Forgiveness is one of the most powerful concepts in the Bible.

In Matthew 18, the apostle Peter asks Jesus for some guidance with regards to forgiving a brother who seems to have offended him frequently.

Within the church family, there will always be people who offend or hurt one another, hence there will be opportunities for forgiveness to be practiced.

While it is hard, forgiveness is powerful because it removes the authority of the enemy over our relationships in our church. It cuts to the very root of unforgiveness, which is pride.

Peter was looking for a statute of limitations on forgiveness, a number that he could attain and thereafter, he would no longer have to practice forgiveness. But Jesus responds with an answer that suggests we should not be counting the times we are called to forgive our brother or sister in the Church. We have no right to count the number of times we forgive.

Jesus proceeds to tell the parable of the unforgiving servant.

Insurmountable Debt

The story is about a king who discovers that one of his servants owes him a debt of ten thousand talents. In the Roman empire that was the equivalent of two hundred thousand years of wages! Jesus made the sum practically inconceivable.

When it comes to debts, we underappreciate the gift of salvation we have been given. We don’t grasp the astronomical debt we owe because of our sin in comparison to the holiness of God. When we get a glimpse of how much we have been forgiven, we can’t help but praise God and thank Him for the great gift of grace that we have received through the Gospel.

Getting back to the parable, the servant begs for mercy. The king doesn’t simply extend mercy; he wipes the slate clean, forgiving the entire debt. This level of grace is hard for us to grasp; it even offends us.

But, I am that servant, and so are you. We who have been washed by the blood of Jesus have been forgiven much.

Miniscule Debt

The parable continues in verse 28, “But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.”

The much-forgiven servant finds someone who owes him the equivalent of one hundred days’ wages. He grabs him and throws him into debtor’s prison.

The same one who had received incredible grace is the one who now shows anger without any mercy at all.

Soon the report of what the servant has done gets back to the King.  He is furious. The king goes back to the original punishment and has the unforgiving servant thrown in prison for what would seem like eternity.

Jesus delivers the punchline in verse 35, “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

God despises unforgiveness. If we hold unforgiveness in our hearts, we are willfully stepping outside of the grace of God, and it is painful. When we don’t forgive someone, we are bound by our unforgiveness (see Matthew 16:19).

Unforgiving Debtor

Why do we harbor unforgiveness, holding on to the offense and putting the person into “prison” until they can pay off their debt? The primary reason is pride.At the root of our prideful unforgiveness is a failure to understand that we have been forgiven much. There is no offense that someone can commit against us that will come close to the offense of our sin against the all-holy God. It takes humility to admit this.

When Jesus taught what we know as the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6, he added an addendum on this very subject (see Matthew 6:14-15). Jesus expanded on the sentence, “…as we forgive our debtors”. The Lord’s prayer is so familiar that sometimes we need to be reminded of the meaning of what we are reciting.

Jesus is not saying that to earn God’s forgiveness, we must forgive others. Rather, he is saying that if you have truly experienced the grace and forgiveness of God, you will have a readiness and willingness to forgive others. Our relationship and connectedness with our heavenly Father translate to our relationship with one another; this is where the power for forgiveness lies (see 1 John 4).

When we withhold forgiveness towards another brother or sister, we are hindering our relationship with God. As a result, our prayers are hindered.

 “Fellowship with my brother helps to determine my fellowship with God;

hence, forgiveness is important to prayer.” 

Warren Wiersbe

God desires that we live in a peaceful and healthy community within the church. Let us do everything we can to keep short accounts with one another. May our prayers be powerful and effective as a result.

Who do you need to forgive today?

This passage is one of the more challenging portions of Scripture to understand, but it declares wonderful truths. 

Glorious Access

Baptism and Communion are the two ordinances that Jesus gave to the church. Two seemingly simple activities, but they proclaim the reason why we exist as believers. This is the Gospel, the good news about what Jesus has done. 

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” 1 Peter 3:18. 

Jesus suffered more than any human being has ever suffered, but the purpose of his suffering was to reconcile us to God so that we could have a relationship with God the Father.

The phrase “bring us to God” is a legal term that means to gain an audience in a court. Because of what Jesus has done on the cross, we now have access to the throne of God (see Hebrews 10:19). 

The victory that Jesus won transformed the way believers relate to our Heavenly Father. The Old Testament prophets longed for the access that we have been granted by the Holy Spirit. We take for granted this glorious access. 

Glorious Proclamation. 

1 Peter 3:18b-20 continues, “being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.”

Who are the spirits that Jesus went to visit?

Theologians propose three possibilities: 

1: Some propose that Jesus went to preach to those who died in the flood of Noah. They suggest that Jesus gave them a second chance for salvation. But this goes against the teaching of the rest of the Bible (see Hebrews 9:27).

2: Others suggest Peter is saying that the Holy Spirit preached through Noah already and that when Jesus died, between his death and resurrection, he visited these people. Jesus didn’t go to preach the Gospel but rather to simply declare his victory over sin and death. 

