Love the Brethren

I am told that about 80% of children are born with a birthmark. Of that number, only about 10% of the those birthmarks remain into adulthood. Our own granddaughter, Addy was born with a bright red splotch on one of her arms. There is some clinical term for it, but in common speech, it was a birthmark. Given time, the spot faded away and is completely gone. However, for a while, we could clearly identify Addy from just that birthmark.

I relate that for this reason: in the book of 1^st John, the apostle states there are several birthmarks that every Christian bears, from the moment they are born-again until death. These indelible marks are present on 100% of those who are saved, and never fade away. In fact, these marks are permanently embedded on the child of God from the time of their spiritual birth and only grow deeper and become more prominent.

In case you are not aware, one of the major themes of 1^st John is identifying true conversion from false. We know this is one of his primary reasons for writing, because John says so near the end of the letter. If you, like many Christians, are searching for assurance of your salvation, or questioning whether you have truly been born from above, I highly recommend you read and study the little book of 1^st John.

In that letter the inspired author lists numerous beliefs and behaviors that help identify the true convert. If you want to determine whether you have become a disciple of Christ, I would urge you to give serious thought to those distinguishing marks that John states are clearly visible in the life of every believer. One of the most clarifying characteristics of a Christian is their love for the people of God. John states repeatedly one of the more readily recognizable birthmarks of a child of God is a love for the children of God.

Take note how clear the apostle is in 1 John 3:14, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.” Much could be said from this one short verse, but let me draw your attention to just a few things.

First, for those who say no one can truly know whether or not they are saved, or whether or not they are going to heaven when they die – they need to read 1^st John. John employs the word “know” over 30 times in that brief book. Including in the passage I just shared. He does so, for the very purpose of emphasizing assurance of salvation. The writer says we can KNOW we have passed from death to life, (and that is the language of regeneration and salvation), because we love the brethren.

So, in this passage, we learn that one of the most distinguishing marks of every Christian is their love for one another, or their love for their brothers and sisters in Christ. You can know you are a Christian if you have a deep, abiding, and growing love for the people of God.

Contrastingly, John goes on to write, in the most candid language, you cannot be a child of God and not love the children of God. Friends, God is love; and one of the most distinctive marks of His children is their love for one another. So here it is in plain language, if you do not love people of the Christian faith – you are not a Christian. Simply stated, you cannot be a follower of Christ, if you do not love the family of God.

However, if you do love God’s children this is one of the identifying marks of those who have been regenerated and indwelt by the Spirit of God. And if I may, if you will look back up at the verse I quoted, you will note there is no qualifying clause about which of God’s children we are to love. Or said another way, there is no supplemental attribute here that limits the scope of the brethren to whom we are to love. We are commanded to love every blood-bought, born-again believer. Every single one of them. Even those (like me) who are hard to love.

Which is exactly what Jesus did! He loved the unlovable. The love of Christ is a selfless, sacrificial love. And He commands us to love one another in the same way: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). By this Jesus said, will all people know you are my disciples … when you love one another.

If you are asking yourself, am I a Christian? Answer this, do you truly love the people of God? Because, love for the brethren is a prominent and permanent birthmark of every child of God.

The Gospel is for Everyone

Allow me to begin with a simple truth; the Bible is an amazing book. The more someone honestly and humbly studies Scripture, the more amazed they will become at the beauty, transcendence, and excellence of God’s Word. Frankly, there is no book like the Bible. The providential wisdom of the Holy Spirit’s work of governing men not only to write what they did, but to also arrange their writings in the deliberate manner in which they did – is simply beyond human comprehension or explanation. As our church continues to work our way sequentially through entire books of the Bible, we are learning afresh just how magnificently the inspired authors tied thoughts and ideas together in a way that is above and beyond any intellectual work of men. The Scriptures are inarguably of Divine origin.

Case in point, it was not until we began a verse-by-verse exposition of John’s Gospel that it became abundantly clear, the Apostle’s writings are not just skillfully structured, they are Holy Spirit situated in order to drive home eternal truths. Allow me to give you just one example of what I mean.

In John chapter three we are introduced to Nicodemus, a religious leader of the Jewish Sanhedrin. In John chapter four we are told about a woman that Jesus encountered at Jacob’s well. To put it mildly, these two individuals are about as different as different can be.

Nicodemus was a well-respected, religious male Jew. The unnamed woman at the well was a social outcast and was considered by the Jews of her day to be of impure blood; a “half-bred” as it were, because her family lineage was a mix of Jew and Gentile. Nicodemus hailed from the city of Jerusalem, educated in the law of Moses and by every outward standard, a very moral man. The woman at the well was an uneducated, immoral, five-time divorced female from Samaria, shunned by society because she was living with a man outside the covenant of marriage.

