The surprise announcement that Pope Benedict XVI will resign as Pope at the end of February was certainly a surprise, especially when you consider that it hasn't happened since Gregory XII in 1415. In the very near future the College of the Cardinals will convene to select the next Pope in a process that is repeated, albeit with less grandeur and prestige at stake, all over the world each year when churches large and small select someone to take the place of a previous leader.
There are several issues which can threaten a local church or even a whole denomination, change of leadership is one of the most regular and one of the most frightening. Questions often abound about how the new leader(s) will be able to measure up to the old. How will the current ministries of the church mesh with this new leader's vision? Will changes be coming, and will they be for the better?
The issues are relatively the same for the Catholic Church's one billion followers and the small rural church of twenty. Change, for better or worse, is often met with apprehension if not fear. A dynamic leader is difficult to replace (and take it from the perspective of a minister, difficult to follow as well). Sadly, many a church has been dealt a mortal blow due to the cliques that form around ex-pastors or the unwillingness of some in a congregation to accept that change is a necessary part of any healthy church.
So what can we rely upon to bolster us in times of change? The first great anchor for any church must be the Cornerstone of our faith, Jesus Christ. Whomever is chosen to lead us, by whichever selection process is used, he/she must affirm without any hesitation the sole headship of Jesus Christ and the absolute reliance upon his saving work upon the cross for our sins. Secondly, we rely upon the continuity of the Scriptures. The Word of God is the source of authority for us all regardless of the amount of authority a local leader or even denominational leader may or may not have at his/her disposal. Those in leadership change, the Word of God does not. Thirdly, we have tradition and the example of those who have gone before us to guide us. The world around us changes all the time, yet nothing is new under the sun (Solomon knew that 3,000 years ago); the challenges facing our churches today are the challenges that the Church has overcome before and will again. Why? Because Christ has promised us that the "gates of hell will not overcome it" (Matthew 16:18).
In the end, each local body, and each larger denominational grouping, must protect the legacy that has been handed down to us from those who have lived as salt and light in this world before us, and we must find new ways to bring the same unchangeable Gospel of Jesus Christ to a world that continues to be in need of God's forgiveness. We must choose our leaders wisely, and we must remember to support them in prayer.
Is it odd for a Baptist pastor to pray for the selection of the next Pope? It shouldn't be, our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ are embarking upon a new chapter in the history of the Catholic Church; a journey we too have taken in the past and we too will do so again soon enough. The men and women who lead the Church on Earth are but servants of Lamb; we do his work for as long as we are blessed with the responsibility of shepherding his flock, and then we hand the staff on to another of God's shepherds.
This blog serves as an outreach for Pastor Randy Powell of the First Baptist Church of Franklin, PA. Feel free to ask questions or send me an e-mail at pastorpowell@hotmail.com
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Sermon Video: "Speak, your servant is listening" - 1 Samuel 3
The call of Samuel by the LORD is told in chapter 3 amidst the tribulation surrounding the wickedness and subsequent judgment of Eli's sons, Hophni and Phineas. While that unfortunate drama progresses, the LORD calls Samuel in the night to begin his road toward leading Israel as his prophet.
The advice that Eli gives to Samuel when he realizes that God is calling him is to say, "Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening." That attitude of humble listening to the Word of God is one that we all can learn from. God may not speak to you with an audible voice, but his will is available to guide us through the Scriptures, prayer, and the wisdom of our fellow followers of Jesus. However, we will never hear what God is saying if we don't take the time to stop and listen.
The post script of God's call to Samuel is the observation that from this day forward he listened intently to God's word and consequently grew in stature and honor among the people. When the time comes for Samuel to lead the people, he'll be ready because he listened to God.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video
The advice that Eli gives to Samuel when he realizes that God is calling him is to say, "Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening." That attitude of humble listening to the Word of God is one that we all can learn from. God may not speak to you with an audible voice, but his will is available to guide us through the Scriptures, prayer, and the wisdom of our fellow followers of Jesus. However, we will never hear what God is saying if we don't take the time to stop and listen.
The post script of God's call to Samuel is the observation that from this day forward he listened intently to God's word and consequently grew in stature and honor among the people. When the time comes for Samuel to lead the people, he'll be ready because he listened to God.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video
Monday, February 4, 2013
Sermon Video: A Firm Foundation - Luke 6:43-49
In the final portion of his sermon, Jesus draws two conclusions to his message of high moral standards. The first is that the things that people do in life are a reflection of the person they are. As he says, "good" people produce "good fruit" and "bad" people produce "bad fruit". The lack of a middle ground, a grey area, is on purpose. Jesus is not interested in making people feel better about themselves if they are falling short of the standard of God's holiness. Remember, Jesus said we must love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, give to those who will not give anything back, be merciful, and do not judge. Such things are far beyond the normal definition of "good", does anyone really think they would be declared a good person when standing before God?
The second conclusion is that anyone who hopes to live a life pleasing to God must do so by building upon a firm foundation. The building metaphor works both ways: those who build upon the solid rock (the teachings of Jesus and the person of Jesus) will not only build a structure with inhabiting, they will also withstand the inevitable storms in life. Conversely, those who try to build with Christ as their foundation will ultimately find that whatever they manage to build falls apart and eventually collapses.
We must product good fruit if we claim to follow Jesus, to simply talk a good game is not good enough; we must be like Christ. The only way we can possibly hope for such moral purity is to place our trust, hope, and faith upon the power that we have been offered through the Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video
The second conclusion is that anyone who hopes to live a life pleasing to God must do so by building upon a firm foundation. The building metaphor works both ways: those who build upon the solid rock (the teachings of Jesus and the person of Jesus) will not only build a structure with inhabiting, they will also withstand the inevitable storms in life. Conversely, those who try to build with Christ as their foundation will ultimately find that whatever they manage to build falls apart and eventually collapses.