3: Another commonly accepted explanation proposes that Jesus proclaimed his victory to fallen angelic spirits. Proponents of this viewpoint to the fact that Peter used the word “spirits” and not souls in verse 19. One of the reasons for this explanation is found in the little letter of Jude verse 6 and 7. Some believe Paul was referring to the account in Genesis 6 as he wrote the letter to Jude. In Genesis 6 we read that fallen angels had sexual relations with women, procreating a race of giants. God placed these fallen angels in confinement until the final judgment, and hence it may be that Jesus went and declared his glorious victory to these imprisoned spirits. Regardless of which interpretation is correct, the point remains clear: Jesus has won the victory, and he himself proclaimed it. Glorious Witness

1 Peter 3:21 continues, “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Peter connects the relationship between Noah and the topic of baptism. 

At first reading, Peter seems to be saying that baptism saves us. The rest of Scripture tells us this is not true. For example, the thief on the cross who was crucified next to Jesus, repented and was saved. He was never baptized. 

The Bible teaches that it is through faith in the saving work of Jesus that we are saved. There is no further work needed. Baptism is a public witness of something that has already taken place—a glorious witness, declaring to all that we have been saved by the blood of Jesus. 

Glorious Savior

Chapter 3 ends with a powerful and encouraging declaration. 

“…Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him,” 1 Peter 3:21b-22.

Our savior is at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. But he is not remote and distant. He is present with us by his Spirit in us and we are with him, (see Ephesians 2:4-7). 

Jesus is our advocate, high priest, savior and redeemer, who is constantly interceding for us (see Romans 8:34). 

When you are struggling and God seems far off, remember that we have Glorious Access. 

When you are surrounded by negative voices and it seems that all around you the world is spiraling into darkness, remember the Glorious Proclamation that Jesus has victory over sin and death. 

When the enemy tries to tempt you into doubting your salvation, remember the Glorious Witness of your baptism.

When you are tempted to think that the enemy is gaining the upper hand in the world, remember our Glorious Savior who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (see Matthew 28:18-20). 

And it is in that authority that he commands us not to retreat or run and hide but to go and proclaim Jesus Christ: crucified, risen and victorious over sin and death. 

We have a Glorious Victory! Walk in that victory this week.

The Apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 3:1, “…wives, be subject to your own husbands.” This is a topic that most people in Western culture would say is irrelevant and out of touch.

But this verse is only contentious because the more we drift from Biblical morality and authority, the more foreign and out of date the Bible seems to be.

God designed marriage for healthy families and society.

Another similar passage relating to marriage is found in Ephesians 5, where Paul writes that the real purpose of marriage is to reflect the relationship between Christ and the Church (see Ephesians 5:32).

The Pattern of Marriage

In the Bible, headship or rulership is not defined by authoritarian style leadership, but rather by Christlike sacrifice (see Ephesians 5:25).

In the Garden of Eden, men and women were given dominion over the animals, but they were never given dominion over each other. Headship in a marriage does not refer to power, but rather responsibility – responsibility to lead and be accountable for the spiritual direction of the family.

Wives are called to submit to their husband’s leadership, but husbands are called to daily give their lives for their wives, preferring them over themselves.

“Headship is not dictatorship, but the loving exercise of divine authority under the lordship of Jesus Christ” – Warren Wiersbe.

It is important to point out that for a wife to submit to the authority of her husband does not mean that she must submit to abuse. Abuse of any kind has no place in marriage or society. The Bible does not encourage us to ignore or cover over abuse.

But healthy submission to godly leadership is God’s design for a healthy marriage. It does not mean that the wife is inferior to the husband (see 1 Peter 3:7). Husbands and wives are called to be partners, not competitors.

The Unbelieving Spouse

In verse 1, Peter encourages women who are married to unbelievers to conduct their lives in a manner that would win their husbands to Christ.

In the Roman empire, women had a very low position, but the church was growing, and many women were beginning to understand their value in the kingdom of God. 

Many of these women were married to unbelievers, and they were trying to figure out how to live with their unbelieving husband. The Bible clearly states that a believer should not marry an unbeliever (see 2 Corinthians 6:14). As a follower of Jesus, he is the most important relationship in your life. To marry an unbeliever will lead to pain and heartache. 

However, if you are married to an unbeliever, Peter writes that you have an opportunity to win over your spouse to Christ, not by preaching or arguing, but by your lifestyle. The character of the believing wife will win her husband over, and the qualities of her character must be the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23).

This applies to all our witnessing for Christ. People are not brought to the point of conversion because of our good arguments; rather, as we proclaim the Gospel and live a lifestyle that displays the fruit of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit draws the unbeliever to salvation.

The Beauty of the Heart

In verses 3 to 5, Peter writes about the way women were relying on external adorning, such as jewelry and fine clothing, to look beautiful. Peter warns the Christian wives to not be too focused on external decorations, but rather on internal character (see 1 Peter 3:4). 

The Bible says internal beauty is imperishable. Some of the most beautiful people in the world are the elderly who poignantly exhibit the beauty and the character of Christ. That is precious in God’s sight. 

In verse 5, Peter writes that this inner adorning is part of submitting to one’s husband.  Things that align with God’s original design are beautiful. 

