Are You Kidding?

 

For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! (1 Corinthians 9:16, ESV)

It happens often, but we never get used to it. Someone will say, with the sweetest of smiles, “I am glad you are getting to do what you want to do.” Sometimes I want to say, “You must be kidding.”

I did not want to go to Zambia in 1999. We had just buried my father, and I knew that my mother would not live until we returned. I did not want to fly to Sudan in 2009. I felt that “necessity” was laid on me. The job needed to be done. As it was for the thousands who volunteered in December of 1941, it was not the desire to see foreign places that led me on, but the conviction that there was a spiritual war going on and I was needed in that work at that time. Right now, we are needed in one of the lonelier outposts of that same war.

Eswatini is a nicer place than Nigeria, or Ghana, or the parts of Zambia that we considered. It is closer to being home for me than anywhere else we have lived, but it is not home for us. Our grandchildren are not there and are unlikely to visit us there. We will miss many of our friends and many favorite foods and activities.

On Friday at noon we will close the sale of a home we have owned for thirty years. We held on to that home during our previous service in Africa, but this time it was not going to be possible. That was supposed to be our retirement home. Now it belongs to someone else. We are glad that it sold for a good price. That will make it easier for us to do the work in Eswatini. But do you think we wanted to do that? You must be kidding.

We do not expect you to pity us or even to admire us. That would be ludicrous. We are disciples of the one who gave up heaven to live in Nazareth, and to die at Golgotha. Following him entails giving up what we want. This is not some “above and beyond the call of duty” kind of service; it is what is expected. It is, or should be, the normal course of action for anyone following Jesus.

No, we are not all called to be missionaries to a foreign land; but every disciple is to follow. To follow Jesus means to say, “not as I will, but as you will” (Mt 26:39). Are you a disciple of Jesus, or are you kidding?

Club Membership

 I have never been a member of a club. I have known members of various clubs (the Lions, the Rotary, the Kiwanis, and even the Odd Fellows). I am told that these clubs offer enjoyable fellowship and that they engage in worthwhile service projects. But this week I learned something else. Most of the clubs have rules regarding attendance. If a member skips meetings he may have to make up for the missed meetings in some way. I never knew that; but Sinclair Ferguson included the rules of the Trenton, N.J. Rotary club in his latest book, Devoted to God’s Church.

Why did he do that?

Well, I am sure that it was not because he wanted us to join the local Rotary Club. He was making a point and making it rather well. People think that they are entitled to drift in and out of the church when and as they please. They want to be considered members and want to be granted all the benefits of membership, but they do not want to be held accountable to any standard of behavior. They certainly do not want to be told that they must attend meetings of the church, or that they will suffer any consequence if they are sporadic in their attendance.

Do you really believe that church membership is less a privilege and blessing than is membership in the Rotary Club? If Rotary members accept the premise that you must attend the meetings to continue as a member in good standing, why would anyone question the same principle in connection with the church? If a Rotary member moves from one local branch of the club to another, he accepts the fact that he must acknowledge this shift in the location of his membership. Why do so many Christians put up a fuss over a similar expectation in the church?

To drop the club illustration and use a more biblical one, Christ is the vine and we are the branches (John 15). Every branch must be firmly connected to thrive; and to be connected one must be connected at some given point along the length of the vine. It is possible to move a branch from one part of the vine to another. If a branch is cut loose from one part and carefully grafted in somewhere else on the vine, it may thrive in the new location. But a branch that is moved from one part of the vine to another but is never firmly connected in the new location, will not thrive and may well die.

We need to take our membership in the body of Christ more seriously. Christ died for the church (Acts 20:28). We are called to live for the church.

We Have a Choice

Frances Price Baxter has been described as a salesman and a visionary. At one time he served as an elder in the church, but he had a lot of grandiose ideas, most of which did not work out. Eventually he obtained a divorce from his wife and abandoned his family – going off to marry someone else and showing no further concern for his family. The family never spoke of him.

According to some, that should have doomed his descendants to failure, maybe even justified them in taking to a life of crime.

But the son of Price Baxter did not allow his father’s wrongdoing to ruin his life. He became a preacher and eventually a college president. In fact, that son of Price Baxter served as the president of three different colleges (Abilene, Lipscomb, and Pepperdine).

Yet Batsell Baxter is not best known for his preaching or his work with the colleges. Batsell Baxter is best remembered because he became the father of Batsell Barrett Baxter, the best-known preacher and educator among Churches of Christ during my youth. Batsell Barrett Baxter was the most effective television preacher I ever heard. B.B.B. could stand in an empty studio, look into the camera, and people watching at home would feel as if he truly cared about them. Unlike many who were both college teachers and preachers, Batsell Barrett Baxter was excellent in both occupations.

Yes, it is true, some of us had better home lives than others. But the point is that things can be turned around. Price Baxter abandoned his family. His son decided to do better. He had such a peaceful home that his only son would later say that his parents only had one major disagreement of which he was aware. That disagreement was settled by a brief walk in the garden.

In a single generation the Baxter family went from the tragedy of divorce, to a level of harmony rarely experienced in any home. And in the next generation the Baxter family produced one of the finest evangelists of all time.

We have a choice. We can use our family history as an excuse. Or we can learn from it and do better.

Why Did God Allow Sin?

It is a common question. If God knew that mankind would sin, and that sin would bring untold misery to the world, why did he create us to begin with? Why did God allow sin to happen? I have been asked the question, in one form or another, many times.

Brownlow North (1810-1875) was asked the question as well. He replied, “Because God chose to allow sin.” While at first glance that does not seem to be a very satisfactory response, it is really about all we know. God chose to create us, even though he knew we would be sinners, and that our sin would cause untold amounts of suffering. Yet he chose to do so, and he did not choose to explain his reasons to us. We can speculate on them if we choose to do so, but the reasons that we offer are reasons of our own making. God never tells us why. He, of his own free and sovereign will, chose to do so. If we are honest, we will admit that this is as far as we can get for certain.

Romans 9 teaches us that the created is not to ask the creator why he created. It is not our place to know God’s reasons. It is likely that if he told us we could not understand. He is free and sovereign, and he chose to create us. That is as far as we can speak with certainty.

But while thinking on the fact that God chose to create, even knowing that we would sin, we should also consider something else that he did of his own free and sovereign will. He sent Jesus.

Yes, he could see, as he created beings in his own image, that doing so would allow sin to occur. For making us in his image means that we have within a limited sphere a freedom and sovereignty like he has without limitation. He knew that allowing us this freedom allowed sin, and that sin would lead to suffering, often to innocent suffering. In particular, he knew that it would lead to extreme suffering for one completely innocent human.

