Monday, August 3, 2009
This Present Evil Age: Worldliness Part One
by Michael Durham (listen to all four parts of this blog entry by downloading it in MP3 format)
Galatians 1:4
Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father...
We all know worldliness is wrong, but if we know it’s wrong, why are we often so worldly? If you would allow us to examine your personal preferences by looking at your checkbook, your Internet surfing, your TV viewing, your MP3 player, your DVD collection, or your calendar, how would it compare to a nonbeliever’s preferences? Would there be a huge difference, a moderate difference, or little to no difference? It is a fact, brothers and sisters, that if it is anywhere from moderate to no difference, you have fallen into the snare of worldliness.
But there are other ways to fall into worldliness than the snares that I mentioned above. For years, churches have defined worldliness in basically three ways: immorality, entertainment and immodesty. Use of alcohol and tobacco are considered immoral. Entertainment like dancing, attending the theater, music or sporting events have been considered worldly. Growing up, I was taught by my grandmother that playing cards were evil and worldly, no matter the game. The way you were dressed could also be worldly: women not wearing dresses or skirts, or men not wearing long sleeves; yet even within this definition there is a great deal of variance – one church may teach it is alright for a hemline to come to the knee on a lady, while another teaches any hemline above the ankle is sinful and worldly.
My point is not that we get hung up on these things like outward behavior and appearance; on the contrary, if you judge worldliness strictly on behavior, you will overlook many other kinds of worldliness and fail to see the problem of your own heart. Worldliness is more than just behavior. It is possible to avoid all of these questionable things and still be worldly.
What is Worldliness?
How does worldliness affect you, and how can you be free from it? These questions are more serious than trying to recalibrate a list of dos and don’ts.
In our text, the Apostle Paul uses a different word than worldliness; he uses the phrase “present evil age.” In Titus 2:12 he does use worldly when he says, “…teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” The Apostle John says to us in 1 John 2:15, “Do not love the world or the things in the world.” These three texts together tell us what worldliness is; there is a harmony of the three even though they give us a slightly different perspective.
In John’s text above, he says clearly, “Don’t love the world.” The question I would like to ask John is, “What do you mean by the word world? Do you mean this globe we call home?” It could almost sound that way when he adds, “or the things in the world.” What could capture our love but things that are in this planet we call home? So, is this a warning about becoming a tree-hugger or an environmental wacko? No, this is not necessarily his meaning. We are to respect God’s creation and we have been given stewardship of this planet, therefore we should not abuse but care for it.
But John is dealing with something much more dynamic than the planet we inhabit. You know that because in verse 16, he goes on: “For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.” He doesn’t mention trees, forests, flowers, or any of those things. The focus here is not on the earth, but on a spiritual dimension that inhabits this earth. He calls it “lust” or “desire.”
Your desires are a part of the spiritual dimension that exists. Desires come from the heart or soul and therefore are not physical but spiritual. There are bodily appetites or physical desires, but even these are controlled by the heart or they control the heart. Either way the spiritual dimension cannot be ignored.
Also, the word world in the Greek New Testament is the word kosmos. The word means, the arrangement and order of things. We get our English word cosmology from it, which deals with the study of the universe and its order. We also have the English words cosmetics and cosmetology, which deal with the order and arrangement of a person’s looks. So John is dealing with a system of order that is diametrically opposed to the order of God. In other words, “Don’t love the world’s system of order and arrangement or the things that comprise that system!”
In Titus 2:12, which I cited earlier, Paul says we are to deny worldly lusts. The two words, “worldly” and “lust,” are here linked. Therefore, we can continue on this train of thought that worldliness is something more akin to the spiritual than to our behavior or dress. Evidently there are desires that are in conjunction with this world and its order that we are to deny.
Back to the words present evil age in our text. And even though the word world is not used, clearly Paul is referring to it. If you have the Authorized Version, that is the King James, the word world is used. But the word here is not the word kosmos but aion from which we get our word eons or ages. The Apostle is saying that Jesus has died to deliver us from the present work of evil in our times. What is the present work of evil in our times? And the answer is the same as 1 John 2:15; it is the present system or arrangement of evil that exists. To call it culture is not enough because this thing is larger than culture. Culture is a part of it, but not all of it. You can’t call it society for the word society simply means, a collection of people living as members of a community. There is nothing necessarily evil in that. So what is it? Again, we are back to the word spiritual or spirit.
This present world is manipulated by a spirit that the Apostle Paul calls the “spirit of the world.” He says in 1 Corinthians 2:12, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” Here we see that this thing called the world is a supernatural and spiritual dynamic. Again the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:2, “you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.”
It is interesting that the word course, “the course of this world,” is the same word in our text for the word age, aion. But it is also interesting that this age or course that the world is going in is also the same thing as “according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.” That is why John says, “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19).
Worldliness has to do with a spiritual dimension, and it penetrates us at the level of spirit. Therefore, I think we can come to this definition that will help us to understand worldliness over this series of messages:
Worldliness: a spiritual principle that works contrary to God; an evil spirit; the power of Satan working in human order and arrangements. It is the pursuit of anything in this world, good or bad, by one’s own hand for one’s own satisfaction, rather than Christ.
Any institution, order, arrangement, such as philosophy, arts, government, religion – all can be infiltrated and manipulated by this spirit of this present age, a spirit that loves anything but God.
You see, worldliness is not just immorality. It can also be a morality that does good things. It can be very religious or very spiritual. Some do what they do to make God happy with them; that is worldliness. You could have entered into this service today having your own agenda or motives that didn’t include the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, and if you did, you are right now being worldly. There is a spirit that loves things other than Christ. That is worldliness. It is a spirit that is part of the present course this world is on, and it motivates everything in this world, standing in contrast to the Spirit of Christ which we are to submit to.
Worldliness is a love for your own self, looking to the world and the things that it offers to satisfy you. We can be gripped by it and not even know it.
Galatians 1:4
Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father...
