Tag Archives: Jesus

Sermons

Letters to the Churches Part 2

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Do you really love Jesus and his church?

As we look at the first of the seven letters that Jesus wrote to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3, we will start with the letter to the church in Ephesus.

The Successful Church (v. 2, 3 and 6)

This first century church in modern day Turkey was one of the favorites of the apostles. Paul pastored this church along with Timothy and John. This congregation had a legacy of being one of the most fruitful and well-known Gentile churches.

We see that they were a church that served well, doing the work of the Lord. They probably had a calendar full of events and church activities. They were a church that sacrificed and labored even under intense persecution. In spite of the hardship, the Lord commended them on several things that they were doing well.

The Ephesian church rightly tested false apostles and refused to let them teach. This struggle is relevant for us; daily there are ample false teachers who post videos online and gain millions of followers. The only way we will be able to identify and warn against false teaching is by knowing the truth found in God’s Word.

Jesus continues to commend them in verse 6 saying, “Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate”.

The Nicolaitans were a sect of the early church who persuaded people to abuse the grace of God and promoted sexual immorality. In addition, the Greek word Nicolaitan means “to conquer people”. And it is suggested that their leaders used their authority to abuse and control the people. This, too, is relevant for us, as we have seen countless examples of leaders who abuse their authority. The root of this is pride; God opposes prideful leaders.

The church in Ephesus appeared to be doing well: their doctrine was sound; their ministry was seemingly fruitful. But something was off. Despite these commendations, Jesus had a problem with this church.

The Failing Church (v. 4)

This model church seems to have lost their “why”. They had lost their first love, the reason why they were doing all they were doing. They were busy with activity and bearing good fruit, but their passion for Jesus had gotten lost in their good works. Jesus points out the ailment and then gives a prescription.

The Prescription for the Church (v 5)

Jesus offers a three-step prescription to remedy their sickness of forgotten first love.

1. Remember: When a married couple forgets the love that drew them together at first and takes each other for granted, the marriage is in danger. Nostalgia can be effective medicine for failing love in romantic relationships, and the same is true in our relationship with Jesus. Jesus tells the church to remember – and keep on remembering! A daily reminder of the grace and love of Christ that drew us to himself is an antidote for fading passion for Jesus.

2. Repent: Jesus instructed the church to repent because they were taking the grace of God for granted. They were neglecting the love of a relationship with their Savior. Even though their external works looked good, Jesus still wanted them to repent for their internal apathy.

3.   Do: Jesus called them back to the disciplines they did when they first were saved—worship, prayer, meditating on the word of God, and sharing the Gospel; all the spiritual disciplines that came so naturally when they first believed.

The Warning for Our Church

What happens when we lose our first love for Christ? We see tasks and duty in place of adoration and worship. We get burnt out, and serving the Lord becomes a drudgery.

When this happens, many people stop attending worship servicesbecause they are exhausted from doing things for God, but this is counterproductive. It is a lie from the enemy, when we think that separating ourselves from the Body of Christ is the solution for our lack of passion for the Lord.

What we need often requires discipline—pressing into the very things we are tempted to neglect. We are called to encourage one another and spur one another on (see Hebrews 10:24). 1 Corinthians 12 encourages us that we are each valuable and needed parts of the Body; we are all hampered when one piece is missing.

The Comfortable Church

There is a significant distinction between us and the church in Ephesus. The church in Ephesus was undergoing intense persecution as the Roman Empire tried to eradicate the church.

The twenty-first century Western church has it easy in comparison. We have a different problem. I believe that we are losing our first love because of a lack of persecution. It is simply too easy and convenient to be a Christian. Without sacrifice, there is no commitment (see James 1:2-4).

“It is a very remarkable thing that the church of Christ persecuted has been the church of Christ pure. The church of Christ patronized has always been the church of Christ impure.”G. Campbell Morgan

The Application of the Prescription

How are we to “do the works you did at first” (Revelation 2:5)?

These are those personal and corporate spiritual disciplines that fuel our growth in love for Jesus and his church. Out of that love will flow acts of service and ministry.

This is works based on an outflow of our love relationship with Jesus. If your first love has grown cold, you will quickly get exhausted, and you will be tempted to quit.

What we do and accomplish is secondary to us knowing Jesus and being conformed into his image.

Oswald Chambers once wrote, “The main thing about Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain, and the atmosphere produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to look after, and it is the one thing that is continually being assailed.”

How do we maintain a healthy heart posture?

When God created the world, he put in place a model for work and rest. One of the most overlooked of the Ten Commandments is the fourth, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”, Exodus 20:8.

Do you set aside a day in the week to worship, rest, pray, and be thankful? It is one thing to have daily rhythms for spending time with the Lord; it is another to cease working and producing for a full twenty-four hours to be filled up in the Lord.

The Reward for the Church(V7)

The prize for getting back to our first love, putting Jesus first in our lives, is the restoration of the access to the tree of life. The paradise that was lost in Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve sinned, will be restored. Eternal life starts the moment you become a follower of Jesus, and the abundant life is available to us now (see John 10:10).

Have you abandoned your first love? What adjustments do you need to make to realign your life today?

Sermons

Community that Glorifies God

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We live in an era when we are more connected than any other time in the history of man.

But psychologists tell us that loneliness is the number one health issue of our time. How can it be that we are so connected but at the same time so lonely?

In Acts 2:42, we read that the early church devoted themselves to fellowship. The Greek word “Koinonia” means partnership, participation, communion, and companionship.

