Tag: Servanthood

We Are Iron Men

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People love superheroes, and this season brings back a long awaited sequel, Iron Man 2. This is easily one of the most anticipated sequels of all time, and Tony Stark is back and badder than ever.

Before becoming Iron Man, millionaire playboy/inventor Tony Stark simply cruised casinos, consumed alcohol and amassed sexual conquests as wildly as James Bond. Unlike 007, however, he didn’t stop warlords; he armed them. That is until a missile demonstration ended with Stark’s capture by a murderous Middle Eastern dissident who ordered him to build a weapon of mass destruction. He escaped by using the materials to make tricked-out battle armor. In the process, Stark had the Marvel Comics equivalent of a Damascus Road experience. He repented of his past and pledged to help the very people he’d been hurting, aided by a novel power source and high-tech exoskeleton that conforms to his body Transformers-style.

Something else about Iron Man’s unique origin story makes it special: No radioactive spider bite. No exposure to gamma rays. Stark wasn’t accidentally endowed with new skills. Rather, his heroic journey mirrors an arrogant sinner coming to grips with his own depravity, choosing to change and battle the forces of darkness.

The movie is full of cool gadgets, sarcastic humor, mega-explosions and special effects everywhere. I would just about give my right arm to suit up and dominate evil dudes in Iron Man fashion.

Obviously that is not going to happen, but there is an armored suit available to Christians that in many ways provides the same protection and weaponry, one that lights up the spiritual world like Stark in a village full of terrorists. Here is the description of the conflict we face:

    1. Put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11)
    2. Defending against the powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:11)
    3. The real struggle is spiritual (Ephesians 6:12)

      The war that Paul describes here is not against earthly terrorists, communists, or anything that is flesh and blood. This conflict is in the spiritual realm – and it is not for the weak or the wimpy. Every day the unseen forces of Satan and his army are arrayed against you. They are firing off the missiles of deception, discouragement, temptation, and opposition, so you’ll give up the battle and your calling.

      We need to make sure that we are properly fitted with this suit from the closet of your soul, so let me walk through the steps that Paul gave us:

      1. First, put on the belt of truth – which means speaking/ living truthfully and with integrity (Ephesians 6:12).
      2. Next, position the breastplate of righteousness – which is living in obedience to God’s will and his Word because He has completely forgiven you (Ephesians 6:14).
      3. Don’t forget the boots of readiness – which is a willingness to share the gospel message with anyone, anywhere, anytime (Ephesians 6:15).
      4. Raise up the shield of faith – which is hiding behind the promises of God when Satan sends a onslaught of lies and temptations your way (Ephesians 6:16).
      5. Protect your mind with the helmet of salvation – which is a constant remembrance that the penalty and power of sin is broken in your life, so don’t believe the negative messages from the devil that you are guilty and worthless (Ephesians 6:17).
      6. Finally, be sure and draw the sword of the Spirit – which is God’s Word (Ephesians 6:17).
      7. Along with prayer (Ephesians 6:18), this is your offensive weapon to strike the heart of the enemy with incredible force. So powerful in fact, that this is the result:

      We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ (2 Cor. 10:3-5).

      Picture an army of believers who are protected with the very armor of God and armed with His living Word. God uses this mighty force to stop spiritual terrorism and start a revolution for His cause – making disciples who make disciples!

      We are Men of Steel, and we can choose to be Iron Men, choosing to leave the old life behind, and make ourselves battle-ready for the sake of God’s kingdom. Suit up and make a difference.

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      Do You Love God Enough?

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      My Sunday morning Bible study is taking a fresh look at Peter and how his life often mirrors our own at various times in life. This week we are looking at the denials during of Peter on that dreadful Good Friday, and the restoration that took place after the resurrection.