We all know worldliness is wrong, but if we know it’s wrong, why are we often so worldly? If you would allow us to examine your personal preferences by looking at your checkbook, your Internet surfing, your TV viewing, your MP3 player, your DVD collection, or your calendar, how would it compare to a nonbeliever’s preferences? Would there be a huge difference, a moderate difference, or little to no difference? It is a fact, brothers and sisters, that if it is anywhere from moderate to no difference, you have fallen into the snare of worldliness.
But there are other ways to fall into worldliness than the snares that I mentioned above. For years, churches have defined worldliness in basically three ways: immorality, entertainment and immodesty. Use of alcohol and tobacco are considered immoral. Entertainment like dancing, attending the theater, music or sporting events have been considered worldly. Growing up, I was taught by my grandmother that playing cards were evil and worldly, no matter the game. The way you were dressed could also be worldly: women not wearing dresses or skirts, or men not wearing long sleeves; yet even within this definition there is a great deal of variance – one church may teach it is alright for a hemline to come to the knee on a lady, while another teaches any hemline above the ankle is sinful and worldly.
My point is not that we get hung up on these things like outward behavior and appearance; on the contrary, if you judge worldliness strictly on behavior, you will overlook many other kinds of worldliness and fail to see the problem of your own heart. Worldliness is more than just behavior. It is possible to avoid all of these questionable things and still be worldly.
What is Worldliness?
How does worldliness affect you, and how can you be free from it? These questions are more serious than trying to recalibrate a list of dos and don’ts.
In our text, the Apostle Paul uses a different word than worldliness; he uses the phrase “present evil age.” In Titus 2:12 he does use worldly when he says, “…teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” The Apostle John says to us in 1 John 2:15, “Do not love the world or the things in the world.” These three texts together tell us what worldliness is; there is a harmony of the three even though they give us a slightly different perspective.
In John’s text above, he says clearly, “Don’t love the world.” The question I would like to ask John is, “What do you mean by the word world? Do you mean this globe we call home?” It could almost sound that way when he adds, “or the things in the world.” What could capture our love but things that are in this planet we call home? So, is this a warning about becoming a tree-hugger or an environmental wacko? No, this is not necessarily his meaning. We are to respect God’s creation and we have been given stewardship of this planet, therefore we should not abuse but care for it.
But John is dealing with something much more dynamic than the planet we inhabit. You know that because in verse 16, he goes on: “For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.” He doesn’t mention trees, forests, flowers, or any of those things. The focus here is not on the earth, but on a spiritual dimension that inhabits this earth. He calls it “lust” or “desire.”
Your desires are a part of the spiritual dimension that exists. Desires come from the heart or soul and therefore are not physical but spiritual. There are bodily appetites or physical desires, but even these are controlled by the heart or they control the heart. Either way the spiritual dimension cannot be ignored.
Also, the word world in the Greek New Testament is the word kosmos. The word means, the arrangement and order of things. We get our English word cosmology from it, which deals with the study of the universe and its order. We also have the English words cosmetics and cosmetology, which deal with the order and arrangement of a person’s looks. So John is dealing with a system of order that is diametrically opposed to the order of God. In other words, “Don’t love the world’s system of order and arrangement or the things that comprise that system!”
In Titus 2:12, which I cited earlier, Paul says we are to deny worldly lusts. The two words, “worldly” and “lust,” are here linked. Therefore, we can continue on this train of thought that worldliness is something more akin to the spiritual than to our behavior or dress. Evidently there are desires that are in conjunction with this world and its order that we are to deny.
Back to the words present evil age in our text. And even though the word world is not used, clearly Paul is referring to it. If you have the Authorized Version, that is the King James, the word world is used. But the word here is not the word kosmos but aion from which we get our word eons or ages. The Apostle is saying that Jesus has died to deliver us from the present work of evil in our times. What is the present work of evil in our times? And the answer is the same as 1 John 2:15; it is the present system or arrangement of evil that exists. To call it culture is not enough because this thing is larger than culture. Culture is a part of it, but not all of it. You can’t call it society for the word society simply means, a collection of people living as members of a community. There is nothing necessarily evil in that. So what is it? Again, we are back to the word spiritual or spirit.
This present world is manipulated by a spirit that the Apostle Paul calls the “spirit of the world.” He says in 1 Corinthians 2:12, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” Here we see that this thing called the world is a supernatural and spiritual dynamic. Again the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:2, “you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.”
It is interesting that the word course, “the course of this world,” is the same word in our text for the word age, aion. But it is also interesting that this age or course that the world is going in is also the same thing as “according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.” That is why John says, “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19).
Worldliness has to do with a spiritual dimension, and it penetrates us at the level of spirit. Therefore, I think we can come to this definition that will help us to understand worldliness over this series of messages:
Worldliness: a spiritual principle that works contrary to God; an evil spirit; the power of Satan working in human order and arrangements. It is the pursuit of anything in this world, good or bad, by one’s own hand for one’s own satisfaction, rather than Christ.
Any institution, order, arrangement, such as philosophy, arts, government, religion – all can be infiltrated and manipulated by this spirit of this present age, a spirit that loves anything but God.
You see, worldliness is not just immorality. It can also be a morality that does good things. It can be very religious or very spiritual. Some do what they do to make God happy with them; that is worldliness. You could have entered into this service today having your own agenda or motives that didn’t include the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, and if you did, you are right now being worldly. There is a spirit that loves things other than Christ. That is worldliness. It is a spirit that is part of the present course this world is on, and it motivates everything in this world, standing in contrast to the Spirit of Christ which we are to submit to.
Worldliness is a love for your own self, looking to the world and the things that it offers to satisfy you. We can be gripped by it and not even know it.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
God's Design in Grace - Spurgeon
"Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will."—Ephesians 1:11.