The Fearlessness of Submission

The submission Peter calls wives to is willing submission, not unhealthy subjection out of fear of punishment or abuse. A woman who is subjected to an unhealthy relationship, who walks in fear, loses some of her inner beauty and joy. 

In a healthy God-honoring marriage, the wife should not need to walk in fear of abuse in the marriage or fear of external threats to the home. God calls men to protect and lead their families in such a way that their wives do not fear such threats. 

The Godly Husband

In verse 7, Peter addresses believing husbands and gives them three instructions; 

1: Live with your wives in an understanding way 

This is more than simply sharing the same address; it is being present at home, spending quality time as a couple, “in an understanding way”. 

There was a recent survey that revealed that the average American couple spends 37 minutes a week in actual communication. No wonder so many marriages are in trouble. 

You can never understand someone unless you make the effort to spend time with them and even disagree with them at times. Marriages will not grow without wrestling through what makes us different. 

2: Show honor to the weaker vessel

Chivalry is not outdated. Women are usually weaker physically, but not in any way inferior mentally, morally, and spiritually. 

Giving honor is showing respect, preferring your wife. This does not mean you have to always agree, but you must listen to and respect her opinion. 

3: Unhindered prayers 

Peter assumes that men are praying. Men, your primary responsibility in the home is to lead and to shepherd your home in the ways of the Lord. 

If you are not praying together as a family, it is your responsibility. If you are not leading your family to pray, you are neglecting your duty. This is critical and probably the primary reason why Christian marriages are struggling. 

The Mystery of Marriage

Marriage is designed to proclaim the Gospel. It is a mystery. God ordained marriage, and He desires for us to proclaim the beauty of the Gospel through our marriage. 

God designed the human body with incredible detail. Each part relies on and connects to the rest of the whole for a specific purpose. When one part fails or becomes disconnected, the entire body is aware that something is wrong. 

In 1 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul uses the human body as an illustration for the church. The picture of the church as a body is helpful, as every member of the church has been given spiritual gifts for the health and growth of the body. 

The Members of the Body

The church consists only of followers of Jesus who are filled with his Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12:13). Sadly, most churches have people on the membership role who are not true followers of Jesus. 

It is imperative that we as the church proclaim God’s Word in truth and challenge people to really know what it means to give their life to the Lordship of Jesus. 

As the Body of Christ, as fellow believers, we need to be committed to one another. We are called to gather regularly for fellowship, worship, and the preaching of the Word.  

The Lies of the Enemy

We know from the Bible that the enemy of our souls is a liar and the father of lies. From this passage we see two lies that Satan uses in the church. 

Lie #1: “I don’t belong” 

“If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body…” 1 Corinthians 12:15-16a.

Sometimes we are tempted to think that if we are not on a committee or lack a title, we are not really important to the Body. The pastor, deacons, life group facilitators, and other leaders in the church are the valuable members, but we think we don’t really fit if we don’t have a title or an official role. 

That is a lie. 1 Corinthians 12:17 reads, “If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?”

God has designed you and uniquely gifted you for His church (see 1 Corinthians 12:18). 

Lie #2   “I am not needed”

“The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 1 Corinthians 12:21.

One of the negative consequences of the mega church/seeker sensitive model is that church has become a place where people sit down and are entertained. We want people to attend, but we never encourage people to use their gifts. As a result, the subtle message we are conveying is that “we don’t need you”. We need your attendance, we need your money, we need your likes on Facebook, but just sit there and be “blessed”while we take care of the rest. That is not the Body of Christ; that is not the Church. 

We read in verse 18 and verse 24 that God has arranged and composed the members of the Body, the church,  with giftings and purpose for His glory and for the ministry of the church. Exercise your gifts; don’t wait to be nominated or asked to be on a committee. 

• If your gift is hospitality, invite someone you don’t know over to your house and bless them. 
• If your gift is mercy, find out who is sick or homebound in the church, go visit them. 
• If you have the gift of helping, ask an elderly person in the church if they need help with anything. 

Don’t believe the lie of the enemy by thinking that because  you are not apostolic, prophetic, healing, or speaking in tongues then you are lesser than in the body of Christ. 

We have to get away from the destructive culture of spiritual elitism. There is great danger in being in a group that makes other Christians seem “lesser than” because “they don’t have the revelation that we have. We are the mature ones; we have the special ear of the Lord.”

We are all sinners saved by grace, and we are all gifted by the Holy Spirit to be a part of the Church. Use the gift that God has given you. The church will be blessed, and you will be fulfilled in your walk. 

The Result of Our Gifts “That there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.” 1 Corinthians 12:25. 

Unity is always under attack in any church because it is incredibly powerful. Unity grows as we utilize and encourage our individual gifts. 

David Prior wrote, “we differ from one another, and only God, who made us different, can hold us together”. The result of using our gifts well is unity and mutual care in the Body of Christ.. 

The Desire for Higher Gifts

Paul explains that we each have different gifts, but he says in verse 31, “but earnestly desire the higher gifts.”  What are the higher gifts?

I would like to propose that the higher gifts are the servant gifts. The gifts done in secret, the “non-platform” gifts. 

