The House of the LORD

The following are thoughts inspired by an act of God today, and represent my personal understanding of scripture.

One of our favorite Psalms, Psalm 23, is one in which David understood the blessing of relationship with God -  that it was not a thing solely about being happy and having material rewards. He believed with all his heart that being in relationship with the God of Creation, with Yahweh Elohim was the true and utmost blessing of his life. (Psalm 18:1-3; Psalm 136, 139)

David also understood - as we must today - that the House of the LORD was an expression and gift of God to His people as a place of worship and praise to God, a beneficial, encouraging exhortation of how to show God's love to one another. It was a place of learning, and the center of schooling corporately in the way of God and the importance of learning to trust God. It was a place where they would spiritually meet with God uniquely and see His glory.

David's love for God's House was not a matter of a particular room or space per se - he saw the entire house as God's dwelling! (Psalm 26:8; 93:5; 134:1-2; 135:1-3)

My recent experiences in the role of caring for God's House has been enlightening. Just a few minutes ago, God opened my mind to the broader understanding of what it means to be in the House of the LORD, to be a caretaker - a steward - of His House. I dropped everything else I was doing (my stomach is demanding food, but that can wait!), and hurried to write these things down before the concerns of the day overwhelmed.

There are 'perspectives' within our house of worship held by a number of persons as to what is "important" in God's House. One group honors as 'sacred only' their meeting space, where they pray and praise, to the extent that anything that is not considered holy or used in worship must be considered profane and removed from the space and put into another part of the building that the group considers less than holy, but where others need to meet to commune with God and to worship Him. There are some who consider the single, most holy part of the building is the place where the altar sits under or next to the cross, with the second place being the sacristy (a room that holds sacred implements of worship). Everything else is, for them, regarded as less holy or perhaps not even considered to be in the camp of holy. 

But God said that His House was holy - not just some of the square footage, but all of it! (compare Psalm 122; Deuteronomy 23:18; 1 Kings 8:6-11; 1 Chronicles 26:27; Psalm 26:8; Psalm 116:18-19) David knew that truth. David also knew that it was God's House - not ours; God owns it and God provided it. For whatever reason, we have allowed our personal biased viewpoints to lead us into actions, attitudes, activities - or lack thereof, that dishonor God's House, and we may not even be aware we are doing it. Yes, the sanctuary altar is where we offer sacrifices to God, praise Him, bless Him, seek His face during solemn worship. In ancient Israel's Tabernacle and later the Temple in the Most Holy room, God's presence would be evidenced by a cloud of smoke above and/or within those holiest rooms. The Most Holy is referred to as the Holiest of Holies, conveying that all of the House itself was a holy place, with spaces assigned for varying acts of worship and service. During the exile of the Jews by Babylon, profiteers (the main ones mentioned by Nehemiah are Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem [2:19]) came into Jerusalem and set up camp. When the priests and others were released from captivity and ensued upon the project to build a temple that would replace the one Solomon built, which had been destroyed completely, the completed project yielded the fleshing out of the plans that God had given Ezekiel (chapters 40-44) to give to those upon whom the assignment to rebuild rested. The profiteers tried to halt the work through "shenanigans" which failed; yet, would at an opportune time seize on the chance to use God's House for their selfish gains: taking rooms appointed for the priestly activities and turning them into boarding rooms for profit and gain, with the assistance of a dishonest priest. Misusing and desecrating selected spaces within the building defiled God's entire House. (Nehemiah 13:1-14)

Again, the entire building is God's House; He does not lay claim to only a portion of it - all of it is His. He is the one who deems it holy before Himself. He is the gifter/provider; we are to be the stewards of the whole House. No ifs, ands, or buts. To do otherwise, is either a passive or deliberate offense and defilement of God's House. (compare Nehemiah 13:11) Sure, we are not perfect and we may forget or get busy with other things, but if we, regardless of what church we may belong to, are being reminded frequently that we are needed to be hands and feet for Christ, and continue to shrug it off, it should make us take stock of where priorities lie. God may be calling us to steward even a small fragment of what needs to take place, but if we shut up our ears and dull ourselves to that call, we will never know the special blessing that comes with that request. (compare Matthew 25:14-30) So whether it is in a sanctuary or place of corporate prayer, in a classroom, in a storage space, in a remote part of the building used by stewards of the plate offerings, in the restrooms, in a meeting room, in an office space, in the hallways, the courtyard, the parking lot - it is ALL part of God's House. To neglect any part, to cheapen its intent, is an offense - intentional or otherwise. To 'trash' or disrespect any space by leaving the space neglected or unclean, or to leave it in a run-down condition is an offense. To willfully deface any part of the building is an offense. To dismiss the maintenance and stewardship of any of the spaces is an offense. An offense to God!