OUR belief in God's wisdom supposes and necessitates that He has a settled purpose and plan in the work of salvation. What would creation have been without His design? Is there a fish in the sea, or a fowl in the air, which was left to chance for its formation? Nay, in every bone, joint, and muscle, sinew, gland, and blood-vessel, you mark the presence of a God working everything according to the design of infinite wisdom. And shall God be present in creation, ruling over all, and not in grace? Shall the new creation have the fickle genius of free will to preside over it when divine counsel rules the old creation? Look at Providence! Who knoweth not that not a sparrow falleth to the ground without your Father? Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. God weighs the mountains of our grief in scales, and the hills of our tribulation in balances. And shall there be a God in providence and not in grace? Shall the shell be ordained by wisdom and the kernel be left to blind chance. No; He knows the end from the beginning. He sees in its appointed place, not merely the corner-stone which He has laid in fair colours, in the blood of His dear Son, but He beholds in their ordained position each of the chosen stones taken out of the quarry of nature, and polished by His grace; He sees the whole from corner to cornice, from base to roof, from foundation to pinnacle. He hath in His mind a clear knowledge of every stone which shall be laid in its prepared space, and how vast the edifice shall be, and when the top-stone shall be brought forth with shoutings of "Grace! Grace! unto it." At the last it shall be clearly seen that in every chosen vessel of mercy, Jehovah did as He willed with His own; and that in every part of the work of grace He accomplished His purpose, and glorified His own name.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
You'd think we'd have it down by now...
Christ came nearly 2000 years ago. He is the express image of God (Hebrews 1:3), and revealed to us fully who God is and how God is to relate to man. Within the first one-hundred years of Christ's death and resurrection, the knowledge of Him had spread far from Israel through his Apostles and the early church. Through Paul and the dispersion of Christians from Israel, Christianity was shared and told to people from Africa to Asia to Europe.
The works of the New Testament were completed within the first century and copied and passed from church to church. The early church continued the work of the Apostles. Writings emerged from the disciples of the Apostles and beyond. Centuries later, the innovations in papers and ink allowed information to be passed from one person to another, and with the printing press, the Bible, early church writings, and the writings of great church leaders could be distributed to the masses.
In our day, we are flooded with information. The average family may own several copies of the Bible, books explaining Biblical themes, access to commentaries, devotional materials, and study guides like no other time on this earth. Through our current technology, we can read the Word of God, instantly see the original languages and explanations of what the words mean, see what anyone and everyone has had to say about a passage from the early church until now, and then get interpretations on how it should be applied.
The question then comes: don't we, in the year 2009, have an advantage the early church does not? It has been nearly two thousand years since Christ came, so should we not be further along in our Christian walk than those in the first century? They did not have the vast resources and two millennia of learning that we enjoy. So why does it seem that we are further behind than they? Why does it seem like every Christian starts from scratch, and, while all our accumulated knowledge and study aids are of great help, in the end we have not progressed any further than those who did not have these things?
The answer is that many times we are pursing the wrong thing. For most of us, Christianity is about realizing that we are sinners and at odds with the standards of God, getting right with God, and now living the life that God has called us to live. We are now new people, and thus we must live like it. We have to strive to do good and please our God and Father. Sound familiar? But what is often lacking is the true thrust of Christianity and that is a relationship with God that is cultivated over the course of our lives. Upon conversion, we are introduced to Him by the Holy Spirit through the person of Christ. After conversion, we set out on a path to please Him by trying to live up to what He has done for us. The problem is we can't. I repeat, WE CAN'T. And it becomes and endless cycle of trying hard, and failing, trying hard, and failing, trying hard and failing.
But a relationship with God provides us with all we need as we spend time with Him and He begins to work the life of Christ through us. It's kind of funny how when two people spend a great deal of time with one another, they often pick up each others' characteristics. We need to spend time developing a relationship with our Heavenly Father so that we too pick up the characteristics of the divine. In Philippians 3, Paul said, "I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death..." Paul's aim was to know Christ. It wasn't to do better or try hard to live up to a new standard. His goal was to continue to grow in his active relationship with His Lord and Savior. And he prayed that for those he preached to as well.
So if it seems that every Christian starts from square one in the Christian life in spite of all that has been learned and compiled over the past two-thousand years, it's because developing a relationship with God takes a lifetime, and during our time on this earth pursuing Him with a dependency that builds as we continue our pilgrimage. A young man our young woman, in anticipation of getting married, may surround themselves by teachings, wise council, and hundreds of books about the marriage relationship. And while those things may be of great value and help, they must start at square one the day they get married and begin a lifelong relationship with their husband or wife that will grow and develop over the years, just like married couples have been doing for quite a long time. The same is true with our Christian life. We may have an advantage in an information rich culture, but the relationship building process remains the same. We must all start by pursuing Him, desiring Him, and treasuring Him above all. Then we continue on our pilgrimage, getting to know Him, the person who is the one true living God. That relationship is true Christianity.
The works of the New Testament were completed within the first century and copied and passed from church to church. The early church continued the work of the Apostles. Writings emerged from the disciples of the Apostles and beyond. Centuries later, the innovations in papers and ink allowed information to be passed from one person to another, and with the printing press, the Bible, early church writings, and the writings of great church leaders could be distributed to the masses.
In our day, we are flooded with information. The average family may own several copies of the Bible, books explaining Biblical themes, access to commentaries, devotional materials, and study guides like no other time on this earth. Through our current technology, we can read the Word of God, instantly see the original languages and explanations of what the words mean, see what anyone and everyone has had to say about a passage from the early church until now, and then get interpretations on how it should be applied.
The question then comes: don't we, in the year 2009, have an advantage the early church does not? It has been nearly two thousand years since Christ came, so should we not be further along in our Christian walk than those in the first century? They did not have the vast resources and two millennia of learning that we enjoy. So why does it seem that we are further behind than they? Why does it seem like every Christian starts from scratch, and, while all our accumulated knowledge and study aids are of great help, in the end we have not progressed any further than those who did not have these things?
The answer is that many times we are pursing the wrong thing. For most of us, Christianity is about realizing that we are sinners and at odds with the standards of God, getting right with God, and now living the life that God has called us to live. We are now new people, and thus we must live like it. We have to strive to do good and please our God and Father. Sound familiar? But what is often lacking is the true thrust of Christianity and that is a relationship with God that is cultivated over the course of our lives. Upon conversion, we are introduced to Him by the Holy Spirit through the person of Christ. After conversion, we set out on a path to please Him by trying to live up to what He has done for us. The problem is we can't. I repeat, WE CAN'T. And it becomes and endless cycle of trying hard, and failing, trying hard, and failing, trying hard and failing.