We must product good fruit if we claim to follow Jesus, to simply talk a good game is not good enough; we must be like Christ. The only way we can possibly hope for such moral purity is to place our trust, hope, and faith upon the power that we have been offered through the Son of God, Jesus of Nazareth.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
The workings of the Holy Spirit
In the mid-fourteenth century the Eastern Orthodox Church was convulsed by a dispute about the whether or not a style of mystical prayer known as Hesychasm was valid. The prime advocate of this type of prayer, Gregory Palamas "maintained that in such practice of prayer, it is possible to reach a vision of divine light which reveals God's uncreated energy, which is the Holy Spirit." (Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years by Diarmaid MacCulloch, p. 487) What the mystics of the Orthodox Church were trying to achieve through repetition of the "Jesus Prayer" (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me.") was a connection with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus made it clear to his disciples that when he left them the Spirit of God would take his place to teach (John 16:12-15) them, and throughout Acts the Spirit is seen guiding and directing the early Church through men like Peter and Paul. We know from Paul's letter to the Romans that the Holy Spirit is also instrumental in our prayer as well (Romans 8:26-27).
In the past two thousand years the Church has come up with a variety of answers to the practical questions of what our interaction with the Holy Spirit could/should look like for individuals, local churches, and Christendom as a whole. For some people, that answer is a subtle one, a "still small voice" that speaks quietly when we're willing to listen. For others, the answer has been much more vocal, whether it be speaking in tongues, visions, dreams, or other kinds of communication.
Depending upon the church tradition you're familiar with, it may seem odd, even weird, to experience the other end of the spectrum. To step into a Pentecostal Church if you were raised Roman Catholic would be quite a shock, likewise to step into a Lutheran Church if you were raised Southern Baptist might be equally surprising. That same divergent response to the Holy Spirit is mirrored in individuals as well. For some people, to talk about being moved or spoken to by the Holy Spirit is only natural, for others it seems a foreign concept. Those of us who are naturally outgoing might find such expression easy, and those who tend to be more reserved might find it uncomfortable.
So who is right? Which expression of the work of the Holy Spirit is the right one? They all are. That isn't avoiding the issue, it's the truth. The Spirit of God works throughout the Church of Christ. If we are all followers of Jesus Christ, all of us have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. That includes the jumping up and down "Hallelujah" shouter and the man sitting in the back praying silently.
Here's a suggestion that might open your eyes, take some time and visit a church that is unlike the kind you're used to; find out the ways in which other Christians are living out their faith, you just might find something that speaks to you.
Jesus made it clear to his disciples that when he left them the Spirit of God would take his place to teach (John 16:12-15) them, and throughout Acts the Spirit is seen guiding and directing the early Church through men like Peter and Paul. We know from Paul's letter to the Romans that the Holy Spirit is also instrumental in our prayer as well (Romans 8:26-27).
In the past two thousand years the Church has come up with a variety of answers to the practical questions of what our interaction with the Holy Spirit could/should look like for individuals, local churches, and Christendom as a whole. For some people, that answer is a subtle one, a "still small voice" that speaks quietly when we're willing to listen. For others, the answer has been much more vocal, whether it be speaking in tongues, visions, dreams, or other kinds of communication.
Depending upon the church tradition you're familiar with, it may seem odd, even weird, to experience the other end of the spectrum. To step into a Pentecostal Church if you were raised Roman Catholic would be quite a shock, likewise to step into a Lutheran Church if you were raised Southern Baptist might be equally surprising. That same divergent response to the Holy Spirit is mirrored in individuals as well. For some people, to talk about being moved or spoken to by the Holy Spirit is only natural, for others it seems a foreign concept. Those of us who are naturally outgoing might find such expression easy, and those who tend to be more reserved might find it uncomfortable.
So who is right? Which expression of the work of the Holy Spirit is the right one? They all are. That isn't avoiding the issue, it's the truth. The Spirit of God works throughout the Church of Christ. If we are all followers of Jesus Christ, all of us have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. That includes the jumping up and down "Hallelujah" shouter and the man sitting in the back praying silently.
Here's a suggestion that might open your eyes, take some time and visit a church that is unlike the kind you're used to; find out the ways in which other Christians are living out their faith, you just might find something that speaks to you.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Sermon Video: "Do not judge" Luke 6:37-42
As Jesus' sermon continues, the ideas of "do to others" and "be merciful" are further developed by adding to them "do not judge", "do not condemn", and "forgive". The call continues for followers of Jesus Christ to live a higher moral standard. Why must we not judge, because we ourselves do not want to be judged? Why must we not condemn, because God is merciful and so must we be. Forgiveness offers the path to doing away with judgmental and condemnatory attitudes, when we learn to forgive as God forgives we no longer feel the need to elevate ourselves by bring others down.
Jesus continues by explaining that the blind cannot lead the blind, we must follow the example of our teacher (himself) and learn from those who have become like him. The final analogy, of the man with a plank in his eye trying to remove the speck in the eye of another shows the absurdity of those who have their own moral failings trying to correct those same failings in others. Yes, we must help others in their efforts to be Christ-like, but we should do so by first examining ourselves that we may offer help from a position of victory over sin.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video
Jesus continues by explaining that the blind cannot lead the blind, we must follow the example of our teacher (himself) and learn from those who have become like him. The final analogy, of the man with a plank in his eye trying to remove the speck in the eye of another shows the absurdity of those who have their own moral failings trying to correct those same failings in others. Yes, we must help others in their efforts to be Christ-like, but we should do so by first examining ourselves that we may offer help from a position of victory over sin.
To watch the video, click on the link below:
Sermon Video
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