Sure It Does A Body Good, But First You Have To Taste And See

In We’re Not Like That Church Down The Street, Richard points out that most churches believe that they are less watered-down than all the rest of the churches.

As a matter of fact, in a particular consulting season, I asked about ten churches in a row if they considered themselves “deeper” than the other churches in their community. Ten out of ten, despite being from different denominations and of different sizes, all claimed to be “deep”. Go figure! Maybe those are just the churches that hire marketing consultants . Maybe it’s that we all value depth and feel as though we’ve nailed it. Either way, we might just be missing it if we feel we have a unique claim on truth—or assume that others fall so short.

Recently Ryan addressed this issue as well in Neglecting The Weightier Matters.

I think it rather comical/ignorant that so many Christan’s  in the first category think that the Emerging church is taking over and that liberal/humanistic and social theology is on the rise. Yet, if they visited  any churches at all in America or just in the south, they would not hear anything about change at all towards being emergent or social, they would hear the same old thing they’ve heard for years, with a little bit of church growth techniques thrown in every once in a while.

With all the discussion about Calvinism and Total Depravity going on lately, I realize that the church seems to be divided into a few different camps.

1. Focus on Church Growth (Evangelism)
2. Focus on Spiritual Health (Edification)
3. Focus on Temporal Needs (Missions)

There is value in all three of these, but there must be a balance involved as well. More than balance, we need to remember Christ’s primary mission.

And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” — Luke 19:10

Salvation is the principle work of the Bible. The entire Bible is a love of story of God’s heart to redeem miserable, fallen humanity.  Too often we get bogged down in service, and forget to learn.

But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away.” — Luke 10:40-42

How many times do churches read that and then try to pass along the guilt trip to those who aren’t serving, because if they helped out a little bit, the busybodies wouldn’t be so bogged down.

But they miss the whole point.

The busybodies don’t need less to do, they need to do less.

So it’s better to sit at the feet of Jesus than it is to serve?
At times, it is better. But we must also remember that if all we do is sit around, we will lose our ability to do much else. “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies” (1 Corinthians 8:1).

We know that love is not merely an emotion, but it is a state of mind. It is action.

Love sufers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. — 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

So it’s important to evangelize. It’s important to grow spiritually. It’s important to serve help the poor. But all of our service to God and man must be done with love at the core.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have no love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. — 1 Corinthians 13:1

Paul is saying that if we exhibit great external signs for all the world to see and yet do not have God-given love, we are simply making noise.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. — 1 Corinthians 13:2

Paul is saying that no matter how much we edify and strengthen other believers, if it is done for anything other than purely selfless motivations, there is no benefit to us.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. — 1 Corinthians 13:3

Again, if we devote our lives to meeting the physical needs of the poor and needy in this world, and yet are not doing it out of a loving heart, we miss the whole point.

The Gates of Hades Shall Not Prevail

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)

I was thinking this morning about this verse. So often, I hear it in a context that no matter what Satan and his minions dish out at us, we will stay strong. Taken at face value, that is a good point. But that is not remotely what the context is saying here.

Take a moment. Think.

Are gates weapons?
Absolutely not! Gates, in fact, are defensive.

So if Jesus is telling His followers that the gates of Hades won’t overcome them, then does it not stand to reason that we should be doing everything in our power to storm the enemy’s gates? After all, they won’t prevail against us!

When are we most susceptible to defeat?
When we’re sitting around, not focusing on the fight, we tend to run a greater risk of losing. Especially when God is on our side. When we are sitting around, we are also more prone to ambush. The times when we are comfortable are the times when we must be most alert.

Comfort never leads to growth
God told me this a few weeks ago. When we are sitting around doing nothing, we run the lowest risk of growing than at any other time. The Kingdom of God is not about relaxation and laziness.

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8)

Now to be clear, I understand that Jesus was telling Peter and the disciples in the Matthew passage that we will not die and eternally stay in Hades. At the same time, I think this is a remarkable application…

Hope – First Sunday of Advent

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. This is a time set aside for both remembering the First Coming and anticipating the Second Coming of Christ. As I’ve done a bit more reading on the topic, I realize that there are a variety of methods for commemorating Advent. I’ll stick with what we’re doing at my church fellowship.

In this first Sunday of Advent, the focus is Hope. We lit the Hope Candle this morning, which represents the Patriarchs of the faith. Hope is a funny thing. Hopelessness is possibly one of most insidious enemies of true Christian joy. What does the Bible tell us about hope?