In Romans 15:1-7, the Apostle Paul instructs the Roman church how to live and relate to one another in light of the Gospel.

The Gospel Leads to Unity

In the first verse Paul gets straight to the point, “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” He uses the word obligation, which could also mean duty, or legal requirement.

We don’t like this kind of language in our culture today; we are free individuals, so why should we be obligated to do anything for someone else? This issue existed in the first-century church as well. Paul answers the question very clearly in verse 3 of Romans 15, “For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.””

Christ gave himself for us. This is the foundation for the Gospel message: Jesus, being obedient to the Father, preferred us over his own life and his position in heaven. True unity in the church is an outworking of the Gospel; it is a miracle as the Holy Spirit draws us to prefer each other in light of what Jesus has done for us.

Endurance and Encouragement Leads to Unity

Though unity among believers is an outflow of the gospel, it still takes work. Paul repeats the phrase “endurance and encouragement” in verse 4. Being devoted to the fellowship of believers, as the early church was, takes endurance, hard work, and commitment.

Endurance is the ability to  persevere in doing something even when it is difficult or when the finish line never seems to get any closer. Walking in unity requires endurance; there are days when it seems easier than others, but we keep on going because we are committed to each other just as Christ is committed to us.

Along with endurance, we need encouragement. We are encouraged by the faithfulness of those who have gone before us (see Hebrews 12:1). We are encouraged by the Word of God, and by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the church.

All of these encourage us and keep us moving forward towards greater unity, towards a healthier community.

The Purpose of Unity

Community literally means living with unity. But what is the purpose of unity in the church?

Is it so that we can just get along or portray the image of a nice happy family? Is it so that we attract more people to our happy community and grow? Actually, unity is significantly more important than all those outcomes; unity in the church is to bring glory to God (see Romans 15:6).

How do we display the glory of God as the church? In Ephesians 3:10 we read, “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”

God is using the followers of Jesus to display His wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. The word for “manifold” is the same word that one would use to describe the many facets of a diamond. God holds the church up like a diamond and points to the church, teaching the angels and principalities of the spirit world about Himself.

Even as we are weak, broken, and struggling towards unity, we are used by God more than we will ever know because of the Gospel and the righteousness of Jesus. When we walk in unity and prefer others over ourselves, we display the glory of God. In John 17:22 and 23, Jesus prayed that we would display the glory given to him by the Father in order to draw others to a saving knowledge of himself.

The Miracle of Unity

Unity is not simply getting along for the sake of peace; unity is a miracle of God displaying the glory of God to a lost and dying world. Jesus went to the cross so that we could be a community of believers united in fellowship and love.

There is much at stake, including the eternal destiny of our neighbors. It is vital that we are a healthy community.. Our culture is starving for authentic community, and we have the solution to show it to them—the power of the gospel, the encouragement of the Word and of those who have gone before us, and the example of our Savior.

The Path to Unity in Community

Many people are thirsting for community but are afraid to step into it. Building authentic community can be scary as it requires vulnerability, self-sacrifice, and laying aside our fears of rejection. But something powerful happens when we reach out and proactively strive to build community,  not for what we can get out of it but for the Glory of God to be displayed. When the focus is off of ourselves,  we will get more out of a community than we ever imagined, and we will be healthy.

When we grasp that Jesus went to the cross for us, we will easily give ourselves and our self-interests away in order to step into a community where Jesus is glorified. If we struggle to stay in fellowship with each other, it is because we are not allowing the Gospel message to permeate our relationships; we are self-centered rather than grace centered.

We live in a culture of individualism and consumerism, and the church can easily fall into the trap of feeding the desires of the consumers instead of focusing on the glory of God. A healthy church is where people willingly step into community to display the glory of Jesus.

Stepping into Community Begins with the Gospel

Firstly, we need to understand that supernatural unity can only be found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as the head of the church. A church community that is not centered around a common relationship with Jesus will always leave us wanting (see John 4:13-14a).

Stepping into Community Requires Vulnerability

Stepping into community requires vulnerability and involves risk. We are all busy, but we prioritize what we value. What might happen if you volunteered to serve, hosted a meal, or invited others into your life and home?

What if we prioritized and valued authentic community—what better way to spend our time than to display the glory of God?

Are you ready to take a step into community today?

Sermons

True Freedom

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This week as we celebrate our nation’s independence, I want to ask the question: are you truly free?

Most people would point to the legal freedoms that we have, such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, and many other freedoms that are guaranteed by the law. However, there is a freedom that only a small percentage of people experience, a true freedom that no one can take away.

This kind of freedom has been experienced by people in countries where there is no freedom of speech. This kind of freedom is experienced by people who are bound to a wheelchair. This kind of freedom is even experienced by people in a prison cell. This is the freedom that Jesus gives; it is true freedom.

Freedom in Abiding

In John 8:31 Jesus addresses those who believed that he was the Messiah, saying, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”

Abiding in the Word is still a mark of a follower of Jesus today. The Bible is the revelation of Jesus, the Word of God (see John 1:1). 

The word “abide” means to remain, to stay grounded, to remain in place for an extended period. To be a disciple of Jesus, we must be grounded in the Word of God. Jesus taught in John 15 that he is the vine, and we are the branches, and only by abiding in him will we be able to produce fruit. 

If you are a follower of Jesus, you will spend time regularly and intentionally reading and meditating on the Word. The result will be that your daily decision making, and lifestyle will be guided by the truths and principles of the Word of God.