But a relationship with God provides us with all we need as we spend time with Him and He begins to work the life of Christ through us. It's kind of funny how when two people spend a great deal of time with one another, they often pick up each others' characteristics. We need to spend time developing a relationship with our Heavenly Father so that we too pick up the characteristics of the divine. In Philippians 3, Paul said, "I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death..." Paul's aim was to know Christ. It wasn't to do better or try hard to live up to a new standard. His goal was to continue to grow in his active relationship with His Lord and Savior. And he prayed that for those he preached to as well.
So if it seems that every Christian starts from square one in the Christian life in spite of all that has been learned and compiled over the past two-thousand years, it's because developing a relationship with God takes a lifetime, and during our time on this earth pursuing Him with a dependency that builds as we continue our pilgrimage. A young man our young woman, in anticipation of getting married, may surround themselves by teachings, wise council, and hundreds of books about the marriage relationship. And while those things may be of great value and help, they must start at square one the day they get married and begin a lifelong relationship with their husband or wife that will grow and develop over the years, just like married couples have been doing for quite a long time. The same is true with our Christian life. We may have an advantage in an information rich culture, but the relationship building process remains the same. We must all start by pursuing Him, desiring Him, and treasuring Him above all. Then we continue on our pilgrimage, getting to know Him, the person who is the one true living God. That relationship is true Christianity.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
2009 Conference Promo Video
On September 12, 2009, one of the most unique conferences to come to Paducah will be held at the Luther F. Carson Center. It will be a time to sharpen your mind, humble your heart, strengthen your backbone, and be blown away by the power of Christ's gospel.
The essential theme is the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it is presented Biblically. Over 200 years of man's tinkering with the gospel in America has left it crippled, at best. The deception has been so subtle and so gradual, that many can hardly distinguish modern Chrisitianty from that as preached by Paul, Peter, and the rest of the Apostles. Where did it go wrong? What is the gospel in our modern world? What does a Christian really look like?
We look forward to seeing you at the Carson Center on September 12 at 10am as we put forth answers to the most important questions facing the American church.
Please register at realtruthmatters.com - seating is limited.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Why Us? Why Now? Why RTM?
As preparations are being made for the next RTM conference on September 12, I find myself asking this: Why is there a ministry called Real Truth Matters? Why have a conference? Why start a new work when there are plenty of Christian organizations out there proclaiming the gospel? For me, the answer to these questions is two-fold.
First, we possess a treasure that cannot be contained. Paul said we have this treasure (Christ) in earthen vessels. His Holy Spirit is invested in us, and we find it a treasure that cannot be held within. “For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Cor. 4:5. For a man to be an enemy of God, (Col 1:21-22 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight) and God lower himself to become of no reputation and servant to all in order to save that man is more than a miracle. And not only did He come to save, but he placed His own life within us, and we are now joint heirs with Christ. In case you haven’t fully realized what that means, think on this: God loves His Son and treasures Him more than anything else. God the Father has given to Him all things. The Son, Jesus Christ is so identified with us and us with Him that whatever Christ receives from the Father, so do all those who are His. This treasure is far too magnificent to contain! Thus, we will proclaim Christ because it is a fire that cannot be shut up. I Corinthians 9:16 - For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! Matthew 13:46-46 - Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Secondly, God has brought providential circumstances together in such a way that we cannot deny that God is doing something among us. The servants at Real Truth Matters have been together, on average, for only a year. We did not seek each other out, but God placed each and every one of us together. And the range of talent and abilities are amazing. Each person that God has placed within the work of RTM forms a complete team that God is using to accomplish the work of His ministry. After the conference last year, the need for a professional audio person was apparent. As we transmit the Gospel of Christ through technologies that utilizie audio/video capabilities, a clear, understandable message is crucial. A few days after the conference, Brother Michael Durham stated, "We need God to send us an audio person." Within thirty days, an audio engineer whom we did not know shows up, ready to use his talents as a part of RTM. It was not that long ago that most of us did not know each other. But God placed a hunger for Truth within each one of us that caused our paths to cross and our desires to unite. When God begins to bring about circumstances such as these, I must sit up and take notice.
Does God need RTM? Of course not. But I believe God has called RTM into existence for a reason and purpose we do not see now. We do not believe we are the only ones with truth or the only ones who proclaim truth. But as we have talents and abilities that God has invested in us, and His spirit within us compels us to tell the good news of Jesus Christ, we will proclaim it with a desire to see Him glorified in the lives of men and women who desperately need a Savior.
Registration is now open for the 2009 Real Truth Matters conference. Registration is free at
http://www.realtruthmatters.com/conference2009.html
First, we possess a treasure that cannot be contained. Paul said we have this treasure (Christ) in earthen vessels. His Holy Spirit is invested in us, and we find it a treasure that cannot be held within. “For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Cor. 4:5. For a man to be an enemy of God, (Col 1:21-22 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight) and God lower himself to become of no reputation and servant to all in order to save that man is more than a miracle. And not only did He come to save, but he placed His own life within us, and we are now joint heirs with Christ. In case you haven’t fully realized what that means, think on this: God loves His Son and treasures Him more than anything else. God the Father has given to Him all things. The Son, Jesus Christ is so identified with us and us with Him that whatever Christ receives from the Father, so do all those who are His. This treasure is far too magnificent to contain! Thus, we will proclaim Christ because it is a fire that cannot be shut up. I Corinthians 9:16 - For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! Matthew 13:46-46 - Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Secondly, God has brought providential circumstances together in such a way that we cannot deny that God is doing something among us. The servants at Real Truth Matters have been together, on average, for only a year. We did not seek each other out, but God placed each and every one of us together. And the range of talent and abilities are amazing. Each person that God has placed within the work of RTM forms a complete team that God is using to accomplish the work of His ministry. After the conference last year, the need for a professional audio person was apparent. As we transmit the Gospel of Christ through technologies that utilizie audio/video capabilities, a clear, understandable message is crucial. A few days after the conference, Brother Michael Durham stated, "We need God to send us an audio person." Within thirty days, an audio engineer whom we did not know shows up, ready to use his talents as a part of RTM. It was not that long ago that most of us did not know each other. But God placed a hunger for Truth within each one of us that caused our paths to cross and our desires to unite. When God begins to bring about circumstances such as these, I must sit up and take notice.
