Preaching at East Lanier

The next two Sundays I will be preaching for Alan Foster at East Lanier Community Church in Buford/Flowery Branch, GA. This week I am teaching from John 4:1-26, “Through Samaria.” I am giving the message that title because in verse 4, John says that Jesus “had to go through Samaria.” Hmmm… had to? Actually, there were other ways to Galilee than through Samaria. Jesus could have travelled east along the Jordan River, or on the other side of the Jordan (like the Pharisees would do in order to avoid Samaria). So I think that understanding why Jesus “had” to go through Samaria will shed light on the very heart of Jesus’ purpose and mission… and will provide plenty of grace-centered teaching on what a missional church might look like. Geographically, Jesus did NOT have to go through Samaria. Missionally, he did. As Steve Brown would say, “You think about that.” Okay, I think I will… and will tell you what I came up with on Sunday at East Lanier. :)

The Promises of Forgiveness

In Ken Sande's book, The Peacemaker, he outlines the four promises of forgiveness. In other words, this is what I am saying to someone when I say, "I forgive you."

1. “I will not bring this incident up against (ie, to use against) you again.” (Of course, if someone is struggling with an ongoing pattern of sin, such as an addiction or abusive temper, it is okay to bring it up in order to help them/get them counseling, but not as a means of condemnation.)
   
2. “I will not dwell on this incident.”
3. “I will not talk to others about this incident.”
   
4. “I will not let this incident create tension and distance in our relationship.”

This is not only what I say to someone when I forgive, but also it is what God says to me in the gospel when he forgives. Unreal.

For some Scripture references, check out Jeremiah 31:34b, Psalm 103:12, 1 Corinthians 13:5, and Romans 8:1, Colossians 3:13.

Blogging Resumes Tomorrow

Hello friends,
Blogging will resume tomorrow. I took Memorial Weekend off. See you then! Now, it's off to a cookout and pool party... : )

Cautious Optimism

One more great thought from Paul Miller...

"The feel of a praying life is cautious optimism—caution because of the Fall, optimism because of Redemption. Cautious optimism allows Jesus to boldly send his disciples into an evil world."

Just Words

While reading tonight in Paul Miller's book, A Praying Life, he said something that rang too true in my experience. He describes the disconnect that takes place when my heart gets out of tune with God. He says, "I continue to perform and say Christian things, but they are just words." That is the place of revival. Running on empty. Living an "externally religious" life. What do I need in that season? I need to confess my coldness and know the heart of God, whose love and grace will begin to warm my heart. It may hit all at once or take place over time... but my heart will warm as the Spirit works, so that my faith is not just words, but also is music, and dancing, and joy... again.

Do You Have 17 Minutes?

If you are a leader who wants to shake up the status quo, and you have 17 minutes, this video mini-lecture is genius and well worth the listen. Wow!

Listen here.

Name That Church

If you are interested in participating in our "Help Name the Dahlonega Church Plant" survey, click here.

Living by Faith

Francis Schaeffer, in one of my all-time favorite books, True Spirituality:

“I'm convinced…that this is when we begin to make our forward steps as Christians: When I know through experience that I can lay hold of Christ's blood by faith to cover my sins this morning, and then to cover my sins this afternoon, even if they're the same sins—when I know this, the preciousness of Christ's blood becomes a tremendous reality, I begin to live in the light of His presence and in the light of His work—not just in the past or in the future, but in the present.”

This is what it means to live by faith.

Anxiety as a Means of Grace

Paul Miller writes on anxiety in his book, A Praying Life. I found this helpful.

"Anxiety wants to be God but lacks God's wisdom, power, or knowledge. A Godlike stance without Godlike character and ability is pure tension... Oddly enough, it took God to show us how not to be godlike. Jesus was the first person who didn't seek independence... Because we know we don't have control, we cry out for grace."

And so, interestingly and amazingly, anxiety can become a door for prayer, and for grace.

