@ Caesarea in 2010

First of all, we are not talking here about not believing in Jesus or denying or disliking Jesus. No, Christless Christianity can exist in true believers lives. Good, solid churches and tobacco-free, Hollywood-purged, Adventures in Odyssey-loving Christian homes is where this attitude can germinate. It is Christian living that has invested (even sacrificially) with the anticipation of a good rate of return. We are to “count the cost” and be wise masterbuilders. We have done our do-diligence and, as far as we know, can pass the red-face test. No surprises here. Just good, honest, hard-working, old-fashioned (the older the better) Christian living.

We don’t want to be presumptuous but inwardly we think that we have got to at least be on the consideration list for, “Well done thou good and faithful____________ (servant, employee, dad, wife, pastor, 2-year old Sunday School teacher, mom, deacon, usher, secretary, etc, etc…)”

Christless Christianity is solid Christian living that very much resembles the same moral kind of living of many other types of people (even of other moral religions) except we have the “Jesus version” of this cleaned-up living. Don’t misunderstand me here – I am talking about those of us who are truly born again and are committed to our local churches. What I have found in my life is that this type of Christianity reveals itself when my rate of return does not “pay off.” When I serve, and serve, and serve but then still get criticized for what seems to be the most menial thing. My heart and thoughts turn to an intense form of prayer that go something like, “I worked and went to church and tithed faithfully AND gave in the special offering and on and on and  NOW THIS!” I would never say it out loud but my heart says, “God you didn’t pull through for me. You didn’t bless me.” Wow. How do we get there? How does that happen?

Well, we need to know that those thoughts are from our hearts. Our hearts are “desperately wicked.” They think up everything and even blame God. That was at the root of the first temptation to Adam and Eve. Satan getting them to doubt that God really was good to them. If He is good, then why is He withholding something from you is the way that lie frames itself. Think about one momentous event in the Gospels that seems so trivial in light of all that happened with the Cross of Christ. Remember in the garden when it says, “They all forsook Him and fled.” All? You mean every single one of the guys Jesus gave Himself tirelessly to show grace? Yep, every single one. Why? Were they scared of dying? Were they afraid of torture and Roman cruelty? I think there was a combination of alot of things but the chief thought that seems to be dominating them is that this whole Messiah idea is not turning out the way we thought. If God is good then why is this happening?

One more example for your consideration…the story of the Prodigal Brother. When the prodigal son (our normal way to refer to the story) comes home and a party is given on his return, the older brother will not come in. He is angry. Why? What is wrong? Notice carefully what he says in Luke 15:29 (ESV), “Look these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends!” The italics is my emphasis to point out that he based his father’s blessing on the obedience given. It is like us saying,” God, I have really tried to live the Christian life and stay clean in my living, so where is my blessing?” It is Christless Christianity. It is moral living with Jesus added.

How do we keep Christ in Christianity? That subject we will address in another article. For now though remember what Paul said he boasted in. One thing and that is the Cross. Stay focused on the Cross. That is what Gospel living is about. Living out of our position in Christ and not living trying to be good enough for God to bless. Grace.

While I was preaching through the Gospel of John here some months back, I began to question why there is so much in the Gospels about this ultra prickly group called Pharisees. The first introduction to them in the Gospel of John is not bad in chapter 3 when we meet Nicodemus. Highly educated, inquisitive, maybe even a little humble since he is asking questions instead of just giving answers. As we plowed deeper in the preaching of the book the picture of Pharisees grew more hardened and difficult. People who seemed shockingly unaware of their own self-righteous behavior while dripping with religious jargon. I can almost hear these guys in our day backslapping in church while saying, “Praise God brother!” As we neared the end of the book of John these characters became vile and hate-filled human beings who stood with satisfaction at the cross while completely unaware of how Scripture was being fulfilled. People who knew more Scripture than any other human beings not understanding the most significant event of all time. It is hard to believe. What became harder for me to believe is that I could actually be Pharisee-like in my living and thinking.

