The Wonder and ZZZ of Doctrine

A problem has arisen as I prepare for this Sunday's message - How do I honorably preach the doctrine of Ephesians 1:3-6 without making it an academic exercise? Bible churches in the Maryland/Pennsylvania area have a culture centered around the expository preaching of God's Word - line by line, verse, by verse, word by word. I agree with this, but have found that if poorly preached it accomplishes the same as that of poorly preached topical messages. It becomes an academic message, a seminary lesson, that soars above the average listener. The sad result is that the doctrine of say Ephesians 1:3-6 becomes tedious and boring. The listener can find no reason to listen. Their minds wander and little is accomplished. (Now I understand that I am not including in these thoughts the role of the Holy Spirit and His use of God's Word.)

That said, when I read this passage I am filled with wonder and joy. God chose me before the foundation of the world! He adopted me as a son! And He did all this, and more, to the praise of His glory! If this fills me with wonder and joy, why does it not so move the average listener? Because it is poorly communicated. We take this profound truth and boil it down the war between Calvin and Arminius; and the response is ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Pray for me this week as I try and find the way to best present this wonderful verse without killing the wonder and joy.

-Mark

Please visit our church at www.wakefieldbible.org

From Instability to Stability - The Life of Peter

This past Sunday we began a series of Character Studies. The first character studied was Peter. With Peter there is so much information that as a preacher I had to throw much out. (In fact, looking back over the message, I was probably one point too many.) Because of the wealth of material some great things were not shared. I would like to point you to one section of Scripture that I could not include, but is a blessing to me.

2 Peter 1:3-11 is a wonderful section that moves my heart when I read it. This morning I used a prayer tool to study this passage. I'll share more about this tool in a later post this week. So if you struggle in your prayer and devotional life, check back later this week to learn of a great resource that will help.

Let's take 2 Peter 1:3-11 and ask some basic questions: 1) Who is God in this passage? He is the giver of life and godliness, the giver of exceedingly great and precious promises, the giver of His divine nature. He is the one who has rescued us from the corruption of this world. 2) How shall I respond? With diligence. We are to strive to add one thing upon another. Those items are listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7. 3) So what should I pray about? For me it is "God increase my faith ... add to my faith virtue..and so forth through the list. Why pray for it if I am to strive for it? Because on my own I am unable to do such a work, but with the Holy Spirit I am able. 4) Finally, where do I go from here? Well the above acts of diligence will ultimately lead to a fruitful life; to a life where one has a clear vision of from whence he came and where he is going, and for complete understanding of one's calling and election.

Our character Peter came to such an understanding after Christ's ascension. The words he offers in his two epistles are not the words of the unstable man so demonstrated throughout the Gospels. Rather these are the words of one who has moved on from instability to that of stability because of the work God was doing in his life. If you long to move from a life of instability to stability take Peter's example. Use 2 Peter 1:3-11 as a starting place. If you have already trusted in Christ then understand all that God has already given you. Then build one thing upon the next with, of course, the Holy Spirit's help.

However, if you have not trusted in Christ then you must begin there. Your life will always be unstable because sin rules you. Christ died for this sin. You need to turn from it and turn to Christ, acknowledging that He is God and that He died for that very sin. Put your trust in Him and what He did to save you, not on your own strength.

Next week we will have a guest speaker at Wakefield. The following week we will return with our next character study, this time a female, Hadassah.

-Mark

Please visit our church at www.wakefieldbible.org

The Broken On Our Doorstep

Since Saturday, just five days back, we have watched God bring two broken people to us for help and healing. One we found during door-to-door visitation and the other God prompted to find us. Listening to their stories can be overwhelming. There is no easy answer for all that has befallen them. Health, family, and loneliness, are just at the top of a long list. And as they talk of their hurts you hear how God is far away, how He seems not to answer their prayers, how He appears to have abandoned them at their time of greatest need. Truly these people are broken, lost, and alone.

Just minutes after one departed the office, I looked into Scripture to see what advice God gave for Shepherding such. I found myself in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, the passage concerning Paul's thorn. As I looked at verse nine, I wondered, "How does someone get to the point in their suffering where they can say 'I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.'?" I'm not sure I have the answer.

Looking elsewhere I found a table in the Life Application that listed six questions to ask when you find yourself in a time of suffering:
1. Am I being punished by God for sin?
2. Is Satan attacking me as I try to survive as a Christian?
3. Am I being prepared for a special service, learning to be compassionate to those who suffer?
4. Am I specifically selected for testing, like Job?
5. Is my suffering a result of natural consequences, for which I am not directly responsible?
6. Is my suffering due to some unknown reason?

I thought, "Well Paul must have come to a place in his life where he had an answer to those questions." To have such confidence that one can glory in his suffering and to recognize the result of such confidence is remarkable.

How long did it take? Did Paul respond in this fashion immediately or did some time pass? We see three pleadings. Maybe not long at all. What does one do while he waits upon God for such and understanding? 2 Thessalonians 1:1-6 gives some insight. During times of suffering we must exercise patience and faith.

Probably if we are faithful in our ministry to these two broken people, God will drive some more in our direction. God is always working in our area. Here is an opportunity to be a part of that work. Let us love these people and share our Savior with them. And let us teach them that as they wait upon God, and for the confidence He brings, they need to demonstrate faith and patience.

