The Natural Reaction

Laura and I spent some time in Brisbane, AUS walking through the shops at Queen's street.  There was a variety of shops which would be found in any mall in America selling clothes, electronics, shoes, games, CDs, DVDs, and beauty products.  There were many "touristy" type places, selling momentos, knick-knacks, and memorabilia with "Australia" printed on it.  As we perused the wares, there was something that caught my eye a time or two:  Newton's cradle.  This was a device Newton used to prove every action has an equal and opposite reaction.  This is the summation of Newton's second law, the law of motion.  When one ball is lifted and allowed to fall, a ball on the other side will spring into the air.  It is only friction between the balls that causes the motion not to be perpetuated indefinitely.


It caused me to consider the function of the church of Jesus Christ, His Body on this earth.  Is a church supposed to "run like clockwork," without heart or soul?  Is the church intended to be reactionary, simply acting opposite to what is contrary to biblical doctrine?  The answer is clearly no.  If we would be honest, one thing is true about the church today:  there is much motion, but little devotion.  God did not create the church to be perpetually in motion, but desires we be constant in pious devotion.  Devotion means obedience and humble submission to Him, seeking His direction and empowerment for His glory.  The church is not a machine, but a Body.  A Body is intended to respond to outward stimuli with a mind, heart, and soul according to the God-pleasing attitude within.


Though Newton's Law is true in the natural physical realm, the church is not bound by it in the supernatural.  Performing the work of God is God's doing, and we are tools and vessels in His hand.  He is the Potter, we are the clay.  The Body of Christ is directed by the Head who is Jesus, and the Holy Spirit empowers us to fulfill the will of God.  We need not react according to our natural inclinations, for the grace and love of God is supernatural.  Our work is not to form committees and scheme how we will win the world for Christ, but simply respond to the guidance and strength which come from God alone.  To react is to follow worldly wisdom:  to respond with genuine love in all circumstances is of God.  A soft answer turns away wrath.  The world may rage against us, but the force imposed upon us can be brought to nothing by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Our faith in Christ is not blind motion, but according to truth revealed in our hearts through His Word and Holy Spirit.


Consider the things you do "for God."  How many of those things has He explicitly told you to do, and how many are you doing because you were thrown into the motion of a church?  As people, we are masters of motion.  Once a ball gets rolling, sometimes it is hard to catch.  Sometimes when a ministry starts churning, it can simply be an outlet of the flesh that continues long after God has ordained.  Let's decide it is time for Christ to run His church and faithfully do our part with joy and gladness!  This is the most natural response for every believer.  What a relief it is to obey God!

Australia Update!

Today is the third very full day Laura and I have spent in Sydney, Australia.  So far it has been a wonderful blur of a trip, and it is hard to believe we've only been here three days.  We've been meeting beautiful people, going to different places, and it's already a challenge to keep it straight.  Ross and Joan have been terrific hosts, and we've met several families from Calvary Chapel Sydney.  I would say the jetlag has been a non-issue except I find when I sit down to write my mind is blank, still feverishly processing information from the day.

We've taken many pictures, visited with wildlife, taken a drive down the coast, hopped on the train and hung out at the harbour for half a day, and sampled local fare.  Within a few days we hope to share some pictures and communicate some of the memorable things we've already done.  At the moment it is difficult for me to focus on anything but tomorrow, because God-willing I will be preaching at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  The message has already been put to paper but my prayer is tomorrow God will inscribe His Word upon our hearts with grace and Spirit-led anointing.  It is to this I have been called, and prayerful humility is the only preparation for such work.

It is an amazing thing, to do what you cannot.  A man cannot do the work of God, but God is willing to do His work through a yielded man.  Man is a failure, but God is faithful.  I rejoice in the provision of God's mercies which are new every morning:  great is His faithfulness.  Please pray that hearts would be prepared, that the good seed of God's Word would be sown, and it would be fruitful to the glory of God.  Monuments of man and even the beauty of nature pale in comparison to the soul work God desires to do daily in the hearts of His people.  Show us your glory, Jesus.  Pull back the veil of our feeble expectations and reveal yourself as the LORD and Christ that you truly are.  May the seeds sown tomorrow bear eternal fruit so you may receive the reward due your suffering. 

Holy Cross?

People have a tendency to attribute power to symbols.  This belief is not only held in the pagan or occult arena but is prominent in movies, decor, jewelery, and even churches.  Constantine proliferated the use of the cross as a symbol when he believed Jesus told him to place the symbol of the cross in his standard:  "In this sign, you will conquer."  The cross is used in movies to fend off evil beings like demons or vampires, and the upside-down cross has been long used by Satanists.  Ozzy Osborne is rarely seen without an enormous crucifix hanging from his neck, common attire for all the members of Black Sabbath.