"A Praying Life" by Paul Miller

Whoa! Paul Miller's newest book, A Praying Life, is hot off the press and is revolutionizing my understanding of prayer... and what it means to live as a Christian, or better, as a dearly loved child of the Father. Get this book. Read it, and re-read it. Wow.

Here are some nuggets from the first few chapters:

• "Prayer is not the central theme of this book. Getting to know a Person... is the center."

• For Jesus "prayer is about relationship. When he prays, he is not performing a duty; he is getting close to his Father."

• "Personal prayer is one of the last great bastions of legalism."

• "How do we structure our adult conversations? We don't... Why would prayer be any different? After all, God is a person."

• "We received Jesus because we were weak, and that's how we follow him... We forget that helplessness is how the Christian life works."

• "Prayer is bringing our helplessness to Jesus."
  

• "Strong Christians do pray more, but they pray more because they realize how weak they really are."

• "Weakness is the channel that allows us to access grace."

• "You don't need self-discipline to pray continuously; you just need to be poor in spirit."

This is gold I tell you. GOLD!

May Edition of Church Plant Update/Newsletter

To see our latest church plant newsletter, the May 2009 Edition, click here.

John 5:9b-30, "Religion Keeps Me From Jesus"

1. Some people (like me!) are so rule-oriented (religious) that they miss the grace of Jesus (vv. 9b-18)
2. Jesus was sent from the Father to reveal the Father's life-giving love and grace (vv. 19-26)
3. There will be a judgment of all people (vv. 27-30)
4. Only those who have the imputed/credited goodness of Jesus to them will be justified
   
5. My only hope is to run from life-killing religion, look to the cross of Jesus, and believe that he has taken on my record of evil and given me his record of goodness
   

John 5:1-9, "Get Up and Walk"

1. Jesus seeks out the blind, lame and paralyzed (vv. 1-3)
2. Jesus offers healing to the most needy (vv. 5-6)
3. The invalid thinks his healing must come in the pool... just like I think that my "healing" will come through some material means (v. 7)
4. True and complete healing is found only through Jesus—who heals spiritual invalids, too, through HIS taking up not a mat and walking, but a cross and dying (vv. 8-9)
5. Then I am able to get up and walk and live a new life of grace, peace, faith, hope and joy
   

John 4:43-54, "Only Jesus"

1. Repeated theme: Jesus is the ultimate missionary (v. 43)
2. Jesus had no expectation that everyone would welcome and receive him (v. 44)
3. The Galileans welcomed Jesus... but why... for what he could do for them, for his fame, or for who he was? (vv. 44-46a)
4. The main point: Jesus, as the sovereign Son of God, does for us what we cannot do for ourselves, or for those whom we love (vv. 46b-47)
5. The official's faith, in contrast to the other Galileans, preceded the miracle of healing– this is implied in his belief that if Jesus would come, his child would live... so he begs... Notice, this is a ROYAL OFFICIAL begging to a poor, Jewish, itnerant rabbi! (vv. 48-49)
6. I think Jesus is commending the official and wants us to have this kind of "only Jesus" faith...
   
7. The official "takes Jesus at his word"—another reference to faith (v. 50)
   
8. The answered prayer (the dramatic healing) strengthened the official's faith, and birthed the faith of others (v. 51-53)
9. This "miraculous sign" is another shadow of the gospel... the cross (v. 54)
10. Jesus does not just bring sick boys back to life, but brings dead sinners back to life through his death in our place. God the Father says, "YOU will live... because MY SON will die."
    

