peace and holiness hits at a very practical level in the church. There are many important theological issues that are not essential to our salvation. And there are many faithful Christians, who hold biblically informed yet different views on these theological issues. Some of these differences will lead to natural separation in local church fellowship for the sake of conscience (For example, different viewpoints regarding non-salvific baptism—credobaptism v. pedobaptism—though, there are churches that are made up of brothers and sisters who disagree on this issue yet worship together in happy unity). But these doctrinally distinct churches still love each other across those lines of disagreement and partner together as they rally around the essentials of the gospel. This has been the hallmark of organizations such as The Gospel Coalition and conferences like Together for the Gospel. Yet, sadly these secondary or tertiary theological issues can sometimes be elevated to the place of primary, essential doctrinal issues, thus leading to sinful tribalism in the local church. However, many of these disagreements need not lead to division in fellowship (For example the different conclusions regarding divorce and remarriage, which we will be considering at DGCC this weekend). Rather, than let different, biblically informed conclusions regarding these secondary and tertiary theological issues divide us, we should allow them to foster a spirit of humility, love, and, yes, peace and holiness. Some of us will be wrong regarding these secondary and tertiary issues like baptism and divorce and remarriage. But thank God that our conclusions regarding those issues will not determine our salvation. Our salvation comes through faith in Christ alone by grace alone. So let us then, proceed with humility, caution, and robust biblical faithfulness with an eye to the gospel and our own present imperfection as we engage these sensitive, important, but non-essential—with regard to salvation—theological issues. Again, let us take our cue from John Newton.

“I allow that every branch of gospel truth is precious, that errors are abounding, and that it is our duty to bear an honest testimony to what the Lord has enabled us to find comfort in, and to instruct with meekness such as are willing to be instructed; but I cannot see it my duty, nay, I believe it would be my sin, to attempt to beat my notions into other people’s heads.” [4]

Let us likewise pursue peace and holiness in divisive times. For Jesus won us peace with and holiness before God, who is “the richest parts of the enjoyments of heaven.” And our peace and holiness as with one another diverse Christians is most “peculiar” in the eyes of the world. Indeed, through the peace and holiness of the church we “bring down heaven upon earth.”

 

[1] John Newton, Letters of John Newton, ed. Josiah Bull (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2018), 39.

[2] Newton, Letters of John Newton, 41.

[3] Newton, Letters of John Newton, 41–42.

[4] Newton, Letters of John Newton, 42.

As the Mountains Surround Jerusalem So the Lord Surrounds His People

Consider three texts:

  • Psalm 125:1-2: Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore.
  • Jude 24: [God] is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy
  • Luke 22:32 (Jesus is speaking to Peter after prophesying his denial): “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.”

To whom do these texts refer? Who can count on such promises?

We 21st-century Americans tend to see in these texts promises to ourselves and other individuals:

  • “Since I trust in the Lord, He surrounds me and protects me.”
  • “God will keep me from stumbling and present me blameless before Him.”
  • “Jesus prays for me, strengthening and securing my faith.”

Praise God – these precious promises do indeed apply to us as individuals who trust in Jesus.

But Psalm 125:2 closes with the phrase, “from this time forth and forevermore.” When is “this time”? Well, the psalm was written more than 2500 years ago.

For all these years, God has been surrounding His people, advancing His purposes, building His church, keeping her from stumbling, seeing to it that the faith “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) does not fail. We today stand at the end of a long line of faithful believers, all witnesses to God’s surrounding love. Through the dangers of persecution and the dangers of acceptance, despite indwelling sin and the enticements of the world, through times of renewal and times of apostasy, God has preserved, established, and spread His church century after century, continent after continent, culture after culture.

These promises apply not only to believers as individuals but also to God’s people as a whole.

Beth and I glimpsed this truth last month while in Turkey with Matthew and Kailie. We visited Cappadocia, a region of great importance in the history of the church. Three hundred years after the resurrection, theologians from this area known as the “Cappadocian Fathers” were instrumental in combatting heresy by clarifying the biblical doctrine of the Trinity. In subsequent centuries, believers created amazing churches and homes by digging through the volcanic rock. We were able to visit a number 1200-year-old cave-churches, some complete with frescoes of biblical characters. The most well-preserved of these churches are in the Goreme Open Air Museum. The Dark Church is particularly striking, with frescoes of Jesus and John the Baptist, among others.