Does God need RTM? Of course not. But I believe God has called RTM into existence for a reason and purpose we do not see now. We do not believe we are the only ones with truth or the only ones who proclaim truth. But as we have talents and abilities that God has invested in us, and His spirit within us compels us to tell the good news of Jesus Christ, we will proclaim it with a desire to see Him glorified in the lives of men and women who desperately need a Savior.
Registration is now open for the 2009 Real Truth Matters conference. Registration is free at
http://www.realtruthmatters.com/conference2009.html
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Technology of the Future . . . Today!
This week, Josh Harris, John Piper, & Al Mohler have all weighed in on technology and how new forms of communication are affecting our worship and personal connections. I think that is very profitable for us to consider these things . . . things such as Tweeting (the use of Twitter), Facebooking, texting, etc. Each of these forms of communication can and do shape the messages we are transmitting, but, more importantly, they are changing the way we organize our lives and our brains when it comes to communicating with one another.
I recently watched an early 1960s television show. A real estate agent comes into the home of a couple who are putting their house up for sale. He asks the couple if he could use their phone because he forgot to tell his secretary where he was going, and he was expecting a very important phone call. How novel that seems in our time!
I don't have an objection to the use of Twitter, updating a Facebook status, or texting, but I am concerned with the obsession and constant use of such technologies. For those growing up with such, there is no other way of life. And I am afraid they are creating patterns of life that are not at all times healthy.
I guess it is no longer considered rude if you are carrying on a face to face conversation with someone, and they are texting during the entire conversation. Or a person is working and yet chatting every few minutes on Facebook. What ever happened to great dinner conversation? Here is what it tells me when I am sitting across from a person who is texting and talking to me at the same time: You are not important enough to me to have my full attention. Or, this task is not important enough to me for it to have all my energies. Now I know many would say that they can do both at the same time. And by their actions they do show that it is physically possible. But there is the unseen message sent of importance.
Remember the phrase "undivided attention?" I wonder if that exists in a Twitter world. Attention is not only divided, it is fractured.
See Josh Harris' blog at http://www.joshharris.com/2009/05/should_we_use_twitter_during_c.php
They are well worth the read.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
RTM Video Production in full swing!
In preparation for the upcoming fall conference, the RTM video production department is working full speed ahead on promotional materials. First up is a video explaining who RTM is and showing the need for the ministry. Several testimonials have been filmed, and they turned out to be very powerful. God provided for His work! We did have some challenges on Friday morning. The Weather Channel forecasted "abundant sunshine," and as we geared up to do an outdoor shoot, dark clouds rolled in. That shoot will be rescheduled for next week. Pray for RTM as we move forward and proclaim the supremacy of Christ!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Christianity—Truth or Interpretative Possibility?
By S. Michael Durham
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life——the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us——that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1-3).
The Apostle John in the introduction of his first epistle established an apologetic that is one of the most significant for the historicity, honesty and defense of Christianity. It is unassailable. He declares that he is an eyewitness of Jesus. He heard Him, saw Him and touched Him.
The significance of this can be explained by one question, “Will men die for something they believe?” The answer is yes. It happens all the time. The willingness for a man to die for what he believes may be admirable, but it isn’t a proof of the validity of what he believes. It only proves that he believes it. It may be true and it may not. For example, today radical Islamic men will strap bombs to their bodies and walk into a crowded street or building and blow themselves up, killing innocent bystanders because they believe if they give their lives for Allah, killing the “infidels,” they will automatically enter paradise where they will be greatly rewarded. This was a foundational belief to our 9/11 tragedy. The men that guided those planes into buildings believed their cause and doctrine dogmatically.
So, it is accurate to say that men will die for things they believe to be true. But will a man die for something he believes to be untrue? And the answer is no. Not even a delusional person will die for something he does not believe is real. In the case of the delusional individual, he does not believe reality to be real, and therefore lives according to the “reality” his mind creates. He believes his psychotic imaginations to be real.
Therefore, God designed and built within the storyline of the gospel compelling and logical evidences for faith to rest upon. He chose 12 men, who would see, hear and touch the gospel, Jesus Christ, before and after His death and resurrection. God would not build His kingdom on construable or interpretive possibilities. In other words, something that could possibly be true if the interpretation of the storyline is accurate. In the case of history, there is very little objective evidence with which to test theories and possibilities. You can’t put historic possibilities into a test tube and do experiments. The only way you can verify reports from history is from the accounts of eyewitnesses. Do the accounts have enough similarity to say the event actually happened?
Let’s use a test case—Joseph Smith and his claim that an angel gave him a golden tablet. Here we have an interpretive possibility. You can interpret Smith’s claim (he is the only supposedly eyewitness of this supposed event) one of four ways:
1. An angel from God did give him a golden tablet.
2. A demonic spirit gave him a golden tablet.
3. He lied.
4. He was delusional.
It is possible that the first theory—an angel did give Joseph Smith a golden table—is correct, but there is no way to verify it. Thus, it remains a construable possibility. One can believe Mormonism is true, but his faith must leap into the dark without any evidence. Christianity is not this way. God would not have any of His children to leap into the dark, but rather into the light as He is in the light. Biblical faith is an evidential faith and not an interpretive possibility. We have the eyewitness account of twelve men who saw the risen Lord Jesus whose testimonies agree, and they all died knowing what they had seen, heard, and handled was true.
Chuck Colson, former Chief Counsel for President Nixon, tells how that Watergate proves the reports of the apostles’ accounts of the resurrection. Colson declares that when all the parties of the Watergate break-in found out that White House Counsel John Dean had hired an attorney and was cooperating with federal prosecutors, they all hired attorneys and began to back away from the lies and deception of the cover-up. His point was that none of them were willing to suffer on behalf of a lie. They would suffer to protect their reputations or the reputation of another, but they were not willing to go to prison for something they knew was not true.