So, this awareness should give anyone whom God has blessed with a dedicated building for worship and fellowship in praise and thanksgiving cause to pause: whether the building is by lease or ownership, and regardless of what denomination, but one that claims Christ, and where God has provided His people with a building as a launching pad for greater witness and service within the surrounding community - how are we responding to this gift? Do we see it as a reminder of Whose we are and all of what He has made us stewards of? Does it expand in our hearts and minds deep gratitude, the comprehension of what it means to glorify God in His House and in our lives? 

Consider that the physical building is to reflect the building up of God's spiritual house stone by living stone, and vice versa. We who are called by God to serve and be adopted as children are individually living stones, but when placed one beside the other we become built into the Spiritual House of God. No stone is lesser than the other!! (1 Peter 2:4-10; Ephesians 1:3-14,17-23)

IT IS HIS HOUSE - ALL OF IT!  We cannot love one space and disregard or hold profane another.  We must ask ourselves: what does this mean to me, for me, and about me? Am I thinking like David and seeking to dwell in the House of the LORD, where His Name dwells, to worship, honor and praise Him for the gift of relationship and of a special building made available by Him no matter how old or new, that He has set aside for us to revere Him in? Or, am I thinking like Sanballat and crew and dismiss, even desecrate, the holiness of God represented in the building and misuse it, rejecting the stewardship of it?

Let this be our prayer: I love you LORD with my whole heart, my whole mind, my whole soul! Thank you for the gift of your House to us where we can come together in assembly and serve and worshp you, because you deserve all praise and honor and glory! No act of worship is too small to you, Almighty God and Father, no service in your House and among your people too little when it is from the heart. Father, your mercy and goodness in my life are like the grains of sand at the seashore -- who can count all the moments of grace and favor you bestow? In your House, we will raise holy hands; we shall use those hands of praise to be stewards of all that you have gifted us with - both physical and spiritual to your glory and by your grace. Lord, may I never fail to praise you; let me dwell in your house, the house of the Lord forever, may I never turn away from your presence. Amen.

Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, Question 7

 “Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health,” Donald S. Whitney. 2001. NavPress.*

Question 7:  Are the Spiritual Disciplines Increasingly Important to You? (excerpts and highlights from Chapter 7; also, excerpts from “5 Things Every Christian Needs to Grow,” R. C. Sproul. 2008. Reformation Trust Publishing)  “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands”, 2 Timothy 1:6

Dr. Whitney’s book, in chapter 7, begins with how to build a wood fire and sustain it. He uses this metaphor in a way similar to the apostle Paul’s inspired language in 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul’s admonition to Timothy to rekindle the faith flame in him.  Dr. Whitney ends his introduction to the chapter with the following: “Nothing contributes to the growth of spiritual ‘heat and light’ more than the persevering practice of the Christian spiritual disciplines. The disciplines are the bellows and the iron poker – tools in God’s hands through which He stokes and blows upon the eternal fire He Himself ignites in His people.” He states that the spiritual disciplines are biblical, God-given and grounded in His Word; the Holy Spirit who authored the Bible works through the disciplines in ways unique to each believer. And that the spiritual disciplines in God’s Word are sufficient, requiring no ceremony, rite, ritual, religious habit or spiritual exercise. Nothing but God’s Spirit can create the environment Christians need as they pursue Christ’s holiness.

In this chapter, Dr. Whitney identifies the disciplines as devotional and sanctifying practices, e.g., prayer, fasting, solitude, private reading of and meditation on Scripture, as well as corporate worship. He adds a couple of pertinent points: the disciplines are practices, not attitudes, that engaging in the Christian disciplines is more than piety. The purpose is to use the disciplines as an instrument for pursuing a deeper communion and intimacy with Christ. To "add some meat to those bones", the fundamental premise Dr. Whitney provides, I have included in this paper the five spiritual disciplines iterated by Dr. R. C. Sproul in his book, “5 Things Christians Need to Grow,” to give believers substantive learning of what the spiritual disciplines are. The quotes and highlights from Dr. Sproul’s book are just that – they are not the full-on detail that the St. Christopher’s Tuesday evening Bible Study Group had the privilege of studying using Dr. Sproul’s book as a guide. (To obtain your copy, see above information in the introductory paragraph and purchase from Amazon or your favorite bookstore.) The five disciplines are Bible study, prayer, worship, service, and stewardship.

Bible Study. Dr. Sproul opens this first chapter by recalling for the believer the sin of one of the most highly favored kings of Israel – King David. When David is confronted with his offense, he recognizes that his adultery and murder were - primarily and in the utmost - sins against God. David expresses his grief in Psalm 51 – a familiar passage visited and recited during Lent. Comparing this Psalm to Psalm 1, we see a different picture of David; likewise in Psalm 119 – images of a devoted worshiper and lover of God’s Word. David’s break with God through his sin thrust him into a depression and lack of joy. Like David, we can allow our feelings to trump God’s Word, deceiving ourselves that such action will bring a joy, but it is short-lived. Because God loves us, He will not let us languish in our sin. 