Why did God allow sin? For the same reason that he sent Jesus, because he chose to do so. In creating us he knew that he would suffer for it. But he chose to create and he chose to suffer. He has the freedom to so choose; and he has accepted the consequences and the suffering entailed in those choices.

Now for a more answerable question. “What will we choose?”

Distancing

Social distancing is more widely practiced now than in the past, but it is hardly a new concept. Most of us have always put a little extra distance between ourselves and a person who is coughing or sneezing. As children, we were taught to cover our mouth when we cough. Most of us had enough sense to avoid shaking hands after coughing, even before the pandemic. We do not want to spread germs. We do not want to contract an illness, so we keep our distance. That tendency may be amplified now, but it is not new. 

 We keep our distance from germs that might damage our physical health, but all too often we invite spiritual illness into our lives, and into the lives of our children. There was a time when schoolteachers could be dismissed if they had a contagious disease (either physical or spiritual). We still expect that the school board will not allow a teacher with tuberculous into the classroom. But we accept it calmly when they hire persons known for immorality as teachers. Which is worse? When she was a child, my mother-in-law contracted tuberculous from a schoolteacher. She survived, but even if she had died, it would only have been her body. 

When we cozy up to immorality, and allow the immoral to teach our children, we are inviting their spiritual death. That is far worse. We are told to “Flee immorality” (1 Cor 6:18). All too often, we are doing the opposite. We must remember that the friend of the world is an enemy of God (James 4:4). Let’s put some distance between ourselves and sin. 

 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26, ESV)

Varied Reactions

After quoting a letter praising one of the sermons of Brownlow North, his biographer goes on to say, “Strange to say, the sermon which awoke such a strain of thanksgiving … and brought her sweet note of gratitude, awoke bitter opposition in another breast and brought an angry and rude letter ….” The same sermon, but a different reaction.

When Jesus healed the man with a withered hand (Mk 3), I am sure that the man himself and all his friends rejoiced. But the Pharisees went out and held counsel with the Herodians how to destroy Jesus (Mk 3:6). The Apostle Paul had a close friendship with the Christians in Galatia, until some false teachers came in and made them suspicious of him. Having been told by the new teachers that they could save themselves by good works, they reacted in anger when Paul reiterated the Gospel to them. He was forced to ask, “Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Gal 4:16)

Good preaching does not always receive a good reaction. Speaking of the generation that wandered in the wilderness, the Hebrew writer says, “the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Heb 4:2, KJV). Does the word meet with faith in us? If it does not, the best sermons in the world will do no good.

Sometimes a preacher misspeaks or speaks unclearly. But let us always remember that our reaction to what is said is our reaction. If we think that we have heard something terrible, while others have a different reaction, maybe we misheard, misunderstood, or misapplied what was said. Or maybe the message simply was not received and mixed with faith in our hearts.

The same sunshine will melt butter and harden clay. The same teaching that causes rejoicing in the heart of the penitent sinner, draws an angry reaction from one determined to go on in sin. The reaction of our heart toward a given teaching is not entirely the result of that teaching. The state of our heart contributes considerably to the overall result. That is why preparatory prayer is so important before worship or Bible study. Sin must be confessed. The heart must be prepared to receive the message.

When the Bible is expounded, our reaction may tell more about the state of our heart than it does about the quality of the delivery. A cold indifferent response indicates a cold indifferent heart. An angry response …. A warm and joyous response ….

Glorify God

J.I. Packer died July 17, five days shy of his 94th birthday. A native of England, Packer taught at various schools in England, and authored several influential books, before moving to Regents College in Vancouver, B.C. in 1979. He served as the general editor of the English Standard Version.

Near the end of his life, Packer was asked if he had a final word to leave for his fellow believers. Being a man who prided himself on brevity (“Packer by name; Packer by inclination” he used to say) he responded with a four-word sentence. “Glorify Christ every way.”

In saying this he was echoing the first question and response of the Westminster Shorter Catechism. “Q: What is the chief end of man? A: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”

More importantly, he was echoing the plain and persistent teaching of scripture. We exist to glorify God. That was the purpose of our creation; and it is the purpose of our recreation in Christ.

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever” (Rom 11:36). “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5:16). “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever” (1 Peter 4:10-11).

Whether we live into our nineties or die young, whether we are well-known or little-known, whether we are successful in worldly terms or end our lives in poverty, the key question will always be, “Did we fulfill our God-given purpose?” At the end of this day, and every day, let us ask ourselves, “Did I face my tasks, bear my burdens, and enjoy my pleasures in a way that honored my Lord?” And let us start each new day with the determination that we will, once again, glorify the Lord. And when our final hour comes, let us face death in a manner that glorifies our Lord.

Mary Magdalene

For those who follow a lectionary and remember different biblical characters on certain days of the year, Wednesday, July 22, was Mary Magdalene’s day. Now it may seem odd to have special days to remember people in the Bible, but it is better than not remembering them at all. It is also better than observing “National Pancake Day” (February 25) or “National Hammock Day” (which was also July 22).

Mary Magdalene is worth remembering. She was delivered from seven demons (Lk 8:2). Seven is often used to represent completeness. It could be that she literally had seven demons, or the term may indicate how completely she was in the control of evil forces. Either way, the fact Jesus delivered her gives us hope. Whatever our problems, whatever our sins, to whatever extent we have come under the control of evil, there is hope for us.

Sometimes we imagine that Jesus may be able to deliver us from the guilt of sin, but that those who have been deeply involved in evil will never be of much use to the Master. Mary is an example that disproved that theory.

Mary the demon-possessed was chosen as the first witness of the resurrection (Jn 20:11-18). In those days, many people would not accept the testimony of a woman. This was especially true of a woman with a checkered past. But the Lord chose Mary as the first to witness his resurrection and announce it to others.

It seems that the Lord has often chosen to use unexpected instruments in his work. Mary is, of course, not the only example; but she certainly is a prominent example. Yes, the Lord can use the highly educated. He can use the middle-class, the respectable, the expected ones. But he also chooses to use the down and out, the troubled and even the demon possessed. He can use me. He can use you.

It is good to remember Mary Magdalene. It is better to remember that the Lord who cast out her demons, and used her as his first witness, can cleanse and use us as well.

Geerhardus Vos

In 1992, I purchased a book by Geerhardus Vos. I did not like it. He did not seem to be saying anything of significance.

In May of this year, I was supposed to attend a conference in Pennsylvania. But the conference was cancelled by the pandemic. As a consolation, the conference organizers sent me several free books. One of them was by Geerhardus Vos.