But most stirring for us was a church far away from the tourists. We hiked down steep slopes into an ancient valley, past old grape vines and apple trees, approaching a rock face pocketed with holes – were they windows? We climbed through an opening, up some stairs carved into the rock – and came out into a massive interior space, with large columns from floor to ceiling.

No one else was there – just our family and the seeming presence of these believers from ages ago. I felt such a sense of oneness, of shared family with those who for the glory of the name of Jesus chipped away at the rock centuries ago, hour after hour, day after day, year after year.

There was a continued Christian presence in this area for centuries – until 1923 when many Christians were expelled from Turkey to Greece, and Muslims expelled from Greece to Turkey. So for the last century there has been no worship of Jesus in these rock churches.

Since our return home, I have learned more about the genuine faith of many in this era through reading The Reformation as Renewal by Matthew Barrett, who argues that the Reformation built on much of the theology and piety of the medieval church, including the writings of Anselm, Thomas, and Lombard – even when the Reformers themselves did not perceive their influence –  and that the Reformers’ arguments were focused much more against the positions taken by later Scholastics such as Ockham and Duns Scotus.

Be that as it may, as we celebrate twenty years of God’s faithfulness through Desiring God Community Church, let us also look back over twenty decades, over twenty centuries, and praise God that as empires rise and fall, as economies thrive and crash, as Christians are exiled and welcomed, God is always building His Church, spurring His people on to acts of devotion and witness, showing in Cappadocia and in Charlotte, in cave churches and in modern buildings, that Jesus is worthy of all our efforts and the source of all our joy. God’s Church is like Mt Zion – the Lord surrounds that Church, and He will present Her blameless before His presence with great joy – all of us, those who carved the Cave Churches, we who are part of Desiring God Community Church, followers of Jesus from every tribe and tongue and people and nation – and century.

DGCC 20th Anniversary Celebration: Obeying God’s Command to Remember

As we have seen now over and over again in the book of Judges,  God’s people consistently rebel against him to serve other gods after he persistently shows them mercy by saving them from oppression. In Judges 3:7 we learn of one of the most surprising root causes of their idolatry; “the people did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.” They forgot God? That sounds really strange. Did they forget God like we forget the many passwords we use to access our accounts online? Did they forget God like we forget a person’s name just moments after they introduce themselves to us? No. In fact Romans 1:18 suggests that is impossible to forget God in this way since our world is filled with reminders of an eternally powerful creator God.

The things that God has given us that bring us joy and purpose are not inherently bad but when they become our ultimate focus we can forget God.

So how did they (and we) forget God? They forgot God like a adult child forgets to call their parents or loved ones. It’s not that they forget they exist but other things in life begin to occupy their focus and animate their hearts and desires. We can begin to be more interested in the things of this life and begin to believe the promises that they can give us more than the promises of God. Maybe it’s a fulfilling career, your identity, a mate, bodily pleasure and expression, or even your vision of ministry. The things that God has given us that bring us joy and purpose are not inherently bad but when they become our ultimate focus we can forget God. The people of Israel forgot God and served Baal and the other idols of their day. We too are prone to forget God, but, instead of serving physical idols, we often serve our own worldly hearts and desires. Have you forgotten God? Have you loved creation more than the Creator or wanted the gift more than the gift giver? We all have whether it was intentional or not. The solution to this problem is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 20-25, and it is as simple as the problem is surprising. We must remember God’s Law, his powerful work in our lives and then testify of his goodness.

We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. And the LORD showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers (Deuteronomy 6:21–23).

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates[…] “When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the LORD our God has commanded you?’ then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. And the LORD showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers. And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us” (Deuteronomy 6:4–5, 20–25).

Our personal testimonies of God’s work in our lives are just as miraculous and powerful as visual acts of God’s power.

