Sermon Video: What is Goof for Everyone - 1 Thessalonians 5:5-12

As he begins wrapping up his letter with a variety of instruction for the church at Thessalonica, the Apostle Paul weaves his insight around the theme of, "what is good for each other and for everyone else."  In shorter form: What is good for everyone.  As a local church, this is always going to be a significant challenge.  We have to come to agreement on what is good in various situation, decide how to pursue it, and peaceably work together to try to achieve it, for everyone.  Difficult, but not impossible for a people called and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Sermon Video: Love and a Quiet Life - 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12

 The words of the Apostle Paul to the church at Thessalonica about how to please God in this text feel like they have a strong disconnect with life in the modern information age.  It is more difficult for us to make the genuine connections that lead to the type of fellowship he describes that embraces love, and it is much more difficult to lead a quiet life that avoids the turmoil of being involved in other people's business.

And yet, we need Paul's wisdom more than ever.  Our social media and smartphone fueled lives are causing emotional, psychological, and yes, spiritual harms, including to those who are part of the kingdom of God.

Listen to the Word of God: 62 Scripture passages that refute 'Christian' Nationalism - #37 Romans 12:17-21

 

Romans 12:17-21 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

On April 7, 2026, the President of the United States wrote on Truth Social, "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again." He was speaking of the 90 million people of Iran.  Much to the relief of the world, the genocide threatened by President Trump did not happen.  That it might have is yet another reason why the Church and the Gospel cannot possibly make alliance with any kingdom of this world.  This grandiose vision of death and destruction is not what we have been called to as followers of Jesus Christ.  In fact, our calling is very nearly the opposite of this: turn the other cheek.

The efforts of Pope Leo, among others, to advocate for the Christian interest in peace were loudly mocked by those in the political realm, with some proclaiming that politicians know better about what the Bible teaches about war.

The kingdoms of this world, whether in this current moment or in generations past, operate using tools and methods, even when they stop well short of the mass slaughter of genocide, that are not permissible to followers of Jesus.  Their ways are not our ways.  The kingdoms of this world make moral compromises for their own benefit, those are choices that are not permissible for followers of Jesus Christ.  Their priorities are not our priorities.  The kingdoms of this world view other nations on a spectrum from ally to enemy, a self-interested scale that often shifts {Consider America's history with our first foe England who later after another war in 1812 shifted to become our staunchest ally}.  By contrast, those who are in Christ have been called to look at humanity without these labels, to view all people as either those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ to whom we owe loving fellowship, or as those with whom we have been called to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Enemies?  Only if they choose to be, we'd rather they accept God's grace and join us in fellowship.

Are the Iranian people the enemy of Jesus Christ?  No.  Are they the enemy of Christianity?  No.  Are they the enemy of the Gospel?  No.  Our response as followers of Jesus Christ in all three cases is to do what is noble, just, and good with respect to the Iranian people.  'Christian' Nationalism stands ready to choose sides in conflicts great and small and, "root, root, root for the home team," but they are wrong, our calling is much higher and much nobler than the whims of geopolitics. 

Sermon Video: Brought Near to God by the Blood of Christ - Ephesians 2:11-14

The amazing salvation provided by Jesus Christ has implications that ripple across every area we might consider.  In this case, the Apostle Paul focuses on how the Blood of Christ has brought us near to God.  Previous barriers have been eliminated.  Previous assistance (Temple, Priest, animal sacrifice) has ceased to be needed.  Now, because of Jesus, was can commune directly with God.

To illustrate this wondrous development.  Paul tells us that Jesus has destroyed the dividing wall that separated into groups (Gentiles, Jewish women, Jewish men, Jewish priests) those who sought God's presence at the Temple.

6 months since October 7, there are no winners here: A response to the essay by Frida Ghitis (CNN, 4/5/24)

 

{“In war, whichever side may call itself the victor, there are no winners, but all are losers.” - Neville Chamberlain     That quote would probably be better remembered if it wasn’t from Neville Chamberlain.  The former British Prime Ministers is best remembered for appeasing the maniac Adolf Hitler before WWII started.  But Chamberlain wasn’t wrong.  He was about Hitler in particular, there was no bargaining with that evil man, but he was right about war.  Even when it is necessary, even when it could be deemed a righteous act of defending the weak against the strong, one doesn’t “win” a war, one survives it, and hopefully limits the damage.  That’s the situation that Israel has been facing since October 7^th of 2023: it can’t win, the only question is how costly will survival be both to the Israelites themselves and to the Palestinians.  The essay below is attempting to reason through to that conclusion.}

Almost exactly six months ago, Israelis awoke to a nightmare. Civilians in the southern part of the country, areas near the border with Gaza, were under a brutal, ongoing attack. It would become the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust and a prelude to unspeakable suffering on both sides of the border.