The power of God’s Word is extraordinary, as Hebrews 4:12-13 also tells us – it is the Spirit’s tool that allows us to discern God’s will and reveal what is in our hearts; it is God’s voice to us. In it we hear the need for God’s grace and mercy; He wants the best for us. The Master Handbook, the Bible, reveals God’s character and acts as a light to guide us to growing intimacy with Him. When viewed from that perspective, our response must be to bow before God and seek forgiveness and His presence.

Immersing ourselves in the Bible -- not just as a goal to rush through the Bible in a year so as to check off a box – rather, we do so to gain the mind of Christ, to learn what discipleship is. Dr. Sproul uses 2 Timothy 3 to undergird that statement. Just as Paul wrote to Timothy in the first century AD, we, too, in our 21st century world and cultures, are exhorted to “continue in the things (of truth) which we have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,” knowing truth of Scripture -- not trying to piecemeal it through “hearsay”. Are we being strengthened in faith and in our walk with God by the study and application of God’s Word, or are we satisfied with head knowledge and the ability to quote scripture with the skill of the devil, while being detached from its application? (Matthew 4:5-6) Do we profit from our study of the Word to be able to comprehend Biblical doctrine, to be corrected by the Word in our thoughts and behavior and practicing repentance, to learn righteousness and holiness? (2 Timothy 3:15-17) Do we participate in a worship community’s teaching ministry regularly? (Ephesians 4:11-12) Do we hold scholarship and academic criticism of God’s Word above the Bible? (Matthew 5:17-19; 1 Thessalonians 2:13) Are we reading and meditating on the entire Bible, harking back to 2 Timothy 3:15-17? Are we growing in trust of God’s Word? (Psalm 119:42) Do we have in our Bible study arsenal a study Bible, a concordance, and similar resources?

Prayer. Well, that seems like a no-brainer, one might say. But, what informs and shapes our prayers? Is our focus “what God can do for us?” Why should we pray?

• It is our duty. We are called to be a people of prayer. Dr. Sproul’s book refers to explicit Scriptures: Romans 12:12; Philippians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – to name a few. Jesus gave a parable recorded at Luke 18:1-6 as admonition of what we ought to do, i.e., it is an ethical and moral necessity – a solemn duty we are to perform. Prayer is conversation (two-way) with God, as we come before His throne in all humbleness. (Hebrews 4:16)
  
  
•  It is a privilege. Prayer is instituted by God and gifted to His people as a privilege not to be taken lightly. In God’s Word, our relationship with the Father is like a marriage, where both persons are “one,” not just signifying a communion or intimacy with God, but also agreeing with God’s Word to us, which is what our “Amen” conveys. God will not hear the prayers of willful sinners and nonbelievers. (Isaiah 58:3-5) Jesus was asked by His disciples how to pray and he taught them. We benefit even today by their inquisitiveness.  
  
  
• It is a means. Prayer is a means God uses to bring about His intended “ends” and redemption; God uses our prayers as His instruments to bring about His will. We pray to change us, not God! Thus, our prayers informed by Scripture change things. (James 5:13-18) God answers prayers of those who seek His truth. (Acts 10) Prayer is effective most often when offered in “the Spirit” – praying God’s Word, being in unity with God’s will. (Ephesians 6:18-20) We often hear the expression, "the power of prayer;" it is often said in a way that makes it sound like rubbing an oil lamp and waiting for God to appear and give us what we want. As if "prayer" is an entity all unto itself. The truth is this: Prayer’s power is based in and tied to relationship with God; without that relationship, or a heartfelt desire to have one, a prayer has little power. (refer to Isaiah 58 above) Prayer, in tandem with the meditation on God’s Word, increases our trust in God multifold. (Mark 11:24; 1 John 5:14) Using the Lord’s Prayer as a pattern, some use this structure acronymically: ACTS – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication – where God is praised and honored foremost.

Worship. The essence and foundation of worship is obedience. Worship is initiated by God; God determines what worship of Him is to look like. After God had given Moses a lengthy description of how He wanted to be worshiped by His people - instruction that was passed on to the people, two sons of Aaron chose to worship God in their own way, to their own liking, despite God’s warnings. (Leviticus 10:1-3) 

God takes worship seriously. In this world of “entitlement”, even some in the Church have adopted that line of reasoning, interpreting in favor of themselves what pleases God. That attitude violates the first Commandment: You shall have no other gods before me (in My presence). (Exodus 20:2-3) That Commandment is still in force, per Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 as noted above. God created us, and all creation, to bow before Him in obedience and worship. (Romans 1:19-23; Psalm 66:4; Psalm 148; Psalm 150 (these are great prayer starters by the way!)) 