My concern is people in the church might fall into this trap of giving heed to superstition and belief that actual power is contained in the cross itself.  The refrain of a popular Chris Tomlin song goes, "Mighty, awesome, wonderful, is the holy cross where the Lamb laid down His lift to lift us from the fall. Mighty is the power of the cross." It could be misconstrued, based on the improper views placed upon us by culture and ignorance, that the cross in itself has the power to "raise a man to life again." Is the cross indeed holy? This would not be the first time man has regarded as holy what is not.

It was not uncommon for Jesus Christ to hammer the Pharisees for contorting the truth. Matthew 23:16-19 says, "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.' [17] Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? [18] And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.' [19] Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?"  It is clear by the comments of Jesus that the temple sanctifies the gold, and the altar sanctifies the gift.  The temple and altar were to be ceremonially sanctified and anointed before they could be used in God's worship and service.  A sacrifice offered on the altar according to God's command was acceptable in His sight.  A gift offered anywhere else would not be acceptable because it was in violation of God's command.

Now I ask you:  which is greater, the cross or the blood of Christ that sanctifies the cross?  The cross or a symbol of it is no more holy than the tomb which held the body of Jesus Christ for three days.  It is not as if the actual blood of Jesus had any medicinal or healing powers physically within it.  The blood of Jesus was normal, O+ or AB blood (or whatever type).  The blood of Jesus is applied to our hearts spiritually through faith.  What God has cleansed we ought not call common, and we should not call a symbol holy which has been made common.  The cross represents the victory Christ has won over sin and death through His substitute death and resurrection.  It is deeply symbolic of the price God paid to purchase and redeem mankind from damnation.

A similar example if found in the Bible itself.  My Bible says "Holy Bible" on the cover, but it does not mean there is a magical force present in the ink and paper to deliver me from sin.  It contains the words of God, God is holy, so His Word therefore is holy.  Isaiah 57:15:  "For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:  "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."  The power of God is not found in a piece of wood, a symbol, or a book with letters printed upon it:  the power of God is found within Himself alone.  It is man who is easily caught up in externals when God looks upon the heart.  While we quibble over the relevance of modern translations there remains a God who is seeking people to worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

Go to any graveyard and you will see crosses.  The crosses which adorn graves have no physical power to resurrect the dead, even if they were encrusted with the actual shed blood of Jesus Christ.  It is Jesus Himself who is our Savior and in Him there is power to resurrect us from the dead and make us born again when we repent and trust in Him.  The aforementioned song would be truer sung, "Mighty, awesome, wonderful, is our Holy God.  Jesus He laid down His life to lift us from the fall.  Mighty is the power of our God."  Christ's cross is a simply a marker on the narrow path as we follow Him carrying our own.  "The cross before me, the world behind me...no turning back, no turning back." 

A Time to Kill

I'm not one to theorize very often, but as I read my morning passage today light dawned upon my heart.  In centuries past, many preachers tended to camp on the power, strength, and judgment of God.  Dire warnings against impenitent sinners were as common as people attending church in America even a few generations ago.  Now the primary emphasis camps upon the love, grace, and mercy of God.  Generations ago people saw God as a homicidal tyrant, justly raging against the immoral.  Today He is pictured as a kind grandpa who wouldn't ever judge a person because He has softened with mushy affections.  He cares more about our feelings than righteousness.  These views are not scriptural, and are therefore incorrect.

No person in the Body of Christ today will deny that apathy is a serious issue faced by the church today.  There is a sense on entitlement which has crept into the Body, a selfishness that has bred under the surface like a cancer for decades unnoticed.  It is the concept that God is my Savior, Jesus is my friend, and like my other friends it is my prerogative to decide when we will meet, how often I will call, and I get to choose the activity.  If Jesus should challenge me in any way to go outside of my comfort zone, I am allowed to say no.  I will do what is comfortable, what I feel like doing, and as long as it is not too costly I will serve God.  While pure and undefiled religion before the Father is visiting the widow and orphan in their affliction and keeping ourselves unspotted from the world, we have somehow become the central figure.  It is clear many have lost the fear of God, but it is more likely they have never had it.  We must be convinced God is able to destroy us before we will believe He can save us.

Case in point:  when we introduce people to God, we are likely to tend to point out qualities which are more appealing to the flesh.  God's grace, mercy, kindness, faithfulness, love, gentleness, and He desires that none should perish are qualities often held forth.  Few focus on judgment, wrath, justice, strength, and power.  The way some people talk about God, we wouldn't even think Psalm 7:11 could be in the Bible:  "God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day."  Verses like Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 are read at funerals like poetry and no one seems to notice what is being said.  "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: [2] a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; [3] a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up..."  People are comfortable with planting and harvesting, but a time to kill?  Yes, for Genesis 38:7 affirms, "But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him."