If someone was to look at your daily life and disciplines, would they know if you were a disciple of Jesus? Would they see that you abide in the Word?

Jesus continues in verse 32, “…and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  This verse is frequently quoted on its own without the context of the preceding verses. When people quote it, they usually leave out the conjunction, “and”. From politicians to talk show hosts, this verse has crept into pop culture.

Quoting this verse on its own could lead one to believe that freedom or salvation is obtainable by some special knowledge that can be obtained. But that is a form of an ancient heresy known as Gnosticism, which is still prevalent today.

But the whole sentence reveals that it is not about human knowledge leading to freedom; it is about abiding in Jesus, growing in the knowledge and truth of the Gospel that leads to freedom.

Warren Wiersbe wrote, “When we obey His Word, we grow in spiritual knowledge; and as we grow in spiritual knowledge, we grow in freedom from sin. Life leads to learning, and learning leads to liberty.”

Not All are Free

Not everyone in the crowd agrees with Jesus (see John 8:33). They claim that as a nation they had never been enslaved. However, a brief look at the history of the nation of Israel quickly dispels that statement. The Jews were under the heavy hand of the Roman empire during the time that Jesus walked the earth.

Jesus pointedly addresses their true slavery in verse 34, “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”

Today many people believe that freedom is the ability to do whatever we want to do, but that is anarchy and leads to bondage.

Peter Marshall, the chaplain to the US Senate in 1947, said, “may we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.”

Freedom is Available

By abiding in Jesus and in his Word, we will be set free from the slavery to sin. You cannot keep on willfully sinning if you know Jesus as savior (See 1 John 3:6-9).

If you are tolerating sin in your life, whether it is dishonesty in business, pornography, bad language, alcohol or drug abuse, gossip, slander, or any sin that you are not willing to renounce, you are a slave to that sin. You are not free.

How do we obtain freedom? It is only found in Jesus, as he says in verse 36, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  Freedom and life are found in no other name.

Freedom Rejected

In verse 38, Jesus addresses the people who do not believe in him, those who are enslaved to sin and don’t want to come to him for freedom, saying, “I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

Initially, it seems that Jesus is telling them that they are listening to Abraham, but that is not what Jesus is saying. Reading further, Jesus clarifies in verse 44a, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires…”

Jesus was not mincing words or being politically correct. Jesus knew the price that he would have to pay for our freedom and salvation; he knew that he was about to go to the cross to take on the full weight of the wrath of his Father.

Please don’t miss this, if you are willfully living in sin, and you are not bothered by it or compelled by the Holy Spirit to repent of your sin, you are not a follower of Jesus.

Knowing True Freedom

However, if you believe in Jesus and the work that he did for you on the cross, you can know true freedom.

Freedom from the fear of God’s wrath, freedom from the expectations of others, freedom from worry, freedom amid pain and suffering, freedom despite your situation in this life.

This is the true freedom that Jesus offers. Do you know this freedom today?

Sermons

Summer of Community part 2

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While I was studying Missiology in 2013, the Lord called me to be a pastor. Initially I had no desire or vision for the pastorate, but as the Lord began to impress on me the desire to see a missional church in Grace Point, I submitted to His leading.

Every church is called my God to be missional. Today, billions of people are heading for an eternity separated from God in hell. I believe there is no greater need today than to preach the Gospel to those that do not know the name of Jesus (see Matthew 28:19-20).

Healthy missional churches are growing churches. However, we are not responsible for the growth of the church, that role belongs to Jesus. We are called to be obedient to his instructions and leading and the Holy Spirit will bring about the multiplication (see Matthew 16:18). Jesus promised to build his church.

For 2000 years, the church has always known the mission and the vision of the church. The preacher would proclaim the Word of God and the church went out and did the work of the ministry (see Ephesians 4:11-12), transforming communities by the power of the Gospel message.

The Vision Movement

In 1974 Peter Drucker published his book on Management theory and since the 1980’s almost every business in the world began using mission and vision statements. This became universally accepted and was embraced by the church. Church leaders felt the pressure to come up with unique, catchy vision statements.

We have ours at Grace Point:

Our Purpose Statement

The purpose of this church shall be to exalt God through Jesus Christ through worship, witnessing, ministry, missions and fellowship.

Our Vision

Love God – Love Others – Change the World

To be a loving church family, worshipping God and transforming our community with the message of the Gospel.

They are both good statements, but what is our priority, the Great commission or the church vision? I would argue that many churches love their mission and vision statements, because they are easier and more marketable than the Great commission.

The Vision Verse

For the last few decades church leaders have used a verse to promote the need for a vision statement in the church, Proverbs 29:18. This verse has become so well known because many Christian leaders have used it to inspire, to motivate the church.

Rick Warren writes: “MY IMAGINATION INFLUENCES MY ASPIRATION. In other words, your dreams determine your destiny. To accomplish anything, you must first have a mission, a goal, a hope, a vision. “Without a vision the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18.1                           

The phrase, “the people perish” is interpreted to mean that a church without a 21st century vision statement, will eventually close its doors.

But is that what God’s word says?

Interestingly, Warren and many others use the King James version of this verse which reads, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he”, Proverbs 29:18 KJV.

I find it interesting that leaders who use this verse would never use the King James Version from the pulpit. And they would probably discourage using it as a devotional Bible. So, why would these motivational leaders use an older translation?