This time, before reading what Vos wrote, I read the forward, which was by Sinclair Ferguson. Ferguson noted that Vos was difficult to read for at least two reasons. First, his native tongue was Dutch, and he often seems to be thinking in Dutch although writing in English. Secondly, Vos is simply over our heads at times. His students (he taught at Princeton from 1892 to 1932) often found that he assumed them to have knowledge that they did not actually have.

I have not gone far in the free book, but what I have read has impressed me immensely. Perhaps this book is a better sample of his writing. Perhaps I am older and more ready to understand. Or perhaps the hint that Sinclair Ferguson dropped was what I needed. Essentially, Ferguson was saying, “If you do not get something out of reading this, the problem is not with the author, but with you.”

I do not recommend that every Christian read the writings of Geerhardus Vos. But I do recommend that every Christian read the Bible. In making that recommendation, I am aware that we will not always understand what we read. But a lack of understanding is not always the fault of the author. Sometimes the reader is the problem. Let’s not blame God for our lack of understanding. Our preconceived notions, our sinfulness, our lack of concentration and persistence are more likely the root cause of our failure to understand.

Geerhardus Vos – even the man’s name should give us the hint that perhaps his writings will require study, not mere causal reading.

God, the creator and ruler of all, the source of all wisdom, the possessor of all knowledge – perhaps we ought not to expect that we will always understand him immediately and without effort.

When Tempted to Complain

A friend in Nigeria sent a report on his work. I am not going to go over the details. I want to quote just one sentence. But before I do so, I will say that this is a highly respected and trusted brother. He has been faithfully engaged in the work for more than fifty years. I have known him since 1993. So, with that preface, here is the one sentence.

“The lock-down makes many people to die because of hunger.”

Please pause a moment and think about that.

I know that the restrictions that we have experienced the last few weeks have been annoying. Sadly, the tensions of these days have brought out the worst in some people. But do you really know anyone who has gone hungry, really dangerously hungry?

A relative told me recently that she had to use the store brand of peanut butter, because the brand the family normally used has been out of stock. Some of us would take that as a terrible burden. Many folks in Nigeria would love to have the worst brand of peanut butter on the market.

I am reminded of a statement made by a Canadian who worked down the road from us in Nigeria in the 1990s. Jerry stopped by the house one day, about three months after he came to Nigeria. As we visited, he said, “You know, I am forty years old. I have done a lot of complaining in those years. After three months here I realize that I have never had anything to complain about in my entire life.”

I am also reminded of a few other things, but I will mention just two.
1. “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain” (Philippians 2:14-16, ESV).
2. “He is a poor preacher who does not preach better than he practices” (R.L. Whiteside).

Dogs do not Bark at their Familiar Friends

Samuel Rutherford had a knack for expressing great truths in a few words. He told a friend, who was stung by the criticisms of worldly people, “If ye were not strangers here, the dogs of the world would not bark at you.”

Indeed, those who are true to the Lord will often be dishonored, slandered, and treated as impostors (see 2 Corinthians 6:8). Jesus himself warned us, “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours” (Jn 15:10).

It is, therefore, a huge mistake to measure our success by the reaction of the world to our message. Measured by that standard, Jesus was a failure and Simon (the magician) was a success (Acts 8:9-10).

We must remember that “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are” (1 Cor 1:27-28).

Now, of course, we must be careful that when the world slanders us it is indeed slander. They must not be given any proper cause of complaint. Any laziness or dishonesty on our part will ruin our good influence (cf 1 Pet 3:13-16). But if we do what is right and are criticized for it, that is what we should have expected. The dogs of this world will bark at strangers who ultimately belong to a different world. But “it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil” (1 Pet 3:17).

So, if a dog barks at you this week, consider the matter carefully. Perhaps he is paying you a compliment. Perhaps he is acknowledging your identification with the Lord.

Exceptions and Rules in a Crisis and Beyond

As I am writing, the whole world is in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic. In nations all around the world, governments have claimed special powers and forbidden activities that, under normal circumstances cannot be regulated by the government. The danger of this illness has also caused churches to modify their activities. Some churches are not meeting at all. Some are meeting electronically via Zoom, Facebook, or some other medium. In the midst of this crisis a lot of things have changed.

Many people are asking, “Will things ever return to normal?” Some are asking, “Should things ever return to normal?” A few are not asking questions but are making statements such as, “Our old normal was not working very well, and we should not ever go back to it.”

I believe that the Bible speaks to this situation in a couple of ways. It has words of wisdom that we ought to consider at this time, and that we should remember once the crisis has passed.

Some changes should be kept

1 Samuel 30 contains the account of an event that led David to the conclusion that a new rule was needed in his army and that it should become a permanent rule. Ziklag, the city where David was living at the time, had been sacked and all the people carried off. This happened because David and his men were out of town. When they returned to Ziklag and found their wives and children carried off as captives, they pursued the invaders.

1 Samuel 30:1-2, 7-10, 18-21
Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire 2 and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way.
7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” 9 So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor.
18 David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all. 20 David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, “This is David’s spoil.” 21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.” 23 But David said, “You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. 24 Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.” 25 And he made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to this day.

So we see that, in this case, a decision made in relation to a particular case became a standing rule to be followed. That is sometimes the right thing to do. If we see that a practice adopted in a given crisis works well, does not contradict a principle of justice or a command of God, then we may do well to adopt it as an ongoing practice.

In the case of the current crisis I believe that we will find some new practices that should be continued.
For example, our congregation has developed a greater presence on Facebook and has made greater use of other technologies to stay in touch with one another and to reach out to the unchurched. I believe that this will and should continue.

Changes we should not keep
But there are other practices that I pray will not remain once the virus is under control. I am sure that you agree.

None of us wants the barber shops to stay closed forever. Hopefully, none of us believes that our state governors have a right to rule by decree. Essentially, our civil rights have been temporarily suspended. A needless continuation of that situation would be very dangerous for our nation. In fact, it would spell the end of our nation as it has existed for the last 200 years.

Currently, none of our church elders is making visits to the homes of our members. None of the elders are inviting members into their own homes. I trust that this will not continue once the virus is under control. Church elders are supposed to be known for their hospitality (1 Tim 3:2). Currently we can claim the virus as an excuse for suspending that, but if we keep it up beyond the virus, that would indicate a serious problem.

Currently, because most of our members should not assemble with us, they are listening in to our worship via phone or computer. That should not continue indefinitely.

