Monthly Archives: December 2010

The world says, “Bigger is better!”  A bigger house . . . a bigger car . . . a bigger bank account . . . a bigger slice of the good life.  These are the things to strive for in the world’s economy.  In God’s economy, however, what is bigger is not what is better, but rather whatever God is in. 

Aaron’s staff was not bigger than the staff of Pharaoh’s magicians, yet it was better.  Why?  Because God was in it!  Gideon’s band of 300 was not bigger than the army of thousands of Midianites, yet it was better.   Why?  Because God was in it!  David was not bigger than the giant Goliath who was taunting the Israelite army and blaspheming God, yet he was better.  Why?  Because God was in him.  The little boy with five loaves and two fish was not bigger than the marketplace in the surrounding villages, but he was better.  Why?  Because God was with him.  In God’s economy, what is better is whatever God is in. 

This should be a word of great comfort to you today.  God delights in using the small and insignificant to accomplish His work in this world.  You may not be “big” in the eyes of the world because you do not occupy a place of power and prestige.  You may not be “big” in the eyes of your coworkers because you aren’t invited to the important social events in your industry.  You may not be “big” in the eyes of your neighbors because you do not serve on prominent charitable boards in your community.  However, if you are working to glorify God and advance His kingdom, you could not get any bigger in God’s eyes. 

Zechariah provided a great reminder of this principle when he penned, “For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice” (4:10).  Christians are not to use the world’s standards to judge God’s work.  Gideon could not imagine beating the Midianite army with only 300 men, because he was judging God’s work by the world’s standards.  The apostles could not imagine feeding 5000 men, plus women and children, with 5 loaves and 2 fish because they were judging God’s work by the world’s standards. 

So . . . where in your life have you been judging God’s work by the world’s standards?  Where have you been thinking bigger is better?  You don’t need to be any “bigger” to be better in the Kingdom of God.  All you need to be is faithful to use what God has given you to advance the cause of His kingdom.

Jesus said, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (Luke 16:10).  Whether you can see it or not, when you are faithful to put in whatever little God has given you, the difference you are making is an eternal difference—and that’s what’s better! 

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Traditionally, today’s rhetorical question has been used to assign people to one of two groups: optimists and pessimists.  The question highlights two contrasting points of view when looking at the very same thing.  The optimist sees the glass as half full, demonstrating an attitude of gratitude and abundance.  The pessimist sees the glass as half empty, demonstrating an attitude of thanklessness and scarcity.

How is it for you?  Do you see your glass as half full?  Or half empty? 

Some people are uncomfortable with the question and respond tartly with phrases like, “It all depends on whether the person with the glass is in the process of filling it up or drinking it down . . . Just because I see the glass as half empty doesn’t make me a pessimist . . . Half of the glass is full of liquid and the other half is full of air.”

To be sure, your answer to this question is ultimately irrelevant; the important issue is your disposition as a child of the Most High God.  What is relevant is the way you live out your faith before others and how you reflect the joy of the Lord. 

“Half-fullers,” as I like to call them, see all of life as a gift from God.  They realize that everything they have is a gift—not because they deserve any of it, but because God is so gracious to give it to them.  “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever!” they exult; and the more they have, the more they give thanks and praise to the One who has given it to them.  We should always see our glass as half full, because it leads to living a full life before the face of God.

“Half-emptiers” are never satisfied with their portion, because they fail to see the Lord as their ultimate portion.  They are focused on the “stuff” of life.  If they have a job, they want a better-paying one.  If they have a home, they want a bigger one.  If they have a spouse, they want a newer one!  They view life with dissatisfaction, always hoping for something better to come along.  They live in the gloomy light of Murphy’s Law: anything that can go wrong, will!  Half-emptiers have the proverbial dark cloud hanging over their head. 

But this is not for you!  We do not need to speculate about what our attitude should be about the glass; Paul’s letter to the Philippian Christians provides clear instruction:

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.  (Philippians 4:11-13)

Those who preach the gospel to themselves every day always see the glass as half full.  In fact, they are simply thankful for whatever God has chosen to pour in their glass at that moment.  The celebrated Confederate general, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, once said, ““I have so fixed the habit of prayer in my mind that I never raise a glass of water to my lips without asking God’s blessing.”  “Stonewall” was standing on the Rock! He knew full well that we deserve nothing but judgment and condemnation; instead, if we have trusted in Christ’s atoning death on our behalf, we receive mercy and grace.  We should be overwhelmed that, while we were still sinners, God would raise us from death to life!  We should be awed by the inconceivable love of Christ and receive whatever comes our way with a heart of thanksgiving.  Does this describe you? 