It seems there was a competitiveness in the church in Corinth that is still in our churches today. People with the more visible, the more demonstrative and supernatural gifts, tend to be elevated to super-Christian status. This can lead to pride and that spiritual elitism. 

Jesus said in Matthew 20:26, “It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant.”

What if that is what Paul was talking about in verses 21-25, about the unseen or the weaker parts of the Body? In verse 24, we read, “…but God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it.”

Learn your spiritual gift and exercise that gift. You will be fulfilled, and the church will be blessed.

To play on a sports team, you must have the talent and the skill required to play a particular position on the team. If you don’t have the talent or skill set, you might not be chosen for the team, and you will have to become a spectator. 

However, if you are a follower of Jesus, you have been chosen to be a part of the Body of Christ; you are already “on the team”. There’s more good news— you have been equipped by the Holy Spirit with spiritual gifts so that you can play an integral role in the church. 

Spiritual Gifts Are Vital

Some people choose to be passive in the church, even though God has equipped every believer to participate. When a believer chooses not to actively participate in the church, we all miss out on their God-given gifts. Sadly, many people in the church act as spectators, not active players on the team. What if every believer actually took the Word of God seriously, believing themselves to be an integral member of the church and exercising their God-given gifts for the ministry of the church and the glory of God? 

Spiritual Gifts are God-Given

“A spiritual gift is any ability that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and used in any ministry of the church.”

Wayne Grudem

The gifts of the Spirit are a measure of God’s grace. They are not based on our worthiness or ability to earn them. When we receive the Holy Spirit at conversion, He imparts spiritual gifts to us. In verses 4-6 we note that the whole Trinity is involved in the gifts. “The same Spirit… the same Lord…the same God.” The Triune God has been acting in unity for all eternity, and the Triune God is now actively working in each believer’s life.

Spiritual gifts are given to be used.As we utilize our gifts in the church, we must keep three things in mind. 

Spiritual Gifts Require Effort 

Just because these gifts are God-given doesn’t mean it is easy to use them in the church, nor is it a passive endeavor in which we are effortlessly carried along by the Spirit.

Using our gifts requires obedience and takes effort on our part. But as we expend energy to activate the gift, God infuses our effort with His power  so that the impact of the gift brings Him glory. 

Spiritual Gifts are Not a Competition 

God has uniquely gifted every believer for certain roles in the Church. Don’t look at someone else exercising their gift and covet them because they are getting accolades, or you think their gift is cooler than yours. 

If you try to operate in a gift that you don’t have, you will burn out and others may be hurt. 

Spiritual Gifts are Others-Oriented 

2 Corinthians 12:7 reads, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

God gives us spiritual gifts for the good of the whole church. Our gifts are not to be exercised only for our own benefit. We may benefit from using them, but their primary focus is the building up of the church. 

Paul rebuked the church in Corinth because some were using their gifts for selfish purposes, manipulating others for their own benefit. Sadly, history has shown us repeated examples of incredibly gifted people using their gifts for immoral and sinful purposes.

Several passages list gifts of the Spirit: Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 7, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4. There is some overlap between the passages, but most scholars agree that the lists are not intended to be exhaustive. God can supernaturally give gifts of any kind to His children; whatever gifts He gives are always purposed for the common good of the Body of Christ. 

Neglecting Spiritual Gifts

The tragic reality is that many people hold back from exercising their God-given gifts. Consequently, they are not fulfilling their God-given design. 

When people don’t actively use their gifts, the church becomes ineffective and apathetic in ministry. Church members and the church in general become stagnant because a few people are doing all the work. Often this means those few people are trying to do things they are not gifted to do. This leads to burnout. 

In addition, when people don’t exercise their gifts, they don’t mature spiritually (see Hebrews 4:12-14). 

Why People Neglect Spiritual Gifts  

What holds people back?  I can think of at least three possible reasons. 

Fear of failure 

“What if I fail and am unable to meet my obligations?” 

Fear of failure is a subtle form of pride. I don’t want to make a fool of myself, so I will just sit back and let everyone else do the work. 

We fall prey to fear of failure if we think that we are responsible for the results. These are the gifts of the Spirit and the Holy Spirit is responsible to empower our gifts. The pressure is off. 

Apathy 

“Someone else can do it.”

If the Holy Spirit has empowered you, gifted you, and called you, it is terrible to sit back and remain apathetic. You will never regret serving the Lord when He calls you. 

Fear of commitment 

This is one of the evils of our generation, the terror of commitment.  

People don’t want to step into a role in the church, exercising their gifts, because it means commitment and possibly limits their options. 

Again, that is prideful and idolatrous; thinking that I know what is better for me than the perfect will of God. 

Exercise Your Gifts

The church will be healthy, the community will be blessed, and you will be fulfilled when you use your spiritual gifts. 

One of the best ways to discover your spiritual gifts is to sit down with another believer who knows you well, someone who can be honest and pray with you. Allow that person to affirm or coach you to understand your spiritual gifts. Then study that gift and ask how your particular gift can be used in the church. 

We will all be blessed as a result.