In my pursuit to better understand these figures that are woven throughout the Gospels, I came across a book that has been very thought-provoking and convicting. It is called Extreme Righteousness – Seeing Ourselves in the Pharisees. I am in the process of reading it right now and so may be sharing bits and pieces at different times. I wanted to comment today on a section in the book called “Warning Lights of Self Righteousness.”

Warning Light #1 – A contemptuous view of others: Here is a quote from the author.

“For me the answer is yes and then some. I rarely verbalize these thoughts, or even acknowledge them to myself. But they are there. They surface in my secret reflections and in what I mutter under my breath. They come out in unguarded conversations about people not present. They pop out in my prayers and I lament the evils of culture more than personal or corporate sin. They slip out in my conversation about failing parishioners and fallen fellow pastors….A critical, contemptuous spirit emanates from a self-righteous heart.” p.50

Instead of giving the other three warning signs right now I wanted to just give one for our thinking. The line that gets me int he above quote is about lamenting evils of culture more than personal sin. Why is my heart less bothered being irritated with my wife and kids and more bothered about the trash Hollywood puts out? Why would I condemn someone else’s lack of forgiveness but nurse wounds of hurt in my mind over and over? My conclusion – I am a Pharisee. More than I ever would want to be.

The answer and the hope to all this? Grace and the humility we see in the Cross. I want to encourage you if you are discovering hidden Pharisee tendencies within you to come to the Cross and meditate on the truths of the Gospel. More about this to come…

I purchased the book because in a few weeks we will be coming to the passage in Ephesians that tells us to speak in love. I really did not expect the book to open with a chapter on the importance of Psalm 119 though. There are some statements that I would like to quote that stand out as gems to me.

The author first gives some responses as to what people think about this lengthy Psalm.  One observation people make is that it is long. It is actually the same length as the books of Ruth, James, or Philippians.  Powlison says,

“Reading Psalm 119 is too often like watching scenery along an interstate highway. You glimpse lots of things, but you mostly remember the long drive.” p. 12

Another response is that the verses seems disconnected. They don’t tell a story like Ruth does. Another observation we would make it that it is a psalm about God’s Word. One negative reaction is that we would feel burdened by the psalm itself. Reading through it can be difficult and does not produce that blessed feeling like we somehow strive for in devotional times. Here are some thoughts to help in your meditation of Psalm 119.

“So Psalm 119 is actually not about the topic of getting Scripture into your life. Instead, it is the honest words that erupt when what God says gets into you. It’s not an exhortation to Bible study; it’s an outcry of faith.” p.14

 

I really like this quote:

“Psalm 119 is torrential, not topical. It’s relentless, not repetitious. It’s personal,, not propositional. Yes, the form of Psalm 119 is regular. But why this tight discipline of aleph to tav, the arithmetic regularities that pattern the vocabulary, the unvarying reference back to Scripture? These provide the crucible that contains, purifies, channels, and pours forth molten, living gold. Psalm 119 is the thoughtful outcry that rises when real life meets real God.” p.14

Powlison goes on to lay out the Psalm in four strands:

• Strand 1 – “You are…, You say…, You do”
• Strand 2 – “I am facing a struggle with…”
• Strand 3 – “I need you to…”
• Strand 4 – “I am committed to…”

And one final quote making an excellent point for us to consider:

“In other words, Psalm 119 is personal prayer. It’s talking to, not teaching about. We hear what a man says out loud in God’s presence: his joyous pleasure, vocal need, open adoration, blunt requests, candid assertions, deep struggles, fiercely good intentions. The various words for the Word appear once in each verse, but I-you words appear about four times per verse. That’s a 4:1 ratio and emphasis.” p.14

The book is about counseling one another with our words within the community of believers called the church. There are hundreds of “counseling conversations” happening each time the church meets. We talk about football, kids, and new restaurants. I have wondered how much of what I say to people actually fulfills the purpose laid out in Hebrews 3:13 of exhorting one another daily. I have been challenged with this, what if Psalm 119 became the way I related to God and talked to Him? How much of this kind of thinking would overflow into encouragements toward others?

I should mention that all of these books I would put into the pleasure reading category. All of these books are ones I have read just before going to bed at night. The only exception would be the one I mention that I am currently using with my family. I do alot of other reading of books connected to church, ministry, doctrine and like subjects. This blog deals with reading mainly done to unwind and enjoy a good book.