Currently, because health experts have warned that singing has a tendency to spread the virus, we are making considerable use of recorded music. But that change should not be maintained once the virus has passed. Professional singers sound better than we do, no doubt. But sounding better is not the point. There is a simple principle at stake here. Just as we cannot offer someone else’s money as our offering to God, we cannot offer someone else’s singing as our praise to God (2 Sam 24:22-24).

Consider this passage from the Mosaic law.
Numbers 9:1-13
And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. 3 On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time; according to all its statutes and all its rules you shall keep it.” 4 So Moses told the people of Israel that they should keep the Passover. 5 And they kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the people of Israel did. 6 And there were certain men who were unclean through touching a dead body, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day, and they came before Moses and Aaron on that day. 7 And those men said to him, “We are unclean through touching a dead body. Why are we kept from bringing the LORD’s offering at its appointed time among the people of Israel?” 8 And Moses said to them, “Wait, that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you.” 9 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If any one of you or of your descendants is unclean through touching a dead body, or is on a long journey, he shall still keep the Passover to the LORD. 11 In the second month on the fourteenth day at twilight they shall keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They shall leave none of it until the morning, nor break any of its bones; according to all the statute for the Passover they shall keep it. 13 But if anyone who is clean and is not on a journey fails to keep the Passover, that person shall be cut off from his people because he did not bring the LORD’s offering at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin.

Yes, God is willing to make an exception for the one that needs an exception made. But the exception is NOT to become an excuse to neglect to do what could have been done! A case is noted in the time of Hezekiah. The whole nation missed the date of the Passover, and some partook while ritually unclean. The Levites assisted in tasks that normally should have been done only by the priests. The Lord allowed these things on this occasion, but the exceptional case was not allowed to continue.

2 Chronicles 30:13-22
And many people came together in Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month, a very great assembly. 14 They set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning incense they took away and threw into the brook Kidron. 15 And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were ashamed, so that they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of the LORD. 16 They took their accustomed posts according to the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests threw the blood that they received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves. Therefore the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate it to the LORD. 18 For a majority of the people, many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than as prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD pardon everyone 19 who sets his heart to seek God, the LORD, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary’s rules of cleanness.” 20 And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people. 21 And the people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with all their might to the LORD. 22 And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the LORD. So they ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers.

The elders of this congregation, and all congregations that I know of, have allowed public meetings of the church to be suspended for a time. That should not continue a single day beyond the necessary time. Many congregations have made use of recorded music, because we are not in a position to sing together as usual. That also should not be continued beyond the necessary time. Children’s Bible classes have been suspended and will remain suspended for quite some time. But they are likely to resume at some point.

Please do not assume that it is right to continue an exception that is introduced on a special occasion. It may not be. Some exceptions are exceptions only to our usual practice – they do not involve changes to what God has commanded. Those can be continued. If they are found to honor God, they should be continued. But others, if they were continued beyond the current crisis, would indicate disrespect for what God has commanded. Exceptions of that nature will be ended as soon as is practical.

Crack Players

Kipling began the description of a polo match by mentioning that one of the teams was "a team of crack players instead of a crack team; and that made all the difference in the world." I know little about polo, but I think that I understand his point all the same. In team sports, having the best players gives no assurance of victory. A team with moderately talented players will often defeat a team of highly gifted players. Teamwork is often victorious over talent.

The biblical writers tell us the same thing.

Paul reminds us that the church is a body; and that a body is made up of many members, but these members must think of the body not of themselves. The eyes must look out for the welfare of the whole body, not just the eyes. The mouth eats for the good of the whole body, not for its own enjoyment. The feet never go anywhere without taking the rest of the body along (see 1 Corinthians 12 for his actual wording).

Jesus emphasizes how we treat each other as central to our success in evangelism. It is not some hot new strategy that we need for convincing the unbeliever. It is a new attitude toward one another. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:34-35, ESV).

The Wisdom literature had hinted at a similar concept. In Psalm 133 we read, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalm 133:1, ESV). And in Ecclesiastes we are reminded, “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Eccl 4:12, ESV).

Attempting to be a Lone Ranger Christian is as likely to succeed as an attempt to manufacture round squares. I would rather herd cats, or drive a car with square wheels, than to shepherd a church of individualists.

Planning Ahead

Normally by this time of year we are making or have made our Summer plans. This is no normal year. Most of us have no idea what we will be doing in June or July. We have no idea what we will be allowed to do. Most of the planning that we normally do this time of year has become impossible. But there are some things we can still plan and that we ought to plan.

We should plan to worship. We may be able to assemble and worship together, or we may have to continue worshipping at home, but we certainly should be planning to worship. A lot of things are in short supply this year, but I have not heard of any shortage of Bibles or hymnals. If we cannot go out as often as in the past, let’s get our homes set up for worship. To the extent we are able to go out, let’s be sure that we include worshipping together in our plans.

We should plan to honor the Lord in how we deal with inconveniences. This is one area where we may have abundant opportunities! It is certainly possible to honor the Lord when things are going well, but sometimes it is our response to troubles and trials that honors him most.

We should plan to serve others. Again, this is an area where we may have an unusual level of opportunities. Is there a neighbor who is extra susceptible to the virus? Could we not offer to do their shopping for them? Certainly, we could at least phone those who will be extra lonely at this time.

We should plan to pray. The uncertainty of these times should help us to remember that we are not the ones who are really in control. I have not been able to study any more than normal the last few weeks. Study, for me, requires a well-established schedule; and I have not had that. The phone has rung at the oddest times. But prayer opportunities have remained limitless.

Yes, we are way off schedule. Yes, most of the things we normally plan for the summer cannot be planned this year; but let’s plan to worship, to honor, to serve, and to pray.

Acute and Chronic

An acute illness is one that comes on abruptly. A chronic illness is a nagging problem that lasts for months or years. Some of us have chronic medical conditions that have been endured for decades. Most of us have had several acute illnesses that came, were perhaps even severe for a time, but were overcome.
Recently we have been warned of the danger of an acute case of COVID-19 striking someone who already has some chronic medical problem. While this virus is bad for anyone, it is more dangerous for those with underlying, chronic diseases.

Might there be a spiritual parallel? Are there chronic spiritual diseases that make us more susceptible to an acute spiritual attack? Surely there are.