{To think and talk about the costs of the war against Hamas that followed after October 7^th is not to minimize the horror of that day.  The same is true for the tragedies of 9/11, Pearl Harbor, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.  In each case an act of sudden evil caught a people off-guard and led to a forceful and far greater response.  In each case, moral questions were raised by how the aggrieved party responded and by the unintended consequences of those responses.  The original moral evil in all four instances has no excuse, no justification, no sympathy.}

Six months after Hamas launched that deadly rampage, knowing that Israel’s response would be ferocious, there are only losers in this terrible war.

It’s hard now to find many winners with the death toll mounting among Gazans and hunger growing in the strip. And with Israeli hostages still held captive, perhaps in dank Hamas tunnels.

{As it was with WWI, WWII, and the War on Terror, so it has been in Israel and Gaza.  War takes on a life of its own, one action leads to another, one cost justifies another.  WWI left an entire generation decimated and cynical, it weakened institutions that were necessary for civilization leaving them unable to stop the march toward WWII.  WWII gave us not only the firebombing of entire cities, but the atomic bomb and the Holocaust as well.  The scale of the War on Terror was much smaller than WWI and WWII, but it still left us with the Patriot Act, drone strikes across the globe, seemingly endless war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the shame of Abu Ghraib.  Looking back upon history, each response appears solidly unavoidable, each war a product of choices made at the time that felt reasonable, but if that is indeed true and such death and destruction was the inevitable result of what had preceded it, we still must count the cost to both the innocent who suffered alongside the perpetrators and how fighting those wars changed us as well.  It is in this vein that All Quiet on the Western Front and Slaughterhouse Five were written, among many others.  And so, it is entirely reasonable to look at the Israel/Hamas War after six months and count the cost, to remind ourselves that history teaches us that we should not expect to find any winners.}

For Hamas, the fact that war continues may count as a victory, but thousands of Hamas’ fighters — the exact number is disputed — have been killed. Hamas may be decimated, perhaps unable to hold on to power, but that’s no victory for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is under growing global pressure and besieged by protesters at home, and whose legacy will be forever darkened.

Even US President Joe Biden has paid a price, caught in an election-year political vise between those who think he is too supportive of Israel and those who think he has been too critical.

The strife has also detonated a worldwide explosion of antisemitism, reviving a hatred that had lain lightly dormant. It’s causing anxiety across Europe, and leading some American Jews to conclude that one country where they had felt safe is no longer a haven, as they face antisemitism from the left and the right. Anti-Muslim bigotry has also increased.

This awful chapter started on October 7 last year, when Hamas terrorists breached what was supposed to be a secure border and slaughtered Israelis in their beds, in their living rooms, in their cars, at an outdoor music festival and bus shelters and parks.

They raped countless women with horrifying brutality.

Israeli security forces were nowhere to be found for hours. Hamas — the Iran-allied group that rules Gaza — killed more than 1,200 Israelis and dragged back hundreds more as hostages. The area lay in ruins. Israelis’ sense of security had been shattered.

Today, it is Gaza that lies in ruins, tens of thousands of Palestinians killed by Israel in its quest to uproot and destroy Hamas. As Israel crushes Gaza, its global reputation is getting shattered. But still the IDF believes around 100 Israeli hostages remain captive of Hamas and other militants in conditions that one shudders to imagine.

This week’s Israeli strike on a World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy, killing seven aid workers, adds to the calamity of this convulsion in the perennially unstable crossroads of the Middle East. Amid the outrage and heartbreak, WCK’s founder, celebrity chef José Andrés, accuses Israel of targeting his staff. Israel has apologized, saying the convoy was misidentified. Israel has fired two officers and reprimanded senior commanders after an inquiry into the strike.

{The cost has been high.  Evil like that unleashed on October 7^th against innocent men, women, and children always leads to a ripple effect of costs, nearly always spirals out of control.  Inevitable?  Perhaps, but still horrific, still worthy of lament.}

There was never any question that Israel would respond to October 7. It had been attacked by a group that promised it would repeat the massacre of Israelis and is backed by Iran, a country whose leaders have vowed to destroy Israel. The attack led some there to conclude that whatever price Israel should pay for absolute victory — including in global public opinion — it is worth paying. Besides, the attackers kidnapped hundreds of its citizens, including women, children and the elderly. Israel needed to save them.