Please don’t misunderstand me; I am not suggesting that we are to live lives devoid of dreams and desires.  God created us for increase and we should desire increase in every area of our lives that further the purposes of God.  What I am saying is that while we are dreaming, desiring, and doing everything we can to expand the cause of Christ for the glory of God, we should maintain an attitude of thanksgiving for whatever portion He delivers to us.

The glass is always half full for those who live Gospel-saturated lives, and their attitude of joy and abundance is evident to all who come in contact with them.  This is the best picture we can show a broken and hurting world of our good, glorious, and gracious God. 

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Today’s message is about the biblical theme of “Rock & Roll”—not the one popularized by the music industry in the 50’s and the 60’s.  There are many metaphors applied to God in Scripture; one of them is a Rock, which reveals aspects of God’s character. 

By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel.

(Genesis 49:24)

The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice.  A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4)

Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.  (Psalm 71:3)

The Stone which the builders rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone.

(Psalm 118:22)

Rocks and stones are highly valued as building materials because of their strength and stability.  They are incredibly durable, hard, and resistant to erosion and weathering.  To be sure, even the hardest rocks and stones will eventually deteriorate over time, but this change is virtually imperceptible, making them great visual symbols for our eternal God.

The primary aspect of God’s character expressed by this metaphor is His immutability (unchanging nature).  This is beautifully set forth in the book of Malachi and echoed by the author of Hebrews.

I am the Lord, I do not change.  (Malachi 3:6)

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.  (Hebrews 13:8)

When Jesus is the Rock upon which we have built our lives, we stand solidly upon an unchangeable and unmoving structure.  The respected Bible expositor Matthew Henry put it this way: “God is the rock, for he is in himself unchangeable, immovable, and he is to all that seek him and run to him an impenetrable shelter, and to all who trust in him an everlasting foundation.”  The strength and stability of our Rock is able to sustain us and strengthen us, regardless of the storm winds that are blowing. 

Instead of running from the storms of life, when we have built upon the Rock, we are empowered to roll with every difficulty life delivers.  Our Rock empowers us to roll over every obstacle.  Our Rock empowers us to roll through every problem.  Our Rock empowers us to roll around ever stronghold.  Is Jesus your Rock?  Is all of your life built upon Him?  Or are you holding back in some particular area?

The Scriptures present us with only two choices for building; one on sand, the other on Rock.  Sadly, many in the church build their lives on the shifting sand of professional success, personal relationships, the applause of man, or the pursuit of pleasure.   

If you want to live a Rock-solid life and roll with the punches, commit all of your life to building only upon the Rock.  When the storm winds blow, you will no longer have to run for higher ground . . . because there is no better ground upon which to build than the Rock of Ages.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN! 

If we are to be disciples of Jesus we should be like Him in every way.  Now, that does not mean we will be like Him in His perfection, but rather His practice.  The life we live should resemble the life He lived, and there is no better portrait of His life than the one found in the book of Acts in five simple words.

As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.  (Acts 10:36-38)

There are three things I would like to highlight in those remarkable words: HE WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD! 

1.  HE went about doing good.  To be sure, Jesus had His disciples whom He sent out to do good, but He never neglected to do good Himself.  The King of kings and the Lord of lords did not neglect to do good Himself.  In today’s language, it’s one thing to write a check in support of ministry needs; it’s another thing altogether to show up personally and meet that need physically when possible.    

2.  He WENT ABOUT doing good.  He did not set up shop in the center of Jerusalem waiting for others to come to Him.  He went out to them, meeting people in their place of need.  He went to the sick.  He went to the hurting.  He went to the lame.  He went to the broken.  He went to the poor.  He went to the outcast.  He went to the demon possessed.  He went on errands of eternal good for the lives of so many, in spite of distance, difficulty, danger . . . and ultimately death. 

3.  He we about DOING GOOD.   The portrait of the life of Christ makes it clear that the gospel was never intended to meet only spiritual needs.  Jesus came not only to redeem, but to restore.  His rescue is far reaching with the intended good of all of the broken creation.  He went about doing good as a portrait of His ultimate goal of making all things new; And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:5).   

My pastor, Tullian Tchividjian, wrote in Unfashionable: “God wants us to join him in his work of renewing people, places, and things.  He wants Christians to renew their cultures to the honor and glory of God.  God wants those he’s redeemed to work at transforming this broken world and all its broken structures—families, churches, governments, business—in a way that reflects an answer to the Lord’s Prayer: ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matthew 6:10).” 

The life of Christ makes it clear that what we are positionally (a child of the Most High God) needs to be lived out practically (going about doing good).  The only way we will ever become what we already are is by surrendering our lives to the service of our Savior, so that He, by His grace, can paint a portrait that matches our profession. 

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!