One of the ways we remember God is by sharing our personal testimony of how he has delivered us. To the children of Israel their testimony was of a big and powerful act of God through the plagues and parting of the red sea to save them. Our personal testimonies of Gods work in our lives are just as miraculous and powerful as visual acts of Gods power. We were slaves to unforgiveness, but the LORD softened our hearts and repaired our relationship. We once lived a life that ignored God, and now God has become the primary source of our joy. Sharing our personal testimonies, especially with our children, in a way that highlights God’s power and doesn’t bring undue glory to our sin is not only God honoring but it also helps build faith. This weekend we have an exciting and joyous opportunity to fulfill this command as part of our celebration of 20 years of ministry at Desiring God Community Church. We will share our testimonies of God’s work in our lives through this ministry. We will sing songs of worship to God for his steadfast love shown to us through others. So think of the ways that this ministry and the people in it have blessed you and helped you draw closer God. Come and join us this weekend as we remember a God who cannot be forgotten.

We will be celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Desiring God Community Church on Saturday October 21st with dinner, testimony, and worship at 1821 Back Creek Church Rd, Charlotte, NC 28213 from 3pm-7pm. Please join us!

DGCC’s Vision Part VI: Showing Jesus to All Peoples as His Witnesses in Our Neighborhood, in Charlotte, and in the World

Preface

Why We Exist: Gospel Purpose

Our mission statement at DGCC says the following:

We exist to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples.

This is why we exist. This has been DGCC’s identity from the time it was planted twenty years ago. This is our gospel purpose. And, by God’s grace, this will be DGCC’s gospel purpose for the next twenty years and beyond. The question is, though, what exactly do we aim to do in order to live out this gospel purpose.

 

What We Do: Gospel Pursuit

For the past several months the Vision Team here at DGCC has met regularly to pray and discern DGCC’s vision for the foreseeable future. Essentially, the Vision Team aimed to articulate what we do, that is, our gospel pursuit. And, by God’s grace, in our most recent members meeting, the Vision Team shared with our fellow members the vision we believe God has led us to. This statement below captures that vision.

We glorify God by joyfully treasuring Christ and prayerfully pursuing Christlikeness in the love of the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture birthed this statement. Specifically, Ephesians 3:14–21 became the foundational text that informed and shaped this vision statement. I unpacked that passage over three previous posts: DGCC’s Vision Part I, Part II, and Part III.

Here I outline how we accomplish our vision or our gospel pursuit. We do so through our gospel practice.

 

Gospel Practice: How we do it

So our mission statement and our vision statement make clear what our gospel purpose is and what our gospel pursuit is, respectively, at DGCC. Our gospel purpose is who we are and our gospel pursuit is what we do. But how do we aim to do this? Our Vision Team at DGCC felt it was necessary to answer this question as well. So to go along with our gospel purpose and gospel pursuit, we also articulated our gospel practice to answer the question, “How will we glorify God by joyfully treasuring Christ and prayerfully pursuing Christlikeness in the love of the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit”? We, DGCC, will do this

By seeing Jesus together as a family.[1]

By sharing Jesus with one another as his disciples.[2]

By showing Jesus to all peoples as his witnesses in our neighborhood, in Charlotte, and in the world.[3]

As you can hopefully see, to answer this question we aimed to not reinvent the wheel. The call of every Christian is twofold—(1) love the Lord God with all you heart, soul, mind, and strength, and (2) love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:34–40; Mark 12:29–31; Luke 10:25–28). These are the two most important tasks for us as Christians. We only know God and carry out this call through Jesus. The normative context for carrying out this call through Jesus is the local church.

The three-dimensional life of the local church of Jesus Christ is the natural ecosystem in which we live out the call to love God and love our neighbor. The church exists to joyfully love and worship God together in truth, to build itself up in love and in truth by ministering to one another within the body, and to spread the love of God and love for God in truth to the lost (John 4:23–24; Ephesians 3:10; 4:1–16; Matthew 28:18–20; 1 Timothy 3:15). Or, in short, the church exists to worship God, buildup one another within the body, and evangelize the lost.[4] In the past, we’ve expressed this three-dimensional purpose of the church here at DGCC as (1) expressing joy in Christ, (2) deepening joy in Christ, and (3) spreading joy in Christ. So this is what we aim to make our gospel practice. So you see, it’s nothing novel. It is the same, simple, reproducible gospel practice and rhythm that the local church has embraced since its founding.

We’ve considered the first two dimensions of our gospel practice, seeing Jesus together as a family and sharing Jesus with one another as his disciples. Here consider the third and final dimension of our gospel practice, showing Jesus to all peoples as his witnesses in our neighborhood, in Charlotte, and in the world.