Living to Retire

The modern concept of retirement is relatively new for mankind, and it is not healthy for us. Research has shown that if we stop working and do nothing with our time, we will die sooner than if we are active in society. There is the misconception that retirement is when we stop working, but I would like to propose that for the Christian, retirement is simply when we can stop getting paid for our work. 

We were created to work. Work is actively challenging ourselves. It is serving others, utilizing time and talents for productivity. Over our lives, we develop skills and talents that can be used to give us a fulfilling life and help others at the same time. 

What if we saw retirement as the ability to work without needing a paycheck, committing the final years of our life to the Lord? 

Living to Influence

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that at age 60, you reach the top of your potential, and this continues to your 80s.

For the Christian, this peak potential is maximized in your retirement years if you have diligently led, discipled, and influenced others. People will actually listen when you speak when they see that  you have led your family well and raised up other leaders.  This is what it means to leave a legacy. As Christians, we are called to discipleship, and discipleship leads to legacy. 

You may be young and not thinking about your legacy, but life is short and the decisions you make today regarding the use of your time will either lead to regret or to an honorable legacy (see Ephesians 5:15-16). 

When it comes to leaving a legacy, here is one thing that I can guarantee: one day, you will regret the time that you spent on social media and other mindless activities. Those are wasted hours that you will never get back. 

Living to Finish Well 

The Lord instructed Moses to climb Mount Nebo on the western side of modern-day Jordan overlooking the ancient city of Jericho. From this 2600 foot view, the Lord showed Moses the entire Promised Land (see Deuteronomy 34:4). 

Moses was strong, even at 120 years old. Verse 7 says that his vigor was unabated. He climbed the mountain by himself, and that is where he died. 

God buried Moses in an unknown location. God knew that the people would set up an idol and worship Moses. So, the Lord in His perfect wisdom made sure that the body of Moses was never found. 

Moses lived his life, to the very last second, as a servant of the Lord, and his reward is great. 

Have you ever met someone who served the Lord till the day they died?

I have been privileged to have known and officiated at funerals of several great men and women who lived their lives wholeheartedly for the Lord. Every life is a gift from God, a gift given so that we can be a blessing to those around us, bringing glory to God.

Unfortunately, too many people think that the gift of life is an end in itself, focusing on selfish pleasures and ambition. The secret to a blessed life is not in seeking our own pleasure but in running the race well, to the end.  The more lives we influence for Christ along the way, the more enjoyable our life becomes. 

Living to Replicate

Moses didn’t simply die and leave the nation to fend for themselves; he had diligently raised up a leader to take his place (see Deuteronomy 34:9).  

Moses had recognized Joshua as a man with a passion for the Lord and His glory. In Numbers 27, we read that in the sight of the whole company, Moses anointed Joshua and blessed him. 

Joshua had been close to Moses. He had seen his trials, victories and failures. As he watched,  Moses was preparing him to lead the nation into the Promised Land. 

The most effective leadership development program is simply letting people walk with you. Doing life together, letting other people see your struggles, victories, and even failures. Setting an example in prayer and faithfulness to the Word of God. This is something that is sorely needed today. 

Joshua was well prepared to lead the nation because the Spirit of God was on him, but also because he had been an understudy of Moses every day for forty years. 

To set an example for the next generation, we need to be living a life worthy of being followed. This is not a perfect life, but one that demonstrates what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus. 

Living for a better Moses 

We may be tempted to put Moses on a pedestal and glorify him (see Deuteronomy 34:10). Moses was a great leader, but he wasn’t the greatest (see Hebrews 3:1-6). 

Moses received the law of God on Mt. Sinai explaining God’s holy requirements. But the law could never be perfectly adhered to by any man. The law didn’t lead to rest. But Jesus came to fulfill the law, and He did (see Matthew 5:17).

God let Moses see the Promised Land, but he could never enter it. This is all that the Law can do; it lets us see God’s holy standard, but it cannot make us holy. 

Only by placing our faith and trust in Jesus will we be covered by his righteousness and immediately placed in right standing with God. Because of what Jesus has done on the cross, we can enter the eternal Promised Land, not because we perfectly fulfill the law, but because Jesus did. Apart from Jesus, we can view the Promised Land, but we will never enter it. 

Living to Leave a Legacy

Christian leadership is influencing people towards a relationship and a lifestyle of following Jesus. What if, instead of living for retirement, you lived to leave a legacy that points people to Jesus?

How are you running your race?  What will your legacy be?

As we saw last week, everyone is capable of influencing others; everyone is a leader in some capacity (see Matthew 5:13). However, as we all know, every leader is imperfect. Every leader is prone to making rash decisions, communicating poorly, getting angry or frustrated, and making many other mistakes. Every leader is a fallen human needing a savior. 

Leaders should be humble when they fail and grow through their mistakes (see Proverbs 16:18). Leaders who quickly admit and repent to others when they have made a mistake are leaders who will ultimately carry greater influence. Why? Because the primary role of a Christian in leadership is to point people to the only one who can save. Humility is a great place to start (see Numbers 12:3). 

In the book of Numbers Chapter 20 we read about a defining moment in the life of Moses when he made a hasty decision that cost him dearly. 