Those who do not abide in the word of the Lord (Jn 8:31-32), those who have ceased to hear his instruction (Pr 19:27), are more susceptible to acute spiritual illnesses. Those who do not know the voice of their true Shepherd are more likely to be led astray by a false shepherd (Jn 10). Failure to read and study the word weakens our spiritual constitution and makes us more likely to succumb to sin. Those who do not respect their spiritual leaders (Heb 13:7,17), those who neglect to assemble with their brothers and sisters when they could (Heb 10:23-25) are thereby weakened. Those who harbor secret sin, even what seems to them to be minor secret sin, are weakened and more likely to fall in time of major temptation.

We must all do daily battle with chronic sin. For chronic sin, if unchecked and untreated, weakens us and makes it more likely that we will fall in an acute attack.

The most common farewell term these days is “be safe.” But being really safe involves a lot more than face masks, hand washing, and social distancing. We need to build up our spiritual constitution – strengthening the spirit by daily communion with the Lord, frequent fellowship with the saints, and by practical service. One cannot be strong in a moment of Satanic attack if one has allowed subtle and secret sin to weaken the spiritual constitution in the months leading up to that attack.

Let us conclude with a song,
“I washed my hands this morning, so very clear and bright;
“And gave them both to Jesus, to work for him till night.
“Little feet be careful, where you take me to;
“Only things for Jesus, ever let me do.”

The Church is Christ’s

Karl Barth is not one of my favorite authors; but at times he had a knack for stating the obvious in a memorable way. Maybe I should say a knack for stating what should be obvious but is too often overlooked.
He once closed a lecture on the church by stating, “The church is not a society of pious people; it is the church of Jesus Christ.” What he meant by that is clear from the context; and it is a truth that ought always to be kept in mind.

The church is not a group of people called together to promote an agenda upon which they have come to agree. The church is called together by the Lord. It has not come together to take a vote on what the people think ought to be done. The church works together to carry out the Lord’ will, not the members’ will, not the leadership’s will, but the Lord’s will.

Christ is the head of the church (Eph 1:22; 5:23; Col 1:18). As any physical body takes its orders from the head, so the church gets its instructions from the Lord.

Of course, our Lord is a compassionate head. He cares if the feet are hurting or the arms are weary. He takes steps to alleviate needless suffering of his body. But he also takes steps to strength his body, and sometimes those steps may even increase our pain. He cares, but he does not surrender his Lordship to our complaints or opinions. The body does not instruct the head. The body serves the head. The body obeys the head. The body submits to the head.

One major American denomination planned to hold a conference May 3-15 that was to vote on an extremely plain teaching of scripture, whether to accept it or not. The virus has cancelled that conference, but the whole idea was pointless anyway. The stupidity of such a conference is obvious. The leaders of that denomination are on par with the kindergartner who, not knowing the gender of the rabbit the teacher had brought to class, suggested “let’s vote on it.”

I suppose that one can vote on the gender of a rabbit if he chooses to do so. But the vote does not change a thing. The rabbit is what the rabbit is.

The church either obeys the instructions of its head, or it shows itself to be a rebellious false body, not really the church at all. We should study the instructions. We should obey the instructions. We can disobey the instructions, but we cannot change them.

The church belongs to Christ, not to the people.

Life is Interconnected

Ron Rizzi was involved in organized baseball for over fifty years, most of that time as a scout for major league baseball. When asked about the best pitcher he ever saw, Rizzi replied, “Brien Taylor.” Some of you are not baseball fans, so you never heard of Brien Taylor. Some of you are baseball fans and still, you never heard of Brien Taylor. He never made it even to the triple-A level.

The Yankees gave Taylor a $1.55 million dollar signing bonus. You give a kid fresh out of high school $1.55 million, what could possibly go wrong? One “off-field altercation” (a fight, in plain English) and Brien Taylor’s arm and career were ruined.

I see two clear lessons here. They are so clear that I hesitate to state them for fear you will feel that I am insulting your intelligence. But I will risk it.

Lesson one: Do not give a kid too much spending money, too much authority, too much autonomy. There is a reason why God ordained that kids are to have parents. Yes, we can by-pass the need for two parents (one male and one female) with medical technology and wrong-headed adoption laws. We can by-pass the need, but we shouldn’t. Kids need parents until they are really adults. Traditionally, no one was seen as an adult until he was 21 years of age. We changed that in 1971. How is it going? Has the change led to greater maturity and happier homes in our nation?

Lesson two: What happens off the field affects on-field performance. What happens away from work affects on-the-job performance. All of life is interconnected. What we do in private makes us what we are in public. You cannot soar with the eagles in the morning if you hooted with the owls at night. Or, as Jesus put it, “No one can serve two masters.” If we let our eyes dwell on evil, our whole life will be full of darkness (Mt 6:22-24).

Yes, we might get away with living wrong in private while acting right in public. We might get away with it for a time, but it never lasts. Yes, we might do good in private and have it remain unnoticed for a time. But eventually, what we are (good or bad) comes to light (1 Tim 5:24-25). Look at that passage carefully. On the negative side, we can see that Brien Taylor never made it - because all of life is interconnected. On the positive side, we can see that any one of us can make a positive difference in our world - because all of life is interconnected.

Decision Time

For months now, we have been saying that the final decision as to where we will carry on this work would be made in April or May. April has arrived. The leaders of the schools we first considered have urged us to decide, and we have done so.

Before stating the decision, I first want to say that it was not an easy decision. I believe that we could have done good work and honored our Lord in any of the places that were considered. I also want to say that when we first began this process, we perhaps made the issue of housing too much of a consideration. We only looked at places where there were existing schools that could offer us free housing. While there might have been a significant financial advantage at an existing school, there were other considerations that now seem to loom larger.

At any of the existing schools that we considered, it seemed likely that Thayer would have been entangled in administrative work for the school. As time went on, this problem appeared larger and larger to us. Another disadvantage to the existing schools we considered was that they are in areas that are either high crime areas or areas where medical care is poor (even from an African point of view). In some cases, both of these objections applied.

Still, despite those difficulties, we could have done much good at Nigerian Christian Bible College or at Daybreak Bible College. And we would have gone to one of them if something else had not happened. It all came down to dialing a wrong number.

Several people asked us, “why not go back to Swaziland, where you already know people and where the communication infrastructure is so much better? Would it not be easier to do this work there?” Our minds had been on the cost of housing, and we had not considered going there – since doing so would involve renting a house. But we decided to phone a brother in Eswatini (as Swaziland is now known) to ask, “How much would it cost to rent a house?”

I dialed the wrong number; but the right person answered the call. I accidentally dialed the home of Ella Magongo. Her son Jonathan “happened” to be visiting his mother, and he took the call. I had never even considered phoning him. But, as soon as I heard his voice, I realized that the Lord had guided us to the right person. I had been trying to phone a retired plumber, but instead I was talking to brother who has worked in banking and is currently in the insurance business. Jonathan was in a good position to help us find a house and to help get permission from the Eswatini authorities to do this work in their country. The person I was trying to call could have answered my question, but Jonathan has been able to do so much more. And I called him “by accident.”