As if these comparisons are not obvious enough, consider this; in John chapter three Nicodemus came to find Jesus. In John chapter four, Jesus came to find this woman (John 4:4). Nicodemus, for whatever reason, came late at night under the cover of darkness to seek out Jesus, in contrast to Jesus who came to the woman at the well in the middle of the day. Then finally, we see that Nicodemus came to ask Jesus questions, but Jesus came to Jacob’s well to ask this woman questions.

Take note dear friends, these two stories are not told back-to-back simply by random coincidence. Instead, this is by Divine design. What John and Jesus and the Holy Spirit would have us learn by these two contrasting real-life narratives is this – Jesus and His Gospel is for everyone. These stories are purposefully arranged to make every reader aware; that no matter who you are, where you are from, how religious you are, how immoral you are, or whether you are looking for answers or looking to be left alone … you need Christ.

Both Nicodemus and this woman at the well, with all their differences, shared the same need – they both needed Jesus and His Gospel. Please hear me dear friend, regardless of whether you are educated or uneducated, male or female, Jew or Gentile – you need Jesus. Whether you are rich or poor, shunned by society or high-society, you need Christ. The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is for religious people and irreligious people. The reconciling work of Christ is Good News for every person on the planet no matter who they are or what they have done. This is exactly why the Holy Spirit inspired John to record both these stories and strategically arrange them in the way he did.

Can you not see the unparalleled wisdom of God in teaching deep eternal spiritual truths in the simplest of ways? By paralleling these two very different events of these two very different individuals, we learn one all-important truth – all people everywhere need Jesus. Nicodemus needed to be born-again, so do we. This woman at the well needed soul-satisfying Living Water, so do we. Whether you are someone like this religious man, or someone like this Samaritan woman, we are all looking for satisfaction and fulfillment that in truth, only God can provide. Trust in Him.

As I said in the beginning, the Bible truly is an amazing book.

Read it, learn it, believe it, love it, live it and share it.

Because Jesus and His Gospel is for everyone.

The Greatest Gift

What is the best gift you have ever received?
What is the most valuable present you have ever gotten?
Now, I wouldn’t exactly label those as trick questions, but they are something like “loaded questions.” The reason they are loaded is this; I would argue (and so would every Christian) that the most valuable and wonderful gift anyone could ever receive is the gift of eternal life found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Far more precious and costly than any earthly gift, is the gift of saving faith in Christ alone. It is my belief, the greatest gift ever given is described in one of the greatest verses ever written.   

As our church continues to work our way each Sunday morning through the Gospel according to John, we currently find ourselves at the (once) very well-known passage, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

If you are old enough to remember, there was a time when you couldn’t turn on a football game without seeing someone hold up a sign with this passage reference written on it. Inarguably, American culture has changed much since then. However, the truths contained in that wonderful verse remain the same; God loves a world of sinners so much, He gave His Son that anyone and everyone who truly believes in Him, would not perish, but have everlasting life.

One commentator said John 3:16 was the greatest verse in the Bible. He explained why he felt this way by writing, “The greatest Being loved to the greatest degree and gave the greatest treasure as the greatest gift to provide the greatest deliverance and the greatest eternal blessings to the least deserving of people.” Can you say Amen to that?!

Perhaps there is no other passage that so succinctly declares God’s love, sacrifice and grace in giving His Son for sinners as this passage. Martin Luther called John 3:16, “The Bible in miniature.” These men are right; God giving His Son to save fallen mankind is the greatest gift ever given. Think with me for a few moments about this extraordinary gift of God’s grace.

First, it was love that motivated God to send His Son. The Apostle John declares, God loved, so God acted. Our society treats the word “love” far too flippantly. Yet true love, Biblical love, is far more than an emotion or some sentimental feeling. True love, the kind of love that God has for His people, is a love that acts … a love that does something for those in need. God unconditionally loved, so God freely gave.

Secondly, what was it that God gave? God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son. Think on that dear friend. God gave His Son … I say again, His Son. Would any of you reading this article be willing to sacrifice one of your children in order to secure the release of a stranger or an enemy? “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Perhaps we’d be willing to give ourselves to save another, but one of our children? Not likely.