 

By Showing Jesus to All Peoples As His Witnesses in Our Neighborhood, in Charlotte, and in the World

This gospel practice speaks to our outreach. That is, it speaks to our participation in the advance of God’s kingdom on earth through showing Jesus via the spread of the gospel of Jesus. The word choice of showing comes from the Greek φανερόω, which mean to make clear, visible, or manifest; to reveal; or to disclose, that is, to show. This is how Paul captures Christian gospel witness in 2 Corinthians 2:14–16:

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads (φανερόω; to make known) the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.

Paul says that we are the aroma of Christ to God among the world. That is, our very manner of life testifies to the world of Jesus. Jesus himself says as much:

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden… let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:14, 16).

This means, for the Christian, our good works in the world are bound up with the gospel. Therefore, we do not separate our good works from our gospel witness. All of our good works point to and testify of and show Jesus. Our good works are done with a view to showing Jesus. So too, we are also always ready to show Jesus not through our works merely, but through gospel proclamation.

Paul makes clear that making known the fragrance of Christ relates directly to the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus (2 Corinthians 2:17). Indeed, the task of Christian evangelism and outreach is to clearly show Jesus, or as Paul says, to make the mystery of Christ clear.

At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear (φανερόω), which is how I ought to speak (Colossians 4:3–4).

Christians show Jesus with their words both in bold gospel proclamation and in gospel-seasoned, wise speech that leaves outsiders thirsty for more. So Christians show Jesus through gospel good works that organically connects to gospel proclamation. Therefore, we at DGCC aim to show Jesus in our gospel good works and in our gospel proclamation. To whom do we show him? We show Jesus to all peoples.

We show Jesus to all peoples. Jesus commanded his people in his final commission to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (ἔθνος)” (Matthew 28:19). Nations can also be rendered peoples. Christians aim to take the gospel and make disciples of every people group. Jesus chose this word for a reason. By divine design, this great commission fits into the overarching redemptive narrative. God promised to bless all the families, that is, all the peoples of the earth through Abraham’s offspring (Genesis 12:1–2; 22:15–18). God fulfills this through Jesus. Therefore, we at DGCC have always sought to be a church of the nations, of peoples. It’s our prayer that our body would testify to this in a diverse makeup, and it is our aim to always carry the gospel to the nations. In this way, we participate in God’s unified, diverse kingdom on earth right now, while anticipating the coming heavenly reality when “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” stands before the throne of God giving glory to God in Christ (Revelation 7:9–10). In Jesus, God makes good on his ancient covenant promise of blessing for all peoples, and he has invited those of us who are in Christ to take part in carrying that blessing out as Jesus’ witnesses.

When we show Jesus to all peoples, we do so as his witnesses. Jesus called his disciples his witnesses (Luke 21:12–13; 24:45–48; John 15:26–27; Acts 1:8). Jesus says to his followers in Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8)

Amazingly, Jesus has fulfilled this declaration. Jesus bore witness of himself to the end of the earth through the Holy Spirit working in his original followers. That is, the original disciples, as witnesses of Jesus, have ultimately passed the gospel baton down to us, those at the end of the earth. Thus, we fall in line with past saints and bear gospel witness to those around us. At DGCC, we aim to show Jesus to all peoples as his witnesses both near and far. That is, we show Jesus to all peoples as his witnesses in our neighborhood, in Charlotte, and in the world.

God in his sovereignty has placed DGCC in a particular time and place. And, God in his providence has brought peoples from all nations close to us. Therefore, at DGCC, we want to lean into God’s providence regarding our place by showing Jesus in our neighborhood. We do this by bearing gospel witness as a unified body in our church neighborhood, and we do this by bearing gospel witness as individual members in our individual neighborhoods. We do not look past the neighborhood God has placed us in. But we do look beyond it by seeking to show Jesus to all peoples as his witnesses in Charlotte as well. We aim to bear gospel witness in all corners of this city by working cooperatively with other gospel-centered local bodies and by raising up and sending out mature believers to plant theologically robust, gospel-centered, Christ-treasuring, Holy Spirit empowered,  local churches. And finally, we strive to show Jesus to all peoples as his witnesses in the world. While we make every effort to bear gospel witness locally, we also look to global horizons by sending and supporting missionaries, especially those who labor among unreached peoples.