{I remember the days after 9/11.  There was never any doubt that wherever these terrorists were hiding, American bombs and bullets would find them.  That day’s shock and horror gave rise quickly to songs and slogans about stomping on terrorists, and to a sudden rise in anti-Islamic sentiment among a people who previously had spent little time thinking about Islam.  Likewise, Israel was going to respond, and with much greater force than Hamas had employed (because of the limits of Hamas’ resources, not a limit on its hatred, they’ve stated many times their desire to kill all Jews).

This is not the response envisioned by Jesus when he commanded us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.  Even if a government needs to respond with war to protect its citizens, the hatred that war gives birth to in the hearts of the people who were attacked is a tragedy.  Few times in Church history has the response to evil been forgiveness and mercy.  Individuals have responded to their own suffering, even martyrdom, with Christ-like forgiveness, but rarely has this translated to a whole people.  Sadly, when our nation experienced tragedy similar to what Israel has just lived through, the Church in America wasn’t able (much of it wasn't willing) to be a voice of reconciliation after 9/11, myself included.  The desire for justice, even messy justice that says, “Kill them all, let God sort them out” is a powerful enticement.  The path of peace after injustice is brutally hard, for this reason we are in awe of those like Nelson Mandela who choose it instead of vengeance.}

In the immediate aftermath, world leaders expressed support for Israel. But when the death toll in Gaza starting climbing, as Hamas knew it would, international support for Israel turned to withering criticism. In the most painful irony of all, Israel — the country that became home to Holocaust survivors, under attack by a group whose original charter outlined a genocidal ideology and a vow to destroy Israel — was itself perversely accused of genocide.

{Entirely predictable.  The initial support followed by eventual criticism as the death and destruction continued is the exact same pattern that America experienced after 9/11.  The primary difference between the two stories is that the reality of global antisemitism gave Israel a shorter runway between sympathy and criticism, i.e. a much briefer window to respond to terrorism before criticism, justifiable or not, began to mount.}

As always, the greatest suffering, the biggest losers, have been civilians on both sides. Palestinians in Gaza are enduring a living nightmare. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 30,000 have been killed in the conflict. The figures don’t distinguish between combatants and civilians, but there’s little doubt that horrifyingly large numbers of them, including children, have been killed. The territory is a wasteland.

Gazans are caught between the cynicism of Hamas, the geopolitical concerns of their Arab neighbors and Israel’s determination to win at any cost. Hamas leaders, comfortable in exile, proclaimed early on that they are “proud to sacrifice martyrs.” Hamas fighters embedded themselves in Gaza’s population, including in hospitals, essentially daring Israel to kill civilians to get to them.

In most wars, civilians would have been allowed to flee the fighting, but the people of Gaza were not allowed to leave the territory whether they wanted to or not. Hamas urged them to stay. Egypt, worried about whether Israel would allow the people to return and concerned about instability on its soil, closed its border to all but a small number of Palestinian civilians.

The cruel fact is that the lives of Palestinians have not been the highest priority for anyone in this war.

{It has always been this way in human history, innocent civilians always pay the highest price in war.  It has also always been true that the evil men who sow the seeds of war rarely are the ones who pay the consequences, that’s one of the reasons why they’re willing to start down that path in the first place.}

Complicating the situation is the political crisis in Israel, which preceded the October 7 attack. Netanyahu — a political survivor who faces corruption charges — already presided over the most right-wing government in Israel’s history. Before the war, tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets in nearly 10 months of weekly protests against a plan that would have severely weakened Israeli democracy by stripping the Supreme Court of much of its power.

Netanyahu was, in my view and others’, already the worst prime minister in Israel’s history even before October 7.

Polls have found that most Israelis want him gone. Now Benny Gantz, a member of the war cabinet but also the leading opposition figure before the war, has called for new elections in September. Recent polling says say he’s Netanyahu’s most likely successor.

Devastation in Gaza as Israel wages war on Hamas

The fact that Netanyahu is heading the government during one of the most dangerous, most damaging times in Israel’s history only adds to the disturbing nature of this conflict. Israel is not in good hands.

Would another leader, a different government, have been able to conduct the war with fewer civilian deaths, with less damage to Israel’s global standing, without eroding the vital relationship between Israel and the United States? I suspect the answer is yes.

{Few leaders are up to the task of shepherding their people through a time of war and at the same time minimizing the cost that it exacts from both their own people and the civilians on the other side.  While it is true that Netanyahu has numerous critics both in Israel and beyond, I think the essay strays in this section away from the salient and necessary conversation about the cost of war itself.}

If there’s any glimmer of hope in this dispiriting landscape it is that the young Abraham Accords — which normalized relations between Israel and some of its Arab neighbors — have survived the toughest of stress tests. That augurs well for the long run, for more stability of the region, eventually.