Looking at some of the newer translations, we see a different understanding of the verse:

NIV – “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint…”
NLT – “When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild…”
CEV – “Without guidance from God, law and order disappear…”
HCSB – “Without revelation people run wild…”
ESV – “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint…”

Looking at the word translated as “vision” in the Hebrew, we see that it means, “revelation, a communication from God to be communicated to others, with a focus on the visual aspects of the communication.”

Simply put, this is a divine word of God, to be communicated to others. I think this is far more significant and valuable than sitting around the table and coming up with a cool slogan for the church.

Additionally, the phrase, “my people perish” in the King James Version, does not mean to die, it is better translated as, “casting off restraint”, or “casting off the law of God”. God’s word restrains us from walking in sin. It is a guide to our path, for our good.

Based on the Hebrew dictionary I prefer the English Standard Version translation, “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint…”

Furthermore, the rest of the verse backs up this interpretation, “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.” Proverbs 29:18 ESV.

The incorrect translation of this one verse has birthed the sale of millions of books, conferences around the world.

The Vision of Jesus

Having a vision statement is not a bad thing, but sadly some have used catch phrases and motivational conferences to build the church without Jesus as the head of the church.

When Jesus was asked for a vision statement, what did he say?

In Matthew 22; a lawyer tried to test him and asked him which was the greatest commandment? Towhich Jesus responded, “…You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

These are the restraints, the law for the church.

In our 21st century worldview, Jesus would have been a terrible visionary leader (see some of his vision statements, Luke 14:27, Luke 9:23, John 6:53, Matthew 20:26, John 16:33b).

I would suggest that sometimes we want a mission and vision statement because the ones Jesus gave don’t look great on a billboard.

A vision statement is not wrong, but vision must come out of prayer and meditation on God’s word, rather than from a church growth handbook or seminar.

Let’s ask the Lord for his vision statement for Grace Point.

1 https://www.walkingwithgiants.net/bible/prov-2918-where-there-is-no-vision-the-people-perish/

Sermons

The Stories Jesus Told Part 9

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Do you know who Jesus is?

In Matthew 21, the religious leaders of the day didn’t recognize Jesus as the Messiah, and they questioned his authority, challenging,

“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” ( Matthew 21:23).

Jesus took control of the conversation by returning their question with one of his own,

“The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” (Matthew 21:25).

Jesus placed them in a difficult corner; he knew that they could not respond honestly to his question. If they said John’s ministry was from heaven, then they would be responsible for rejecting John’s ministry, ignoring his call to repent and be baptized. If they said his ministry was  from man (in other words saying John’s ministry had no authority at all), they would be at odds with the crowds who believed that John was a prophet sent from God.

They were caught, and they knew it. They lied, saying, “We do not know”, to try and save face (see Matthew 21:27).

Today, many people face the same dilemma: what to do with Jesus? This is the question that faces every human being. One day, every person will bow before Jesus. By then, it will be too late for many.

C.S. Lewis famously wrote, “Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God.”

There is terrible spiritual apathy in the world today, a willful ignorance of Jesus (see Romans 1:19-20). To Ignore Jesus as the Son of God is willful rebellion.

Albert Mohler said, “When people respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ with this kind of intellectual resignation, they send their souls to hell.” Since the religious leaders refused to answer his question Jesus refused to answer theirs.  Instead he taught a series of parables.

#1: The Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32)

To the Jewish hearers listening to this parable a man having two sons would have been blessed by God. But the older son, the heir of the estate, initially refused to work in his father’s vineyard. The older son showed disrespect towards his father; he didn’t really know him, even though he later changed his mind and went to work. The younger son said he would  work but then disrespected his father by not following through on his word. In verse 31a, Jesus asked, “Which of the two did the will of his father?”

Jesus’ audience got it right: the obedient one did the will of his father. But Jesus rebuked them, telling them that the very people they viewed as the worst sinners possible were entering the kingdom of God before them. The religious leaders viewed the tax collectors and prostitutes as unclean people, not even worthy of their attention. But these people had responded to John’s call to repentance, unlike the religious leaders.

Jesus explained the parable, showing that they were neither the first nor the second son (see Matthew 21:32). The religious leaders were desperately lost.

The key to a right relationship with God is not religious posturing or performing duties, but rather humble frequent repentance.

#2: The Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-46)

Jesus knew that within a few days, he would be crucified. This parable was a direct indictment of those who were questioning his authority.

The hearers of the parable would have understood that the master of the house was someone of extreme wealth and authority. The master built a fence around his vineyard, protecting his investment. He also dug a wine press, indicating that he expected to receive fruit from his investment. In addition he built a tower to further fortify his investment. All these actions refer to dominion, ownership, and rulership. The religious leaders would have heard the echoes of Isaiah 5 in the parable; it would have been hard for them to miss.

Jesus said when the harvest time came, the master sent servants to the vineyard, but the tenants beat and killed them (see Matthew 21:35-36). Jesus is clearly speaking about the prophets from the Old Testament and even John the Baptist.

But then the master sent his own son, the heir to the kingdom. The one with the authority. And the wicked tenants, thinking they would take the land, killed the son (see Matthew 21:39).

This is exactly what the Jewish religious leaders would later do to Jesus. They were plotting the death of Jesus, but they had no idea who he truly was. They didn’t know they were talking to their creator. Jesus indicted them further as they declared their own judgment and punishment (see Matthew 21:41).  

The door to a right relationship with God is recognizing and knowing Jesus for who he truly is.