Falling before God

This event took place in the Israelites’ fortieth year of wandering. The area of Kadesh was a familiar place where they had likely camped several times before. They came back to this place because there was water. It had been a good place to set up camp. But this time, the spring was dry, and they were getting desperate. 

The people began to complain to Moses and Aaron, as they had done many times in the past. But Moses did not respond by trying to argue with them; rather he fell on his face in prayer before the Lord (see Numbers 20:6). 

What a lesson in leadership. Moses didn’t defend himself; he went to the Lord, and the glory of the Lord appeared. 

As Christian leaders, our instinct when we are criticized is to defend ourselves and try to convince our critics that we are doing what the Lord is leading. But the Lord doesn’t need us to defend Him.  Instead, we need to go before Him and allow Him to encourage us and give us the way forward. This is so hard to do in the heat of the moment. 

Falling before the flesh 

The Lord gave Moses instructions to follow in order to bring water from the rock (see Numbers 20:8). God told Moses to take the staff that signifies his authority and to speak to the rock, declaring that the rock must yield its water. 

But Moses was weak and worn out.  In spite, he called the people rebels, drawing attention to his own authority. And instead of speaking to the rock, he struck it twice. 

Though Moses hadn’t followed the Lord’s instructions, the water began to flow, sufficient for millions of people and their livestock. Despite the seeming success,

Moses failed the Lord, and God disciplined him by not allowing him to progress with the nation into the Promised Land. 

This seems like a very harsh punishment for mere indiscretion, at least in our eyes. We can easily sympathize with Moses. He was old, tired, and frustrated. He had been leading these rebellious people for 40 years, and they kept quarreling with him. On top of it all, he was grieving the recent death of his sister. 

Moses lost his temper (See Psalm 106:32-33). Have you ever lost your temper and done something you regret? I certainly have. 

Failing has consequences

For his act of unbelief and his failure to give God glory in upholding His holiness before the nation, Moses forfeited his right to lead the people into the Promised Land (see Numbers 20:12). 

We wrestle with this. We want to see Moses getting a pass, but this is an important lesson for us. When we are under stress, overwhelmed, tired, or even grieving, we are not  excused  to sin. Circumstances are no excuse to disobey God (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). 

But what about grace? After all, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin, right? 

Not so fast. When we fail to obey God, there are often consequences that we must live with. 

The second century Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, said, “How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.”

When it comes to our relationships, for example, we may repent of our offense, but often the tear in the relationship lingers. Moses had to live with the consequence of his failure. We have to live with the consequences of ours.

Failing is not defeat

This is wonderfully encouraging for us. Many characters in the Bible failed but were forgiven and used mightily by God. Take the Apostle Peter as an example. He denied Jesus three times at his crucifixion, but Jesus graciously restored him. Peter went on to be a powerful apostle and church leader. 

When we have  as a leader; been hasty in our response to criticism, gotten angry or irritable, the enemy loves to whisper that we are done and should resign and walk away. But Jesus came to free us from sin, guilt, and the accusation of the enemy (see Psalm 147:3, 1 John 1:9). 

The rock that Moses struck in Numbers 20 is a picture of Christ. Moses was instructed to speak to the rock and do nothing more (see 1 Corinthians 10:4). The reason why Moses was told to speak to the rock and not strike it is because, when it comes to the Gospel message of salvation, there is nothing we need to do to add to the completed work of Christ.

None of us are perfect. In our brokenness, we desperately need a savior. As we are daily faced with our humanity and weakness, we can go to the Rock that is Jesus for living water that refreshes our souls.

Failure is not defeat because the Gospel is true. 

Falling before Jesus

What are you dealing with today? You may be dealing with the consequences of sin, and that is a normal and a painful part of life. But you can be free from the accusation and the guilt of your sin. 

Why not repent right now and allow the blood of Jesus to cleanse you from all unrighteousness (see 1 John 1:9)?

“Leadership is influence”, John Maxwell

Moses was arguably the greatest leader in the Bible aside from Jesus. And when it comes to leadership, we can learn much from Moses. 

As you read the books of Moses, from Exodus to Deuteronomy, there is one phrase that is hard to miss: “And God said to Moses…” This phrase appears well over one hundred times in these four books. 

Humbled by God

By Exodus Chapter 3, Moses was an eighty-year-old man, a murderer, a fugitive, and someone who was content to live out his days as a shepherd. Long forgotten were his days in the halls of power in Pharaoh’s  kingdom. 

Moses had to be humbled by God before God could begin to use him. And that’s when God called him, because God had prepared him. 

As Moses was mundanely tending his sheep, he sawa bush that was on fire. This was probably not unusual in the desert, but we see in verse 3, “And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”

This bush was on fire but it was not being consumed.  Moses turned, and that was the moment God had been waiting for, waiting for Moses to pay attention. 

Moses said in verse 3, “I will turn aside to see this great sight…”

There is value in turning aside to observe when God is doing something. God is speaking all the time in the little things; we just have to learn to stop and look (see Psalm 19:1-2).

“When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” (Exodus 3:4)

When God calls you, how do you respond? “Here I am”? Or do you look over your shoulder to see if God is calling someone else?

God warned Moses to stop before coming too close and to take off his sandals (see Exodus 3:5). 