John 4:27-42, "Becoming a Bringer"

1. Jesus shatters socio-cultural, religious prejudices (v.27)
2. The biggest sinners make the best "bringer-evangelists" (vv. 28-30, 39-41)
3. Jesus teaches about an evangelistic harvest that is ready for those who are prepared to participate (vv. 31-38)
4. The goal of testimony is not merely intellectual ascent, but rather experiential, personal faith in the SAVIOR of people from "EVERY nation, tribe, people and language"– Rev. 7:9 (v. 42)
   

The Ground of My Acceptance

“We must always be accepted for Christ’s sake or we cannot be accepted at all. This is not only true of us only ‘when we believe,’ it is just as true after we have believed. It will continue to be true as long as we live. Our need for Jesus does not cease with our believing nor does the nature of our relation to Him ever alter no matter what our attainments in Christian graces or our achievements in Christian behavior may be. It is always on His ‘blood and righteousness’ alone that we can rest… All that we have… is always of pure grace.” ~ B.B. Warfield

The Seven A's of Confession

I'm teaching a class this week using Ken Sande's book, The Peacemaker. The subject is "The Seven A's of Confession." Since I have needed to put this into practice myself this week, I thought others might benefit.

Introductory quotes from Ken Sande:
“God’s grace as revealed in the gospel... is the driving force behind peacemaking.”

“[In the gospel] our pride and defensiveness are stripped away, adn we can let go of our illusion of self-righteousness, honestly examine ourselves, and find freedom from guilt and sin by admitting our wrongs.”

Some theme passages:

• Proverbs 28:13
• Psalm 51:1-2, 10-12, 16-17
• Psalm 32:1-5
• 1 John 1:8-9

1) Address Everyone Involved
“As a general rule, [I] should confess [my] sins to every person who has been directly affected by [my] wrongdoing.”

2) Avoid “If, But, and Maybe”
“The best way to ruin a confession is to use words that shirt the shift the blame to others or that appear to minimize or excuse [my] guilt.” Using words such as "if, but, and maybe" tend to be blame shifting words.

3) Admit Specifically
“The more detailed and specific [I] am when making a confession, the more likely [I am] to receive a positive response.”

4) Acknowledge the Heart
“If [I] want someone to respond positively to a confession, [I should] make it a point to acknowledge and express sorrow for how [I] hurt or affected them.”
“Sometimes it is helpful to ask the other person how he or she felt as a result of [my] behavior.”

5) Accept the Consequences
“Explicitly accepting the consequences of [my] actions is another way to demonstrate genuine repentance.” This includes restitution (see Zacchaeus in Luke 19:8), and makes a confession much more credible.

6) Alter My Behavior
“Another sign of sincere repentance is to explain to the person [I] offended how [I] plan to alter [my] behavior in the future.” Of course, the enabling power for this change is the enabling grace of the Holy Spirit.

7) Ask for Forgiveness (and Allow Time)
“If the person to whom [I] have confessed does not express forgiveness... [I] may ask, ‘Will you please forgive me?’” But do not use this question as a means to pressure someone to forgive. Some people need time to work through their feelings in order to give genuine forgiveness.

Conclusion.

• “Not every confession will require all seven steps.”
• Beware of using them as a ritual that just gets you off the hook.
• Confession is a means of reconciliation and means to glorify God.
• 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

The Danger of Over-Programming

Just saw this quote from Eric Geiger on Twitter: "Churches that are 'over programmed' are generally not engaged in their communities."

Archibald Alexander on the Need to Preach Grace

Archibald Alexander, in Thoughts Concerning Religious Experience (1844):

“Why is there so little advancement made [in living the Christian life]? First, there is a defect in our belief in the freeness of divine grace. To exercise unshaken confidence in the doctrine of gratuitous pardon is one of the most difficult things in the world… Christians cannot but be lean and feeble when deprived of their proper nourishment. It is by faith that the spiritual life is made to grow; and the doctrine of free grace, without any mixture of human merit, is the only true object of [that] faith. Until [pastors and] teachers inculcate clearly, fully and practically, the grace of God manifested in the gospel, we shall have no vigorous growth… among professing Christians.”