Jesus the Cornerstone

Jesus kept on the offensive, attacking the source of their pride. The religious leaders were proud of their knowledge of the scriptures, their memorization and knowledge of the Torah. Jesus asks in verse 42, “Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected
     has become the cornerstone;
 this was the Lord’s doing,
     and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Jesus was quoting Psalm 118. But the theme of Jesus being the cornerstone of the Kingdom of God is found throughout the Old and New Testaments.

Then the penny dropped, “…they perceived that he was speaking about them” (Matthew 21:45).

The chief priests and the elders heard the parables, but because of their pride—their position and self-righteousness—they refused to recognize who Jesus was. They rebelled against the son of God himself, crucifying him on a cross. Even their rebellion was part of God’s perfect plan, for Jesus became the perfect sacrifice for our sins.  This rebellion against Jesus still happens today. Even in the church, there are people who don’t truly know Jesus. They know the stories, the history, the theology, but they don’t know Jesus, the Son of God. They don’t have a relationship with him. They do all the religious duties but live in rebellion to the Cornerstone.

It doesn’t matter how many years you have attended church, if you don’t know him, you are in rebellion.

Sermons

The Stories Jesus Told Part 7

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 “When I get to Heaven I shall see three wonders there. The first will be to see many people there whom I did not expect to see, the second wonder will be to miss many people whom I did expect to see, and the third and greatest wonder of all, will be to find myself there” John Newton.

The great hymn writer understood that it is all about grace, the unmerited favor of God shown to those who believe in the name of Jesus for salvation.

We love grace when applied to ourselves, but sometimes, when we see grace applied to others, it offends us. The Kingdom of heaven is counter-intuitive and even offensive to our fallen human reasoning.

Grace Extended

In this parable, Jesus talks about a master who hires laborers to work in his vineyard. During the first century Roman empire, these day laborers may have been foreigners who were offered little to no protection from the Roman labor law. They were vulnerable and often abused.

The master agreed to pay those hired at the break of dawn, a denarius for their day’s wages. This would have been an acceptable wage at the time.

The laborers go to work in the vineyard, but then the master decides to hire more laborers. He hires people at five different times during the day; 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm and 5pm.

When it came time to pay the laborers at the end of the day, those hired at 6am were shocked to discover that everyone received the same payment, even though they had toiled for many more hours than the others. It didn’t seem fair.

Grumbling at Grace

The hard-working laborers began grumbling (see Matthew 20:11-12).

Grumbling is a sin that is often overlooked in our churches and homes. We tend to look at grumbling as less than desirable, but not really sinful. This is because grumbling is so easy to do, it is second nature. When we are troubled by something we struggle to keep quiet about it to those around us.

But what does the Bible say about grumbling?

A classic biblical example of grumbling is found in the children of Israel in the wilderness, they grumbled a lot even after God performed so many miracles on their behalf (see Exodus 16:8). But grumbling is also addressed in the New Testament (see James 5:9, Philippians 2:14).  

Albert Mohler writes, “To grumble is to complain about the goodness of God. In this sense, grumbling is the consummate act of ingratitude.”

We like to justify our grumbling, but grumbling doesn’t fix anything, it usually leads to gossip.

Grumbling is a sign of weakness; it takes courage to sit down with someone and humbly share your offence or disagreement and constructively seek to grow in understanding and love for one another.

The laborers in the parable were grumbling because they felt that the decision of the master was unjust. But the master has every right to do what he wants with his resources (see Matthew 20:14-15).

This parable speaks to us about the sovereignty of God. His decision to show grace to whomever He chooses. We sometimes struggle with this, because we don’t have a right perspective of the holiness and the sovereignty of God. The creator has every right to bless His creation as He chooses.

God’s Grace

Just like the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, we struggle with what seems to us to be an injustice if we are honest with ourselves (see Matthew 25:28-29).

We are so closely tied to the religion of humanism that we struggle with the concept of God’s grace when it is applied to people that we have determined are beyond God’s favor.

Grace seldom seems fair, but fairness is subjective at best. Fairness works well when handing out cookies to children on a playground but doesn’t come close to understanding what is at stake with our sinful state before an all-holy God.

If God dealt with us fairly, we all deserve the punishment of hell.

But grace is God’s free gift to all who repent and put their faith in Jesus. Grace goes against the pride and arrogance of our fallen human nature.

Are you saved by grace? (see Ephesians 2:8-9). Have you encountered Jesus Christ, as your savior, repented of your sins and received his free gift of salvation? Maybe you need to respond to Jesus today for salvation.

Grace that Offends

But maybe you are offended by the grace of God? As you think about your life and the people that have hurt you or even those that you have heard of who have done terrible things to others. Who have you determined is beyond the grace of God?

The words of the master in the parable apply here, “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity? Matthew 20:15”

When we refuse to forgive someone for their past, that they have repented of before the Lord, we are not offended at them, we are offended at God.

If you are offended at God, you need to repent and bring that sinful attitude to the cross of Jesus today.

Do you really know the gift of grace?

Sermons

Healthy Leadership – Healthy Church

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By God’s design, the local church is to be led by elders. Other names for that role are pastor, shepherd, or overseer (see Acts 20:28). In 1 Peter 5:1-5, Peter provides instructions and exhortation to the elders of the church; we can all learn from these leadership lessons.

The Role of the Elder

Jesus bought the church with his own blood. Although we like to identify our community as “my church”, in truth, it is “his church”.

The primary role of the elder is to tend to the sheep, feeding, leading, and protecting them. The challenge is that elders are also sheep, and as such they need accountability and shepherding themselves.

The Bible teaches that healthy church leadership should have more than one elder. This strengthens the church and guards against strong personalities that might slowly introduce false teaching.