The Decision
So, as you have surmised by now, we feel led to return to Eswatini. It will cost a bit more per month, but we believe that it will be better in the long-run.

I want to emphasize that this decision does not cast a negative light on either Nigerian Christian Bible College or Daybreak Bible College. Both are very good works and the State-side administration of both schools were very cooperative. But the technical difficulties of working in a place where the electricity is (at best) spotty, where safety is questionable, and where Thayer would likely be sucked into a time-consuming administrative role weighed heavy in our thinking. We want to thank the board of African Christian Schools Foundation and Chad Wagner, their president, for encouraging us to move back to Nigeria. We want to thank David French of Daybreak Bible College for his encouragement to consider that work. We deeply appreciate everything that these brothers did for us.

Flexibility

Working from Eswatini we will not be directly associated with any school, but that may be an advantage. The road system in Eswatini and the Republic of South Africa is good. We will be able to visit several schools in the region. We will be in a better position to get input from a larger number of students. We will be able to be of assistance to a larger number of native teachers.

Leadership Training
Of course, the textbook project will not take up all our time. There is also a tremendous need in this area for programs to develop local leadership in the churches. When we moved to Eswatini in 2000, the Bible school that was there had been in existence since 1965. Many evangelists had been trained and several congregations had been planted. But none of those churches ever appointed elders or deacons. Very few of those churches held Bible classes to train their children (or any of their members) for the work. Unconsciously and unintentionally those who set up the work in Eswatini had created a clergy system. Only the preachers received any training, and so the preacher had to do all the work.

During our three years there, we were able to set two of the congregations on a path that led to the appointment of elders and deacons. We were able to make a start on getting the churches to see that they need to train all their members to take part in the work. In returning to Eswatini, we will not be housed on the campus of a school but will move about among the churches, offering training at night and on weekends so that the entire church (not just the preachers) can be equipped for every good work.
Now that our sons are all raised and on their own, Chery will be able to be even more actively involved in this. Women outnumber men in the church. The ladies need training especially adapted to their needs and their expected roles.

We believe in this work and are willing to accept a sizable reduction in our income to do it. But we cannot do it for free. We are seeking monthly support of at least $3500. It is not a huge figure. This work will make a huge difference.

Monthly support pledged as of 26 March
Since a decision has been made on location, our figures for moving fund and monthly support will need to be revised. We are working with brothers in Eswatini to get a more accurate estimate of cost. That may take some time (especially under the current conditions). But it currently appears that the monthly support figure may need to increase slightly, while the moving cost may come down significantly from what was indicated earlier.

In addition to the monthly commitments, we currently have $5750 of one-time gifts either pledged or in hand.

Any excess in one-time gifts beyond actual moving costs will be used to supplement the monthly support needed. For example, a one-time gift of $4200 could be used at the rate of $50 per month for at least 7 years. Or (to think big) a one-time gift of $120,000 applied toward monthly support could almost eliminate any need for raising more monthly commitments over a 5-year period! I know that $120,000 may sound outlandish, but it is not.

We know of a building and parcel of land that will soon go up for sale. It has been indicated by the brothers and sisters involved in that sale that the African Textbook Ministry will receive at least a large portion of the proceeds. None of us knows what the sale price will be, but this might be how the Lord intends to provide. This land is in an area of low property values, so the sale may not bring in that much. But then again it might bring in more. Real estate auctions often surprise us. Pray about this! And give some thought to assets you might want to dedicate to a good work.


The Effect of the Pandemic on our Plans
You will not be surprised to learn that the current pandemic has forced us to make changes in our plans. We had hoped to have all the funds raised by the end of May and we had hoped to move back to Africa in October. Both target dates are now out of the question.

Once travel and assembly restrictions are lifted, we will set new dates. At this point it would appear that a delay of two months to complete the fundraising will be needed. The actual move is likely to be delayed even further. A two-month delay in moving would mean moving in December, and that is never a good time to move. Our target date for getting moved will now have to be pushed forward into 2021; but how far forward is uncertain.

Keep us in your prayers. We will try to keep you informed.

By the way, for those who really were hoping to get to see us as we raised funds in April and May, check out the Flanders Road Facebook page. I have quite a few videos posted there.
https://www.facebook.com/FlandersCofC

Even during lockdown, we will be very glad to hear from you. Please drop us a word of encouragement – or a major commitment! 😊

Nice People

It is assumed, by some, that wicked people will be wicked in every respect. That faulty assumption has led many to a faulty conclusion. If you meet a really nice person who is polite, friendly, and kind, but who turns out to also be an adulterer, or a homosexual, or a heroin addict, does that prove that adultery, homosexuality or heroin use are no big deal? Some seem to think so.

I took a course in Brazilian history and culture in college. The teacher, Dr. Ellis Long, had lived in Brazil, at Sao Paulo, for about 15 years. Across the hall from the Long family’s apartment there lived a nice old man. He was friendly, generous, and kind to the Long’s children. He was also, it turned out, a Nazi war criminal. Did his kindness to the Longs excuse the gassing of prisoners at concentration camps? If I remember correctly, this “nice neighbour” was convicted of 900,000 counts of murder.

Let’s face it, very few people are completely evil. The fact that someone is nice does not mean that they are right.

People are too easily taken in by style. If a politician or a preacher has a pleasant smile and a smooth presentation, some people will accept what is said, although it may contradict both the constitution and the scriptures. On the other hand, if someone tells it like it is in a stern tone, some folks are ready to reject the truth.

John the Baptist was not soft-spoken (Mt 3:7-10), nor for that matter was the Apostle Paul (Romans 1:18-32; Gal 5:12). Even Jesus spoke very bluntly at times (Mt 23). On the other hand, some whose speech can be as “smooth as butter” are deeply evil (Ps 55:21).

If God says something is evil, it is evil. Sure, some of the people who do things God has forbidden seem to be nice people. Satan is smart enough to disguise himself, and his evil work (1 Cor 11:14). Don’t be fooled by appearances. The fruit looked good to Eve, but it was evil.

Why Send for Peter?

According to the common understanding, good people go to heaven, only very bad people go to hell. According to the common understanding, a person who prays and worships often, and who gives to help the needy is certainly a saved person.