      BTW, have you ever considered why that day is called “Good Friday,” knowing what happened to Jesus, the crucifixion and all? Long ago I saw a B.C. cartoon that put is perfectly. BC and Grog were pondering the meaning of the term: “Why do you call Good Friday, “good” — a term oft misunderstood. You who were saved by the blood of his cross — you can call Good Friday good.”

      There are important times in our lives when we either stand up for what we believe or cave in to the pressure around us. Peter saw himself as the kind of man who stands firm, but he overestimated his commitment on at least one occasion where he denied even knowing Jesus.

      Though there is often a heavy price to pay for being uncompromising about our faith, the price of caving in is heavier. The good news is that even when we fail, God doesn’t give up on us. In fact, those who fail are exactly the kind of people Jesus came to redeem and restore.

      Pledge: Matthew 26:17-35
      The disciples were as human as anyone, and one night they got proud and jealous. When Peter declared that he would never deny Jesus, even if everyone else in the room did, he probably didn’t cultivate many warm, fuzzy feelings among the disciples. In fact, the text implies he was saying he was more faithful than the other disciples, which was likely quite offensive.

      Peter could have simply said, “I will never forsake you,” but he didn’t. He compared himself with all the others and affirmed that he would be the strongest and most faithful of the disciples. As Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” And Peter would soon land hard.

      In 1 Peter 5:5, Peter quotes an Old Testament passage about God opposing the proud but giving grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34). He then urges his readers to humble themselves under God’s hand in order that they might be lifted up at the proper time (1 Peter 5:6).

      1. In what ways did Peter experience the realities of this passage? In what ways have you?
      2. How have you seen spiritual pride manifested in Christianity in general? In our church? In your life?

      Denial: Luke 22:54-62
      In a time of trouble and fear, Simon the Rock denies ever knowing Jesus, three times. Fear of people’s opinions or their swords tend to do that. It diminishes God’s power and messes with our perspective, and then makes us unwise.

      Luke records an interesting detail of Peter’s three denials. When the rooster crowed, “the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter” (Luke 22:61). Remember the first time Jesus gazed at Peter was when they first met (John 1:42) when followers were gathering around this Messiah. Jesus saw Peter’s potential underneath his rough exterior and called him a rock. Now, on a cold night years later, as disciples are scattering and abandoning this Messiah, Jesus again gazes into Peter’s soul. And Peter leaves and weeps bitterly (Luke 22:62).

      1. If Jesus stood before you right now and gazed into your eyes, what do you think he would see?
      2. Knowing that your heart is laid completely bare before him, how would you feel about being in his presence? Why?

      Restoration: Mark 16:7; 1 Corinthians 15:5; John 21:15-17
      Peter’s denial of Jesus was dramatic and devastating. Perhaps more than any other disciple besides Judas, he failed. Not only did he abandon Jesus in a crisis moment, he vocally disowned him. His confidence in his complete faithfulness had proven unfounded.

      In at least three instances, Scripture provides a glimpse of God’s mercy toward Peter after his failure.

      First, there is a small but important mention of Peter in Mark 16:7. When three women arrive at the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body, an angel tells them Jesus has risen and then gives them instruction: “Go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Clearly, God had plans.

      Next, Peter is apparently the first disciple to see Jesus after the resurrection, alone. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:5 that Jesus first met with Peter before meeting with the rest of the disciples, as though the two of them had an important matter to discuss apart from the group.

      Finally, toward the end of John’s gospel, Jesus appears to the disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Three times (John 21:15, 16, 17), perhaps once for each denial, he asks Peter if he loves him. Peter takes advantage of the opportunity to counter each of his denials with a confession of love and loyalty. He is not only forgiven but fully restored.

      I wonder if Jesus is asking Peter if he loves him enough. I suppose it is one thing to love Jesus enough to believe in him, but it is a whole new level of commitment to love Jesus and do something about it. Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” and the response is affirmative, but if loving him is true, a command follows, “Then tend my lambs, shepherd my sheep and tend my sheep.”