Score cards up, please: 10

1 Timothy, "The Call to Serve as a Pastor-Elder, Part 1"

Trying to distinguish the biblical model of the pastor from the American, cultural model of a pastor has been an interest of mine for some time. So I thought I would plunge into the "pastoral letters" (1-2 Timothy and Titus) and glean lessons that Timothy and Titus' mentor, Paul, has for them as pastor-elders. NOTE: I am using the term pastor-elder to indicate that a pastor and an elder are essentially one in the same, with varying functions- not all agree with this view, but it is my view... and this is my blog. : )

Anyway, 1 Timothy is part 1. 2 Timothy is part 2. And Titus will be part 3. I also hope to poke around in other parts of the New Testament for relevant passages that touch on the calling of the pastor-elder, and eventually will wrap it up with a summary, conclusion type of post. So here goes a survey of the call to serve as a pastor-elder in 1 Timothy:

1. One of a pastor's primary callings is to be a good theologian (1:1-11)
2. An effective pastor must also serve as the "chief of sinners" (1:12-17)
3. A pastor is to "fight" and "hold onto the faith" (1:18-20)
4. Pastors are to oversee gathered worship (2:1-15)
5. Pastors are to manifest a walk with Jesus that is discernible to others, including in their personal, spiritual, social and familial/home relationships (3:1-16)
6. Pastors are to be men of the truth (4:1-6)
7. Pastors are to practice gospel-centered, spiritual discipline, not because it merits anything, but because it profits much (4:7-10)
8. As theologians, a pastor's primary calling is to shepherd people through preaching and teaching (sound doctrine with application), and are to devote themselves to this task (4:11-16... examples of practical application are in 5:1-17; 6:1-2, 17-19)
9. Some elders are to focus on shepherding (people management) and others on preaching and teaching (5:17)
10. Those whose task is to preach and teach are to make their living from this work (5:18)
11. If an elder sins publicly, he should be rebuked and repent publicly, but an accusation requires multiple witnesses (5:19-20)
12. A pastor-elder is not to show favoritism (5:21)
13. A pastor-elder is to be slow to ordain others to this office, must not participate in the sins of others (i.e., must be a leader and not a follower) (5:22-24)
14. A pastor-elder must flee from the love of money and the desire for wealth (6:3-16)
15. A pastor-elder must guard the gospel/truth to which has been entrusted to him (6:20-21a)
16. A pastor-elder needs to live by grace (6:21b)
    

John 4:1-26, "Lessons from the Well"

1. Jesus knew his purpose—to die, but not yet (vv. 1-3)
2. Jesus wasn't afraid to do ministry on the other side of the tracks (v. 4)
   
3. Jesus knew when to rest (vv. 5-6)
4. Jesus offers grace to those who thirst—a thirst that is expressed in many ways (vv. 7-18)
5. To enjoy "living water," I must have my preconceived religious notions demolished (vv. 19-24)
6. Jesus is the Messiah– he must save, and he alone (vv. 25-26)

In the words of Augustus Toplady's (1740-1778) hymn, Rock of Ages:
"Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill Thy law's commands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone."

Simplified Missional Living

Check out this helpful article on Simplified Missional Living.

HT: the Resurgence

John 3:1-21, "The New Birth"

1. I need more than a good teacher or guru... I must be "born again" (vv. 1-3)
2. The "new birth," or regeneration, is not a physical birth, but a spiritual birth- see also Eph. 2:1-5 (vv. 4-7)
3. Regeneration is a work of God the Holy Spirit (v. 8)
4. The first fruit of regeneration is when, by faith, I apprehend the meaning of the cross and receive the grace and love of God expressed for me in the ministry of Jesus (vv. 9-18)
5. Evidence of regeneration is a new life trajectory, or new operating system... but the virus of the flesh remains (vv. 19-21)
6. I will continue to need Jesus and live by grace
   

George Whitefield describes his experience with the new birth here:

“God showed me that I must be born again, or be damned! I learned that a man may go to church, say prayers, receive the sacrament, and yet not be a Christian… Shall I burn this book? Shall I throw it down? Or shall I search it? I did search it, and holding the book in my hand I thus addressed the God of heaven and earth: Lord, if I am not a Christian, or if not a real one, for Jesus sake show me what Christianity is.”