There is a biblical character who prayed and worshipped often. He gave to the needy. His name was Cornelius and his story is told in Acts chapter ten and eleven. He is called a “devout” man and is said to be one who gave to the poor and who worshipped and prayed continually (Acts 10:1-2). According to most people, he must have been a “saved” person. Most modern preachers would welcome him into their churches. But according to the Bible, Cornelius needed to send for Peter so that he could hear “a message by which you will be saved” (Acts 11:14).

So, evidently, being devout did not save him. Evidently, worshipping, praying, and giving alms did not save him. Evidently there was a message he needed to hear and respond to before he could become a saved person.

Do not blame me, I did not write the Bible. If you want to argue, you are arguing with God, not with me.

Unless the gospel message has been heard (Acts 11:14) and obeyed (1 Thess 1:8), even devout people are not saved. Cornelius needed to hear the message. So do we; so do our neighbors.

Word and Worship

"...the word of God is not bound." (2 Timothy 2:9, ESV)

The situation we currently face, not being able to assemble as a church, is unusual for us. Never before in my life have we a faced a situation where assembling for public worship is not possible. But while we have not faced this situation before, many Christians have faced it. In the Soviet Union from 1919 to the 1980s, and in China from 1947 even unto today, the inability to openly gather for worship has been a reality. Other historical examples could be named - going back to the early days of the church. So what we currently face is not really new, although it is new to us.

We are, or should be, better equipped to deal with this situation than our brothers and sisters in other places and in ages past. We have, or ought to have, Bibles and hymnals in our homes. Many of us also have recorded hymn singing available in one form or another. These are all blessings that were not enjoyed by those who resisted Nero, or Stalin, or Mao.

Many of us have extra time available as a result of the current health crisis. How are we using that time? While we cannot assemble for worship, we can worship. While we cannot assemble for Bible study, we actually ought to be able to study the Bible more than ever.

Who knows? Perhaps through this crisis some will learn the joy of household worship and personal Bible study.

Will It Last?

“For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18, ESV)

I used to say that I would never buy a Ford from a Chevy dealer, nor a Chevy from a Ford dealer. I figured that if a person had received good service from a car, he would get another one like it. But, as a coworker pointed out, I was assuming that people look for quality. In truth most are buying style, not quality. That statement holds true for far more than cars.

When it comes to religion, many are more interested in style than in truth.

What are we seeking when we assemble for worship -- a feeling, an emotional experience, or truth?

If you seek experiences – something you can touch, taste, or see, you can get that in lots of places. But, as the above quoted text points out, the empirically tangible is doomed from the start. The great and lasting realities are not the ones we experience with our senses. It is not the message delivered with a pyrotechnic show that lasts. Do not look for the church with music that makes your ears ring. Look for the church that teaches the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

About thirty years ago, the wife of a certain televangelist was quoted as having said, “It feels so good, I don’t care if it is true.” She died about a dozen years ago. Shall I put it plainly? I think I should. Unless she repented of it, she will have an eternity in which to regret that ungodly attitude.

Jesus was about truth, not style. He wants us to feel strongly about the truth, once we know it is truth. He does not want us to believe or to proclaim something because it feels good to us.

The true faith (like many truths) will hurt at first, but feel good, eventually and eternally. A feel-good faith will leave you empty for eternity.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6-8, ESV; see also Rom 1:18-2:8 and 2 Thess 2:1-12)

An Ordinary Day

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much” (Luke 16:10, ESV)

On a day in July of 1985 Sam Shewmaker gathered his family, and those staying in his house, around the dining room table at his home in Lusaka, Zambia. Before beginning the meal, he read from a little book titled My Utmost for His Highest.

I rather suspect that Sam Shewmaker has forgotten all about that day. It was just a normal day in his life. He was just doing what he normally did. But here I am, thirty-five years later, remembering the event. This morning I took the book My Utmost for His Highest off the shelf. As I did so, I remembered the day when I first heard of the book. A year after hearing Sam read from it, I purchased my own copy. I have made use of it many times through the years.

Oswald Chambers, the author of the book, died in Egypt 100 years ago. I am not sure where Sam Shewmaker is now. But Chamber’s book, and Shewmaker’s use of that book, continues to have an influence on me.

This is not meant as an ad for the book. I write this not to promote that book, but to promote the value of the little things we say and do. A man leading his family in a few minutes of worship at his home in 1985 is still having an effect 35 years later. We heard no voice from heaven that day, the angels did not sing, the sky was not opened. It seemed to be just an ordinary day. It was just an ordinary day. But ordinary days make a difference. Little things that we do, or fail to do, may be remembered by someone decades from now – long after we have forgotten them.

We will have seven days this week. The odds are, they will seem to be ordinary ones. But ordinary sometimes turns into extraordinary, often without our even realizing it.

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going” (Ecclesiastes 9:10, ESV).

No Asterisk

Those of you who are sports fans have already heard the news. The 2017 Houston Astros cheated. Their only World Series title was gained by dishonest means. The commissioner of baseball has decided not to void the Astros’ win, but there will always be an asterisk by their name in the list of champions (at least in people’s minds). The Astros did not earn it fairly by their own skill. They are allowed to keep their World Series rings, but deep down they all know that they do not deserve them.

What a shame.

My name is in the book of life. I do not deserve to have it there; but it is there. There is no asterisk by my name, just a cross.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Ephesians 2:13 (ESV) “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Colossians 2:11-14 (ESV) “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

To the Lord Belongs Aram

“For to the LORD belongs the capital of Aram, as do all the tribes of Israel” (Zech. 9:1 NRSV).

I am not a Hebrew scholar, so I cannot say with certainty which translation of Zechariah 9:1 is most literally correct; but I get the impression that the translation given above does a good job of getting the intended point across. Every nation belongs to the LORD. Everyone matters to God. Everyone answers to God. Just as Israel belongs to the LORD, so do the Arameans of Damascus. I hope that you believe that. It is the teaching of scripture (see also Acts 10:34-35 & Rom 3:29-30).

This fact should bring us comfort. The kings of Damascus did not see themselves as being under the LORD’s authority. They were doing their own will; but the LORD so worked things out that they ended up accomplishing the LORD’s will in the end. So it is today. We do not have good political leadership in this nation, or anywhere that I know of on earth. But the capital of America (Canada, Britain …) belongs to the LORD just much as the tribes of Israel do. He can accomplish his will through them. I do not know how he does it; I do not know when he does it; but know that he has done it and will do it again.