Worship is not restricted to a building or location, nor a particular place on earth. When speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus responds to her presumption that worship is either on Mount Gerizim in Samaria, or in Jerusalem. He answers her presumption regarding where God is to worshiped: neither on that mountain nor in Jerusalem, but in Spirit and Truth. He clearly notes that worship is not restricted to a “where”, but rather through a “who” – in Spirit and truth. Spirit has no boundary, no geographic location; i.e., God is not confined to a geographic location or building. We must worship God in spirit – in harmony with the Holy Spirit, with our hearts fully engaged and our desires in agreement with Him; we must worship in truth, not our truth but His Truth, by His ordinance and designation in His Word. 

What does it mean to engage with the Holy Spirit? In a recent sermon at my church, the Pastor spoke to that encounter between Jesus and the woman of Samaria. The “living water” Jesus cites is metaphor for the Holy Spirit and His active work in us. She ruminated in her talk about how long one can go without water before its lack began to have detrimental effects on the body; continuing Jesus reference to the Spirit’s aliveness, His work in our lives, the intricacies of being indwelt by God the Holy Spirit – should we resist His work and/or ignore His work in us? If we do, the Holy Spirit will not force us to worship or force us to obey, and will be quiet, in grief, rather than enlivening, refreshing. We spiritually become like a blocked stream where the water has stagnated and has begun to slowly evaporate. If you have ever seen a stagnate puddle or pool where the water has evaporated, you may see a 'shadow' outline of where the water once was. So it goes when we resist the work of and refuse to heed the Spirit's call and prompting - allowing our Bible to gather dust. How long can a Christian go without the active life power and refreshing of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Consider what the consequences will look like and feel like.

We are to prepare ourselves for worship. As we worship individually, we come before God in prayer, praising Him and offering Him thanksgivings, confessing our sins. Inculcating Scripture and understanding from God. In our daily walk we demonstrate our worship by obedience to Him -- which is the foundation and essence of worship, and doing all things to His glory. We are also called to come together corporately to worship, as instructed in Hebrews 10:24-25.

In the liturgies of some churches, there is a rationale for the “order of worship.” We pray and praise God; we open our hearts, minds and spirits to hear the “cleansing” Word of God read to us and are to contemplate on that Word; that Word of God is then to be exposited by the preacher who has prayed for God to put His words in their mouth so that what is heard is coming from God. We worship in obedience, are instructed in the Word, and we confess our sins. We make peace with our brothers and sisters, then give our gifts to God in grateful thanksgiving cheerfully, as we approach His throne of grace to engage in sweet communion with Him through the remembrance of the Lord’s Supper. Our words and hearts are filled with praise and adoration, in prayers and supplications, as we bow before Him in humble obedience. Do we gather regularly with our local worship community? Do we desire such gathering? Does our daily walk, activity, attitudes, behavior reflect our daily walk of worship of God? Is the majority of our worship spent only inside a church building? Is our worship bearing fruit?

Service. What does the Bible say about service? The best examples are found in Jesus. In addition to serving His Father by willingly submitting Himself as a sacrifice to open the means for restoration of the world with God, there are other ways that Jesus served others; He did not come to be served, but to serve. Part of that service was giving healing to many; the work was almost nonstop at certain times; He could feel the power leave Him, and in His humanity, the magnitude of His service often left Him quite tired! Jesus served the needs of His disciples so that they may accompany Him in His missionary work. In John 13, Jesus humbly cleans their feet, assuming the role of a slave, to teach them the necessity of how to serve one another with humility. Members of the early Church were inspired to serve one another to ensure that all needs were met. So that the Church could function as a community of oneness, God instituted a structure for corporate worship and life by creating servant leadership roles and servanthood opportunities in differing ministries within the Church. (Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12:1-18; Acts 6:1-6) Ministerial, or as they are often called, “spiritual” gifts, have been given to all believers indwelt by the Spirit so that the work of the Kingdom may be carried out effectively. When persons choose to not use their gifts for whatever reason, there is a diminishment of effectiveness both seen and felt, and the congregation suffers from that imbalance and neglect. When we are not serving others as Jesus served, our worship may not be pleasing to God.[i] Service, for some, may be demonstrated in their vocation: some enter the broad field of healing; others may serve as caretakers for persons unable to do for themselves; may serve in the military or in the local police departments; may serve as grocery store workers, mechanics and technicians; in industries that support the environment; in the farming industry, in hospitality services, as educators, and the list goes on; always working as to the Lord! Find God’s purpose for you.

Stewardship. Often when a local church talks about "stewardship," it is during a campaign or other event to encourage financial giving to the local church. That is but a small though vital aspect of what Christian stewardship is. As we look at the disciplines God has given us, can we agree that these all fall under the broad heading of stewardship? 

We are given stewardship of our . As Peter is inspired to write in his first letter, all Christians are called to be “stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Think. soberly. about the depth of that imperative. Even the word used here, manifold, just barely touches the edge of what God's grace is. How broad and how deep is God’s grace? Immeasurable. Yet God has given each of us grace in proper measure [ii] so that His Kingdom will increase in its earthly manifestation.