A healthy church will only grow from healthy leaders. A church will never grow in an area of ministry if the leaders are not leading the way by example.

The Proximity of the Elder.

Peter writes in verse 1, “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed.”

Peter is exhorting the elders who are among the people, implying that these elders were directly engaged with the community. Pastors who are not in the trenches are not shepherding. YouTube “pastors” are not shepherding.

In times of persecution, the leadership of the church is crucial (see 1 Peter 4:17). Humble local shepherds play a critical role in helping the church withstand the temptation to swim along with the stream of the world’s culture, especially during times of trial. Sadly, leaders who run away during persecution are hirelings and not true shepherds as Jesus said in John 10. John Maxwell said, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” Peter identifies himself as a co-elder, but he had some extra credibility: he witnessed the crucifixion as Jesus died in our place on the cross. He also saw the empty tomb as Jesus victoriously conquered sin and death. Peter knew that even though there is suffering now, there is glory coming later. Glory always follows suffering, and this coming glory should motivate the elders in their shepherding. Peter had a healthy eternal perspective, and we should too. How often do you think about Jesus coming again, and how does it affect your leadership of others?

The Leadership of the Elder

Peter goes on to encourage the elders in verses 2 and 3, “shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”

To exercise oversight is to care for others, not dominate or dictate. Oversight is providing care for the church family; it is a high calling and a serious responsibility.

Peter then compares three styles of leadership.

Compulsion v. Willingness

“People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and the boss drives.” —Theodore Roosevelt.

 The Lord wants elders to lead willingly, not from compulsion or some type of guilt and shame. When the Lord asks us to lead, we must respond willingly with a ready “yes” in our hearts.

Shameful Gain v. Eagerness

Then Peter compares, “shameful gain vs eagerness”

This contrast is the difference between a true shepherd and a hireling; a hireling works because he is paid, but a shepherd works because he loves and is devoted to caring for the sheep (see also John 10:12-13; Titus 1:7).

Domineering v. Servanthood

Different positions require different leadership styles. For example, in the military, the leadership is domineering. When a battle decision has been made and lives are at stake, you cannot have a subordinate wanting to discuss the decision. Obedience needs to be unquestioned. However, in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus models servant leadership for us, and he wants us to lead like he led (see John 13).

The Reward of the Elder.

In verse 4 Peter writes, “And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

This is our hope: Jesus is coming again, and we will all be judged and receive rewards for our faithfulness.

Faithful shepherds will receive an eternal crown of glory.  The “crown” here is the Greek victory garland, given as a prize during the ancient Grecian games. It was woven from ivy or something similar. But those victor crowns faded and eventually were thrown away. The crown Peter describes is incorruptible and does not fade. Many people go into ministry looking for rewards, seeking fame, an audience of thousands, perhaps a best seller book, or rising rank within their denomination. Such rewards are fading greenery; they will never satisfy.

The only reward we should be striving for is to hear the words of the master in Matthew 25: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” When we see Jesus, we won’t desire anything else. We will forget any personal goals or glory; we will simply take our crowns and place them at his feet – that will be the ultimate prize.

The Example of the Elder

Finally, verse 5 reads, “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Peter is referring to younger people in the church, but this also applies to all church members who submit to the leadership of the elders. It is possible that Peter was remembering how Jesus clothed himself in humility as he washed his disciples’ feet. Pride is the root of all sin, but God favors and gives grace to the humble.

Even though these verses are primarily directed towards the church elders, the principles apply to all church leadership roles. The way of leadership is humble servant leadership.

Is God calling you to leadership?

Sermons

Your Best Life Now

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Who doesn’t want to live a meaningful life full of peace and joy? The Bible gives a prescription for us to live life to the fullest. 

Peter is preparing the church for further suffering, preparing them to be strong and healthy as they endure hardship. The Western church is not familiar with persecution, but that may change soon. For a church to remain strong during persecution, they must operate according to the principles of the kingdom of Heaven.  

Living Healthily

Peter lists five essential characteristics of a healthy church in 1 Peter 3:8.  

1: Unity: Unity is not uniformity. We all have different spiritual gifts and different parts to play in the church. We need to be united around the mission of the church. The mission that Jesus gave us has never changed and we are to rally  around that call (see Matthew 28:19-20).                                                                                                       

2: Sympathy: This is having care and compassion for the needs and pain of others in the church. We need to be careful that we don’t simply come and go while overlooking the needs of our fellow brothers and sisters. It is tempting to become hard hearted towards one another, but we must never stop caring (see Romans 12:15). 

3: Brotherly Love: The Greek word for brotherly love is “philadelphia”. This word is only applied in the context of love within the group of believers. Peter encourages his readers to love earnestly from a pure heart.

4: Tender heart: Love in the church is revealed in our tenderness towards one another. Sadly, tenderness is viewed as a weakness today. Tenderness is a heart attitude of actively engaging with the pain of others. Not simply glossing over it with an, “I will pray for you”. Having a tender heart means that we see people and show that we care. 

5: Humility: A humble person puts others first and listens first. Humility is the opposite spirit of the world, and it is the mark of a healthy believer and a healthy church. 

Responding Well

Peter continues in verse 9, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing”.

Jesus was our perfect example as he prayed for those crucifying him. 

This is turning the other cheek, even if another believer says something about you that is untrue.  

I have had the privilege to meet some amazing leaders over the years working with various mission organizations. One of the essential character qualities that I have found in respected Christian leaders is that they don’t defend themselves. Even when they are falsely accused. 