{What lies on the other side of this war?  None know for certain.  If there is a path to a wider peace between Israel and its neighbors, it will feel like a miracle.  We can hope that the horrors of this war will make it harder to start the next one.}

It opens the door to the possibility that once this war is over, once the post-war phase — whatever that looks like — also comes to an end, there could be a new architecture that leads to peace. For that to happen, however, two of the many losing protagonists in this conflict, Hamas and Netanyahu, cannot remain in power.

{We have set aside time in our worship services each Sunday since October 7^th to pray for Israel and Gaza, for the Jews and the Palestinians, for Christians, Muslims, and followers of Judaism in the Holy Land.  As I lead these prayers, my focus is primarily upon those suffering from the war, on both sides, pleading to God to protect them.  I also pray for a just and lasting peace, admitting in my prayers that I don’t know how we get from here to there.  Which leaders would it require and what choices would they need to make?  That answer is in God’s hands alone.  I don’t know if peace is possible with Netanyahu as the Prime Minister of Israel, because nobody really knows the answer to that question.  And so, rather than calling for specific steps, my prayers leave the “how” in the hands of God, and focus instead on the ordinary people whose lives have been forever changed by this violence, may they be protected, comforted, and healed, and may peace prevail even after the horrors of war.}

{Lastly, talking to my Bible Study group and leading FB Live prayers just after October 7^th, I said, “There are no good choices left.”  I then explained that whatever the government of Israel did next, the choices would all be bad, and the cost high.  The same calculus existed for the Palestinians, they would only have bad choices left to them after what Hamas had done.  That wasn’t prophecy, simply an awareness of history because humanity has seen this cycle play out over and over again.  Unfortunately, this time hasn’t been an exception to the rule, this war has been like so many others that preceded it.  Whatever happens next, let us pray for those in need, let us hope for justice and peace.}

Sermon Video: Jesus: Fulfilling God's promises to the Jews, showing mercy to the Gentiles - Romans 15:7-13

In his conclusion to the section that began in chapter 14 about the need for Christians to accept each other, Paul offers us a telling analogy: "just as Christ accepted you."  This prompts Paul to a brief explanation as to how Jesus both fulfilled the promises to Abraham, and brought God's mercy to the Gentiles.  Thus our task becomes clear, to be bearers of hope, by overflowing with hope and peace, to both Jew and Gentile alike.

Sermon Video: Rejecting Evil and Revenge by Embracing Kindness and Peace - Romans 12:17-21

How should the followers of Jesus respond to evil?  The answer can never be with our own evil attitudes and actions.  Where does that leave us?  We must turn instead to kindness and peace, embracing them no matter what happens, knowing that God may use our kindness to open the door to his own mercy upon those who are evil, for only God knows how each person's story ends, as objects of God's wrath or love.

Listen to the Word of God: 62 Scripture passages that refute 'Christian' Nationalism - #23: Luke 6:27-36

 

Donald Trump Jr. tells young conservatives that following Jesus’ command to ‘turn the other cheek’ has ‘gotten us nothing’

Luke 6:27-36     New International Version

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

It isn't everyday that a 'Christian' Nationalist figure, and one of the most popular ones at that, flat out dismisses the teachings of Jesus as a plan that has "gotten us nothing."  But on December 19th, 2021 at a Turning Point USA conference, Donald Trump Jr. did just that.  The extended quotation is below:

“If we get together, they cannot cancel us all. OK? They won’t,” he said. “And this will be contrary to a lot of our beliefs because — I’d love not to have to participate in cancel culture. I’d love that it didn’t exist. But as long as it does, folks, we better be playing the same game. OK? We’ve been playing T-ball for half a century while they’re playing hardball and cheating. Right? We’ve turned the other cheek, and I understand, sort of, the biblical reference — I understand the mentality — but it’s gotten us nothing. OK? It’s gotten us nothing while we’ve ceded ground in every major institution in our country.”

And while the mockery of 'turn the other cheek' got some slight pushback, with baptistnews.com, churchleaders.com, and relevantmagazine.com all posting articles condemning the dismissal of Jesus' command to his disciples, there was remarkable little response from the likes of Franklin Graham, John MacArthur, Doug Wilson, James White, Robert Jeffress, or Thomas Ascol, all of whom have been quick over the years to condemn liberal derelictions of inerrancy (that is, not taking the Bible seriously as authoritative truth, when accurate these criticisms are warranted), but a Google search finds none of them saying a peep when a leader on 'our team' publicly declares that we've listened to Jesus for far too long.

