Monthly Archives

December 2017

I Will Never Look At Jesus The Same!

By | Public Blog, Uncategorized

This past week my wife and I attended the Aleph Tav 2017 (AT17) Conference in Shreveport, LA. Aleph and Tav are the first and last letters of the Hebrew language and it is the theme of the preaching ministry of James McMenis, pastor at Word of God Ministries.

The theme for every Aleph Tav conference is, and always will be, It is all about Jesus. Each night of AT17 was based on Paul’s writings found in Philippians 2:5-11. McMenis opened up God’s Word and gave those in attendance an image of Jesus that is far different from the one that many Christians have formed in their minds of who Christ is. The image of Jesus I saw at AT17 was not based on a church’s or a denomination’s or even a pastor’s image of Jesus. I saw the Jesus of the Bible in a fresh and revelatory way that changed my life forever.

Night #1: The Incarnation of Jesus.

At AT17 I saw afresh how the One who thought it not robbery to be equal with God took on human flesh and came to earth as a man. I realized that the God of creation decided that because man would not walk with God after the Fall, God would come to earth and walk with man. The incarnation of Christ did not happen by Jesus coming in the glory of the King of kings and being born in a palace. Instead he was born in the smallest of towns and took His first breath in a trough where animals ate and drank from.

When God announced the birth of His Son, He did not send the announcement to the rulers of the land or to the religious leaders of the time. Instead, God announced the birth of Jesus to shepherds. These were men who were looked down upon and despised by the average citizen. Smelly, dirty shepherds were the only ones who came to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

The incarnation of Jesus caused me to see that Jesus is one who can relate to anyone – rich or poor, black or white, educated or uneducated, free or imprisoned. His incarnation was in the manner that would mark His entire life here on earth.

Night #2: The Humiliation of Jesus

I don’t remember ever hearing a message that broke my heart more than the one on the second night of AT17. I always knew how Jesus suffered on the cross to pay my sin debt. But I never saw how the Bible portrayed the entire life of Jesus here on earth as one of humiliation. From the day of His birth until He took His last breath and said, It is finished, the Son of God suffered rejection, persecution and betrayal.

The Bible does not present Jesus as a man who goes through life doing good and having everyone like Him. I saw through the Scriptures Jesus as one that:

  • The religious leaders despised and criticized
  • His own family discredited and rejected
  • His own home town tried to throw Him off of a cliff
  • John the Baptist, the very person who baptized Jesus and heard God declare that Jesus was His Son, questioned Him about being the Messiah and asked Him should he look for someone else
  • When a woman tried to honor Him by anointing His feet with expensive perfume, His own disciples said that this was a waste of something that could’ve been sold and the money given to the poor
  • Didn’t have a home that He could go to and find safety, acceptance and rest
  • Was betrayed by a kiss
  • Denied by a friend
  • Abandoned by His closest companions
  • Beaten and mocked by political, legal and religious leaders
  • Was stripped of the only thing He owned, His robe, and stretched out on a cross, naked before the whole world
  • When He became my sin, His own Father turned His back and darkness engulfed Him and caused Him to cry out, My Father, Why Have You Forsaken Me?

The next morning I saw a tweet by Paul David Tripp. It summed up what I had heard the night before.

We complain about so many little things, but no complaint came out of the Jesus’ mouth, even though He suffered every day from birth to death. (emphasis mine)

A couple of days later Tim Keller tweeted the following.

There’s no other religion that says God has suffered, that God had to be courageous that he knows what it is like to be abandoned by friends, to be crushed by injustice, to be tortured and die. Christmas shows he knows what you’re going through. When you talk to him, he understands. (emphasis mine)

Even though it was painful to see the humiliation of Christ, it is absolutely necessary that we understand His suffering. His humiliation means that Christ can relate to every person who has ever lived. No one has ever or will ever suffer more than Christ. Therefore, Jesus is the only One who can relate to one’s hurts and is the only One who can bring healing to a wounded heart.

Night #3: The exaltation of Christ 

When I saw the schedule for AT17 and after being broken by seeing the humiliation of Jesus, I thought that night three would be a night of simply praising the name of Jesus. However, I saw that the exaltation of Christ was much more than Him having a name that is higher than any other name.

The message focused on the reality that God has exalted His Son above everyone and everything. Jesus has been given a name that will cause every knee to bow and every tongue to confess that Jesus is Lord. Of course, I already knew this. I had been taught that there is coming a day when every being in heaven, on earth and beneath the earth will bow the knee and confess with their mouths that Jesus is Lord.

However, the exaltation of Jesus is not just for some day in the distant future. It is for today! It is because of the humiliation of Jesus that the name of Jesus has power like no other name TODAY! God has exalted Jesus so that at the name of Jesus – in any country around the world, in any community, palace, government office, business, or home – has the power to save.

I saw the Jesus of the Bible as the One who was beaten with my sin, was mocked with my sin, was nailed to a cross with my sin, was suspended between heaven and earth as judgment for my sin. McMenis pointed out that just like Moses had to beat some brass (symbol of judgment) into the form of a serpent and lifted up for the people to look at so the Son of Man had to be beaten into the form of man’s sin and be lifted up for all men to look at.