One other thing I should mention that goes along with the picture I selected for this post. I was skeptical about reading books on an E-Reader like Kindle or an ipad. I have however become addicted to this kind of reading. I will write about that in another post though I will say that there is no doubt I read more and faster electronically. All of the following books I would give a thumbs up:

Manhunt: The 12-day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer. I don’t think I would have picked this up except for the recommendation which noted that the book was too good to put down. I can verify the book cannot be put down.

The Kennedy Assassination-24 Hours After. I had never read a book about John F. Kennedy. I have been to the place in Dallas where he was shot but really did not follow the details well. This book gives moment by moment details on the whole event and some very fascinating insight into the decision-making of the next president, Lyndon Johnson.

Through My Eyes. This is the autobiography I have referred to before. If you like football you may enjoy this. Tebow’s story is interesting. We read this book in the evenings to our kids and they have really enjoyed it.

Decision Points. This is the autobiography of George W. Bush. Very insightful points about leadership. I was very engaged in reading about his thoughts concerning events of our time especially all that surrounded 9/11. There are some very interesting stories in the book.

33 Men: Inside the Miraculous Survival and the Dramatic Rescue of the Chilean Miners. This is one book I have not finished yet. It was overdue from the library and I had to return it. I still have yet to check it out and finish it. Of the books on my list here I would put this near the bottom though it is still a very interesting book.

The Same Kind of Different As Me. This was a total surprise to me. I had seen the title but it did not grab me and even heard it recommended highly. It was not until a friend of ours said it was a “gotta have this” kind of book. I purchased it right there and then from Kindle for $4.79 and all I have to say is “Wow!” You have to read this book. Again, I read enjoyment books before I go to bed at night and sometimes fall asleep reading. On a handful of occasions I was stirred to tears reading this one. Very, Very heartwarming story of God’s amazing power.

Rawhide Down. This is highly recommended if you are a Ronald Reagan fan. This book chronicles in minute by minute detail the moments before and after his near assassination attempt. This was a book I could not put down also. Two thumbs up on this one.

Standing Next to History-An Agent’s Life Inside the Secret Service. I will admit I was a little skeptical about reading a book giving insights about the secret service when I am pretty sure those people are not able to really talk about their job much. Though I am sure that is the case, this has turned out to be a pretty good book. The author protected several folks from Ford, Rockefeller, the Pope, and for a good part of his career, Reagan. It is a plain, straightforward style of writing but a book that I have found very interesting.

What books have you enjoyed reading?

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My friend’s response to his wife is a little phrase that I have thought of and used in different situations when the weight of what should have happened or what needed to be done keeps surfacing. He would just simply say to her, “We’re here now.” The meaning behind the statement is simply to start doing what needs to be done now and quit living in, “If only I had….”The fact that a certain pair of socks didn’t get packed or that a tidbit of advice did not get passed along to the person caring for  the house cannot dominate the now. We have to pick up where we are and do the best we can from this point forward.

As a brief digression, candidly, I wish I had known that little phrase several years ago when Rochelle and I chaperoned a large group of students flying from Colorado to South Carolina. We only had one child at the time and I literally forgot to load her suitcase that was so carefully packed with all the little clothes my sweet wife packed with diligence. Our little girl only had the clothes on her back… literally. Come to think of it, as I relive this memory, once the weight of my oversight was upon us, I am not sure saying, “We’re here now” would have brought much solace or comfort to the situation!

The reason for relaying those stories is to get to a far more serious point about the subject of regret. Many times the demons of regret shadow our lives. There are some folks that cannot shake them and have formulated a kind of beaten down lifestyle that lives in regret. I don’t mean to sound trite or give the impression that years of failure can just be recalibrated just by deciding, “We’re here now.” But it is true, today is on us. We cannot change the past but we can decide about today. I came across a paraphrase of a quote by Warren Wiersbe. It was in a daily email I get from a retired preacher who shares thought and things about ministry and life. It was a blessing to me about the subject of regret and how to handle thoughts that are sometimes hard to shake.