{There is a separate conversation to be had about the premise: I don't believe that Jerry Falwell, the Moral Majority, or the Christian Coalition, for example, were actively 'turning the other cheek' in recent decades, rather they fought tooth and nail in the cultural and governmental arenas to which Donald Trump Jr. is referring.}

That's one of the things that 'Christian' Nationalism does to the Church.  It creates excuses for when 'our team' defies scripture, even openly mocks Jesus.  Why?  Because we need those allies to win.  It doesn't really matter if their faith is genuine, if their lives are moral or immoral, winning is everything.

Throughout the centuries the Church has failed to embrace Jesus' teaching on this topic of non-violence, non-resistance, and prayer for our enemies about as often and as thoroughly as any topic addressed by Jesus or covered extensively in the N.T.  Our track record since Constantine's legalization of Christianity has been mixed, at best, far too often it has been awful.

And yet, now we're being told that we need to take the gloves off?  We need bare-knuckle boxing because using a bit of restraint isn't good enough?

Nope.  Not what Jesus told us to do, not what the Word of God commands, I don't care how important you are as a politician, or how many retweets you're getting these days, your authority falls massively short in comparison.

Sermon Video: Peace with God, Romans 4:23-5:2

Having established both the forgiveness of our sins, removing God's wrath, and our justification, making Christ's righteousness our own, both through faith in Jesus Christ, now Paul turns to the implications of these profound changes of status by highlighting one of the most important: we have peace with God.

Gaining peace with God is far more valuable than we understand, in part because most of humanity does not recognize that it is currently at war with God, a hopeless path.  Also, peace with God is a cause worthy of profound celebration as it will create positive change throughout our lives, both present and future.

Sermon Video: The Resurrected Jesus: peace, understanding, evangelism, Luke 24:36-49

The first Easter Sunday culminated with a surprise visitation from Jesus to his closest disciples.  After a day of wonder, angelic messages, and doubt, Jesus suddenly stood among his disciples.  They responded with fear and doubt, but Jesus was willing to show them his hands and feet, and then to eat in front of them, to put their fear to rest.  Afterwards, Jesus took the time to explain how his past three days fit into the prophecies of old before honing in on what his disciples needed to do now that he was back from the dead: share the Good News.

Sermon Video: Swords and clubs to arrest the Prince of Peace - Mark 14:43-52

 

They came with swords and clubs to arrest Jesus because they expected him to fight back, they couldn't imagine that Jesus would not resist, that he would willingly face their 'justice'.  Jesus' non-violent self-sacrifice has inspired many through the years, like the Civil Rights protestors who were brutalized on Bloody Sunday, March 7th, 1965.  But his example has been ignored by many others, both Christians and those claiming to be.  From the Inquisition to Crusader armies, Christians have often 'fought fire with fire', choosing power (and/or wealth) in this world over service and sacrifice for the next.  A recent example illustrates the point: On December 19th 2021, Donald Trump Jr. declared at a conference that turning the other cheek has "gotten us nothing" and thus must be abandoned.  Following Jesus doesn't help us 'win' so we can't do it.  Christians know better, imitating Jesus isn't designed to help us 'win' in this world, it is the path of righteousness, the method by which we glorify the Gospel's declaration of victory over sin and death through self-sacrifice.  The calling of the Church is clear: imitate Jesus.

What the 10th Century 'Peace of God' Movement can teach us about our country's embrace of political partisanship and violence

Rapid economic change in 10th Century Western Europe led to instability, which created fertile ground for those with power to press their claims for more power at the expense of the common people.  If I replace 10th Century with 20th-21st and Western Europe with the whole world, the gap between our own predicament and the medieval world narrows considerably.  In their case, the economic change was newfound prosperity after the doldrums of the Dark Ages following the disintegration of the Roman Empire.  In our case, the economic change has been far less favorable to most people, but rapid change opens the door to power moves whether that change be for the better or for the worse.

The patchwork of nobles that controlled Western Europe took advantage of the changing landscape to press their own dynastic claims at the expense of their family rivals leading to endemic small scale warfare.  As Diarmaid MacCulloch tells it in Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years, 

"One symptom of the reorganization of society's wealth was a great deal of local warfare as rival magnates competed to establish their positions and property rights, or used violence against humble people in order to squeeze revenue and labor obligations from them; this was the era in which a rash of castles began to appear across the continent, centers of military operations and refuges for noblemen." (p. 370)

What was the Church's response to this violence and oppression of the 'least of these' by those who claimed to be followers of Jesus Christ, but acted in self-interested, and often violent greed instead?

The Church threw its moral authority against the violence and greed, threatening to excommunicate those who failed to keep the peace.