      1. What’s the difference between forgiveness and restoration?
      2. Have any of your failures caused you to doubt God’s willingness to restore you? Why or why not?
      3. Under what conditions do you normally forgive someone? Is there any failure too great for you to forgive?
      4. Do you love God enough? I mean enough to risk getting out of your comfort zone and do something great for his kingdom?
      5. What might Jesus be asking you to do to demonstrate your love for him?

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      What Do You Hate?

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      I grew up learning that we aren’t supposed to hate. The word “hate” gets lumped in with other 4-letter words we aren’t supposed to say. There are prohibitions on hate speech, and there is legislation making the punishment for hate crimes more severe, and don’t forget that Jesus emphasizes how much we are supposed to love (they will know we are Christians by our live – John 13:35). The Bible give us plenty of things to hate, for instance…

      1. Job hated his life (Job 3:11, 10:18-19)
      2. Job believed that God hated him (Job 16:9)
      3. Psalm 97:10 instructs us to hate evil.
      4. Proverbs 13:5 tells us to hate lies.
      5. According to Malachi 2:16, God hates divorce.
      6. Psalm 5:5 tells us that God also hates those who do wrong.

      Think about what Proverbs 6 outlines for us… “six things that God hates, seven are an abomination to Him:”

      1. Haughty eyes
      2. Lying tongue
      3. Hands that shed innocent blood
      4. A heart that devises wicked plans
      5. Feet that run rapidly to evil
      6. A false witness, and
      7. One who spreads strife

      Six things or seven? I’d have to explain Hebrew poetry; but that is for another time. These seven detestable sins provide a profound glimpse into the sinfulness of men, and act as a summary of the previous warnings in Proverbs 6:12-14.

      It appears that God is passionate about our avoiding sinful activity. A common question that any pastor, counselor or motivational speaker loves to ask is, “What are you passionate about?” Many times that question is met with blank stares because we don’t know how to properly identify our passions.

      Some people seem passionate about everything from American Idol to Jesus, while others find it safer to stay neutral and not express passion for anything. Can we accomplish anything great for the kingdom with such a casual attitude? It is important to find out how God has wired us, or what “spiritual gift” the Holy Spirit has given us.

      A spiritual gift is something that allows us to do the ministry of God with a certain ease and effectiveness. The idea is to find out what we are good at, and seek ways to exercise that gift for the benefit of God’s kingdom. We are designed to serve others, not to simple sit and soak in the church.

      Here’s a great site to explore the topic and discover your own spiritual gift.

      Maybe a simpler way to discover our passions is from the perspective of hate. What do you hate? What kind of holy hatred has God given you for things that aren’t right in the world around you? Then we can look around and see what can be done to make positive change in our community and the world.

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      A Model for Christianity

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      The other Sunday I was able to give a message on unleashing the superhero inside you, and the main text was from Luke 10:30-37, the parable of the Good Samaritan. I mentioned that each person in the room would identify with one character in the story, perhaps a couple of characters at different points in life. We are to be good stewards of the life that we have been given, so what are these four attitudes that we can have?

      The certain man – “What’s mine is mine if I can keep it.”

      The corrupt men – “What’s yours is mine if I can take it.”

      The clergy men – “What’s your is yours and you can keep it.”

      The committed man – “What’s mine is yours if your have it.”

      Rather than go into the details of these four, I believe that the parable of the Good Samaritan is a great model for living as a Christian, so let’s take a look at him for a moment. It’s a familiar story. Jesus tells this story in response to the question “who is my neighbor?” Here’s the summary of the story. A man is robbed and left by the side of the road. Two people pass him by without helping. Finally the Good Samaritan walks by and is the example to follow in Jesus’ story.

      What if Christians followed this model for being a neighbor to the world around them? What do we need to make such a positive impact on our community?

      Alert eyes (Luke 10:33) – As this man traveled, he saw him. This certain man is going about his daily routine, not on a mission trip or a service project or a church event. His eyes are scanning his surroundings looking for where God is at work and desires to join God in what He is doing. The Samaritan doesn’t have his iPod on tuning out the world and thinking only of himself.