We have been made stewards of creation – how are we doing with that? Taking a look at the crises caused by climate change and global warming, we have to give ourselves as the human race an F-minus. While Jesus in his famous Mt. Olivet discourse recorded in the Gospels about the last days foretold the onslaught of what we are experiencing now in climate swings, melting polar caps, disappearing animal species, daily earthquakes, and polluted air and waters, and so forth, making that connection requires knowing Scripture and discerning the times. 

We have already noted how the early Church handled matters of stewardship. But let us revisit the financial support for a moment. Such support was instituted for the people of God by God in the form of a tithe of income and/or harvest[iii] (it was already a common practice in the region of Canaan). Under the sacrificial system of worship established by God, every family, during various “feasts” in the year, would take the first fruits of their harvests, or one-tenth of their harvests, livestock, and other designated items to give to God to support the service of the priesthood, as affirmation that they owe God their lives, to confess their reliance on God, as an expression of thanks to God in all humility. God chose the Levite priesthood for Himself and the nation was to support the work of the priests at the Tabernacle, and later, the Temple. As obedient children to a Father, God would supply and increase their yields to make such giving not burdensome. The Church would also practice the tithing of income/goods, which may also include service of some kind. So, like that, the work of forwarding the Kingdom message would not be hampered, and the needs of the worship community and the greater community met. When it is possible and/or hearts are committed to the Kingdom and God’s people, Christians will give beyond the tithe to support a special project or need.

 

Armed now with such vital information, what shall we do? Are we eager to add these disciplines to our lives? When this life is over, will we just be satisfied with “squeezing” through Heaven’s gate, or will our hearts long to hear the amazing words, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; come, enter the joy of your Master.”

*The foregoing represents my personal reflections on a study by Dr. Donald S. Whitney, Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health. (2001. By Donald S. Whitney. NAVPRESS. ISBN 978-1-61747-187-2) Quotations and excerpts are from that source, unless otherwise identified. For the 2023 Lenten season I provided these thoughts to my local congregation's Bible study group. The questions are not, however, constrained by a particular liturgical season, holiday, or age group: these are questions every Christian may find useful in fulfilling God's command at 2 Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!" The church at Corinth looked a lot like many of our churches today.

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[i] In this context, worship and service is not just what we do inside a building. Jesus wants us to worship corporately, yes, however, what happens next? Where is the most important worship taking place? Outside the walls of the church building in our daily walk. One church calls it, “the mission field” of self and community. See also Ezekiel 3:16-21.

[ii] Also see Ephesians 4:7.

[iii] Several references are in Exodus and Leviticus. Search in a program such as Biblegateway for one-tenth or tithe.

Sewing for joy

On Easter weekends, the youth at my church participate in a project called "30-Hour Famine," where the opportunity for raising funds for food insecurities, crises and disasters leads them to go without solid food for 30 hours. They have raised thousands of dollars for WorldVision, which has been able to often be doubled or tripled by other donors. On Holy Saturday, the 'famining' youth engage in a service project; a couple of years ago, they fashioned blocks to express something they are grateful for about Resurrection Sunday. I took them home and assembled into a cross for a hanging (I won't say how long I stayed up piecing and completing the hanging), and it now adorns the sanctuary during Easter season. On another occasion they made decorated t-shirts for a charity our church supports (it was so cool to have teen guys sewing and designing!)

I was asked to do an Advent stole vestment, and made this (still needed final ironing in this pic).

Another large banner for the church sanctuary for Pentecost (ignore my basement floor 'storage system' - it was about 2 in the morning when I took this pic). Using my phone camera doesn't do the piece justice. It is about 5.5 by 4 feet. The flames and Spirit depiction of a flying dove are in the background. I want to make another companion banner that has the I AM tetragram letters and the name of the Holy Spirit in Hebrew.

This is why I want to retire - there are days when I swell with the ideas of praising the Lord through my sewing gift. 

Hard, torrential rain, leaky roofs, and vulnerable faith

With all of the massive amounts of rain we have had in the last few days, and how it has impacted our church building, I have to admit I’ve been a little preoccupied by it. Today when I was picking up my co-worker to commute to work, the building across from her house was having the roof repaired. She mentioned that it was old and was probably leaky – with all the rain we’ve been having, she said, the water found its way to all of the weak spots. And immediately – at the speed of the Holy Spirit, the below analogy came to mind. 