Beginning with the Bishop of Le Puy in 975, local Church leaders organized processions with holy relics and used their moral authority to cajole the feuding nobles into swearing solemn oaths to keep the peace.  Those that hesitated were persuaded by the threat of excommunication to accept the Church's restrictions on which days of the year they could fight without incurring the Church's wrath.  In addition, the Church set itself up as an arbiter where disputes could be resolved without bloodshed.  This movement had the backing of one of the most influential spiritual leaders of the day, Odilo, the abbot of the Cluny monastery, and eventually popes became involved in regulating the peace agreements.  In the end, the Church was not able to eliminate the greed and violent tendencies of the nobles, but they were able to significantly curtail it and limit its impact on the common people.

What then are the lessons for the Church in our own era of economic upheaval and political instability?  

1. The Church needs to stand with the common people, not seek the favor of the powerful.

This should hardly need to be said, given the clear teaching of Jesus Christ on the matter, but sadly we need to be reminded that the role and function of pastors/elders/bishops is not to curry the favor of powerful business leaders or politicians, but shepherd the flock of Jesus Christ.  Deference to the powerful is a betrayal of every minister's ordination vows, a sign of unhealthy priorities, and an invitation to moral compromise.  

2. The Church needs to withdraw its recognition/support of 'Christian' leaders/politicians whose behavior besmirches the name of Jesus Christ.

The threat of excommunication doesn't hold much water anymore, and a Church fractured into many pieces has difficulty speaking with one voice, but those in power have little incentive to change their ways when large and powerful churches gladly support their ambitions despite repeated evidences that those they support care little for Christian morality.  Such a reckoning is unlikely to come until churches eliminate their own tolerance for immorality among their own leadership {the plank in our own eye first}, something that sadly is all too common, but it is certainly necessary that they do so as the bond between a Church dedicated to imitating Christ-likeness and powerful people who ignore Christ's teachings, but still claim to be Christians, can only be a marriage that will stain the reputation of the Church.  While there will always be a charlatan like Paula White-Cain willing to embrace/endorse the rich and powerful for mutual gain, respectable Church leaders must walk away from these toxic relationships that benefit those who behave in ways that make a mockery of our faith by giveng them a veneer of legitimacy that their actions don't deserve.

In the end, Christians simply need to insist upon better leaders by choosing to not support those who demonstrate moral unfitness, whether that be in their own local church, their denominational leadership, or within the political party they support.

3. The Church needs to heal its own divisions and rivalries to allow it to speak with more moral authority.

This is, of course, the hardest of the three.  There are significant portions of the Church today who identify with liberal politicians/causes, and significant portions of the Church today who identify with conservative politicians/causes, MORE STRONGLY than they do with Christians who disagree with them on those issues.  In other words, for far too many Christians, politics comes first.  It is difficult for many liberal Christians to see conservative Christians as genuine believers, and vice versa.  The question: "Do you profess the risen Lord as Savior?" has been replaced as a test of faith with, "What is your position on Immigration?" {for example}  That this is unhealthy for the Church should be evident to both sides, but the solution to it is not going to be easy.  Here it is: We need to care more about unity in Christ than we do about winning elections.  We need to share the Gospel of Jesus to the Lost more passionately than we argue about the latest political scandal on social media.

What is the solution to America's growing descent into partisanship and political violence?  A Church that utilizes it own moral authority on behalf of the 'least of these', refuses to excuse immoral behavior on the part of leaders for the sake of power, and is willing to restore the Gospel as the test of faith and fellowship regardless of the political philosophies of those who proclaim Jesus as Lord.

Why are our elected leaders continuing down this path of bitter partisan divides?  Because the Church has been cheering them on from the sidelines.  It has to stop.

  

Our warped definition of Christianity is disastrous

What, and how, we think is important; very important.  What we believe in, and what we believe about important topics and issues profoundly shapes who we are.  But there is more to it than what and how we think.  It is absolutely true that an individual cannot be a Christian if they do not believe in Jesus Christ, in other words, they believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, and that he lived, died, and was raised to new life in order to set us free from sin (enslavement to, and debt because of).  {See John 3:16 as an example of this explained in one sentence}  Belief is not the end of the road.  Belief has to be accompanied by repentance {a turning away from sinful behavior} and has to lead to righteous living {by the power of the Holy Spirit} in order for belief to be effective.  In order for it to be real.  A belief in Jesus which does not change the trajectory of a person's life, in ways both small and great, is meaningless.  Herein lies the problem.  Consider the two passages of Scripture below which together illustrate the absolute necessity of "fruit" (ethical behavior) and give nine prime examples of what it looks like:

Matthew 7:16-20 New International Version (NIV)
16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Galatians 5:22-24 New International Version (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

