God's Word on the Church

The Church is God's creation.  As He created it, He gives some very important information on what the church is meant to look like, and what we are meant to be doing.  This study is designed to help you grow in your understanding of what the Church is meant to be doing and how you are meant to be a part of all of the exciting and wonderful things which God is doing on earth.

Turning on the Lights

Then God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and season and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth"; and it was so.  Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night.  He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and  to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.  So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.  Genesis 1:14-19

It is mind blowing to think that God created light before creating the light makers.  I remember being haunted as a child by the atheist eschatology. Sitting in class and being told that our star would one day burn down and die, long before that taking all life off of the planet earth without so much as a sound.  I found the very thought appalling that some future generation of people would be slowly burned, or frozen to death while all human existence fizzled off no more meaningless than a candle that had run our of wick.  Upon noticing that I was trouble the teacher asked me what was wrong.  I replied that I was sad that everyone would die.  She tried to assure me with the words, "You'll already be long dead by then.  So don't worry about it!"  So that is what it is to live in spiritual darkness.  The world understands their dependence upon the "light givers" but would rather resign themselves to absolute meaninglessness and loss than risk seeing the light Creator! It is amazing for us to look up at the stars.  The beautiful pictures of the stars that are so far beyond our ability to see with the natural eye is beyond breathtaking.  The Hubble Telescope shows some of the amazing and beautiful formations that have been tucked away since God created the world.  When He formed those beautiful structures and formations was He thinking of us?  Did He think how amazed and mystified we would be as we saw the distant star formations that are invisible to the naked eye?  Or were we not even apart of the thought, did He just make them because they reflect something of the beauty, creativity and order that flow forth from His being?  I don't know, but what I do know is this: all of that beauty and wonder merited a single statement in Scripture: "He made the stars also."  God then proceeded to reveal pages and pages about Himself and His love for mankind.  It is amazing to think that the angels of heaven could see those "star structures" up close, but they marvel at what God is doing in every person who has trusted Jesus Christ.

Who We Were

Philip Yancey, in his book What's So Amazing About Grace, tells a story about a woman that he knew who was struggling with some major issues, including drug addiction and prostitution. When he asked her if she would like to come to church she replied, "Church? Why would I go there? They would just make me feel worse!" This quote probably reflects the attitude of more people then we know, and it is heart breaking. In the same book Yancey poses a powerful question which I will paraphrase, "Why were tax collectors, drunks, and prostitutes so comfortable around Jesus, yet now so uncomfortable around those who now claim to be His followers?"

Jesus was not sinful in any way, nor was he permissive of sin. Yet He embodied grace and compassion and displayed it freely to these hurting people. Paul wrote: "For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saves us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

May we never forget: Being a Christian is not about what we have done, but about what HE has done. When we see the lowest wretch in the saddest condition, totally by their own doing (or not), we must always remember, "...but for the grace of God, there go I." Other religions of this world may grow because of the greatness of it's adherents, but true Christianity can only grow because of the greatness of our God. There is not one person in human history at whom we can look down our nose and say, "I would never be that bad!" But only confess the greatness of our Lord who saves us at His own expense. We can only confess, that if it had not been for the Grace of Jesus Christ, His sacrifice for our sin and His resurrection from the dead, we would be no better off. We have a great message of love and grace for the lost! We can weep with them and say, with all honesty and humility, "I am no better than you, no stronger, no smarter, but I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ, and HE has saved me." We don't clean up to come to God, we come to God to be cleaned. Do you know someone who needs to hear this message?

I go to prepare a place for you...

"...And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:3

This is part of the "Upper Room Discourse" that is recorded by John in his gospel. Jesus begins using language that may slip by us in our culture. In Hebrew marriage customs of the time that Jesus was speaking there was a process to marriage different from our own. In brief it would usually look like this:

The bridegroom to be would go with his father to the perspective brides home. The fathers would talk and come to an agreement about the marriage and the other details. The couple was then legally engaged. Though they were not allowed to live as a married couple it took a legal divorce to separate them at this point. The bridegroom would return to his father's house and prepare a place for he and his new bride to live. This would take an undetermined amount of time. The marriage would occur when the place was finally prepared. But who gets to pronounce the place "prepared"? In the cultural practice of the day, it was the bridegroom's Father who would say that the place was ready, and send his son to go and retrieve his bride.

Some exciting points about this...it sheds light on what Christ was talking about when He placed it in the Father's hands as to when He would return for His Bride (that's us!). The thing I would have us be most cognizant of this week is the reality that Christ used emotionally powerful imagery when talking about His level of motivation to come and retrieve us. Imagine a young bridegroom, bursting with passionate love for his bride to be, each day preparing the place, anxiously awaiting the moment when his father will come in and say, "It's time! The place is ready and the time is right. Go and get your bride!" No prophecy needs to be fulfilled before He comes to retrieve us, it could happen to day, even before you finish reading this sentence. And I, for one, hope that it's today! And as excited as we are to see Him, I believe He is more excited to see you! Have a great week!

Love is...

Tonight was beautiful. Tonight we shared a meal with our brothers and sisters at Holly Hills. It's cold here in Denver. It was so very fun to pile into the van and drive through the winter weather listening to the 24 hr Christmas music station and park our car in the church parking lot. We all shuffled in and played a game with the group. The kids played together in the Sunday School rooms and someone was kind enough to bring some folks along who were willing to watch the kids so the parents could have the evening to talk with grown-ups.

One generous family catered the party beautifully. The food was delicious and it was just so quaint. The tables were arranged beautifully and there was nice silverware and linen napkins. Delicious foods and cheesecake for desert. It smelled of family. Laughter and love filled the air. After a game and dinner we had a message from one of the beloved brothers of our congregation. He is such a wonderful teacher and we were so very blessed to be able to behold the Lord through Randy's teaching. Who could think that the "hypostatic union" (the doctrine that teaches Christ's simultaneous deity and humanity) could be so practical, and wonderful. We sang some Christmas songs and had a "white elephant" gift exchange.

Generally, I find gift exchanges to be painful and long. Given the fact that there were more than 60 people there I was concerns. There was so much laughter, so many jokes told. So many great stories shared. Gifts that kept coming back for year after year of "re-gifting" seemed to take on a life of their own. I also never thought I would see so many people so excited over a rubber chicken. But then, that's what makes it so silly and fun. One more song and off we went home. What a blessing.

The kids were pooped so we hustled off home and put them to bed. Cadence needed some extra snuggling and I was happy to give it. Truthfully, I love the long bedtime procedure we have put together and I love rocking and snuggling, cuddling, book reading and seeing her sweet self drift off into a careless sleep. I love doing things and spending time with people that make me want to love my family more. Things that fill, things that replenish, things that bless, things that point us towards Jesus.

Perhaps a meandering account, but even still...a beautiful evening!