It goes against human psychology that the apostles would have gladly died for something they knew not to be true if Christ had not risen from the dead. One may counter and say that the apostles were not purposefully and willfully lying but they were delusional and thus willing to die for what they believed to be true even though in reality it wasn’t. But in the providence of God this argument cannot prevail, for God so designed the events of the gospel that even the apostles did not believe the first reports of the resurrection; they did not show signs of gullibility. The first eyewitnesses of the resurrection were not the 12, but women. In the culture of the first century, women were never credible witnesses. In fact, Jewish law prohibited women as witnesses. Yet, these were the first witnesses—an interesting way to start a new religion in a world that does not accept women as credible witnesses. You would think that if Christianity was the invention of men they would not have done so. However, the apostles were not so easily deluded. They refused to believe the report of the women.
Two disciples associated with Jesus reported to the eleven apostles that they saw Jesus, but they were not believed either because when the two men were explaining what happened, Jesus appeared to all of them in the room and they refused to believe their own eyes. They thought what they were seeing was an apparition of some sort. Jesus had to prove to them He was physically alive from the dead by eating a piece of broiled fish. So if they were so mentally disturbed and depressed, grasping at straws to believe anything good, why not believe the reports or their own eyes, for that matter? It seems they were just the opposite, attempting to be empirical in their conclusions.
In God’s infinite wisdom, He had one of the twelve absent from the upper room when He appeared the night of the resurrection. Thomas was not there. When he returned the others told him what had happened. His reaction was to not believe the testimony of his own comrades. He said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). Again, if these men were subject to mental instability because of the trauma they had undergone, it would seem that they would want to believe that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead. But as the accounts testify that was not the case. It took the hardest of evidence to convince them—the resurrected Christ Himself. Thomas’ doubt is a proof for the faith of others. He was not in the room that night to show that he, nor the other apostles were neither gullible nor psychotic. They were very rational men, doubting even the very validity of credible witnesses. But in the end they all did believe and died for what they believed. Why? Was it because they believed the testimonies of what others saw? No, it was because they saw for themselves. They as John says, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life.”
This leads us to a final point—that these men had to die for our faith to have credibility in the historicity of Christianity. It was the seal of their belief in what they, not only believed, but witnessed to be true. Amazing isn’t it that all of the original apostles died for their testimonies as eyewitnesses of the resurrected Savior? When Jesus said that if they were to follow Him they would have to deny themselves and pick up a cross, He really meant it. After Judas hanged himself, being the traitor of Christ, six of the remaining eleven men who heard Jesus say, “pick up your cross and come after Me,” did so. They, too, were crucified. All of them died martyrs’ deaths for proclaiming that they had seen Jesus alive after witnessing His death. God so loved us that not only gave us His Son to die for our salvation, but also gave 12 men to die for our faith. They did not die simply believing something to be true, but knowing it firsthand.
Twelve men had to die for our faith to not be an interpretative possibility. How must I die so that the faith of another is not an interpretative possibility? How can my life be a link in the chain back to the evidential and historical truth of Jesus Christ? “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain” (John 12:24).
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life——the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us——that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1-3).
The Apostle John in the introduction of his first epistle established an apologetic that is one of the most significant for the historicity, honesty and defense of Christianity. It is unassailable. He declares that he is an eyewitness of Jesus. He heard Him, saw Him and touched Him.
The significance of this can be explained by one question, “Will men die for something they believe?” The answer is yes. It happens all the time. The willingness for a man to die for what he believes may be admirable, but it isn’t a proof of the validity of what he believes. It only proves that he believes it. It may be true and it may not. For example, today radical Islamic men will strap bombs to their bodies and walk into a crowded street or building and blow themselves up, killing innocent bystanders because they believe if they give their lives for Allah, killing the “infidels,” they will automatically enter paradise where they will be greatly rewarded. This was a foundational belief to our 9/11 tragedy. The men that guided those planes into buildings believed their cause and doctrine dogmatically.
So, it is accurate to say that men will die for things they believe to be true. But will a man die for something he believes to be untrue? And the answer is no. Not even a delusional person will die for something he does not believe is real. In the case of the delusional individual, he does not believe reality to be real, and therefore lives according to the “reality” his mind creates. He believes his psychotic imaginations to be real.
Therefore, God designed and built within the storyline of the gospel compelling and logical evidences for faith to rest upon. He chose 12 men, who would see, hear and touch the gospel, Jesus Christ, before and after His death and resurrection. God would not build His kingdom on construable or interpretive possibilities. In other words, something that could possibly be true if the interpretation of the storyline is accurate. In the case of history, there is very little objective evidence with which to test theories and possibilities. You can’t put historic possibilities into a test tube and do experiments. The only way you can verify reports from history is from the accounts of eyewitnesses. Do the accounts have enough similarity to say the event actually happened?
Let’s use a test case—Joseph Smith and his claim that an angel gave him a golden tablet. Here we have an interpretive possibility. You can interpret Smith’s claim (he is the only supposedly eyewitness of this supposed event) one of four ways:
1. An angel from God did give him a golden tablet.
2. A demonic spirit gave him a golden tablet.
3. He lied.
4. He was delusional.
It is possible that the first theory—an angel did give Joseph Smith a golden table—is correct, but there is no way to verify it. Thus, it remains a construable possibility. One can believe Mormonism is true, but his faith must leap into the dark without any evidence. Christianity is not this way. God would not have any of His children to leap into the dark, but rather into the light as He is in the light. Biblical faith is an evidential faith and not an interpretive possibility. We have the eyewitness account of twelve men who saw the risen Lord Jesus whose testimonies agree, and they all died knowing what they had seen, heard, and handled was true.
Chuck Colson, former Chief Counsel for President Nixon, tells how that Watergate proves the reports of the apostles’ accounts of the resurrection. Colson declares that when all the parties of the Watergate break-in found out that White House Counsel John Dean had hired an attorney and was cooperating with federal prosecutors, they all hired attorneys and began to back away from the lies and deception of the cover-up. His point was that none of them were willing to suffer on behalf of a lie. They would suffer to protect their reputations or the reputation of another, but they were not willing to go to prison for something they knew was not true.
