Why Good is Never Good Enough                           (The Spiritual Report Card)

Why Good is Never Good Enough                           (The Spiritual Report Card)

by | Feb 26, 2017 | Growth

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The letters of the apostle Paul to the Thessalonian church – a strong church that Paul had planted and nurtured – are, in effect, spiritual report cards. The context is clear; Paul is writing to some of his best students – these are a teacher’s letters to those who have done best in class. Just how good were they? Paul tells us in congratulating them:

“And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere” (1 Thessalonians 1:7).

But Paul doesn’t stop with congratulations – in fact, he only begins there. Having complimented the Thessalonians on their spirituality, notice how he continues:  “…brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more” (1 Thessalonians 4:1).

The Thessalonians clearly received a grade of  “A” in pleasing God, but Paul urges them to do more – and he doesn’t stop with the first subject:  “Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for … you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more” (1 Thessalonians 4:9).   Another “A” – another still not good enough.  Paul proceeds in the same way through all the subjects in which the Thessalonians had excelled:  “Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Paul’s second report card to the Thessalonians is not much different:  “… brothers and sisters … your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing” (2 Thessalonians 1:3);  “… brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good” (2 Thessalonians 3:13).

The pattern is clear. Even though they were among his best students, the apostle repeatedly urges the Thessalonian believers, strong as they were, to do more and more – never to stop doing more and more.

Humanly, it’s natural to want to rest a little after our battles, savor our victories, enjoy the report card and take a break before hitting the next semester. But Paul knew that the more we do with God’s help, the more we become capable of doing. God doesn’t want us to serve and help in any way other than to the fullest extent. He also doesn’t want to  reward us minimally, but to the fullest extent possible. That’s why Paul urges us repeatedly, if we are doing what we should, that is well and good! Now do more and more!

Caesar and the Servant: I Have Come to …

Caesar and the Servant: I Have Come to …

by | Feb 19, 2017 | Service

PictureJulius Caesar

A number of ancient historians recorded the famous words of Julius Caesar “Veni, vidi, vici” – “I came, I saw, I conquered” –  which typified the great Roman general’s career and life as the individual whose achievements  ultimately formed the foundation of the Roman Empire. 

If we look at the life of Jesus of Nazareth – who instituted a far greater  kingdom: the Kingdom of God –  do we find any parallel saying or expression that typifies the life and achievements of the Messiah in his human life?  The answer is perhaps clearer than you may have realized.

​Time and again during his ministry Jesus told his disciples and those who heard him “I have come to ….” And then he added a specific task that he would accomplish. Notice an example from each of the Gospels where Jesus said he had come to do certain things:  “I have come …

… to fulfil the law” (Matthew 5:17)
… so I can preach” (Mark 1:38)
… to call sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32)
… to bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37).

When we look at these and other “I have come to …” statements of Christ, we see something regarding the range of tasks he would accomplish.  All of these things involved action and are a far cry from the passive person Jesus is often believed to have been. This active involvement is particularly clear in the metaphorical reasons he stated for his coming: “I have come …

… to send a sword, and to set men at variance” (Matthew 10:34-35)
… to send fire on the earth” (Luke 12:49).

Whenever Jesus spoke literally of his purposes and what he would achieve, we find the same active approach.  But Christ’s accomplishments were not simply actions that would elevate himself – they were, of course, for the good of others: “I have come …

… to save men’s lives” (Luke 9:56)
…that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Ultimately, these purposes and accomplishments can be seen in Jesus’ statement:  “I have come down from heaven to do the will of Him that sent Me” (John 6:38-39).  That will can be summarized in only two words: “I have come …

… to serve” (Matthew 20:28)

Caesar’s self-elevating “I came, I saw, I conquered” pales into insignificance compared to the future coming of Christ the King (Revelation 11:15). But even at the time of his first coming, under the shadow of self-glorying emperors, the Son of God showed that true glory is not to be found in self-elevation and self-service, but in the elevation of God’s purposes and the service of others.  Caesar’s so-called immortal summary “I came, I saw, I conquered” is surpassed in the eternal significance of what would be a fitting summary for the life of Christ:  “I came, I saw, I served.” 

Something to Remember, Something to Forget

Something to Remember, Something to Forget

by | Feb 12, 2017 | Giving

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                        “Give without remembering and receive without forgetting.”
 
The old saying that we should give without remembering and receive without forgetting contains a world of wisdom in its few short words.  While it is not actually a biblical proverb, the principles represented in this old maxim are certainly found in the Scriptures.  

We may not be able to find a specific biblical verse saying “forget your acts of giving,” but the apostle Paul covered the principle when he wrote: “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” (Philippians 3:13).  What Paul says here can be applied in many ways – such as forgetting our past sins and failures – but it applies equally to forgetting or not dwelling on any good we may have done and concentrating on what good we may still do.  

The Scriptures are even more explicit about the need for us to remember the things we ourselves receive.  Paul shows exactly this continuing thankfulness when he wrote to the Church at Ephesus: “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers” (Ephesians 1:16).  Paul clearly remembered to give ongoing thanks not only for things he himself received, but also for others, too.

So we can certainly find a worthwhile reminder of biblical principles in the old saying regarding forgetting what we give and remembering what we have been given.  The way to which we are called is one of gratefully remembering the gifts we receive and actively looking not at things we have given, but looking for new ways to give. 

As We Serve, We Grow

As We Serve, We Grow

by | Feb 5, 2017 | Service

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“I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy  because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,  being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”  (Philippians 1:5-6).

The Church at Philippi in Asia Minor is often said to have been Paul’s favorite congregation. It is not that he did not love all those with whom he worked, of course, but his letter to the Philippians shows a special affection for them and their dedication to the work of God.

As he begins his epistle Paul states how he gives continual thanks for the Philippians because of their “partnership in the gospel” (vs. 5), but then he continues the thought by saying that their work in the gospel gave him great confidence that God would complete his work of transformation in them.
 
This is a vital thought in Paul’s theology.  He is not saying, of course, that because of the Philippians’ good deeds God will complete his work in them  – we have all of Paul’s letters to show that this could not be what he meant.   So what exactly did Paul mean?
 
When we read the epistle to Philippi in its entirety, it is clear that Paul was stressing his certainty that because of their dedication to the work of God and the love that showed, the Philippians would naturally be living in such a way that God would be able to fulfill his purpose in them as individuals.  Look at what Paul tells us a few verses later in the first chapter:

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11).

Here, if we need to see it, we find clear expression of the fact that Paul is not talking about the Philippians’ own works of righteousness.  He specifically states that what they are doing is a result of their being “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ” (vs. 10b).  But Paul makes it equally clear that they will be filled with this fruit of righteousness as they continue to grow in love (vss. 9, 11).

Putting all these verses together, we see that Paul  equates the Philippians’ love with their partnership in the Gospel – their selfless dedication to the salvation of others.  He shows  (in  verses 6 and 10) that that the expression of that love through God’s work will lead to their own growth.
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If this seems in any way like complex theology, its principle is profoundly simple:  the more we concentrate on the welfare and development of others, the more God can and will develop us personally. It is a simple truth that the way to maximum spiritual transformation and growth is often not through self-focused spiritual exercise, but through the other-focused work of love that we are called to do. ​​