Yet, God loved so much that He gave His One and Only Son to redeem a world of sinners. Which leads us to our final consideration; this gift of love is available to whosoever will receive it. God’s love is so vast, it reaches people and people groups from all over the planet. Nonetheless, there is a stipulation stated about this gift. Eternal life is only given to those who receive this gift of grace. Those who refuse this gift, or said another way, those who refuse Christ – will indeed perish. That word perish, does not mean annihilation, but eternal separation from God’s goodness.

We might ask, why would anyone refuse the greatest gift that could ever be given? Only pride and depravity would reject history’s greatest gift. Think on this, just as much as we delight in giving gifts to those we love; God gave the very best gift to those whom He loves! You cannot earn this gift, but you can receive it by faith.

God’s gift of His Son is the greatest gift ever given to mankind. Nothing else even comes close! I imagine, with next week being Christmas, many of you have gifts scattered all around your home.
Yet let me suggest to you, the greatest gift that has ever been given, wasn’t wrapped in colorful paper, but wrapped in swaddling clothes.
The greatest gift ever given did not have a ribbon or bow attached to it, but instead a crown of thorns placed on His head.
The greatest gift ever given wasn’t placed under a tree – but nailed to a tree.

Have you received this gift? If so, have you shared Him with others?

Is Anyone Really in Charge?

Articles are supposed to begin with what is called, a “hook.” That is, writers are taught to employ one of numerous literary devices intended to immediately capture the reader’s attention and interest, so they feel compelled to keep reading. I’m not sure it always works, but perhaps it does on occasion? Are you still reading, if so – you’ve been hooked. At least so far.

I mentioned that for this reason; as I began writing this week, I looked back at what I had written and discovered it was the opposite of a hook. In fact, how I originally began this article was so sad and sullen most everyone would (understandably) turn the page and find something a little less somber to consume with their morning coffee. Yet, let’s be honest; life isn’t always sunshine, clear skies and butterflies. Instead, life can be brutal. Anyone who has lived any measurable time on this fallen planet can verify, life has a way of knocking the breath out of you. Those of us in the ministry often have the privilege of seeing God do mighty and miraculous things in people’s lives. Such as, delivering people from addiction, restoring marriages, saving souls, and granting inexplicable peace amid turmoil. It is a unique honor to see the Lord work in these ways.

However, pastors and clergy also frequently encounter some of life’s most heartbreaking moments. We are often called upon to minister to folks facing unforeseen trials and difficulties. We meet with the broken, sit with them and weep with them, when their world has been turned upside down. Death and disease often come unpredictably and we are eye-witnesses to faith-rattling, family-ending tragedy. In these hours, the Christian faith is often questioned and people wonder where was God and why did He let this happen? For example, last week I spoke with this wonderful and godly lady who has endured far too much suffering in her life. Years ago, her husband unexpectedly died of a heart attack before his 50^th birthday. Not long ago, she buried her youngest son from complications from cancer treatment. And now, her only remaining child has been placed under Hospice care.

Two months ago, I preached the funeral of a father of four, whose youngest son was only 12 years old. His beautiful family now face life without their loving father and provider. This past weekend, I received word a longtime friend and ministry mentor died. This faithful pastor had stayed in my home numerous times and was instrumental in the church here in Perry calling me as their pastor. After supporting her husband for decades as he poured his life into pastoral ministry, his sweet wife faces the unknowns of widowhood. A few weeks ago, I got a late-night text from a friend who had, without warning, lost a family member at a young age. On and on I might go … And I well imagine, some of you reading this article are still reeling and healing from some past emotional trauma that left you exhausted, empty and questioning.

The truth is, these few examples are just a fraction of all the hurt and heartache that is going on at any given moment on planet earth. Right now, a forgotten war continues to be waged in Ukraine. Despots and tyrants ravage and destroy entire villages and people groups in foreign lands. Genocide and persecution are rampant in numerous countries. This is a world at war. Every person on Earth is faced with uncertainty and an unknown tomorrow.

What do we do when life seems unfair? When tragedy strikes? When civilizations are slaughtered? When cancer comes? When death steals a loved one? Where do we turn for answers? Is there anyone really in charge of world events? Is there any rhyme or reason to the things that happen to us? Is there some big guy in the sky in charge? Or, does karma and chaos randomly rule this world? Are the events of life the result of cosmic coincidence? Is there a god governing things? And if so, why doesn’t he intervene? These and many other questions come to our mind when heartache wrecks our home or when calamity comes.

While I do not pretend to understand why God allows all He does, this much we can know from Scripture; God is good. And all He does is good. All He allows will work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Though we often struggle to truly believe this, the God of the Bible is just, holy, righteous, and perfect in all His ways and everything He brings to pass has a divine purpose. I certainly cannot explain why the Almighty doesn’t intervene in certain situations, or why He doesn’t heal, or deliver? Yet the Christian faith compels us to trust who God is, and what is true about Him, even when, or especially when, we don’t understand what He allows. Someone has rightly said, the Christian can trust God’s heart, even when we cannot trace His hand.