Even theology has drifted from the mark.  How many times have you heard it preached in Sunday Schools or the pulpit that the "angel of death" went throughout the land of Egypt during the 10th plague and killed the firstborn of man and beast?  I was taught that.  I can only assume some people were very uncomfortable with the idea of our modern "nice" God slaying a first-born child in his crib and placed this task upon this fictitious "angel of death."  Not even a careful examination of scripture shows God Himself takes this upon Himself!  Exodus 12:12-13 says, "For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt."  He says again in Exodus 12:23:  "For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you."  People will grasp at the word "destroyer" and say that God might have used an angel to perform His "dirty work," but I disagree.  God doesn't do dirty work.  God commanded it, takes credit for it, and whether or not an angel was used matters.  God was judging the idolatry of the Egyptian people, and Pharaoh hardened his heart against God.  God raised up Pharaoh for this opportunity to reveal His power, strength, and judgment to the Egyptians and His own people, as well as all the surrounding nations.  We do not need to apologize for our God.  Interesting when the Bible conflicts with our perceived view of God, isn't it?

The 10 plagues in Egypt was how God introduced Himself to Pharaoh, the Egyptians, and the Hebrews alike.  After over 400 years in Egypt, many Israelites began to serve the idols of Egypt.  This is proven by Joshua's words after the exodus from Egypt, after the entry of the Promised Land, even after God drove out their enemies so they could inhabit Canaan!  Just before his death Joshua says in Joshua 24:14, "Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!"  Even after the Egyptians were plagued, their army drowned in the Red Sea, after wandering in the wilderness forty years, after the fall of Jericho, and the destruction of their enemies on all sides, idols from Egypt were STILL among them.  It stands to reason therefore a large group of the Hebrews while enslaved in Egypt did not fear the One True God.

Place yourself in the shoes of the Israelites.  You have witnessed waters turned to blood, the land corrupted by frogs, flies, dust turned to lice, all the cattle of the Egyptians die, ashes turn to boils on man and beast, hail fall mingled with fire that killed every man or animal in the field, innumerable locusts consume every green thing, darkness for three days which could be felt, and the death of every firstborn child or animal of the Egyptians.  Also, these plagues only occurred outside of Goshen where the Israelites dwelt.  You would be overwhelmed with the incredible power of God, wouldn't you?  You would be amazed how the blood from the slain lamb applied to the doorposts and lintel caused the Spirit of God to pass over and spare your firstborn.  Fast-forward to the parting of the Red Sea, when the Israelites walked through the sea on dry land with walls of water on the right and left.  Then the children of Israel traveled to Mt. Sinai where God would descend with smoke, thunderings, lightnings, fire, and intense trumpet blasts.  The people had been commanded to be sanctified three days, wash with water, put on clean clothes, and refrain from sexual activity.  What would have been your view of God at that moment, when the sky grew dark with clouds and the Spirit of God descended upon Mt. Sinai?  Probably a lot like the Hebrews, who trembled before God in reverential fear.  God then imparted His laws unto them so they might know of His righteousness.

Here is the crux of my theory:  because the Israelites were exposed to God's justice, power, and might, they reverenced God with fear.  He chose the Jews out of all the nations by His grace and love for them.  God was as gracious and loving then as He is now, revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.  But the way Jesus will return is strikingly similar to the justice meted out upon the idols of the Egyptians, as the conquering King of kings.  He is both Lamb of God and Lion of Judah.  When we consciously avoid the justice, judgment, and wrath of God upon sin, we begin to take grace, love, and forgiveness for granted.  We forget the fact that we deserve punishment.  We forget God is concerned about not only our conduct but the attitudes of our hearts.  We cheapen grace by neglecting the law.  We treat forgiveness and mercy with contempt when we neglect our need for repentance.  These Israelites were not apathetic:  far from it!  They stoned a man for gathering sticks on the Sabbath day because he broke God's Law!  They policed themselves and went to Moses and his appointed elders for judgment because they did not want the wrath of God to break out among them.  It seems like today we doubt this could even happen.  For too long many have used the liberty ushered in by God's grace as a cloak for sins of themselves and others.  My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be!

I urge you friends, learn about the character of the God of the Bible.  But the end is not knowledge, for it puffs up.  Through the grace and love of God allow knowledge to take root in biblical truth.  Don't settle for a second-hand relationship with God, living vicariously through the wisdom of others who have met with God.  You need not settle for stories when you can have a living relationship with God in heaven.  Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Justice demanded the blood of a spotless Lamb, and Jesus paid that price.  We see as in a mirror dimly, but soon we will see Him face to face.  Let us do Him the honor of portraying God as He is:  the Lion and the Lamb.