Moses was humbled to bow  before God. This is the true beginning of Christian service. Servants who know how to take off their shoes in humility can be used by God to walk in power.

Seen by God

The Lord then spoke to Moses, “Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings.” (Exodus 3:7)

It is so encouraging to know that God sees the suffering of His people (see Exodus 2:25). 

God sees all those times when you feel that your work and struggles go unseen. Your Heavenly Father sees. Nothing is outside of the sight of God; this is a promise you can be sure of. 

Called by God

God called Moses to an impossible task, to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt and to the Promised Land. The task was too big for Moses, and he was understandably resistant. 

God is seldom going to call you to do something that you can do in your own strength. His aim is to display  His glory through the humble obedience of people. In verse 8, God said that He would deliver the nation out of the hand of the Egyptians. God was inviting Moses to be a part of what He was about to do. 

We must never believe that God needs us; he invites us to be a part of what He already plans to do.

Backed by God 

Moses began to resist God’s call, and God gave him that incredible Bible promise, “But I will be with you…” The power of the Almighty God is always sufficient for anything that He calls us to do. 

Moses asked God in verse 13, “What is your name?” This question led to the most powerful revelation of God in the Bible up to this point. “God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14)

From this time onward God was known by this statement, “I am Yahweh”. A name that means so much and is so holy that most Hebrew people would be afraid to even whisper it.   

God said to Moses—and He says to us—“I am wherever you are, and I always will be”. 

What a promise for Moses as he considered the call of God on his life! This promise applies to all Christians. Every person who has given their life to the Lordship of Jesus has a mission and a calling. It may be to your workplace, your neighborhood, childcare ministry, youth ministry, across the states or to another nation. God’s name is Yahweh, I AM with you. 

Moses kept on making excuses, denying the call of God. Have you ever made excuses when God calls you? We say things like, I am too old, I am poor, I am uneducated, I don’t speak well, I am too shy, I am too sickly, I am…, I am…, I am….

Notice how we focus on ourselves when we make excuses, and God emphatically responds, I AM WHO I am. 

As we observe society around us and in the church, there is a general spirit of apathy that is having a dramatic impact on our culture. Maybe God is calling you today to put down the phone, put down the remote, and begin serving the Lord, leading and influencing the people He is calling you to. 

We need to repent of the excuses and submit ourselves to the perfect plan of God for our lives. 

What is God calling you to do today?

This past Friday our small team arrived home from Morehouse, MO. Where we served the local First Baptist church and the pastor Jason Crow.

Jason is a bi-vocational pastor who is married to Amber. They have six children, some adopted and two special needs children. His life is full and challenging.

The church is struggling. Half of the congregation did not return after COVID and now they barely have thirty people in attendance.

The primary mission was to engage with the community and to see how the church could be better connected. The town of a little over 900 people was easy to get around, and very quiet. There is only one store and not much else going on. It seems the “porch-sitting” is the favorite pastime. There is a spirit of apathy that envelopes the town with little room for ambition.

We were saddened to learn that one of the local churches was responsible for a good number of the towns folk never wanting to attend church again. They had been hurt by something that was being taught or modelled by this particular church in town.

One of those hurt was a young lady we met. She claimed to know all about the Bible and the Gospel message, but that she was now a pagan and that she worshipped “deities”. I told her that she was worshipping demons and that they would surely be a bitter disappointment for her. She bluntly told me that she knew that she was going to hell, but that it didn’t bother her. In fact, she said she was okay with it.

In fact, we had interactions with two separate people who acknowledged that they were going to hell but were not worried at all about that eternal destination. Satan and his demons have deceived people into believing that Hell will be an acceptable alternative to heaven.

But that is not what Jesus said about Hell. Jesus said it was a place of eternal punishment and suffering (see Matthew 13:41-42, Matthew 5:22, Matthew 25:41-46, Mark 9:43).

This is why we go and tell people about what Jesus has done for them. This is why we proclaim the Gospel message. Hell is real, but we are created to know and live eternally with our Creator. Jesus made the only way for salvation. Sadly, this young woman even acknowledged that.

As I was thinking about the town and what has caused the churches to become so poorly attended and why the people seem to have such utter hopelessness, I was reminded of Hebrews 10:23-25, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

There are possibly many different reasons why churches decline and eventually close, but I believe that not prioritizing the regular gathering together as the Body of Christ must be high on the list.

Being a regular part of a church family is not an optional extra for a Christian, it is life and breath. Sunday is when we worship, pray, and hear the Word of God proclaimed to build us up and challenge us.

During the week, we gather in different settings to encourage one another, to grow together in love and unity. These could be life groups, Sunday school, prayer meetings or different church events.

Summer seems to be a time when people miss church attendance the most, but I challenge you to commit to getting more involved in our church family this summer. The reason I encourage you to get more involved is found in verse 24 of our text, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.”

Notice that it is the responsibility of the church family to stir up the body of Christ, this is not the role of the Elders, Deacons or other leaders, it is everyone’s responsibility.

Who did you encourage today? Who did you stir up today?

2020-2021 caused many churches to close, because people neglected to meet together, people stopped encouraging one another.