      Compassionate heart (Luke 10:33) – After he saw the man in need, he felt compassion for him. His heart was filled with concern, empathy, and kindness. He was selfless. God was at work before this moment of crisis to prepare the Samaritan’s heart to not be cold and distant, but to be warm and open.

      Quick feet (Luke 10:34) – The Samaritan went to him; his feet took him closer to where there was a need. He didn’t just care from a distance, or send money to help the injured man; he was willing to get close, to take a risk, to interrupt his busy schedule, to go out of his way. He didn’t just say, “I’ll pray for you brother.” His encounter was an up close and personal.

      Active hands (Luke 10:34) – Wounds were bandaged, the injured was brought along with him, and the Samaritan cared for hi. This Samaritan guy was willing to get his hands dirty as he bandaged the wounded man. Can you imagine tending to the wounds of a stranger?

      Focused on others (Luke 10:34) – He put the injured man on his own beast, giving up his contented seat for the sake of the man in need. The Samaritan left his comfort zone. Paul tells us to consider the needs of others more than ourselves (Philippians 2:3-4).

      Giving time (Luke 10:35) – The Bible says “The next day…” This was not simply a brief encounter at one point in time; the Samaritan followed up to make sure the injured man was cared for. He would even follow up on the return trip.

      Generosity (Luke 10:35) – To top it all off, he was generous with his money by paying for the man to stay at the inn, and even for the innkeeper to take care of the injured man.

      That’s Jesus’ definition of a neighbor. What if Christians lived each day with alert eyes, compassionate hearts, quick feet, active hands, focusing on others, giving time with a generous attitude?

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      Outsourcing Our Faith

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      Brian Mosley, president of BluefishTV, had an interesting article about our living in the age of outsourcing. We pay someone to change our oil, cook our food, care for our yard, clean our clothes and anything else we don’t want to do. And of course we’ve all read the news reports of companies outsourcing business needs to countries around the world. So, he asks, “Is it possible that we are outsourcing our faith?”

      We live in a consumer-driven culture that tells us that the customer is number one. The customer is always right. I can have it my way. I deserve the best. Consumerism has also crept into the church and turned church members into customers. The church exists to serve me and my family. To meet my needs. To feed me spiritually. To provide relationships for me. I dare say, to entertain me?

      Brian goes on to ask, how many people put their money into an offering plate with the thought that “I have done my part, now it’s up to the church staff (professional Christians) to take care of the rest.” I pay them to tell me what the Bible means, to organize programs for my kids, to run evangelism and outreach projects to reach non-believers … to ______________ (fill in the blank with whatever product or service you think the church should provide).

      Mosley also gives five reasons a business outsources and how the church might be doing the same with our faith:

      1. Cost Savings
      It’s costs me time and energy to study the Bible, serve others and be a disciple. If the pastor will do the heavy lifting, then I can save some of this time and energy for other things I enjoy doing.

      2. Focus on Core Business
      The pastor’s core thing is ministry. Mine is work and caring for my family. It will work best if we both stick to our core business.

      3. Improve Quality
      I am not really qualified to do ministry. I haven’t been to seminary or Bible college and my knowledge of the Bible isn’t great. I should leave real ministry to the professionals.

      4. Risk Management
      Ministry is messy. To really get engaged in ministry could lead to rejection, heartache and additional work to my already busy life. I’d rather not risk it.

      5. Tax Benefit
      The most measurable way for me to minister is to give money. It’s trackable and the more I give, the more I can claim as a deductible to the IRS.

      Have you ever felt like this? How can we turn this around? How can we challenge people toward higher levels of commitment to Christ and His church? As Rick Warren wrote in his Purpose-Driven Life, “It’s not about you.” So, how can we help church members understand that the church exists for those who are not yet a part of the church? We are here to serve, and not to be served (Mark 10:45). We are not to be conformed to this world, but must be transformed (Romans 12:2). Don’t be normal, stand out.