I know this is easier said than done. We need to learn to commit accusations to the Lord. Sometimes an accusation is warranted, and we must receive it and make corrections. But if it is false or malicious, hand it over to the Lord. 

Blessing Others

In the face of reviling, Peter exhorts to live in the opposite spirit, “…on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing,” 1 Peter 3:9b. 

There are so many ways that we can bless others and as we do, we are promised a blessing from the Lord. 

Living Fully

In verses 10 to 12, Peter inserts some verses from Psalm 34. David wrote this Psalm when he was in extreme danger. 

Verse 10 begins with, “Whoever desires to love life and see good days.”

Everyone should want to live life to the fullest, squeezing every drop of opportunity out of our days. This does not mean living free from trouble or pain; that is not what is promised. But Jesus’ promises of abundant and eternal life begin now.

Sadly, many believers are not enjoying the gift of eternal life that we have been given. They are not accessing the fullness of the life God has given them through Jesus. 

There are many different reasons why people are not living life to the full: emotional trauma, sickness, depression or even apathy. As followers of Jesus, we are invited to live full and rich lives. 

How do we do this? The Bible gives us three keys for this kind of life. 

Speak Positively

“Let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit,” 1 Peter 3:10b.

If you want to enjoy life, watch your tongue. Ceasing from gossip, criticism, and lies. 

Occasionally you will meet truly happy people, and one thing you might notice about them is that they never speak ill of anyone. 

So, if you want to enjoy life, speak only about the positive attributes of others and control your tongue (see James 3). 

Do Good

Verse 11 continues, “Let him turn away from evil and do good,” 1 Peter 3:11a.

This is both a turning away and a turning towards. This is not doing good things and hoping to balance out the bad things we do; that is not the Gospel. We must hate sin; it is our sin that took Jesus to the cross where he completely atoned for it. Then we must pursue good as a response to his goodness.

Seek Peace

The final key is also found in verse 11, “Let him seek peace and pursue it,” 1 Peter 3:11b.

As followers of Jesus, we are to exercise wisdom as we relate to others.  Humility leads us to seek peace rather than our own way, preferring others in love. 

Now, this is not always possible; life without conflict is never possible. Rather we have the opportunity to grow closer as believers, through handling conflict with grace and humility.

Live Your Best Life Now 

You may question whether living by these keys will lead to others taking advantage of you?

Peter quotes an amazing assurance in verse 12. 

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

It takes faith to trust the Lord in every circumstance (see Romans 12:19). He alone can bring about justice for us. 

Follow these principles and live your best life now.

Sermons

The Armor of God

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Who is our enemy? The media is very good at focusing our attention on the enemy. It may be China, Russia, Islamic extremists or even a political figure. But as Christians we are already engaged in a very real war against a vicious enemy who is actively pursuing our destruction. 

Many Christians are not even aware of the reality of the spiritual warfare that we face every day. And that is precisely one of Satan’s most effective weapons. We cannot fight when we aren’t aware of the battle. Satan is the deceiver and the father of lies. 

The Apostle Paul closes the letter to the Ephesians with an encouragement to stand firm against the enemy of our souls. We are at war against spiritual forces whose primary objective is taking souls with them to hell. 

An Already-Won Victory 

But there is good news! This enemy is raging because he is already defeated. When Jesus died and rose again, the victory over Satan was accomplished (see John 12:31).

We live in a broken world, eagerly waiting for Jesus to come again and finally cast Satan and his demons into the eternal fire of Hell. But until that time, we are called to stand firm (see Ephesians 6:10-14). 

We stand not in our own strength but in the strength of the omnipotent God of the universe. He is our strength; His is the victory. 

We do not fight for victory, rather we fight from victory.

Watchman Nee

. We frequently ask God to help us to defeat Satan in a certain area of our lives, but I would suggest a paradigm shift. Instead of asking for victory, thank God for the victory that Jesus has already won and ask Him for the strength to stand firm in that victory in the face of temptation.  

This means praising God for the miracle of victory even before we experience it—and it requires faith. When you feel oppressed and attacked by Satan’s demons, praise God for what He has done and thank Him for the victory, then allow Him to bring about the experience of that reality (see Philippians 4:6). 

If only the modern church grasped the truth that we stand from a position of victory! The victory does not occur in the book of Revelation; it has already occurred in the death and resurrection of Jesus two thousand years ago. 

The Armor for Victory 

God has given us armor to secure our ability to stand against the attacks of the enemy. The apostle Paul used the familiar Roman military armor as a picture of the secure protection that we have as Christians against the attacks of the enemy. 

Each piece of the armor serves a vital role in keeping us safe in the battle. There are six pieces of armor that every Christian should know and apply. 

The Belt of Truth

Questioning the truth has always been one of Satan’s choice weapons (see Genesis 3:1). Sin entered the world because he made Eve question the truth. As Christians, we must know and speak the truth (see John 8:32 and John 14:6). 

The Belt is our guard against the lies of Satan that often are presented in the form of false teaching. We have the truth in the Word of God. If we neglect to meditate on the truth of God’s Word, we will easily be deceived by the lies of Satan.  

The Breastplate of Righteousness

The breastplate covers the chest and the vital organs against the arrows of the enemy. As believers we are covered by the righteousness of Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5:21), but we are called to pursue holiness and purity in our personal lives.  

We must not give one inch to the enemy by our thoughts and actions. We have a new identity, and we are to live as such (see Philippians 4:8). 