 

Showing Jesus to All Peoples as His Witnesses in Our Neighborhood, in Charlotte, and in the World

So taking this aspect of our gospel practice and adding it to our gospel pursuit, we at DGCC joyfully treasure Christ and prayerfully pursue Christlikeness in the love of the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit by showing Jesus to all peoples as his witnesses in our neighborhood, in Charlotte, and in the world.

 

Trinitarian Conclusion

I hope it has become clear by now that our vision at DGCC takes on a Trinitarian tincture. We glorify our triune God by knowing the Father’s love for us through the grace of the Son, Jesus, by the power and fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s final greeting to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 13:14 outlines our Trinitarian salvation:

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Regarding this passage, Bavinck notes “In the love of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is contained the whole salvation of men.”[5] Thus, through the time-tested gospel practices of corporate worship, ministry and discipleship within the body, and local and global outreach—seeing Jesus, sharing Jesus, and showing Jesus—we at DGCC aim to know more of God the Father’s love through the power of the Holy Spirit so that we would be ever-treasuring Christ and ever-growing in Christlikeness for God’s glory. This is what God has created us for, and this is our destiny, his glory and our joy (Psalm 16:11).

 

[1] “seeing” Exod 33:18–19; 34:5–9; Isa 6:1–5; Ps 27:4; John 14:810; 2 Cor 3:18; 4:6; “family” Gen 12:3; 28:14; 2 Sam 7:12–13; 1 Chr 17:11–14; Ps 22:27; 87; Jer 32:39; Mark 3:31–35; 10:29–31; Acts 3:38–39; Rom 8:15–16, 29; Gal 3:28–4:7; 6:10; Eph 2:19–22; 1 Tim 5:8; Heb 3:6; 1 Pet 2:5

[2] The various Greek words that convey  “sharing” occur often in the context of the faith community. That is, Christians share in Christ with one another in the faith as disciples. And therefore, they share with one another Christ, his gospel, his good gifts, etc. For example 1 Thess 2:8—So, being affectionately desirous of you we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.” Christians, then, as disciples share Christ through love, service, and building up one another. For examples of this concept see: John 13:34–35; 15:12, 17; Acts 2:42–47; Romans 12:3–13; 15:7, 14; 1 Corinthians 12:4–7, 25–26; 13; 14:1–3, 12; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Galatians 5:13; Eph 4:1–16; 5:19, 21; Colossians 3:1–4, 12–17, 18–25; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 4:9, 18; 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; Titus 2:4–8 ; Hebrews 3:13; 10:25; James 5:16; 1 Peter 1:22; 4:8–10; 5:1–5, 19; 1 John 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11, 12; 2 John 5

[3] “showing…as witnesses” particularly the Greek φανερόω (show, make known) often occurs outside the context of the faith community. That is, Christians “show” Christ and his gospel to those in the world, those outside the faith and outside the Church. For example, “But thanks be to God who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads/shows (φανερόω) the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere” (2 Corinthians 2:14). Also, “all peoples”; and “witnesses”; Genesis 12:1–3; 22:15–18; Leviticus 19:18, 34; Psalms 22:27; 87; Isaiah 49:1–7; 52:7; 61:1–2; Joel 2:28–32; Matthew 5:16; 9:37–38; 10:18; 24:14; 28:16–20; Luke 21:12–13; 24:45–48; John 1:7–8, 15, 32, 34; 3:11; 13:35; 15:26–27; Acts 1:8; 2:22; 3:15; 5:32; 10:39, 41, 43; 13:31, 46–47 (cf. Isa 49:1–7); 26:16; Romans 1:16; 10:9–10, 14–15; 2 Corinthians 5:20; Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 1:6; 1 Peter 3:15–16; 2 Timothy 2:15; 4:5

[4] Time Challies offers simple, helpful, and thoughtful insight that cuts through the common misconceptions of the day regarding the local church. See “What’s the Purpose…of the Church?”.

[5] Herman Bavinck, The Wonderful Works of God: Instructions in the Christian Religion According to the Reformed Confession (Glenside, PA: Westminster Seminary Press, 2019), 143.