It goes against human psychology that the apostles would have gladly died for something they knew not to be true if Christ had not risen from the dead. One may counter and say that the apostles were not purposefully and willfully lying but they were delusional and thus willing to die for what they believed to be true even though in reality it wasn’t. But in the providence of God this argument cannot prevail, for God so designed the events of the gospel that even the apostles did not believe the first reports of the resurrection; they did not show signs of gullibility. The first eyewitnesses of the resurrection were not the 12, but women. In the culture of the first century, women were never credible witnesses. In fact, Jewish law prohibited women as witnesses. Yet, these were the first witnesses—an interesting way to start a new religion in a world that does not accept women as credible witnesses. You would think that if Christianity was the invention of men they would not have done so. However, the apostles were not so easily deluded. They refused to believe the report of the women.
Two disciples associated with Jesus reported to the eleven apostles that they saw Jesus, but they were not believed either because when the two men were explaining what happened, Jesus appeared to all of them in the room and they refused to believe their own eyes. They thought what they were seeing was an apparition of some sort. Jesus had to prove to them He was physically alive from the dead by eating a piece of broiled fish. So if they were so mentally disturbed and depressed, grasping at straws to believe anything good, why not believe the reports or their own eyes, for that matter? It seems they were just the opposite, attempting to be empirical in their conclusions.
In God’s infinite wisdom, He had one of the twelve absent from the upper room when He appeared the night of the resurrection. Thomas was not there. When he returned the others told him what had happened. His reaction was to not believe the testimony of his own comrades. He said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). Again, if these men were subject to mental instability because of the trauma they had undergone, it would seem that they would want to believe that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead. But as the accounts testify that was not the case. It took the hardest of evidence to convince them—the resurrected Christ Himself. Thomas’ doubt is a proof for the faith of others. He was not in the room that night to show that he, nor the other apostles were neither gullible nor psychotic. They were very rational men, doubting even the very validity of credible witnesses. But in the end they all did believe and died for what they believed. Why? Was it because they believed the testimonies of what others saw? No, it was because they saw for themselves. They as John says, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life.”
This leads us to a final point—that these men had to die for our faith to have credibility in the historicity of Christianity. It was the seal of their belief in what they, not only believed, but witnessed to be true. Amazing isn’t it that all of the original apostles died for their testimonies as eyewitnesses of the resurrected Savior? When Jesus said that if they were to follow Him they would have to deny themselves and pick up a cross, He really meant it. After Judas hanged himself, being the traitor of Christ, six of the remaining eleven men who heard Jesus say, “pick up your cross and come after Me,” did so. They, too, were crucified. All of them died martyrs’ deaths for proclaiming that they had seen Jesus alive after witnessing His death. God so loved us that not only gave us His Son to die for our salvation, but also gave 12 men to die for our faith. They did not die simply believing something to be true, but knowing it firsthand.
Twelve men had to die for our faith to not be an interpretative possibility. How must I die so that the faith of another is not an interpretative possibility? How can my life be a link in the chain back to the evidential and historical truth of Jesus Christ? “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain” (John 12:24).
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
How Much Luggage Are You Carrying?
By S. Michael Durham
Does your walk with the Master seem a bit more difficult these days? Do you feel like you’re carrying extra baggage? At least once a year I conduct pastors’ conferences in Eastern Europe. The return to United States soil is the worst leg of the trip. Normally my flight home originates from Amsterdam, Netherlands and lands in Memphis. By the time I land in Memphis I have been up for 24 hours, already so weary from the rest of the trip. But what makes the Memphis landing so hard is that I have to get all my luggage, and then run it through customs, and finally resubmit it through security. Bone-tired, I drag two large suitcases and my carry-on luggage through the airport, so that hopefully I can get the luggage boarded for my final flight home. I’m exhausted just writing about it! But some of you are feeling the same way, not physically, but spiritually.
You’re carrying way too much stuff. Baggage, if you please. The Apostle Paul says, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ” (Philippians 3:8). When Paul was converted to Christ, he willingly laid aside everything he deemed important in life. He repented. Isn’t that repentance? Turning away from the things you lived for and turning toward Christ? Yes, that is a brief summary view of repentance. For every Christian reading you can say, “Me too! I willingly laid aside everything important to me and followed Jesus.”
Yet, many of you reading are still spiritually tired, drained and feel weighted down. Why? Perhaps it is because you are not doing what Paul did after he counted what was gain as gone. He continues, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). The apostle continued to “count all things loss.” His repentance did not stop with conversion but continued long after. It continued until the moment he left this world.
Repentance is not a one-time deal. It can’t be. By nature it must be continual — that is, if it is genuine repentance. If repentance once counted everything in comparison to Christ as rubbish, then it must continue to do so. Paul went on past his conversion comparing things to Christ, and of course, nothing can compare to His beauty. Thus, he did not carry things tightly in his grip. In fact, he carried nothing. He was as light as the breeze and could even say in chains and in a dark, dank dungeon, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Remarkable isn’t it that a man who has nothing, who is in prison can tell people who have freedom, and homes, and food and water, and changes of clothing, and comfortable beds, and Christian fellowship, and many other things Paul did not have, to rejoice? How could the roles be reversed that the man who has nothing must tell the man who has more than he needs to rejoice? Because in this case, Paul counted everything lost so that he could gain more of Christ.
When you forget, or worse, choose not to count everything loss for the inestimable value of knowing Jesus, then you will start to carry whatever you deem not worthy to be lost. The more you treasure, the heavier your load. The heavier your load, the more drag you feel. The more drag you feel, the more spiritually impotent you become. Isn’t that your problem—you’re spiritually powerless?
What’s your remedy? Repentance, or in other words, throwing stuff overboard. Again, I’m using physical metaphors to speak of spiritual realities. The way to heaven is so narrow that it only allows for you. Not you and whatever else you value. Turn loose of all that is held dear so that you may gain Christ. What else is needed for your trip home?