The Israelites were dying from the bites of serpents so the serpent had to be judged to bring life and healing to the people. We are dying in our sin so Jesus had to be beaten into the form of our sin and lifted up in judgment for our sin. That is why there is salvation in only one name – the name of Jesus. The name of Jesus is the only name with power to heal, it is the only name that has power to save, it is the only name that can change our lives and our destiny.

I have to get to the point that I am sick of my sin, my bondage, my addictions, my hurts and pain, that my only hope is to look at Jesus lifted up and call on the name of Jesus. Whenever I hear the name of Jesus, I will never see Him the same!

Night #4: The Adoration of Jesus

The final night moved from the CenturyLink Arena to Independence Stadium. Thousands of people streamed into the stadium, gathering together under an open heaven with temperatures hovering in the low 40s. The entire night focused on the adoration of Jesus. After being led in worship by Bethel Music, McMenis preached a simple message. Because of the incarnation, the humiliation, and the exaltation there is only logical response from us. All of our lives are to worship the Savior at all times.

My first Aleph Tav Conference won’t be my last. I gained a fresh, biblical image of Jesus Christ through the teaching I received these four nights. As I said at the beginning of this article, I will never look at Jesus the same!

 

Having The Proper Motivation

By | Public Blog, Uncategorized

Over the past several weeks we have been focusing our attention on the essentials that must be at the foundation of the education we provide our children and youth.  So far, we have discussed three essentials.  These three essentials are based on two biblical principles.  The principles are:

The education of children and youth must have as its primary focus the increase in the knowledge of God.  John 17:3; Romans 1:20; Romans 11:33-36; Psalm 19:1-6; Ephesians 1:16-19; 3:15-19; 4:13; Philippians 1:9; 3:8-10, 13-14; Colossians 1:9-10; 2:2-3; 2 Peter 3:18; Proverbs 2:5; Hosea 4:1; 6:6; and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

 The education of children and youth results in performing work in fulfillment of God’s will for their lives.  Genesis 1: 26; Matthew 6:10, 33; Ephesians 5:17; Hebrews 10:36; 13:20-21; Colossians 1:9-10; 12:1-2; Proverbs 3:5-6; 20:24

From these two biblical principles on how God wants us to educate our children, we can discover three essential aspects that must drive our educational efforts at home, church and school.  These essentials are:

  1. Know God
  2. Discover God’s Call
  3. Equip to Do God’s Will

Today I want to share with you what I believe is a fourth essential that must be a major part of the education a child receives at home, church and/or school.  This essential can be stated as:

Pursue Excellence for God’s Glory

The concept of excellence has been dealt with in several earlier blog posts. However, it is important to emphasize that one’s pursuit of excellence must be based on a biblical model for excellence rather than on a secular one.  The world’s concept of excellence is all about performance and achievement.  Excellence is measured by the compare and compete mindset.  Other individuals or institutions or teams become the standard for defining excellence.  One can claim excellence as long as he or the organization is better or defeats the other person or group.

This horizontal view of excellence was condemned in Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth.  Paul warned these Christians not to put themselves in the category of people who measure themselves by themselves or compare themselves with themselves.  Whenever we pursue this type of excellence, Paul says we are not wise.

As we provide our children with an education that constantly challenges them to pursue excellence, we must be sure that we teach them what biblical excellence is.  Biblical excellence does not begin with a horizontal perspective but with a vertical one.  Our standard for excellence isn’t other people or organizations.  Our standard for excellence is God, Himself.

When God is our standard for excellence then we realize that the focus of true excellence is not on performance but on character.  God challenges every Christian to be holy for I am holy.  God always desires His children to be like Christ which means that they must develop Christlike character.

Out of this pursuit of godly character, one’s performance becomes an extension of his character.  Because our desire is to be like Christ, we, therefore, strive to do our best according to the gifts and abilities God has created in us.  As we strive to perform to our potential, we do so for only one goal — to bring glory to God.

The educational essential of pursuing excellence for God’s glory can be fully captured in another biblical principle of education.

The education of children and youth must be characterized by the pursuit of biblical excellence based on godly character resulting in competent performance for God’s glory.  2 Corinthians 8:7, 10:12; Philippians 1:9-10, 4:8; 1 Timothy 6:11; Psalm 8:1; Ecclesiastes 9:10

Since there is so much attention put on education in today’s world, we must make sure that we are addressing these four essentials of a biblical education.  We must assess the education we are providing our children at home, church, and at the schools that they attend in light of these key essentials of education.  We must constantly be asking ourselves a few questions.

 

  1. Does the education our children receive at home, church and school have a major focus on them increasing in the knowledge of God?
  2. Are our children being guided in understanding how God created them in His image and, from that understanding, developing the discernment to discover God’s call on their lives?
  3. Is our children’s education equipping them to be able to accomplish God’s will for their lives as they pursue their vocations?
  4. Is the home, church and school challenging our children to pursue biblical excellence that focuses on character that leads them to perform to their best ability for God’s glory alone?