To say, "I am a Christian" is not enough.  To have a particular political viewpoint is not enough (and often misleading).  To know the key words one should say in order to "sound like a Christian" is not enough.  To attend a church at Christmas and Easter, or even more often, is not enough.  To own a Bible, or even read it, is not enough.  To give money to Christian charities, or the Church itself, is not enough.  A person could have all of those things, and outwardly look the part, but without love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; they would have nothing. {See 1 Corinthians 11}  Don't get me wrong, someone who goes to church, reads a Bible, and gives money to Christian charities is better off than someone who doesn't; but only if those factors eventually lead to the radical change of mind and heart that gives evidence to the presence of the Holy Spirit and results in the outflow from that person's life of the fruit of the Spirit.  If a person remains "associated with" Christianity, but never moves forward, they will actually be worse off on the Day of Judgment for having known better without acting.  {See Hebrews 6:7-8}

The Church in America, in particular, has a self-identification problem.  We've allowed cultural distinctions and political viewpoints to more strongly define our view of what Christianity is than righteous living.  We've minimized our concern about the immorality that doesn't bother us: pride, lust, and greed in particular, and allowed ourselves to accept the delusion that anyone who looks the part and is on "our side" in the Culture War is Christian enough.  The Word of God says otherwise.  We will be known by God by our fruit, judged as genuine believers in Jesus, or not, by it. 

Those who mimic the look of being a Christian, without the heart-motivated acts of righteousness to go with it, are either self-deluded or charlatans, either a danger to themselves or to the church as a whole.  As long as we accept those who are "like us" as being good enough because we view Christianity as a cultural/political feud to be won, rather than a call to self-sacrificially serve the Kingdom of God that must be obeyed, we will continue to warp Christianity into something which is was never intended to be, with disastrous consequences.

Sermon Video: Paul defends his conduct before Felix - Acts 24

Having safely arrived in Caesarea, the Apostle Paul now faces an attempt by the High Priest Ananias to persuade the Roman provincial governor Felix that he ought to be put to death for being a "troublemaker" who stirs up riots.  In his defense, Paul points to a lack of witnesses to this supposed quarrelsome conduct, and asserts that, "I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man."  For us, the example of Paul is important.  As Christians, we may face persecution because of the Truth that we proclaim in the Gospel, but we must not be liable to charges of being troublemakers.  Let the message be rejected if it must, we cannot allow the fault to lie with the messengers, there is no excuse for Christians who character and conduct is destructive not constructive.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: Joy to the World - Luke 2:8-18

Following the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, angels appear to shepherds in the night, amazing them and sharing the news that a Savior, the Messiah, has been born.  An incredible culmination to the humble narrative of the birth of Jesus, as God chooses shepherds to be the first witnesses and the first bearers of the glad tidings of joy and hope.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

Sermon Video: Everything in the name of the Lord Jesus - Colossians 3:15-17

Culminating a section where he described what it means to be alive with Christ as a people of God whose hearts are set upon things above, Paul calls for the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts, for the message (Word) of Christ to dwell among us richly, emphasizing the role of music in both teaching and worship, and finishes with a rousing reminder that everything we do needs to be done "in the name of the Lord Jesus", all of it done with gratitude in our hearts toward God.  What an amazing call, what a challenge!

To watch the video, click on the link below:

How do we know which things are disputable?

The Greek term, ἀδιάφορα (adiaphora, meaning "not differentiable") refers to those issues of faith and practice, as well as ethics and morality, which are not essential to the Christian faith, and are thus a matter of conscience for individual Christians (and by extension local churches and denominations).  In other words, when we're not talking about the essentials of our faith, (a typical definition of which might be the Nicene Creed and the authority of Scripture, plus salvation by grace through faith) we as Christians are free to agree to disagree without straining the bonds of Christian fellowship.  This is of course in theory, in practice things can get real messy and even violent {see: The Thirty Years War for a brutal example}.

Which leads to a fundamental question that should concern all Christians: How do we define what is disputable/debatable and what is not?  Striving for agreement on what is "essential" to our faith is helpful, but not nearly enough as we might disagree strongly about what ought to be on that list, an outside arbiter is necessary to help Christians keep their disputes in perspective.  The primary answer is rather simple in the abstract although often difficult in practice: The adiaphora are those things which are "neither commanded nor forbidden in the Word of God" (as the 1577 Formula of Concord puts it).  If the Word of God commands that we do something, it cannot be a matter of conscience for a Christian to choose to obey, we must do so.  If the Word of God forbids an action/attitude, it also cannot be a matter of conscience for a Christian to fail to obey, we must do so.  For example, does the Bible teach about marriage, divorce, extra-marital sex, or homosexual behavior?  It does indeed, in many places.  Therefore it is not for the Church, nor for individual Christians to choose whether or not they wish to obey in these areas, it is a matter of faithfulness to God, a requirement of discipleship.  Does the Bible teach about voting, Bible translations, music choices in worship, art/statues in our worship spaces, the viewing of movies/TV, or social media?  It does not, not directly.  Therefore it is incumbent upon the Church, and individual Christians, to apply Biblical principles (i.e among others: respect for Truth, the pursuit of purity, the Fruit of the Spirit) in these areas, following the example of Jesus and seeking the will of God as best we can in accordance with our God-given wisdom, our conscience, and the leading of the Holy Spirit.  