About six months later that divine life was birthed in his soul. His account goes like this:
“God was pleased to remove the heavy load, to enable me to lay hold of his dear Son by a living faith, and by giving me the Spirit of adoption, to seal me, even to the day of everlasting redemption. O! with what joy—joy unspeakable—even joy that was full of and big with glory, was my soul filled when the weight of sin went off, and an abiding sense of the love of God broke in upon my disconsolate soul! Surely it was a day to be had in everlasting remembrance. My joys were like a springtide and overflowed the banks.”

John 2:12-25, "Cleansing the Temple"

1. An aside: Jesus lived in community (v. 12)
2. When Jesus finds sin, injustice and corruption in the Temple, he justly cleans it out... and with passion (vv. 13-17)
3. Jesus' cleansing of the temple foreshadows the passion of the cross—where Jesus would become the object of judgment for sin (vv. 18-21)
4. Hindsight and remembering helps faith (v. 22)
5. Sometimes faith based on an emotional reaction or a mountain top experience is shallow and doesn't last... (vv. 23-25)
6. But the call of the gospel is that faith can be real, lasting and based upon more than "signs" (which are important, but are signposts to Jesus). It can be based upon the space-time fulfillment of Jesus' mission in his perfect life, substitutionary death and physical resurrection. That is how I can stand before God as Father, knowing that I have been cleansed of my sin, injustice and corruption.

John 2:1-11, "The Master of the Banquet"

1. Jesus was not merely a spiritual person, he was social, and people wanted him at their celebration—he and his disciples were invited (vv. 1-2)
2. When a problem arises, he is looked to as the solution (v. 3)
3. Jesus' miracles represent a far greater work that Jesus came to fulfill (v. 4)
4. In light of who Jesus is, simple, immediate obedience is best, and is an act of faith... (vv. 5-7)
5. If Jesus is able to transform water (not grapes!) into wine, then he is able to turn sorrow into joy, despair into hope, death into life, etc. (vv. 8-10)
6. A great public act causes Jesus' disciples to put their faith in him. The miracle of the water and the wine was just a shadow—a shadow of the cross and the resultant joy and celebration it brings (v. 11)
7. Jesus is the ultimate Master of the banquet...

Isaiah 25:6-9 reads,
"6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations;
8 he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.
9 In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

John 1:1-9, 19-28, "The Humble Witness"

1. Jesus is eternally God (vv. 1-3)
2. He is "life" incarnate, and as such is a light for the world who reveals the merciful heart of God to the nations (v. 4)
3. Light overwhelms and defeats darkness— the hope of mission (v. 5)
4. God calls us to testify ABOUT and TO Jesus (vv. 6-9)
5. But we are not called to BE Jesus (vv. 19-21)
6. The best witnesses are humble witnesses (vv. 22-28)
7. None was more humble than Jesus...

Philippians 2:5-11
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature​​ God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature​b​ of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

John 1:43-51, "Joining the Redemptive Mission of Jesus"

Here are some reflections on John 1:43-51...

1. Jesus is the Great missionary (Jesus goes, finds, and calls)– it is our great privilege to join HIS mission to reach and disciple the lost (v. 43)
   
2. The Old Testament is a foreshadowing of Jesus (vv. 44-45)
   
3. Don't despise small town ministry— Jesus was from a tiny, podunk community! (v. 46)
   
4. Be willing to "come and see" (v. 47)
   
5. Jesus knows the whereabouts, heart and thoughts of everyone, even me (v. 48)
   
6. If we are amazed by the miracles and sovereignty of Jesus, nothing compares to the wonder of the cross (vv. 49-50)
   
7. Jesus is God in the flesh, who came down to reconcile sinners to God through his life, death and resurrection– proving that indeed, He is the Great missionary (v. 51)

And so there are lots of applications from this passage. For me as a church planter, and for any who plan to join the adventure, a primary application is the call to join the redemptive mission of Jesus. I cannot imagine a more thrilling and rewarding life. And I suppose the ultimate application is to be reconciled to God through Jesus, and THEN become part of His redemptive mission.