“Analogy of hard rain falling onto roof - it reveals where there are vulnerabilities in the structure, and water will leak through. It is kind of like the work of the Holy Spirit in our sanctification: He reveals to us where there are weak spots, vulnerabilities in our faith and character. He shows us where they are saggy and blistered by the world and its influence, and our own natures, and where we may have tried to plug up the holes with the equivalent of spitballs or tarps. With the rain damage, the homeowner most often must contract with an outside source to repair the vulnerable spots on the roof. The expert contractor uses his knowledge and skill to repair the vulnerabilities in the roof – for a fee – and may offer a warranty period of up to 20 years. Yet, the indwelling Holy Spirit, Himself, not only repairs our vulnerable places, those weakness and immaturities in our faith, or where our character is out of alignment with Christ – He can eventually perfect them for eternity …the price of the repairs to the ‘homeowner’ is submission to the Holy Spirit’s plan.

“The Holy Spirit uses tried and true tools to firm up and strengthen us and help us become leak-resistant: -- (1) God’s Word, which He helps to be operational in us to strengthen and shore-up our faith structure to withstand the torrents, and amend our character; (2) He promotes within us the desire for unceasing prayer as an avenue that keeps us continually in communication with the Father, receiving confirmation and affirmation during the building project; (3) He enables us to engage in true worship, worship that acts like rolls of tar paper that help shield the foundations that have been built; (4) and (5) the Holy Spirit also empowers us carry out the stewardship of what has been built into us and for us, and in using the service and ministerial gifts God endows within His redeemed people so that we can enjoy living into the new life being built in Christ.”

I cannot look at a leaky roof the way I used to!  

Hebrews 3:4 -- For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

2 Corinthians 5:1 -- For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Ephesians 2:10 -- For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Ephesians 2:19b-20 – [You] are of God’s household,  having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,  in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,  in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Are we Growing in Christ?

Are We Growing in Christ? Special Bible Study beginning June 13.

--A Follow-up to Tuesday, May 9 Bible Study (and May 7 sermon!)--

Dear Friends,

A recent Bible study had Daniel 9 as a basis for its discussion. The passage reminded us not only of the importance of prayer, but the kind of prayer God will hear. As we fleshed out those principles, we were reminded of the key avenues or means of grace that God works through for growing up His children ‘in Christ’, that is, to enable us to be transformed to be more like Christ in attitude, perspective, and behavior (in another Bible study we learned that this process is called    ‘sanctification’). We are informed by God the Holy Spirit in Paul’s letter to the Romans at    chapter 12, verses 1-2 (NRSV) concerning that will of God: 
   
“1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your    bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.    2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds,    so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and    perfect.” [also see 1 Peter 2:5, Romans 8:9-11, and Ephesians 1:3,4 and 2:10]    

It was reiterated to the Bible study group what these key avenues or means of grace are that God uses in growing His children (these are not necessarily listed in order of primacy):    
1. Prayer    
2. Bible study    
3. Worship    
4. Stewardship    
5. Service    

During the Bible study, we were invited to do as ‘homework’ finding scriptural    passages that inform us and instruct us concerning each of these means of grace.  We are called by God to grow up and grow into Christ, as noted in Acts 2:37-47, where the passage outlines principles for growing the Church and growing individually ‘in Christ’. 

We were invited to a special study on these means of grace via a different approach from how we studied them before. To stimulate our thinking on these things, here are some optional questions for each item as we search for Biblical support for each item. A study Bible, a Bible concordance or index,    biblegateway.com, biblestudytools.com, and similar resources, may prove helping in finding answers . To frame one’s mind and heart for this activity, why not pray for guidance to find what God desires for us personally, and as a Church.    

#1 – Prayer. What is prayer? Why do we pray? (people often ask this question when they    reason that since God knows everything why should I pray?) What kind of prayer pleases God?    (The answers can be found in the Bible)    

#2 – Bible Study. A former bishop in the church noted that there was a    significant level of Bible illiteracy within the church community. During Sunday morning comments a while back, it was also related that during a particular youth retreat a few years, youth were not able to differentiate the Bible from a prayer book.  Indeed, in many churches, persons do not bring a personal Bible to church services to follow the Bible readings, notate, or follow along in a sermon. Others opine that the Bible is either too hard to understand, or outdated-- not relevant for today. Each of the fundamental points of the issues raised herein, of being Biblically literate/illiterate, knowing what the Bible is, and the authority and    relevance of the Bible – are described within the pages of the Bible. What priority does Bible study hold in our lives? Why should a person who identifies him/ herself as a Christian study the Bible? What can happen if a person chooses not to study or rely upon the Bible, or even rejects its absolute truth? Answers are in the Bible.    

#3. Worship. ‘Worship’ is viewed many different ways – but, how does God view worship? What is worship according to God, and what is the worship that God desires? What worship will    God not accept? All of these can be answered in the Bible.    

#4. Stewardship. Many churches schedule ‘stewardship seasons’ to encourage persons’  financial support for the church or to learn about tithing. Yet, how does God view stewardship, that is, what does He say stewardship is? The answer is in the Bible.    