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      New Year’s Resolutions

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      The beginning of a new year is traditionally a time for examining the past and resolving to make improvements in the coming year. Being involved in the ministry full time, I find that my evaluation of the previous year always finds me lacking. There is always more that I could have done, opportunities that I did not take, people to whom I did not serve. My assignment on staff at King’s Grant has three main areas: small groups, assimilation and leadership development. With the worthiest of intentions, I resolve to do this better in 2010:

      I will be more of an equipper and less of a doer. Ephesians 4:11-12 says that the purpose of leaders in the church is to equip the people to do the ministry of the church–not for the leaders to be the ministers themselves. So I will seek to spend more time consciously empowering others in ministry. My first chance in 2010 is a meeting on January 3 with my Sunday School Director, Adult Department Director and Outreach Director to go over a proposed strategy for outreach, guest assimilation and member involvement in the church.

      I will stop treating Christian service as optional. Jesus called his followers to complete life change, which is total spiritual transformation. In fact, he went out of his way to make sure people understood how much he demanded of them before they became his followers. Jesus made it clear that he expected people to be actively serving him. I like what Paul wrote in Romans 12:1, 2 and Ephesians 2:10. We are created to be different and to do good works. My Bible study beginning on Wednesday January 6 is on the sermon on the mount, which is probably the best “Jesus Manifesto” on what the Master wanted His followers to be and to do. For Christ-followers and church members, giving time to serve in ministry is not optional.

      I will be an encourager. In a world full of negative attitudes and criticism, I will demonstrate Christ’s love by celebrating the accomplishments of others. I will give personal, meaningful affirmation. If someone fails to show up, my first reaction won’t be frustration that he or she let me down; it will be concern that something might be wrong. I will take more pleasure from their successes than my own. I will seek ways to publicly praise them. My goal will be to be an example of Barnabas, the one who was called the “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36, 9:27).

      I will challenge people to serve with boldness. Rather than fill slots with people, I will boldly invite them to contribute their time, energy and efforts to the most significant cause in the universe. In John 6, Jesus called people to radical commitment and many turned back and no longer followed him. He then turned to the disciples and asked if they too will be leaving. I love Peter’s answer, “To whom shall we go? You alone have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). If Jesus’ focus was on the level of commitment people were willing to make, rather than the number of people who followed, then I will not be shy in asking people to give more of themselves.

      I will devote resources to developing leaders. Equipping people for ministry is more than just giving encouragement. I will give people constructive feedback. I will pay their way to appropriate training events. I will purchase the tools needed for them to flourish. God has blessed this church financially, and we can find the appropriate seminars and training that people need to be successful in their service.

      I will forgive myself for last year. Because I take ministry so seriously, it is easy to pile on guilt for the things I have failed to do or did wrong. But God chose to do this ministry through me, knowing that I’m a broken vessel. I will spend time now consciously determining what I need to learn from my mistakes, and then I will join God in casting them into the Sea of Forgetfulness.

      I will remember the one thing. In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus reminded Martha that while all her attempts to serve him were good, the one thing most important was developing a growing relationship with Jesus. I will remember that ultimately it is not about my ministry or my church. It is about me and all those around me developing a growing relationship with Jesus. With the Bible in 90 Days Challenge, I hope that I meet with God through the pages of His Word, more than accomplishing a goal of finishing the Bible in three months.

      And perhaps I should add one more: I will keep these resolutions longer than the ones about dieting and exercise.

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      Always on Call

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      Christianity is about being “others oriented.” It’s relational. When Jesus called his closest men, they came out of the everyday work life, fishermen, tax collectors, political activists, rather than the religious community. The problem is that not many people in a local church are called to full time vocational Christian service. Men have their careers and need to make a living, and time is valuable to take care of business, family, chores and relaxation. Who has time for people or anything else?