Please visit our church at www.wakefieldbible.org

Rediscovering Joy

I have started to read Total Truth, by Nancy Pearcey. I am only in the 1st chapter and am enjoying it. However, I do know it will be a slow read, because I have so much else that I need to read. Looking ahead in the book I noticed title for chapter 2, Rediscovering Joy. I am unsure what Dr. Pearcey will write about in that chapter, but the title did resonate with me, for I sense that the church has lost its joy.
For me the two most important passages in Scripture regarding Joy are found in 1 John 1:3-4 and Hebrews 12:2. Look at the latter, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." What was the joy that Christ saw as He approached the cross? Whatever it was motivated Him to take the beatings, the nails, the torture, and the death. Whatever the joy was motivated Him to endure all that for our sakes. What then was this joy? I think it was that He saw those saved, who would live with Him forever, because of their trust in Him and His finished work, death and resurrection.
Then in 1 John 1:3, 4 we read, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (4) And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." Our joy is realized when we realize that through faith in Christ we have fellowship with God and with all believers. Many walk this world seeking intimacy and purpose. They search for it in many ways: work, education, relationships, and accomplishments. However, the believer comes to know that true intimacy and purpose is found in Jesus Christ. That understanding should bring joy to all of us.
I don't think that Dr. Pearcey will approach joy from this direction, but I do look forward to reading her views. In the meantime, I hope that these two facts: the realization that Christ endured the cross because of the joy He would experience at your salvation, and the fact that our joy can be found in our fellowship with God and other believers, will encourage you.
-Mark

God is a Divorcee

This past Sunday we took our second look at Marriage and Divorce. Two weeks back (we were interrupted by the Missions Conference) we examined marriage. Yesterday we looked specifically at divorce. We examined Deuteronomy 24:1-4; Matthew 5:31-32, 19:1-10, Leviticus 20:10; 1 Corinthians 6:15-16; and Jeremiah 3:6-8.

In the end these conclusions were reached:

1. Marriage was designed to be a life-long relationship between a man and a woman.

2. Sin perverted marriage

3. The Bible protects marriage

4. Jesus confirms the original design of marriage and limited the reasons for divorce.

5. Divorce for any reason other than adultery is illegitimate

6. If someone divorces for a reason other than adultery it can lead to further adultery.

7. If someone marries a divorcee that participated in an illegitimate divorce, then they too are committing adultery.

8. Although God hates divorce, He loves the divorcee. Why? Because God himself is a divorcee.

In two weeks we will continue our study on divorce. We will examine 1 Corinthians 7. This will allow us to add to the idea of legitimate divorce. Adultery allows for a legitimate divorce. 1 Corinthians 7 teaches that abandonment on the part of an unbelieving spouse is also grounds for a legitimate divorce. We will also determine what to do if you are in an illegitimate second marriage.

The above notes are greatly abbreviated and may lead you to even more questions. Feel free to ask them and I will attempt to answer. Those that have known me for a number of years realize that the above teaching is a change in my position on divorce. Coming out of seminary I held to a No Divorce, No Remarriage position. However, now that I have had time to further study the topic and have had time to develop an understanding apart from the views of others, I have changed my position.

Pray for our Family Weekend that is coming. On Saturday we will have a Men's Steak cookout. Ralph Rice will challenge the men. Ralph will be with us Sunday as we focus on family. Thanks for your prayers.

-Mark

Grace Upon Grace

I'm sorry for not posting these many months. Life has been busy. However, I should be able keep up with my future postings.

While reading John 1, I was struck by one certain verse, verse 16. It reads, "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace."

The believer then wakes up everyday to receive another wave of God's grace. The grace a believer received is replaced with even more grace. Robertson pointed out that the Greek is like that of Luke 11:11 where a serpent is given for fish and in Hebrews 12:2 where joy replaces the cross. The image that comes to my mind is that of someone standing on the beach, knee deep in the tide, with wave after wave striking his legs. God's grace is endless and the believer never lacks with what God provides.

The first part of the verse speaks of "His fullness." I looked at Ephesians 4:13. There we find that the gifted people given to the church are being used by God to lead the body to a fullness of Christ. We are becoming more like Christ each and every day!

It seems though that John 1:16 is much different from Ephesians 4:13. In Ephesians the promise is for the believer. In John, I feel that the fullness of Christ is the Incarnate God, who walked among men. The only begotten, He in His fullness, came to man; and those that believe receive His grace forever more each and every day.

-Mark

The Nature of Worship

In preparation for next week's message, I have been reviewing my notes from Ecclesiology. Dr. James R. Mook stated many years back, "Worship must begin in a person's spirit and be done without hypocrisy and be done with uncompromising acceptance of God's revelation of Himself in Scripture." (Ecclesiology, The Local Church Part 2: The Purpose of the Local Church, page 6) He used John 4:23-24 to make this point. Just prior to that statement, Dr. Mook used Romans 12:1-2 to teach that worship is the sacrifice of one's entire self as a living sacrifice.

I have been chewing on these two points and realize how far short I, and probably many others fall. This failure leads me to ask a few questions: 1) If we fall short of an entire self-sacrifice have we then truly worshipped? 2) If we have yet to master our hypocrisy and fail to yield to God's revelation in Scripture, have we truly worshipped God? 3) If questions 1 & 2 are a "yes" then what have we done?
I am going to ponder these questions for a few days before I attempt to answer them. However, I would appreciate your insights.
-Mark

Some Thoughts on Heaven

John Newton, writer of the hymn, "Amazing Grace" once said, “When I get to heaven, there will be three wonders:
1. Who is there
2. Who is not there, and
3. The fact that I’m there!"
Any day now, we also will experience these three wonders and wonders beyond those three. Any day now, in the twinkling of an eye, without warning, without announcement, and unseen by the world, Christ will call His Church to Himself. One moment we will be about our business and the next moment, we will be standing before God. Can't wait!