#5. Service. In many churches, there is a perception of great challenge for and/or reluctance on the part of many churchgoers to become persons with a ‘servant’s heart’ – some are convinced that service is only for ‘certain people’ in the church, or that one must be personally asked by a religious professional or by clergy to be a servant or take on a service role. Believers who are ‘in Christ’ are called by the Lord to serve. Yet, what does it mean to be a servant of Christ? What might service look like within a church fellowship setting like St. Christopher’s (or elsewhere),  that is, in what roles might lay persons serve to support the church and the community surrounding the place of worship? How does this coincide with the spiritual gifts that believers receive when they are saved, or does it? Are Christians only required to serve ‘at church’?  Answers to these questions can be found in the Bible.    

Conclusion. The Gospel of John, chapter 10, identifies Christ as the Great Shepherd. He says His sheep hear His voice. He further says that He came so that we may have life, and have it more abundantly. A shepherd leads by voice, words and by action. The sheep respond to the voice and to the words and action. Christ’s words have life in them. He is reaching out to us to follow Him. How will we respond to that call? And what happens after we come to Him, after we accept His call to us to be His followers and for Him to be our Lord?  Namely, what is God’s will for you and for all of us called by Him, what does He call us to be  and to do? The answer is in the Bible! That is what it looks like to ‘grow in Christ’.    (2 Peter 3)

Partnering with Christ

When you think of it, that seems a bold, presumptuous statement for a human to say, that “we are partners with Christ”. However, it did not originate with humans, but from the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 3:12-14 (NRSV) tells us: “ ¹² Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end.” (compare Revelation chapters 2 and 3).

For those of us who are partners with Christ, we did not become so because we went out of our way to do this. No – the Holy Spirit came to us seeking us out to join in this unique relationship with Christ. In John's Gospel, chapter 4, Jesus reminds us that our relationship is a spiritual one, and that our lives should be lives of worship in spirit and truth (not just a thing we do once a week in a building).

Ephesians 2:1-10 outlines how we become partners with Christ. In fact, a description of that partnership is also in chapter 1, and in chapter 4. We are partners in Christ to do good works, as stated chapter 2, verse 10. Such works are defined by God in His Word so that we do not have to guess. Paul, through the Holy Spirit, also received the word at Romans 8 and 12 – which is a follower of Christ’s foundational doctrine for knowing one’s identity in Christ. Being in Christ conveys an immersion - a place of oneness. These verses also speak to those ‘good works’ that God has preordained for those followers and partners of Christ.

Just like wearing a badge does not make someone a policeman, neither does wearing the moniker of “Christian” necessarily convey that we are partnering with Christ. (see Jesus’ admonition at Matthew 7:21-23) Knowing God’s will for our ownselves by examining His Word and seeking His direction in prayer and, then, with His help, doing it is therefore very important towards growing in this unique relationship (John 15:1-5).  

Jesus encourages us throughout the scriptures that our partnership with Him is of high value to Him and the Father. That God moves us from death (what we deserve) to life in Christ (God’s unmerited grace), is a cause for celebration and a motivation to continue to build on our relationship in Christ. How can you not exult in knowing that you have been given the gift of eternal life, that God through the provision of the blood of Christ, has rescued you from darkness and an eternal death separated from God? Did you not know that God sees you as dead if you have not been saved by his grace? (p.s. baptism does not save you!!! Communion does not save you!!!! despite what many traditions teach - reread Ephesians 2:1-10!)

Choosing to accept God's invitation to partner with Christ is not limited to an age - older children through to old age have the same opportunity to walk in the spirit with Christ. God desires all persons to accept His invitation as He declares in John 3:16, yet as he notes in verses 18-20, there will be those who reject this life-saving gift: ¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  ¹⁸ He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."

Consider today, while it is still today, this free invitation to share in Christ and enter into this unique relationship. The rewards are tremendous! 

I leave you with this prayer and blessing Ephesians chapter 1 given to those whom God has called and who has been brought into His spiritual family:

^“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴ just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. ⁵ He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸ that he lavished on us.” Amen

“If we are the body, why aren’t His arms reaching, why aren’t His hands healing, why aren’t His words teaching…”

Stewardship...What Kind of Steward Am I?

For many churches at this time of year - or within the next few weeks, the call will go out for financial pledges, flyers on ‘stewardship’ are put up on bulletin boards, posted to the church website, and/or mailed out with pledge forms. Scriptures are quoted to underline the importance of financial giving, such as the widow with two mites, ones that show that investing in God will bring you manifold returns on your investment (e.g. Luke 6:38). Google "Bible verses to use to encourage financial giving" and, oh my, all sorts of programs, lessons, and schemes are listed. Some sites sell their 'proven methods'. Sometimes churches will hire a consultant to work with the church to encourage greater giving, including partnering with retail stores so that a percentage of money spent by churchgoers returns to the church coffers. Given the recent financial times, not to mention increased interest in self and comforts, it is little wonder that for many churches, the Bible principle of ‘stewardship’ is diminished and mocked, referring chiefly to how much a person is willing to give to the church over the course of another period of time. This understanding of stewardship falls excessively short of what the Bible teaches, and can sometimes brink on being unscriptural or just Bible-flavored fundraising. Such misrepresentation may cause churchgoers and Christians to miss out on a wonderful and fundamental experience in their walk with God.