This fact should also motivate us to our task. We have a commission to fulfill (Mt 28:19-20). That commission is not to get a certain leader elected, but to get a particular message proclaimed, and we are to proclaim it to all. The Arameans, the Africans, the Asians all belong to the Lord just as much as the Americans. J.M. McCaleb was right when he penned the words, “Of one the Lord has made the race, through one has come the fall. Where sin has gone must go his grace, the gospel is for all.”

This fact should also sober us regarding our responsibilities. We are all going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). It does not matter if we are rich or poor, male or female, black or white, Asian, African, or American. Someday we will answer to him. Are we ready for that day?

Age is not the Issue

David was a youth when he defeated Goliath (1 Sam 17:33). Jeremiah was a youth when he was called to be a prophet (Jer 1:6). Timothy was a youth when Paul left him to care for the church at Ephesus (1 Tim 4:12). We are never too young to serve the Lord.

Moses was 80 and Aaron 82 when they were called to lead the people out of Egypt (Ex 7:7). Caleb was 85 when he conquered Hebron (Jos 14:10). Anna was at least 84 when she told everyone about the birth of Jesus (Lk 2:36ff). We are never too old to serve the Lord.

August 3 of last year marked fifty years from the first time I led a song in public worship. Next year will mark fifty years since I preached my first sermon. It seems unlikely that I will still be able to sing or preach fifty years from now, but if I am able, I hope you know what I will be doing. Age is not the issue.

Health is sometimes an issue. Often, as we grow older, we just cannot do what we would love to do. But age is not the issue.

Last summer, the church lawn was mowed by a 90-year-old. At Cascade Christian, E.W. McMillian was still teaching Bible classes at the age of 90.

Lack of training can sometimes be an issue. I heard a really good lesson given by a teenager a few years ago, and a really terrible lesson given about the same time by a man in his fifties. The youth had taken advantage of opportunities to learn, the older man had not.

What is our issue? We might have a health issue; we might have a training issue; we might have an attitude issue, but we do not have an age issue. Our God is timeless. Age is never an issue with him. It is never too early and never too late to serve him.

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1, ESV).

So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come (Psalm 71:18, ESV).

The Best Cup of Tea

I forget now where I saw it, but I know that it was in a recent publication. The statement should be shocking, but I fear that many would agree with it. The statement was, “the best cup of tea is the one made for you by someone else!”

It reminded me of a statement that appeared on a billboard near our home in Canada in 2004. The billboard read, “Now you can get restaurant quality at home!” That was a shock. It was not all that long ago that restaurants were claiming that their dishes were “home-made.” Now, people have such a low opinion of their own ability to cook that they want restaurant food at home. What is happening?

We are quickly becoming a society of consumers rather than producers. We expect to be served rather than to serve. We take pride in our ability to get others to do for us, instead of knowing the joy of preparing our own meals and the joy of serving others.

I do not mind drinking tea that someone else has brewed, but generally I prefer to do my own brewing. I like to put a little ginger root in my tea; and I like to cut the ginger with a knife that I made for myself. Store bought, ready-made stuff has its place; but I think it is good for us to do things for ourselves and for others. Christians above all people should resist this “let’s get someone else to do it for us” attitude. The best service is not the service someone else performs for us, but that which we do for others.

“But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28, ESV)

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35, ESV)

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)

At creation, we were intended to be the image of God (Gen 1:27). Of course, even in their innocence, Adam and Eve were merely the image of God. They were never God and never intended to be fully God. And, of course, in our sinfulness we are a very poor image of God. But, if we spend time focusing on, beholding, the glory of the Lord, we have the promise that we will be transformed into the image of the Lord we have so often displeased, disappointed and dishonored.

But what happens if, instead of beholding the glory of the Lord, we spend our lives beholding the workings of Satan? What happens if we take our eyes off of Christ and set them instead on the things of the world? Will we still be transformed?

Yes, I believe we will be transformed, but it will not be the Lord’s image that we bear. Jeremiah speaks of those who went after worthless idols and became worthless (Jer 2:5). Some people say, “You are what you eat,” and there is a degree of truth in that. It is also true that “We come to resemble what we fix our eyes upon.” No, you cannot become slim and handsome by looking at photos of slim and handsome people. But our personalities and our values are greatly influenced by those with whom we spend our time.

On the one hand, we must not be deceived, “Bad company ruins good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33, ESV). On the other hand, if we spend our time beholding the Lord’s glory, we will be transformed into his image.

Which will it be this week? Seven days from now will we be a bit more like our Lord? Or will we instead be more and more conformed to this world?

We are all being transformed. The question is the direction of the transformation. Into whose image are we being transformed?

Lessons from Homosexual Rape Cases

A recent BBC article stated, “Reynhard Sinaga is thought to be the UK's ‘most prolific rapist’ ever.” He was convicted of drugging and raping 159 people. Every one of his rapes was a homosexual rape.

Meanwhile, also in England, a woman named Gemma Watts has been convicted of homosexual assaults on four girls and is believed to have assaulted at least forty others.

What do we learn from these horrific stories?

The claim has been that homosexuals resorted to the abusing of others only because they were forbidden to practice their unnatural passions openly. Well that argument is effectively disproven by the fact that there has been an increase in this kind of event since homosexuality has been “decriminalized” and then legalized. It is hard to get reliable figures, because the pro-homosexual news media suppress them; but it appears that the number of homosexual rapes is increasing dramatically.

Here is lesson one, giving approval to unnatural desire does not satisfy the lust, it inflames it.

The second lesson comes further down in the story about Reynhard Sinaga. When asked about the verdict handed down by the court (life in prison with no release for at least 30 years), Sinaga’s father said, "We accept the verdict. His punishment fits his crimes. I don't want to discuss the case any further."

We do not read of honesty like that very often. I hurt for that father; his pain is evident. I appreciate his willingness to see his son treated justly. Too many parents today make excuses and ask the justice system to set aside justice and give something less than a just sentence.

Let us take these two lessons to heart.

We will not reduce our sinful desires by giving in to them. Many a fool has thought (in regard to many different sins), “I’ll do it just a little bit.” It does not work. Just as each victory over temptation helps us to win another victory over temptation, each time we give in to temptation we are feeding the evil within us. Feeding evil desires always increases the evil within us. So, whatever your temptation may be, do not give into it thinking to satisfy it. We should kill sin, not feed it.

And let us always affirm justice, even when it is handed down against someone we love.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (ESV) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (ESV) Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Romans 13:13-14 (ESV) Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Colossians 3:5 (ESV) Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Deuteronomy 16:19-20 (ESV) You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous. 20 Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
1 Samuel 3:11-14 (ESV) Then the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”
1 Samuel 3:18 (ESV) And he [Eli] said, “It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him.”