IS THERE A RIGHT KIND OF RISK?

We don’t like the word “risk” do we?  We don’t like it one bit and we do all we can to avoid it.  But the truth of the matter is we risk every day.  Being safe and secure is really a façade because we live in a world filled with uncertainties. 

The truth is risk is unavoidable.  For example, we risk being injured in a wreck when we get behind the wheel of a car, we risk choking when eating certain types of foods and we are even at risk within our own homes.   We risk every day and Scripture affirms this. 

Think about it financially.  I mean a few unexpected medical bills, stock market crash, theft, bad investments—any one of those things or a combination of a few of those things could suck us dry in a short period of time.  That’s pretty humbling isn’t it?  But it reminds us that we own nothing, therefore we need to realize that giving back to God and supporting His ministry is a worthy investment. 

What about socially?  I mean you could lose a friendship over any number of things, whether it be a petty dispute or because one of you moves away.  Don’t you think taking a stand for Christ and telling someone what they may not want to hear so that they can become more of what God wants them to be is worth the risk?  God’s word tells us it is.

"Quote" of the Week

“All of our plans for tomorrow’s activities can be shattered by a thousand unknowns whether we stay at home under the covers or ride the freeways.”  -John Piper

Have you ever been to Niagara Falls?  If so, while you were there standing in awe of this incredible wonder of the world did you at any time think to yourself, “Man gravity is amazing?"  Did you say to yourself or to someone else, "Look at what gravity is done—Gravity is incredible?”  If not, why?  Isn’t gravity what makes Niagara Falls so amazing?  Isn’t gravity the power behind water flow?  The reason we don’t’ think in this way is because though gravity is a true power in our world, because it is unseen it often goes unnoticed.

The same is true of the Holy Spirit.  Though He is very much at work in our world because He is unseen His power and His work often go unnoticed.  We don’t give Him the credit that is due Him when it comes to the fruits that come from God’s ministry.  Scripture is clear that the Holy Spirit is the power behind God’s mission in the world.  While preparing His followers for their mission, Jesus tells them in Acts 1:8, 

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”

Many have argued that Jesus took a risk here by leaving this work in the hands of ordinary men.  What do you think?  Did He?  It appears as if He does because He gives them this assignment in v.8 and then leaves in v. 9.  But as you carefully study this text and others like it, what you find is that Jesus’ confidence is not solely in these men and women, but in the person and work of the Holy Spirit.  In Acts 1:8, Jesus lets His followers know that they are going to be successful and are going to be His witnesses throughout the world because they are going to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.

In fact in Acts 1:4, Jesus tells His disciples to wait on the promise of the Father.  This is very interesting here that Jesus tells His followers to wait because throughout the gospels He is either telling His followers to “Come…Follow me” or “Go…Make disciples.”  They are told to come and they are told to go, but here they are told to “Wait.”  Why?  Because Jesus knew that they were in need of the empowering of the Holy Spirit to be able to do the work that He is calling them to do—to be His witnesses and make Him known where He is not known. 

Truth is if it were left to us alone, God’s mission would be in jeopardy.  We are in need of divine power and we have that in the Holy Spirit.  Without the empowering work of the Holy Spirit none of us would be worth anything in ministry—none of us would have anything to offer.  It’s His work in and through us that makes the difference. 

"Quote" of the Week

"A church in the land without the Spirit is rather a curse than a blessing. If you have not the Spirit of God, Christian worker, remember that you stand in somebody else's way; you are a fruitless tree standing where a fruitful tree might grow." -Charles Spurgeon

DO WE THINK OURSELVES HIGHER THAN WE SHOULD?

Though we hate to admit it, we have a tendency to think of ourselves as being more important than we really are.  A while back I read a slogan for a certain type of insurance that read, “For the most important person in the world…you.”  We are constantly being exposed to these types of messages and think of ourselves in this way.

Now the Bible is clear that we are special in so far as we are created in God’s image, but Scripture is also clear that we are not nearly as great and as important as we think we are.  We need to have a correct view of ourselves and in Philippians 2, Paul puts things in perspective for us.  He says in vv. 5-6,

‎ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.

‎Paul explains in this passage that Christ has the highest status imaginable—He is God.  In v. 6, the NASB translates it “although He existed.”  Paul is speaking of the time before Christ came to earth, which tells us that Christ is eternal—he has always existed.  Paul goes on to say, “in the form of God” meaning Christ is equal in person with God the Father.  So what Paul is saying here is, “Before coming to earth and before taking on flesh Christ existed as the eternal Son of God equal in person with God the Father.” 

But though that’s the case—though He was equal in nature, essence and form with God, Paul tells us that Christ refused to selfishly cling to His equality with God and aren’t you glad He didn’t?  Aren’t you glad He didn’t say, “I have the same nature and essence as the Father, I am equal to Him and refuse to become a part of My creation because I am creator God?”

Instead, Paul tells us that He did not cling to these things, but instead humbled himself.  Now this doesn’t mean he gave up his authority or his title or his essence as God.  It just means that he did not cling to all the advantages that come with being God.  Now what’s ironic about this is that Christ who is in the very nature, form and essence of God who could have clung tightly to the advantages of being God—HE chose to humble Himself, while we, who are not even close to being what HE is refuse.

Paul wants his readers to realize that if Christ, who is infinitely greater than any thought of us did not consider his status as something to cling to then neither should we.  If He humbled Himself for us, how much more so should we for others?

"Quote" of the Week

"If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him." -C.T. Studd

DO WE NEED GOD'S PEOPLE?

A while back I was given a book written by George Barna entitled Revolution. For those of you not familiar with Barna, he is a Christian stats guy and he and his group have reported a lot of helpful statistics about the state of things within the church and with nonbelievers in the world.

In this book, what Barna does is he reports on a group of believers that they have studied that he calls “revolutionaries.” He explains that their main focus is on their relationship with God and that they really don’t see the church as necessary.

Now like I said, the stats that Barna reports about the rise in this group of people and their mentality is very helpful to pastors and church leaders. The problem with this book is that the prescription Barna gives is not. In fact, I would say that Barna’s prescription is worse than his diagnosis. What Barna basically says in this book is, “No big deal." He even makes a push for Christians to accept the fact that people are seeking to follow God outside the church walls.

There is a major issue I have with this prescription. It’s just not biblical. What we discover as we read God’s Word is that one of the key ways for us to grow in Christ—one of the key ways to mature in our faith is through valuing relationships and connecting with God’s people in His church.

The phrase “one another” is used over a hundred times in almost every book in the New Testament. How can we be obedient to God by "Loving one another, submitting to one another, encouraging one another, building one another up, exhorting one another, showing hospitality to one another, praying for one another, not speaking evil against one another" if we do not associate with one another?

Truth is we can’t. Living in community with God’s people is not optional, it's essential if we want to be like Christ.

"Quote" of the Week

"Congregational life (is) the very means whereby believers are shaped into Christlikeness and Christian maturity." -Albert Mohler