      I remember my younger days and looking forward to the future. Automation and machines would make life so much easier that Americans would have shorter work weeks and lots more free time. With the emergence of the computer and the simpler life we’d enjoy from our modern conveniences, our biggest challenge was supposed to be choosing how to spend all this extra time we’d have on our hands.

      I look at life today and think, “What a cruel joke.”

      Have you ever seen a day when people were this strung out with work demands, longer hours, tighter deadlines, breakneck schedules, and higher expectations? Whatever little time and energy is left at the end of earning a paycheck, running errands, and keeping our homes in working order usually ends up stretched out on the sofa with a cold drink; and then hope that no one will bother us. At this pace, we just don’t have time for people.

      Check out what Jesus said to the disciples in Mark 10:35-45. I believe they may have had their own ideas on theology and what pleased God, and basically wanted to follow God on their own terms, as long as Jesus did what they wanted Him to do (Mark 10:35). When we try the same thing, Jesus reminds us that we just don’t know what we are asking for (Mark 10:38). We don’t get it, just like the Twelve. We always think we know best. In our ignorance and selfishness we would never expect the same answer (Mark 10:39). We don’t expect to be treated in the same fashion as Jesus Himself; abused, beaten, misunderstood, homeless, poor and eventually executed. These never make our to-do lists. We (as did the disciples) want to sit at the left and right hand of God, to have a place of honor and comfort, were we belong (Mark 10:37). Problem is that if Jesus did not spare his closest men from hardship, why should we expect anything less?

      So what was the specific instruction of Jesus for the disciples? Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve (Mark 10:45). To me, this means that we are to be “others oriented” and always looking for opportunities to serve people. While men are in a vocation in the real world, we have to realize that we are always “on call.” An opportunity arises and the pager goes off, we must decide to do the right thing or to ignore the page. When you’re on call, ignoring a page is not an option.

      What an opportunity, then, for men to make the love of Christ stand out in a crowd—every time you forsake the sofa in order to meet a need, serve a brother, or help a neighbor. The sky light is open for us to “shine like stars in the universe” (Philippians 2:15) and see God’s face light up.

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      Why Christian Service?

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      King’s Grant Baptist Church is getting ready for Operation Inasmuch, the sixth year for the community impact project. This year we are partnering with the Union Mission in Norfolk. John Gray from the Union Mission will be our guest this Sunday (August 30), informing the congregation about the needs and wonderful opportunities for service at the Union Mission.

      Why is it that we would serve others in this sort of way? Americans do a lot of volunteer work and churches top the list as the place where volunteering happens. The mission of King’s Grant is to Know Christ and Make Him Known; meaning we are to love and serve God as well as love and serve others. That’s not surprising because Jesus spoke often of the importance of loving and serving others; throughout the Bible God shows a bias toward the poor and a concern for their needs. As followers of Christ, we, too, should have a heart for the poor. We can give money to charities that help the poor, but, in addition, we benefit when we get personally involved. Your opportunity to get involved with “the least of these” is October 17.

      Psychiatrist Carl Menninger was asked one time what someone should do when they feel on the verge of a breakdown. Menninger answered, “Lock your house, go across the railroad tracks, find someone in need and do something for him.” I found some other quotes on service worth sharing…

      • In a conference, I’ve heard John Maxwell say, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” 
      • I don’t know who said it, but how about, “life is a lot like the game of tennis, those who don’t serve well, end up losing.”
      • Peter Marshall once said, “”The measure of life is not in its duration, but in its donation.  Everyone can be great because everyone can serve.” 
      • Benjamin Franklin once said, “Tell me and I forget.  Teach me and I remember.  Involve me and I learn.”

      Let’s learn by doing what the Bible says. Acts 20:35 says, “We must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” We all need to ask ourselves regularly, “When was the last time I spoke up for, or did something to help someone in need?” Mark your calendar for October 17, and get involved. 

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