These are challenging questions to answer in light of today’s emphasis on performance in order to get the better job and chase after the American Dream.  However, an even more daunting question must be answered.  This question is:

If the education we are providing our children at home, church and school is not addressing these four essentials, what are we going to do about it?

Equipping The Next Generation

By | Uncategorized

We have been looking at four key essentials for the education of our children and youth.  In recent posts I have discussed two of the four essentials that must be the focus of the education we provide our children.  The first essential was the importance of knowing God. I have found a biblical principle that addresses this important essential.  It reads:

The education of children and youth must have as its primary focus the increase in the knowledge of God.   John 17:3; Romans 1:20; Romans 11:33-36; Psalm 19:1-6; Ephesians 1:16-19; 3:15-19; 4:13; Philippians 1:9; 3:8-10, 13-14; Colossians 1:9-10; 2:2-3; 2 Peter 3:18; Proverbs 2:5; Hosea 4:1; 6:6; and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

We must never forget that God is a relational God and created us in His image so that we can have a deep, intimate love relationship with Him. Knowing Him is essential to finding true meaning and significance for our existence.

As we strive to know Him better each day, we must then focus on the second essential of education.  This essential is to discover God’s call on one’s life.  Again, there is biblical principle  that makes this a major point of emphasis for every human being.  It reads:

The education of children and youth results in performing work in fulfillment of God’s will for their lives.  Genesis 1: 26; Matthew 6:10, 33; Ephesians 5:17; Hebrews 10:36; 13:20-21; Colossians 1:9-10; 12:1-2; Proverbs 3:5-6; 20:24

If you were to go back and read the two blog posts dealing with the need for every child to discover God’s call, you will find that there are two calls that God sends to every person.  One is the call to Christ — to follow Him like Peter, John and the other disciples did.  The second call is a call to vocation or work.  Our children must not only know God but also understand how He has gifted them so that they can do their part in fulfilling the call to subdue and rule over the creation.  When explaining this essential I am equatingGod’s call on a life to knowing God’s will for one’s life.

Today, I want to share the third essential for the education we give our children and youth.  This essential is the logical result of understanding the first two essentials mentioned above.  If everyone who knows God discovers His call on his/her life, then education must equip him/her to do God’s will.

As our children go through elementary, middle and high school, the education they receive should not be something that merely prepares them for more schooling.  The education we give our children at home, in the church and/or at school must be centered on preparing them to do the work required to fulfill God’s will for their lives.

James McMenis, pastor of Word of God Ministries, presented a lengthy series in the church’s Wednesday night services.  The title he gave this series was Called, Equipped, Sent taken from Luke 10 .  He pointed out that God calls every Christian.  Once God calls them and they answer His call, He equips them.  When they are equipped, He sends them out to do a work for Him.  This is what education is all about.  We are to guide our children and youth to know God, discover His call and then equip them so that they can be sent out to a work for Him.

I think most readers would agree with me that in order to be equipped to do God’s will or fulfill His call, one must know what God’s will or call is.  Romans 12:2 tells us what is required for a person to know God’s will so that he/she can be equipped to fulfill His call.  Paul writes:

…be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2 (KJV)

Another translation puts it this way.

…be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 (ESV)

In order for our children and youth to receive a true and meaningful education, the entire educational process must focus on guiding them to develop a biblical worldview.  As parents, pastors and educators, our task is to help future generations renew their minds.  This is a spiritual battle that is described in 2 Corinthians 10.

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…    2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (ESV)

Whenever I read these verses, I do so by changing one word.  We know that Jesus Christ is also the Word (John 1:14).  Therefore, verse 5 tells us to take every thought captive to obey the Word.  The education that the home, church and school provides the next generation must engage all children in the process of developing a biblical worldview.  A biblical worldview looks at all of life through the lens of Scripture.

If our children do not develop a biblical worldview that enables them to think and act from it, then they cannot be fully equipped to do God’s will or answer God’s call.  If fact, we saw above that a child cannot even know God’s will if he/she doesn’t renew his/her mind.

A secular education is also equipping a child for life.  However, a secular education cannot equip children and youth to do God’s will since a secular education separates itself from the possibility of the existence of God.  Secular education equips a child to develop a secular, materialistic, naturalistic worldview so that the child cannot think and act in a way that will impact society for Christ.

There are a few questions that Christian parents, church leaders and educators must answer if we are going to provide our children with an education that embraces these essentials.

  1. Does the education you are providing your children at home, church and school lead them into a deep knowledge of who God is?
  2. Does the education you are providing your children enable them to discover God’s unique call on their lives?
  3. Are the combined efforts of the home, church and school equipping the next generation to think biblically so that they can know God’s will and be prepared to fulfill His will through meaningful work?

If Christian parents, pastors and educators cannot answer these questions in the affirmative, we are neglecting the very essentials that must be the foundation of true education.  As you strive to provide your children and youth with a biblical education grounded on these three essentials, what do you need to start doing? stop doing? and/or continue doing?