Shoes of the Gospel

The Roman soldiers had spikes under their shoes that enabled them to have traction on any terrain. Paul likens the Gospel to a pair of effective shoes that can enable us to have traction even in challenging environments. As we go, we are to declare the Gospel of Peace (see Ephesians 6:15 and Isaiah 52:7).  

Are you putting on the right shoes?

The Shield of Faith

The ancient Roman soldier carried a large shield that could be used to build a wall of protection when standing alongside other soldiers. 

The shield is a shield of faith; faith is key to our protection. This shield is more effective when we are gathered in community. When a believer removes themselves from community, they become vulnerable (see Hebrews 10:25). 

The Helmet of Salvation

The Roman helmet was heavy and covered the neck and cheeks of the soldier. It goes without saying that our brains are vulnerable to injury in a battle. Satan also knows that we can be most vulnerable in our thoughts and emotions. 

Satan’s demons use the darts of fear, depression, discouragement, and anxiety to attack the child of God. As we meditate on the Gospel, we are reminded of God’s love and promises towards us.  

The Sword of the Spirit

The Roman soldiers had a short sword that was used in close combat. The enemy often will use people closest to us to hurt us the most. Our battles are often very personal. 

This final piece of the armor is the only offensive weapon we have, and it is sufficient. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, and it is precise and sharp (see Hebrews 4:12)

When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness in Matthew 4, he used the Word of God as his only weapon, and Satan left him. Jesus stood firm on the Word, simply stating, “it is written”. 

The Sword of the Spirit is crucial to our victory, but to overcome the enemy, we must know the Word of God. This sword is useless if we keep it in its sheath. The Bible is useless if you never open it and exercise it. 

A Battle Plan for Victory

What are you battling with today? 

Remember to put on the full armor of God and stand firm in the already won victory.

Sermons

A Leader Prays

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My father was a pastor who faithfully served several churches in the years up until his passing in 2013. I am blessed to have had a father who was a man of conviction and a man of prayer.  

I am so grateful that I frequently caught him in prayer. He was leading by example and teaching me valuable disciplines.

Parents do you lead by example in your home? Do your children find you praying? Do your children even know that you pray?

We are continuing our series called, “leadership lessons from the life of Moses”. This week we focus on the importance of the prayer life of a leader.

A Christian leader is only as effective as his/her prayer life.

Moses the Priest.

Moses was a Levite, a priest, and as such he had the responsibility of representing the nation before God and representing God to the nation. This was the crucial role of the priest before the New Testament and the gift of the Holy Spirit to the church at Pentecost in Acts 2. As we know from 1 Peter 2:9, all believers are priests and are called to be Christ’s ambassadors in our various spheres of life.

As priests we are called to intercede for our family and extended community. How well are you fulfilling your priestly role in your area of influence?

In Exodus 33 we read about the Tent of Meeting that Moses set up outside the camp in order to intercede for the nation. It was also a place where anyone could go and pray to enquire of the Lord (see Exodus 33:7).

The tent was set far outside the camp and Moses would go out to the tent of meeting, as an example of being a leader of prayer (see Exodus 33:8). As Moses entered the tent, the people would all stand in awe and worship God. This is the effect of a leader who prays, it leads those who are watching to worship God.

Prayer is warfare.

The tent was available to all the people, but only those who sought the Lord took advantage of it. Reading between the lines, that probably wasn’t a high percentage. The tent of meeting was far outside the camp, it was not convenient.

 “Every one of us is as close to God as he has chosen to be.” J. Oswald Sanders

Today, many Christians will say that they want a better prayer life, but sadly, they don’t put in the effort. Prayer takes effort. Prayer is hard work. This is not legalism or works based Christianity, but if we want to see things change in our homes and in our society, we must be prepared to put in the effort that is required.

Prayer takes effort. It is warfare. You cannot wage war from the comfort of your mattress, sometimes you must go outside of the camp.

I am not saying God doesn’t answer prayers prayed while you are in bed and wrestling with the issues of life, but there is something powerful when we have a special place to go to pray and meet with God. There is something about a change of venue that shifts our perspective. When you change your location to a place that is set apart for prayer, you are ready to engage in warfare. You are ready to pray.

A little word of encouragement; when you sit down or kneel to pray, leave your phone in another room. In a war, a distracted soldier is a dead soldier. I cannot emphasize this more strongly; your cell phone will spiritually kill you. Sadly, in our culture and in the Body of Christ, there are too many people who are paralyzed by the constant enticement of all forms of media and entertainment that are presented in the palm of our hands. These distractions are all killing people’s ability to function effectively, and sadly in the Church, they are taking people out of the mission that they are called to.

Moses the Intercessor:

As Moses prayed, he set an example for the people to see. A high percentage of leadership is not about what you say, it’s about what people see in your lifestyle and example.

Moses was also an intercessor for the nation. He prayed fervently for the nation. He risked his life for the nation in his boldness before the Lord. Moses stood between the nation’s sin and God (see Numbers 11:1-2).

Every Christian leader should intercede for those they lead.

Moses interceded for the future blessing of the nation. Moses was not content to have seen the deliverance of God in the past, he was not content to have the provision of God for today, he was desperate for the presence of God in the future (see Exodus 33:12-15).

As you lead your family, your community, or your workplace, are you desperate for the presence and the leadership of God?

Are you crying out in dependance on God for the future for those you influence?

It was from his place of intimacy with God, that Moses was able to become the greatest leader in the history of the nation of Israel.

How are you preparing to lead? Commit to leading in prayer.