I remember when this truth was driven home to me several years ago, when I began to catch a glimmer of what God’s Word truly teaches on stewardship. One of the members of my congregation testified one Sunday – praise God for the courage and encouragement that the Holy Spirit had on this comparatively new believer! – that he had lost his job, yet he had not lost his faith in God’s promises! He believed God to be the true provider for himself and his family. While the job loss and reduced income required adjustments in spending, he said he could not see himself still not giving God one-tenth of his income. He testified that God had not changed – just his own personal circumstances, and he believed that God would honor his faith in Him to continue to bless his family’s obedience in this regard. Not only did he get new employment, but it is employment that brings enough to sustain the family and allows him to engage in evangelism work through the faith communities to which he belongs.

See, he was teaching us this: Stewardship is founded on love of God, a trusting relationship with Him, leading the believer to express gratitude, faith; he does not see stewardship as merely a ‘financial’ thing. God gave us stewardship of the earth, of our lives and faith, of the relationships within the body of Christ so that as faithful stewards grounded in the sacrificial love of Christ, we see ourselves as what we are – purchased for Christ by His blood and no longer our own (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We see our very lives and existence as coming from God, and that without Him and His grace we are dead spiritually and separated from Him. We owe Him ourselves. As such, all of our life and lifestyle pivots on stewardship of the faith God has given us (Hebrews 12:2), stewardship of the temple of the Spirit  - our physical bodies and how we use them to God’s glory, stewardship of the relationships God brings us to, stewardship of the secular and spiritual work that He brings us to – everything in our lives that we encounter call for us to exercise the stewardship role that God has bestowed on us. The joy and wonderment of this is that we are partners with Christ in our stewardship responsibility, we share with Him, we serve with and abide in Christ throughout the remainder of our earthly lives and beyond (John 15; Romans 16:3,9; Romans 8). The rewards of our stewardship can be experienced in this life and in the life to come (Matthew 25:14-30). We are commanded to give ourselves to His kingdom work, which includes proclaiming the good news to our friends, family, coworkers, and others, and making disciples of ourselves and others, and to serve one another in Christ.

Yes, our financial giving is but one aspect of our stewardship, and yet all of our stewardship responsibility is predicated on the same love, thanksgiving, and gratitude, and faith. Our financial giving, though, is an indicator of how we see ourselves before God. Do we believe God is who He says He is? It’s funny – we will give/dedicate our babies and children to God and ask Him to do with them as He wills, yet we are stingy or reticent with our money and will not give to God the one-tenth He asks. Some excuse themselves from the tithing by saying that this was a part of the old Mosaic law and doesn’t apply to Christians. Why not? Tithing is not introduced in the Bible through the Mosaic Law; it was already a standard of giving relative to worship; read Genesis 14 to confirm this. The Mosaic Law given to Moses by God used that existing standard (which was God-authored hundreds of years before); it also included special standards of giving for the Levites, which were twice as high as the general tithe offering. Thus, Jesus’ first coming did not obliterate the general giving standard, nor the principles of the law, in which the giving of one-tenth of ones' incurred wealth and/or possessions (whether money or goods) was a standard in worship and obedience to Yahweh. Such giving back to God serves to remind us of what God has done for us, what His grace has provided, and that He is sovereign over all things.  Jesus' coming - His first advent - fulfilled the redemptive plan of the law. Jesus upheld the principles of the law and expounded on them in the Sermon on the Mount – particularly in Matthew 5. The law pointed to Christ, yet it also underscored the Jews' accountability to God, as it does so for us (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Compare Paul’s inspired account in 2 Corinthians 8 as he identifies the source of the giving by the Macedonians. (In the next chapter in verse 7, Paul uses the word 'cheerful' with respect to the believers' attitude towards giving. The Greek word used here is a derivative of the word for 'hilarious' or 'hilarity' - when was the last time you wrote a check to church which had you falling out of your seat laughing hilariously?) Malachi 3 is not a part of the Mosaic law, and believers are commanded there to bring one tenth of their income into the ‘house of the LORD,’ i.e., we have the supreme privilege of honoring God through our material goods, service and our active faith. 

As we look at ourselves through the perspective of God’s Word, we each need to ask ourselves: What kind of steward am I? Do I believe in God’s Word and promises? Have I pledged allegiance to God through the blood sacrifice of Christ and accepted Him as my Savior, Lord and Master – not in word only but through a real transfer of my rights to Him? Have I accepted the honor of partnering with Christ in stewardship? Do my works and actions agree with my answer? (2 Corinthians 13:5)

How does your church approach stewardship?