When catastrophes come, in whatever form, we must not question nor abandon the Sovereignty of God. Nor should the believer doubt God’s loving care for His children just because life gets crazy hard.

The truth is, it is only the Christian faith that offers any tenable explanation or answers to why things are the way they are, and whether there is a point to our pain. Without God, life and all its ups and downs, is completely random and ultimately pointless. But with God, you can have confidence there is Divine design behind life’s difficulties. The Bible teaches, and faith compels the Christian to embrace this truth; God is indeed in charge, and though we are tried and tested, our Father loves us.

What is your source of hope? Of confidence? Is it rooted in fact or fiction? I chose to believe God oversees this planet, and one day He will make known the mysteries of His will. When He does, we will bow in humble acknowledgement that He does indeed do all things well.

Restraining Grace

Has God ever prevented you from doing something really, really dumb?
Has God ever restrained you from lashing out in a way that may have led to jail time, or serious injury to yourself or another person? This probably doesn’t sound like proper preacher language, but these are legitimate real-life questions nonetheless.

Have you ever gotten so mad that you were determined, no matter what the consequences, you were going to right some wrong? In a moment of unbridled anger, you didn’t care what it cost or who it hurt? Maybe, in a fit of rage, you were going to “set things straight” or get even, only to have God intercept your plans? Friends, this is God’s restraining grace … and we ought to be thankful for it.

In my own life, God has (on more than one occasion) delivered me, from me. Does that make sense to you? God has graciously kept me from doing something that could have hurt someone, ruined my life or at the very least, ruined my testimony. Have you also experienced this?

King David certainly did.

In 1st Samuel 25, David (not yet king) and his small militia have spent months on the run from the armies of the jealous and unstable King of Israel, Saul. During their time of hiding in the Judean wilderness, David’s men had gone to great lengths to protect the flocks of a wealthy Israelite named Nabal. After weeks of safely sheltering both the sheep and the shepherds, the future king sends word to Nabal to give his men a suitable reward for guarding his herds. David wasn’t interested in financial compensation, but instead food and nourishment for his men who were living on the run. Rather than thankfully rewarding David’s soldiers, instead Nabal (whose name means fool) rails on them and sends them away empty.

This response infuriates David … it makes his blood boil. He tells 400 warriors to strap on their swords and prepare for battle. In a heated rage, David is about to exact bloody vengeance on Nabal and his entire household. Note David’s angry words, “Surely in vain I have protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him. And he has repaid me evil for good. May God do so, and more also, to the enemies of David, if I leave one male of all who belong to him by morning light.” (1 Samuel 25:21,22)

David intends not only to kill this greedy stubborn foolish man, but also his sons and every male servant he has. In a moment of unbridled anger, David is about to murder dozens of innocent men. Certainly, Nabal should have honored the reasonable request of Israel’s future king, but Nabal’s refusal did not grant David the right to commit mass murder.

Fortunately, one of Nabal’s servants warns Nabal’s wife (Abigail) of what was about to happen. Quickly and wisely, Abigail gathers bread, wine, water, mutton and other edibles to present to David. She and some servants load these gifts on the back of donkeys and set out to intercept David and his soldiers.

Abigail humbly implores David not to act hastily, but to receive her offering and turn vengeance over to God. Her shrewd actions and soft words, calm his angry spirit. 1 Samuel 25: 32-34 reads, Then David said to Abigail: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand. For indeed, as the Lord God of Israel lives, who has kept me back from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal!”

Abigail was God’s means of restraining grace to keep David from doing evil that would haunt him the rest of his days. In his anger, the Lord’s anointed would have been guilty of a grievous crime. David acknowledged in verse 39 that it was God that “kept his servant from evil.”

Has God ever hindered you by His restraining grace? Has God curtailed your wrathful plans to “get even?” Has God kept you back from doing something you’d later regret? Certainly so, and you should praise Him for it.

Whether we recognize it or not, each of us are fully dependent on the many facets of God’s Grace. In order to have eternal life, we need God’s saving grace. That grace can only be found by faith in Jesus Christ. Have you experienced this grace?

Also, and more to the point of this article, we also need God’s restraining grace. Which has, probably more than we even realize, saved us from ourselves.

Are you thankful for God’s grace? If so, thank God for it. If not, ask God for it.