Most Christians are crucified on two crosses.  One is regret for the past, and the other is fear of the future.  But God never intended for us to even hang on a cross; Jesus did that for us.  Remember, you can’t lose what you don’t have so forget it and move on.  He did tell us to pray for our “day by day” bread, and He has assured us that we will see our real needs supplied.

There is another way to live instead of constantly thinking, “If only I had….” What is one thing you can do today that you will not regret tomorrow?

I have come across Psalm 77 and have been pondering its words for the past few days. There are some really interesting things here. I am including it now as well because there are some verses that remind of our coming storm pounding the East coast. What should we think when my life is wrapped in hurricane-like circumstances? Where is God in all of that? Read Psalm 77 and think about some of the following things:

1. It was “in the day of trouble” that the writer sought the Lord vs2. I have noticed that some of the times I feel more is going on in my relationship with God are during stormy times.

2. The writer, whom we believe is Asaph, did not immediately get comfort in his day of trouble vs.2. Not that God’s help wasn’t immediately available, because God is certainly ready to comfort and strengthen any time. It says that he refused to be comforted. I have a note in my Bible directing me back to Psalm 37:35 when Jacob refused to be comforted when he found out about losing Joseph.

3. Asaph expresses his questions and thoughts to God vss7-9. He actually asks God if His promises are at an end “forever!” Wow! Sometimes we get the idea that only very unspiritual people respond this way during trouble. We somehow think that spiritual people get a verse, believe God, and presto! Done! Comfort received. There are some very godly bible characters (like Job) who wrestled over problems of life and whether God was taking notice or even there.

4. Notice there is alot of dialogue in the Psalm. Asaph is having a conversation with God and with himself over these things. When we are in turmoil, stop and consider what we are saying over and over to ourselves. Are we speaking truth to ourselves?

5. The solution was to think over and over again of how God has pulled through in the past vs.10-11. The continued reflection on these things lead Asaph to say truly, “who is so great a god as our God?”

6. God’s way is in the sea where footsteps cannot be traced vs.19. We know that God will never let go of us in deep waters.

Even in the writing of this I know that you may wonder, “What is the difference? People are about programs and programs have people, right?” This blog is primarily for our church (thanks to those few friends from college who check in to see if I look any different!) so I think I am going to try to address the issue of where programs belong in a church. Yes, they have their place. We can’t just say, “No programs, here. We only do church.” That sounds appealing and real “first-centuryish” to some, but we do have structure and proper ministries have their place.

What we are really emphasizing here is the value of relationships within the body of Christ. There are many “one another” passages in the New Testament. The ultimate example is that Jesus spent time with twelve men and spent time addressing their questions and talking with them about life and things to come. He called them “friends.” Who are your friends and what is the basis of your friendship with those people? Does that relationship ever afford itself the opportunity to discuss spiritual things? Now, I am primarily now talking at this point about relationships within the church. There is alot to say about this but I really wanted to just get a quote to you that I read recently that I thought was helpful.

“Relationships in the church can be hard, can’t they? They can be sticky. They can involve you in complicated situations. And often the fruit of your ministry doesn’t show for a long time…. In contrast, events and programs feel crisp and clean. Yes, lots of hard work is involved in planning an event. You make some calls, you print some flyers, you work a few late nights. But then people come, people have a good time, people pat you on the back, and that’s that. Compared to relationships, events and programs make me think of ice skates gliding across ice. Relationships make me think of gum on the bottom of a shoe on a hot day.”
Leeman, Jonathan (2011-02-01). Reverberation (pp. 177-178). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

More is to come on this subject…

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I think I am most thrilled that it was team of single young adults that went on the trip. This is such and awesome age to be impacted with the needs of the world. We need to pray that the impact of this ministry experience does not just get filed away. I have been burdened to get back to our prayer focus for missions. Let’s make the Philippines our emphasis for prayer this week. Pray for Mike and Lisa Redick with their team of Student Movement for Christ International volunteers and for much follow-up from the summer. Pray for our missionaries Tim and Laura Berrey as they minister with their family training national pastor’s.