The writer to the Hebrews uses the word “Habit”. The Dictionary explains habit as, “a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.”

Life is about habits, we all develop them, some are good for us and others are destructive. Being active in a church family is a good habit that is guaranteed to bring life.  

Commit to being an encourager, stirring one another on towards love and good works.

What is God inviting you to be a part of today?

This is a very challenging passage. How do we respond to our leaders when they promote immoral things and even use our tax dollars to pay for things that we don’t approve of?

As Christians who stand for the truth of God’s word, we must not be surprised by the resistance and even persecution from the world around us.

In 1 Peter, the apostle is writing to exiled Jewish Christians who were facing persecution, ridicule and abuse for their faith. Peter instructs his readers to submit to the authorities of the land. These people probably felt that their opinion counted for little in a hostile society. This may sound familiar to Christians in America in 2024.

When we feel that the societal norms are opposing our Christian beliefs, we are tempted to respond in one of three ways.

1: We fight. We write angry letters, we grumble, and post angrily on social media. If we are honest, we see the public figure, the politician as the ultimate enemy. We fight back, because we are so invested in our world and our constitutional rights. We fight because we forget that as a Christian, we are part of an everlasting Kingdom, one that will outlast every earthly kingdom.

2: We flee. We find a Christian community that accepts us and then we circle the wagons, close the doors and quarantine ourselves from anyone and everyone who does not believe as we do. We spend all our time within a bubble that ensures we are never tainted by the world out there. But that is not what Jesus has called us to, how can we share the Gospel or be the Salt and Light in our world, if we are hiding from the world?

3: We conform. We don’t like to be the odd one out, we don’t like being exiles and as a result we adapt, we modify our behavior, and we conform to fit in. But as followers of Jesus, sometimes we try to conform, even when we know it is not God’s will for us.

We minimize the call to holiness in order to fit in.  

“Never forget that only dead fish swim with the stream^”

Malcolm Muggeridge

However, instead of fighting, fleeing or conforming, we are called to engage with society and be good citizens who follow the laws of the land to avoid legitimate punishment. (See 1 Peter 2:13-14). This is for the Lord’s sake, and in verse 15 we read that it is God’s will for us.

God chooses to reveal himself to those who reject Christianity, through us doing His will, and that is being subject to those who are in leadership in society. We are called to walk in humility and serve our society (See 1 Peter 2:16).

Then we come to verse 17, this is where the conviction and challenge really hits home. “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”

As believers, we are to honor everyone, even the ruler of the land. Notice that we honor the emperor, but we fear God.

Honoring everyone seems a far fetched ideal in our world, but we are called by God to do it. We live in an age where people say the most dishonoring things online, claiming that they have a right to speak their mind. But for a Christian, this is not permitted.

Honoring is not agreeing, you can disagree and still honor the person at the same time.

Honor our political leaders:

Surely the Bible isn’t talking about America in 2024? The truth is that Peter’s readers faced a government that was cruel and murderous towards Christians under emperor Nero.

We are called to perform our civic duties and pray for our leaders.

Now we must remember that if the government makes laws that defy God’s Word and His standards, then we are required to honor the government, but fear God. And this will require us to take a stand for Biblical truth (See Acts 4:19-20).

Throughout history, thousands of Christians have respectfully and peacefully spoken out against various issues, whether it was slavery, the fight for the unborn, child labor, poverty, and so much more. Christians are called to honor everyone, but fear God.

Honor your Boss:

In the following verses, Peter addresses how slaves were to respond to their masters. During the first century, many of the readers were slaves or indentured servants, people who were bound by contract to their master.

We cannot fully equate these words into our context here in Kansas City in 2024, but the principles of how we are to relate to our boss or supervisor are similar.

Many supervisors are kind and fair, but other times they are people of poor character who belittle and verbally abuse their employees.

So how do we respond? We join in with the gossip at the proverbial watercooler, maybe we don’t give our best effort or even look for ways to discredit our supervisor.

But the Bible says we must not repay evil for evil. We must commit to working with excellence.

Now, this does not excuse the supervisor or boss who is doing something illegal or abusive. In this case, we are required to report him or her to the authorities.

But how do we respond to demanding and unfair bosses? The Bible calls us to submit to their authority and commit to doing good.

As Peter is writing these words it is almost as if he hears the grumbling and the murmuring; “you don’t know my master”, “you don’t know my situation”, and our personal favorite, “but what about my rights!”

Peter immediately turns to the example we have in Jesus (See 1 Peter 2:21).

These are difficult words, humanly speaking it is impossible. We cannot do this in our own strength, this kind of lifestyle is only possible when empowered by the Holy Spirit.

As Christians we must always have an eternal and a supernatural perspective. And when we live this way, the Holy Spirit will give us the strength and the grace to endure, to honor and to love.

Jesus is our example (See 1 Peter 2:22-24). Jesus knows exactly how challenging this is for us, that is why he sent us the Holy Spirit to empower our day to day lives.

This is where we must take our Christianity and apply it to the real world. The world we live in. The practical day to day.

So, what are you facing today? Give that situation to the Lord and allow Him to lead you in how to respond with honor and grace.