“Turn back, my daughters, go–for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, [if] I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons,” – (Ruth 1:12)

“For we [are] aliens and pilgrims before You, As [were] all our fathers; Our days on earth [are] as a shadow, And without hope.” – (1 Chronicles 29:15)

“And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this.” – (Ezra 10:2)

“[Is] not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope?” – (Job 4:6)

“So the poor have hope, And injustice shuts her mouth.” – (Job 5:16)

“”What strength do I have, that I should hope? And what [is] my end, that I should prolong my life?” – (Job 6:11)

“The caravans of Tema look, The travelers of Sheba hope for them.” – (Job 6:19)

“”My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And are spent without hope.” – (Job 7:6)

“So [are] the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish,” – (Job 8:13)

“And you would be secure, because there is hope; Yes, you would dig [around you, and] take your rest in safety.” – (Job 11:18)

“But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And they shall not escape, And their hope–loss of life!”" – (Job 11:20)

“”For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease.” – (Job 14:7)

“[As] water wears away stones, [And as] torrents wash away the soil of the earth; So You destroy the hope of man.” – (Job 14:19)

“Where then [is] my hope? As for my hope, who can see it?” – (Job 17:15)

“He breaks me down on every side, And I am gone; My hope He has uprooted like a tree.” – (Job 19:10)

“For what is the hope of the hypocrite, Though he may gain [much], If God takes away his life?” – (Job 27:8)

“”If I have made gold my hope, Or said to fine gold, ‘[You are] my confidence’;” – (Job 31:24)

“Indeed, [any] hope of [overcoming] him is false; Shall [one not] be overwhelmed at the sight of him?” – (Job 41:9)

“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.” – (Psalms 16:9)

“Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.” – (Psalms 31:24)

“A horse [is] a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver [any] by its great strength.” – (Psalms 33:17)

“Behold, the eye of the LORD [is] on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,” – (Psalms 33:18)

“Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, Just as we hope in You.” – (Psalms 33:22)

“For in You, O LORD, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God.” – (Psalms 38:15)

“”And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope [is] in You.” – (Psalms 39:7)

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And [why] are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him [For] the help of His countenance.*” – (Psalms 42:5)

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” – (Psalms 42:11)

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” – (Psalms 43:5)

“Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set [your] heart [on them].” – (Psalms 62:10)

“For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; [You are] my trust from my youth.” – (Psalms 71:5)

“But I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more.” – (Psalms 71:14)

“That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments;” – (Psalms 78:7)

“Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope.” – (Psalms 119:49)

“My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word.” – (Psalms 119:81)

“You [are] my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.” – (Psalms 119:114)

“Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; And do not let me be ashamed of my hope.” – (Psalms 119:116)

“I rise before the dawning of the morning, And cry for help; I hope in Your word.” – (Psalms 119:147)

“LORD, I hope for Your salvation, And I do Your commandments.” – (Psalms 119:166)

“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.” – (Psalms 130:5)

“O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD [there is] mercy, And with Him [is] abundant redemption.” – (Psalms 130:7)

“O Israel, hope in the LORD From this time forth and forever.” – (Psalms 131:3)

“Happy [is he] who [has] the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope [is] in the LORD his God,” – (Psalms 146:5)

“The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.” – (Psalms 147:11)

“The hope of the righteous [will be] gladness, But the expectation of the wicked will perish.” – (Proverbs 10:28)

“When a wicked man dies, [his] expectation will perish, And the hope of the unjust perishes.” – (Proverbs 11:7)

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But [when] the desire comes, [it is] a tree of life.” – (Proverbs 13:12)

“Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.*” – (Proverbs 19:18)

“For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.” – (Proverbs 23:18)

“So [shall] the knowledge of wisdom [be] to your soul; If you have found [it], there is a prospect, And your hope will not be cut off.” – (Proverbs 24:14)

“Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? [There is] more hope for a fool than for him.” – (Proverbs 26:12)

“Do you see a man hasty in his words? [There is] more hope for a fool than for him.” – (Proverbs 29:20)

“But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.” – (Ecclesiastes 9:4)

“And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him.” – (Isaiah 8:17)

“For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth.” – (Isaiah 38:18)

“You are wearied in the length of your way; [Yet] you did not say, ‘There is no hope.’ You have found the life of your hand; Therefore you were not grieved.” – (Isaiah 57:10)

“Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘There is no hope. No! For I have loved aliens, and after them I will go.’” – (Jeremiah 2:25)

“O the Hope of Israel, his Savior in time of trouble, Why should You be like a stranger in the land, And like a traveler [who] turns aside to tarry for a night?” – (Jeremiah 14:8)

“”Blessed [is] the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD.” – (Jeremiah 17:7)

“O LORD, the hope of Israel, All who forsake You shall be ashamed. “Those who depart from Me Shall be written in the earth, Because they have forsaken the LORD, The fountain of living waters.”" – (Jeremiah 17:13)

“Do not be a terror to me; You [are] my hope in the day of doom.” – (Jeremiah 17:17)

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – (Jeremiah 29:11)

“There is hope in your future, says the LORD, That [your] children shall come back to their own border.” – (Jeremiah 31:17)

“All who found them have devoured them; And their adversaries said, ‘We have not offended, Because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, The LORD, the hope of their fathers.’” – (Jeremiah 50:7)

