The disciples had their next few days all planned out. It had been a busy time of ministry, so busy that they did not even have relaxing times to eat. They were tired. They needed a break. In Mark 6:31, Jesus announces that He is taking them on a retreat. A few days without the crowds. A few days alone with Jesus. The disciples had their next few days all planned out.
As they head towards their retreat, the people figure out where the disciples are headed. So the people (5,000 of them, not including women and children) ran ahead to meet them. Jesus sees that they are sheep without a shepherd so He begins to teach them. And then He decides that it is a good time for the disciples to feed them. So the disciples spend the first day of their retreat as waiters for a crowd of well over 5,000 people.
Have you ever thought of how much work that would be? Even though they are not cooking, they are constantly on the move, delivering food to more and more people. They started the day exhausted. I can't even imagine how they feel at the end of the day. But their day is not over. They still need to get into a boat and row to the other side of the lake. In heavy winds.
Late into the night, they see a person walking on the water. Turns out it is Jesus. He gets into the boat and the wind ceases. And then the text tells us this: "And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened."
Here is what I think happened. The disciples have a plan in mind. They have their next days scheduled. And then God interrupts the plan. He has something on His agenda for the disciples. Like a miraculous feeding of a huge crowd. Like seeing Jesus walk on water. While the disciples see these events, they do not enjoy what God is doing. God is not acting within the bounds of their day-timer and they struggle to get past that.
I make schedules. I make daily lists and plans for myself. I can easily see myself responding as the disciples do. My prayer is that I will always be ready for God's interruptions to my day. My prayer is that I will not become so preoccupied with my schedule that I reluctantly participate in God's plan for today. And to do this I need to be careful to not procrastinate, creating artificial, crisis deadlines because of my own poor use of time.
Showing posts with label Chris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chris. Show all posts
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Deadly Legalism
In Matthew 15, Jesus is talking to the Pharisees. In vv. 8-9, He quotes Isaiah to describe their spiritual condition. Two things stand out. First, their lips honor God but their hearts are cold. Second, their worship is vain because they teach their own commandments as doctrine. In other words, they are legalists.
Legalism can be one of two things. First, legalism occurs when we add to the requirements for salvation. We are saved by grace through faith plus nothing. If we replace the "nothing" with anything else, we have become a legalist. Second, legalism occurs when we add requirements than what appears in the pages of Scripture. Often this happens because we do not like what Scripture says (in this case we usually wish it were more strict). So instead of living by God's Word, we seek to add greater requirements to people's lives.
There are three deadly dangers to legalism. First, it leads people to moralism. We become moral people without a passionate heart for God (see Matthew 15:8). This is what Jesus' next teaching is about (vv. 10-20) when he talks about how the Pharisees are very pleased with their cleanliness before eating (moralism) but not about their heart condition. Second, it can lead people to rebellion. Many people leave the church (indeed, many teenagers upon leaving the home) because of the rigid legalism at their church. Third, legalism can greatly damage a church. In Matthew 16:5-12, Jesus calls the legalistic teaching of the Pharisees: leaven. Leaven permeates the whole. A little legalism in a church is deadly because it will eventually permeate the whole.
We need to be people of God's Word. We need to read it, study it and live it. And we need to have enough faith in God to trust Him even when we wish He said something different in His Word!
Legalism can be one of two things. First, legalism occurs when we add to the requirements for salvation. We are saved by grace through faith plus nothing. If we replace the "nothing" with anything else, we have become a legalist. Second, legalism occurs when we add requirements than what appears in the pages of Scripture. Often this happens because we do not like what Scripture says (in this case we usually wish it were more strict). So instead of living by God's Word, we seek to add greater requirements to people's lives.
There are three deadly dangers to legalism. First, it leads people to moralism. We become moral people without a passionate heart for God (see Matthew 15:8). This is what Jesus' next teaching is about (vv. 10-20) when he talks about how the Pharisees are very pleased with their cleanliness before eating (moralism) but not about their heart condition. Second, it can lead people to rebellion. Many people leave the church (indeed, many teenagers upon leaving the home) because of the rigid legalism at their church. Third, legalism can greatly damage a church. In Matthew 16:5-12, Jesus calls the legalistic teaching of the Pharisees: leaven. Leaven permeates the whole. A little legalism in a church is deadly because it will eventually permeate the whole.
We need to be people of God's Word. We need to read it, study it and live it. And we need to have enough faith in God to trust Him even when we wish He said something different in His Word!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Blogging
The internet, through all its temptations and shortcomings is not bad within itself. It is just like any other tool in life, it can be used for good or for evil. we think it is high time that the church started using it for some good. This blog is just one effort in that quest to redeem the internet for Christ. This blog will be run by the pastors of FBC Prescott and will consist of our thoughts, prayers, devotions and challenges. Please feel free to subscribe, or become a fan of us on facebook where these blogs will also post.
Blessings,
The Staff of FBC Prescott
Blessings,
The Staff of FBC Prescott
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Oikos Continued
Today we complete our 10-week series on Oikos. Your oikos is the 10-15 people who God has naturally placed into your life so that you can be an instrument of grace in their lives. And even though we complete the sermon series today, the oikos concept should continue indefinitely in our individual lives and in our church's life. That is the point of this morning's sermon.
This week, I noticed oikos naturally appearing in the Gospel of John. Andrew met Jesus and then went to get his brother, Peter, to introduce him to Jesus. Philip meets Jesus. And then Philip goes to find Nathanael, so he can be introduced to Jesus.
Oikos in the New Testament. Oikos in the last ten weeks. Oikos continuing tomorrow. Who are you trying to introduce to Jesus?
This week, I noticed oikos naturally appearing in the Gospel of John. Andrew met Jesus and then went to get his brother, Peter, to introduce him to Jesus. Philip meets Jesus. And then Philip goes to find Nathanael, so he can be introduced to Jesus.
Oikos in the New Testament. Oikos in the last ten weeks. Oikos continuing tomorrow. Who are you trying to introduce to Jesus?
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Zeal
I was reading in John's gospel this morning. In the second chapter, Jesus goes to clean out the Temple. The people have turned the Temple into a house of trade, a commercial zone instead of a house of prayer. So Jesus overturns tables and throws people out and pours money onto the floor. I found verse 17 to be fascinating: the disciples remember an Old Testament prophecy about the coming Messiah -- "Zeal for your house will consume me."
There is one thought that I haven't been able to get out of my head: if Jesus came to church today and exhibited the same zeal as He did on that day, what would He want to remove from the church? The commercial zone in the Temple was serving as a buffer that prevented people from being able to worship God. What have we created that serves as a buffer to keep people from worshipping God? Legalism (rules that we create that are not in the Bible)? Tradition (methods that worked in the past that need to change if we are going to introduce the next generation to God)?
My prayer today is that I will have a zeal for God that will demonstrate itself with a passion to remove everything in my life (and in the life of FBC Prescott) that serves as a buffer to keep people away from God.
There is one thought that I haven't been able to get out of my head: if Jesus came to church today and exhibited the same zeal as He did on that day, what would He want to remove from the church? The commercial zone in the Temple was serving as a buffer that prevented people from being able to worship God. What have we created that serves as a buffer to keep people from worshipping God? Legalism (rules that we create that are not in the Bible)? Tradition (methods that worked in the past that need to change if we are going to introduce the next generation to God)?
My prayer today is that I will have a zeal for God that will demonstrate itself with a passion to remove everything in my life (and in the life of FBC Prescott) that serves as a buffer to keep people away from God.
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