Does your walk with the Master seem a bit more difficult these days? Do you feel like you’re carrying extra baggage? At least once a year I conduct pastors’ conferences in Eastern Europe. The return to United States soil is the worst leg of the trip. Normally my flight home originates from Amsterdam, Netherlands and lands in Memphis. By the time I land in Memphis I have been up for 24 hours, already so weary from the rest of the trip. But what makes the Memphis landing so hard is that I have to get all my luggage, and then run it through customs, and finally resubmit it through security. Bone-tired, I drag two large suitcases and my carry-on luggage through the airport, so that hopefully I can get the luggage boarded for my final flight home. I’m exhausted just writing about it! But some of you are feeling the same way, not physically, but spiritually.
You’re carrying way too much stuff. Baggage, if you please. The Apostle Paul says, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ” (Philippians 3:8). When Paul was converted to Christ, he willingly laid aside everything he deemed important in life. He repented. Isn’t that repentance? Turning away from the things you lived for and turning toward Christ? Yes, that is a brief summary view of repentance. For every Christian reading you can say, “Me too! I willingly laid aside everything important to me and followed Jesus.”
Yet, many of you reading are still spiritually tired, drained and feel weighted down. Why? Perhaps it is because you are not doing what Paul did after he counted what was gain as gone. He continues, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). The apostle continued to “count all things loss.” His repentance did not stop with conversion but continued long after. It continued until the moment he left this world.
Repentance is not a one-time deal. It can’t be. By nature it must be continual — that is, if it is genuine repentance. If repentance once counted everything in comparison to Christ as rubbish, then it must continue to do so. Paul went on past his conversion comparing things to Christ, and of course, nothing can compare to His beauty. Thus, he did not carry things tightly in his grip. In fact, he carried nothing. He was as light as the breeze and could even say in chains and in a dark, dank dungeon, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Remarkable isn’t it that a man who has nothing, who is in prison can tell people who have freedom, and homes, and food and water, and changes of clothing, and comfortable beds, and Christian fellowship, and many other things Paul did not have, to rejoice? How could the roles be reversed that the man who has nothing must tell the man who has more than he needs to rejoice? Because in this case, Paul counted everything lost so that he could gain more of Christ.
When you forget, or worse, choose not to count everything loss for the inestimable value of knowing Jesus, then you will start to carry whatever you deem not worthy to be lost. The more you treasure, the heavier your load. The heavier your load, the more drag you feel. The more drag you feel, the more spiritually impotent you become. Isn’t that your problem—you’re spiritually powerless?
What’s your remedy? Repentance, or in other words, throwing stuff overboard. Again, I’m using physical metaphors to speak of spiritual realities. The way to heaven is so narrow that it only allows for you. Not you and whatever else you value. Turn loose of all that is held dear so that you may gain Christ. What else is needed for your trip home?
Friday, April 24, 2009
A Sweet Smelling Sacrifice
John 12:3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
When John writes of Mary anointing the feet of Christ with very costly oil, he is sure to include that the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Mary’s act of service to our Lord filled the room and was as sweet aroma. Just as the incense offered in the temple of the Lord accompanied the sacrificial offerings of a people obedient to God, so did Mary fill the house with the aroma of a sacrificial heart. To the Philippians Paul wrote, “I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith. . .” Paul’s service, like the drink offering poured out on the sacrifice, was rising up as an offering to our Lord, Jesus Christ, for a sweet smelling aroma to our King. Christ, our sacrifice upon Calvary, is worthy to be loved, served, and obeyed. It is the only appropriate response for one whose life has been radically altered by so great a sacrifice. Our service to our King is not compulsory, but, just like Mary, is a response that is reflexive from a heart of love He placed within us. That life of sacrifice emanates to a world the aroma of Christ. To some, it is the aroma of death. But to others, it is the aroma of life. And to Christ, our service is a beautiful smell. The oil may have been costly, but His sacrifice upon the cross was worth more than an ocean full of oil. Your sacrificial life is what he paid for. He enjoys and delights in it as He must have enjoyed the sweet fragrant oil filling the house where Mary was. May our new hearts reflexively sacrifice themselves to Christ, and our service become a sweet smelling aroma before the altar of heaven.
When John writes of Mary anointing the feet of Christ with very costly oil, he is sure to include that the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Mary’s act of service to our Lord filled the room and was as sweet aroma. Just as the incense offered in the temple of the Lord accompanied the sacrificial offerings of a people obedient to God, so did Mary fill the house with the aroma of a sacrificial heart. To the Philippians Paul wrote, “I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith. . .” Paul’s service, like the drink offering poured out on the sacrifice, was rising up as an offering to our Lord, Jesus Christ, for a sweet smelling aroma to our King. Christ, our sacrifice upon Calvary, is worthy to be loved, served, and obeyed. It is the only appropriate response for one whose life has been radically altered by so great a sacrifice. Our service to our King is not compulsory, but, just like Mary, is a response that is reflexive from a heart of love He placed within us. That life of sacrifice emanates to a world the aroma of Christ. To some, it is the aroma of death. But to others, it is the aroma of life. And to Christ, our service is a beautiful smell. The oil may have been costly, but His sacrifice upon the cross was worth more than an ocean full of oil. Your sacrificial life is what he paid for. He enjoys and delights in it as He must have enjoyed the sweet fragrant oil filling the house where Mary was. May our new hearts reflexively sacrifice themselves to Christ, and our service become a sweet smelling aroma before the altar of heaven.
J.T.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Join us on Youtube!
Our Youtube page is up and growing as our video ministry starts to grow. If you haven't subscribed yet, visit us here: http://www.youtube.com/user/realtruthmatters
And here are some of our more recent videos:
Scott's testimony, part one
Scott's testimony, part two
Bobby's testimony, part one
Bobby's testimony, part two
J.T. at Etc. Coffee in Paducah
And a couple of older ones that are really must see vids:
Matt's testimony, part one
Matt's testimony, part two
JOIN US ON YOUTUBE!
And here are some of our more recent videos:
Scott's testimony, part one
Scott's testimony, part two
Bobby's testimony, part one
Bobby's testimony, part two
J.T. at Etc. Coffee in Paducah
And a couple of older ones that are really must see vids:
Matt's testimony, part one
Matt's testimony, part two
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