“And I said, “My strength and my hope Have perished from the LORD.”" – (Lamentations 3:18)

“This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.” – (Lamentations 3:21)

“”The LORD [is] my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”" – (Lamentations 3:24)

“[It is] good that [one] should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the LORD.” – (Lamentations 3:26)

“Let him put his mouth in the dust– There may yet be hope.” – (Lamentations 3:29)

“They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD!’ But the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed.” – (Ezekiel 13:6)

“‘When she saw that she waited, [that] her hope was lost, She took another of her cubs [and] made him a young lion.” – (Ezekiel 19:5)

“Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’” – (Ezekiel 37:11)

“I will give her her vineyards from there, And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there, As in the days of her youth, As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.” – (Hosea 2:15)

“Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare [That] I will restore double to you.” – (Zechariah 9:12)

“And if you lend [to those] from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.” – (Luke 6:34)

“Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.” – (Acts 2:26)

“But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged [them] into the marketplace to the authorities.” – (Acts 16:19)

“so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;” – (Acts 17:27)

“But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men [and] brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”" – (Acts 23:6)

“I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of [the] dead,* both of [the] just and [the] unjust.” – (Acts 24:15)

“And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.” – (Acts 26:6)

“To this [promise] our twelve tribes, earnestly serving [God] night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.” – (Acts 26:7)

“Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on [us], all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.” – (Acts 27:20)

“For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see [you] and speak with [you], because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”" – (Acts 28:20)

“who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”*” – (Romans 4:18)

“through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” – (Romans 5:2)

“and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” – (Romans 5:4)

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” – (Romans 5:5)

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected [it] in hope;” – (Romans 8:20)

“For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?” – (Romans 8:24)

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for [it] with perseverance.” – (Romans 8:25)

“rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;” – (Romans 12:12)

“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” – (Romans 15:4)

“And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”*” – (Romans 15:12)

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – (Romans 15:13)

“whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you.* For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your [company] for a while.” – (Romans 15:24)

“Or does He say [it] altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, [this] is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.” – (1 Corinthians 9:10)

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these [is] love.” – (1 Corinthians 13:13)

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” – (1 Corinthians 15:19)

“For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits.” – (1 Corinthians 16:7)

“And our hope for you [is] steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also [you will partake] of the consolation.” – (2 Corinthians 1:7)

“Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech–” – (2 Corinthians 3:12)

“not boasting of things beyond measure, [that is], in other men’s labors, but having hope, [that] as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere,” – (2 Corinthians 10:15)

“For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” – (Galatians 5:5)

“the eyes of your understanding* being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,” – (Ephesians 1:18)

“that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” – (Ephesians 2:12)

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;” – (Ephesians 4:4)

“according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.” – (Philippians 1:20)

“Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me.” – (Philippians 2:23)

“because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,” – (Colossians 1:5)

“if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.” – (Colossians 1:23)

“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which* is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” – (Colossians 1:27)

“remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,” – (1 Thessalonians 1:3)

“For what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? [Is it] not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” – (1 Thessalonians 2:19)

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.” – (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

“But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” – (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given [us] everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,” – (2 Thessalonians 2:16)

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,” – (1 Timothy 1:1)

“These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;” – (1 Timothy 3:14)

“in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,” – (Titus 1:2)

“looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,” – (Titus 2:13)

“that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” – (Titus 3:7)

“but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.*” – (Hebrews 3:6)

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,” – (Hebrews 6:11)

“that by two immutable things, in which it [is] impossible for God to lie, we might* have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before [us].” – (Hebrews 6:18)

“This [hope] we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the [Presence] behind the veil,” – (Hebrews 6:19)

“for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, [there is the] bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” – (Hebrews 7:19)

“Let us hold fast the confession of [our] hope without wavering, for He who promised [is] faithful.” – (Hebrews 10:23)

“Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” – (1 Peter 1:3)

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest [your] hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” – (1 Peter 1:13)

“who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” – (1 Peter 1:21)

“But sanctify the Lord God* in your hearts, and always [be] ready to [give] a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;” – (1 Peter 3:15)

“And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” – (1 John 3:3)

“Having many things to write to you, I did not wish [to do so] with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.” – (2 John 1:12)

“but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face. Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.” – (3 John 1:14)

What can we learn from this? It just jumps out at me that in all of His teaching, Jesus didn’t preach about hope. The only mention is not of the positive feel-goody type hope sermons we hear so often on television today.

The Wordle gives a clearer picture even. I think it becomes very obvious what the source of our hope is. As I read it, the five largest words are hope, Lord, God, Christ, and Jesus. When I think of hope, I think of Romans 5:5. “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

If you like this, you’re welcome to use this Desktop Wallpaper.

I praise God for the hope that we have in Him. Over the course of this week, I want to consider hope more in depth. What do you get from these passages?