In the end, our list of essential ought to be shorter than our list of that which is disputable/debatable.  The core of Christianity we ought to be able to list on one piece of paper, and is not open to debate (although many have tried, historically and today as well).  At the same time, we ought to view each other with love and charity regarding those things about which we disagree which are not essential to our faith.

Treat fellow Christians with whom you disagree with love and charity?  Won't that shock the world.  What an amazing opportunity to show the Lost the transforming power of the Holy Spirit at work among the people of God.

Sermon Video: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace - Isaiah 9:6b

What's in a name?  The Messiah promised by the prophet Isaiah is given many names in Scripture: Jesus, Emmanuel, Son of Man, Son of God, Lamb of God, and Man of Sorrows (among others).  Here in Isaiah 9:6b, the prophet adds four titles given to the one who will bring God's salvation to earth: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Each of these in turn further explains who the Messiah will be and what he will accomplish.

To watch the video, click on the link below:

In praise of a gentle spirit - Philippians 4:5

There are a couple of popular phrases used by Christians either among themselves or when trying to explain their attitudes to others regarding how confrontational they choose to be: "Hate the sin, but love the sinner" and "speaking the truth in love".  The first phrase is pretty popular, although it is not Biblical, the second is a quote of Paul from Ephesians where he urges it as a mark of Christian maturity in response to false teaching.  It has become apparent, however, especially in the realms of social media and politics, that many Christians (and/or those claiming the name of Christ) struggle mightily with actually loving the sinner and with combing love with truth.  It has been the experience of many that hatred of sin spills quickly over onto the sinner and that zeal for the Truth drowns out love in an effort to "win" the debate.  A mature and balanced Christian will avoid both of those mistakes, thus their prevalence is a sign that many within the Church lack the maturity which they ought to be striving for through the power of the Spirit.
Which brings me to Paul's words in Philippians 4:5, "Let your gentleness be evident to all."  Of the Christians you know, how many would you describe as gentle?  How many would you describe as disagreeable, harsh, or irritable?  In a healthy Church, the answer to those two questions would result in a 90/10 split or higher, with only a few immature people who display angry and rude behavior.  In the Church today, at least here in America, that ratio has slipped, too far, tarnishing the reputation of Christ's Church and imperiling the message of the Gospel of Peace.
How has this happened, what factors are pushing/pulling so many Christians toward confrontational attitudes where the unsaved have become the enemy rather than the mission field?  One of the most obvious negatively contributing factors has been the increasing presence in politics within the Church, as well as the over-identification of political goals and parties with Christian goals and Churches.  This has resulted in an us vs. them attitude, where those who disagree politically about everything from immigration to tax policy, let alone things like abortion or homosexuality, are viewed through a political prism as the enemy to be conquered and destroyed rather than the lost to be invited home to our Father's forgiveness.
A second factor which has negatively impacted the gentleness that Christians are supposed to be displaying is the pseudo-anonymity of social media.  Things a Christian would not say to someone's face are somehow acceptable when responding to a post in your Facebook feed.  This phenomenon is not particular to Christians, online rudeness is rampant throughout society, but it ought not be among a people called by God to make their gentleness evident to all.  As a Christian, are you displaying gentleness both in person and online, or have you decided that the battles you think you must fight give you an excuse to ignore God's Word?  Is your gentleness evident to all?  It should be.

Sermon Video: Paul tries to make peace with his critics - Acts 21:15-26

Having returned to Jerusalem, the Apostle Paul finds renewed controversy there as false rumors being spread about him have antagonized the Jewish Christian community against his work among the Gentiles.  In response, James encourages Paul to make a public demonstration of his own ongoing personal commitment to the Law of Moses by sponsoring the completion of the Nazarite vows of several of his fellow Jewish Christians.  Despite having done nothing wrong, Paul accepts this advice and takes on the sponsorship expense in order to foster peace within the Church.  In the end, it will be a futile attempt, as fresh lies against Paul will result in his arrest, but the willingness of Paul to act as a peacemaker is an example of the humility required of a servant of the kingdom, and of the sacrifices that may prove necessary to preserve unity within the Church.

To watch the video, click on the link below: